Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Our Lady of Mount Carmel)

Proper for the Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Background information about Our Lady of Mount Carmel

”Finding of Moses” by Orazio Gentileschi, 1630-33

Readings for Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time[1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible[2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Exodus 2:1-15a

Commentary on Ex 2:1-15a

In response to Pharaoh’s order to have all Hebrew newborn male babies killed, Moses' mother places him in a basket and hides him in the river. There discovered by the daughter of Pharaoh, he is ultimately adopted by her. The passage compresses the timeline of his story moving from infancy to saying simply: “On one occasion, after Moses had grown up” It is clear that the adult Moses knows of his birthright as he sides with the Hebrews against the Egyptians. The passage concludes with Moses hiding from Pharaoh in Midian.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34

R. (see 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

Commentary on Ps 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34

Psalm 69 is an individual lament.  The psalmist sings of great trials and perils, describing the singer’s dire situation.  Faith and hope in the Lord, says the song, sustains those in need.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Gospel: Matthew 11:20-24

Commentary on Mt 11:20-24

This passage follows the parable of the “Children in the Marketplace,” in which Jesus addresses those who have heard the words of both John the Baptist and himself. He accuses them of not being willing to hear that they must turn away from sin and repent.

In this passage he goes further, chastising the towns in which he has performed great signs. As in the parable that preceded it, this selection speaks of the punishment reserved for those who refuse to hear the word he has spoken. In addition to ignoring the Lord’s revelation, they also continue to ignore the Law and the Prophets. Their fate, he tells them, will be worse than that of Sodom.

CCC: Mt 11:20-24 678

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Reflection:

Scripture accelerates the development of faith and understanding of those who have sought to do God’s will over the millennia.  In the first reading from Exodus we see God’s plan for Moses unfold.  We hear of his birth and, with no mention of his upbringing by Pharaoh’s daughter, we find him outraged at the treatment of his kinsmen (he knew his heritage and birthright).  In response to the treatment of this member of his extended family he kills the Egyptian. 

Granted, this is a historical account of God’s revelation stated in human terms.   Still, are we surprised that there is no moral outrage expressed at one person killing another?  Recall that the Law of Moses (see the irony) has not yet been handed on to Israel.  Killing had not yet been defined as sin (although the implication is present in the account of Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:8-13)).  As St. Paul points out, through the Law of Moses sin enters the world (Romans 5:13ff).  Not because the Law was sinful but because sin was defined by the Law.

We jump ahead now, two thousand years, to the time of Jesus.  With the Law now firmly in place and sins against God clearly defined, Jesus himself has made it clear that, in God’s eyes (his eyes), the very thought of violence against one’s brother or sister is sinful.

This compression in understanding God who was revealed, first through the Law and the Prophets, and then completed in Christ Jesus who came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, gives us the foundation for our own moral center.  Our actions are not judged just upon the heart of the Law that Moses brought, the Decalogue or Ten Commandments.  Our justification comes from following the law fulfilled in Christ.   The Lord’s commandment is this measure by which we will be judged and this measure to which we must apply all our actions.  And the Gospel lets us know that failure to learn this lesson will have consequences.

Today we rededicate ourselves to truly internalizing God’s Law fulfilled in Jesus.  We pray that God will give us the strength and discipline to follow that law and bring him glory.

Pax

---

[1] The picture is ”Finding of Moses” by Orazio Gentileschi, 1630-33.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

”St. Bonaventure Enters the Franciscan Order” 
by Francisco de Herrera, the Elder, 1628

Proper for the Memorial of St. Bonaventure [1]

Biographical information about St. Bonaventure

Readings for Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Commentary:

Reading 1: Exodus 1:8-14, 22

Commentary on Ex 1:8-14, 22

The Book of Exodus takes up the story of Joseph and his descendants in Egypt continued from the Genesis account. In this passage, we hear how the “children of Israel” fell into slavery though concerns over their numbers and foreign residence status. This account also describes Pharaoh’s attempt to cull their numbers through infanticide, setting the stage for the rise of Moses.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 124:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8

R. (8a) Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Commentary on Ps 124:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8

Psalm 124 is a song of thanksgiving. In these verses God is praised for rescuing his chosen from their enemies and natural disasters so they could live in the freedom he had promised in his covenant.

