Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Optional Memorial of Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Faustina Kowalska
 
Biographical information about St. Faustina Kowalska
 
Or
 
Optional Memorial of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest (USA)
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos
 
Biographical information about Bl. Francis Xavier Seelos
 
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: 28. The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

“Satan before the Lord”
by Corrado Giaquinto, c. 1750

 
Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
 
Job answered the Lord and said:
 
I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.
I have dealt with great things that I do not understand;
things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know.
I had heard of you by word of mouth,
but now my eye has seen you.
Therefore I disown what I have said,
and repent in dust and ashes.
 
Thus the Lord blessed the latter days of Job
more than his earlier ones.
For he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels,
a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses.
And he had seven sons and three daughters,
of whom he called the first Jemimah,
the second Keziah, and the third Kerenhappuch.
In all the land no other women were as beautiful
as the daughters of Job;
and their father gave them an inheritance
along with their brothers.
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years;
and he saw his children, his grandchildren,
and even his great-grandchildren.
Then Job died, old and full of years.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jb 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17
 
In these verses we find Job’s final repentance and salvation from the burden placed upon him. In reward for his faithfulness, he is given twice what was taken away in property, in family, and in lifespan. 
 
He first answers two challenges.  “To the first (v. 3) Job replies by confessing that he did speak without knowing all the facts, that is, without appreciating the harmony with which creation is imbued, the awesome fact that even seemingly useless and destructive things have their part to play. This is a sort of ‘sapiential' response. To God's second appeal (v. 4). Job's reply is full of faith: he acknowledges that God has manifested himself in person: now he has seen him with his eyes (v. 5), as Moses and the prophets saw him, Job feels consoled, and he is moved to repentance now that he has actually met God.” [5]
 
In the final blessing (v.12-17), Job has all he had lost returned to him and more. “The Fathers see Job as prefiguring Jesus; this applies also to the restoration of his fortunes: Job recovered both his health and his wealth. In the same way, the Lord, through his resurrection, brings not only good health to those who believe in him, but immortality; and he restores the whole kingdom of nature, as he himself assured us when he said: Everything has been given to me by my Father. New children are born of Job to replace those who died. Similarly, the holy apostles are sons of the Lord in the same line as were the prophets of old. Job is filled with happiness and in the end rests in peace. And the Lord is blessed forever, as he was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be (St Zeno of Verona, Tractatus, 1, 15).” [6]
 
CCC: Jb 42:2 275; Jb 42:3 299
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
 
R. (135) Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
that I may learn your statutes.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
I know, O Lord, that your ordinances are just,
and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may know your decrees.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
 
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, let your face shine on me.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130
 
Psalm 119, in this section, is an individual lament asking for God’s support in times of difficulty. From this, the longest of the psalms, the strophes ask for the psalmist to be strengthened in the truth, and given wisdom that comes from the law. The use of v. 71 (“It was good for me to be afflicted, in order to learn your laws”) provides a clear reference to the suffering endured by Job, and God’s final gift of salvation. (Job 42:1ff)
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 10:17-24
 
The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,
“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”
Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  
Behold, I have given you the power
‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions
and upon the full force of the enemy
and nothing will harm you.
Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,
but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
 
At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”
 
Turning to the disciples in private he said,
“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you,
many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,
but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 10:17-24
 
The return of the seventy (two) gives rise to the prayer of Jesus (expanding Mark 6:30), who turns the victory of the disciples into a means to glorify the Father. The Lord gives thanks that God has seen fit to reveal his identity, and pass on his power to these disciples of his. Jesus tells them of the positive effect of their mission saying: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” This is reminiscent of Isaiah 14:12; the evil one is defeated. The thought is concluded: “…do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” This warning is a caution against becoming fixed on external signs, but exhorts the Christian to look to the positive effect on the spirit (cf 1 Corinthians 12).  The Gospel follows this with Jesus’ hymn of praise, also found in Matthew 11:25-27, and concludes the passage by telling the disciples that they are given a privilege beyond prophets and kings (see also Matthew 13:16-17). They are seeing God’s plan fulfilled in Jesus.
 
CCC: Lk 10:17-20 787; Lk 10:21-23 2603; Lk 10:21 1083
 -------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
The Gospel tells us – the hard part of God’s plan is already done!  The Lord has come, fulfilling all that was written in the Law of Moses and predicted by the prophets.  He has defeated the evil one: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.” (Note – that’s past tense) Death and sin have been conquered and the gates of heaven flung open.  Through the apostles, led by St. Peter, the authority of the Lord is passed to us.  All we are asked to do is wield that authority in his name.
 
