Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links [1]

CCC 1503-1505: Christ the Physician
CCC 1151-1152: Signs used by Christ; sacramental signs
CCC 270-271: The mercy of God
 

“Jesus Heals the Deaf Man”
by Alexandre Bida, 1850’s

Readings for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary:[4]
 
Reading 1: Isaiah 35:4-7a
 
Thus says the LORD:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
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Commentary on Is 35:4-7a
 
This joyous outburst from the prophet looks forward to the restoration of those exiled (similar in tone to Isaiah 40:1-11). The oracle sees the time of salvation marked by events traditionally associated with the predicted arrival of the Messiah. The passage is quoted or paraphrased in both St. Matthew’s Gospel at Matthew 11:5ff and in St. Mark’s Gospel at Mark 7:37, in both cases seeing in the oracle proof of messianic fulfillment in Jesus.
 
“This passage points to a great mystery, namely that Christ was to come in the flesh.  Not just anybody, not an angel, not an ambassador, but “He” will come to save you. Who is showing this humility? One who is highly exalted. How exalted? Make no search on earth but rise above the stars, beyond the heavenly company of angels, even beyond all creation, and by faith arrive at the Creator (St. Augustine, Sermons 293, 5).” [5]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
 
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
Alleluia.
 
The God of Jacob keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains, 
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
 
In this hymn of praise, we find the historical view of God’s attributes as envisioned by the Hebrew people. The psalmist catalogs the mercy of God’s salvation (gives sight to the blind, raises those who were bowed down [the oppressed]) using imagery borrowed by the prophets (cf. Isaiah 35:5-6) and imagery used much later by Gospel authors as well (cf. Matthew 11:5ff).
 
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Reading II: James 2:1-5
 
My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, “Sit here, please, ”
while you say to the poor one, “Stand there, ” or “Sit at my feet, ”
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?
Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?
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Commentary on Jas 2:1-5
 
"Apparently some of the Christians to whom this letter was addressed were guilty of discriminating against people on the grounds of social standing -- a clear instance of inconsistency between faith and actions, a key theme which James has already touched on (cf. James 1:19-27) and will develop later (cf. James 2:14-26). He may well be taking an example from something that actually happened (verses 1-4) to make the very vigorous point that discrimination is opposed to the Gospel (verses 5-7) as indeed to the Law (verses 8-11); and he makes it plain that this type of behavior will be severely punished by God when He comes to judge (verses 12-13)." [6]
 
In these verses the author warns the Christian community not to discriminate or to show favoritism based upon social status. This kind of behavior, we are told, violates God’s law and is an affront to all the values for which Lord Jesus stands. The apostle also reminds the community that the poor and marginalized receive great rewards in God’s Kingdom.
 
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Gospel: Mark 7:31-37
 
Again Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” —
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
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Commentary on Mk 7:31-37
 
Returning from his encounter with the Syrophoenician woman, the Lord now heals the deaf mute. This action, especially the wording of the final quote: “He has done all things well, he makes the deaf hear and the mute speak,” which is a paraphrase from Isaiah 35:5-6, demonstrates the fulfillment of prophecy.
 
The Lord’s actions are sacramental in nature, that is, they accomplish what they signify. As the Lord takes the man aside, he puts his fingers into the man’s mouth and ears. He then sighs or groans ("he sighed: A sign either of his deep emotion over the man's pitiful condition, or, as Lohmeyer believes, of Jesus' transcendence, which is contained by human limits foreign to it." [7]), looking heavenward, demonstrating his intimate relationship to the father, and says, “ephphatha!,” or “be opened."
 
This passage has two unusual characteristics. First, the Lord takes the man aside, in private, implying something private was offered by the Messiah. Next, after his cure was affected, he tells the man not to tell anyone.  However, not only does the man continue to do so, but proclaims it. We are given the sense that the event taking place is significant in that it is pointedly revelatory, citing a new creation (cf Genesis 1:31).
 
CCC: Mk 7:32-36 1504; Mk 7:33-35 1151
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Reflection:
 
When I was seven or eight years old, my family moved from Gaylord, Michigan to Three Rivers, Michigan. Taking advantage of the benefits that come with being part of a larger town, I embarked upon my short and un-illustrious career in baseball.  You see, Three Rivers had a “Little League” program.  I was small for my age and in spite of my father’s best efforts, I was always afraid of being hit by a pitched ball.  As a consequence, my batting stance was hunched over, making the “strike zone” as small as possible and, once the ball was in the air, my eyes were generally closed, as if in prayer (which may have been somewhat prophetic).  Oh, once in a while I would take a flailing attempt at hitting the ball, more out of self-defense than any athletic exercise.  I may have even connected once in a while, surprising everyone, myself included. 
 
