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Sunday February 16, 2025 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 78
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 17:5-8
Thus says the LORD:
Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
who seeks his strength in flesh,
whose heart turns away from the LORD.
He is like a barren bush in the desert
that enjoys no change of season,
but stands in a lava waste,
a salt and empty earth.
Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose hope is the LORD.
He is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:
it fears not the heat when it comes;
its leaves stay green;
in the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked,
nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
but delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
that yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Reading 2 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20
Brothers and sisters:
If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,
how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Gospel Lk 6:17, 20-26
Jesus came down with the twelve
and stood on a stretch of level ground
with a great crowd of his disciples
and a large number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem
and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.
And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.
Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.
But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way.”
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 17:5-8
The divided heart. This seems to be the condition of most of the Christian world at the present time.
Jeremiah kept telling the people of Judah that God's judgment was coming, but the people just wouldn't listen. They had a divided heart. They wanted to hold on to God with one hand, but they wanted to hold on to the sinful things of the world with the other hand.
God said that they had written their sin in such a way that it wasn't going to be erased. It was engraved, not in stone, but even worse: it was engraved on the tablets of their hearts! That means they were fully satisfied with their sin and had no plans to change.
What's sad is that these folks would have argued that they were worshippers of Jehovah God, but in the practical everyday living of their lives, there was not much to prove it.
Jeremiah kept preaching, and they kept not listening. As a matter of fact, when you come to chapter 26, the people had become very tired of Jeremiah's preaching, and in essence said, "It's time for us to get ourselves another preacher, but first we've got to get rid of this one." Do you think that ever happens in this modern day in which we live? They tried to kill Jeremiah, but God delivered him.
In v5, God speaks to these people. They bring a curse on themselves. It is a curse that is a result of their own doings. They're conducting their lives like people who know nothing about God, and their hearts are departed from all they've been taught.
Will God just let this go? V6, answers that question. They will be like a "barren bush in the desert." Some of the more modern translations say, "a shrub in the desert." The Hebrew word literally says "naked, or destitute." They do not have any real help in their times of trouble.
Why will God not help them? He would, if they would humble themselves, and pray, and seek His face, but they won't do it, and He will not bless sinfulness.
A person who really knows God, but has come to have a departed heart, is in a very dangerous position.
Look at this! It's like finding a gardenia in a garbage can! In the midst of all these people who seemed to have no fear of God, there are some who do, and God says that they are "blessed."
They trust in the Lord. If God's word says it, then as far as they're concerned that's the way it is. For them, every man is a liar when compared to God.
Their hope is in the Lord. They confidently look forward to what God has said, through the eyes of faith. If they see an unfavorable stock market report, they don't panic, because they stock market is not their source, God is their source.
If the doctor says, "It's really bad, they don't give up, because their hope is not in the doctor, their hope is in the Great Physician, and they are fully persuaded that God has the last word.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
This deceptively simple psalm serves as the introduction to the Psalter and sets before us, the readers, a vision of life as a journey marked by bifurcating paths: turn one way, happiness (1:1), another, destruction (1:6).
Our psalmist, to entice us to choose the happy trail, paints the happy life with images stolen from paradise -- verdant with plant life, nourished by gentle waters, seasonably fruitful, and unfailingly prosperous (1:3). The psalmist invites us to the royal garden, perhaps atop the Mountain of God, Eden-like. In contrast, he likens the fate of those who choose to turn at the forks of life’s journey time and again toward destruction, not simply to chaff, but to chaff that the discerning wind drives out of the garden into judgment (1:4-5).
The choice would appear clear: reject the path that leads to destruction and choose the other path, the happy life. But where might we find this path to the garden? Dutifully, the psalmist announces:
Happy is the one … [whose] delight is in the law of the LORD,
and [who] on his law meditates day and night.
One mystery remains: What is “the law of the LORD,” and what does it require?
The Law of the LORD as the Pentateuch
The Jewish Bible is organized differently from the Christian Old Testament and is comprised of three parts: in order, the Torah (the Pentateuch), the Neviim (most of the historical and prophetic books of the Christian Old Testament), and the Ketuvim (which begins with Psalms and concludes with Chronicles).
In the first chapter of Joshua, the first book of the Neviim, God tells Joshua: “[Act] in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you … This book of the law … you shall meditate on it day and night … For then you shall make your way prosperous” (Joshua 1:7, 8). In this passage, “this book of the law” refers to Deuteronomy and more expansively to the entire Pentateuch, the Torah. And, if the “way” of Joshua and the nation he now leads is to “prosper,” Joshua will need to “mediate … day and night” on the Torah, the law of the LORD.
The beginning of the Ketuvim, namely Psalm 1, echoes the beginning of the Neviim and likewise highlights the priority and vital importance of the Torah. Repeating words from Joshua, our psalmist proclaims: “Happy is the one … [whose] delight is in the law of the LORD, / and [who] on his law meditates day and night … In all that he does, he will prosper” (1:1, 2, 3 author’s translation). If we are right that Psalm 1 alludes to Joshua 1, then the psalmist’s “law of the LORD” refers to “the law that my servant Moses commanded you … this book of the law,” namely, the Torah.
When we identify the “law of the LORD” with the Torah, we transform Psalm 1 into an interpretative key to the Torah and the Neviim, and vice versa. Our psalm, with Joshua 1, exhorts us to mediate for teaching that leads to happiness and, correspondingly, to read the Neviim, the stories of Joshua to Kings and the prophecies of Isaiah to Malachi, as the arena in which the psalmist’s claim that “Happy is the one … ” plays out. How do you learn not to walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers? Meditate on the Scripture. How happy is a tree planted by streams of water and how miserable the fate of the wicked?
Reading 2 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20
First Corinthians 15 is a great way to open discussions about the historical shape of early Christian confession and faith. There are other verses in here which are not in verses shown but I think they have the same continuity of thought.
This Pauline letter is one of earliest writings in the New Testament, alongside his Thessalonian correspondence. It predates the writing of the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation by decades. Moreover, it is one of the earliest writings to follow on the heels of the Christ event (e.g., life, ministry, death, resurrection) some twenty to twenty-five years later.
The passage is an interesting window into the theological imagination and confessional life of the early Church as well as Paul. It is striking how Paul refers to the authority of a tradition that predates him in a letter where he is busy asserting his own authority and perspective in the present moment. Repeatedly, Paul makes statements such as, “I laid the foundation, and someone else builds” , “To the rest I say -- I and not the Lord…” In each instance, Paul stands flat-footed on his own theological and leadership laurels and he makes demands on the lives of the Corinthians.
Although Paul makes demands based on his own perspective, he, nonetheless, leverages the confessional traditions and history of those who precede him. He says in 1 Cor 15:3, “For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures…” Paul discloses that the content of his Gospel, not necessarily his ethical advice, comes from elsewhere. The proclamation of Christ’s death is not an invention but a recollection. Paul rehearses the traditions of the community as a way to unify the divisive Corinthians around one banner -- namely their shared experience of belief in Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:11).
According to Paul, this passing of tradition from one person to another is an essential characteristic of the Christian experience. Several times in this letter he reminds the congregation that he is handing onto them (paradidomi) what he already received (1 Cor 11:2, 23; 15:3). The proper way for them to practice Christian confession and faith is to continue the tradition of information sharing: “I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions just as I handed them on to you” (1 Cor 11:2). In so many words, Paul tells them to duplicate his actions, linking remembrance with active communication (1 Cor 4:16; 11:1).
One useful way for understanding the literary shape of this section is as a creedal story.
These verses are full of creedal language and resonances. In these creedal statements one can undoubtedly hear a precursor to the Apostle’s Creed (1 Corinthians 15:3b-5a): “…Christ died for our sins…he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day…and that he appeared…” Paul’s creedal statement here balances the idea that Christ died and was raised with the language that Christ was also seen, repeatedly.
The opening verses to chapter 15 in 1 Corinthians call us to remember the words of faith that have encouraged us. They invite readers to engage in the spiritual practice of personal recollection and group confession. We are reminded that a “great cloud of witnesses” from the past and present surround us (Heb 11:1). In terms of the future, we are called to be witnesses to future generations of this living hope. It is an invitation to boldly state what we believe together, and in that way truly become connected confessional people.
Gospel Lk 6:17, 20-26
Last Sunday we heard Jesus call Peter to be his disciple. Jesus then travels with Peter and the other disciples. Luke reports acts of healing (a person with leprosy and a paralytic man) and the call of Levi, the tax collector. Jesus also replies to questions from the Pharisees regarding fasting and the observance of the Sabbath. In the verses immediately before today's gospel reading, Jesus is reported to have chosen 12 men from among his disciples to be apostles. Apostle is a Greek word that means “one who is sent.”
Today's gospel reading is the beginning of what is often called the Sermon on the Plain. We find a parallel to this passage in Matthew 5:1-7,11 that is often called the Sermon on the Mount. As these titles suggest, there are differences and similarities between these gospel readings.
When spoken from the mountaintop in Matthew's Gospel, we can't miss the impression that Jesus is speaking with the authority and voice of God. The mountaintop is a symbol of closeness to God. Those who ascend the mountain see God and speak for God; recall the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. As Luke introduces the location of Jesus' teaching, Jesus teaches on level ground, alongside the disciples and the crowd. Luke presents Jesus' authority in a different light. He is God among us.
Another distinction found in Luke's version is the audience. Luke's Sermon on the Plain is addressed to Jesus' disciples, although in the presence of the crowd; Matthew's Sermon on the Mount is addressed to the crowd. In keeping with this style, the Beatitudes in Luke's Gospel sound more personal than those in Matthew's Gospel—Luke uses the article “you” whereas Matthew uses “they” or “those.” There is also a difference in number: Matthew describes eight beatitudes; Luke presents just four, each of which has a parallel warning.
The form of the Beatitudes found in Luke's and Matthew's Gospel is not unique to Jesus. Beatitudes are found in the Old Testament, such as in the Psalms and in Wisdom literature. They are a way to teach about who will find favor with God. The word blessed in this context might be translated as “happy,” “fortunate,” or “favored.”
As we listen to this Gospel, the Beatitudes jar our sensibilities. Those who are poor, hungry, weeping, or persecuted are called blessed. This is, indeed, a Gospel of reversals. Those often thought to have been forgotten by God are called blessed. In the list of “woes,” those whom we might ordinarily describe as blessed by God are warned about their peril. Riches, possessions, laughter, reputation . . . these are not things that we can depend upon as sources of eternal happiness. They not only fail to deliver on their promise; our misplaced trust in them will lead to our demise. The ultimate peril is in misidentifying the source of our eternal happiness.
The Beatitudes are often described as a framework for Christian living. Our vocation as Christians is not to be first in this world, but rather to be first in the eyes of God. We are challenged to examine our present situation in the context of our ultimate horizon, the Kingdom of God.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- What defines a person as a success in our society. Write them down. (An example might be showing concern for others.) (It is OK if some examples are not consistent with Catholic values.)
- Reflect on Jesus' description of blessedness in the Kingdom of God. Who are the people that Jesus describes as blessed and happy? (those who are poor, those who are hungry, those who are sad, and those who are hated by others) Who are the people to whom Jesus directs his warnings? (those who are rich, those who have plenty to eat and those who are spoken well of.)
- Is this teaching of Jesus surprising to you? Challenging? Why or why not? What is the measure of success in the Kingdom of God? (dependence on God, rather than on material possessions; willingness to witness to God even when others ridicule or reject us)
- Circle the elements of success that are consistent with Jesus' teaching in the Beatitudes. Cross out the elements of success that are not consistent with the Beatitudes.
- Pray that we will learn to be people who define success by the values of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Pray the Prayer of St. Francis. One of my favorite prayers.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen
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ADDITIONAL NOTES -----------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 17:5-8
In the midst of his prophecy, Jeremiah compared the good and evil persons with an analogy from the plant world. The evil person was like the desert plant that knew no season, who only knew harsh conditions. [5-6] Why was this person cursed to unchanging barrenness? Notice who the person trusted, his friends and his own self ("flesh" of v. 5). This person depended on his/her looks, intelligence, or personality to persuade; he/she used wealth or friendships to promote his/her position. The person who depended only on the self and his/her friends did not see the greater picture and did not experience the greatness of God. Because of blind selfishness, the evil person did not grow emotionally or spiritually; he/she would never know joy.
The good person did grow because he/she trusted in God. The trust of a good person went beyond looks or intelligence or personality or friends. When those qualities failed (the "heat" and "drought" of v. 6-7), a spiritual life would keep the good person enriched and productive. The good person would spiritually mature and would know joy.
"All assets are liabilities; all liabilities are assets." Our talents can be our burdens; our burdens can be turned into talents. To see this paradox requires faith, firm trust in God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6
The way to happiness, then, was to live according to God's commands in every conscious moment (1:2b). This paralleled what was also expressed in the Shema (Deu. 6:4-9):
Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. (NAB)
Notice this dedication to God was more than a commitment; it was a lifestyle and a value to pass on to the next generation. The result of that lifestyle created consistency and growth. (1:3) By contrast, the self-centered shot from fad to fad in the search of fulfillment; their lifestyle was like "chaff that blew away with the wind." (1:4)
In the end, God would favor the faithful, not those who placed self above all. The faithful would gather together with him (the "assembly of the just") while the self-absorbed would find judgment and ruin. (1:5-6; it is unclear whether these verses referred to a comment on the present state of affairs or a belief in an end times "Day of the Lord").
"The faith-filled person is happy." I have found that statement to be true by experience. The people I most admire are those who live happily with God. That commitment shades their entire existence in a joyful glow. Their smile is genuine, their love for their spouse and children overflows. These are the people I want to be around; these are the people I am proud to call my friends and my heroes. I find their happiness is infectious, because it finds its roots in something I value most of all: a deep love for God
Reading 2 1 Cor 15:12, 16-20
"Alternate history" has become a popular parlor game in the last fifty years. Popular novels and academic papers have been written to speculate on how history would have changed if one or two details changed. "What if..." is an interesting mental exercise.
Paul used the "what if?" question to argue for the resurrection of the dead. Without the possibility of such a resurrection, the belief that Christ rose from the dead would be irrational. Take away the resurrection of Christ and the entire construct of Christianity would crumble. Preaching and faith would be in vain. Missionaries would be deluded at best, liars at worst. Either way, they would be shamed for their gullibility or duplicity. The faithful would discover they did not have that status. They would still be sinners. And believers who had died would be lost forever. Like the missionaries, they would have a shameful status as the most pathetic people on the planet.
Paul followed the logical path down the negative to implicitly ask a rhetorical question: if you did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, why were you Christians? Like some in the community at Corinth, many self-proclaimed Christians today do not subscribe to the doctrine of the resurrection. For them, the resurrection is a metaphor. After winter comes spring. After defeat comes triumph. After depression comes ecstasy. For people like these, Christianity is a group of teachings and wise sayings that sooth the harried psyche. But, if faith in Christ is only good for therapy, why don't we all close our parishes and go to the beach instead? Certainly, that environment would be more conducive to the realization of "warm fuzzies."
Yes, Christianity does have teachings and wise sayings. Yes, resurrection does have the power of metaphor. Yes, faith in Christ does have the power to calm the waters of the hectic lifestyles we live. But the root of Christianity is belief in the bodily resurrection of the dead, beginning with that of Jesus. Certainly, that doctrine, in conjunction with the movement of the Spirit, was the basis for the establishment and subsequent health of the early communities. Indeed, Jews and Gentiles would have not gathered together in the name of an unknown Galilean just to share his wise sayings that resulted in mutual good feelings.
Paul believed the end times were imminent. In these times everything would return to God. In his death and resurrection, the Risen Lord was the first movement of the world back to God. As Christians, we believe that we will be part of that movement. If we do not, then our spiritual life is futile. No matter how wise teachings and metaphors lower our blood pressure now, in the long run Christianity would be a matter of "spinning our wheels."
Thank God Christ did rise from the dead. Thank God we will be him, body and soul, at the end. Thank God, Christianity is not an alternate history, a case of "what if?"
Gospel Lk 6:17, 20-26
Luke liked to turn conventional wisdom upside down. Looking through God's eyes, he contrasted the blessed with the cursed. Before we compare these two groups, we must remember that Jesus' audience was poor; they believed that wealth was acquired at their expense through dishonest and oppressive means. We must also remember that Jesus was addressing his disciples, those who have given up the quest for riches in order to achieve something greater.
Luke differentiated the "poor" from the "rich" by the focus of their attention. The poor would inherit God's kingdom because that was where they set their sights; their hope was in the future. The rich, on the other hand, were concerned with maintaining and enjoying what they already had; their focus was upon the present gratification. For Luke, the "rich" were marked by their concern for money and what it could buy. Freed from the temptation of money, the "poor" were marked by their spiritual concern.
To make his point, Luke paralleled three activities: material needs ("food"), entertainment ("laughter"), and reputation. Even though the poor did not have possessions, they would be satisfied; the rich had their needs fulfilled, but they would not ultimately be satisfied]. Even though the poor cried out for the opportunities that bring entertainment, they would be filled with contentment; the rich, on the other hand, would simply crave more entertainment. In the name of the kingdom, the poor would be persecuted but will be honored like the prophets of old; concerned with present reputation, the rich would be quickly forgotten.
For Luke, then, the difference between rich and poor was more than money. The truly poor were those who were willing to sacrifice material need, daily entertainment, and reputation for God's kingdom. They were poor by choice, not by circumstance. The truly rich were those who craved wealth and the comforts that it could buy, even to the detriment of others.
One of the hallmarks of modern morality is the emphasis on personal freedom and responsibility. The measuring stick of morality seems to be: "If my actions as an individual do not injure others, then, the actions are permissible." Of course, this ignores the broader picture. We, as individuals, form a society. We contribute to that society in one form or another. Hence, we need to take a certain responsibility for our society. Personal freedom and responsibility do not preclude a sense of social justice.
"Social justice" is the obligation of a society to create conditions that allow individuals and groups to receive what is owed them. The fundamental rights of the individual and social equality flow from the dignity of the person. Since all people have equal dignity, society should make an effort to lessen social and economic inequality.
The Christian virtue of "solidarity" is "social charity"; it is a respect and love for others based upon their dignity as people. Solidarity means a sharing of material goods, and, more important, a sharing of faith and other spiritual values.
In Luke's sense, the "poor" have a sense of solidarity, for they focus on the good of others. The "rich" in Luke's eyes, focus only on the self and the consequences of actions on the self (while ignoring others).
How have you been involved in "social justice" activities? How have they blessed you?
Who art thou: poor or rich? We can look at the difference another way. Love makes us economically poor but enriches our lives; ambition makes us economically secure but leaves us selfish and shallow. Our lives reveal our priorities. May God give us the power to choose love over ambition, his Kingdom over present riches.
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Sunday February 9, 2025 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 75
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8
In the year King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne,
with the train of his garment filling the temple.
Seraphim were stationed above.
They cried one to the other,
"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!
All the earth is filled with his glory!"
At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook
and the house was filled with smoke.
Then I said, "Woe is me, I am doomed!
For I am a man of unclean lips,
living among a people of unclean lips;
yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"
Then one of the seraphim flew to me,
holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar.
He touched my mouth with it, and said,
"See, now that this has touched your lips,
your wickedness is removed, your sin purged."
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
"Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?"
"Here I am," I said; "send me!"
Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
when they hear the words of your mouth;
and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD:
"Great is the glory of the LORD."
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Your right hand saves me.
The LORD will complete what he has done for me;
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever;
forsake not the work of your hands
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Reading 2 1 Cor 15:1-11
I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,
of the gospel I preached to you,
which you indeed received and in which you also stand.
Through it you are also being saved,
if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,
unless you believed in vain.
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he was buried;
that he was raised on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures;
that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve.
After that, Christ appeared to more
than five hundred brothers at once,
most of whom are still living,
though some have fallen asleep.
After that he appeared to James,
then to all the apostles.
Last of all, as to one born abnormally,
he appeared to me.
For I am the least of the apostles,
not fit to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been ineffective.
Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them;
not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.
Therefore, whether it be I or they,
so we preach and so you believed.
Gospel Lk 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.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8
The opening verse brings comfort in that although the earthly kingship is under transition, the heavenly kingship is secure with the Lord sitting on a throne described as “high and lofty” (Isaiah 6:1). This throne is flanked by seraphs, likely some sort of winged serpent (see also Numbers 21:6; Deuteronomy 8:15; Isaiah 14:29; 30:6.)
Isaiah then moves to a puzzling image to address this military crisis. The passage emphasizes the holiness of God, and not his might. The seraphs, or angels, flank the Lord, and declare to each other:
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts;
The whole earth is full of his glory (Isaiah 6:3).
Isaiah uses the appropriate title of the Lord of Hosts, drawing on the theme of YHWH as our warrior, fighting for us. But such fighting does not depend on traditional military categories of weaponry, troops, or strategies. The Assyrians were vastly superior to Judah in all of these categories. Rather, Isaiah chooses to emphasize the grand holiness of God, expansive to the ends of the earth. Together, the passage makes two assumptions: (1) holiness, and not military might, will protect the people; (2) the glory of the Lord goes far beyond the borders of the vast Assyrian empire.
The holiness of God then confronts Isaiah to look at his own lack. For although God is great and holy, the prophet realizes his meagerness. He justly worries over his presence before the grandeur of the Lord (Exodus 33:20).
He expresses his own despair in that he is “lost” and that both him and his people have “unclean lips.” The verbal declarations of praise did not match the heart of unfaithfulness. It is remarkable that Isaiah would be called to a spoken prophetic ministry with such lips.
But at this point, the seraph approaches with a live coal. Apparently, the coal was too hot to touch even for a seraph so Isaiah 6:6 mentions a “pair of tongs.” Imagine the biting pain placing such coal on the lips of Isaiah. Fire has a cleansing, atoning purpose, but the pain must have been brutal. The cleansing of sin is not easy. But the touching of the coal to the lips cleanses the prophet, and prepares him for a life of prophecy. As it turns out, the sanctioned words of a fierce prophet prove more powerful and enduring than any military leader. Isaiah’s ministry pushes God’s people to lives of holiness, that they may be set apart from the other nations.
From Isaiah 6:8, the Lord asks the question and the prophet delivers a powerful response, “Here am I, send me.”
The voice continues to ask us. In a broken world, with injustice all over the world, and brokenness in our own homes, who will speak for the Lord. God asks, what will we say? By ourselves, we are so inadequate. We literally deserve death in the presence of God.
But through God’s grace, we may stand and be his lips, confident on his power (not ours) that we too can express, “Here am I. Send Me.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
In eight brief verses, the singer of Psalm 138 gives thanks to God in the presence of three groups: the gods (verses 1-3); the kings of the earth (verses 4-6); and enemies (verses 7-8). Second-person pronouns abound in verses 1-3, occurring eleven times as the psalmist addresses God directly.
In verse 1, the psalmist gives thanks to God, making music in the presence of the gods. Psalms 135 and 136 also mention “the gods.” In Psalm 135:5 the singer declares “great is the LORD, our God, our Lord, more than all the gods.” And in Psalm 136:2-3, the psalmist says, “Give thanks to the god of gods … give thanks to the lord of lords.” Such phrases are common in the Old Testament, expressing God’s sovereignty over any claimants to the appellation “god.”
In verse 2 of Psalm 138, the psalm singer continues the words of thanks, this time to the “name (shem)” of god, because of God’s “steadfast love (hesed) and faithfulness (‘emeth).” “Name” was an important concept in the ancient Near East. Names reflected the natures and characters of the person who bore them and were conceptually equal to the essence of ones being. The name “Jacob” means “he usurps,” because he grabs Esau’s heel at the birth, attempting to be the first-born twin (Genesis 25:26). He indeed usurps Esau later in life when he coerces Esau into selling to him his birthright and when he tricks Isaac into giving him the blessing.
After wrestling at the Jabbok, God changes Jacob’s name to “Israel,” which means “he has struggled with God” (Genesis 32:28). During Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush in Exodus 3, Moses replies to God’s command to return to Egypt with a seemingly simple request. “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I tell them?” (3:13).
Moses asks for God’s name in order to fully understand and then convey to the Israelites who this God was. In Exodus 20, God commanded the Israelites that they not “make wrongful use of” God’s name. And the book of Deuteronomy tells us that God’s name will dwell in the place of God’s choosing in the promised land (Deuteronomy 12:5; 14:23-24; 16:2).
The word “steadfast love (hesed)” occurs some 245 times in the Old Testament, 127 times in the book of Psalms. One Jewish scholar defines hesed as “a free-flowing love that knows no bounds.” Hesed is most closely connected conceptually with the covenant relationship between God and children of Israel. Genesis 17 records these words of God to Abram, “I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now alien … and I will be their God” (verses 7-8).
In verse 3, the psalm singer states what has prompted these words of thanks to God. The first begins in most English translations with the words “On the day that I called,” suggesting a particular point in time when the psalmist cried out. In Hebrew, however, the phrase has a broader temporal frame of reference, best understood as “whenever.” Thus, the psalmist thanks God for answering whenever the psalmist cries out.
In verse 4, the venue of thanks and singing to God shifts from the realm of the gods (verse 1) to the earthly realm of kings. The reason that kings ought to join the psalm singer in giving thanks and singing to God is three-fold: 1) The kings have heard the words (verse 4b; 2b); 2) The glory of the Lord is great (verse 5b); and the Lord is exalted, seeing and knowing the states of the lowly and the haughty alike (verse 6).
God stretches out a hand (verse 7); God’s hand delivers (verse 7); and the psalmist asks God not to “forsake” the “work of your hands” (verse 8). The word translated “forsake” is rapah and means “be slack, be loosened, be weak.” The psalmist has experienced God’s upholding hands over and over in the past and petitions God to continue to uphold and protect.
Psalm 138 celebrates the name, the steadfast love, the faithfulness, and the intimate care of God in the myriad places in which we find ourselves in life -- our sanctuaries of safety; our chaotic social, political, and economic world; our daily trials and troubles. The psalm singer reminds the faithful that their God is a God who remembers and cares; that their God is a God worthy of thanks and worship; and that their God is a God above all gods
Reading 2 1 Cor 15:1-11
The entirety of this chapter is the eloquent center of Paul's primary argument for the Resurrection.