Ok, so it’s not that simple.  Even though the authority was given, not all of us have accepted the fact that we can cast the defeated enemy down.  We are not confident that our spiritual strength is sufficient to overcome the effects of Satan (even though beaten) in the world.  All we need to do is look at the general trend of moral decay around us to see that most of us have accepted the secular status quo. But all is not lost. We can rise to the challenge.  It is within our grasp to do so.
 
We submit that it is like a child (thank you St. Thérèse) who is learning to ride a bike.  As long as they are sure the parent is there beside them holding them steady as they learn to ride, they are fine.  But as soon as they look back and see that mom or dad’s hand is no longer on the bike holding them up, they fall.  We need to be confident; confident that, even though invisible, the Holy Spirit is there holding us up.  We need to recall that the Lord has assigned heavenly messengers to keep us safe, giving us God’s own armor against evil.
 
Today we pray for confidence.  We ask God to give us strength to do his will, and the wisdom of the disciples, who saw and heard what the ancients did not, and recognize Jesus is Lord.
 
Pax

---

[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 “Satan before the Lord” by Corrado Giaquinto, c. 1750.
[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] The Navarre Bible: “Wisdom Books,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 152.
[6] Ibid.

Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi

 
Biographical Information about St. Francis Assisi 

“St Francis of Assisi”
by Jusepe de Ribera, 1643

 
Readings for Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
 
The Lord addressed Job out of the storm and said:
 
Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning
and shown the dawn its place
For taking hold of the ends of the earth,
till the wicked are shaken from its surface?
The earth is changed as is clay by the seal,
and dyed as though it were a garment;
But from the wicked the light is withheld,
and the arm of pride is shattered.
 
Have you entered into the sources of the sea,
or walked about in the depths of the abyss?
Have the gates of death been shown to you,
or have you seen the gates of darkness?
Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all:
Which is the way to the dwelling place of light,
and where is the abode of darkness,
That you may take them to their boundaries
and set them on their homeward paths?
You know, because you were born before them,
and the number of your years is great!
 
Then Job answered the Lord and said:
 
Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again;
though twice, I will do so no more.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jb 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
 
The exchanges between Job and the “three friends” have concluded.  Now God himself speaks to Job: “He speaks of his wisdom and power, which are altogether beyond the capacity of Job, who therefore should never dare to demand a reason for the divine actions. Out of the storm: frequently the background of the appearances of the Lord in the Old Testament; cf Psalm 18; 50; Nahum 1:3; Hebrews 3.” [4]
 
Other versions of Scripture translate the word as “whirlwind.” “The theophany 'out of the whirlwind' would alone have made this plain; it was a whirlwind that took Elijah up to heaven (2 Kings 2:1,11) and it figures in the eschatological appearances of the Lord (cf. Ezekiel 1:1-3; 15; Zechariah 9:14); even if God had made himself silently present, Job would have had his desire fulfilled: he would have met the Lord. But by responding to Job with words, God is bestowing on him the same sign of favor as he gave to the patriarchs and to Moses, with whom he spoke face to face. In this way the sacred writer shows how very worthy a person Job is.” [5] Job’s response to God (in Job 40:3-5) is his final admission that he is incapable of understanding God’s ways.
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
 
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 
O Lord, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
 
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
--------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
 
Psalm 139 is a hymn of meditation upon God’s presence in our lives. The selection carries the awe that one so great could love one so insignificant. It recognizes that God’s spirit is in all his creation, and, by its existence, knowledge of God's spirit is omnipresent.
 
--------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 10:13-16
 
Jesus said to them,
“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!
For if the mighty deeds done in your midst
had been done in Tyre and Sidon,
they would long ago have repented,
sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon
at the judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven?
You will go down to the netherworld.’
Whoever listens to you listens to me.
Whoever rejects you rejects me.
And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
-------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 10:13-16
 
This selection is a continuation of the instructions being given to the seventy (two) who are being sent out. The Lord instructs them to issue a call to repentance to those who reject the proclamation of the kingdom of God. The punishment of these unbelieving communities will be severe, as their rejection of the call to holiness is a rejection of Christ himself: “And whoever rejects me [Jesus] rejects the one who sent me."
 