CCC: Ps 124:8 287

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Gospel: Matthew 10:34—11:1

Commentary on Mt 10:34—11:1

The final remarks of Jesus to the Apostles, as they go out to preach and heal, are given in this passage from St. Matthew’s Gospel. He reminds them that, even though the word they spread reflects God’s love, they will be badly received by many, dividing households and families.

The Lord goes on to tell them that those who will fully accept him and his word will undergo persecution because of him. And, even if they lose their lives on his account, they will be saved. The reward given to those who accept the Word and follow in his way will be great in heaven.

This discourse, recalled many years after Christ’s death and resurrection, has the advantage of seeing the persecution of those who spread the word. It demonstrates a fuller understanding of the meaning of Christ’s teaching.

CCC: Mt 10:37 2232; Mt 10:38 1506; Mt 10:40 858

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Reflection:

For the past several days (including this past Sunday’s Gospel) we have been reflecting upon the sending of the disciples into the world.  We were told that they were sent “as sheep among wolves,” without any physical means of support or protection.  To punctuate that idea, St. Matthew’s Gospel explains that the Gospel we bring to the world will not be accepted by many.  In fact, rather than instantly bringing peace and the Kingdom of God to those who hear it, the message will cause division between peoples and even within families. This fact is more true today in the United States, than any time since its founding.

It is said that “forewarned is forearmed.”  The Gospel serves as a warning that as we put on Christ and go into the world we face each day, be that the world of business, governance, school, or nurturing a family, we should expect the message we bring to cause discomfort to some.

“Why must that be?” We rhetorically ask that question to point out that if we do this correctly, if we truly put on Christ, the message we bring and the values the Gospel message requires, along with the virtue we must hold as sacred, we will meet resistance from the fallen nature of mankind.  In short, those who would rather follow another set of values, values focused on their own pleasure, on concern for their own comfort, or aimed at dominating and demeaning others will feel threatened by our purity of intent.

The Gospel we bring to the world is not “Good News” to those who love themselves and embrace materialism and hedonism.  The simple act of helping one less fortunate can earn the disdain of one inclined toward those self-centered values.  They feel guilt or even less noble attitudes using the rationale that the unfortunate person is in his or her situation because they were either not diligent enough or not “good” enough to take advantage of their situation.  They employ the Darwinian mentality of “survival of the fittest,” not realizing that by doing so they reduce themselves to the mentality of an animal.

Today we faithfully put on Christ and go into the world.  We do so with a prayer that the face others see on us is the face of Christ, and the good we do in his name will be for the greater Glory of his Father and ours.

Pax

---

[1] The picture is ”St. Bonaventure Enters the Franciscan Order” by Francisco de Herrera, the Elder, 1628.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links[1]

CCC 299, 381: man created in the image of God; the firstborn

CCC 1931-1933: viewing neighbor as another self

CCC 2447: corporal works of mercy

CCC 1465: the priest as Good Samaritan in the sacrament of penance

CCC 203, 291, 331, 703: the Word and creation, visible and invisible

“The Good Samaritan” by Johann Karl Loth, 1676

Readings for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]

Commentary:[4]

Reading 1: Deuteronomy 30:10-14

Commentary on Dt 30:10-14

This section of the book of Deuteronomy is part of Moses’ last discourse. In this passage the great prophet is referring to Mosaic Law which has been chronicled earlier in the book. The gist of his challenge to the people is that the Law, which in turn is an integral part of fulfilling the covenant with God, also established earlier in the book, is not difficult to keep. It is, in most cases, something they are already doing (“already in your mouths and in your hearts”).

"St. Paul, in his Letter to the Romans (Romans 10:6-8), uses this passage, applying it not to knowledge of the Law but to 'the word of faith' that is preached by the apostles: it is now that word (as previously it was the Law) that makes manifest the precepts and commandments of God and (like the Law in its time, too) it should be constantly on our lips and in our heart. Theodoret of Cyprus (commenting on the Greek Septuagint version, which adds in v. 14 'and in your hands') says: The mouth stands for meditation on the divine words; the heart, readiness of spirit; the hands for doing what is commanded' ('Quaestiones in Octateuchum', 38).” [5]

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37

R. (cf. 33) Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

Commentary on Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37

Psalm 69 is a lament.  In this passage the song asks God for help in dire straits, and expresses trust that the prayer will be answered. The concluding verses refer to the rebuilding of Jerusalem and Judah.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Or: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. (9a) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11

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. The passage also reflects the idea that following God’s statutes leads to peace and prosperity.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Reading II: Colossians 1:15-20

Commentary on Col 1:15-20

St. Paul, in this selection, now begins to address some confusion in teachings that have been addressed to the Colossians, specifically about angels and their place in the hierarchy. The evangelist reaffirms Christ’s primacy, and his relationship as God’s only Son with authority over all things (note: “visible and invisible”). We see in this statement a clear vision of the Lord’s authority over us, our souls, and his rule both in heaven and on earth.