As a result, these first eleven verses should be considered as a prologue to what is laid out in the remainder of the chapter. Paul introduces himself in relationship to the Resurrection as an apostle, though one with a mixed and questionable lineage. The God-given authority of his apostleship is the rationale for proclaiming the Resurrection and for his witness to be accepted among the Corinthians.
Rhetorically, the question of ethos (personal image and credibility) is a major feature of these eleven verses. Paul was not among the original group of apostles who experienced the historical Jesus directly. He came to belief through the bitter avenue of his personal persecutions of believers and so he admits in verse 9 that "For I am the least of the apostles...."
By claiming apostleship, he deftly alters the historical meaning of an apostle -- one who experienced Jesus in his earthly life -- to include one who also experienced him at other levels of reality. Paul alludes to this encounter in verse 8 where "he appeared also to me."
This text can be divided into these four sections: Paul's rationale for why his message should be accepted (verses 1-3); the content of Paul's message concerning Jesus (verses 3, 4); the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus (verses 5-8) and a reiteration of the type of apostle which Paul considers himself to be in relationship to proclaiming the gospel.
Paul starts his discussion of the Resurrection by reminding the Corinthians that they heard it from him. He affirms that this message means "you are being saved" (verse 2) and that they have a responsibility for this salvation "if you hold firmly to the message that I have proclaimed" (verse 2). Paul combines remembrance of his Corinthian relationships with admonition and a reminder of the salvific benefits of the Gospel.
Paul then describes the content of his message, creedal in form. Jesus died for our sins "in accordance with the scriptures" (verse 3). He was then raised and again Paul reiterates the phrase here "in accordance with scriptures" (verse 4). This two-fold repetition is significant! Proclaimers should remember that this reference might be lost on contemporary listeners, who can miss the fact that "scriptures" meant Hebrew Scriptures only.
In the third part of this text, Paul lists the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. He notes that "he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve" (verse 5). At this point, Paul's list omits the most obvious part of all the gospel resurrection narratives, when his account is set next to them -- where are the women? Paul's writings precede the writing of the Gospels. It is historically impossible to know what kind of information Paul received from others about the resurrection. As with all accounts, his list is partial. No witness has the entire story!
Paul continues his list with Jesus' appearance to hundreds of men and women, to Jesus' brother James, and "all the apostles," (verse 7). This reference seems to indicate far more people than the original twelve. The final section, verses 9 -11, is a splendid combination of personal confession and assertion of Paul as an apostle, with his short comings and the gift of his apostleship.
He confesses he was late to his work -- "one untimely born" (verse 8) -- and actually "unfit to be called an apostle" (verse 9). He states clearly that he is undeserving of what he is doing for one simple reason: "because I persecuted the church of God." (verse 9). The phrasing is interesting here because he ascribes the church to God, a will that laid its foundations prior to Jesus' appearance.
Paul continues to show what undergirds his work (including his boast that "I worked harder than any of them" verse 10b). In verse 10 he mentions "the grace of God" -- twice. God's grace is what supports Paul in terms of his self-understanding "I am what I am" (verse 10) as well as his work. In both personality and deeds, Paul senses God's presence and grace.
Paul concludes this introduction by admitting that it doesn't make any difference --really -- from whom the Corinthians heard the gospel. The most important thing is "you have come to believe." (verse 11). This is a generous statement in view of the jealousy Church leader's exhibit over taking credit for their deeds!
Gospel Lk 5:1-11
Last Sunday, we heard how Jesus was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. In the verses that follow, Jesus travels to the town of Capernaum and begins his ministry of teaching and healing. While in Capernaum, Jesus cures a man possessed with a demon and heals Simon's mother-in-law. After spending some time there, Jesus prepares to preach in other places. The fact that Jesus had previously been in Simon's home and healed his mother-in-law suggests that this encounter is not the first between Jesus and Simon Peter. We can read today's Gospel, therefore, as a description of the developing relationship between Jesus and Simon Peter.
In today's Gospel, Jesus teaches from Simon's boat. Jesus turns to Simon and instructs him about where to lower the fishing nets. Simon and others have been fishing throughout the night and have not caught anything. Simon protests, claiming that such an effort would be futile. Simon ultimately obeys Jesus and lowers his nets into the deeper water as directed. Notice here that Peter calls Jesus by the title “master.” He already recognizes Jesus as a person of authority. They catch so many fish that the nets begin to tear; Jesus' presence has created abundance out of scarcity, just as it did at the wedding feast at Cana, which we heard at Mass just a few weeks ago.
Simon Peter becomes a follower of Jesus immediately. He calls Jesus “Lord”—the title given to Jesus after his Resurrection—and protests his worthiness to be in Jesus' presence. Today's Gospel, therefore, marks a turning point in the relationship between Jesus and Peter.
Two of Simon's partners are also named as witnesses to the event described in today's Gospel: Zebedee's sons, James and John. Yet Jesus' words are addressed only to Simon. Jesus gives Simon a new job, telling him that he will become a different kind of fisherman. No longer will he catch fish; instead he will catch people. In these words, we hear the beginning of the leadership role that Peter will have within the community of disciples. Peter was chosen for this role. His task will be to bring others to Jesus. Already he is doing so; the Gospel tells us that all the fishermen with Peter also left their nets and followed Jesus.
We continue to speak of Peter's leadership and influence in the Church today when we call the pope the “successor of Peter.” We participate in the mission of the Church when we bring people to Christ through the example and positive influence of our lives.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think about people you like to be with. What are some of the qualities of these people? Like (kind, generous, interesting, and so on)
- How do people who have these qualities influence us? Is it a positive influence?
- In today's Gospel, we hear Jesus call Simon Peter to be a leader among the disciples. He gives him a special job.
- What evidence is there that Simon Peter was a leader even before Jesus chose him to be a leader among the disciples? (Jesus chose his boat to teach from, he spoke for all the fishermen, and the other fisherman responded to his directions.) To whom was Jesus speaking when he spoke about “catching men?” (Simon Peter) Is Simon Peter the only one who followed Jesus? (No. Simon Peter's partners, James and John, and all the fishermen put aside their nets and followed Jesus.) What does Jesus say will be Simon Peter's new job? (Jesus told him that he would now catch people.) Already we see Simon Peter doing this: Jesus called Simon Peter, and all the fishermen chose to become Jesus' followers as well.
- Simon Peter was a leader, a person of influence among his friends. Jesus chose him to be a leader among the disciples. We know that he continued to be a leader in the early Christian community. His influence led many people to become followers of Jesus.
- In what ways can we have a positive influence on others? (through kindness, by setting an example, by showing care, etc.) Our job as disciples of Jesus is to influence others in positive ways and to lead them to Jesus.
- Pray that we will be an example to others and will lead them to choose to be disciples of Jesus. Pray the Prayer for Christlikeness.
Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go;
Flood my soul with your spirit and life;
Penetrate and possess my whole being so completely
That all my life may be only a radiance of yours;
Shine through me and be so in me
That everyone with whom I come into contact
May feel your presence within me.
Let them look up and see no longer me—but only Jesus.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES -------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 6:1-2a, 3-8
In the study for the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (C), we investigated Jeremiah's prophetic call; today, we study Isaiah's call. Isaiah lived 150 years before Jeremiah. He was born into an aristocratic family who advised the King. He prophesied during the Assyrian advance on Jerusalem in 705 B.C. Indeed, much of his life as a court prophet (adviser to the king) was spent trying to keep Judah independent from Assyria to the north and Egypt to the south.
Unlike any other prophet, Isaiah receives his prophetic call in a vision during Temple worship. Jews believed that God "dwelled" on earth (i.e., the place they knew God was present) in the Temple. They also believed that the Temple itself was a mirrored image of God's heavenly court. In Isaiah's vision, the Temple does indeed become God's Holy court.
As an observer, Isaiah does not see God directly, only the train of his garment (i.e, his glory). [1] Seraphim have six wings: two to hover with, two to cover their faces (so they would not see God's glory and die), and two to cover their feet (i.e, their genital area for modesty's sake). The angels cry out their worship; their words have been incorporated into our "Hosanna" at Mass. In response to their words, the doors shook (an earthquake?) and smoke filled the Temple; for the people of the time, an earthquake and smoke were both signs of divine presence. [2-5]
In the presence of God, Isaiah was anxious for his life because, in the face of such divine power, he could die. He was one of the sinful people who spoke with "unclean lips" (i.e., those who said one thing and did another). But his "sin" is removed by the touch of a burning coal to his lips; now Isaiah would only speak the truth and be single hearted. With this sin removed he could speak in the holy court. [6-7]
God calls out for a prophet. Here, Isaiah's anxiousness turns to willingness. The "clean" Isaiah becomes God's prophet. [8]
Isaiah was a witness to God's power, first as an observer, then as a prophet. We are called to be God's witnesses, by what we see in our world and by what we do in our world. Seeing God's power requires prayer; doing God's will requires honesty and purpose.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8
Good friends are hard to find. This truism reaffirms itself over and over. A good friend is a treasure, for he or she will stand by you through the tough times, even from a long distance. This is the kind of person that will support you and help you throughout life.
God is this kind of friend. Our Creator not only made us and sustains us, he actively works in our lives for our ultimate good. He is present through times of blessing and tragedy. He deserves our thanks and praise for his constant care.
Psalm 138 thanks God for his unwavering presence. This psalm of thanksgiving was one of the last "Davidic" songs in the book of Psalms. The tone and detail of the verses revealed its origin lie outside of Judea in the Diaspora. Consider 138:1-3. The psalmist worshiped YHWH in the presence of other gods (in the midst of pagan temples in a foreign city); he "sang" the psalm and bowed toward the Temple in Jerusalem. Such a public display was meant to reaffirm one's dedication to the covenant ("love and fidelity" in 138:2a). What was the reason for this display? The singer believed in the "living" God who asserted his authority over the other "gods" by his power (name) and his activity (promise). This God YHWH was active in the life of the worshiper (he answered prayer and strengthened the spirit of the psalmist in 138:3).
In 138:4-5, the singer described the universal dominion of the Jewish God. All kings would worship when they hear the words of YHWH. These words could be the Law or the sound of nature (thunder, earthquakes, etc); the author did not distinguish between genuine awe or fear. The results of God's universal dominion was particular, however. In 138:6-8a, the singer described the saving actions of YHWH in personal terms. The psalmist was lowly, yet God would help him; the singer lived among his enemies, yet God would guide him through without fail. YHWH would stand by the singer to the very end, because of God's promise implicit in his covenant ("YHWH, your love endures forever!"). The psalm ended with a prayer for enduring protection.
We should take Psalm 138 to heart. Even when we are on "foreign" turf, far away from home, we can take comfort in a God who is with us and for us. He is "our" God because of his activity and presence in our lives. He deserves our thanks.
Reading 2 1 Cor 15:1-11
What saps the Church of its energy? More than heresy, backbiting, gossip, and judging others misdirects and ultimately corrupts the community. These vices have been the implied themes Paul railed against in First Corinthians. Over and over, he tried to refocus the sights of the Corinthians on the Good News and its implications for life (i.e., the greater spiritual gift of wisdom and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity). In this passage, he again set his sights on the Good News itself.
Paul clearly believed the "evangelion" itself had power. For it was an encounter with Christ. The "evangelion" was the reason the community began. When Paul preached the Good News, people responded in faith. The "evangelion" was the reason the community existed. The faithful "stood firm" in the faith. And the "evangelion" was the instrument of salvation. Through the Good News, the faithful met Christ, hence they were being saved. This last phrase needs to be emphasized. Salvation was dynamic, ever present, AS LONG AS CHRIST WAS PRESENT. Hence the preaching of the Good News and its constant reception by the faithful (forever offer and acceptance), were instruments of Christ acting in the world. Through preaching and faith, people realize Christ is present. So, they can always say "Yes" to the gift God offers them.
Since the Reformation, there has been a split over the instrumentality of salvation through the word preached. Some connect the preacher as the instrument. Others focus upon the Good News proclaimed. Clearly, in 15:1-2, the latter was emphasized. Paul may have preached, but the Good News saved the believer. However, in 15:3-11, the former was emphasized. The apostles were those "sent by" the Risen Christ. They shared not only the Good News, but their experience of Revelation. In this sense, Good News was tactile. What they saw and touched and heard changed them. And it had the power to change others. After they encountered the Risen Lord, they became the face of Christ to others.
Of course, Paul noted the irony of the experience. He experienced the Risen Lord on the way to Damascus. In the encounter, his world was ripped apart. His world view and belief system was turned upside down and inside out. He was no longer the Pharisee who zealously lived out obedience to the Law. He was now the Christian preacher who experienced God outside the Law. And he lived the rest of his life passing that experience along to others.
Paul drew a direct, clear line of ministry to the appearance of Jesus. And he charged his audience to carry on the mission. Evangelization, then, was more than bringing the words of the Good News to life. It was to live the Good News to the extent that it inspired others to believe. In other words, evangelization was to be the presence of Christ for others. That presence begins with an experience of the Risen Christ that began with another believer. The ongoing chain of experiences traced its way from us, through the Church, to the apostles that saw the Risen Lord.
What saps the Church of its energy? Its strength? Clearly, anything that takes it away from its primary mission: to be Christ to the world. Paul's message to the Corinthians could not be more relevant today.
Gospel Lk 5:1-11
The narrative line was simple. In Luke, Jesus moved to the coast of Lake Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee) in Capernaum. Here he called his first disciples (who became his closest friends). The context of the story indicated that Jesus arrived early in the morning, a time of day when the fishermen were cleaning up after a night's fishing. [1-2] Jesus entered the boat of Simon and began to preach to the crowd. [3] If Simon (the assumed leader) allowed Jesus, the rabbi, to teach from his boat (an honor that would have raised the reputation of Simon to a higher level), he certainly would not have objected to Jesus' next request. So, the teaching of Jesus set up the willingness of Simon and his partners in the following verses.
Luke enfolded a fish story that turns common sense upside down. To maximize a catch, fishing was done at night when water was cool and the activity of the fish was minimal. During the day, the fish would see the activity of the boats on the surface and, with the water warming, would easily swim away. Notice Peter's surprise to Jesus' command, and greater surprise to the size of the catch, enough to fill two boats! In the sight of the miracle, Peter declares his sinful status before the man who has the power of God. [4-10]
With the revelation of God's power, Jesus called Peter and friends to fish for people. Together, they left their boats and their livelihoods to join with the rabbi. [10-11]
On a deeper level, the impact of the fishermen, Simon, Andrew, James, and John, upon the Christian tradition cannot be underestimated. For example, the method of transportation. Without a knowledge of sailing, how was Jesus, a traveling preacher, going to visit towns and hamlets along the lake shore line? (Remember the towns of Bethsaida, Capernaum, Chorazin, Gadara, Gennesaret, Magdala, and Tiberias?) Enter Simon and his friends.
The commodity Simon and the others used for income had influence. As a food, fish itself was common in the region, after the discovery of drying techniques. Fish figured in the stories of the multiplication of the loaves (Matthew 14.13-21; Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9.10-17; John 6.1-14) and John's post-resurrection narrative that paralleled this narrative (John 21:1-19). Jesus used fish in his parable on prayer (Luke 11:11) and in the story of paying the Temple Tax (Matthew 17:24-26). And, let's not forget the famous IXTHUS or Christian "fish" symbol of the early Church.
Finally, the fishing boat Simon and his friends used for travel became a symbol for the Church. When Jesus walked on the water of the lake (Matthew 14.22-33; Mark 6:45-49; John 6.15-21), the boat in the storm tossed the doubting disciples about. This image symbolized the Church in a state of anxiety when it faced persecution.
In his early ministry, Jesus formed a traveling ministry that was supported by the hospitality of believers in a rural lake region. After his resurrection and ascension, followers formed communities in urban settings. While there was a real (and radical) shift in setting, the traditions of Jesus' early lake ministry found its way into the oral and written gospels of city churches.
Catechism Theme: The Holiness of God (CCC 206-209)
Confronted with the size of the catch, Simon realized the power and presence of God before him. As he begged Jesus to leave, he was shaken to his core. Before the sign, Simon had his life laid before him: another nameless, faceless fisherman who would live and die by the Sea of Galilee. After the sign, however, he was faced with a reality that demanded a response. And a change.
An encounter with God is an experience that transcends our perceptions. Moses encountered God in the burning bush. When asked for a name, God responded with an enigma that transcended understanding: "I Am who I Am." The name itself described the unknowable and totally Other. Yet, the name also revealed God's eternal presence. He who was beyond all understanding would be close, present to whom he revealed himself. The encounter and the name revealed told Moses that God always was and always would be present. God was eternally transcendent, yet eternally immanent. An encounter with such a reality demanded a response. It could not be ignored.
An encounter with God also transcends our expectations. God is radically free. And he calls us to his will. We do not call him to ours. Simon could not anticipate or expect a call from God. Yet, he received a call to reach beyond himself and follow the Lord. We, too, receive the same call. Reach beyond and follow Jesus.
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Sunday February 2, 2025 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 72
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 1:4-5, 17-19
The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.
But do you gird your loins;
stand up and tell them
all that I command you.
Be not crushed on their account,
as though I would leave you crushed before them;
for it is I this day
who have made you a fortified city,
a pillar of iron, a wall of brass,
against the whole land:
against Judah's kings and princes,
against its priests and people.
They will fight against you but not prevail over you,
for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17
R. I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother's womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:31—13:13
Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
But I shall show you a still more excellent way.
If I speak in human and angelic tongues,
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy,
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast,
but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It is not jealous, it is not pompous,
It is not inflated, it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things,
hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease;
if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially,
but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,
think as a child, reason as a child;
when I became a man, I put aside childish things.
At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,
but then face to face.
At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.
So faith, hope, love remain, these three;
but the greatest of these is love.
Gospel Lk 4:21-30
Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying:
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
They also asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?"
He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb,
'Physician, cure yourself,' and say,
'Do here in your native place
the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'"
And he said, "Amen, I say to you,
no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you,
there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah
when the sky was closed for three and a half years
and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,
but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel
during the time of Elisha the prophet;
yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."
When the people in the synagogue heard this,
they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town,
and led him to the brow of the hill
on which their town had been built,
to hurl him down headlong.
But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 1:4-5, 17-19
The Lectioner has chosen some specific verses from Chapter 1 for today’s reading. It is helpful to review the “in between” verses to get a fuller understanding of the reading.
In this chapter we have, I. The general inscription or title of this book, with the time of the continuance of Jeremiah’s public ministry (v. 1-3). II. The call of Jeremiah to the prophetic office, his modest objection against it answered, and an ample commission given him for the execution of it (v. 4-10). III. The visions of an almond-rod and a seething-pot, signifying the approaching ruin of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans (v. 11-16). IV. Encouragement given to the prophet to go on undauntedly in his work, in an assurance of God’s presence with him (v. 17-19). Thus is he set to work by one that will be sure to bear him out.
Verses 1-3 We have here as much as it was thought fit we should know of the genealogy of this prophet and the chronology of this prophecy. 1. We are told what family the prophet was of. He was the son of Hilkiah, not that Hilkiah, it is supposed, who was high priest in Josiah’s time (for then he would have been called so, and not, as here, one of the priests that were in Anathoth), but another of the same name. Jeremiah signifies one raised up by the Lord. It is said of Christ that he is a prophet whom the Lord our God raised up unto us, Deu. 18:15, Deu. 18:18 . He was of the priests, and, as a priest, was authorized and appointed to teach the people; but to that authority and appointment God added the extraordinary commission of a prophet.
Verses 4-10 Here is, I. Jeremiah’s early designation to the work and office of a prophet, which God gives him notice of as a reason for his early application to that business (v. 4, v. 5): The word of the Lord came to him, with a satisfying assurance to himself that it was the word of the Lord and not a delusion; and God told him, 1. That he had ordained him a prophet to the nations, or against the nations, the nation of the Jews in the first place, who are now reckoned among the nations because they had learned their works and mingled with them in their idolatries, for otherwise they would not have been numbered with them, Num. 23:9 . Yet he was given to be a prophet, not to the Jews only, but to the neighboring nations, to whom he was to send yokes ch. 27:2, ch. 27:3 ) and whom he must make to drink of the cup of the Lord’s anger, ch. 25:17 .
With this trust Jeremiah has a charge given him (v. 17): "Thou, therefore, gird up thy loins; free thyself from all those things that would unfit thee for or hinder thee in this service; buckle to it with readiness and resolution, and be not entangled with doubts about it.’’ He must be quick: Arise, and lose no time. He must be busy: Arise, and speak unto them in season, out of season. He must be bold: Be not dismayed at their faces, as before, v. 8. In a word, he must be faithful; it is required of ambassadors that they be so. In two things he must be faithful:—(1.) He must speak all that he is charged with: Speak all that I command thee. He must forget nothing as minute, or foreign, or not worth mentioning; every word of God is weighty. He must conceal nothing for fear of offending; he must alter nothing under pretense of making it more fashionable or more palatable, but, without addition or diminution, declare the whole counsel of God. He must speak to all that he is charged against; he must not whisper it in a corner to a few particular friends that will take it well, but he must appear against the kings of Judah, if they be wicked kings, and bear his testimony against the sins even of the princes thereof; for the greatest of men are not exempt from the judgments either of God’s hand or of his mouth.
Nay, he must not spare the priests thereof; though he himself was a priest, and was concerned to maintain the dignity of his order, yet he must not therefore flatter them in their sins. Because he had no reason to fear the wrath of men if he were faithful; for the God whom he served would protect him, and bear him out, so that they should neither sink his spirits nor drive him off from his work, should neither stop his mouth nor take away his life, till he had finished his testimony, v. 18. This young stripling of a prophet is made by the power of God as an impregnable city, fortified with iron pillars and surrounded with walls of brass; he sallies out upon the enemy in reproofs and threats, and keeps them in awe. They set upon him on every side; the kings and princes batter him with their power, the priests thunder against him with their church-censures, and the people of the land shoot their arrows at him, even slanderous and bitter words; but he shall keep his ground and make his part good with them; he shall still be a curb upon them (v. 19): They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail to destroy thee, for I am with thee to deliver thee out of their hands; nor shall they prevail to defeat the word that God sends them by Jeremiah, nor to deliver themselves; it shall take hold of them, for God is against them to destroy them. Note, Those who are sure that they have God with them (as he is if they be with him) need not, ought not, to be afraid, whoever is against them.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17
It may not be a stretch to claim this Psalm as such, particularly since it borrows lines from other Psalms with frequency (e.g.: Psalm 22, 31, and 38). And, like so many other Psalms in the Psalter, Psalm 71 makes use of the familiar prayer pattern that moves from petition to declaration.
Though construed as a prayer, this Psalm is primarily a declaration of an individual’s trust and hope in God that can be voiced in various life stages: birth (v. 6), youth (vv. 5, 17), and old age (vv. 9, 18). No matter when it is voiced, one thing is sure: the Psalm’s message of trusting and hoping in a faithful God is capable of enduring throughout the long-haul of life.
Compared to its predecessor Psalm 70, Psalm 71 is a less urgent plea for help and a more sturdy statement of hope and trust. While the suppliant is not immediately apparent, it may be that the Psalm is voiced from the perspective of an individual in a later stage of life capable of reflecting on all stages. That individual could be David in old age shortly after Absalom’s revolt, or more likely a member of the Rechabite community in exile (see Jeremiah 35). Verse 21 suggests the author of the psalm could have been a leader.
A psalm of hope
The verses laid out in this week’s lectionary passage introduce a structure that will be maintained throughout the remainder of Psalm 71. The Psalmist issues an opening statement requesting help (v. 1-4), and follows with a statement of trust (v. 5-8). This pattern repeats itself in verses 9-13 and 14-17, as well as in verse 18 and 19-24.
From the opening four verses, it is clear that the Psalmist is entirely dependent on God (v. 1) because of God’s righteousness (v. 2). In contrast to other passages of scripture that speak metaphorically of YHWH as a high cliff or ask to be taken away to Zion, this Psalmist claims YHWH is an abode under which to take refuge (v. 3). Perhaps a victim of some sort, the Psalmist trusts that God has the ability and the power to set the wicked, the unjust, and the cruel right (v. 4). Here, the Psalmist is making an eschatological statement that even in the midst of powerful opposition, God will rule and prevail over that which is unjust in both the short-term as well as the long-term (v. 3-4).
Verses 5 and 6 make clear that any strength the Psalmist will have does not reside in self, but in God. How does the Psalmist know this? By experiencing YHWH’s protection and deliverance throughout a lifetime. In other words, from the womb until old age, the Psalmist has always, and will always belong to God (v. 5-6a). Praise, then, is the most appropriate expression to God. This praise is not a once-in-a-while liturgical action, but an action that imitates God’s care over the Psalmist’s lifetime. Thus, praise becomes an ongoing, continual action of living a sacrificial life of worship (v. 6b).
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:31—13:13
What I find interesting about the Corinthians is that they challenged Paul; they offered their own ideas about his gospel and defended their interpretations at least as passionately as Paul argued for his own. Thus, the relationship between the Corinthians and Paul can serve as a healthy model for integrating dispute and disagreement into the modern, post-modern, or emergent church which still thinks about what it should become and how it should behave in the world.
In this particular installment of the disagreement between the Corinthians and Paul, Paul is reflecting upon the diversity of gifts at play in the community at Corinth. Apparently, their house churches had plenty of people feeling like they brought something special to the life of the church: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Because of that diversity of gifts, there seemed to have been some talk among the Corinthians about whose gift was best.
So Paul tells them I shall show you a still more excellent way.
Paul's answer begins with the spirit. In the passage directly after this one, he will use the metaphor of the body to strengthen his argument (1 Corinthians 12:12-31) and bring the discussion to a temporary close in chapter 13, with the famous reflection on love. Paul's answer begins with the spirit. In the passage directly after this one, he will use the metaphor of the body to strengthen his argument (1
Corinthians 12:12-31) and bring the discussion to a temporary close in chapter 13, with the famous reflection on love.
