Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

Proper Readings for the Memorial of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus
 
Biographical Information about Saint Thèrése Of The Child Jesus

“Saint Thérèse of Lisieux”
artist and date are unknown

Readings for Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
 
Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.
Job spoke out and said:
 
Perish the day on which I was born,
the night when they said, “The child is a boy!”
 
Why did I not perish at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth,
like babes that have never seen the light?
Wherefore did the knees receive me?
or why did I suck at the breasts?
 
For then I should have lain down and been tranquil;
had I slept, I should then have been at rest
With kings and counselors of the earth
who built where now there are ruins
Or with princes who had gold
and filled their houses with silver.
 
There the wicked cease from troubling,
there the weary are at rest.
 
Why is light given to the toilers,
and life to the bitter in spirit?
They wait for death and it comes not;
they search for it rather than for hidden treasures,
Rejoice in it exultingly,
and are glad when they reach the grave:
Those whose path is hidden from them,
and whom God has hemmed in!
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Commentary on Jb 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
 
Job, the faithful servant of God, has lost all his possessions. His family has been taken from him, and he has been personally afflicted. In these verses he begins his first soliloquy. Without asking for salvation by God, Job laments his desperate state, by beginning to question why he was even given the first gift of life (see parallels in Jeremiah 20:14-18, 1 Kings 19:4 and Sirach 23:14). The important element of this lament is the question itself: “why,” for what reason? Going further in vs. 20-23, the question is broadened to include all who are born into suffering and harsh servitude. In this early part of the Book of Job, there is bewilderment on Job’s part. Divine justice has not yet been introduced.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8
 
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
O Lord, my God, by day I cry out;
at night I clamor in your presence.
Let my prayer come before you;
incline your ear to my call for help.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
For my soul is surfeited with troubles
and my life draws near to the nether world.
I am numbered with those who go down into the pit;
I am a man without strength.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
My couch is among the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
Whom you remember no longer
and who are cut off from your care.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
You have plunged me into the bottom of the pit,
into the dark abyss.
Upon me your wrath lies heavy,
and with all your billows you overwhelm me.
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 88:2-3, 4-5, 6, 7-8
 
Reminiscent of Job, Psalm 88 is an individual lament.  The psalmist cries out, having been afflicted and deserted by his friends.  As the singer calls for God to attend his prayer in the first strophe, he considers his descent to death in those that follow.
 
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Gospel: Luke 9:51-56
 
When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?”
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.
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Commentary on Lk 9:51-56
 
This passage from St. Luke’s Gospel marks the beginning of the Lord’s final journey to Jerusalem. Just as his Galilean ministry began with a rejection by the people of his home town, this passage sees him rejected by the Samaritans. Jesus disregards the suggestion by his disciples to call down heavenly retribution. In doing so he disassociates himself from the image of Elijah (see what could be thought to be a parallel story in 2 Kings 1:10, 12). The final journey begins as it will end, with rejection.

CCC: Lk 9:51 557
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Reflection:
 
Taken as a whole, the readings today are really depressing.  First Job, having lost everything, his possessions, his family, and even his health, asks the rhetorical question: “Why was I even born?”  That same tone is taken up in the lament of Psalm 88, as the singer pleads with God to hear that desperate prayer.  Finally, in the “Good News,” Jesus begins his ominous last journey to Jerusalem, encountering a (not unexpected) rejection by the Samaritans.  What joyous, pragmatic advice can we deduce from these selections?
 
If this day were taken alone, out of context, our faith would indeed suffer a bout of depression.  But even as we reflect upon the hardships of Job, and the rejection of Jesus, we know how things will turn out.  Job has his fortunes and health restored, and Jesus, though he dies, rises to new life.  But how could we rejoice in these final outcomes, if we had not first been plunged into the despair of life’s realities faced by our heroes?
 
These difficult situations and events relating extreme conflict serve as times of consolation for us.  They are in actuality gifts of hope.  Job, whose fall was far worse than any most of us will ever experience, demonstrates a faithfulness that, even faced with complete disaster, was not broken.  His example in the face of dire consequences is one of fidelity, which we are called to emulate.  Jesus’ rejection by the Samaritans likewise teaches us that even the most joyous news can be rejected by those who are blocked from seeing truth by forces about which they are ignorant.
 