Then one day, I think I was about ten or eleven came the day when I opened my eyes while I was in the batter’s box and realized I could see the ball coming and actually swing at it with accuracy.  It was remarkable; I literally could not believe my eyes.  I had the most prodigious day of my young life, hitting two doubles and a triple.  I still believe my father does not think I really did that.  He would come to all of the games I played in but this one was during working hours so he was not there.  Also, it was the last game I ever played in.  We moved shortly after to Adrian, Michigan and I never played organized baseball again.  But that one game is burned into my memory. 
 
I can still see, in my mind’s eye, that ball coming toward me, like it was frozen in time.  And whenever I read the passage we just heard from Gospel from St. Mark, I remember that day.  For me it was “Ephphatha!”
 
Although we will probably not remember it, the first time the word “Ephphatha” was used in our hearing was at our own Baptism.  There is a wonderful little prayer said by the celebrant toward the end of the Baptismal rite.  While touching the ears and lips of the one being baptized he prays:
 
“The Lord Jesus made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.  May he soon touch your ears to receive his word and your lips to proclaim his faith, to the praise and Glory of God the Father.  Amen.”
 
It is a gift, the Ephphatha, a profound change in character resulting from the infusion of the Holy Spirit which takes place in the baptismal bath.
 
Since I mention this gift and since I already told one little anecdote from my childhood, I’ll tell one more.  When I was in middle school, my grandmother, whom I loved dearly, gave me a sweater for Christmas one year (in spite of the fact that she had two sons of her own and should have known better.) I promptly put it in a drawer and forgot about it until the next winter when I needed a sweater for sledding and, since it would be covered up by my coat anyway, I didn’t need to worry about my friends making fun of the reindeer that pranced around the waist.  To my amazement, the sweater no longer fit, and it had holes in it (moths – for the younger set it was made of wool, a natural fabric made from the hair of sheep and moth larvae eat it) and was useless.  Gifts can be like that.  If they are not used, they can end up like an ill-fitting, holey sweater.
 
Unfortunately, for many of us, the life of faith is like my early career in “Little League.”  We go through our daily lives with our eyes closed because we fear that if we open them, we might see the danger we are in rather than opening our eyes and using the gift of light God gave us.  Even worse, it is like texting while driving; there is a good chance we will not look up until it’s too late.
 
That is what the gift of the Lord really is; it means literally: “Be open.”  It is the gift of sight, not in the sense of physical vision, but rather the ability to see things in the way God wants them to be.  It is the ability to understand, with the light of God’s wisdom, how we must act if we are to enjoy and be at peace with the life with which he endowed us.
 
He commands us: Be Open! – see that forgiveness leads to peace and holding on to injury or hatred only leads to more pain.
 
He commands us: Be Open! – see that thinking only of our own comfort and well-being will not bring us happiness and that sharing our gifts with those who are less fortunate will bring us joy.
 
He commands us: Be Open! – see clearly the wisdom of God’s natural law and the folly and selfishness denying life to others at all stages of the life God gives them.
 
Part of the gift of the Ephphatha is that in opening our lips to God’s glory (not our own) we pass on the gift that was given to us.  Our openness with God’s truth, in words and actions, lets others glimpse the light as well.  Revealing the Lord’s truth opens the eyes of others and has the power to transform the world.
 
In the Ephphatha we open our eyes and ears to see with Christ’s own eyes what we may offer the world and how to enjoy the peace offered by our heavenly Father. Knowing the mind of Christ in Sacred Scripture will allow us to feel the true meaning of how the Lord was seen after he cured the deaf mute, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah the prophet.  Those who saw him exclaimed: “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” May we be graced to hear those words from others to the greater glory of our Heavenly Father.
 
Pax
 

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “Jesus Heals the Deaf Man” by Alexandre Bida, 1850’s.
[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] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, Isaiah, © 2019, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p. 65.
[6] The Navarre Bible: “Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 286.
[7] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 42:45, p. 38.