In his love poem, Paul makes a decisive shift, diminishing the allure of spiritual gifts and functions. Tongues, prophesy, knowledge, miracles, servanthood to the point of death are important, but they still do not qualify as the “more excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31). Love is the key.
The problem of the Corinthian community seemed to have been that there were too many people claiming the special value of their own particular gifts, too many people wanting to be involved and participate in the life of the community, and thinking that their involvement was better than that of their neighbor. Paul needed to level the playing the field and bring unity where there was division.
Because of the popularity of 1 Corinthians 13 in our modern context, it is easy to miss the flexibility Paul exercises concerning the triad of faith, hope, and love (1 Corinthians 13:13). Most people think Paul’s list is fixed with faith first, love as the bookend, and hope as the middle. Actually, Paul uses this triad elsewhere and in a different configuration.
He tailors the triad to fit the community he addresses. For example, in the Letter of 1 Thessalonians the triad appears twice, In both instances, the order Paul rehearses is faith, love, and hope (1 Thessalonians 1:3; 5:8). Paul shifts the order because the Thessalonian church excels in faith and love but struggles with hope (1 Thessalonians 1:8; 3:6), especially hope for the future (1 Thessalonians 2:19, 4:13).
Accordingly, Paul underscores the primacy of love in 1 Corinthians 13 because it is the spiritual resource the Corinthians lacks most. Paul describes “the work of love”. Paul says love is: patient, kind, and selfless. It involves truth-telling, fortitude, constancy, and tolerance (1 Corinthians 13:4-5,7).
Gospel Lk 4:21-30
This Sunday we read from the Gospel of Luke, continuing immediately from last week's Gospel. Recall that in last Sunday's Gospel, Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah and announced that this Scripture was now fulfilled. In today's Gospel, we learn that the people of Nazareth are impressed by Jesus' words, and yet they seem surprised. They still think of Jesus as merely Joseph's son. They do not expect such words from someone they believe that they know.
This Gospel is about who Jesus is and who people believe him to be. The story of Jesus' preaching and rejection at Nazareth is found in each of the Synoptic Gospels. In Luke's Gospel, this incident is told in a way that foretells Jesus' passion and death and helps explain the inclusion of the Gentiles in the promise of salvation. In Luke's Gospel this incident appears at the beginning of Jesus' ministry; in Matthew and Mark, this event is placed considerably later, after Jesus has preached and taught elsewhere. Only Luke identifies the content of Jesus' teaching in any detail, telling us that Jesus read from the book of the prophet Isaiah in the synagogue. In Mark and Matthew's Gospels, Jesus teaches in the synagogue in Nazareth, and the townspeople take offense because Jesus is only the son of a carpenter. They reject his authority to teach them. In Matthew and Mark, it is only after Jesus is rejected that he observes times when Israel has rejected prophets.
In Luke's Gospel, the people are surprised but not immediately offended by Jesus' words in the synagogue. It is the words that follow his reading from the prophet Isaiah that seem to offend them. Jesus challenges and provokes the people of Nazareth by referring to examples in which Israel rejected the prophets. He also challenges them to respond to his message, the message of a prophet, in a way that is different from their ancestors. This call for a new response leads to his rejection.
It is helpful to consider the historical context of Luke's Gospel. Luke has witnessed the acceptance of the gospel message among many Gentiles. He endeavors to explain why the Good News of Jesus has not been as well-received by his Jewish contemporaries. Luke's report interprets the cause of Jesus' rejection at Nazareth in the context of this later Christian history. Just as the people at Nazareth did not welcome the Good News that Jesus announced, so too many among the people of Israel will not accept the preaching of the gospel.
After Jesus' words of challenge, Luke reports that there was a movement to kill Jesus by throwing him over a cliff. This differs from the reports found in Mark and Matthew's Gospels, where Jesus is said to be unable to perform miracles in Nazareth because of the people's lack of faith. Luke says that Jesus walks away from the crowd that intended to kill him; it is not yet his time. The animosity of the people of Nazareth prefigures and prepares the reader of Luke's Gospel for the cross. Luke wants all to understand that it is through his death on the cross that Jesus offers God's salvation to all.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Observe that the same statement can sound different to us depending on who is speaking. Sometimes we are more likely to listen to an outside expert than we are to a person who knows us well. For example, we might be more likely to follow our coach's suggestion about soccer than a suggestion from our parents. Why? (We might think that our coach knows more about soccer.) Can you think of any other examples?
- What was the first response of the people of Nazareth to Jesus' words? (Their first response was favorable. They spoke highly of Jesus, and they were amazed. They also discussed Jesus' identity.) What do they want to do to Jesus at the end of the Gospel? (drive him out of town; kill him) What happened in between? (Jesus challenged them to respond to him differently than their ancestors responded to the prophets)
- Observe that the people who knew Jesus best did not accept his words to them; they were not persuaded by him. Why not? (He challenged them to act in a different way.) Jesus spoke challenging words to the people of Nazareth. He wanted them to respond to him differently from the ways others had responded to the prophets. But they wouldn't let his words lead them to change, or even to see a different perspective.
- Sometimes we can be like the people of Nazareth; we don't want to trust Jesus' message because we find his words challenging. We don't want to do what he says. But we can trust his words to us and can rely on his guidance in our lives.
- Pray for guidance when deciding how to act. Pray the Prayer to the Holy Spirit.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.
Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 1:4-5, 17-19
Jeremiah preached before and during the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon. According to tradition, he was exiled to Egypt and died as a martyr.
This passage describes the call of Jeremiah. Like many of the other prophets, Jeremiah is called by God in four steps: 1) commission of the prophet by God, 2) objection of the prophet, 3) God's reassurance to the prophet, and 4) God's sign to the prophet. Verses 4-5 describe the first step of the process, the commission of Jeremiah. Verses 17-19 refer to God's reassurance and sign (steps 3 and 4) that Jeremiah was given in a vision.
Jeremiah's call speaks to our call as Christians. We are all called by God from the moment of our creation in the womb for one purpose: life with God. Witnessing through our words and actions is our "yes" to God's call. While we might not be called to be an international sign like Jeremiah, we are called to make a difference in our world. [4-5]
Witness does require courage (i.e., girding one's loins) and honesty. We might shrink away from the demands of witness, like Jeremiah was tempted to do. But as he promised Jeremiah, God will not leave us devastated. Indeed, God will strengthen us for the fight, as he did Jeremiah, as long as we depend on him, for He is our salvation. [17-19]
Responsorial Psalm Ps 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17
The elderly man suffered from the modern disease of obsolescence. He was expendable, for he had few friends. Yet, he implored God to rescue him, to maintain his position in the community. He prayed for shame on his enemies and a chance to proclaim the great deeds of God. Such announcements and teaching gave the old psalmist his purpose. (71:9-16)
The psalm ended with a prayer for revival. Life for the elderly psalmist had only one meaning: the chance to praise God and proclaim his mighty works. This hope gave the elderly man comfort. In the culture of ancient Israel, praise and proclamation of God was honorable. Even at the end of life, such activity gave the psalmist honor and shamed his adversaries. (71:17-24)
Psalm 71 give us a template for aging. Getting older doesn't guarantee we make and keep friends. It doesn't insure reputation. In fact, as we grow older, we might feel life and opportunity has passed us by. But, as long as we have breathe and life and lucidity, we have a chance to give our life purpose. Like the author of Psalm 71, we have a chance to show our love and respect for God. We have a chance to praise our Maker and extol his works, even to our critics.
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:31—13:13
Chapter Thirteen of First Corinthians is a favorite for wedding ceremonies. Yet, I wonder if the couple would choose this "ode" to love if they really knew the underlying intent of Paul.
In the midst of Paul's diatribe against cliques that fought for turf in the Corinthian church, he presented the ideal virtue of the Christian community: charity. But he framed the ideal in a polemical way.
First, he looked at the spiritual gifts that were the bragging points of his opponents: tongues, claims of spiritual knowledge, and prophecy. To this list he added almsgiving and self-sacrifice. While these were all admirable, they did not, in themselves, evangelize or promote the growth of the community. In and of themselves, they were useless.
Second, Paul described the substance of charity in a quasi "A-B-A" structure. The positives ("A") highlighted the negative ("B") Charity was patient and kind. It endures the negative with faith and hope.
Charity was not the activity of his opponents that spread their agenda. They promoted themselves, acted with arrogance, even engaged in shameful activities (backdoor politics?). As they sought personal gain, they provoked others, instilled animosities, and celebrated when others "lost face." These were not the hallmarks of Christian community.
Third, against these attitudes and activities, Paul makes the most remarkable statement: charity never fails. This self-giving virtue would survive the last day and would define the Kingdom. When all other spiritual gifts faded away with the coming of the Lord, charity would remain. Prophecy and spiritual knowledge were, by nature, incomplete (imperfect and, so, lacking maturity). Their misuse could (and was) tearing apart the community. Charity, by nature, could never do this. Implicitly, charity could cause prophecy and spiritual insight to grow. The reverse was not always true.
Paul concluded with his famous hierarchy of the theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity. The greatest was charity. It defined the ideal of the Church. It defined life in the Kingdom.
Like the Corinthians, we share the human frailties of turf possession, social climbing, gossip, obsession with control... Sometimes, I think parish life is defined by these sins. But, as many times as I see the negative, I see three times the positive. Charity does live in the community. As bad as we can be, we are challenged by those who act from the heart. They make the community truly Church.
Gospel Lk 4:21-30
Religion has many functions for our society. Some equate religious life with private life. For these people, faith has a psychological dimension, a spiritual balm that soothes the stress and strains of daily life. Or, Church acts as a private club, a Sunday meeting place for friends.
Others see religion as a moral barometer, a social conscience. Religious leaders should point the way to a better life, a higher example. Religious people should help the needy and the oppressed. In this way, they can help to build a better society.
These, and many other reasons, are good, solid reasons that argue for religious life and the existence of the Church. But they don't get to the root reason for religion and religious groups. The ultimate reason for religion is faith, a relationship with God. The Church is to foster that faith.
Jesus came to Nazareth for that purpose. But the expectations of the people lie elsewhere.
Jesus proclaimed the fulfillment of Isaiah. But the people from his own hometown did not accept his message. Jesus and the people had a parting of the ways. They had different expectations. Ministry vs. Family.
After Jesus read from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, he taught the people in the synagogue.
This Sunday's gospel passage is a continuation of last week's reading when Jesus entered the synagogue and declared Isaiah's prophecy fulfilled. In that declaration, Jesus referred to himself as God's servant, the Chosen One upon whom God had given his Spirit. Jesus' mission was proof of that claim; he preached, taught, and healed in the name of God's Kingdom. [21] His simple, straightforward declaration would cause controversy to those who thought they knew "Joseph's son." [22]
At first, Jesus acknowledged their objections:
"Physician, cure yourself." Some in the small town community who watched Jesus grow up had placed Jesus into a box, a pecking order, like many family members do. They knew his strengths and weaknesses, so they thought Jesus should prove himself at that moment. And prove them wrong! This was simply their way of putting Jesus into his place.
"Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum." Others in the community were looking for a show. Unconsciously, they had reduced Jesus' ministry to an intellectual debate over theology and a few parlor tricks (i.e., healings and exorcisms). For them, Jesus had entertainment value.
Jesus responds to their comments with an appeal to the two great prophets of Galilee: Elijah and Elisha. The two signs given by these prophets were to foreigners to promote faith in the Jewish God. As these great prophets were called to do, so was Jesus. [25-27]
Why did the crowd rise up against Jesus? Because he stepped outside the box they had constructed for Jesus. He was no longer the local boy who made good; he was a self-proclaimed prophet. And his signs were not for the edification of the mob, but for the glory of God. In these ways, he rejected the expectations of those in Nazareth, and, so, they rejected him. [24, 28-29] As a last sign to them, Jesus walked safely through them and, according to Scripture, he never returned to his hometown. [30]
Expectations are always hard to fulfill. But, faith is not based upon expectations, but on a relationship with God. We must recognize the difference between the two. And place our expectations before God. (Not the other way around!)
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Sunday January 26, 2022 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 69
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10
Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —;
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
"Amen, amen!"
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
"Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep"--
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!"
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:12-30
Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
If a foot should say,
"Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body, "
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
Or if an ear should say,
"Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body, "
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?
If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
But as it is, God placed the parts,
each one of them, in the body as he intended.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, "I do not need you, "
nor again the head to the feet, "I do not need you."
Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are all the more necessary,
and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable
we surround with greater honor,
and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety,
whereas our more presentable parts do not need this.
But God has so constructed the body
as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,
so that there may be no division in the body,
but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it;
if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
Now you are Christ's body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the church
to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Gospel Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10
The two figures Ezra and Nehemiah are both leaders of the Judean community and representatives of the Persian rulers, who sent them to provide spiritual and political leadership for the struggling Jerusalem community. Ezra and Nehemiah rarely appear together, and there is some speculation that they may have been active at differing times. Nehemiah makes only a cameo appearance in verse 9 here, and the singular verb vayomer (“said”) suggests that both he and the Levites may have been added secondarily to a verse in which originally only Ezra spoke (see also the beginning of verse 10).
Ezra first appears in Ezra 7, when he sets out from Babylon to Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes of Persia. He is described as “Ezra the priest-scribe, the scribe versed in matters concerning the LORD’s commandments and statutes for Israel: (7:11). He is sent with money from the emperor and others for offerings in the temple. He comes to teach the law of the Judean God and of the king. Beginning in verse 27, the story is told by Ezra himself. In Ezra 9, in a scene reminiscent of some of the darker texts of the Pentateuch, he receives the disturbing news that the people have intermarried with the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, and all the other “ites” in the land. His reaction shows how deeply steeped he is in the ancient story he has come to convey.
Fortunately, however, what follows, while drastic and unsettling, is at least not the mass murder usually associated in the Pentateuch with these prior inhabitants of Canaan. The book of Ezra ends with the returned exiles painfully dismissing their foreign wives and children, revealing the depth of concern in this community for maintaining identity and boundaries.
The story then turns to Nehemiah, and Ezra does not reappear again until this chapter, Nehemiah 8. Here we see him in a new role that looks both innovative and strangely familiar: reading and expounding upon Scripture. The passage emphasizes that this occasion includes not just the priests, Levites, or even just the men, but all the people, men and women. It also asserts that Ezra read at the request of the people themselves.
They gather on the first day of the seventh month, which today is Rosh Hashanah (the fall new year), which is followed by Yom Kippur and the Festival of Sukkot, or Booths. They gather not at the temple but at the Water Gate, where all are admitted. The location of this gate is uncertain, but its name suggests proximity to the Gihon spring, Jerusalem’s only natural water source, on the eastern side of the city (cf. Neh 3:26; 12:37). The Babylonian Talmud (Sukkah 4) would later place the Water Gate on the way to the pool of Siloam, and would associate it with a joyous water-drawing ritual during the week of Sukkot (see verses 14-18).
The narrative does not specify which parts of the Torah Ezra read, nor can we know for sure whether it was already in the form that became canonical. In fact, variation between the pentateuchal prescriptions for the festival that follows (Leviticus 23:33-43; Numbers 29:12-38; Deuteronomy 16:13-15) and the festival as described in Nehemiah 8:14-18 may suggest some differences. But more important than the specifics, perhaps, is the practice that Ezra institutes of reading Scripture to others as authoritative directives from God, and interpreting so all understand. The reading evidently continues throughout the week of the festival (verse 18).
For later followers within this tradition, this early glimpse, within Scripture itself, of the faithful reading Scripture, carries a picture-within-a-picture quality. It’s like finding an ancestral village or grave, a marker of the place from which we came, an early precedent for scriptural interpretation. Jesus’ reading from the prophet Isaiah in this week’s Gospel passage echoes Ezra even as it too provides a glimpse of precedent.
The occasion could have been marked by dismay, as it was for King Josiah, when he first heard the words from the law book found in the temple and tore his clothes in mourning, recognizing the nation’s neglect of divine commands and fearing God’s wrath (2 Kings 22:11-13). Instead, however, when the people begin to weep, Ezra and others tell them instead to rejoice, because “this day is holy to the Lord” (verse 9). Rather than fasting, they are told to feast and share their food, because “the joy of the Lord is your strength” (verse 10).
The grammar of this final assertion is intriguing. Translations and commentators disagree over whether it is more properly rendered, “[your] joy in the Lord is your strength,” or “the Lord’s joy is your strength.” Either way, the point of cheerful trust in God is clear. Psalm 19 likewise reflects this position, as the wonders of God’s two great creations, the sky that wordlessly pours forth God’s glory and the Torah that is sweeter than honey, inspire the psalmist’s own grateful commitment.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15
Psalm 19 offers a unique opportunity to direct the church’s attention to the nature and function of scripture.
There are reasons for thinking that Psalm 19:1-6 existed as a separate poem or was written by the author of vv. 7-14 based on an earlier (perhaps) non-Israelite hymn about nature or its gods. However, many scholars feel that Psalm 19 is best interpreted as a poetic unity. So, while the lectionary offers us an opportunity to focus on half of the psalm, the meaning of vv. 8-15 eventually relates to the whole poem. First, the Bible is a book that speaks on many levels. I’m talking about how Psalm 19 addresses every aspect of our being through six descriptive phrases (e.g., “the law of the Lord is perfect”) with their accompanying effects (e.g., “reviving the soul”). The parallel pattern demonstrates an underlying unity in their function for our lives, while the different items indicate the variety of effects in our lives. To paraphrase a religious scholar, the six aspects increase our vigor, wisdom, joy, truth, reverence, and righteousness. New and life-long students of the Bible will be blessed by the realization that the Bible cannot be classified under one purpose. It is not primarily a moral code book, though it contains laws and ethical principles. It’s not merely a source of doctrine or history, though all of these can be discerned in its pages. It is not just a drama of redemption, because within the overarching narrative structure are several other literary forms. To sum it up, the Bible’s unity and diversity, its continuity and discontinuity exist in a healthy tension. Psalm 19 witnesses to the vibrant nature of the Bible.
Second, the Bible is a book that claims, comforts, and convicts us. The prayer in vv. 11-14 dispels any notion that Bible reading is solely an intellectual activity. To be sure, our prayerful engagement with its message enables us to “love God with all our mind,” but the prayer moves us from the nature of God’s word to its claim upon our lives. Through repetitions, the psalmist displays the close connection between the Word and our prayers: “heart” (vv. 8, 14); “perfect/blameless” (vv. 7, 13), and “much/great” (vv. 10, 11, 13). The second half of the psalm moves from describing the Bible to responding to its truth. And through an echo of the first half of the psalm, our “hidden faults” (v. 12) are revealed by the light of God’s word analogous to the sun revealing what is hidden in nature (v. 6). Verses 11-13 depict a vigorous process of conviction, confession, and growth by means of eight verbal forms, laid out in two groups that end with the same Hebrew root, nqh (“clear,” “be innocent”).
Third, the Bible is a book that helps us connect nature’s wonders with God’s mercy, and both of them to us. This point integrates the psalm on its own terms and connects creation and redemption through some very interesting parallels with the language and plot of Genesis 2. In its canonical unity, the poem declares that God’s revelation doesn’t lead “to awe and fear of natural powers, [or] to legalistic religion, but to a relationship so personal and cherished that one’s desire is simply to be pleasing in the Lord’s sight.”
We experience God not “as a cosmic enforcer but as a forgiving next of kin.” The Bible reveals the true and living God to us through its witness to his creative, redemptive, and restorative activity through Israel’s Messiah on behalf of the cosmos and every human soul.
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:12-30
The lectionary text for this second Sunday of Epiphany finishes out this chapter in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians.
It is clear that this section continues many of the arguments stated in the first half of the chapter, and the themes and issues discussed in last week's commentary are still very present in this discussion. Paul persists in working out the unity that is present and possible because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One issue that comes to the surface in working with these texts from 1 Corinthians is how quickly, after the extraordinary unity, community, and fellowship we experience during the season of Christ's birth, we succumb to the divisions to which we have become accustomed and with which, more often than not, we feel more comfortable.
Paul moves into one of his most well-known, memorable, and effective metaphors of Christian community, the image of the body. The word that is translated in the NRSV-CE (New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition) as "member" can also be translated as "part" or "limb." While the term "member" makes sense in the context of Paul's argument for and support of the meaning of community and the church of Christ, I do wonder if most hearers of this text equate Paul's terminology with their voluntary church membership and are not aware of Paul's radical claim in using this metaphor.
Being a member of the body of Christ means an absolute, out-and-out conjoining of one with the other, a sister or brother in Christ. To exist in division, to see only difference and not the unity we are able to profess because of Christ, to demand conformity without celebration of difference, is to entertain the notion of dismemberment. We will find ourselves cut off from the very source of our life, our existence, and in a way, our ability to be most fully who we are. To what extent are we able to live out fully our callings when we are not able to rely on and give support to others to live out theirs? Is it not true that who we are called to be necessitates our fellow members of the body of Christ to embrace and embody their callings?
Once again, we are reminded of our interconnectedness as a community of Christ. It is tempting to spiritualize Paul's words in this passage, but the call is to a far-reaching communal ethic and a need that transcends any and all differences that we try to put in place. While our tendency is to elevate certain spiritual gifts over others, Paul's words here are a deliberate claim of evenhandedness, even giftedness, when it comes to how and in what ways God chooses to work in and through our calls to faithful living.
Another issue that this text raises is how we associate certain criteria with the presence of the Holy Spirit. The tendency to equate certain manifestations of the Spirit at work, while eschewed by some believers, is much more assumed than we want to admit. The real challenge of this text is to celebrate difference that is possible because of the radical claim of Christian unity. To celebrate difference finds its necessity in the history of human existence. How we reject, negotiate, and accept difference has been a constant of our collective experience.
On a practical level, this is a call just to be: to be who you are, to be who you are in the moment, to be who you are called to be; never to compare yourself to anyone but yourself. The reality is such that this is something that humans need to practice. The propensity to measure our worth up against the standards of others' societal perceptions is the condition that creates the need to hear God's gospel word in these words from Paul. Sadly, we need to discipline ourselves to such frank and open acceptance of ourselves, when the truth is God knows us intimately, thoroughly, and still calls us to service.
On a theological, cultural, historical level, one cannot help but hear this portion of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians without thinking that when we operate from a place and perspective that sees difference as primarily negative, to what extent does the criteria for difference become an unending search for the need to find difference? In the extreme think about the holocaust! While this may sound like a hyperbolic example, the propensity of humanity to think in categories of incongruities, irregularities, and inconsistencies exposes our extraordinary need for abundant forgiveness and our need to claim over and over again our unity in Christ
Gospel Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Today's Gospel reading combines two separate passages taken from the Gospel of Luke. First we hear the opening verses where Luke establishes the purpose of his Gospel. His style is typical of polished Greek and Roman literature. In this passage, we learn that Luke may have written to a specific person, Theophilus; but the word Theophilus may also be a general reference, functioning as the phrase “Dear Reader” might in contemporary writing. In Greek, the word Theophilus translates as “lover of God.”
Today's Gospel reading then skips several chapters in which one would find the Infancy Narratives, Jesus' baptism by John, the temptations Jesus faced in the desert, and the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. In chapter four of Luke's Gospel, we hear that Jesus is in his hometown of Nazareth, attending the synagogue on the Sabbath, which is said to be his custom. In this account, we find another important clue that Jesus lived as a faithful, observant Jew. We will continue to read from Luke's Gospel in sequence for the next two Sundays.
As Jesus stands in the synagogue, he reads from the scroll handed to him; it contains the words of the prophet Isaiah. At this early moment in his ministry, Jesus announces his mission in continuity with Israel's prophetic tradition. This reading from Isaiah defines Jesus' ministry. We will find more evidence of this as we continue to read from Luke's Gospel throughout the year. Jesus' ministry will include bringing glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives, healing to the sick, freedom to the oppressed, and proclaiming a year acceptable to the Lord.
Through this text from Isaiah, Jesus announces God's salvation. The “year acceptable to the Lord” is a reference to the Jewish tradition of Sabbath years and jubilee. The Sabbath year was observed every seventh year. It was a year of rest when land was left fallow and food stores were to be shared equally with all. A year of Jubilee was celebrated every fiftieth year, the conclusion of seven cycles of Sabbath years. It was a year of renewal in which debts were forgiven and slaves were freed.
This tradition of Jubilee is the framework for God's promise of salvation. And yet in Jesus, something new begins. Jesus not only announces God's salvation, he brings this salvation about in his person. Jesus is Yahweh's Anointed One, filled with the Spirit of God. The Kingdom of God is now at hand. It is made present in Jesus, in his life, death, and Resurrection. Jesus will send the Holy Spirit so that the Kingdom of God can be fulfilled.
The Holy Spirit is Jesus' gift to the Church. The Holy Spirit enables the Church to continue the mission of Jesus. When we do what Jesus did—bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives, healing to the sick, and freedom to the oppressed—we serve the Kingdom of God.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Describe what you imagine God wants for the world. Write them down.
- God intends these kinds of things for us and even more. Long ago, God promised through the prophets that he would establish such a society among us. This promise was kept alive through the ages. Jesus knew this promise. In today's Gospel, Jesus recalls this promise and tells us something new.
- How does Jesus describe the vision of the world that God promised? (a world in which the poor hear glad tidings; a world in which captives are set free; a world in which those who are blind can see; a world in which those who are oppressed are freed)
- At this point, Jesus is reading the text of the prophet Isaiah. After he sits down, Jesus says something new.
- What does Jesus say? (that this reading, the promise of this vision of the world, is fulfilled now) What do you think Jesus means by this? (Jesus, himself, is the one who will do these things in the world.) What examples from Jesus' ministry can you name that show that he did these things? (Jesus healed the sick, he forgave sinners, and so on.) Jesus established the Kingdom of God through his life, death, and Resurrection.
