Optional Memorial for Saint Pontian, Pope and Martyr and Saint Hippolytus, Priest and Martyr
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“Jesus Blessing the Children”
by Nicolaes Maes, 1652-53 |
Readings for Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Reading from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: Ezekiel 2:8—3:4
The Lord God said to me:
As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you:
be not rebellious like this house of rebellion,
but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you.
It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me,
in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me.
It was covered with writing front and back,
and written on it was:
Lamentation and wailing and woe!
He said to me: Son of man, eat what is before you;
eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel.
So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat.
Son of man, he then said to me,
feed your belly and fill your stomach
with this scroll I am giving you.
I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel,
and speak my words to them.
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Commentary on Ez 2:8—3:4
The visions depicting the call of the prophet Ezekiel by God continue as the prophet is offered the word of God to bring to the people. “The experience of Yahweh’s “hand” is regularly associated with the personal receipt of a vision in the book of Ezekiel (3:22; 8:1; 37:1; 40:1); in 33:22 it triggers an extraordinary divine action. It has antecedents in earlier descriptions of prophetic experiences. The closest to the examples in Ezekiel is in 2 Kgs 3:15, where Yahweh’s hand causes a trance in which an oracle is communicated.”[4] The offer to have Ezekiel "eat the scroll" is symbolic of his internalization of the word of God. He takes it into himself and knows its meaning in his heart. (The ancient Hebrew made the “stomach” the equivalent of the heart in modern usage.)
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131
R. (103a) How sweet to my taste is your promise!
In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
How sweet to my palate are your promises,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
Your decrees are my inheritance forever;
the joy of my heart they are.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
I gasp with open mouth,
in my yearning for your commands.
R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!
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Commentary on Ps 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131
Psalm 119 is a song of praise directed at the Law of Moses. In this longest of psalms dedicated to the love of the law, the psalmist provides the image of “tasting” the law of God. We note especially the sweetness experienced by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:3); the word of the Lord is sweet to those who receive it and understand.
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Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost.”
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Commentary on Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
Jesus, in this selection from St. Matthew’s Gospel, summarizes what is known as “church order.” It is called this because, in response to the question “who will be greatest in the kingdom of heaven,” Jesus refutes the rank and privilege of the secular world and indicates that those whose faith is like a small child will find greatness in heaven. He goes on to remind the disciples that angels of God watch over those with childlike faith, and that there is no greater sin than leading a child to sin. He also tells the disciples there is no greater duty than seeking a child who is lost (to sin).
“In this context He speaks of children having guardian angels. However, everyone, adult or child, has a guardian angel. ‘By God's providence angels have been entrusted with the office of guarding the human race and of accompanying every human being so as to preserve him from any serious dangers [...]. Our Heavenly Father has placed over each of us an angel under whose protection and vigilance we are’ (‘St. Pius V Catechism,’ IV, 9, 4).” [5]
CCC: Mt 18:3-4 526; Mt 18:3 2785; Mt 18:10 329, 336; Mt 18:14 605, 2822
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Reflection:
In the first reading, from the book of the prophet Ezekiel, we find the prophet deep in a vision. He hears God call him to take his word to the people. The imagery shows how Ezekiel was offered the word of God – to eat. The meaning behind this action is that, for the prophet to lead the people of God back to God’s will, he must completely take the word in. It must become part of him. It is only in this way that what he tells people comes from God not from man.
Leadership is also implicit in the reading from St. Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus tells those seeking the kingdom of God that, in order to take a place of honor there, one must become like a small child, meaning that, like a small child, one’s faith must be absolute. In a child there is no questioning; when their father asks them to do something they do not question: “Is he right?” No, they follow his direction (when they are very young). This innocent faith is the way to the kingdom of Heaven, and the Lord tells us that those with that kind of faith have angels watching over them, keeping them from harm.
Then he instructs the leaders of the flock, saying that they must never lead one of the innocents astray. He tells us that to do so is the worst possible sin, and the punishment will be swift and remorseless.
Any of us who are parents find this passage very sobering. We are charged with leading our children in the faith. The rite of Infant baptism enjoins us seven times to be the first and best teachers of our children. We are told that we teach them by what we say and do. This task, of course, falls to those outside the home in the faith community as well. Children and those with childlike faith look to us to see the example of a lived faith we demonstrate. It is one of the most compelling instructions we have for doing our very best to follow the precepts set down. Leading one of these astray through our actions, after all, will cost us a great price.
Today our prayer is this: that we may be the best teachers of the faith in what we say and do. We pray that those children or childlike in their faith will see our example and be led unalterably to the Father’s throne where we hope to join them with all the angels and saints.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Jesus Blessing the Children” by Nicolaes Maes, 1652-53.
[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] Leslie C. Allen, Ezekiel 1–19, vol. 28, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1994), p. 23.
[5] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 156.
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