Servant of the Word

Monday, October 05, 2020

Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Bruno, Priest) or

(Optional Memorial for Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, Virgin) [USA]

Biographical information about St. Bruno

Readings for the Memorial of Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher may be taken from the Common of Virgins or the Common of Holy Men and Women.

Biographical information about Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher

“Christ in the House of Martha and Mary”
by Cornelis Engebrechtsz, c. 1515

Readings for Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time [1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Reading 1: Galatians 1:13-24

Brothers and sisters:
You heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the Church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it,
and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were Apostles before me;
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas
and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the Apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.
(As to what I am writing to you, behold,
before God, I am not lying.)
Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
And I was unknown personally to the churches of Judea
that are in Christ;
they only kept hearing that “the one who once was persecuting us
is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
So they glorified God because of me.

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Commentary on Gal 1:13-24

St. Paul continues the defense of his authority, challenged by other evangelists who came after him to the churches of Galatia. The apostle begins this passage with a short history about his own formation in Judaism. He goes further relating how he was once the inquisitor assigned to persecute the Christians on behalf of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem (recall it was young Saul who authorized the stoning of St. Stephen, see Acts 7:58 – 8:3).

St. Paul importantly mentions: “when he, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart and called me through his grace.” This is a clear reference to his parents presenting him at the temple, and dedicating him according to prophetic tradition. He connects God’s action in setting him apart directly to Jesus the Son of God.

St. Paul goes on to describe his early ministry, where he was directed by Jesus in his call, without consultation with the Apostles in Jerusalem, whom he only met briefly after three years. The time frame mentioned here is likely imprecise but it underscores St. Paul’s “Gospel” as being authorized and approved by St. Peter.

CCC: Gal 1:13 752; Gal 1:15-16 442; Gal 1:15 153; Gal 1:16 659; Gal 1:19 500; Gal 1:20 2154

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15

R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

O LORD, you have probed me, 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.
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.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

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Commentary on Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15

This song/prayer asks for guidance from the Holy Spirit. It recognizes that God’s spirit is in all his creation and its knowledge is omnipresent. The idea of being called from the womb – set aside for God – is a common theme of the prophetic tradition in both the Old Testament and New Testament. We note that God sets his servants on their course from before their birth (see also Luke 1:15 and St. John the Baptist, Luke 1:31 [Jesus] and Galatians 1:15 [St. Paul the Apostle]).

CCC: Ps 139:15 2270

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Gospel: Luke 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village
where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.
She had a sister named Mary
who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.
Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,
"Lord, do you not care
that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?
Tell her to help me."
The Lord said to her in reply,
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things.
There is need of only one thing.
Mary has chosen the better part
and it will not be taken from her."

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Commentary on Lk 10:38-42

In this encounter with Martha and Mary in St. Luke’s Gospel, we see two distinct messages. First, we see the importance of the role of women and Jesus’ attitude toward them. Second we see the importance of listening to the word of God: "Mary has chosen the better part."

The selection emphasizes the importance of listening to the teachings of the Lord. While in some early texts the Lord tells Martha there is “need for only a few things,” or of one, the message is clear: Mary, in assuming the role of disciple (listening at the master’s feet) has chosen the correct or better role. Martha, concerning herself with the requirements of hospitality (old law) has chosen the lesser.

“Mystically (St. Gregory the Great, Moralia 2, 6): the two women signify two dimensions of the spiritual life. Martha signifies the active life as she busily labors to honor Christ through her work. Mary exemplifies the contemplative life as she sits attentively to listen and learn from Christ. While both activities are essential to Christian living, the latter is greater than the former. For in heaven the active life terminates, while the contemplative life reaches its perfection.” [4]

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Reflection:

Heavenly Father, we humbly pray that those suffering from the coronavirus be returned quickly to full health by the power of your Son’s healing presence, and those in fear be calmed through the Holy Spirit.

In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.

The Gospel story of Jesus’ encounter with Martha and Mary invites us to consider discipleship and faith at a number of different levels. The first level, the literal level, is the way the story establishes priorities. Martha has accepted the traditional role of the woman as head of the household, responsible for providing hospitality to guests. Mary, on the other hand, chooses the non-traditional role (based upon the male-dominated traditions of the time) of disciple, sitting at the Lord’s feet with the men while Jesus teaches.

Martha objects, feeling quite put out because the one who was expected to help her was assuming a place that was not hers from a traditional/legal perspective. In Martha’s eyes, Mary was violating Pharisaic Law (if not Mosaic Law) governing the role of women. Responding to her objection, Jesus established a new priority. It was more important to have faith in Christ and listen to his word than it was to follow the old laws and traditions of Judaism.