- The work of Jesus continues in our world today. This reading gives us a clue about how this happens. The reading from the prophet Isaiah promised these things would be accomplished through the Spirit of the Lord. Jesus has given his Spirit to us.
- When did we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? (at our Baptism; this gift is strengthened at Confirmation.) What does the Holy Spirit help us do? (serve the Kingdom of God)
- Try to identify one action that you might take to serve the Kingdom of God. Through prayer we ask the Holy Spirit to help us share in the mission that Jesus gave to the Church. Pray the Prayer to the Holy Spirit.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.
Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10
Sometimes our sadness turns to joy when people celebrate the good news of freedom.
This edited version of the passage celebrates the re-institution of the religious and civil life in Jerusalem after the return of the exiles from Babylon and the rebuilding of the city walls. (Rebuilding of the walls was the first order of business, since the top priority of the city was defense.) Standing at an official height and surrounded by the city officials (edited out of the passage), Ezra addressed the people. [2-5] After Ezra's blessing, the people responded with approval in voice and posture. [6] Then Ezra read and commented on the Law; it is possible he translated the Law for those returning descendants who did not speak Hebrew, but Aramaic, the language of the Babylonians. [7]
At hearing the Law, the people wept. [8] This is a social response to the devastation the city endured. It was seen as God's punishment for the nation's infidelity; weeping was a means of sorrow and repentance.
But the city leaders declare a day of rejoicing, for the city is secure and the people are now free to practice their religion and way of life. [9-10]
As Americans, we cherish our freedom and our way of life. Let us not forget they are gifts from God. We should not take them for granted or presume they are the fruit of our own hands. For many people in the world, they are good news!
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15
The author of Psalm 19 must have had the same insight. God was in control. Creation reflected the power of his commands. In 19:1-5b, God put the order in the sky, like a craftsman built a piece of furniture. His word, silent as it was, created harmony and purpose, even to the ends of the earth. In 19:5c-7, God made the sky like a tent for the sun, and like his word, God sent the sun on a predetermined journey that could be measured with regularity.
The orders that regulated creation found their way into the Law; the author praised God for that power. Notice how many different times the name of YHWH was invoked in 19:8-10. Notice, too, how the Law resulted in order in the believer's life. The perfect Law renewed life. The trustworthy Law gave wisdom. The right ways of the Law brought joy. The clarity of the Law enlightened. The edicts of the Law were true and just. The Law stood beyond sensual pleasures, for it brought sure reward to the spirit. Pleasures may be transitory, but awe of the Lord in the believer and creation remains forever.
Many people criticize the Christian lifestyle as too confining; these people want their freedom but refuse to see the price that freedom demands. The faithful might not wallow in the transitory pleasures evil provides, but they do enjoy the peace and joy that the wisdom and justice God's will brings. The God who has a plan for the universe has a plan for each one of us. By acknowledging his control of creation and obeying his will, we can realize his favor.
With God in control, everything can be right in my life.
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:12-30
This long reading presented Paul's argument for unity in the Church, despite competing leaders with different spiritual gifts. The argument can be divided into thesis, argument, explanation of problems with the argument, and a corollary of the argument.
Last week we briefly explored the spiritual gifts. Cliques among the Corinthian faithful used these gifts to support their claims of leadership within the community. Their struggles were tearing the community apart.
In response, Paul implied a hierarchy of gifts that began with wisdom and spiritual knowledge. Such charisms as miracles, healing, tongues, and interpretation were farther down the list. His list foreshadowed his discussion of order within the Church (presented here).
Before he listed the order of the Church, he had to argue for an order within the Church. His argument was simple. Underneath the diversity of people and activities in the Church, there was a real unity of believers in Christ. That unity was brought about by the Spirit. The Spirit brought different people together (Jew and Gentile) from different strata of society (slave and free) into a single, living reality.
Paul's analogy could break down when the question of "weaker" members arose. The term 'weaker' could refer to the physically weak or the morally weak. How would the community care for the sick and discipline the sinner?
Paul stuck to his biological argument with language that reflected his culture: honor and shame. What could the community do with the shameful sinner? Honor him! In other words, the sinner who repented became the model for Christian living, not the righteous who never sinned. After all, Jesus called the shameful and dishonorable into his assembly. And, by the analogy, there was no reason to honor the righteous (12:24a). But, for those who did not repent, there were consequences (see 1 Corinthians 5).
Finally, like the body, the honorable and shameful were mixed together by God so they could care for each other. He would explain this spirit of charity in greater detail (see 1 Corinthians 13). But, for the meantime, the saint and sinner were in the same "boat" together. Their destinies were the same. They would celebrate their glories together. They would mourn their losses together.
In this conclusion to the spiritual gifts and ministries, Paul put the onus back on those who fought for leadership. The community of the faithful at Corinth was the Body of Christ. Each one of its members had a place in it. But each one could not be a leader. In fact there was a hierarchy of leadership that paralleled the hierarchy of gifts. Again, Paul used rhetorical questions to point out that turf fights led to absurd conclusions. Not all are called to a particular role in the community. God called each by his own design. Each member was to make the Spirit known, in his or her own way. The way God wanted the member to.
God calls us the same way Paul described. Not everyone is called to leadership. Most of us are called to service. But, never fear. God does call each and every one of us. To show the world the power of the Spirit.
This week continues last weeks discussion by Paul. Last week many factions breaking off based on their talents. This week he instructs they all need to work together for the one body i.e. God’s church with the intention that everyone use their talents fir the common good.
Gospel Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Much of what the media presents as news turns out to be nothing more than tidbits meant to shock. This shock gives us two insights. We are glad we are not the people with problems. Yet we watch and listen to the shock because we get caught up in the story. We are only affected by the shock with feelings of relief and, maybe, with the pangs of hidden guilt.
Once in a while, we hear something that can change our lives for the better. Something that will affect us dramatically, nonetheless. This is "Good News."
Luke wrote a life of Jesus for someone new to the faith as "Good News." And Jesus proclaimed the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy as "Good News." Both give us insight into the reason for and the content of "Gospel."
Now we know why Luke wrote his gospel. But, what was the Good News? In the synagogue of his own hometown, Jesus read a prophecy from Isaiah and proclaimed its fulfillment. Why this prophecy? Why was it fulfilled? Both questions could be answered in one word: the Spirit.
The driving force in the Gospel of Luke was God's Spirit. The Spirit descended upon Jesus at his Baptism. The Spirit drove Jesus into the desert to be tested by Satan. And, now, the Spirit directed Jesus upon his mission. A mobile ministry of teaching and healing, of proclaiming the Good News.
With the verse from Isaiah, Jesus defined his ministry in Luke. With the Spirit poured upon him, Jesus would proclaim freedom for the trapped (captives), the diminished (blind), and those in need (oppressed). And he would proclaim a time of God's favor, a year of the Spirit. In other words, Jesus traveled to proclaim the freedom found in the Spirit and a future time full of the Spirit.
When Jesus proclaimed the Good News, he proclaimed the Spirit. Since Spirit meant breath, Jesus breathed God's word in his teaching and his healing. The power of his proclamation changed people, situations, and environments because he breathed out the power of God. When Jesus spoke, hearts turned to God and health was restored.
Not only did the proclamation of Jesus affect the present, it revealed the future. The year of God's favor was a Spirit-driven time, the end-times. No doubt, Jesus used 4:19a to justify his eschatological vision. The Kingdom and the Spirit could not be separated. As the Spirit blew in the present, so it would blow in the Kingdom.
A synagogue session
Steps in the synagogue Attendees
Attendee brings in scroll Ordinary Jewish people
Scroll is unrolled Religious leaders
Item is chosen and read Gentiles men and women
Brief interpretation of the reading People with diseases or possessed
Scroll is rolled up Scribes, Pharisees and wealthy people
Response to reading Other leaders and privileged people
Attendee leaves with scroll
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Sunday January 19, 2025 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 66
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 62:1-5
For Zion's sake I will not be silent,
for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines forth like the dawn
and her victory like a burning torch.
Nations shall behold your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
you shall be called by a new name
pronounced by the mouth of the LORD.
You shall be a glorious crown in the hand of the LORD,
a royal diadem held by your God.
No more shall people call you "Forsaken, "
or your land "Desolate, "
but you shall be called "My Delight, "
and your land "Espoused."
For the LORD delights in you
and makes your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
your Builder shall marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride
so shall your God rejoice in you.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Worship the LORD in holy attire.
Tremble before him, all the earth;
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim his marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:4-11
Brothers and sisters:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom;
to another, the expression of knowledge according to the
same Spirit;
to another, faith by the same Spirit;
to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit;
to another, mighty deeds;
to another, prophecy;
to another, discernment of spirits;
to another, varieties of tongues;
to another, interpretation of tongues.
But one and the same Spirit produces all of these,
distributing them individually to each person as he wishes.
Gospel Jn 2:1-11
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
"They have no wine."
And Jesus said to her,
"Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servers,
"Do whatever he tells you."
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the them,
"Fill the jars with water."
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
"Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
— although the servers who had drawn the water knew —,
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 62:1-5
I. Will. Not. Keep. Silent.
It will not be possible to make me shut up. I will talk and not stop talking, proclaim and not stop proclaiming, preach and not stop preaching. I will shake the skies with my voice. I will not pause. I will not rest, for the sake of the precious city God loved and left, and I will keep this up until every nation and king can see that Jerusalem has been declared innocent and lifted up to a place of glory and honor.
Who is speaking in this passage? There are two ways to read Isaiah 62:1-5, and there are solid arguments and first-rate scholars on both sides of the fence.
Some hold that the prophet speaks in the voice of God, vowing God's unceasing speaking and acting on behalf of God's beloved city. Others hold that the prophet does not speak in God's voice but instead vows to act as intercessor for Jerusalem.
In light of the other lectionary readings for this period it seems that the latter is more likely. God made extravagant promises to God's exiled people. Earlier in the book of Isaiah, God promised to build up the barren and forsaken city of Jerusalem with foundations of sapphires, ruby towers, gates and walls of precious jewels (54:12). God promised to bring the exiled people home, and promised them the richest of feasts (56:2). Indeed, they did come home. Around the year 539 Cyrus, king of Persia, proclaimed an end to the exile, allowing Judeans to return home to their native land, returning to them the sacred vessels and other objects from the plundered temple in Jerusalem, and even encouraging them to rebuild the temple with funds from the royal treasury of Persia.
However, the reality people returned to was far from glorious. The land seemed to them like a desert. It was true that the land was not empty: people had remained in Judah during the years of exile, and others had moved into the area, making a life for themselves in Jerusalem and in the surrounding countryside. But none were able to undo the damage done by Nebuchadnezzar and his army some sixty and fifty years before. And when the exiles returned, it was all they could do to secure homesteads for themselves and try to grow crops to feed their families. Times were difficult, and people were hungry (the book of Haggai gives an excellent picture of the challenges they faced). When prophets finally convinced them to rebuild the temple, it was clear that its glory could not match the glory of former days. Where were the glittering jewels? Where was the abundant feast? The land still felt like a desert. The city seemed forsaken, bereft of God's sustaining presence. What could be the reason? Was Jerusalem still shadowed by God's just punishment?
The prophet knows this is not true. The prophet knows that God has declared Jerusalem innocent. God said to Zion, yes, I left you, but now I return to you (54:7), and my love will never leave you (54:10). So now the prophet vows to hold God to God's promises. The prophet will pick up right where God seems to have left off and make sure that God gets no rest until Jerusalem is built up, filled with her children, surrounded by fruitful fields, and shining with the continuous light of God's presence.
The prophet promises newness, transformation, and new names signaling joyful union for Jerusalem and all the land around her. The prophet can only make these promises because God has made them. So now imagine the prophet standing before God and gathered people to remind all who are present -- including God -- of God's promises. The prophet has an opportunity to meet the people where they feel God's absence most keenly, where they most worry that God might not come through. And the prophet has an opportunity to call on God -- out loud and without stopping -- to do everything God has promised.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10
This is part of the enthronement psalms (93; 95-99) and calls the people to praise God (verses 1-3, 7-10a, 11-12a) and gives reasons why God is worthy of praise (verses 4-6, 10b, 12b-13). Taken together these veraea “describe the nature and consequences of God’s rule.”1
God’s reign gets spectators involved and awakens sleepers. No wonder the Psalm brims with imperatives: three times we are told to sing, and after that to bless, tell, declare, ascribe and worship. This Psalm is motivational. It moves people to proclaim God’s mercy and might.
In Part 1 (verses 1-3) God’s people get their marching orders. First we are to “sing a new song” (verse 1). But what exactly is that new song? It might be a response to some event in the story of God’s people, such as “the return of the exiles from Babylonian captivity” or it could be a song looking toward the future, or one that combines past, present and future.
After three calls to sing, the Psalm moves to another imperative: the call to bless God’s name (verse 2). Of course God does not need our blessing. But in worship, to bless God is to tell of God’s saving deeds…to extol God’s mercy, might and compassion. Ancient worshippers in the Temple used Psalm 96 (and others like it) to bless God, and they may also have knelt and lifted up their hands. Worship is between the worshipper and God, yet it moves outward with another imperative: we are to tell others of God’s salvation. This is not just preaching to the choir, but to all the world. The Psalmist says we are to declare God’s glory “among the nations” God’s marvelous works “to all the people.” So Psalm 96 has been called a “missionary psalm.”
Part 2 (verses 4-6) tells why God is to be praised. God is great above the heavens. But down here on earth where there are many gods, the one true God outshines them all. The Psalmist dismisses those other gods-with-a-small-‘g’- as mere idols. They are things we made up, in contrast to the creator who made us, and the heavens (verse 5). We praise God as Creator, and we also praise God’s character.
Perhaps the most famous description of God’s character appears in Psalm 103:8 (and elsewhere): God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” The description of God’s character found in Psalm 96: 6 has a different emphasis: God’s “honor and majesty are before him, his strength and beauty fill the sanctuary.” This points to God’s sovereignty and holiness, an important theme in scripture though often neglected today.
Part 3 (verses 7-10) returns to the imperative mood once more, in a worship setting. Three times we are told to ascribe to glory to God. To “ascribe” is to name a quality that belongs to a person or thing. To a deer we ascribe speed and grace and to an artist or composer we ascribe creative genius. To God we ascribe glory and strength -- especially when looking at creation. To express our gratitude and dependence on God, we are told to bring an offering, come into God’s courts (verse 8) worship the Lord, and tremble before God (verse 9). In verse 10 we are to say to the nations that the Lord is King.
Part 4 (verses 11-13) is not included in the lectionary, perhaps because of the judgment theme. These verses proclaim that God comes to judge the nations in righteousness. Yet this judgment evokes more joy than dread, for the whole world, both nations and nature, will rejoice -- even the trees will sing.
The church is more than a social network or a cultural artifact. So why worship? Because we are created to be in relationship with God. And because God calls us to worship.
Consider three basic questions: First, whom we do worship? (see 1 Thessalonians 1: 3,10 and Psalm 96: 4-6). Second, why do we worship? (Because God our creator calls us to be in relationship. That is what Psalm 96 does.) And finally how we do we worship (Psalm 96: 1-3 and 7-9). There is great variety in how we worship, but proclamation is at the heart of it.
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:4-11
This text is about spirituality.
For Paul spirituality entails the ongoing reality and work of the Holy Spirit in believers’ lives both individually and corporately. The problem is that some spiritual elitists have really messed this up. They have regarded their gifts of the Spirit as making them superior to other members of the Corinthian community. This text introduces the extended section of 1 Corinthians 12-14 wherein Paul is presenting the proper and improper uses of spiritual gifts. In this introduction Paul emphasizes unified divine action, which empowers diverse human activity for the common benefit of all.
Paul’s opening words in 1 Corinthians 12:1, “Now concerning” introduces the new topic at hand parallel to how he introduces new topics in 7:1; 8:1; 16:1. While almost every English translation presents Paul as introducing spiritual gifts in 12:1, Paul does not use his typical word for spiritual gifts. Instead, the Greek word Paul intentionally uses would better be rendered “matters related to the Spirit.” Spiritual gifts are a particular subset Paul will discuss under the broader topic of matters related to the Spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 12:2-3 Paul presents a contrast between the Corinthians’ former and current spiritual realities. Formerly as pagans they were misled to worship speechless idols (v. 2). Now, however, their Spirit-inspired speech is quite different (v. 3). God’s Spirit would never empower anyone to declare, “May Jesus be damned.” Rather, the Spirit empowers the saving confession, “Jesus is Lord!” In this way, Paul reminds his Corinthian audience that the primary work of the Holy Spirit is to create faith whose principal pronouncement is the lordship of Jesus. Hence no believer should feel that the Holy Spirit is not at work in them. One cannot believe apart from the direct, empowering work of the Holy Spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 Paul constructs three parallel sentences highlighting allotted diversity flowing out of divine unity. Each verse opens with the same Greek word meaning “varied allotments” as he emphasizes how the triune God works in multiple ways. The first diverse allotments of the Spirit involve gifts. Here the Greek word which Paul uses is almost non-existent beyond the Pauline epistles. It is the word charismata (from which comes our English word, charismatic), typically translated as “gifts.” It is important to note, however, that this rare word is a cognate of the Greek word, charis, meaning “grace.” Thus for Paul these diverse gifts flow directly out of God’s grace. Thus one cannot claim them as their own possession or a product of their own innate talents. They always remain divine grace-gifts.
In verse 5 Paul notes that Jesus allots various ministries. Whereas in verse 6, it is God who activates various activities (Paul’s play on words) in everyone. In light of the spiritual elitists in Corinth, Paul is letting them know that not only did the Spirit create faith in everyone, the triune God is at work in and through everyone. No one is ignored or left out. Every single one of them is a charismatic Christian. The implication is also that no one is spiritually superior to others.
Paul emphatically bookends his next section, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, with the fundamental point that it is the Spirit which works in every single Christian as the Spirit so choses. Likewise, the Spirit works in each Christian not so much for the benefit of any individual Christian but for the benefit of the entire community. Thus the Spirit’s activity is quite diverse; no single Christian receives all the Spirit’s gifts. Yet each Christian is empowered by the Spirit for ministry which builds up the whole community.
In vv. 8-10 Paul elucidates the Spirit’s activity by presenting nine gifts, which the Spirit manifests in the lives of various Christians. The fact that Paul opens his list with the Spirit giving an utterance of wisdom (12:8a) is contextually significant. In 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16 Paul countered the relishing of wisdom by some Corinthians with the foolishness of the cross. Thus an utterance of wisdom involves the epistemology of the cross and an ability to interpret God’s hidden plan as revealed in Christ-crucified as the center of God’s salvific activity.
In this context “an utterance of knowledge” (12:8b) most likely refers to theological discernment for communal benefit (recalling 1:5). This Spirit-imparted knowledge stands in stark contrast to the arrogant knowledge displayed by some Corinthians which lacks theological discernment regarding how one’s actions may be harming one’s fellow Christian (Paul’s argument in chapter 8).
The reference to the Spirit allotting faith to someone (12:9a) is a bit deceptive. Here faith does not relate to core Christian faith since Paul is highlighting varied grace-gifts given distinctively and diversely by the Spirit (opposite of how he highlights the unified confession of faith worked by the Spirit in v. 3). Rather, it refers to a grace-gift empowering one to do some type of miraculous work (as it will also be used in 13:2).
The Spirit’s empowerment of another with grace gifts for healing (12:9b) is a counter-cultural claim. In Corinth (as well as throughout the Greco-Roman world), gifts for healings were deeply linked with the god (and cult) of Asclepius, a son of Apollo. While there was a significant temple to Asclepius in Corinth, Paul is telling Christians in Corinth that true healing does not occur there but here in the midst of their own community as a result of the Spirit’s gifting activity.
The references to the allotment of prophecies and discernment of spirits (12:10a) are interrelated. Prophecy does not involve predicting the future but speaking a message originating with God. Discerning spirits involves determining whether or not the person speaking a prophecy has actually been energized by the Spirit or not. Likewise speaking in tongues and interpreting tongues (12:10b) are also interrelated. Here tongues (the gift of glossolalia) involves the Spirit empowering one to speak in an unknown, heavenly language. Since it is unknown, the Spirit also needs to empower another to interpret the message which has been spoken.
Gospel Jn 2:1-11
This Sunday we begin the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. For many Sundays in this lectionary cycle (Cycle C), our readings will be taken from the Gospel of Luke. Occasionally, however, we will read from John's Gospel. This is true of today's Gospel reading, which describes the beginning of Jesus' ministry and his first miracle.
To situate today's reading within the context of John's Gospel, we note that John's report of this event follows Jesus' call of his first disciples. John tells us that Jesus and his disciples were invited to this wedding at Cana, as was Jesus' mother, Mary. There is no parallel report of this miracle at Cana in the Synoptic Gospels.
In the Church's liturgical history, the wedding feast of Cana is closely associated with the baptism of the Lord and the adoration of the infant Jesus by the Wise Men. In this context, the sign Jesus performs at the wedding feast is celebrated as an epiphany or a manifestation of Jesus' divinity.
Yet awareness of Jesus' impending passion and death is ever present in John's Gospel. Even in this report of Jesus' first sign, the language used anticipates Jesus' passion. When Jesus says to his mother that his hour has not yet come, he protests against her wishes in language that John will use again when reporting Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples. When introducing the story of Jesus washing his disciples' feet, John writes that Jesus knew that his hour had come. In John's Gospel, Jesus is very much in command and aware of all that is to happen to him.
Here, as elsewhere in John's Gospel, Mary is not mentioned by name, but is referred to instead as the mother of Jesus. Mary is influential in Jesus' first sign. She will also be present at his Crucifixion, a witness to the final manifestation of his divinity.
John's Gospel describes seven signs that indicate Jesus' identity to his disciples. John never speaks of these signs as miracles because their importance is not in the deed that Jesus performs but in what these deeds indicate about Jesus' identity. Here, as when John describes the other signs, the disciples are said to begin to believe, but no mention is made as to whether the other wedding guests are even aware of what has happened.
Marriage and wedding feasts are metaphors used in Scripture to describe God's salvation and the Kingdom of God. Here at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, John's Gospel seeks to establish that Jesus is going to re-interpret and fulfill Yahweh's promise to Israel. Jesus establishes the New Covenant. A hint about what this New Covenant will be like is made evident in the deed that Jesus performs. Asked to do something to address the awkward situation that the absence of wine at a wedding feast would create, Jesus' miracle produces vast quantities of wine—six jars holding thirty gallons each are filled to overflowing with choice wine.
This lavish response to a simple human need is a vision for us of the abundance of God's kingdom. It challenges us to respond generously when confronted with human need today. We respond as best we can, fully confident that God can transform our efforts, bringing the Kingdom of God to fulfillment among us.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- What's missing or what's wrong in the above picture? Answer below in step 8.
- What skills are required to do this exercise well? (observation, attention to detail, the ability to imagine the whole picture)
- In today's Gospel, we hear about a time when Jesus' mother, Mary, noticed that something was wrong and asked Jesus to help address the need.
- What detail did Mary notice? (that there was no more wine to serve to the wedding guests) What did Mary do to respond to the problem she noticed? (She brought the concern to Jesus.) Why did Mary bring the problem to Jesus? (She knew that Jesus could do something to address the situation.) How did Jesus respond to the situation? (He changed the water into wine; he provided a tremendous amount of wine.)
- Mary brought the need she saw to Jesus because she believed that Jesus could make the situation better. Jesus not only made things better for the hosts at the wedding feast. He used this as an opportunity to show us that God will respond to our needs and to the needs of our world in ways beyond our imagining.
- What situations of need do we observe in our lives today? What would make these situations better? How might we respond to the needs we see? How might God respond to make these situations better?
- Bring your needs to God in prayer and ask God to help you respond to others' needs with generosity. Observe that God acts in our world in ways we can only begin to imagine. Conclude by praying Saint Ignatius' Prayer for Generosity.
- (Man has no hammer).
Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,
Teach me true generosity.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 62:1-5
It is always darkest before the dawn. Why do people curse the darkness, rather than hoping in the coming light?
From Third Isaiah, this passage was written in the time of "post celebration blues." After fifty years in exile, Jewish leadership had returned from Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem. After several years of rejoicing the reality of hard work set in; the people's resolve began to slacken and dejection reared it ugly head. The people were home, but did not care about the task at hand.
In the midst of the city's depression, God declared his intent; he would speak until the city's glory (reputation) returns. [1] The city was being rebuilt because God wanted it, not through the mere efforts of the people. As the spokesperson of the divine, the prophet, too, would not be silent; he would praise, shame, and pester the people until the city was rebuilt to its glory. In this way, God really spoke through the prophet.
Once the city was rebuilt, non-Jews (i.e., the "nations" and kings) would witness its glory. God would pronounce the rebuilding by giving the city a new name and a crown, both reflecting the marriage of a young maiden to a king. [2-3] The virgin maiden has only the promise of adding to the kingdom with royal heirs; in this sense, she was "barren" or "desolate." In the same way, a city partially rebuilt was not truly whole; to some, it was barren and desolate, like some of our inner city neighborhoods. But only the cynic could not see potential; through God's eyes, even the barren and desolate had in them the seeds of joy and intimate relationship. Once the maiden married the king, she took a new name and a crown as queen. The city, too, would have a new reputation (name and crown) because of its close relationship with God. And like the joy at a marriage feast, the glory of the city would be a joy to God and its inhabitants [3-4].
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10
This liturgical hymn drew heavily from other psalm passages and Isaiah 40-55 to create a song of praise. Since Second Isaiah did not exist until the return from the Babylonian exile, this psalm was part of the worship in the Second Temple (fifth-fourth century B.C.E.). According to a note in Greek, this psalm was to be used in the Feast of Tabernacles.
The psalm is divided into four parts; parts one and three were imperatives, parts two and four explained the reasons for the imperatives. In part one (96:1-3), the liturgical herald commanded the congregation to "Sing!" as a means to praise God and witness to his activity.
