Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Stephen of Hungary

 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Stephen of Hungary
 
Biographical Information about St. Stephen of Hungary
 

“The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine”
by Annibale Carracci, 1585-87

Readings for Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63
 
The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations.
Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:
By origin and birth you are of the land of Canaan;
your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
As for your birth, the day you were born your navel cord was not cut;
you were neither washed with water nor anointed,
nor were you rubbed with salt, nor swathed in swaddling clothes.
No one looked on you with pity or compassion
to do any of these things for you.
Rather, you were thrown out on the ground as something loathsome,
the day you were born.
 
Then I passed by and saw you weltering in your blood.
I said to you:  Live in your blood and grow like a plant in the field.
You grew and developed, you came to the age of puberty;
your breasts were formed, your hair had grown,
but you were still stark naked.
Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love.
So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness;
I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you;
you became mine, says the Lord GOD.
Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood,
and anointed you with oil.
I clothed you with an embroidered gown,
put sandals of fine leather on your feet;
I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear.
I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms,
a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose,
pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head.
Thus you were adorned with gold and silver;
your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.
Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food.
You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen.
You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was,
because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you,
says the Lord GOD.
 
But you were captivated by your own beauty,
you used your renown to make yourself a harlot,
and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by,
whose own you became.
 
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.
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Commentary on Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63
 
Ezekiel once more calls the people of Jerusalem to repentance. In this discourse, he describes God’s relationship to the people as an allegory to a marriage. He begins by reminding them of their origins. Jerusalem was first established by Canaanites, and was conquered by the Israelites under Joshua. When King David established Jerusalem as the center of Judaism, he brought the Ark of the Covenant to the temple there. Solomon, in his turn, made her beautiful, adorning her with all manner of riches. But the people were not faithful. They “played the harlot” adopting pagan rituals (see also Hosea 4: 13-14 and 2 Kings 21:1-18). Because of this, she was captured and despoiled, but even so, Yahweh gives her pardon and extends his hand of forgiveness.
 
CCC: Ez 16 219; Ez 16 1611
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Or: Ezekiel 16:59-63
 
Thus says the LORD:
I will deal with you according to what you have done,
you who despised your oath, breaking a covenant.
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you.
Then you shall remember your conduct and be ashamed
when I take your sisters, those older and younger than you,
and give them to you as daughters,
even though I am not bound by my covenant with you.
For I will re-establish my covenant with you,
that you may know that I am the LORD,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.
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Commentary on Ez 16:59-63
 
In this shorter form, the prophet extends the hand of forgiveness as he speaks with God’s voice. Continuing the allegory of an unfaithful wife who is cast out by her lover, he tells the people of Jerusalem that in spite of all they have done, God will reestablish his covenant with them. God forgives them (an act that, because of their shame, they cannot understand).
 
CCC: Ez 16 219; Ez 16 1611
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Responsorial Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
 
R. (1c) You have turned from your anger.
 
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. You have turned from your anger.
 
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. You have turned from your anger.
 
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. You have turned from your anger.
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Commentary on Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
 
This hymn of praise is a profession of faith: “My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior.” It also does something interesting in that it challenges those who profess their faith in the Lord to proclaim it in the world: “among the nations make known his deeds, proclaim how exalted is his name.”
 
This canticle emphasizes the peace and confidence found in his servant, enjoying the salvation of God. He sings his praise to God and exhorts all of Israel to praise him as they see his constant presence among them in the blessings they receive.
 
CCC: Is 12:3 2561
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Gospel: Matthew19:3-12
 
Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”
He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning
the Creator made them male and female and said,
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?
So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”
They said to him, “Then why did Moses command
that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?”
He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful)
and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him,
“If that is the case of a man with his wife,
it is better not to marry.”
He answered, “Not all can accept this word,
but only those to whom that is granted.
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others;
some, because they have renounced marriage
for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
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Commentary on Mt 19:3-12
 
This passage from Matthew’s Gospel is foundational to our understanding of the sacrament of matrimony. Here we find Jesus challenged by Pharisees (possibly being asked to take sides in an argument but more likely to be tricked). Jesus' comments on the origins of marriage and its sanctity are attacked again using Mosaic Law. Jesus once more goes back to the Father’s intent but does give an out – “unless the marriage is unlawful,” that is, the sacramental bond did not exist from the beginning.
 
The discourse then switches to one between Jesus and his disciples as they discuss the idea of living the celibate life. Again, the Lord tells them that this is not for everyone but “only for those to whom that is granted.” The Gospel links the call to marriage and celibacy; both are gifts from God.
 
CCC: Mt 19:1-12 2364; Mt 19:3-12 1620; Mt 19:3-9 2382; Mt 19:4 1652; Mt 19:6-12 2053; Mt 19:6 796, 1605, 1614, 1644, 2336, 2380; Mt 19:7-9 2382; Mt 19:8 1610, 1614; Mt 19:10 1615; Mt 19:11 1615; Mt 19:12 922, 1579, 1618
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Reflection:
 
The Gospel passage from St. Matthew is so important that volumes have been written about its implications to the sacraments of marriage and holy orders. It is interesting that these two sacraments are joined even in Scripture.
 
Central to our understanding of the sacramental bond celebrated in both sacraments is the idea of indelibility. If a sacrament exists it cannot be broken; it cannot leave. Jesus, in this passage, speaks the words used in the sacrament of marriage to describe the permanent nature of the bond (“what God has joined together, man must not separate”).
 
It is the understanding of the Church when it witnesses the sacrament of marriage, or when a bishop confers holy orders, that they cannot be undone. Rather, if, at a later time, it is found that the call to the sacrament of marriage is untenable or not present, or if laicization of one in holy orders is necessary, a mistake was made at the onset, and the sacraments were not present in the first place (although actions that have taken place under the auspices of that bond or those faculties are presumed valid). This is the reason for the existence of the marriage tribunals and the mechanisms of laicization at the Vatican to make certain the mistake was made, and it is something not taken lightly. God’s instruments of grace are not to be casually understood.
 
Today we thank God for the gift of marriage and the gift of holy orders. We ask the heavenly Father to strengthen the gifts of grace provided in these sacraments and pray that those so called will be faithful to their callings.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine” by Annibale Carracci, 1585-87.
[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.