When that set of priorities is applied to our lives in this age of incredible busyness, where lives are so full of obligations, appointments, expectations, and requirements of work and family, tensions can become physically and emotionally debilitating. There is a member of my faith community who actually suffers anxiety attacks because of the stress of conflicting priorities, and I am sure they are not alone. When offered the advice: “allow the Lord to take some of your load,” the response was: “I have tried and am trying, but there is so much to do, and so much money required to do it. I don’t know where I will find the time or the funds.”

Indeed, turning the practical demands of life over to Christ as suggested by the Gospel is not an easy thing to do. At some level we must try to adopt the wise adage of St. Ignatius of Loyola who is credited with saying “We must pray as if it was all up to God, and work as if it is all up to us.” The difficulty, of course, is allowing God to take his part of our burden. We always question: “Am I doing enough?” The simple answer is this; we must do all we physically can to please God first. In all we do, God’s greater glory must be at the heart of our endeavors. Once we have satisfied ourselves that our effort is applied in the right direction, we must ask ourselves if we have done all that is possible, our very best, to accomplish our task. If we honestly believe we have, and it still does not seem to be enough, we must have faith and confidence that our Heavenly Father with take up the burden we cannot lift on our own. It is so hard to do this last part and not simply fall into despair because we feel our strength or will is not sufficient for the task.

Today we pray for the strength of faith to follow the Lord’s priorities. May we accept Christ’s peace as we do all we can and leave the rest up to the Lord.

In this strange year where many of us will not be able to receive the Blessed Sacrament or celebrate as a community in our houses of worship, we must be prepared to receive spiritual communion in prayer:

My Jesus,

I believe that You

are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love You above all things,

and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Pax

[1] The picture is “Christ in the House of Martha and Mary” by Cornelis Engebrechtsz, c. 1515.

[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.

Sunday, October 04, 2020

Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Faustina Kowalska, Virgin)* or

(Optional Memorial for Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest) [In the Dioceses of the United States]

Proper for the Memorial of St. Faustina Kowalska

Biographical information about St. Faustina Kowalska

Readings for the memorial of Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos may be taken from the Common of Pastors: For Missionaries (#719-724).

Biographical information about Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

*Note: The optional memorial for St. Faustina was added to the calendar in May of 2020. The readings provided by USCCB are suggested but no proper readings have been assigned by Rome.

“The Good Samaritan”
by Théodule-Augustin Ribot, before 1870.

Readings for Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time [1]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: Galatians 1:6-12

Brothers and sisters:
I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking
the one who called you by the grace of Christ
for a different gospel (not that there is another).
But there are some who are disturbing you
and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven
should preach to you a gospel
other than the one that we preached to you,
let that one be accursed!
As we have said before, and now I say again,
if anyone preaches to you a gospel
other than the one that you received,
let that one be accursed!

Am I now currying favor with human beings or God?
Or am I seeking to please people?
If I were still trying to please people,
I would not be a slave of Christ.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the Gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

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Commentary on Gal 1:6-12

This reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians follows a very short introduction. Unlike other letters from St. Paul which give thanks to God for the faith of the community to which the letter is addressed, the apostle moves directly and emotionally to correct the Christians of this community, whom he had converted from paganism.

Based upon fragmentary information, it seems that shortly after St. Paul had left them, other Christian evangelists had come to them (probably from Jerusalem, possibly members of the austere Essene sect). These “Judaizers” twisted the “Gospel” St. Paul had taught, and attempted to require a number of elements of Mosaic Law (including circumcision) to be adopted. St. Paul now defends his apostolic authority, and re-emphasizes that Christ is the author of his message (“through a revelation of Jesus Christ”).

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 111:1b-2, 7-8, 9 and 10c

R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the Lord,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.

The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.

He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.

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Commentary on Ps 111:1b-2, 7-8, 9 and 10c

Psalm 111 is a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. In this selection we find the singer giving thanks for God’s guidance, and his works of creation and salvation.

CCC: Ps 111:9 2807

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Gospel: Luke 10:25-37

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law?
How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn, and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

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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)." [4]

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

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Reflection:

In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.

In our society, where the secular drive is toward being “politically correct,” we sometimes get so caught up in our efforts to be inclusive that we lose sight of the one non-negotiable article of faith. We believe that Jesus Christ, who is the Only Begotten Son of God, is the true revelation of God, and it is ONLY through him that we can achieve salvation. In the context of secularism, that statement has been called elitist, exclusionary, and arrogant by other religious sects, and, of course, the un-churched. It is, however, that which sets us apart from all other faith traditions.