In part two (96:4-6), the herald proclaimed the reason for the song, the overwhelming glory of God. The sense of holiness that the Temple and its cult evoked exalted YHWH beyond that of any other god. His power created the heavens, while the other gods did nothing. Notice that the glory of YHWH (i.e., his reputation) preceded him (like the song of the pilgrim in procession to Jerusalem?) and dwelled in the Temple itself (in its worship).
Part three (96:7-10) commanded the nations to worship God along with the congregation, but their worship comprised of tribute. "Give!" was the refrain; the Gentiles were to recognize YHWH as the Lord, give gifts, then bow in worship. (It was customary for foreigners and Jews outside of the Jerusalem to pay for Temple upkeep; locals were exempt from the "Temple tax" but did contribute to local charities.) At the end of part three, YHWH was exalted as the King, the just Judge who would make the entire world secure.
While part four (96:11-13) (which was not part of the reading) appeared to be another imperative, it actually explained part three. Why should the Gentiles worship the Jewish Deity? The answer could be found in the praise of nature itself. Let the heavens ...the earth...the seas and all that fills it...the plains rejoice. The nations were to join in the praise of creation for its God. YHWH approached his people; creation itself responded with worship and praise.
Praise is the logical response to our dependence. Faith also sees the place of enemies and strangers and even creation itself at the altar of worship. Faith drives us on to give God praise individually and in community.
Reading 2 1 Cor 12:4-11
How do people know we are "Church?"
This is not a question of individual effort (How do people know we are Christians?), but one of community. Two millennia ago, a Jewish apostle wrote to a Christian community in a Greek culture to answer the question. In doing so, Paul tried to "re-evangelized" the believers at the Greek seaport of Corinth.
A few observations need to be made before we look at the text. First, as the previous paragraph indicated, a person from one culture wrote to people in another culture. So, there might be cultural accommodation (to the Corinthians) amidst cultural assumption (by Paul). Second, Paul wrote in an atmosphere of expectation; he and his audience assumed the end times were immanent, if not present. Both of these observations impact how Paul would define "Church."
The discussion of the spiritual gifts took place in the context of scandal among the Corinthian faithful. This was a "charismatic" community, defined by the exercise of various gifts: speaking in tongues, healing, prophecy, etc. The Corinthians took pride in their gifts to the point of braggadocio and one-upmanship. The leadership of the community must have felt threatened, for the Corinthians were splintering into groups with their own rivaling leaders.
Paul argued their narrow notion of "grassroots" leadership. Instead, he argued for the big picture. He began with the leadership of the Spirit. For Paul, God was in charge. And Paul saw the leadership of the Spirit in the context of God"s plan. This was Paul's cultural presumption. The Jewish notion of creation (and prayer) could be simply stated that all things came from God, so they would return to God. Therefore, in the end times, all things would return to God. In his Christian view, all things would return through Christ.
Paul's emphasis on Trinity began with the situation at present (the gifts of the Spirit) and then proceeded to the end times (return of Christ, then to God). But he also used the Trinity to explain the notion of Church. The Church had various types of spiritual gifts, but there was only one Spirit. It had various types of ministries, but there was only one Lord Jesus upon whom the ministries were modeled and rooted. And these gifts and ministries worked together in the way God the Father willed them to work together. Beneath his argument that the Trinity defined the Church was the notion that Church should be based on harmony, just as the Father, Son, and Spirit worked harmoniously.
There were various gifts given to various people, that was true. But what were those gifts? And why were they given? Paul answered the last question first. The Spirit gave its "charisms" for the good of the community, not for the glory of its members. So, to envision these various gifts as the means to achieve the common good, there had to be a "hierarchy" of gifts. Here, Paul tried to make a cultural accommodation to the Greek community. The highest virtue in the Greek world was wisdom, the ability to make clear and correct judgments. Such a virtue was higher than knowledge, for it guided the person to seek the right knowledge. Both wisdom and knowledge led to firm faith. The rest of the gifts were based upon spiritual power and the needs within the community.
There were some parallels between the gifts and the hierarchy of leadership Paul listed later in 12:28. But, in the context of the letter, Paul emphasized the unity of the Church with the image of "the Body of Christ."
How do people know we are "Church?" We communicate the sense of the Church when we work in harmony with others and use our Spirit-given gifts to serve others. Church is not a place for egos. It is a place for charity.
Gospel Jn 2:1-11
In a small community at the time of Jesus, weddings were regional affairs. They celebrated not only a wedding, but the union of two clans. The focus was not only on the bride and groom, but on the patriarchs of the clans.
Within the wedding, the job of the "master of ceremonies" (i.e., the "head waiter" in this story) was a position of honor and power. The MC controlled the invitation list, the order and flow of the ceremony, and seating arrangements. Since, the MC might be the family's representative (i.e., accountant, lawyer, and economic negotiator all rolled into one), the position might be paid.
Invited to the party, Jesus and his mother should have been minor characters, but they move to center stage because of a problem: a wine shortage. This was a critical situation, because the honor of the bride and groom, the patriarchs of the two clans joined by the union, and the headwaiter were at stake. The mother of Jesus stepped in to save the day. [1-3]
Jesus objected to his mother's request; the "hour" (referring to the time of his death) was to be the time of revelation and faith, but his mother wanted a miracle now! So, Jesus gave in. [4-6]
The six stone jars were connected to Jewish ritual washings. Such washings made the person clean, "kosher." Many scholars have put an emphasis upon the number of jars, "six," which represented an unfulfilled state in the time of Jesus. The number "six" conveyed a message. Judaism lacked its Messiah and the Kingdom he represented. Jesus used the jars (representing the tradition of Judaism) to reveal a taste of God's kingdom. In this sense, Jesus completed and transformed the traditions of Judaism. His action completed what was missing.
The water turned wine has many meanings. God's kingdom was to be a feast with endless wine and merriment. Water has a baptism motif, while wine is Eucharistic. Both foreshadow the water and blood (wine) that flow from Jesus' side at his death. Even nature of the new wine (the new revelation of Jesus) is superior to that of the old wine that ran out (the old revelation of Law and the prophets). All these meanings have one source: Jesus. [7-10]
Now we can see the importance of verse 11. The sign in Cana was the first revelation of Jesus in John's gospel and the first opportunity for faith from his followers. The sign revealed the Kingdom and its Messiah.
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Sunday January 12, 2025 The Baptism of the Lord
Lectionary: 21
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 42:1-4, 6-7
Thus says the LORD:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one with whom I am pleased,
upon whom I have put my spirit;
he shall bring forth justice to the nations,
not crying out, not shouting,
not making his voice heard in the street.
a bruised reed he shall not break,
and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,
until he establishes justice on the earth;
the coastlands will wait for his teaching.
I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,
I have grasped you by the hand;
I formed you, and set you
as a covenant of the people,
a light for the nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to bring out prisoners from confinement,
and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Give to the LORD, you sons of God,
give to the LORD glory and praise,
Give to the LORD the glory due his name;
adore the LORD in holy attire.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The voice of the LORD is over the waters,
the LORD, over vast waters.
The voice of the LORD is mighty;
the voice of the LORD is majestic.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple all say, "Glory!"
The LORD is enthroned above the flood;
the LORD is enthroned as king forever.
R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.
Reading 2 Acts 10:34-38
Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered
in the house of Cornelius, saying:
"In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.
Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly
is acceptable to him.
You know the word that he sent to the Israelites
as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,
what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him."
Gospel Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
The people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
"I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
After all the people had been baptized
and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him
in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven,
"You are my beloved Son;
with you I am well pleased."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 42:1-4, 6-7
In Isaiah 42, the divine speaker announces the presence of a servant who is chosen by God and a source of delight for God. God will place God’s spirit upon this servant so that the servant is able to bring forth justice to the nations, to be a light, to open blind eyes and bring out prisoners.
The role of these individuals is as God’s earthly representatives, as God’s chosen ones, as workers of justice in the world. What is their mission and role? Why are they divinely chosen? Why do they need the spirit of God? And is this a role for individuals and/or communities?
And how might we, as God’s people today, fashion our actions and demeanors into ones fitting for us as servants of God, ones in whom God delights? Are we God’s servants, establishing justice on earth as it is in heaven?
How do we take up the mission of the servant and live out our baptismal vows?
To answer some of these questions, let’s focus more on this servant figure in Isaiah 42.
The servant of Second Isaiah (Isaiah 40-55) is spoken of in four different passages -- Isaiah 42:1-4; 49:1-6; 50:4-9; 52:13-53:12. Scholars typically extract these four passages from their surrounding literary contexts in order to interpret them with reference to each other; yet, these “servant songs” -- actually the passages are poetic as is the surrounding Isaiah material -- are part of an exilic prophetic announcement about the near future. So, they are best read within the confines of Second Isaiah’s overall message as presented in the middle section of the prophetic book of Isaiah.
The kingdom of Judah finds itself in exile with the temple in ruins and kingship at an end. Zion in all its splendor has been diminished, and some of the Judahites are forced exiles in the foreign land of Babylonia. Without a temple and a Davidic leader, the future of the people is greatly in peril. They need assurance, assistance, and a new vision.
Into this difficult political and religious situation, the prophet of Isaiah 42 introduces a servant figure. Interpreters spend much of their energy debating the precise identity of the servant. Is it the prophet himself? Or a ruler whether foreign such as Cyrus or native such as a Davidic kingly figure? The later Christian tradition of course develops the identity of the servant Christologically. The exact historical referent for the servant is perhaps tangential to the passage’s principal concerns.
One fundamental and fruitful tension in the biblical text centers on whether the figure represents an individual or a community, the servant as a historical person or all of Israel. Personal or communal. The figure is spoken of in individual terms obviously but this fact does not preclude a collective interpretation. In fact, Isaiah 49:3 explicitly names the servant as Israel: “And [God] said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified”.
Christians have typically seen the servant in individual terms and associated clearly with Jesus -- his life and ministry, but especially his death and resurrection. Jews have understandably gravitated toward the communal interpretation and viewed Israel as called to be a servant to the world, a light to other people.
We might venture the same sort of communal/individual tension within the interpretation of the baptism of Jesus in Matthew. On one (historical and literary) level, Matthew is clearly presenting a narrative about an individual. Jesus is baptized. He is the Beloved, God’s son, the one in whom God is well pleased. On another (theological) level, Christian readers are invited to see themselves in this baptism experience, to see the Christian community as baptized like Jesus into faith, into the beloved community. We are together the daughters and sons of God. God is well pleased with us.
When we hold the tension between communal and individual readings of Isaiah 42 and Matthew, our response to these readings become clearer. We have individual models of servanthood as examples. Second Isaiah’s servant and Jesus point us toward our important work. They demonstrate that relationship with God is possible. They lay out the types of ministry possible when we are led my God’s spirit. But we -- as a community -- also participate in this work of justice together as communities of faith. As churches, not just as individuals, we are God’s servants to the world. We participate in God’s new thing (Isaiah 42:9), God’s new exodus out of exile and brokenness. God’s community is God’s servant.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10.
Psalm 29 is classified as a Community Hymn, but is often considered an Enthronement psalm because of its striking similarities with Psalms 93-99.
Enthronement psalms are those that celebrate God’s sovereign reign over the world, and a cursory reading of Psalm 29 (see especially verse 10) reveals the reasons why such a designation may be appropriate.
Many scholars indicate that Psalm 29 is one of the earliest Hebrew psalm compositions, an adaptation and/or incorporation of various elements of hymns to Baal, the Canaanite fertility and weather god. But Psalm 29 borrows those elements and “turns them on their heads.” The message of Psalm 29 is that The Lord, not Baal, is the God whom the Israelites can rely on to rule over creation and provide peace (better, well-being) for the land and the people. How, then, does the singer of Psalm 29 present the case for The Lord?
In the first two verses of the Psalm, the word “give” occurs three times. The Hebrew word is yahab and means “give,” suggesting perhaps a better translation of “acknowledge.” The psalmist calls upon hearers to acknowledge the Lord, the Lord’s glory and strength, and the glory of the Lord’s name. The hearers who are called to acknowledge the Lord in verse 1 are “heavenly beings”, in Hebrew beney ‘elohim (children of god). The identity of this group is open to question and interpretation.
Some maintain that the words refer to a “divine, heavenly council” (see Job 1:6). Others, and in the context of Psalm 29, very plausibly, assert that the call issued in verse 1 is to Canaanite gods and goddesses to recognize Yahweh as the true god. And yet others suggest that the call is to a “heavenly choir,” who then will lead the “earthly congregation” in praise of the sovereign God.
Verses 3-9 speak of the “voice of the Lord” (qol yhwh) as sovereign over or emanating out of the waters and mighty waters, the lightning and thunder, the cedars of Lebanon, the flames of fire, the earthquake, and the mighty wind, as we see also in the Enthronement Psalms 93-99. All of these natural phenomena are elements of theophany experiences (appearances of the presence of God) in the Old Testament such as we see in Genesis 15, Exodus 3 and 19, 1 Kings 19, and Ezekiel 1.
These passages tell us that God is present in all of the magnificent, awe-inspiring, and sometimes terrifying elements of creation. But as we see in the story of Elijah’s encounter with God in 1 Kings 19, sometimes God is present in “a sheer silence”, what some of us have learned as a “still small voice.” The central message of Psalm 29, thus, is that God is sovereign and that God’s reign extends to all creation in all its manifestations.
Verse 10 announces, that The Lord “sits enthroned” over the flood, that The Lord “sits enthroned” as king forever. The word translated “sits enthroned” is yashab in Hebrew and means simply to sit, to dwell, to settle down, to occupy. God sits or dwells over the earth and dwells or settles down in the midst of the people as sovereign. The first and only mention of humankind in Psalm 29 is in verse 11 -- “May the LORD bless his people with peace (shalom).” As with so many of the Enthronement Psalms, humanity is not the focus; rather the focus is on God’s sovereignty.
While Psalm 29 may have been a call to the Canaanite gods and goddesses, particularly Baal, to observe and acknowledge God’s sovereignty over all creation, it is also a sober reminder to humanity of our place within the created order. In Genesis 1, God says to the first humans, “Be fruitful and multiply ... subdue the earth ... have dominion ... ” And the ever-enduring, ever-present question is, “Should we interpret these words as permission to do with creation as we like, to use it for the sole good of humanity? Or do the words give humanity a special responsibility to care for creation as God would care for it?
The Enthronement Psalms in general and Psalm 29 in particular ought to make us stop and consider, remind us of God’s sovereignty over God’s good creation, and indeed, invoke in us a little “cosmic humility.” The message of Psalm 29 may best be summed up in the closing words of the Lord’s Prayer. “For thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever. Amen.”
Reading 2 Acts 10:34-38
The first Easter drastically changed how Christians understand God’s activity in the world.
Today’s first reading features a similar paradigm shift in Christians’ understanding, regarding how wide-reaching God’s favor truly is.
I. The literary context: Acts 10:1-11:18
Our reading occurs within the larger narrative episode surrounding Cornelius (10:1-11:18). The extensive length of the story and its surprising number of repetitions (e.g., 10:28-29, 30-32, 11:4-17) both imply the profound significance of the episode. The central discovery of the episode is stated at its close: “God has given even to the Gentiles the repentance that leads to life” (11:18). Despite the particular issues of table fellowship (10:28; 11:3), baptism (10:47-48), and circumcision (11:3), the Spirit’s manifestation confirms the overall point: God has accepted Gentiles alongside Jewish believers (10:45-47; 11:18).
II. The text at hand: Acts 10:34-38 (43)
Today’s reading features Peter’s message to the gathered household of Cornelius. After opening exchanges (10:24-33), Peter addresses directly the context at hand:
“I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (10:34b-35).
The Greek is bolder about God’s lack of partiality: “God is not a partiality-shower (lit. ‘face-taker,’ prosopolemptes).” The concept appears elsewhere in Scripture regarding God’s lack of favoritism toward the rich and powerful (Deuteronomy 10:17; Lev 19:15; 2 Chronicles 9:17; Psalm 82:2; Sirach 35:15-16; Colossians 3:25; Ephesians 6:9; James 2:1, 9), but applying this same language to Jew-Gentile distinctions is quite new (also in Romans 2:11). The next verse only accentuates this meaning: “in every nation anyone who fears ... is acceptable to him” (v. 35). The language of “acceptable” (dektos) is rare in Luke-Acts, and first occurs to describe the nature of Jesus’ ministry as “the year of the Lord’s acceptance (dektos).” As these factors show, Peter’s message opens with one of the boldest declarations in Luke-Acts about the nature of God’s favor toward non-Jews.
Due to convoluted phrasing, translations render verses 36-37 in various ways. But two focal points in the text clearly emerge: God’s message entails “preaching peace by Jesus Christ,” and this Jesus “is Lord of all” (v. 36). Both points would have sound spoken loudly to hearers within the Roman Empire. The phrase “preaching peace” (euangelizomenos eirenen, lit. “proclaiming the good news of peace”) uses language employed elsewhere in association with Roman emperors (“good news” and “peace” regarding Augustus’s birth, OGIS 2:458; cf. Luke 2:14). Even more, the phrase “Lord of all” implies the inferiority of all rival lords, both human and divine (Epictetus calls Caesar “lord of all” in Discourses 4.1.12. This parallel would be striking to a centurion of a leading cohort in the Roman army (Acts 10:1). However, Roman rulers are not the only rivals on the horizon: Peter’s speech later recalls how Jesus’ ministry confronted the oppressive power of the devil (Acts 10:38), a cosmic foe still at large in Acts (13:8-13; 26:18; cf. 19:11-20).2
The rest of Peter’s message (Acts 10:37-43) summarizes Jesus’ ministry, passion, and resurrection (vv. 37-38, 39b-41). Peter also emphasizes how Jesus’ followers are now witnesses (vv. 39, 41) called to testify -- with ancient prophets -- that he is both judge of all and source of forgiveness for believers (vv. 42-43). In fact, verses 37-43 spotlight major themes from Luke-Acts: John’s baptism, the Spirit’s presence, the devil’s oppression, the apostles’ testimony, Jesus’ resurrection, and the fulfillment of scripture. These verses summarize the highlights of Luke’s story about Jesus so that the audience in Cornelius’s home may hear the story authentically.
Gospel Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
Today we celebrate the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In today's Gospel, as in the other Gospel accounts of Jesus' baptism, we hear John the Baptist address the confusion of the people who thought that John might be the Messiah. In response, John contrasts the baptism that he performs with the Baptism that Jesus will inaugurate. John the Baptist says that he has baptized with water, but that someone will come and baptize with the Holy Spirit. The type of baptism that John performed was not yet a Christian Baptism; it was a preparation for Christian Baptism through which sins are forgiven and the gift of the Holy Spirit is received.
The baptism of Jesus is reported in each of the three Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Clearly, it was an event of great significance for Jesus and for the early Christian community. The Evangelists Mark and Luke report the story from Jesus' perspective; the voice from heaven is addressed to Jesus. Compare this to Matthew's Gospel in which the voice from heaven speaks to everyone. In Luke, however, the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus during his time of prayer after his baptism. Through his Gospel, Luke will show Jesus to be a person of prayer who withdraws regularly from the crowds and his disciples to pray to his Father.
The baptism of Jesus is considered a manifestation of God in Jesus, another “epiphany.” On this, the last day of the Christmas season, our Gospel reveals to us Jesus' relation to God: the son of Mary and Joseph is also God's own Son. In Luke's Gospel, all three members of the Trinity are manifested here: God the Father in the voice, the Holy Spirit descending, and Jesus the Son. At the beginning of his Gospel, Luke is communicating to us important information about the identity of Jesus. In the verses that follow, Luke lists the genealogy of Jesus, tracing Jesus' ancestry back to the first person, Adam, who is also identified as the son of God. We, the children of Adam and Eve, are again made children of God through Baptism.
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings.
Making the Connection
- See how many different ways you can name Jesus. Son of Mary, foster child of Joseph, the carpenter, the Christ, the Messiah, Son of God, any others?.
- In today's Gospel, we hear the name that Jesus was given by the voice from heaven after his baptism.
- What did the voice from heaven name Jesus? (God's beloved Son) What was Jesus doing when this voice was heard? (praying after his baptism)
- When we were baptized in Jesus' name, we were called by our baptismal name, and each of us was also named a “child of God.” These names ought to be included on your list of names for yourself: “brother or sister of Jesus” and “child of God.” Just as Jesus learned what this meant in his life through prayer, so our prayer helps us learn what it means to be a child of God.
- Pray that we will learn through our prayer how to be faithful to our identity as children of God. Pray the Lord's Prayer.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 42:1-4, 6-7
According to many modern biblical scholars, the book of Isaiah is actually the work of three different authors writing at three different times. Chapters 1-39 can be attributed to the original Isaiah who preached between 740 and 687 B.C. During the rise of the Assyrian empire. Chapters 40-60 can be attributed to the so-called "Second Isaiah." Second Isaiah wrote 150 years later (537 B.C.) with the anticipated return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon. The remainder of the book (chapters 61-66) was written by the so-called "Third Isaiah." Third Isaiah wrote about 25-50 years after the return and addressed the need of the people to maintain hope. The present passage comes from Second Isaiah.
In this passage, Second Isaiah introduced the "Suffering Servant," the person who would lead the people like King David. Notice the servant was chosen by God; he was given God's Spirit, so he would bring justice to everyone, Jew and foreigner alike. [1]. For the society of the time, the servant would be counter-cultural; he would not be interested in fame or power. But his rule would be gentle but would be sure. [2-3] His rule would precede his teaching to the coastal lands, areas west (the Mediterranean world) and south (along the Red Sea). [4]
In verses 6-7, God commissioned the servant. God called the servant to justice and to act as God's representative (as a covenant for the people and a light to the nations). [6] How was he to be just and a symbol? He would give the blind sight and the prisoner freedom. [7] These images of sight and liberation could be taken literally or figuratively. At the time of Second Isaiah, the ruling elite of Judea were captives held by the blind ambition of foreign dictators. In a figurative sense, the blindness and imprisonment could be the people's lack of faith. In either case, the servant would be God's instrument of wholeness and liberation.
As the year begins, we could use sight to see beyond our limitations and freedom from our self-imposed faults. Let us pray for this time of renewal, the gift of Jesus that the Father so willingly gives us.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10.
Power can be impressive. Physical prowess can gain one fame. Financial might can effect environments, even cultures, depending upon money flows. Political capital can galvanize support and create legal change. Power can awe us, even inspire us to move in its direction.
Who has the most power? Of course, God, the One we call the Almighty. One of the reasons God deserves praise is because of his vast power. Psalm 29 stands as a testament to our need to honor the most powerful being in our lives. It calls the faithful to worship (29:1-2), then gives the reason to worship: God's power (29:3-10); it ends with a hope God will act with power in the life of the people to give them strength and peace (29:11).
In the mind of an ancient arid culture, the Jews perceived the power of God through the violence of a sudden rain storm. In the desert environment demarcated by mountains and deep valleys, rising heat can clash with moist air from the sea to create almost instantaneous storms. Winds blow clouds against the mountains, the rains come and swell dry river beds into floods at a moments notice, then are driven away by the same winds that brought the clouds in the first place. Lightening and thunder accompany these storms. The flashes of light and the boom of the thunder clap, the destructive nature of water torrents, these phenomena speak to the heart of the desert dweller. The sun that bakes day after day is now hidden, replaced by the ravages of the sudden monsoon. It was natural, then, for the believer to see the voice of God in the thunder (29:3b-4, 6-9a), the power of God in the lightening that can destroy (29:5, 9b) and in the control of the waters in the flood (29:3a, 10). The destructive power of these storms impressed the ancient author of the psalm, but he never confused the storm itself with the One who controlled the storm (29:9c-10). YHWH spoke through the storm and caused change (a stampede in 29:6, for example), but, according to his will.
Power can be impressive, but the power of God creates awe. He deserves praise for his power and for the assurance that he will use his power for our good. But, ultimately, he deserves praise because he employs that power to bless us with strength and peace.
Reading 2 Acts 10:34-38
Why does God accept us? Why does he want us close to him? Simply because he sent his Son to us!
This short section from Acts could be divided into three sections: Peter's reaction to the message of Cornelius, his summary of how the Good News has spread, and his preaching about Jesus.
As a lead up to the first section, Peter had a vision that questioned kosher diet rules (10:9-16). About the same time, Cornelius, a Roman centurion who could be described as a "righteous Gentile," received a message from God that told him his prayers had been answered; he was to send men for Peter (10:1-8). When the men fetched Peter, he traveled with them to the house of the soldier. At that point, Peter and Cornelius compared notes about their visions (10:26-33). Peter realized that God's salvation was universal. And the centurion was ready to become a follower of the Messiah.
The second section merely reported what was already known. Jesus had a reputation that buzzed throughout Palestine. But what was that reputation?
The third section answered the question. And it answered the question of God's intentions. The answer was simple: Jesus of Nazareth. God "anointed" (i.e., chose and empowered) this Jesus with the Spirit (in context, the Spirit and power are synonymous). He used God's Spirit to show everyone God was with him. As he traveled in his ministry, Jesus healed and, in doing so, overturned the realm of evil.
Why did God accept us? Because he wanted to show us his face in the person of his Son, Jesus the Christ. When we see God's face in Jesus, we truly know that he accepts us and loves us. We are his.
Gospel Lk 3:15-16, 21-22
Luke presented the ministry of the Baptism as a dialogue between himself and his audience. John preached. His audience took his message to heart. At the core of John's message was preparation for the Christ.
As the people's expectations for the Messiah rose, John defined his own status. He was the prophet, not the Messiah. He was not worthy of the Coming One. Just as Mark wrote, Luke recorded the Holy Spirit and fire prediction of John. As the note above stated, there has been some discussion about the relationship between the Holy Spirit and fire. Personally, I think they are the same, God's love and justice. [15-16]
21 It happened (that) everyone (in John's audience) was baptized also JESUS having been baptized and that, as HE was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 the Holy Spirit visibly as a dove came down on HIM, and (there) was a voice from heaven: "YOU are my SON, (my) BELOVED, in YOU I am well pleased."
