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“Christ Carrying His Cross”
by El Greco 1580s |
Readings for the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
Readings and Commentary: [4]
Reading 1: Isaiah 50:5-9a
The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let that man confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?
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Commentary on Is 50:5-9a
This is the third of the four “Servant of the Lord” oracles from Isaiah. These four comprise the “Suffering Servant” that is the prophetic vision of the Messiah describing the humble ministry of Christ.
In this passage the prophet describes his mission to “speak to the weary a word that will rouse them.” The “weary” are those bowed down by oppression and the “word” that will rouse them is hope in God. (Isaiah 50:4) In doing this he has incurred the wrath of the powerful, the oppressors, but he is steadfast in his mission as his faith in God sustains him, in spite of the persecution he suffers. God chastises the people for not following the servant who willingly accepts God’s service and even the contempt of the people. The image of humble service is frequently associated with the suffering servant prophetic of Christ.
CCC: Is 50:4-10 713
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. (9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
Alleluia.
I love the LORD because he has heard
my voice in supplication,
Because he has inclined his ear to me
the day I called.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
Alleluia.
The cords of death encompassed me;
the snares of the netherworld seized upon me;
I fell into distress and sorrow,
And I called upon the name of the LORD,
“O LORD, save my life!”
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
Alleluia.
Gracious is the LORD and just;
yes, our God is merciful.
The LORD keeps the little ones;
I was brought low, and he saved me.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
Alleluia.
For he has freed my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or: Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
Psalm 116 is a song sung as the psalmist offers a sacrifice in thanksgiving for God’s help in distress. The singer thanks God and acknowledges that the Lord has heard the plea of his faithful, teaching those who attend that God is merciful and that the faith response is to follow the Lord in all things: “I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.”
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Reading II: James 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, ”
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.
Indeed someone might say,
“You have faith and I have works.”
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
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Commentary on Jas 2:14-18
We are given St. James' famous “faith without works” monologue. The author lays the foundation for the Church’s understanding of justification through both faith and actions (to be clear, justified in this context means – “the act of God whereby humankind is made or accounted just [justified], or free from guilt or penalty of sin.”) [5]
“The theme of these verses is the relationship of faith and works (deeds). It has been argued that the teaching here contradicts that of Paul (see especially Romans 4:5-6). The problem can only be understood if the different viewpoints of the two authors are seen. Paul argues against those who claim to participate in God's salvation because of their good deeds as well as because they have committed themselves to trust in God through Jesus Christ (Paul's concept of faith). Paul certainly understands, however, the implications of true faith for a life of love and generosity (see Galatians 5:6, 13-15). The author of James is well aware that proper conduct can only come about with an authentic commitment to God in faith (James 2:18, 26). Many think he was seeking to correct a misunderstanding of Paul's view.” [6]
CCC: Jas 2:14-26 162; Jas 2:15-16 2447
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Gospel: Mark 8:27-35
Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it.”
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Commentary on Mk 8:27-35
This selection from St. Mark’s Gospel is pivotal for the original audience. Up to this point in Jesus' public ministry he has been thought of by those who meet him as a prophet and teacher – a holy man. That changes as St. Peter identifies him as “Christ” the Messiah. After silencing them (his closest friends), Jesus, using the title “Son of Man” (see Daniel 7:13-14), foresees his trials and passion. This frightens the disciples and probably confuses many of the entourage (remember, there were more than just the Twelve following Jesus around) and Peter confronts him asking him to take a different approach to what he tells his students. Seeing this request as an invitation to take a different path, Jesus rebukes Peter.
Then turning to the rest of his followers, Jesus calls all of those who are with him to authentic discipleship. He tells them that answering that call means placing Christian sacrifice first and, if necessary, denying even one's life for the sake of the truth of the Son of God.
CCC: Mk 8:27 472; Mk 8:31-33 557; Mk 8:31 474, 572, 649; Mk 8:34 459, 1615; Mk 8:35 2544
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Reflection:
We are constantly reminded that we are all on a journey of faith. Along the way we encounter others. Some of those we encounter are going the same way we are, and we walk with them for a while (our friends). A very few are going at the same pace in the same direction, and we walk with them for a very long time (our family). However, most of those we meet are either traveling at a different pace, are at a different point in the journey, or are going in the wrong direction entirely.
Those of us lucky enough to have very close friends or family traveling the same journey are like the crew of a sailboat. While we are at the helm steering a course, others around us, our friends and family, are constantly giving us information that helps us to adjust that direction, so we are moving toward our destination at the best possible speed.
The Church is the like the boat builder and sailmaker. The Church gives us the means to travel on our journey. It provides safety in storms and gives us the power to move constantly against a secular tide that always flows against us.
We have as our navigation chart the Holy Scripture. Translated by the Church into directions we can understand, it tells us where the danger areas are, the shoals and sandbars where we could run aground or even be sunk. We need to constantly rely on that chart and listen to those who are helping us navigate.
The Lord, of course, is our compass (nowadays he’s actually more like a GPS). He both guides us with a needle that points the way and at the same time provides the direction for us to travel.
Now sometimes, in our boat, a person tries to misdirect us. They may say let’s go over there because the sun is shining or let’s go here because it is more fun. These people can be a danger to us because, if we forget to consult the chart, listen to the rest of the crew, or consult the compass, we can run aground and sink.
This is what is happening with Jesus today in his Gospel. In his case it is his “first mate” who is trying to turn him from his proper course. Peter, who has just led the disciples in telling Jesus they believe he is the Son of God, now actually argues with him about the course of events.
We can understand Peter. He and the other disciples love Jesus, and he has just told them the destination was going to break up the crew. They are worried and frightened because they don’t understand why they must follow this course.
Frankly, Jesus himself, because he is true man, is frightened as well. He knows the course they must sail, but also knows what lies at the way point, that is the Cross. So, when Peter suggests that this is not the way to go, for the briefest of instants, Jesus is tempted to follow that advice and take an easier course. Then he realizes that the evil one, who is always trying to sell us inaccurate (uncertified) charts at discount rates, has whispered in Peter’s ear. That is why he tells Peter, “Get behind me, Satan.”
If the apostles on Jesus’ crew can get bad information, how much more carefully do we need to be on guard against following bad advice and sailing off course? We, who are not nearly as good at sailing this journey of faith, need to be constantly consulting the compass (who is Jesus) and referring to the charts (Holy Scripture). And when the seas of our journey get rough, we need to trust our boat (the Church) and know that the party at the end of journey is one we cannot afford to miss.
Pax
In other years on September 15th: Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
[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 Carrying His Cross” by El Greco 1580s.
[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] WordReference.com.[6] NAB footnote on James 2:14-26.
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