St. Paul, in his address to the Galatians, was putting a fine point on that argument as he chided the Christians in the churches of Galatia. He had left them and traveled to Ephesus when he received word that, apparently another group evangelizing in the name of Jesus came, right on his heels. These “Judaizers” were proclaiming a different Christology (belief in or understanding of Christ). They taught that, in order to achieve salvation through Christ, they must also adopt many of the trappings of Mosaic Law, including circumcision. They claimed that the “real apostles” who had walked with Christ were all Jews, and since they all had been raised in that tradition, it was a requirement of all Christians to first adopt a belief in all of the tenets of Mosaic Law, essentially first converting to Judaism (hence the term “Judaizers”), in addition to their belief in Christ.

It was this two-fold attack that caused St. Paul to shorten his normal introduction, amazed at how quickly his converts had been convinced of a new version of the Good News. His amazement was mild though, when compared to the curse he laid upon those who challenged his teaching and authority.

St. Paul’s focus on the spirit of the law is also captured in St. Matthew’s Gospel. (We note here the difference in the term “Gospel” used by St. Paul and that applied to the biblical books; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The authors of these books told the story of Jesus, using the story to bring their audience to faith, and using Jesus’ words to provide the practical application. St. Paul’s usage refers to pragmatic instructions on the “Way.”) At first, when we hear St. Matthew speak of the “lawyer” or “scholar of the law” getting upheld in his answer based upon Mosaic Law, we might think St. Paul and St. Matthew’s accounts were at odds with each other. But Jesus goes on to clarify using the parable of the “Good Samaritan,” a non-Jew whose love of neighbor, defined as a fellow human being, was adhering to God’s law, while others who were Jews did not.

The non-negotiable element of faith is that Jesus taught and witnessed the love of God. Through our belief in Christ, and our application of his teaching, we hope for the reward he promised. It is not a sin to reject teachings that counter our belief, and our prayer today is that we are able to hold fast to our creed in the face of a world that would have us water it down.

My Jesus,

I believe that You

are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love You above all things,

and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Pax

[1] The picture is “The Good Samaritan” by Théodule-Augustin Ribot, before 1870.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio

Saturday, October 03, 2020

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links[1]

CCC 755: The Church as God’s vineyard

CCC 1830-1832: Gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit

CCC 443: Prophets are the servants, Christ is the Son

“The Heir of the Vineyard”
by James Tissot 1886-96

Readings for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]

Readings and Commentary: [4]

Reading 1: Isaiah 5:1-7

Let me now sing of my friend,
my friend's song concerning his vineyard.
My friend had a vineyard
on a fertile hillside;
he spaded it, cleared it of stones,
and planted the choicest vines;
within it he built a watchtower,
and hewed out a wine press.
Then he looked for the crop of grapes,
but what it yielded was wild grapes.

Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard:
What more was there to do for my vineyard
that I had not done?
Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes,
did it bring forth wild grapes?
Now, I will let you know
what I mean to do with my vineyard:
take away its hedge, give it to grazing,
break through its wall, let it be trampled!
Yes, I will make it a ruin:
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
but overgrown with thorns and briers;
I will command the clouds
not to send rain upon it.
The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah are his cherished plant;
he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed!
for justice, but hark, the outcry!

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Commentary on Is 5:1-7

This selection marks the beginning of what is known as the “Song of the Vineyard.” Using the analogy of vineyard as the “hosts of the house of Israel,” the prophet first describes how the people had been prepared by the law and the prophets. The implication is that all preparations had been made to produce God’s intended result. However, the “stiff-necked” people turned away from God “but see, bloodshed! [he looked] for justice, but hark, the outcry!” Isaiah warns the people that God will cause the house of Israel to be destroyed. This is a clear reference to the Babylonian Exile which took place some 100-200 years following this prophecy.

CCC: Is 5:1-7 755

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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

R. (Is 5:7a) The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

A vine from Egypt you transplanted;
you drove away the nations and planted it.
It put forth its foliage to the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Why have you broken down its walls,
so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,
The boar from the forest lays it waste,
and the beasts of the field feed upon it?
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Once again, O Lord of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
O Lord, God of hosts, restore us;
if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

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Commentary on Ps 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20

Psalm 80 is a communal lament. In these strophes the image of the vineyard is applied to the house of Israel. The destruction of the vineyard is also referenced in support of Isaiah’s imagery form Isaiah 5:1ff. The psalmist entreats the Lord to restore the people to favor and rescue them from their situation.