Rather than being depressed by these stark events today, we should take hope from them.  We know how their stories end, and how ours, if we remain faithful, will end as well.  Let us rejoice in our misfortunes this day; we are in very good company.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Saint Thérèse of Lisieux” artist and date are unknown.
[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.

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Jerome
 
Biographical information about St. Jerome

“St Jerome”
by Federico Fiori Barocci,  c. 1598

Readings for Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Job 1:6-22
 
One day, when the angels of God came to present themselves before the LORD,
Satan also came among them.
And the LORD said to Satan, "Whence do you come?"
Then Satan answered the LORD and said,
"From roaming the earth and patrolling it." 
And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you noticed my servant Job,
and that there is no one on earth like him,
blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?"
But Satan answered the LORD and said,
"Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?
Have you not surrounded him and his family
and all that he has with your protection?
You have blessed the work of his hands,
and his livestock are spread over the land.
But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has,
and surely he will blaspheme you to your face."
And the LORD said to Satan,
"Behold, all that he has is in your power;
only do not lay a hand upon his person."
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
 
And so one day, while his sons and his daughters
were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
a messenger came to Job and said,
"The oxen were ploughing and the asses grazing beside them,
and the Sabeans carried them off in a raid.
They put the herdsmen to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
"Lightning has fallen from heaven
and struck the sheep and their shepherds and consumed them;
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another messenger came and said,
"The Chaldeans formed three columns,
seized the camels, carried them off,
and put those tending them to the sword,
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
While he was yet speaking, another came and said,
"Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine
in the house of their eldest brother,
when suddenly a great wind came across the desert
and smote the four corners of the house.
It fell upon the young people and they are dead;
and I alone have escaped to tell you."
Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair.
He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said,
 
"Naked I came forth from my mother's womb,
and naked shall I go back again.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD! “In all this Job did not sin,
nor did he say anything disrespectful of God.
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Commentary on Jb 1:6-22
 
This beginning section of the Book of Job describes Satan’s dialogue with God.  He attempts to turn Job from being faithful to God by attempting to dupe Job into believing that God’s favor had been withdrawn from him, and punishment was being laid upon him. In successive waves, messengers arrive to bring terrible news, as one at a time, all of the material blessings given to God’s faithful servant are stripped away. The series of disasters concludes with the death of his children, his posterity. With this final blow, Job tears his clothes, a symbol of mourning, and cuts off his hair as a sign of repentance
 
The first scene ends with Job victorious as God's faithful servant: Satan thought he would curse the Lord (v. 11), but in fact he openly praises him (v. 21). The sacred writer comes out on Job's side when he states that Job committed no sin nor even raised his voice against God. Satan has been proved wrong. [4]
 
CCC: Jb 1:6 441
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7
 
R. (6) Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
 
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
 
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
 
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
R. Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
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Commentary on Ps 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7
 
Psalm 17 is an individual lament. The psalmist sings for God’s help in distress. Having been firm in faithfulness, the singer calls upon the Lord for justice. Faith in God’s salvation will follow those who keep firmly to God’s commands.
 
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Gospel: Luke 9:46-50
 
An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child
and placed it by his side and said to them,
“Whoever receives this child in my name receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
For the one who is least among all of you
is the one who is the greatest.”
 
Then John said in reply,
“Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to prevent him
because he does not follow in our company.”
Jesus said to him,
“Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”
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Commentary on Lk 9:46-50
 
St. Luke depicts a teaching moment for Jesus as he tells his disciples that they must not fall into the all-too-human trap of rivalry for leadership. Rather, he tells them that humble leadership will be the norm. In the second instance, the Lord insists that his disciples accept support from those whom they do not know (see also comments on Mark 9:38-50).
 