Saturday of the Twenty-second 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. (USCCB recommends: #28. The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. )
 

“The Disciples Pick Grain” 
by Gustave Dore, 1865

Readings for Saturday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading 1: Colossians 1:21-23
 
Brothers and sisters:
You once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds;
God has now reconciled you
in the fleshly Body of Christ through his death,
to present you holy, without blemish,
and irreproachable before him,
provided that you persevere in the faith,
firmly grounded, stable,
and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard,
which has been preached to every creature under heaven,
of which I, Paul, am a minister.
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Commentary on Col 1:21-23
 
Setting the scene for this selection, St. Paul has just concluded his quotation of an early Christian hymn, probably known to the Colossian church. In this passage, he applies the promise of salvation contained in it to the members of the faith community. The apostle reminds them that they are reconciled in Christ, and encourages them to be faithful to the Gospel they have been given; the one true Gospel of which St. Paul is a minister.
 
CCC: Col 1:20-22 2305
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 54:3-4, 6 and 8
R.  (6) God himself is my help.
 
O God, by your name save me,
and by your might defend my cause.
O God, hear my prayer;
hearken to the words of my mouth.
R. God himself is my help.
 
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord sustains my life.
Freely will I offer you sacrifice;
I will praise your name, O LORD, for its goodness.
R. God himself is my help.
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Commentary on Ps 54:3-4, 6 and 8
 
Psalm 54 is an individual lament.  The psalmist first cries out to the Lord for help against a godless enemy.  In the second part, praise and sacrifice are offered as a consequence of the salvation confidently expected.
 
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Gospel: Luke 6:1-5
 
While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath,
his disciples were picking the heads of grain,
rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Some Pharisees said,
“Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Have you not read what David did
when he and those who were with him were hungry?
How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering,
which only the priests could lawfully eat,
ate of it, and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”
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Commentary on Lk 6:1-5
 
The Pharisees attack the disciples because they picked some grain to eat on the sabbath. In Pharisaic Law (Mishnah: Shabat 7:2) [5] that act is considered work and is forbidden on the Lord’s Day (Exodus 34:21). It is noteworthy that this action is permitted in other parts of the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 23:26). [6] The Lord reinterprets their law, citing the First Book of Samuel (1 Samuel 21:2-7) and Leviticus (Leviticus 24:8). The implication of his final statement in this passage is clear to us. “The ultimate justification for the disciples' violation of the sabbath rest is that Jesus, the Son of Man, has supreme authority over the law.”[7]
 
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Reflection:
 
Sometimes the more we dig into Scripture the more difficult it becomes to understand exactly what a passage was meant to say.  What jumps out at us today is the phrase: “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.”  On the surface and in the context of St. Luke’s Gospel this seems to be very clear.  Jesus, who is the Messiah, the anointed one sent by God to reveal himself to the world, is Lord of the sabbath, the holy day set aside for the Lord.  It is Jesus who determines what is just and unjust on his day, and he has authority over all those who may wish to interpret the Law of Moses as quoted in the biblical books of Leviticus and 1 Samuel.
 
When we compare the encounter related today in St. Luke’s Gospel with the same story in the Gospel of St. Mark, we come to a completely different conclusion.  In St. Mark’s Gospel this is the conclusion of the encounter:
 
Then he said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath." (Mark 2:27-28)
 
Adding in the idea that God intended the sabbath as a blessing to mankind changes the intent of the second part of the phrase.  The son of man then seems to be anyone who keeps the sabbath day holy and not specifically Jesus, the Son of Man, assuming the title provided by Isaiah.
 
What comes out of our comparison, however, is not confusion!  It is a richness of truth that allows us to understand that Jesus is Lord of the sabbath as the Son of God must be, and that the sabbath, established new in us, is a blessing as a consequence.
 
Today we offer up the prayer that we may always be faithful to the sabbath (a difficult thing in this secular society that erodes the sacred with impunity).  We ask that the Holy Spirit keep us focused during our sabbath on the things of God and offer him our heartfelt thanks for all he has done for us.
 
Pax

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[1] General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time, Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by “BVM.” The readings and prayers may be selected from the Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
[2] The picture used is “The Disciples Pick Grain” by Gustave Dore, 1865.
[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] Mishnah: an authoritative collection of exegetical material embodying the oral tradition of Jewish law and forming the first part of the Talmud.
[6] The Gospel of Luke by Pablo T. Gadenz © 2018, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids MI, p.122.
[7] NAB footnote on Matthew 12:1-8.