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Reading II: Philippians 4:6-9

Brothers and sisters:
Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
make your requests known to God.
Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
Keep on doing what you have learned and received
and heard and seen in me.
Then the God of peace will be with you.

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Commentary on Phil 4:6-9

St. Paul begins this address, as part of a series of ethical instructions, by exhorting the Christian community to prayer. Through prayer, God’s peace will come into their hearts and minds as a gift from Christ Jesus. He calls upon them to meditate upon the great good that is provided through God and recites a litany of adjectives: true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious, as descriptors of Christ’s actions in their midst. Through a focus on what is excellent they will achieve the peace of Christ.

CCC: Phil 4:6-7 2633; Phil 4:8 1803

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Gospel: Matthew 21:33-43

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:
"Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking,
'They will respect my son.'
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
'This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"
They answered him,
"He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times."
Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?
Therefore, I say to you,
the kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit."

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Commentary on Mt 21:33-43

St. Matthew describes Jesus applying the Parable of the Vineyard as he confronts the Jewish leadership. His motivation is clearly to let them know that, by rejecting Jesus and his message about the Kingdom of God, they have forfeited their place in the that kingdom. The description used for the vineyard is remarkably similar to Isaiah 5:1ff (above). Reference to the servants who were beaten and killed refers to the prophets similarly treated. The reference to the landowner’s son is an obvious reference to Jesus as the Son of God. The scripture quote of Psalm 118:22-23 was seen in the early church as a reference to Jesus’ resurrection. This is viewed as the vindication of the Lord and God.

“Our parable is lengthy and quite intricate, and for good reason: in symbolic language it contains the whole history of human salvation. It first looks backward to the election and formation of Israel by God and to the long line of prophets he sent to his people, culminating in the sending of his own Son at the Incarnation. It portrays graphically the long history of the brutal rejection of the prophets (including Jesus himself, the greatest of prophets, v. 46) by the leaders of Israel. And then looks forward, from this present moment of Jesus’ life, to his Passion and death at the hands of his own people, with the final triumph of the Resurrection as God’s ultimate saving deed that brings new life out of death [see the parable of the wedding feast Matthew 22:1-14].” [5]

CCC: Mt 21:33-43 & par. 755; Mt 21:34-36 443; Mt 21:37-38 443; Mt 21:42 & par.[6] 756

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Homily

In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.

A few years ago, in late spring, I was driving home and unexpectedly had to make a very wide turn because a car in front of me had turned the same corner and stopped, blocking part of the lane. As I went around I noticed the driver had gotten out of his car. Then I saw the reason. There was a turtle trying to cross that very busy road and the driver was essentially rescuing the critter by helping it get out of the road.

I commend this persons concern for one of God’s creatures and the fact that he was willing to put his own life at risk to save it. I also wondered a little bit about his priorities, especially since I was almost in an accident because of his act of amphibian heroism.

It may sound a bit far-afield, but let’s examine what we know about our hero. First, we know he is an animal-lover, or at least an amphibian-lover. He could have even been a Buddhist or Hindu, someone who believes all life is sacred. We might assume that he was young and a bit foolish for having placed others at risk in that heavily trafficked area. The point being made is, by the act of stopping his car unexpectedly in order to help the turtle, he identified himself and his beliefs to people who witnessed his action.

In sacred scripture today we are given a parable. Actually we are given two songs and a parable using the image of a vineyard. It is a common theme, used more than any other food in scripture. The key elements exploited in the songs and parable today are the fruit produced and desirability of the fruit.

Look, if you would at the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. In this early chapter of the book, the prophet is warning the people of Jerusalem using the metaphor of the vineyard. In his description, he likens Jerusalem to a carefully planted and cared for vineyard. He then tells the Hebrew people that, in spite of all the hard work of preparation (again a metaphor for the gift of the Law of Moses and the call of the chosen people), what developed in that center of faith was not the choice grapes that had been anticipated by the prophet’s friend (God) but rather worthless fruit, wild grapes.

Seeing that what was built did not produce the intended bounty, the owner would destroy the vineyard and allow it to go fallow. This was a clear message to the people of his day. It predicted the sacking of Jerusalem and the exile associated with it.

Now look at St. Matthew’s Parable of the Vineyard. Jesus tells us the same builder, his Heavenly Father, again has created a vineyard. In his day, the Lord was speaking to the scribes and Pharisees, those whose responsibility it was to tend the metaphorical vineyard of the Hebrew faithful. He tells the story of his own coming, bringing to completion the message of God. He follows the prophets, Isaiah among them, who were poorly treated and in some cases even killed. He describes in faintly veiled terms his own coming as Messiah and predicts his death at their hands.