“vv 13–15 have a slightly awkward fit in the mission charge, but these verses are here because their presence underlines the equivalence between response to Jesus’ own ministry and response to that of his messengers. We have here a prophetic lamentation like those spoken in the OT in connection with pagan nations. There are in fact some against Tyre and Sidon (e.g., Isa 23; Ezek 28:2–19). These function in much the same way that the OT judgment on Sodom functioned in v 12. But here it is suggested that Tyre and Sidon would have repented, given the same advantages. Again, the exceptional nature of what has now happened is stressed (as in vv 23–24 to come).” [6]
 
CCC: Lk 10:16 87, 858
-------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
What do the wisdom of Job and the exhortations of the Gospel tell us as we hear them proclaimed?  In the Book of Job, we approach the climax of Job’s story.  God speaks to him asking if he [Job], like the creator, has knowledge of all that is created.  He challenges Job to have faith, to consider all the power and majesty of what the Lord has laid before him.  God points out, not just physical creation, but also that his justice will defeat the wicked in the end, and the faithful shall be vindicated, although this is not comprehensible by human standards (any more than our complete understanding of creation).
 
We jump forward now to Jesus’ instructions to the seventy (two).  Like the wicked in God’s discourse with Job, whose “light is withheld, and the arm of pride is shattered,” the unbelieving communities to whom these disciples are sent “will go down to the netherworld.”  Like the wicked mentioned in Job’s discourse, those who hear Christ’s Gospel and reject it will not participate in God’s mercy.
 
From a very pragmatic perspective, this makes perfect sense.  Think for a moment about what a believing person receives automatically from their faith in God and Christ.  Immediately they recognize that, while they may not understand all of God’s actions, nor even Christ’s will for them, they are recipients of God’s consolation.  God is with us, Christ supports us, and the Holy Spirit infuses us with strength.  What confidence and peace that gives the believer as the world rages with uncertainty.
 
For those who reject God, and who look to their own strength to secure themselves, they will certainly fall prey to despair.  Walking alone into the lion’s den will bring death; coming with God’s support and strength, even in the face of terrible danger, will bring victory.
 
And for those who do not believe, what are we to do about them?  We are called, as the seventy (two) were called, to love them and reach out to them.  God sent Christ so that all peoples of all nations might know his love for them and receive his invitation to join in his heavenly banquet.  We must never cease inviting them to join us, but not as a demand. Jesus did not demand acceptance but offered an invitation to salvation.  Just as we would offer a seat in a lifeboat to those on a sinking ship, we should call to them. “Follow the Lord, he shows the way.”
 
Even as we take those instructions to heart, we are warned by the Gospel that there will be many who refuse.  Today we pray for them, the ones who hear and reject the priceless offer.  May our continuing invitation persuade them in the end, and may they join us in the glory of God’s love.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture used today is “St Francis of Assisi” by Jusepe de Ribera, 1643.
[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] NAB footnote on Job 38:1.
[5] The Navarre Bible: “Wisdom Books,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 139-40.
[6] John Nolland, Luke 9:21–18:34, vol. 35B, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1993), 560.

Thursday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

“The Disciples sent Two by Two”
by James Tissot, 1886-96

 
Readings for Thursday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Job 19:21-27
 
Job said:

Pity me, pity me, O you my friends,
for the hand of God has struck me!
Why do you hound me as though you were divine,
and insatiably prey upon me?

Oh, would that my words were written down!
Would that they were inscribed in a record:
That with an iron chisel and with lead
they were cut in the rock forever!
But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives,
and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust;
Whom I myself shall see:
my own eyes, not another's, shall behold him,
And from my flesh I shall see God;
my inmost being is consumed with longing.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jb 19:21-27
 
These familiar verses (“I know that my vindicator (redeemer) lives”) are taken from Job’s sixth response. Job is now utterly deserted. His family, neighbors, and even (apparently) God has deserted him. Yet, in a leap of faith, he expresses hope in the vision of God who will vindicate him and confidence that he will one day meet him, face to face. It is this salvation and consolation that Job desires above all else.
 
"For reasons that the poet could not have anticipated, in the history of the transmission of his text and in the history of Christian doctrine, these verses have practically never been read in their designed context but have been excised from their setting as a testimony to an erratic leap of faith into the unknown. In their context, the primary intellectual stress is on Job’s innocence which, first, he is convinced will one day be recognized, second, he wishes for safety’s sake could be engraved on the rock, but, third, he desires above all to be acknowledged here and now." [4]
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14
 
R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
 
Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

Your presence, O Lord, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 27:7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14
 
Psalm 27 is an individual lament. In this selection from it, we hear the psalmist asking for God to reveal himself to his faithful. He calls the Lord, imploring him to hear the desperate prayer. The psalmist expresses faith in God who is the refuge of the faithful, longing to find the ultimate safety and bounty of God’s heavenly kingdom. In the final strophe the singer expresses faith and hope that God will reveal himself in the end and for all time.
 