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Reflection:
 
Kneeling before the tabernacle, I can think of only one thing to say to our Lord: "My God, you know that I love you." And I feel that my prayer does not weary Jesus; knowing my weakness, He is satisfied with my good will. -Saint Therese of Lisieux
 
When we read the Gospel of St. Luke and hear the words we heard today: “For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest,” there are some contemporary examples we could point to for meaning. None, however, are more eloquent than the attitude expressed by St. Thérèse, the Little Flower of Jesus, who was just quoted.
 
The simple faith captured in that one piercing prayer: “My God, you know that I love you,” says volumes, and when it comes from the heart, it drives our actions to imitate those of Christ. His whole mission was to give exactly that message from God to us: “My children, you know that I love you.” This same emotion is embodied in all of the saints and martyrs whose lives we celebrate.
 
The Lord was telling his disciples that, when their intent was unselfish, and their actions were directed at loving God, then their leadership would be genuine, and the outcome would be pleasing to the Father, whose love is expressed perfectly in Jesus. It is such a simple concept that, like them, we often “overthink” it. We get caught up in the complexity of human interaction, trying to detect motives and appeal to agendas. Our expression of that prayer: “My God, you know that I love you,” in our every action will accomplish what God intends.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “St Jerome” by Federico Fiori Barocci,  c. 1598.
[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] The Navarre Bible: “Wisdom Books,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 31.

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 821, 1126, 1636: ecumenical dialogue
CCC 2445-2446, 2536, 2544-2446: the danger of immoderate riches
CCC 1852: jealousy

“Christ Blessing the Children”
by Lucas Cranach the Younger, 1540s

 
Readings for the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Numbers 11:25-29
 
The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.
Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,
the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;
and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.
 
Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad,
were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.
They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent;
yet the spirit came to rest on them also,
and they prophesied in the camp.
So, when a young man quickly told Moses,
"Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, "
Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’ aide, said,
"Moses, my lord, stop them."
But Moses answered him,
"Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"
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Commentary on Nm 11:25-29
 
This experience of God sending his spirit upon the seventy Hebrew elders is set in the midst of the desert narratives. The people have been fed with manna and now there was a demand for meat. God imparts to the chosen seventy some of the prophetic charism of Moses. This gift was not prophetic in terms of foreseeing the future, but rather an enthusiasm or charismatic expression of faith in God seen elsewhere in the early Hebrew history and the Christian writings as well (see 1 Samuel 10:10-12; 1 Samuel 19:20-22 and Acts 2:6-11, 17; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 12-14).
 
Joshua’s loyalty to Moses causes him to challenge the charismatic exhortations of Eldad and Medad, seeing their spiritual awakening as an affront because they were not with the others, attending Moses, when the spirit came upon them. Moses sees the hand of God upon them, and in a prefigurement of Jesus' actions in Mark 9:39, cautions him against jealousy in God’s work.
 
CCC: Nm 11:24-25 1541
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
 
R. (9a) The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
 
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
 
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
 
Though your servant is careful of them,
very diligent in keeping them,
Yet who can detect failings?
Cleanse me from my unknown faults!
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
 
From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant;
let it not rule over me.
Then shall I be blameless and innocent
of serious sin.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
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Commentary on Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
 
Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage we give praise to God’s gift of the law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn also extols the virtue of obedience and steadfastness to the law and its precepts.
 
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Reading II: James 5:1-6
 
Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire.
You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.
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Commentary on Jas 5:1-6
 
The author reminds his audience of the importance of building up spiritual riches rather than secular wealth. This passage could be a commentary on the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (see Luke 16:19-31). The transitory nature of wealth is decried (“Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten, your gold and silver have corroded”), and God’s coming justice for the poor is predicted (“the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts”).
 
CCC: Jas 5:1-6 2445; Jas 5:4 1867, 2409, 2434
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Gospel: Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
 
At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
 
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
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Commentary on Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
 
This section from St. Mark’s Gospel provides an important attitude in Jesus’ teaching. He warns the disciples about jealousy and intolerance toward others who use the Lord’s name but are not traveling with them. “For whoever is not against us is for us.” The Lord finishes his warning saying that those who call people to faith in him, even if they do not walk with the disciples, are friends. He then speaks of those who would lead the people away from him. He uses the “little child” as a symbol of the weak in spirit and the poor. Those that lead them astray, or who are tempted to do so, should resist such temptation at any price, or they will find an eternal punishment waiting for them.
 