Unlike the accounts found in Mark and Matthew, Luke simply recorded the fact that Jesus had been baptized (past tense). The revelation of the Trinity occurs during Jesus' prayer, not as he rose out of the water. [21] This reflected Luke's emphasis not on historical event, but upon the revelation of it importance. For Luke, it was not when an event "happens to me"; it is the moment I "get it," I make the connection. For Luke, prayer was the time of revelation and insight; Luke portrayed Jesus in prayer before the major decisions of his ministry.
For Luke, prayer was the time for grace, God with us. This could not be underestimated. Luke used the images of a actual dove and a actual voice to communicate the concrete reality of God's grace with us. The heavens were torn open, so there was no barrier between God and his people. [21-22] Grace was now present; the time of realization was in prayer.
When do you realize times of grace? How has your prayer time given you those "graced" moments?
Luke recorded the message of John and the baptism of Jesus along the lines of Mark and Matthew. But he changed one small detail. The moment of realization was in prayer.
Prayer is a time for gentle insight and peace. It is not earth shattering, but it can be earth moving. God can rule with justice, insight, and liberation, but we must take the time to realize his gifts in prayer.
We cannot multi-task prayer and expect results.
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Sunday January 5, 2025 The Epiphany of the Lord
Lectionary: 20
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 60:1-6
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Reading 2 Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Gospel Mt 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel."
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
"Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage."
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 60:1-6
Isaiah 60:1-6 is a piece of poetry brimming with energy and hope.
Due to the fact that Hebrew distinguishes between a male and a female second person, we can see that the prophet is addressing a feminine “you.” Thus, scholars identify the poem as belonging to a group of poems within Isaiah 40-66, which are written to Zion, who is personified as a human female (see also 49:14-26; 51:17-52:12; 54:1-17; 62:1-12). “Arise! Shine!” the prophet calls to her, summoning Zion to bear witness both to the wonder of God’s sudden appearance as well as to her own renewal and restoration.
The original recipients of this prophetic word were Jews living in Judah -- now the Persian province of Jehud -- in the period following the Babylonian exile. Living in reduced circumstances amidst the rubble of a wealthier time, the people’s historical visions of a glorious Zion might have seemed a distant fantasy. Zion, both the geographical locale as well the idea of a sacred bond between people, place, and God, was in ruins. The Zion poems of Isaiah 40-66 represent an attempt to rebuild the idea of Zion and to infuse her with a new vigor. This effort is not simply to make people feel better nor to reclaim a theological idea for its own sake. The purpose of the rehabilitation of Zion is to inspire and empower the people to help make this glorious vision a reality. Isaiah 60:1-6 is, thus, not a simplistic prediction of a new age but contains a call, an imperative, to be a part of the restoration of Zion.
The imperatives are what drive Isaiah 60:1-6. The reader is propelled through the poetic unit by the two imperative pairs that occur at v. 1 and v. 4: “Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem!” and “Raise your eyes and look about;” Following these commands, the prophet describes the scene before Zion using verbs in the prophetic present and so adds persuasive force to them: “Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord shines upon you!” The upshot is something like: “Look up! Something is happening right now! Don’t miss it!” If Zion doesn’t look up, she’ll miss the events that are taking place even as the prophet speaks.
Imagery provides the poetic force in vv. 2-3 and vv. 5-6. In vv. 2-3, the prophet describes the light of God in terms so vivid one can almost feel the warmth emanating from the page and uses the image of thick clouds and darkness to powerful effect in the description of the experience of the other nations. Thick clouds connote not just darkness but potentially destructive weather patterns, and, thus, suggest a looming threat to the more powerful nations. In the future, the prophet promises that security and warmth will be the new normal for Zion. The other nations will face insecurity and darkness and so will flood to Zion, seeking to enjoy the benefits of God’s presence just as Zion does.
In vv. 5-6, the imagery of light continues -- “Then you shall see and be radiant,” v. 5 -- but the source of the brightness is not divine but is the result of joyful reunions and a renewed prosperity. The imagery in v. 5 is very tender; the missing children of Zion will be carried gently home to her. The absence of those who remained in the Diaspora is clearly still a source of pain for the community, but it will be felt no longer, the prophet promises. Nor does the restoration end with reunions. Poverty will be replaced by plenty. The power of v. 6 lies in the sheer volume of the wealth the prophet describes streaming to Zion. By land and by sea, all the wealth of the nations will make its way to Zion, replacing her poverty with what sounds like a suffocating quantity of riches: “Caravans of camels shall fill you, … ”
The vision of Isaiah 60:1-6 and of the other Zion poems of Isaiah 40-66 is one of complete restoration. The tone is triumphant and tender, and it can be difficult for a contemporary audience with some knowledge of history to reconcile it with the reality of the period; a period that did not see a dramatic reversal of fortune for Zion. It’s important to remember, however, that biblical prophecy is not a flat prediction but is, rather, an invitation to change, to be empowered, and, sometimes, to repent. Within Zion’s call to witness in Isaiah 60:1-6 is also a call to the community to believe in the vision, to endure the present hardship, and, with God, to bring the vision into reality.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.
Psalm 72 is an expansive, generic enthronement hymn that was likely a staple of coronations in ancient Israel/Judah.
In the verses omitted by the lectionary, there are mentions of Tarshish, Seba, and Sheba (the latter, perhaps giving rise to the epigraph, “Of Solomon”), but for the most part the psalm -- certainly as it will be heard in Christian worship today -- floats free of specific historical context.
In that way, the psalm serves a purpose similar to that of the “charges” that are part of our baptism, confirmation, or commissioning liturgies where the community rehearses what it believes are God’s mission priorities for the life and ministry of the person being set apart.
Verse 1 sets the tone and contains the only petitions voiced to God in the imperative (with emphasis added through the parallel structure): “Give the king your justice … [and] the king’s son your righteousness.” Saving justice is a trademark of God’s reign and must be embodied by God’s agent in the world.
The rest of the psalm is organized around a long series of petitions that being with, “May he …” The psalm asks that God grant the king -- and the people, through the king’s reign -- righteousness, justice, prosperity, protection (from oppressors), a name that endures, shalom (well-being), political dominion (through which all the world is blessed), and -- as a spontaneous response to these missional priorities -- the tribute and admiration of the nations.
The petitions could be in order of priority, but the effect of the psalm when read aloud is of an intensifying spiraling and overlapping of attributes. If we also read verses 18 and 19 they seem to have been added to the main body of the psalm; they are a benediction to God, a doxology that closes out Book II of Psalms.
In the psalm’s historical context, the monarch enjoys a divinely ordained blood lineage. In our context, heroic assets and the “right to rule” are attained by or projected onto leaders in more secular ways. But still, today’s hearers can identify with the ancient singers of this psalm whose hopes for justice soar at the installation of each new leader, even as they lament the ways those same hopes were dashed or unfilled by the old one.
Is Jesus the “king” of Psalm72? Most hearers in worship will understand “king” to refer to Jesus (thus tracking with New Testament writers and the bulk of the church’s history of interpretation!).
But if we decide that Psalm 72 is “about Jesus,” and we declare that, “yep, Jesus is the one who fulfills (or fills full) this messianic description,” then to whom, how, and when does the promised justice come? Inside the church, we find comfort in the internal-spiritual or eschatological venues of fulfillment.
But the compelling power of this psalm’s petitions lie in applying them to the real world of politics and economics. If we are unable to articulate how Jesus’s reign effects concrete change for the nations, we run the risk of making Jesus as distant and irrelevant to today as are Solomon or Hezekiah!
Saving justice is a trademark of God’s reign and must be embodied by God’s agent in the world. And John the Baptist knows that justice and righteousness do not appear by magic or without cost; they involve winnowing, purifying, and comeuppance.
What if rather than spiritualizing the petitions and sticking with the biblical default referent for “king” (whether Solomon or Jesus), we took the petitions at their real-world face value and ask God to deliver justice and righteousness to the world through a new, surprising referent, a tangible contemporary entity ordained into leadership by God: the church (the Body of Christ) or even our secular representative republic.
Reading 2 Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
Mystery" is the term that runs throughout this passage from Ephesians. It fits the day in the liturgical year because an "epiphany" is a manifestation of something. And in this case what is revealed has been a mystery.
The term "mystery" appears several times in just a few verses, helping to catch the attention of readers. After all, many of us find it hard to resist a good mystery. Paul says that a mystery has been made known to him (3:3). And it is a mystery about Jesus (3:4). No one has really understood this mystery before. It has been hidden through the ages (3:9). So those who listen in will come to know the mystery. Thus far the passage has all the makings of a new version of a bestselling novel. We might even give it a title like "The Jesus Code." Apparently God also knows that we like a good mystery.
Traditional mysteries often follow a set form. The classic mysteries are set in a manor house in Scotland with a small cast of characters: an elderly widow, a servant with peculiar habits, and a distant relative who has inexplicably shown up for a visit after many years. The usual event is a tragic death, which turns out to be a murder. As the detective investigates the case, he often finds that there is intrigue going on over who is to receive a sizable inheritance. The clues in the case are assembled. The police are confused and follow the wrong track. But eventually the master detective solves the case and shows how the pieces of the story fit together. In the final pages, the mystery is solved. The meaning is made known to the readers. The story is over.
The mystery that Paul speaks will depart from the standard patterns of a mystery story in at least three ways: first, the heart of the story is not something tragic, like theft and murder, but something magnificent, namely a gift. To be sure, this is an inheritance case. Paul is speaking about the Gentiles coming into the inheritance of salvation. But in a typical mystery story, one of the heirs to an estate usually plots to seize the whole inheritance. The idea is to exclude others from the gift, so that one heir can have it all.
In Ephesians, however, the mystery revolves around God giving the inheritance away too freely. What is so mysterious is that God has written a whole new group of heirs into his will. This does not shortchange those who were heirs before, because there are "boundless riches" in Christ (3:8). There is plenty to go around. So the mystery in this case is the mystery of grace. Second, Paul does not work with a small cast of characters but speaks in cosmic terms about what God is doing. This is a story that has to do with the vast group known as the Gentiles. The scale of the story does not fit into the classic manor house. It takes up the whole world. To be sure, the Gentiles are an unlikely group for God to be including in the inheritance. Traditionally, Gentiles were those who worshiped other gods. They were not the devotees of the God of Israel.
The key to the inheritance is that through Christ, God has called the Gentiles to faith in a new way. It is through faith in Christ (3:12) that the Gentiles are brought into relationship with God and given an inheritance in his grace. The mystery that was revealed to Paul was that God was not content to let the Gentiles be separated from him. Instead, God has acted to bring them into a new relationship with him. And Christ was the way God did that. Note that the inheritance theme was sounded early in Ephesians (Eph 1:14, 18). The letter recognizes that sin separates all people from God. Therefore, all people-Jews and Gentiles-have the same need of grace. No one has an inborn right to be an heir of God's grace. People become heirs by the mercy of God. Moreover, all people are called to the same faith. To be a child of God is to relate to God in faith. And faith has a future. The mercy and gift of the Spirit that people have already received is an assurance of this. People are God's children now, in faith. And faith has a future through the promise of resurrection.
Third, this means that the revelation of the mystery is not the end of the story. It creates a new beginning of a story. The usual pattern is that once the mystery is revealed, we can close the book. The case is solved. The suspense is over. But for Paul, the revelation of the mystery is just the beginning. If God has extended the promise of an inheritance to the Gentiles, this opens up a vast new chapter. Paul is in the business of making the news of what God has done public (3:7-10).
Public interest in real-life mysteries-like the mysteries in the detective novels-usually continues as long as the solution remains unknown. Once a case has been solved, it has a place in the newspaper for a few days, then, the story fades as other issues dominate the front page. For Paul, the pattern is the opposite. The disclosure of the mystery of grace remains the heart of his story. It is the news that has its proper place at the forefront of his work. He is not bashful about saying so. To know what God has done in Christ is to have the "boldness and confidence" that come from such faith (3:12).
Gospel Mt 2:1-12
The visit of the Magi occurs directly before the story of the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt. Matthew’s Gospel tells a version of Jesus’ birth that is different than the one in Luke. Of the actual birth of Jesus, Matthew tells us little more than, “When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod . . . ” The story of the census is found only in Luke’s Gospel, but we hear about the visit of the Magi only in Matthew’s Gospel.
We know little about the Magi. They come from the East and journey to Bethlehem, following an astrological sign, so we believe them to be astrologers. We assume that there were three Magi based upon the naming of their three gifts. The Gospel does not say how many Magi paid homage to Jesus. In Matthew’s Gospel, they represent the Gentiles’ search for a savior. Because the Magi represent the entire world, they also represent our search for Jesus.
We have come to consider the gifts they bring as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ role in salvation. We believe the meaning of the gifts to be Christological. Gold is presented as representative of Jesus’ kingship. Frankincense is a symbol of his divinity because priests burned the substance in the Temple. Myrrh, which was used to prepare the dead for burial, is offered in anticipation of Jesus’ death.
The word Epiphany means “manifestation” or “showing forth.” Historically several moments in Christ’s early life and ministry have been celebrated as “epiphanies,” including his birth in Bethlehem, the visit of the Magi, his baptism by John, and his first miracle at Cana.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think of the best gift you ever received. What was it? What made it special? Was it the gift itself, the thought that went into it, or the person who gave it to you?
- Many people around the world give gifts on the feast of the Epiphany instead of giving gifts on Christmas. Review today’s Gospel, it will become clear why that is.
- What gifts were given to Jesus by the Magi? (gold, frankincense, and myrrh)
- Let me tell you a bit about each of these. Gold is familiar to most of us. We associate gold with wealth and royalty. Frankincense was often used by priests for worship in the Temple. Myrrh is a perfume and was used to prepare a body after death. We often understand this gift to foretell Jesus’ suffering and death.
- What made these gifts special? These gifts showed that the Magi truly recognized the infant Jesus for who he would be for them and for us: Savior.
- We too are called this season to offer our gifts to Jesus. What might we offer to show that we recognize who Jesus is? Special prayer. Extra Rosary. Special meditation.
- Say or sing “We Three Kings.”
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
Refrain:
O star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.
Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshiping God on high.
Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorr’wing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.
Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ---------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 60:1-6
This reading is found in the so-called "Third Isaiah" (chapters 56-66). Most Catholic biblical scholars agree that the book of Isaiah can be divided into at least two separate units (chapters 1-39 for the prophet Isaiah; 40+ for "Second Isaiah"). Scholars divide the book based upon language, writing style, and historical events mentioned in the text. While these scholars feel confident delineating the text into two units, they are more uncertain subdividing chapters 40-66.
Third Isaiah discussed ritual, Sabbath, and the Torah. But chapters 60-62 stood out with their optimism. Many scholars who accept the "Third Isaiah" thesis claim these chapters were written in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah (fifth century B.C.) when the zeal of the returned exiles had worn off. Locals now lived as subjects under foreign powers. Rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple had become tedious. So, the people needed a pep talk.
In such a dark world, a light would shine! The glory of the Lord! The world would be dark, just like in the primordial beginning. Only the light of the Lord among his people would show the way. [60:1-2]
Suddenly, the focus of the light shifted to the people (or a remnant among the people). Their rising (like the sun rising) would cast light to those in the darkness and would lead them forth, even the exiled faithful living in the Diaspora. [60:3-4]
With the rising of the people would come reputation (glory) and great wealth. The riches of the great nations would flow to the nation. The people would have even power over the sea! [60:5-6]
These optimistic verses have messianic overtones, for they speak of an idyllic time in the future. Many Jews in the time of Jesus had these images in mind when they spoke of God's judgment. Yet, Matthew used these verses when he penned the arrival of the Magi. For the evangelist and Christians ever since, the Magi saw the glory of the Lord rise in Judea. But, the people and their leaders were blinded.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.
The reference to Solomon in this psalm defined its themes. The psalmist prayed to God as if the present (or future) monarch had the power and riches of David's son, along with the corresponding blessings of YHWH. In fact, the author implicitly linked the two in the concept of justice. If the king acted with wisdom (Solomon's chief virtue), he would spread justice even to the poor and outcast. In response to this justice, God would bless the land with abundance (72:1-4).
The invocations by the author and the blessings of God would not stop there. The author prayed that the just king would live long (72:5-7), extend his kingdom (72:8), and force tribute from foreign dignitaries (72:9-11, 15).
Reading 2 Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
At the time this letter was written, Ephesus was a major seaport on the west coast of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). At the mouth of Cayster River, the city had a long history. Ionic Greeks settled the area in the tenth century B.C. Ephesus was controlled by different major powers as a gateway to the Aegean Sea. In 133 B.C., the Romans conquered the seaport and controlled the area for the next millennium.
Chapter 3 focused upon Paul's role as the herald for God's revelation. God revealed a divine mystery to Paul and gave him a mission to share that mystery with others. The mystery was God's plan of salvation. In hindsight, Paul could see the unfolding revelation peak in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul shared his mission to evangelize with others (apostles and Christian prophets). The power that drove these men was God's very Spirit. As a result, Gentiles shared in the promise made to the Jews by God (co-heirs), they sat as equals at the table of the Lord with their Jewish brethren, and they shared the same hope in the coming of the Messiah. The Good News (a vehicle of God's "grace") was the means for faith.
We evangelize others through our words and example. But have you ever considered evangelization as a vehicle for God's grace? After all, like St. Paul, our words and actions present the face of Christ to others. They reveal God's activity in the world. And they invite others to join us in the Christian life.
Gospel Mt 2:1-12
The story of the Magi has been a favorite for generations. Foreign dignitaries came to honor the newly born King of the Jews. For Matthew, however, the story had highly charged political overtones. For, during the time of Jesus, the Persian Magi opposed the eastward expanse of the Roman Empire. The visit of the Magi represented foreign interference in the affairs of a puppet appointed by Rome. Through the juxtaposition of political foes, Matthew communicated his theme. Foreigner seekers would recognize the Jewish Messiah but the leadership in Jerusalem would not. This theme foreshadowed the opposition of the leadership against the ministry of Jesus, and its parallel in the time of Matthew: the opposition of the Pharisees to the new Christian communities.
The scene began with the arrival of the Magi in Jerusalem. Ancient people believed the stars and constellations revealed the will of the divine. The night sky took on a spiritual dimension. For example, the stars held constant for their season (like the gods) and showed direction in the dark (like divine will). The connection between the stars and the affairs of humans produced a class of astrologer-sages, wise men who studied the stars. As a note of interest, the temples (or ziggurats) of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iran and Iraq), home to the Magi, were built to observe the night sky. The presence of these stargazing, foreign sages in the Jewish capital caused consternation. Why were these unclean foreigners present? What did they want? [2:3]
Their question also caused concern. Herod was the king. And the hierarchy of the Temple and the leading men in Jerusalem were Herod's hand-picked cronies (subject, of course, to the will of Rome). Foreign dignitaries come from out of the blue to visit a new born King of the Jews, someone so important, his destiny was written in the stars. Their question had two consequences. First, someone beside Herod would be the new king. Second, the present administration was illegitimate. In the question of the Magi, we can hear Matthew's theme of the coming Messiah, the king-priest. God's chosen one was here! And the old corrupt leadership would be swept away! The Magi and their question represented a threat to the king, to the Temple leadership and city fathers, and to Roman occupation. [2:1-2]
In his panic, King Herod consulted the religious leaders, the chief priests and teachers of the Law. They respond by a quote from Micah 5:2. In an interesting side note, the Sadducees (the Temple leadership and city fathers) whom Herod would have consulted rejected the Prophets as part of Scripture. Only the Pharisees accepted those books of Scripture beyond the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. In one swoop, Matthew lumped the Pharisees together with their enemies, the Sadducees and the court of Herod, in order to answer the question: where would the Messiah be born? This foreshadowed the opposition of these groups to Jesus' ministry. At the same time, Matthew provided the fulfillment of Scripture in the mouths of Jesus' enemies. They convicted themselves by their own words. The One they opposed was the person whose origin they clearly saw! [2:4-5]
Herod called the Magi into a private meeting to find out the details. While we modern Americans might think this was prudent on the part of the king, the contemporaries of Jesus viewed this meeting as one more indication that Herod and his administration were devious and dishonorable. Unlike America's obsession with an individual's right of self determination and privacy, ancient cultures had a mentality focused on the extended family. This group mentality defined and determined an individual's identity and purpose. As part of a larger family, the individual was to bring honor to the family (and honor to himself as part of the family). Honor based upon reputation was an exercise in the public arena. Culture was so focused upon honor in public that anything done in private (alone or with another) was viewed with suspicion. Secretive individuals were seen as self-absorbed, devious, untrustworthy, and ultimately dishonorable. Herod's request to follow the Magi and honor the new king was so weak and dubious, the wise men had no obligation to partake in his shameful actions. [2:7-8, 12]
In the end, the Magi did the right and honorable thing, unlike Herod. They followed their calling. According to ancient protocol, they approached, bowed, and honored the young king and his mother with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold was the international currency. Frankincense was a pricey, imported incense made from the sap of a tree. And myrrh was the sweet-smelling resin of an Arabian scrub that was used for medical uses and for the preparation of a body for burial. Since God had revealed his will in the stars to them, he also warned them of Herod's intent through a dream, another ancient avenue to receive divine will. [2:9-12]
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Sunday December 29, 2024 Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
Lectionary: 17
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
God sets a father in honor over his children;
a mother’s authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever honors his father atones for sins,
and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard;
he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
Whoever honors his father is gladdened by children,
and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever reveres his father will live a long life;
he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.
My son, take care of your father when he is old;
grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;
revile him not all the days of his life;
kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
firmly planted against the debt of your sins
—a house raised in justice to you.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears the LORD,
who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Reading 2 Col 3:12-21
Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands,
as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives,
and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
so they may not become discouraged.
Gospel Lk 2:41-52
Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast
of Passover,
and when he was twelve years old,
they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
they journeyed for a day
and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
but not finding him,
they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
sitting in the midst of the teachers,
listening to them and asking them questions,
and all who heard him were astounded
at his understanding and his answers.
When his parents saw him,
they were astonished,
and his mother said to him,
“Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
“Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
and was obedient to them;
and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor
before God and man.
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REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
The book of Sirach [also known as Ecclesiasticus] is part of the Wisdom literature in the Old Testament. It was compiled by Jesus Ben Sirach in the period between 195-180 BC. The fundamental question discussed in Wisdom literature is: “what promotes human well-being?” The passage for reflection this week is parental counsel to growing children. Honor your parents, blessings will come upon you! The commandment to honor parents is derived from ‘fear of the Lord’. ‘Fear of the Lord’ is respectful listening to the word of God and obeying his laws. Honoring parents implies respectful and obedient listening to them and care for their needs! It is also addressed to all ‘you who need instructions’. Those who observe the commandments of the Lord are the ones who possess wisdom. Sirach was concerned about the stability of family in changing social situations, the rise of conflicts between grown children and aging parents. Intimate family ties are necessary for harmony in society. Sirach emphasizes on parents’ authority over children as a divine gift rather than a social convention. One who is good to parents also would try to do good for others. Kindness toward parents is rewarded by a peaceful life. The prayer of one who honors his/her parents is heard. Sirach also notices that in old age, parents might lose control of their physical, emotional and intellectual faculties. With affection Sirach speaks to all children that in such circumstances maintain your calm, reasoned judgment, respect and kindness toward your parents.
Flor McArthy, in his commentary on today’s readings, adds that this second element has greater relevance today. Because of the pace of modern life, he states, the elderly tend to be pushed to the margins, if not out of the picture altogether. In our strength it is easy to forget those who are
weak and perhaps a little senile. Under God, we owe everything to our parents. The author of Ecclesiasticus asserts that kindness to parents is especially pleasing to God. That kindness even takes on a deep spiritual meaning, as atonement for one’s sins.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5.
God intends that men bear the greater responsibility to protect those in need and to lead those we protect, especially as it relates to the life of marriage and family. Providing an Old Testament echo of the Christ-redeemed husband in Ephesians 5:25-33, Psalm 128 provides a picture of the man the Lord blesses.
Psalm 128 is a wisdom psalm and a companion to Psalm 127. As songs of ascent (Psalm 120-134) they were sung by families as they left home on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to worship Yahweh in the holy city. Interesting the psalm begins with a blessing and closes with a prayer. Four times in the psalm we see the word ―blessed (v. 1, 2, 4, 5). Utilizing two different but related Hebrew words, the psalm describes the man the Lord blesses and what some of those blessings look like.
While the writer includes all who fear the Lord (v.1), the psalm is addressed especially to the man of the house (v.3). Be clear about who you trust, Psalm 128 begins on the same note as Psalm 1. The phrase ―everyone informs us that all are blessed who
1) fear the Lord and 2) walk in His ways. ―Blessed‖ carries the idea of ―happy, fortunate.
Gregory of Nazianzus (329-389) also knows as Gregory the Theologian was a church father who helped defend and define biblical and orthodox Christology. He also spoke eloquently to Christian marriage calling it ―true companionship. With the imagery of a fruitful vine and olive plants scattered all around the table the psalmist emphases both growth and fruitfulness for the man who fears the Lord. (cf. Mic. 4:4; Zech. 3:10).
Because this man walks with God his wife flourishes like a fruitful vine in or beside the house. He sets her free to soar as a woman of God for the glory of God! Located rightly in the center of the home, she fulfills the calling of a Proverbs 31 lady because of the man of God who stands tall at her side! Fruitful and sexually charming (see Song of Solomon 7:8-12), she is unlike the unfaithful women of Proverbs 7:11 whose ―feet would not stay at home. No, she knows her man is her’s and she is his! Her attractiveness goes hand-in-hand with her faithfulness. Redeemed by grace from the curse of Genesis 3, her husband loves her and knows her (Eph. 5:25-33; 1 Peter 3:7), and she submits to him and respects him (Eph. 5:21-24, 33). Together they seek to educate and encourage their children (Eph. 6:1-4), and later their grandchildren to love and serve the Lord. Be a blessing to your children.
