Optional Memorial for Saint Paulinus Of Nola, Bishop
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Paulinus Of Nola
Biographical information about St. Paulinus Of Nola
Or
Optional Memorial for Saint John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr and Saint Thomas More, Martyr
Proper readings for the Memorial of Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More
Biographical information about St. John Fisher
Biographical information about St. Thomas More
Or
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. Suggested for this date: # 35 The Blessed Virgin Mary, Pillar of Faith
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Paulinus Of Nola
Biographical information about St. Paulinus Of Nola
Proper readings for the Memorial of Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More
Biographical information about St. John Fisher
Biographical information about St. Thomas More
“The Worship of Mammon” by Evelyn De Morgan, 1909 |
the princes of Judah came and paid homage to King Joash,
and the king then listened to them.
They forsook the temple of the Lord, the God of their fathers,
and began to serve the sacred poles and the idols;
and because of this crime of theirs,
wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem.
Although prophets were sent to them to convert them to the Lord,
the people would not listen to their warnings.
Then the Spirit of God possessed Zechariah,
son of Jehoiada the priest.
He took his stand above the people and said to them:
“God says, ‘Why are you transgressing the Lord’s commands,
so that you cannot prosper?
Because you have abandoned the Lord, he has abandoned you.’”
But they conspired against him,
and at the king’s order they stoned him to death
in the court of the Lord’s temple.
Thus King Joash was unmindful of the devotion shown him
by Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, and slew his son.
And as Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge.”
They invaded Judah and Jerusalem,
did away with all the princes of the people,
and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus.
Though the Aramean force came with few men,
the Lord surrendered a very large force into their power,
because Judah had abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers.
So punishment was meted out to Joash.
After the Arameans had departed from him,
leaving him in grievous suffering,
his servants conspired against him
because of the murder of the son of Jehoiada the priest.
He was buried in the City of David,
but not in the tombs of the kings.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Chr 24:17-25
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34
I have sworn to David my servant:
Forever will I confirm your posterity
and establish your throne for all generations.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
and my covenant with him stands firm.
I will make his posterity endure forever
and his throne as the days of heaven.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
and walk not according to my ordinances,
If they violate my statutes
and keep not my commands.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
and their guilt with stripes.
Yet my mercy I will not take from him,
nor will I belie my faithfulness.”
R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 89:4-5, 29-30, 31-32, 33-34
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34
“No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’
or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 6:24-34
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
We see the historical evidence of this warning played out in the reading from Second Book of Chronicles. King Joash, who himself was rescued from the tyranny of a predecessor (ironically kept hidden and safe in the temple for six years by a priest, the father of Zechariah, whom he had killed for calling the people to return to authentic worship) is punished for his idol worship. Like so many stories related in the historical books of the Bible (1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles), leaders who allow or encourage the people to turn away and forget that the one true God created them, offers them peace, and asks only for obedience and love, find that destruction follows their disobedience.
[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5.
[2] The picture is “The Worship of Mammon” by Evelyn De Morgan, 1909.
[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] Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 1–13, vol. 33A, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1993), 166.
No comments:
Post a Comment