CCC: Mk 9:43-48 1034
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Reflection:
 
What is there about God that causes people to think that they can “possess” him exclusively?  On the surface, that seems to be what is taking place in the book of Numbers with Joshua, and with the disciples in the Gospel of St. Mark.
 
In Moses’ case, God has called seventy elders to receive what certainly looks like the Holy Spirit (although we cannot make that leap because that gift was not bestowed until the Son of God left it as the new advocate at Pentecost).  We are told that God, taking “some of the spirit that was on Moses, the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders” [5].  The issue arises because all seventy are not present; Eldad and Medad had remained in camp instead of coming to the gathering called by Moses.  We are told that even though they were not with the others, the spirit came upon them as well and they began to proclaim God’s presence and mercy in the camp.
 
Seeing this (or hearing about it) Moses’ young apprentice Joshua becomes indignant and asks (demands) that Moses stop them.  Since they were not with Moses when God acted, Joshua either thinks they are not influenced by the same event or that they may challenge Moses for spiritual leadership of the people.  Regardless of his thoughts or motives, Moses, great prophet of God, laments that all the people did not receive the same spirit; wishing that all Hebrews would receive the call to prophesy in the same way.
 
In St. Mark’s Gospel we find Jesus instructing the disciples who had just come to him asking who would be greatest when the Lord assumed his kingly mantle.  Jesus sees a pecking order developing among his closest friends and immediately rebukes them.  No sooner has he corrected their attitudes on this score than they come to him jealously complaining that someone else (outside the chosen group) was using his name to drive out demonic spirits. This was probably a very sore point for them as, at this juncture in the Gospel, they had just encountered a demonic spirit they could not exorcise (Mark 9:20-30) and Jesus had to take them aside telling them: “This kind can only come out through prayer." 
 
This attitude of jealousy and petty rivalry must have been upsetting to the Lord who was faced with bringing the whole world to understand the love of God and the salvation that could only come through his Only Son.  He tells them (probably with a tinge of disappointment) that anyone who helps the cause, doing good works in the name of Jesus, must be seen as an ally not as competition.
 
These two examples are received with great difficulty among those called to do God’s work.  We see it among individuals possessively competing for leadership of ministerial programs.  We see it among groups, jealous of the success of other groups seeking the same goals, be those goals in missionary work, charity, or even vocations to religious life.  We leave it to you to cite specific examples, but the underlying problem is the all-too-human desire for power over others by a person or group. It is not restricted to the Catholic Church or even Christian denominations.  However, it is most inappropriate in those organizations, all of whom profess to be doing Christ’s work on earth.
 
Today we call out in prayer to all Christians to look with the eyes of Christ at the attitudes and interactions they have with others.  Hold those attitudes up to the light of today’s Gospel and see if Christ’s words, “whoever is not against us is for us,” rings in our ears.  Today, the Lord calls out for Christian unity.
 
Pax
 
In other years on September 29th: Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “Christ Blessing the Children” by Lucas Cranach the Younger, 1540s.
[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] Note – in this translation, the use of upper case fonts for LORD and GOD indicates the actual reference to God was made in the un-translated texts (e.g. Yahweh, El, or Elohim). 

Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial for Saint Lawrence Ruiz, Martyr, and his Companions, Martyrs
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Lawrence Ruiz and his Companions
 
Biographical Information about St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions
 
Or
 
Optional Memorial for Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Wenceslaus
 
Biographical Information about St. Wenceslaus
 
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. (USCCB recommends: #37. The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Hope)

“Qoheleth”
artist and date are unknown

 
Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Ecclesiastes 11:9—12:8
 
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart,
the vision of your eyes;
Yet understand that as regards all this
God will bring you to judgment.
Ward off grief from your heart
and put away trouble from your presence,
though the dawn of youth is fleeting.
 