A man can bless his children in many ways. He can bless them by loving Jesus and teaching them to love Jesus. He can bless them by loving his wife, by loving their mother as he promised, ―til death do us part. The olive tree flourishes in a home with a godly dad and mom who are committed to each other. It would point to both longevity and productivity made possible because of the household of faith in which they, the children, were nurtured.
This man will be concerned for his city and nation, his children and his grandchildren. He will recognize, as we must, that the family’s future is bound up in health and welfare of the nation. From marriage to being grandparents in only 6 verses!
Reading 2 Col 3:12-21
The Letter to the Colossians combines large segments of theological/doctrinal and practical/ethical materials.
At times, however, it is nearly impossible to determine which kind of issue one is dealing with. The passage for this first Sunday after Christmas has the flavor of both theological and ethical concerns. Interpreters in general, however, regard these verses as belonging to the more doctrinal portion of the epistle -- though they still admit that there are prominent ethical features to the text.
It is important to locate verses 12-17 of chapter 3 in their immediate literary context. Colossians 3:1-17 is a recognizable section of the letter. First, in verses 1-4 readers are admonished to seek heavenly ways because they have been raised with Christ. Second, verses 5-17 elaborate the meaning of this exhortation. Here, there are a pair of passages, one negatively focused (verses 5-11) and one positively oriented (verses 12-17).
Colossians 3:5-11 contains two lists of five negative items Christians are to shun. Then, in 3:12-17 there are a series of admonitions, including another list of five items, this time positive items that Christians are to embrace. Our text for this Sunday contains the more positively expressed set of verses.
The verses of our lesson begin with the word "therefore" in Greek--though this is often translated "then" and placed somehow as something other than the first word of the sentence. The "therefore," however, reaches back to the material in 3:1-4 and recognizes that whatever actions the Christians take are taken because of what God has done -- that is, Christian life is the consequence of the gospel. The verses of this lesson (verses 12-17) focus on Christian virtue, defining and describing Christian character while speaking to the community of believers.
The previous section of the letter (verses 5-11) with its concern with vices is now left behind. Now, the letter presents the positive dimensions of life in Christ as actions. Christians are to "put on" certain characteristics so that they live these qualities, they do not merely "have" them. Not merely traits, but actions define Christian living. As Christ lived, so the Christians are to live.
The list of five virtues in verse 12 ("compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience") are found elsewhere in the Pauline epistles to designate actions/characteristics of God or Christ. These "virtues" describe the character of active Christian living as God's chosen people who are called out of the ordinary realm of human existence to be especially dedicated to God as/because God loves them. The Christian community lives as it embodies the very gospel by which it was called and that it now proclaims.
The passage tells us that virtue exists, love prevails -- why? Because "the Lord has forgiven you." Thus, that which the community experiences, the community is called to live out -- and here, it is crucial to see that the "you"s of these verses are consistently in plural forms; that is, the author addresses the community, not merely the pious individual. The gospel is personal, but it is not -- based upon these verses -- to be made private. The text of Colossians envisions a community in action.
In light of the admonition, "Above all these put on love," the rest of this passage registers imperatives that may be considered for forming and directing the life of a Christian community. Other than to put on (and live out) the five virtues that are given in verse 12, the passage states a variety of directions: Verse 13 tells the recipients of the letter that they must forgive exactly as the Lord has forgiven -- a very high standard indeed. Verse 14 itself is the admonition to put on love, which seems to supersede and epitomize the other virtues and directions given in this passage. Verse 15 seems to speak of the results of following the directives to love and to forgive -- that is, the Colossians are both to let the peace of Christ reign in their hearts and to be thankful to God for the peace and forgiveness that they experience.
Verse 16 focuses on the life of the community in quite concrete terms: The Colossians are to "let the word of Christ dwell in [them] richly, which means teaching and admonishing, and singing. Thus we see education, exhortation, and worshipful expression. Finally, in verse 17, the author tells the Colossians to do whatever they do -- be it in word or in deed -- in the name of the Lord, all the while giving thanks to God through him. Thus, all of life is to be devoted to the Lord and lived in accordance with the gospel of God's grace and love at work in Jesus Christ.
In essence, all of Colossians celebrates the gift of God through Jesus Christ to the community of faith. That gift is a new context ("Christ") and a new power ("love") for living. As we clothe ourselves in Christ (take on his way of life) we are transformed, not merely by our own actions, but above all by God's own love at work in the gospel of God's grace at work in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Gospel Lk 2:41-52
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family. This feast is part of the Christmas season, and we should place today's Gospel in the context of what Luke's Gospel tells us about the birth of Jesus. Luke has been answering the question “Who is Jesus?” through his stories of the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. Today's Gospel reading continues this theme. It has no parallel in the other Gospels and is the conclusion of Luke's Infancy Narrative.
Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are presented in this Gospel as a faithful Jewish family. They are participating in the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, an event shared each year with family and friends. When Jesus is found, Luke describes him as seated in the Temple in the midst of the Jewish teachers. Although he is young, Jesus seems not to need teaching about his Jewish tradition. In his dialogue with these learned teachers, Jesus astounds them with his insight and understanding. Jesus is a child of Israel. His Father is God.
The dialogue between Mary and Jesus contains many references to family relationships. In fact, in this Gospel reading Mary and Joseph are never identified by name. Instead they are referred to by their relationship to Jesus. Ultimately, this emphasizes Luke's point about the identity of Jesus. When Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the Temple, they question Jesus and express their anxiety. Jesus replies in words that many have thought to be disrespectful. Jesus says that he was never lost; he was at home. Jesus is God's Son, and he is in his Father's house. Luke will continue to suggest that faith in Jesus establishes new family relationships as he describes Jesus' public ministry.
In Luke's Gospel, Mary's importance is even greater than her role as Jesus' mother. Mary is the first disciple and will be present with Jesus' disciples after his Resurrection at Pentecost.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think about a time when you were denied permission to do something by your parents. What did you ask to do? How did you ask? Why was permission denied? How did you respond?
- Situations such as these are common in young people's lives. Your desire for independence has the potential to create conflicts between you and your parents. God wants us to respect and honor our parents by obeying them, even when we disagree with their decisions.
- In today's Gospel we hear about a situation of anxiety and even conflict in the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. In today’s Gospel let’s try to learn how we might handle disagreements in our own families.
- What did Mary and Joseph do when they discovered that Jesus was not with them as they were returning from Jerusalem? (Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem to look for Jesus.) What happened when they found Jesus? (There was a misunderstanding between Jesus and Mary.) What did Jesus do? (He returned to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph and remained obedient to them.)
- What might we learn from the example of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph about how to handle misunderstandings and disagreements with our parents? When we find it difficult to honor and obey our parents, we can remember that Jesus showed his parents honor and respect, and we can ask Jesus to help us do the same.
- Pray asking God to help us respect and honor our parents, especially at those times when we disagree with them. Pray the Lord's Prayer.
ADDITIONAL NOTES -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Sir 3:2-6, 12-14
Jesus, son of Sirach, wrote his wisdom treatise (also known as "Ecclesiasticus" or "Book of the Church") as a text book to train young men entering the bureaucracy in Jerusalem. Authored prior to the Maccabean revolt against the Syrians in 180 B.C., the book contained praises for wisdom and advice for the moral life, especially interpersonal and family relationships. These verses addressed the duty a son owed his parents.
Notice the verses expound upon the Fourth Commandment. A brief reflection on the list of the commandments revealed the esteem placed upon the extended family as the pillar of society. Honoring one's parents was the most important of the commandments that addressed human affairs (more important than murder, theft, adultery, and bearing false witness). Sirach seemed to state that honoring parents was a sign of righteousness. It forgave sin [3:3]. It was a means of divine blessing (children and prayers heard) [3:5]. It was the guarantee of a long life and temporal power [3:6-7]. Even the patience required for the care of elderly parents strengthen character. And God would also look upon the son offering such care with compassion [3:12-14].
Ancient cultures like that in Judea were family-oriented and elderly-centered. Our American culture is just the opposite. What was a common necessity then is now considered optional. Yet, the advice given in Sirach is as meaningful today as it was over two millennia ago. Honoring parents creates strong families and strong societies.
The fourth commandment is based upon a deeper command from God: love others as self. Love assumes and builds up respect. How have you shown love and respect to your family members? How have you expected such treatment in return?
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5.
This short psalm was a beatitude for the humble, Law-abiding family man. The man in awe of the Lord would prosper, have a "proper," child-bearing wife (hidden in the family's compound), and children who would surround the father at the table. (Notice the two agricultural analogies: the vine represented the fertile wife bearing many children and the olive plants represented the productive off-spring to bring the father wealth.) The form of Psalm 128:1b-4 was "A-B-A," where the man feared the Lord (1b and 4) would prosper with wife and many children.
This man would receive the blessing of the Temple and share in the festivities of Jerusalem. The end of the blessing wished the man long life to see his grandchildren.
The invocation of "Shalom" for Israel concluded the psalm.
In context, this "song of ascents" was prayed over the pilgrim at sacrifice in the Temple. The priest who received the offering blessed the faithful man. 128:5-6 indicated this blessing may have been invoked before the pilgrim left. In any case, the psalm presented the ideal lay man: prosperous, yet humble with a faithful, fertile wife and many children. In the eyes of the psalmist, this pilgrim would see his grandchildren and live to a ripe old age.
Notions about the ideal lay person have changed. Women have an equal place with men. Children are treasured and nurtured, not exploited for their productivity. Yet, the idea of family as a blessing remains. God uses the family to bless parents. Every parent prays they will see their grandchildren. (Some of us actually reach that point!)
A professor once proclaimed, "There is nothing like a marriage based on faith and a faith-filled family." I couldn't agree more. Both are pure blessings.
Thank God for the blessing of your family. Ask blessing on your immediate and extended family.
Reading 2 Col 3:12-21
The letter to the Colossians has some controversy. Who wrote the letter to this once glorious, but declining city? Some biblical scholars have argued against Paul's authorship, based upon theological concepts, writing styles, and vocabulary that were different from the main body of his letters. Nevertheless, people and events noted in the letter clearly placed authorship in the later part of Paul's life or in the years after his death (65-70 AD).
Colossae and its outlying region had a sizable Jewish population. An unnamed cult within Judaism exerted some influence in the community. The author (whether Paul or a contemporary) urged the faithful at Colossae to resist the teachings of this cult. Three teachings stand out. First, the faithful should be circumcised (2:11). Second, they should observe Jewish holidays and dietary laws (2:16, 21). But, there was a third and strange teaching this cult promoted: the worship of "angels" (2:18). While Judaism recognized the power of spiritual beings (2:8, 20) as forces in the universe, it never insisted upon "self abasement or angel worship." This evidence pointed to a group within Judaism that held a heavenly hierarchy not unlike the Gnostics, who claimed salvation based upon secret wisdom handed down through such a hierarchy. The author clearly stated that salvation came through Christ. His death and resurrection made practices of the Law and the worship of heavenly powers irrelevant (2:14-15).
How should Christians respond to the gift God offered us in Christ Jesus? First, the author listed Christian virtues and lifestyle (in opposition to the vices listed in 3:5-9). But, note the author seemed to address the community as a whole. The compassion and forgiveness in 3:12-14 expressed how the church at Colossae should act. It should have the reputation as a community filled with love.
Next, the author seemed to address the community in worship. Christ called them into one body (assembly). So, the church should be a eucharistic ("thank-filled" in English) people [3:15]. 3:16a-b listed the proclamation of the word and homily. The community's response was song [3:16c]. 3:17 summed up the worship attitude of the assembly: give thanks to God through Christ ("offer eucharist") for everything said or done.
Have you ever questioned the reputation of the church where you worship? What do outsiders think of your community? Beyond the quality of church leadership lays a deeper question. What do we, the faithful, bring to the table of the Lord? The author of Colossians gave a clear outline how the community should answer the question: virtues and attitudes to be found in worship. How we measure up indicates how the church is seen by others.
What do you bring to Mass on Sunday? Baggage and a fighting spirit? Or a thankful heart? Honestly reflect on the quality of your worship. Ask God to heal the hurt. Place all burdens in his hands. And thank him for his grace.
Gospel Lk 2:41-52
Again, Luke used an account in the infancy narrative to bridge from the old to the new, from the people's daily traditions to the realization of God's Son. In the setup of the account, Luke stressed continuity with Jewish tradition within a family. Joseph and Mary traveled with their clan to Jerusalem for Passover. The capital had the one place where the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob definitely dwelt: the Temple. The importance of the city and its Temple gave a focal point to Jewish spirituality. Both realized the fulfillment of God's promise to Father Abraham for a nation and its land. The family tradition of pilgrimage reinforced the Jewish spiritual focus. Joseph and Mary walked, like their Exodus ancestors, to a place that symbolized Judaism's history and aspirations. The pilgrimage had spiritual overtones, but so did its end point.
Luke mixed images of Jesus in the narrative. At first, Luke introduced Jesus as a young man, a "son of the Law" who had all the rights and the obligations of an adult male. As such, Jesus accompanied Joseph and Mary to the festival in Jerusalem. Yet, when Jesus stayed behind, Luke referred to him as a "young boy," a term that had overtones of enslavement. Whom was he enslaved to? The answer would come later in the narrative.
The search for Jesus heightened the tension between the image of the "son of the Law" and the enslaved minor. The Holy Couple sought for Jesus among his clan, where everyone thought his place should be. (Remember that members of his own clan and his townsfolk would later reject Jesus in Luke 4:14-30) The old would define his place within his family. But the new would define the place of Jesus within a new family, with a new Father.
Joseph and Mary returned to the place where, according to tradition, the Messiah would be revealed in his glory. This was the second of two narrative accounts in which Luke used the place and the people to emphasize that point. In Luke 2:22-38, the parents presented the child at the Temple. And two prophets proclaimed the Good News that the Messiah had been born.
In this second account, Jesus himself revealed his Messiahship with an enigmatic answer. "Did you not know that it was necessary (for) me to be in the (things) of my Father?" As the note mentioned above, the phrase can refer to place (the Temple) or to affairs (his teaching ministry). In either case, Jesus acted in the role God had given him. While Jesus might have been an enfranchised Jewish male, he, as the only Son of God, was enslaved to the will of his Father. Jesus did not really belong to the clan from Nazareth. He belonged to his true Father. Jesus' place was in the Father's house (i.e., building and family). Jesus' mission was to teach the people the way back to the Father. He amazed the teachers just as he would amaze the people along his mission road. But Joseph and Mary did not understand his reasoning.
The tension between the parents and the child began to fulfill the prophecy Simeon made to Mary and foreshadowed Jesus' death and resurrection. The search caused Mary pain and anxiety (one of the swords that pierced her heart). The climax of the story occurred three days after the celebration of Passover (a foreshadowing of the Resurrection).
Despite the confrontation, Jesus grew in honor (wisdom, size, and reputation). Jesus was a faithful Jew as he honored his parents and obeyed the Fourth Commandment. He existed within the old, the Jewish tradition. But all signs pointed to the new. He was the Messiah. And he would reveal God acting in a new way, with a new people.
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Christmas December 25, 2024 - The Nativity of the Lord – Christmas
Lectionary: 16
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 62:11-12
See, the LORD proclaims
to the ends of the earth:
say to daughter Zion,
your savior comes!
Here is his reward with him,
his recompense before him.
They shall be called the holy people,
the redeemed of the LORD,
and you shall be called "Frequented,"
a city that is not forsaken.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
The LORD is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the LORD, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R. A light will shine on us this day: the Lord is born for us.
Reading 2 Ti 3:4-7
Beloved:
When the kindness and generous love
of God our savior appeared,
not because of any righteous deeds we had done
but because of his mercy,
He saved us through the bath of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom he richly poured out on us
through Jesus Christ our savior,
so that we might be justified by his grace
and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Gospel Lk 2:15-20
When the angels went away from them to heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
"Let us go, then, to Bethlehem
to see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us."
So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph,
and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known the message
that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed
by what had been told them by the shepherds.
And Mary kept all these things,
reflecting on them in her heart.
Then the shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told to them
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 62:11-12
The author (Second or Third Isaiah?) proclaimed these few verses as a command to prepare and welcome the returning exiles from Babylon. Yet the message of welcome and hope was not for the returning peoples alone. Jerusalem was in ruin and the local people were also in need of comfort. The desolate city was not abandoned by its God. In fact, those who returned would rebuild the city to its former glory.
In the context of Christmas, we, the faithful, might be like Jerusalem. We might be desolate because we have not heeded the call to turn back to the Lord. But now is the time, the time of our salvation. It is not a time of despair, but one of hope and rejoicing. For deliverance is at hand. In the face of a babe. Christ the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 97:1, 6, 11-12.
Psalm 97 began with praise from creation and ended from the righteous. The earth praised God for his glory and the righteous praised him for his justice. Notice the ideas of creation and justice are linked. Think of the revelation at Mt. Sinai. YHWH demonstrated his power through the natural phenomena of lighting, thunder, and earthquakes; he also demonstrated his power through the gift of his Law and covenant. Psalm 97:2-6 wove these concepts together; God's throne was built on justice and righteousness (97:2b), the heavens proclaimed his justice.
97:7-11 compared the lives of the righteous vs. the evil. God's justice (found in his Law) created the conditions for right living; implicitly, the psalmist used the wisdom of the Law as a reason to declare God "above all other gods," for his righteous judgments were so above that any other deities. Idolaters were shamed by the glory of God because "their gods bowed before the Lord." The nation rejoiced; the faithful would be preserved because of God's judgments.
For the Jew, the glory of God was the demonstration of his activity through nature, throughout their history, and through his Law. One cannot separate God's creative power from his justice. Both are part of his revelation.
The popular view of heaven might be clouds, angels, and the Pearly Gates, but at the center of that view is life with God. That is a life where God's omnipotence and his justice are one and the same. His power and his justice are his true glory.
Reading 2 Ti 3:4-7
When Jesus was born, everything changed. He showed us his love and mercy. He made us right before him so we might share his life. He gave us his very Spirit so we could turn away from immorality and become one of his children. And he gave us that Spirit like a tidal wave!
In the face of a small child, the world changed. God offers us that change, right now. Let's celebrate Christmas with a hardy "Yes" to his offer. He will overwhelm us in response!
Gospel Lk 2:15-20
There are four Masses that are celebrated for the feast of Christmas, and each is given its own set of readings to help us contemplate Christ's birth. The Gospel for the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve is taken from the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus and the angel's announcement of the birth to Joseph. The Mass at midnight proclaims the birth of Jesus through the angels' announcement to the shepherds in the Gospel of Luke. Luke 2:15-20 is the reading for the mass at dawn on Christmas morning. It continues the story of the birth of Jesus as found in Luke's Gospel with the shepherds' visit to the infant Jesus.
It happened in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus for all the inhabited world to have themselves registered (for tax purposes). This was the first registration when Quirinius governed Syria. All traveled to be registered, each into his own city. Joseph went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, into Judea, into the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and clan of David,
Historians dispute whether such a registration actually took place. Luke, however, wanted to proclaim the Good News, not merely report history. He had two themes he wished to advance. First, Luke wanted to place God's plan (having Jesus born in Bethlehem to fulfill Scripture) within a historical setting. Second, he wanted to contrast two types of kings. On the one hand, there was the Caesar who wanted everyone registered so he could enrich himself with taxes on their lands. On the other hand, there was the Christ, the Savior of all, who was born within this mass registration. One king took taxes. The other king gave as a servant among the people.
The Infancy Narratives in Luke have some common threads. The proclamation of the Good News by the heavenly messenger was always meant with fear. But, confirmation of the event that was proclaimed was meant with joy. Both Zechariah (1:12) and Mary (1:29), as well as the shepherds, received the angelic message with fear. The announcing angel first bid calm, then proclaimed the "Evangelion," the message of the coming Messiah. Zechariah (1:64, 67-80) and Mary (1:46-55) praised God in joy after the message and its fulfillment.
These verses of the shepherds mark the joy-filled movement of this cycle. Just as Mary traveled to Elizabeth to confirm the Good News of her pregnancy (1:39-40), the shepherds traveled to confirm the birth announced to them. Their proclamation spread wonder in the same way Peter and Paul gained audiences in Acts. (Mary was the lone exception. She kept her silence in the presence of the male shepherds, just as a male dominated, gender segregated society expected. But, Luke used that silence as a means to demonstrate intelligent reflection, a trait society did not expect women to have!). In the end, they returned to their fields with joyful praise as believers.
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Sunday December 22, 2024 Fourth Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 12
Lectionary:
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Mi 5:1-4a
Thus says the LORD:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
one who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origin is from of old,
from ancient times.
Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time
when she who is to give birth has borne,
and the rest of his kindred shall return
to the children of Israel.
He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock
by the strength of the LORD,
in the majestic name of the LORD, his God;
and they shall remain, for now his greatness
shall reach to the ends of the earth;
he shall be peace.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hearken,
from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Rouse your power,
and come to save us.
R Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
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. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
May your help be with the man of your right hand,
with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.
Reading 2 Heb 10:5-10
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came into the world, he said:
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.
Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll,
behold, I come to do your will, O God.'"
First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings,
holocausts and sin offerings,
you neither desired nor delighted in."
These are offered according to the law.
Then he says, :Behold, I come to do your will."
He takes away the first to establish the second.
By this "will," we have been consecrated
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Gospel Lk 1:39-45
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Mi 5:1-4a
In order to understand the benevolent image in today's reading of the coming ruler it is necessary to fill in the landscape in which this savior will bestow nourishment and salvation.
At the outset, it is also important to suspend the notion that this is a foretelling of the coming Jesus of Nazareth. Doing so will help you first to see Micah's own times and hear his own voice before layering onto it the Christological lens so familiar to Christian preachers.
If we think only in terms of this coming one as Jesus, we miss Micah's message to his own people. We lose scripture's assertion -- and the proclamation of the prophet -- that LORD speaks in each moment of history to that particular time. If we think of Micah's words only as foretelling a future savior, the LORD's concern for the present is lost.
The speeches of the prophet we know as Micah are believed to refer to events around the eighth century BCE, a time of great unrest and turmoil for the northern kingdom and Jerusalem because of the domineering strength of the Assyrian nation. The people to whom Micah's words were directed had no chance to match the warring might of their neighbors. Micah insisted that the only hope for them was to trust in the LORD's power by remaining faithful.
Micah's prophecy rails against the social and moral abuse rampant in the land. We know the situation by looking at the book of Micah as a whole. Those with power have taken away from the poor their land and inheritances (2:1-5), evicted widows from their homes (2:9), fixed the scales and weights to cheat customers (6:10-11), taken bribes (7:3), and more. The language is as graphic (3:1-3) as the butchery of Sweeney Todd, so horribly do the "haves" treat those who have less. Baal worship is officially endorsed by the rulers (6:16). The LORD will not tolerate this disobedience.
But the LORD's wrath is not just against the political rulers and the wealthy, it is also against the prophets and religious authorities whose words serve only themselves: "who cry 'Peace' when they have something to eat, but declare war against those who put nothing into their mouths" (3:5). There is no hope for them, for "the sun shall go down upon the prophets, and the day shall be black over them..." (3:6). Micah declares the ruin of the holy city Jerusalem.
From out of the devastation, however, the day will come when righteousness and peace will be restored. Micah's familiar image of swords being beaten into plowshares forms part of this portrait of a coming peace when, once again, everyone will sit under vines and fig trees on land they own (4:3).
The seven chapters in Micah can be outlined as collections of speeches containing oracles of punishment and then prophecies of salvation. Chapter 5 includes the first promise of restoration. The people will have their land back. Because land is vital to survival, identity, and a future, retrieving a place on which to fashion a life means salvation. Much of the language here is about protecting the land from the Assyrians, the great power menacing the little nations around it.
The reading for today proclaims that out of one of those little nations will come the one who brings security. That savior is, of course, interpreted in the Christian scriptures as Jesus, making it natural that we should immediately think of him. Matthew 2:5-6 gives us the scene in which the wise men ask King Herod how they are to find the child who is the king of the Jews. The suddenly alarmed king calls his advisors into the situation room and asks where this Messiah was to be born. The advisors remind Herod of the scripture that addresses Bethlehem: "for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel." (2:6b)
The verses from Micah are also recalled in John 7:32-43: “Does not scripture say that the Messiah will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” (7:42). Another interpretation might see the promised salvation as a social, political, or economic arrangement that creates justice for all and whose origin is not known for dominance over others.
By pondering the image that Micah sets out rather than leaping to the assumption that this coming savior is the Christian Christ, we can look for the correspondence between disparate ages of human history with divergent needs, all being saved by a God who is justice, kindness, and humility itself. Faith in God and joy in the coming incarnation is not dependent on the prophet's accurate future predictions. That would be proving a point. The power of Micah's image is not in its foretelling but in its truthfulness. The God who cared for "the little clans of Judah" still cares for the faithful needy ones. And we are everywhere.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19.
This very touching and beautiful psalm purports also to be a psalm of Asaph. Compare the notes at the title to Psalm 60:1-12. The word rendered eduth, which means testimony, may have been used here with reference to the contents of the psalm as a public testimony in regard to the dealings of God with his people. But it is not possible now to determine with certainty the meaning of these titles.
The psalm, in its design, has a strong resemblance to Psalm 79:1-13, and was probably composed on the same occasion. It has been generally supposed to have reference to the time of the Babylonian captivity. Some have referred it, however, to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes; and others regard it as a prayer of the ten tribes which had been carried away to Assyria.
The first part is a prayer, addressed to God as a shepherd - as one who had led his people like a flock - that he would again shine forth on them now that they were in trouble, and that he would stir up his strength, and come and save them, Psalm 80:1-3.
The second is a prayer, also - founded on the troubles of his people; a people fed with their tears; a strife to their neighbors; and an occasion of laughter or mirth to their foes, Psalm 80:4-7.
The third is also a prayer - founded on the former dealings of God with his people, on his care for them in ancient times, and on the fact that they were now desolate; their state being represented under the image of a vine brought from abroad; planted with care; attentively nurtured until it sent out its branches in every direction, so that it filled the land; and then broken down - torn - rent - trampled on - by a wild boar out of the wood, Psalm 80:8-19. In view of this desolation the psalmist prays that God would interpose, and he pledges the assurance that if this were done for them, the people would no more go back from God.