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Gregory the Great 

Biographical information about St. Gregory the Great

“St Gregory the Great with Saints”
by Peter Paul Rubens 1606

 
Readings for Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Colossians 1:15-20
 
Brothers and sisters:
Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation.
For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers;
all things were created through him and for him.
He is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.
He is the head of the Body, the Church.
He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things he himself might be preeminent.
For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell,
and through him to reconcile all things for him,
making peace by the Blood of his cross
through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.
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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, over 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).” [4]
 
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
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
 
R. (2b) Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
 
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
 
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
 
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
 
For he is good,
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Come with joy into the presence of the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
 
Psalm 100 is a communal song of thanksgiving in which the psalmist invites the people to come to God with praise and thanksgiving for the wondrous things he has done. In this selection the psalmist gives thanks for God’s favor and his unending support in all good things. It affirms God’s saving grace given to his sons and daughters through all generations. The song recalls God the Creator whose love and fidelity knows no bounds.
 
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Gospel: Luke 5:33-39
 
The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers,
and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same;
but yours eat and drink.”
Jesus answered them, “Can you make the wedding guests fast
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
then they will fast in those days.”
And he also told them a parable.
“No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one.
Otherwise, he will tear the new
and the piece from it will not match the old cloak.
Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins,
and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined.
Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins.
And no one who has been drinking old wine desires new,
for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
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Commentary on Lk 5:33-39
 
In this exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees we see the liberal use of metaphors to describe a new relationship.  There is a new covenant but it is related to the old. The bridal metaphor clearly establishes a relationship between God and man, different from that expressed in the Hebrew tradition. God and man are in a love relationship as opposed to God being superior to man and man subservient to God.
 
The Lord uses the metaphors of the new and old cloth and the new and old wine skins to illustrate that this Gospel message cannot be grafted on to Mosaic Law but it becomes something entirely new. Attempting to hold both views is not possible; it will destroy both. (It is likely that St. Luke actually rewrote the new vs. old cloth parable also found in St. Mark’s Gospel - Mark 2:19ff.)
 
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Reflection:
 
“The old is good.”  St. Luke sees the difficulty many people are having, especially the Pharisees, in accepting the idea that Christ came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.  They have had the “old wine” of these traditions and beliefs for their entire lives and the traditions they inherited were passed down from generation upon generation, during which time they gained such rigidity of form and substance that they seemed indestructible, put in place by God himself.
 
The great irony is that it was for this very purpose that God came into the world.  The people to whom God had revealed himself in the signs and wonders from the age of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; the great Exodus facilitated by Moses; all these things had taken upon themselves a life of their own.  The acts themselves had become the object of worship rather than God by whom they were all accomplished.
 
Through the ages God had sought to change this, to reveal himself and his will by sending the prophets.  Jeremiah, Isaiah, Hosea and all those great instruments of God cried out to the people telling them among other things that God did not want sacrifices and holocausts (see especially Psalm 51:18-19).  His intention was not to smell the burning flesh of the sacrificial altar – his desire was the conversion of heart.  He called to them to love each other and in doing so love him all the more.  But the “old wine” was good and many of those prophets were disregarded and even killed.
 
The saying of Jesus about the old and new wineskins has a lesson for us as well.  We must never become so rooted in our personal traditions that we fail to see what the Holy Spirit does in our midst.  God calls us to constant conversion.  That means change, and change is always difficult.  The old wine, the wine to which we have become accustomed, always tastes good.  The new wine of conversion needs some getting used to.
 
Today our prayer is this, that even as we savor the old wine that is good, we are constantly ready to accept the new wine of conversion, inviting us deeper into the will of God and his call to us.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “St Gregory the Great with Saints” by Peter Paul Rubens 1606.
[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 Colossians 1:15-20.

Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

"Wonderful Catch of Fish”
by Anton Losenko, 1762

Readings for Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Colossians 1:9-14
 
Brothers and sisters:
From the day we heard about you, we do not cease praying for you
and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will
through all spiritual wisdom and understanding
to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,
so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit
and growing in the knowledge of God,
strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might,
for all endurance and patience,
with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share
in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.
He delivered us from the power of darkness
and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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Commentary on Col 1:9-14
 
St. Paul continues his introductory remarks to the Colossians.  In these verses he shares his prayer for them and acknowledges their shared adoption in Christ which has a reference to their baptism (e.g. “delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of his beloved Son”).
 