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come
And the years approach of which you will say,
I have no pleasure in them;
Before the sun is darkened,
and the light, and the moon, and the stars,
while the clouds return after the rain;
When the guardians of the house tremble,
and the strong men are bent,
And the grinders are idle because they are few,
and they who look through the windows grow blind;
When the doors to the street are shut,
and the sound of the mill is low;
When one waits for the chirp of a bird,
but all the daughters of song are suppressed;
And one fears heights,
and perils in the street;
When the almond tree blooms,
and the locust grows sluggish
and the caper berry is without effect,
Because man goes to his lasting home,
and mourners go about the streets;
Before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is broken,
And the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the broken pulley falls into the well,
And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,
and the life breath returns to God who gave it.
 
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
all things are vanity!
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Commentary on Eccl 11:9—12:8
 
Qoheleth reflects upon the passage of life, and enjoins the young to enjoy their youth but follow God’s law, because, in the end, they will be held accountable. He goes into an account of the loss of pleasure as death approaches, and once more announces that all human efforts are vanity in the face of God’s plan and power.
 
CCC: Eccl 12:1 1007; Eccl 12:7 1007
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
 
R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O Lord! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
 
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
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Commentary on Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
 
The psalm in its entirety is a communal lament. The strophes in this selection reflect on the mortality of humanity, and the brevity of human life. (It is also an example of the human understanding that God’s immortal view of time is not like ours.) The sense of human mortality and the questioning nature of the strophes echo the thoughts of Qoheleth (Solomon) in Ecclesiastes 1:2-11.
 
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Gospel: Luke 9:43b-45
 
While they were all amazed at his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
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Commentary on Lk 9:43b-45
 
Jesus begins this second announcement of his coming passion using language that would have evoked a sense of the holy as his words (literally, “lay these words within your ears”) would be reminiscent of Exodus 17:14b. “Meaning; Think seriously about what you have seen and heard, for my life is moving determinately to a violent death. Handed over: From Isaiah 53: 12 (LXX) the fourth song of the suffering servant.” [5] The fact that the disciples “should not understand it” was not seen as a defect of belief on their part, but rather as necessary (not yet time) in the plan of revelation.
 
CCC: Lk 9:45 554
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Reflection:
 
We struggle sometimes with the question: “How much of what happens in our lives is planned, preordained, and how much is cause and effect?”  It is clear, reading the words of Qoheleth in Ecclesiastes, that he believes much of what transpires is imminent – that any struggle against the inevitable is futile (vanity).  While Qoheleth speaks from the perspective of God’s “unknowable” plan, Jesus, in St. Luke’s Gospel, sees the path ahead of himself clearly.  Like the chess master, the Lord sees the “end game” laid out before him.
 
For us, what is important about Jesus’ foreknowledge is that it is one more proof of his divinity.  Remember, this is not the first time he has related these future events.  He does it, this time, making clear reference to historical predictions, as he uses language that must feel to his audience as if the great prophet Isaiah was speaking to them.  But, according to St. Luke, this reference did not make things clear; rather the opposite.  Perhaps it was because they were afraid. Or perhaps it was because they did not want to understand that the Lord was not speaking figuratively. Possibly they thought he was speaking like Daniel, in visionary terms, highly symbolic, not literally.  Whatever the case or purpose, they did not grasp what was to come.
 
We also struggle with what the Lord tries to tell us.  We pray, we read the Word of God, we meditate upon what has happened in our lives, and try to create a pleasing path forward with our own attempts to follow Jesus’ example.  Yet we do not know what God has planned for us, or how that plan might be made known.
 
What is clear to us is that God made us in his image and likeness.  In doing so he gave us free will to make decisions, to choose our path, for good or ill.  While, in his omnipotence, the Lord knows our choices in advance, he does not choose for us, nor does he force a path upon us.  He accepts our choices as part of his creation. It is much like a parent who knows their children well. They know in advance what choices their children will make, and allow them to make those choices, learning from them.  The Lord loves us unconditionally, and always gives us a way back to him when we choose incorrectly. 
 
Today we take exception with Qoheleth.  Our lives are not in vain, and we know our life on earth is indeed finite, and we will return to God: “And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it.”  What we do with that life can be rich and beautiful as God intended, and we can choose a path of peace, thanks to His Only Begotten Son – Jesus.
 