These two stories are separated by over seven hundred years. Jesus did not retell Isaiah’s story, he completed it. Indeed, Isaiah’s prediction about the fate of Jerusalem came to pass. Assyria invaded Judah and enslaved the people. As Isaiah also predicted, the jewel that was Jerusalem was restored and the Jewish people were once more united in that city. It is to this same “vineyard” Jesus comes and, using the same metaphor, completes the story of God’s attempt to find a bountiful harvest for his kingdom.

It is easy for us to see the relationship of these two stories as we look back across the millennia since they were first told. We saw how Jerusalem was destroyed (again, as Jesus predicted in 70 AD following his own passion). But what lesson do we take away from these related passages? Are they simply quixotic tales about the history of our faith?

Like all such stories passed down through scripture they have direct impact on us, in our time and in our circumstances. I once attended a presentation given by our social justice group, The Lens of Faith. The topic discussed was Catholic healthcare and the legal impact of government policies, especially those related to conscience issues (e.g., reproductive health, and the complex issues faced by physicians and other practitioners in the healthcare field). We were privileged to have two renowned experts from among our own faith community, Dr. Rusty Chavey, a pioneer in the faith-based holistic approach to practicing family medicine and founder of Emmaus Healthcare. He was joined by our own Bob Muise, Esq., a nationally known lawyer and founder of the American Freedom Law Center which defends individuals and groups seeking to continue to practice their faith in the face of growing persecution by secular groups and a biased judiciary.

The presentation explored the complex web of issues that surrounds us as state, local, and national governments seek to produce fruit in God’s vineyard that was never intended to be grown. The presentation reminded me that we are all responsible for bearing witness to the tenets of our faith. We cannot be part of the crowd that selfishly wants to despoil God’s garden and, in doing so, crucify his Son.

On fact became very clear as Dr. Chavey and Mr. Muise spoke. Our future freedom to practice our faith is under increasingly intense attack, even in a federal environment that is less intent on promoting a morally promiscuous environment. This is now becoming increasingly more difficult as the circumstances of limited gathering sizes, social distancing, and the associated “diaspora” caused by fear of the coronavirus dilutes our solidarity as Church. Each of us must stand as a branch of that one true vine, producing good fruit if our faith legacy is to be passed on to our children. We cannot idly stand by and let the thorns and weeds kill what God has planted and his Son has watered with his precious Blood.

Let us then make that our constant prayer, as St. Paul reminds us in his letter to Philippians. Let us pray as if it is all up to God, but act as if it was all up to us (I didn’t say that, Ignatius of Loyola did, but good words, nonetheless). In that way, may those who see us know what we care about, and it’s not just a turtle in the road.

My Jesus,

I believe that You

are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love You above all things,

and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Pax

In other years on this date: Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi, Religious

[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 “The Heir of the Vineyard” by James Tissot 1886-96.

[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.

[6] Explanation: In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “& Par.” is shorthand for “and parallels.”

Friday, October 02, 2020

Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(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: #36 The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Fairest Love.

“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:

In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.

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. 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 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.

My Jesus,

I believe that You

are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love You above all things,

and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Pax

[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5

[2] The picture is “Satan before the Lord” by Corrado Giaquinto, c. 1750.

[3] S.S. Commemoratio

[6] Ibid.

Thursday, October 01, 2020

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

Proper for the Memorial of The Holy Guardian Angels [1]

Additional information about the Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

“The Guardian Angel”
by Pietro Da Cortona 1656

Readings for Friday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]

Readings and Commentary:[3]

Note: for this memorial the Gospel of the Proper is used.

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: 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
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:

In Christ’s name we pray. – Amen.

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 guardian angels 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. We should also not forget all those times we have been rescued by our guardian angels. May we accept God’s angelic aid and feel the peace flowing from his Son on this day.

My Jesus,

I believe that You

are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.

I love You above all things,

and I desire to receive You into my soul.

Since I cannot at this moment

receive You sacramentally,

come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

Pax

[1] The picture used today is “The Guardian Angel” by Pietro Da Cortona 1656.

[2] S.S. Commemoratio 459/650

[4] NAB footnote on Job 38:1.

Servant of the Word

Monday, October 05, 2020

Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Sunday, October 04, 2020

Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday, October 03, 2020

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Friday, October 02, 2020

Saturday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Thursday, October 01, 2020

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels

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