The prayer serves as an encouragement toward increased holiness. “Just as at the racecourse the shouts to encourage the riders increase the nearer they get to the finish, so the Apostle vigorously encourages those faithful who are closest to perfection.” (St. John Chrysostom, Hom. On Col, 2, ad loc.) [4] He likewise encourages the community at Colossae to depend upon the Holy Spirit to guide them and strengthen them as they continue to develop a litany of spiritual gifts (wisdom and understanding).  For all of this will lead to the ultimate reward – redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
 
CCC: Col 1:10 2520; Col 1:12-14 1250; Col 1:13-14 517; Col 1:14 2839
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6
 
R. (2) The Lord has made known his salvation.
 
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
 
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
 
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. The Lord has made known his salvation.
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Commentary on Ps 98:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6
 
Psalm 98 is a song of praise and thanksgiving. We see in this selection how God is praised for the strength he lends his people and the salvation he brings to those who are faithful. The psalmist rejoices in God’s salvation. The Lord has revealed his compassion toward the people and they sing his praises in response.
 
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Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
 
While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.”
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.
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Commentary on Lk 5:1-11
 
St. Luke’s Gospel presents the call of St. Peter, St. James, and St. John to discipleship. The Lord has demonstrated his authority through his teaching, and then through the miraculous catch of fish. We note the similarity of this incident with the post-resurrection incident recounted in St. John’s Gospel (John 21:1-11) when, on the Sea of Tiberias, the unrecognized Lord again asked St. Peter to lower his net after an unsuccessful attempt to catch fish, whereupon Peter recognized Jesus.
 
At Jesus' summons, Simon and the two sons of Zebedee leave all they have and follow the Lord. No mention is made here of Simon’s (Peter’s) brother Andrew who would also have been there, and in fact, as a disciple of John the Baptist, actually introduced the two (John 1:41 ff). We do hear that James and John, Zebedee’s sons were also there as Simon’s partners, and are called at the same time.
 
Simon Peter’s response to the Lord’s call is one of being sinful and therefore unworthy of the presence of the Lord. In response to Simon’s fearful humility, Jesus invites them all to leave what they have and become fishers of men.
 
CCC: Lk 5:8 208
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Reflection:
 
We reflect today on the call of Christ and our response.  In St. Luke’s Gospel we hear how the Lord attracts his first disciples.  After he has journeyed through Galilee, curing the sick and teaching, he comes to Capernaum and meets Simon.  He cures Simon’s mother-in-law and then continues to preach to the people about the Kingdom of God.  The people are so taken by his words and charisma that they crowd in upon him to a point where he must get into a boat in order to be heard by more than just a few of those closest to him.
 
Was it coincidental that it was Simon’s boat?  We are told he had been fishing all night with his partners, Zebedee’s two sons, James, and John.  They were on the beach, cleaning up.  Perhaps the Lord recognized Simon from the day before and asked him to take him out from the shore and Simon, probably tired and ready for some sleep, did not hesitate.  When the Lord had concluded his discourse (we wonder what those words were) he told Simon to lower the nets (the ones he had just finished washing and mending).  Is it any wonder he resisted the idea?  They had fished all night and had caught nothing.  It was silly to put out the nets at this time of day.  Simon did the Lord’s bidding again, for a second time.
 
To everyone’s amazement, especially Simon’s, the nets caught so many fish he could not get them in alone.  The nets were in danger of breaking.  He asked his partners to come and share his labor and his reward.  James and John responded.  Between them they brought the improbable catch to shore.  It must have amazed everyone there. 
 
We see in this event the epiphany of Simon (Peter).  He fell to the ground at the Lord’s knees and said: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”  (Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.) Matthew 8:8
 
The Lord, seeing all their faults and trepidation, called Simon a third time: “Do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching men.”  The response was immediate.  Simon, James and John, without another word, left all they had known and followed the Lord.  They became the first to hear the call to discipleship and the first to sacrifice their normal lives for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
 
As we reflect upon this call to discipleship, we recall all those other stories of call and response throughout the history of the faith.  All of the great saints heard that call.  Some had to be dragged against their wills to the faith, like St. Augustine.  Others seemed born to it, like Our Blessed Mother, Mary.  Call and response, what does God ask of us?  That is the question we ask each day, because each day the call is renewed and each day we must respond.  Our prayer today is that we hear the call of the Lord clearly and respond as St. Peter did, with unconditional love that does not hold back the smallest part of our hearts.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture used is "Wonderful Catch of Fish” by Anton Losenko, 1762.
[2] S.S Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] The Navarre Bible: “Letters of St. Paul,” Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p.466.