 “As the poetic arrangement indicates, these lines are probably an early Christian hymn, known to the Colossians and taken up into the letter from liturgical use (cf Philippians 2:6-11; 1 Timothy 3:16). They present Christ as the mediator of creation (Colossians 1:15-18a) and of redemption (Colossians 1:18b-20). There is a parallelism between firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15) and firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18).” [6]

CCC: Col 1:15-20 2641; Col 1:15 241, 299, 381, 1701; Col 1:16-17 291; Col 1:16 331; Col 1:18-20 624; Col 1:18 504, 658, 753, 343, 792; Col 1:20-22 2305

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

Commentary on Lk 10:25-37

In this passage from St. Luke’s Gospel, we find Jesus being challenged by a person referred to as a “scholar.” It seems clear that this man has a good idea of how Jesus is likely to respond to his initial question about what he must do to inherit eternal life. As soon as the man tells Jesus what the law says, the scholar asks for still more clarification asking: “And who is my neighbor?”

"In this passage, Jesus praises and accepts the summary of the Law given by the Jewish scribe. This reply, taken from Deuteronomy (6:4ff), was a prayer which the Jews used to say frequently. Our Lord gives the very same reply when He is asked which is the principal commandment of the Law and concludes His answer by saying, "On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets" (Matthew 22:40; cf. also Romans 13:8-9; Galatians 5:14).

 "There is a hierarchy and order in these two commandments constituting the double precept of charity: before everything and above everything comes loving God in Himself. In the second place, and as a consequence of the first commandment, comes loving one's neighbor, for God explicitly requires us to do so (1 John 4:21; cf. notes on Matthew 22:34-40 and 22:37-38)." [7]

The illustration Jesus uses in answering him does clarify the answer, and at the same time, uses a cultural tension to heighten the lesson. First a priest of the Jewish temple passes the victim of robbery (one who is most scrupulous in observing the letter of the Law); next a member of the priestly class, a Levite, does the same. The one who helps the victim (presumably a Jew) is a member of the Samaritan culture, antagonists of the Jewish people. In this way, the Lord provides a moral lesson along with an explanation of the Law.

CCC: Lk 10:25-37 2822; Lk 10:27-37 1825; Lk 10:27 2083; Lk 10:34 1293

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Reflection:

For the past week in the daily Mass readings we have been reminded time and again that we are called to be disciples, and we are sent into the world to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God.  Today we are given an outstanding example of how we are to accomplish that mission. 

In the first reading from Deuteronomy, we hear Moses exhorting the Hebrew people to follow the Law laid down for them.  He tells them it is not an impossible thing to ask.  Rather it is easily within their grasp. They can feel the rightness of it in their hearts.

As sort of an introduction to the Gospel, we also hear St. Paul, in his Letter to the Colossians, calling Jesus the “mediator of creation.”  It is he who will define for us the will of God the Father, and explain what we must do to follow his will.

This great introduction flows into the story of the Good Samaritan, a story it turns out, that is a refinement of our understanding of the Great Commandment.  It helps us understand that it is all mankind that we are joined to in God.  The Lord did not just make us Jews, or Christians, or pagans, or Islamic, or Buddhist, or even atheists.  We are all one in the eyes of God, and as such our obligation, as disciples of Christ, is to help those in need regardless of their creed or lack thereof. 

Our Great Commandment is reiterated today.  It is an exclamation point on this past week’s injunction to go into the world with the Good News.  Strengthened with God’s grace and bolstered with his word we only need to act on our convictions.

Pax

In other years on this date in the United States the Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin.  In other parts of the world, the Optional Memorial for Saint Camillus De Lellis, Priest (in the United States this memorial is perpetually transferred to July 18^th.

---

[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 today is “The Good Samaritan” by Johann Karl Loth, 1676.

[3] S.S. Commemoratio

[5] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 780-81.

[6] See NAB Footnote on Colossians 1:15-20.

[7] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 423.