CCC: Ps 27:8 2730
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 10:1-12
 
Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves his payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,
go out into the streets and say,
‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet,
even that we shake off against you.’
Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand.
I tell you,
it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 10:1-12
 
It is only in the Gospel of St. Luke that we hear the story of Jesus sending the seventy (two). This event is supported by other non-biblical writings (see Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 265-c. 340) Church History, Vol. 1). The instructions given to those sent out are very similar to the instructions given to the Twelve (Matthew 10:5-16; Luke 9:1-6), as was the message they were sent to proclaim.
 
This selection emphasizes Jesus' early struggle to accomplish what he came to do by himself. We sense the humanness as he says; "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." We also find this event and statement in St. Matthew’s Gospel where instead of the 72 he names the 12 (Matthew 10:1-8). While in St. Matthew’s story Jesus sends them first to the Hebrew people, St. Luke makes no such distinction.
 
This effort by Jesus was modeled on Moses’ leadership structure in which 70 elders were appointed (Numbers 11:24-25). It is also possible that the reference number 70 relates to the number of nations mentioned in Genesis 10. The disciples were sent two by two, a custom that would be replicated later in the post-resurrection missionary activities of the Church (see Acts 8:14; 15:39-40).
 
In another historical similarity, the disciples were sent without possessions, presumably depending upon the traditionally required hospitality for their support. Similar instructions were given by the prophet Elisha as he sent his servant in 2 Kings 4:29.
 
The Lord’s instructions concerning this hospitality “the laborer deserves his payment” is also quoted in St. Paul’s first letter to Timothy (1 Timothy 5:18b) and has further support in 1 Corinthians 9:7, 14. Those who labor on behalf of the Gospel and cannot take time to support themselves deserve the support of the community. In a final twist, the Lord’s instruction to “eat what is set before you” sets aside Mosaic dietary laws (also 1 Corinthians 10:27 and Acts 10:25). It is a clear indication that the scope of their mission is to call all peoples to the Gospel.
 
CCC: Lk 10:1-2 765; Lk 10:2 2611; Lk 10:7 2122
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
Standing up for Gospel principles has never been easy. Those of us who believe that, because this is a civilized world, it is getting easier, are in for a rude awakening the first time we challenge the social status quo. Try taking the high moral ground at work when the discussions get a bit “off color” and sexual innuendo starts to fly. You will find yourself like the bad comedian who lays an egg on stage and hears crickets chirping. In countries of the Middle East, proclaiming the Gospel can get you killed; our own troops, there to defend the lives of civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, are not allowed to mention their faith outside the compounds that house them.
 
The Lord tells the seventy-two that he is sending them “like lambs among wolves.” That descriptor evoked an attitude as well as a message. The message the Lord sent, and is sending, is one of love for God and love of one another. That message is not welcomed by those who seek power over others, who are focused only on their own hedonistic pleasures. They find such talk threatening to their life styles and critical of their behaviors (at least we hope so).
 
They will not thank us for our message, conveyed in word and actions. On the contrary they will, at best, shun us or at worst seek to do us harm: remove the irritant. Our response to this treatment is to love them! Like little children (thank you St. Thérèse) we are called to reach out to them asking they why they cannot see the love God wants to share with them. As vulnerable and powerless apostles we offer the greatest prize imaginable. And when it is rejected, we offer it again.
 
Ah, the Lord did not give us an easy mission. He calls us to be a light to the world and a beacon of hope. We pray today for the strength to accept the small measure of pain he endured for us so that we might continue the work he sends us to do.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture is “The Disciples sent Two by Two” by James Tissot, 1886-96.
[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] David J. A. Clines, Job 1–20, vol. 17, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1989), 469.

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

Proper for the Memorial of The Holy Guardian Angels
 
Additional information about the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

“The Guardian Angel”
by Pietro Da Cortona 1656

 
Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Note: for this memorial the Gospel from the Proper readings is used.
 
Reading I: Job 9:1-12, 14-16
 
Job answered his friends and said:
 
I know well that it is so;
but how can a man be justified before God?
Should one wish to contend with him,
he could not answer him once in a thousand times.
God is wise in heart and mighty in strength;
who has withstood him and remained unscathed?
 