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 “Qoheleth” artist and date are unknown.
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 44:92.

Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul

 
Biographical Information about St. Vincent de Paul

“St. Vincent de Paul”
artist and date are unknown

 
Readings for Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
 
There is an appointed time for everything,
and a time for every thing under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them;
a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew;
a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate;
a time of war, and a time of peace.
 
What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task that God has appointed
for the sons of men to be busied about.
He has made everything appropriate to its time,
and has put the timeless into their hearts,
without man’s ever discovering,
from beginning to end, the work which God has done.
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Commentary on Eccl 3:1-11
 
This famous passage from Ecclesiastes begins by emphasizing that there is a correct order of events dictated by God (see also Proverbs 15:23, 25:11). The sequence of events in human life (birth, death, happiness and sadness) are ordered and ordained by God alone (timeless). Mankind cannot change time. As a consequence, the faithful should enjoy what comes to them as a gift from God.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4
 
R. (1) Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
 
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
my mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
 
LORD, what is man, that you notice him;
the son of man, that you take thought of him?
Man is like a breath;
his days, like a passing shadow.
R. Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
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Commentary on Ps 144:1b and 2abc, 3-4
 
Psalm 144, taken in its entirety, is difficult to classify. It opens with a lament, however, in the strophes in this selection, it concludes in thanksgiving (v. 12-15). Supporting the theme of the powerlessness of mankind and human frailty, these first verses present a plea, in humility, to an all-powerful creator.
 
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Gospel: Luke 9:18-22
 
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
 
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
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Commentary on Lk 9:18-22
 
As is frequently the case in St. Luke’s Gospel, we find the Lord at prayer. When asked by the Lord about the attitude of the people, the disciples answer much like the counselors of Herod did in Luke 9:7-9 with identities of John the Baptist and Elijah. St. Peter answers for the group when asked about Jesus’ identity, pronouncing him the Messiah. (see also the commentary on Matthew 16:13-20)
 
CCC: Lk 9:18-20 2600
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Reflection:
 
The episode describing Jesus walking with his disciples and asking them who the people say he is has been repeated several times in this past year both in weekday liturgies and Sunday Mass readings.  This is no accident.  The question is important for the disciples and for us.
 
Today’s iteration of this story was actually set up by, and can be contrasted to, this same question asked by King Herod in the previous verses.  When Herod asked his advisers, they gave essentially the same answers as the Lord’s disciples when first asked.  It is clear from these two sets of responses that, at the time he walked the earth as man, Jesus was known to be something very special.
 
“They said in reply, ‘John the Baptist; others, Elijah.’” These first two responses are significant in that Elijah’s return, according to Hebrew tradition, would announce the coming of the Messiah.  Many contemporaries of St. John said he was Elijah returned.  St. John the Baptist, in addition to prefiguring Christ, served the same role as Elijah in his time.  By associating Jesus with these two figures, the Gospel sets St. Peter up for the revelatory statement identifying Jesus as “The Christ of God,” Christ, the Anointed One, the Deliverer, the Messiah!
 
This identification for us is anticlimactic.  We already profess Jesus as the Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God.  But saying it with our lips is not nearly as important as knowing it in our hearts.  When we feel that relationship emotionally, as opposed to knowing it logically, something important changes in how we think and act.  We have been taught from our earliest memories (those of us born into a Christian family) that Jesus is the Messiah, born of Mary on Christmas, died on Good Friday, risen on Easter.  We know these facts like we know that parts of the North American continent were once British colonies.
 
Asking ourselves Jesus’ question: “But who do you say that I am?” we must look to our hearts and find there the answer.  Not a fact but something more – faith must inform us because only faith can reveal the answer.  Jesus tells St. Peter as much in St. Matthew’s version of this story when he said: “flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 16:17)
 
Today we depend upon faith to answer for our hearts as Jesus once more turns to us in Scripture asking that remarkable question: “But who do you say that I am?”  We pray our hearts respond in a way pleasing to him, and in doing so motivate us to be true followers as well as believers.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used today is “St. Vincent de Paul” artist and date are unknown.
[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.