He removes the mountains before they know it;
he overturns them in his anger.
He shakes the earth out of its place,
and the pillars beneath it tremble.
He commands the sun, and it rises not;
he seals up the stars.
 
He alone stretches out the heavens
and treads upon the crests of the sea.
He made the Bear and Orion,
the Pleiades and the constellations of the south;
He does great things past finding out,
marvelous things beyond reckoning.
 
Should he come near me, I see him not;
should he pass by, I am not aware of him;
Should he seize me forcibly, who can say him nay?
Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
 
How much less shall I give him any answer,
or choose out arguments against him!
Even though I were right, I could not answer him,
but should rather beg for what was due me.
If I appealed to him and he answered my call,
I could not believe that he would hearken to my words.
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Commentary on Jb 9:1-12, 14-16
 
This reading picks up Job’s second response to his friends (although they are for the most part ignored in his response). He focuses his response not on Bildad (Job 8), but on a comment by Eliphaz, on the justice of man before God: "Can a man be righteous as against God? Can a mortal be blameless against their Maker?” (Job 4:17)
 
Job reflects upon God’s omnipotence and omnipresence; the Lord is almighty and everywhere. God created all things and has power over them. Mankind has no options but to endure God’s judgment, even if that judgment seems unjust (“Even though I were right, I could not answer him, but should rather beg for what was due me”). “God’s justice is really his power; he can do what he chooses; none can withstand him; and if he declares a man to be guilty, then it is so.  No appeal can be made, and no other standard of justice can be invoked.  Yet if the man’s conscience is clear, what he suffers is not felt as justice but as divine anger; thus it is with Job.” [4] He concludes in humility that even in his situation he would be surprised if God noticed his plea.
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15
 
R. (3) Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
Daily I call upon you, O Lord;
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work wonders for the dead?
Will the shades arise to give you thanks?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
Do they declare your mercy in the grave,
your faithfulness among those who have perished?
Are your wonders made known in the darkness,
or your justice in the land of oblivion?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
 
But I, O Lord, cry out to you;
with my morning prayer I wait upon you.
Why, O Lord, do you reject me;
why hide from me your face?
R. Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15
 
Reminiscent of Job, Psalm 88 is an individual lament. The psalmist cries out at having been afflicted and deserted by his friends. The song implores the Lord to hear the living (feeling the hand of death the singer urgently prays) asking why God has seemingly rejected him.
 
CCC: Ps 88:11-13 633
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Matthew 18:1-5, 10
 
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 humbles himself 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."
Commentary on Mt 18:1-5, 10
 
This Gospel passage is used on the Feast of the Guardian Angels each year. The event is also recorded in St. Luke’s Gospel at Luke 9:46-50. The major difference is that here in St. Matthew’s Gospel, the Lord speaks directly of the guardian angels who protect and watch over the children in the presence of the Heavenly Father, as opposed to going on to another saying of Jesus. The emphasis in this passage changes from a treatise on humility to one which emphasizes God’s care for those who are most helpless, his children.
 
CCC: Mt 18:3-4 526; Mt 18:3 2785; Mt 18:10 329, 336 
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Reflection:
 
“I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”
 
Taking the flow of celebrations in the Church over the days leading up to this date – it almost seems as if we have been building up to the memorial of Guardian Angels. We have celebrated the feast of the archangels, Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael and just yesterday the Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. From divine messengers and saints who invite us to be as children in accepting their divine aid, the Guardian Angels present themselves in this memorial – an angelic presence reminding us that God cares for us all and is with us constantly.
 
It is an opportunity for us all to reflect upon this question: If Jesus tells us the angel guardians exist and are real (“I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.") do we accept and believe that aid is at hand or do we continue to fear, thinking we are alone, fighting against the world with only our own strength to protect us? After all, we do not see the angelic messengers. We do not observe them actively participating in our lives. Unlike their depiction in the movies, objects and people do not fly around, guided by the hosts of heaven.
 
Ultimately, we are given God’s assurance that his messengers are here with us; that at once they face outward watching over us and inward, worshiping God and His Son in the heavenly kingdom. We are called once more today to have the faith of a child as we go about our day’s activities. May we accept God’s angelic aid and feel the peace flowing from his Son on this day.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “The Guardian Angel” by Pietro Da Cortona 1656.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio 457/ 650
[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] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 31:39, p. 518.