Reading 2 Heb 10:5-10
Christ was obedient not only in his death, but from the moment of his coming into the world.
This is the message of today's reading. The author's declaration here is close to Paul's statement in Romans 3:25, where he speaks of God putting forward Jesus "as an expiation through faith in his blood." Yet, it is not Paul that the author of Hebrews has in mind.
What we find here is a positive explanation of Christ's priestly act. What is said about Christ is in reply to the inability of the priestly or Levitical sacrificial system to perfect the individual's conscience. The author said in 9:14 that the perfection of conscience was the goal of worship. The speaker here is Christ. In fact, it is only the second time in this book that Jesus himself speaks. More importantly, these words are ascribed to Christ "when [he] came into the world" (Hebrews 10:5). Thus, the complete obedience that is the essence of Christ's priesthood is also expressive of his character. One may clearly see this in his faithful and obedient sacrifice on the cross, but the author wants us to understand that Christ was faithful at the moment of his coming into existence. Jesus is the son who "learned obedience through what he suffered", and did so from the beginning.
Christ enters the world reciting the words of Psalm 40:6-8. The two statements express Jesus' priestly role, his mediation between humanity and God. Earlier in Hebrew 2:12-13, Jesus speaks of his complete solidarity with his brothers and sisters. In today's passage, he declares his utter commitment to God's will (10:5). The choice of this psalm has been called inspired by some scholars. A psalm of David, which makes it eminently appropriate for the messiah, the psalm expresses confidence and hope in God even in circumstances of persecution. Placed in Hebrews, it expresses the contrast between the sacrifices of the first covenant, which was external, and the response of faithful obedience to God's will, which is internal. It is this internal transformation that the author regards as the essence of the true worship of God.
The actual verses quoted from the psalm come from the Septuagint (i.e., the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures) rather than the Hebrew. This is most evident in the use of the term "body," which does not appear in the Hebrew rendition. (It has "ear.") The point appears to be that Jesus was committed entirely to God, including his body.
By contrast, the quotation that appears in 10:7 presents something of a problem. Outside of the grammar, which is challenging, the meaning of "in the scroll of the book" is unclear. Since this is a psalm of David, the author appears to be making a connection between the ideal king, who has the will of God written in his heart, and the messiah's analogous dedication to the divine will. The messiah is completely and utterly committed to doing what the Lord desires.
The purpose of the priestly sacrificial system was the sanctification of the people. Yet, the author says that it could not accomplish what it desired, setting the people apart as a kingdom of priests mediating God's will to the nations (see e.g., Exodus 19:6). This is highlighted by the statement, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired . . . in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you have taken no pleasure" (Hebrews 10:5-6).
Some have taken this language as supersessionist, the idea that the covenant with Israel has been voided by God and replaced by a new one with Christians. It does not appear that the author's statement is that strong. There is no outright rejection of the Torah here. In fact, the author's use of "the scroll of the book" mitigates against such an understanding. Nevertheless, Hebrews is saying that the access to God claimed by the proponents of the priestly system is untrue. What God desires is faithful obedience, which places this claim in Hebrews in the same vein as those made by the prophets. The sort of obedience that Hebrews understands as perfecting the conscience is not found in such ritual observances.
Jesus declares, "I have come to do your will, O God" (10:7). It was through a single-minded obedience of Christ's will and -- most pointedly -- body, says Hebrews, that our sanctification through God's will has come about. The author wants us to see that the incarnation is explained by the atonement, but the atonement would never have come about without Christ's faithful obedience.
Gospel
After the angel Gabriel's visit at the Annunciation, Mary immediately set out from Nazareth in Galilee to visit her kinswoman Elizabeth in Judea. She probably joined a caravan traveling to Jerusalem, making the 7-8-day journey to a town in the hill country of Judea. According to a Christian tradition that predates the Crusades, Elizabeth and her husband, the priest Zechariah, lived in Ein Kerem, about four miles west of Jerusalem (Shrines of the Holy Land, pages 125-29). After the covenant people returned from the Babylonian exile, the Book of Nehemiah records that the chief priests took up residence in or near Jerusalem (Neh 11:3).
As was the custom, Elizabeth was in seclusion for the first five months of her pregnancy, as the ancients counted without the concept of a zero place-value, but four months as we count (Lk 1:24). It was the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, but the fifth month, as we count (Lk 1:36), when Mary traveled to visit her relative immediately after the Incarnation. Mary's desire to see her kinswoman was probably prompted by the Holy Spirit as well as by her need to share her experience with someone who would understand.
When Mary entered the house, and Elizabeth first heard Mary's voice (Lk 1:40), the fetus of St. John the Baptist, recognizing the presence of his Lord, leaped for joy within his mother's womb (Lk 1:41, 44). The unborn St. John's response to Mary and the unborn Christ recalls God's words to Jeremiah: Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you (Jer 1:5). Think of the horror of abortion taking place daily as children, personally known by God from the womb and given as His holy gift, are violently murdered before (and in some cases after) their birth.
In Elizabeth's Holy Spirit-inspired greeting to her kinswoman, she gave three blessings in verses 42-45:
She blessed Mary.
She blessed Jesus.
She blessed the faith God gave Mary.
Elizabeth's third blessing for Mary: Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled was because of her belief in contrast to Zechariah's unbelief (Lk 1:18-20). Mary is the first Christian. Her belief does not waver during the years of Jesus's ministry or His Passion. She also faithfully prayed together with those who believed and waited for the coming of the Paraclete (Holy Spirit) in the Upper Room forty days after Jesus's Ascension and fifty days after His Resurrection (Acts 1:13-14).
Bible scholars (both ancient and modern) noticed the similarity between Elizabeth's rhetorical question in Luke 1:43 and King David's rhetorical question in 2 Samuel 6:9 when he said: How can the Ark of the Lord come to me? David was speaking of the Ark of the Covenant. They saw Elizabeth's question as an intentional comparison between Mary and the Ark of the Covenant, the dwelling place of God among His people. See the chart on Mary as the Ark of the New Covenant). Verse 56 appears to confirm the comparison where Mary remained in Elizabeth's house in the Judean hill country three months or two months as we count, just as the Ark stayed in the Judean hill country house of Obed-edom for the same length of time in 2 Samuel 6:11.
When Elizabeth said, "my Lord" in verse 43 and "the Lord" in verse 45, she referred to Jesus in verse 43 and God in verse 45. She refers to the Divinity of Jesus and, therefore, to Mary as "the mother of God." By the strength of Elizabeth's statement, prompted by the Holy Spirit, the Council of Ephesus declared Mary the "Mother of Jesus" and the "Mother of God" in AD 431. CCC 495: "Called in the Gospels 'the mother of Jesus,' Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as 'the mother of my Lord.' In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly 'Mother of God' (Theotokos)." Also, see CCC 466, 495, and 509.
From what Elizabeth said in verse 45, she knows what the angel Gabriel told her husband and what the angel told Mary. It is knowledge imparted to her by the Holy Spirit in the moment of her joy, but other information must also have been shared with her by her husband (see Lk 1:60 where she knows the child's name before Zechariah's speech returned). For other references to the expression "fruit of your womb" in Scripture, see where God promised to bless Israel for covenant obedience: He will love and bless and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the produce of your soil (Dt 7:13). Also, see Psalms 127:3 where Children too are a gift from the LORD [Yahweh], the fruit of the womb, a reward. Therefore, to reject the birth of a child is to reject a gift from God.
Like the Virgin Mary, Elizabeth knew Jesus's identity as the Divine Messiah and Son of God. It was a revelation the angel Gabriel shared with Mary at the Annunciation that was later revealed to her kinswoman Elizabeth by the Holy Spirit at Mary's visitation. Has the Holy Spirit revealed Jesus's true identity to you, and do you believe He has the power to save you from your sins? Do you recognize His visitation in the miracle of the Eucharist when, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus comes to greet you as a disciple and nourish you on your journey to salvation? If so, share that joy with everyone you meet, for you are keeping company with saints and angels in the knowledge the Holy Spirit has revealed to you!
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Look at the word search puzzle below. Have you ever done this kind of puzzle before. Did you find it easy? Have you ever gotten stuck when trying to do these kinds of puzzles? Is it easier to work on these puzzles alone or with others?
- Sometimes finding God in our lives can feel like doing a word search or hidden-picture puzzle. Our faith tells us that God is present in our lives, but we may not readily see God or God's actions. When that happens, we may need help to find God. Often we can find that help from other people. In today's Gospel, we hear about Mary's visit to her cousin, Elizabeth. These women helped one another see God working in their lives. Let's listen to this Gospel.
- Do you remember what led Mary to visit Elizabeth? (The angel Gabriel told her that her cousin, Elizabeth, was with child.) What was this a sign of? (that Mary herself was to bear a child; that nothing is impossible with God) What did Elizabeth say happened at the sound of Mary's greeting? (Elizabeth's child leapt for joy.) Note that this child was John the Baptist.
- Mary traveled to see Elizabeth because Elizabeth's pregnancy was a sign that everything the angel told Mary would truly happen. Elizabeth and Mary rejoiced together at the wonderful things God was doing in their lives. We too are blessed when we have people who help us recognize God's action in our lives. Think now if there are people in your life who help you in this way. This is one of the things people try to do for one another in our Church community.
- Pray thanking God for people who help us recognize God's presence and action in our lives. Pray the Prayer to the Holy Spirit.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.
Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES -------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Mi 5:1-4a
Micah announced that the Redeemer-Messiah promised since Adam's fall from grace (Gen 3:15) would be born in Bethlehem, a village in the tribal lands of Judah and the birthplace of the great King David. Like his ancestor David, He would be a future ruler from humble origins. His destiny was to rule the covenant people, but His divine authority would extend to the ends of the earth, and His mission would be to inaugurate an era of peace with God (verses 3-4a). No Davidic king or his mother fulfills Micha's description of the promised Davidic Messiah and his mother (the "she" of verse 3) other than Jesus and Mary. Micah's prophecy also recalls passages from Isaiah 7:14, 9:5-6, 11:1-4, and God's eternal covenant with David that his heir would rule forever over an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam 7:12-16; 23:5; Ps 89:3; Dan 2:44; etc.).
Jewish and Christian traditions interpret Malachi 5:1-4 as a Messianic prophecy. The Jewish view appears in the writings of the Jewish Talmud (Pesahim, 51.1 and Nedarim, 39.2). In the New Testament, St. Matthew applies Micah's prophecy to Mary and Jesus, quoting Micah 5:1 from the LXX (Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, which varies slightly from the Hebrew) as an Old Testament fulfillment passage (Mt 2:4-6). St. Matthew wrote: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel. Micah's prophecy includes the powerful message that the promised Messiah is more than an ordinary man since his "origin is from old, from ancient times." Micah's "shepherd" imagery recalls the Messiah's Bethlehem ancestor, the shepherd boy David, anointed by God to be a king to "shepherd" His people Israel (2 Sam 5:1-2; Mt 1:1) and his heir who God would send to "shepherd" His covenant people (Ezek 34:23-24).
Jesus identified Himself as the "Good Shepherd" (Jn chapter 10) sent by God the Father to gather the "lost sheep" of the house of Israel (Mt 10:6; 15:24; 18:11; Lk 15:6). And when the Magi came seeking the newborn King of the Jews, St. Matthew recorded that the chief priests advised King Herod of the prophecy identifying Bethlehem of Judea as the birthplace of the Messiah, quoting Malachi 5:1 in Matthew 2:6. St. John's Gospel also records the opinion of the religious leaders' response to Jesus coming from the Galilee, objecting that He could not be the Messiah when they protested: Is the Christ to come from the Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ [Messiah] is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was? (Jn 7:40-42).
Christian tradition has always interpreted Micah 5:1-4 as a prophecy of the birth of the Christ/Messiah in Bethlehem. "Christos" is the Greek word Christians used for the Hebrew word Mashiach, "Messiah." "Bethlehem" is a village whose name means "house of bread." It is a meaningful name for the birthplace of the One who announced that He came as the "bread of life" for the salvation of humanity. After the miracle feeding of the five thousand, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst (Jn 6:35); it is a promise He fulfills in the miracle of the Eucharist. Early Christian apologist Tertullian (c. AD 155- c. 197) wrote: "Since the children of Israel accuse us of grave error because we believe in Christ, who has come, let us show them from the Scriptures that the Christ who was foretold has come ... He was born in Bethlehem in Judah, as the prophet foretold: 'But you, O Bethlehem are by no means least ...' (Mal 5:2)" (Adversus Iudaeos, 13). And St. Irenaeus (c. AD 135- c. 202) wrote: "In his day, the prophet Micah told us of the place where the Christ would be born: Bethlehem, in Judah. 'O Bethlehem ... too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler of Israel.' Bethlehem is also the homeland of David, and Christ was from the line of David, not only because he was born of the Virgin, but because he was born in Bethlehem" (Demonstratio praedicationis apostolicae, 63).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19.
When the United Kingdom of Israel split into the two kingdoms of the Northern Kingdom Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah, the people of the Northern Kingdom were rebellious and apostatized from their covenant with Yahweh. They were no longer obedient to God's laws. They abandoned the Temple in Jerusalem, established a separate non-Aaronic priesthood, and worshiped Yahweh together with false gods whenever and wherever they pleased (1 Kng 12:26-32; 13:33; 2 Kng 17:7-23). The Southern Kingdom of Judah remained loyal to the Davidic kings but also fell into periods of apostasy until a good Davidic king emerged to take the throne and call them to repentance and covenant restoration, holding back God's hand of judgment.
In verse 2, the covenant people acknowledge that they are still the flock of God's pasture and God is their Divine Shepherd who ruled over them (see Ps 79:13 in the previous psalm). They made a petition for God's intervention to save them despite their failures, directing their plea to Yahweh's Divine Presence enthroned above the cherubim of the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was the covenant people's most sacred shrine kept in the Holy of Holies of Yahweh's Temple in the Southern Kingdom of Judah's capital, the city of Jerusalem (Ex 25:10-17, 22; 26:34).
The people complained that because God was angry with them, He had broken down the wall protecting the once splendid "vine" of Israel that He redeemed from Egypt and planted in the Promised Land of Canaan (verses 15-16). The "vine" is a metaphor for Israel that frequently appears in Scripture and is one of the recurring symbolic images of the prophets (see Is 5:1-7; 27:2-5; Jer 2:21; Hos 10:1; and in the New Testament Mt 21:22). The people petitioned God in verses 16 and 18 to send a "strong man," a "son of man," referring to a spiritually strong human man, chosen by God and upon whom His favor rests, to save them from destruction. They were probably thinking of a "son of man," who is another like the great King David who ruled the United Kingdom of Israel in the late 11th century BC. Then they promised if God sent such a man to save them, they would repent, turn once again to God, and be obedient to His covenant (verse 19).
At the great turning point in salvation history, God will send a "Son of Man," who was also a son of David, to save His covenant people. "Son of Man" is Jesus' favorite title for Himself (He uses it for Himself about 80 times in the Gospels). Jesus came to save not only the "lost sheep" of Israel but to redeem all humanity with a gift of "new life" (petition in verse 19) and fulfill the prophet Daniel's vision of "one like a Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven" to whom God gives "dominion, glory, and kingship" (Dan 7:13). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep (Jn 10:12-14). His Kingdom of the Church fulfills Daniel's prophecy of the "Son of Man" who ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9-11) and where Nations and peoples of every language serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed (Dan 7:14).
Reading 2 Heb 10:5-10
The "he" who came into the world in verses 5-9 is Jesus Christ, and it is Jesus who is the implied speaker. The inspired writer's argument concerning the imperfection of blood sacrifice is that God rejected animal sacrifices as a means of atoning for sins when He sent His Son as the single unblemished sacrifice to redeem humanity from the curse of sin. Under the old covenants, the expiation for sins was never in the animal's death but through the repentance, humility, and submission before God of the person offering atonement (1 Sam 15:22; Hos 6:6).
The inspired writer of the Letter to the Hebrews identified David as the writer of Psalm 95 in Hebrews 4:7 and 3:7 (David is the inspired writer of many psalms). St. Peter will quote Psalm 16:8-11 and attribute it to David, who he calls a prophet in Acts 2:25-28 from the LXX (Ps 15:8-11 in LXX). What is "written in the scroll" (Heb 10:7) refers to the Law of the Torah/Pentateuch that predates the Psalms, written centuries after God gave the Law at Mount Sinai. The Psalms were primarily written from the time of King David and during the period of the United Monarchy. It is likely that "the Law" of the Sinai Covenant is the subject of "the scroll." "The Law" is also the scroll or book mentioned in Hebrews 9:19, and the inadequacy of Mosaic Law to bring salvation is a significant theme in the Letter to the Hebrews. If the commands and prohibitions of Mosaic Law foreshadowed what Jesus accomplished in His self-sacrifice, then Jesus is, according to the Letter to the Hebrews, uniquely qualified to speak to us prophetically through His ancestor David concerning the imperfection and inadequacy of the Levitical animal sacrifices, which were only a shadow of what was to come through His sacrifice (Col 2:17).
The writer of Hebrews quotes from the Greek Septuagint version (LXX) of the Old Testament in verses 7-9a (verses 6-8 in some translations) from Psalm 40 in our translations, but 39:7-9 in the Septuagint. The chapter and the later verse divisions were not included in Bibles until the 13th and 17th centuries AD. The Jewish Masoretic Version was a revised Old Testament text dating to the Middle Ages. In contrast, the Septuagint text predated Christ and was the main translation used in Jesus's time and quoted in the New Testament. Differences appear in the phrase "but a body you prepared (fashioned) for me," missing from the Jewish Masoretic version. It is a significant variation since the New Testament writer of Hebrews identifies this passage as a prophecy of the Incarnation and Christ's submission to the will of the Father in His self-sacrifice.
Gospel Lk 1:39-45
On this the last Sunday before Christmas, our Gospel reading prepares us to witness Christ's birth by showing us how Jesus was recognized as Israel's long-awaited Messiah even before his birth. The Gospel turns our attention from the ministry of John the Baptist to the events that preceded John the Baptist's birth. The story of John the Baptist and his parents, Elizabeth and Zechariah, are reported only in Luke's Gospel. Luke pairs the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus, establishing John's early connection to the Messiah.
Our Gospel reading recalls Mary's actions after the announcement of Jesus' birth by the angel Gabriel. Mary goes to visit Elizabeth, her cousin, who is also with child. Elizabeth greets Mary with full recognition of the roles that they and their unborn children will play in God's plan for salvation. If we were to continue to read the verses that follow in Luke's Gospel, we would hear Mary respond to Elizabeth's greeting with her song of praise, the Magnificat. Both women recall and echo God's history of showing favor upon the people of Israel.
In Luke's Gospel the Holy Spirit helps reveal Jesus' identity as God to those who believe. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and sings Mary's praise because she bears the Lord. We sing these words of praise to Mary in the Hail Mary. Even John the Baptist, the unborn child in Elizabeth's womb, is said to recognize the presence of the Lord and leaps for joy.
It is appropriate in this season of Advent that we consider the role of Mary in God's plan of salvation. Elizabeth describes Mary as the first disciple, as the one who believed that God's word to her would be fulfilled. Mary's faith enabled her to recognize the work of God in her people's history and in her own life. Her openness to God allowed God to work through her so that salvation might come to everyone. Because of this, Mary is a model and symbol of the Church. May we be like Mary, open and cooperative in God's plan for salvation.
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Sunday December 15, 2024 Third Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 9
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Zep 3:14-18a
Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!
Sing joyfully, O Israel!
Be glad and exult with all your heart,
O daughter Jerusalem!
The LORD has removed the judgment against you
he has turned away your enemies;
the King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,
you have no further misfortune to fear.
On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a mighty savior;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
and renew you in his love,
he will sing joyfully because of you,
as one sings at festivals.
Responsorial Psalm Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
R. Cry out with joy and gladness: for among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.
Reading 2 Phil 4:4-7
Brothers and sisters:
Rejoice in the Lord always.
I shall say it again: rejoice!
Your kindness should be known to all.
The Lord is near.
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.
Gospel Lk 3:10-18
The crowds asked John the Baptist,
“What should we do?”
He said to them in reply,
“Whoever has two cloaks
should share with the person who has none.
And whoever has food should do likewise.”
Even tax collectors came to be baptized and they said to him,
“Teacher, what should we do?”
He answered them,
“Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.”
Soldiers also asked him,
“And what is it that we should do?”
He told them,
“Do not practice extortion,
do not falsely accuse anyone,
and be satisfied with your wages.”
Now the people were filled with expectation,
and all were asking in their hearts
whether John might be the Christ.
John answered them all, saying,
“I am baptizing you with water,
but one mightier than I is coming.
I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
His winnowing fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor
and to gather the wheat into his barn,
but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
Exhorting them in many other ways,
he preached good news to the people.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Zep 3:14-18a
The third Sunday of Advent traditionally has a focus on joy. And, indeed, almost all the texts for this Sunday speak of joy.
Our reading from Zephaniah sets the tone: Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! (3:14). The prophet piles on the exhortations to joy: exult, rejoice, sing, shout!
Why this invitation to sing the Hallelujah Chorus? Because the LORD has issued a pardon and commuted Israel's sentence. The judgments against Judah and Jerusalem are turned aside, and the nation (or at least a remnant thereof) is set free (see Zephaniah 3:12-13).
According to the superscription of the book (Zephaniah 1:1), Zephaniah prophesied during the reign of King Josiah (640-609 BCE), before the Babylonian exile. The passage chosen as the reading for today, however, may have been added after the exile. It differs markedly in tone from the earlier parts of the book (which are largely about judgment) and it speaks of "gathering" the outcasts (3:19-20).
Whether the passage is exilic (period of exile) or pre-exilic, the message is clear: God is for Israel. God has forgiven her iniquities, which are detailed earlier in the book--complacency (1:12); corrupt leaders (3:3-4); injustice (3:1, 5). And not only is "daughter Zion" forgiven, but the LORD himself is with her. Therefore, says the prophet, "Fear not!" (3:16). It is the injunction spoken to everyone who encounters the near presence of the LORD, or the LORD's angel, a presence gracious but nonetheless terrifying. In this Advent season, Zechariah and Mary both hear those words: Fear not!
Fear not. Do not be afraid. Why? Because "the king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst" (3:15). If this oracle is indeed exilic, it is addressing the loss of a Davidic monarch. Israel has no need of a descendant of David, the prophet seems to say; the LORD himself is Israel's king. And this king will not leave. He dwells in the midst of his people so that they need not fear disaster anymore.
The image shifts, from God as pardoning judge and king, to God as savior and warrior, one who rescues Israel from all her enemies. It is striking that in this verse (verse 17), some of the same words for "rejoicing" come up again; but this time, it is the LORD who is the subject of the verbs! Human beings are not the only ones who are filled with joy; God, too, bursts into song! Why? Because the relationship is restored. The love between God and Israel is renewed. We hear in verse 17 strong echoes of the biblical metaphor that pictures the relationship between God and Israel as a love affair, a marriage.
In the last few verses, the image shifts one more time, to God as shepherd, gathering the lame and the ones who have strayed, and bringing them home again. The LORD will give them a "name" (renown) and change their shame into praise, in the sight of "all the peoples of the earth" (3:19-20).
We are accustomed to images of God as judge. (Indeed, much of Zephaniah uses such imagery.) We are accustomed to images of God as shepherd, gathering the flock into the fold. But how often do we imagine God as one who rejoices? One who sings? Yet here, in our text, God and God's people alike are caught up in a joy that overflows into song, a joy that springs from love renewed, relationship restored.
This joy is not one-sided. It is not simply God's people who rejoice because God has forgiven and restored them. That is an altogether understandable reaction to God's redemption. It is not simply God's people who rejoice. God, too, sings and shouts with joy over this love restored. The divine heart overflows with jubilation!.
This Sunday, we speak of joy, the joy of a people redeemed and restored, but also the joy of a God who is deeply invested in the life of the world. God sings. God shouts. God rejoices. And we, we who are wondrously and inexplicably God's beloved, join in the celebration.
Responsorial Psalm Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.
Chapter 12 provides a transition between Isaiah’s narrative of Judah’s history, marked by periods of obedience and disobedience to God’s will, and oracles of judgment against the nations. The chapter reflects the context of chapters 1-39, with Judah living under the grip of Assyria’s domination, and it points to the theme of God’s comfort for those returned from Babylonian exile in chapters 40-66.
It also points toward the day of God’s judgment and salvation -- a day of joy, exaltation, and praise. That day, which is referred to twice in chapter 12, is described gloriously in 2:2-4: the peoples of the world will stream to the mountain of the Lord, where God will instruct and judge, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. The day of which Isaiah 12 sings is the day when the peace of God will finally be established upon the earth, and the nations of the world will wage war no more.
Two distinct voices can be heard in Isaiah 12, possibly reflecting the linkage of two hymns for the purposes of communal worship. The chapter begins with an individual’s song of thanks for God’s anger being turned away (verse 1), and of praise for God’s salvation (verse 2). In this verse an almost exact echo of the song of Moses following the deliverance of the people of Israel from Pharaoh’s army is heard: “The Lord is my strength and my might, and he has become my salvation” (Exodus 15:4).
The speaker demonstrates that God continues to provide deliverance of God’s people from all that may enslave them. In verse four, the song continues in a communal voice, praising God’s glorious acts of salvation and calling on the people to make that glory known through all the earth (verses 4 and 5). The singer calls upon the people to live in expectation of the day of salvation and, in so doing, to make the kingdom of God known here and now.
Zion is exalted because the ineffable and majestic God, the “holy one of Israel” (verse 6), has actually chosen to live in her midst. The two parts of the song are linked by verse three. The verse is a promise to the people that on the day of judgment they will know in abundance the joy of God’s salvation.
Water is a common motif in the Hebrew Scriptures. There are narratives of God’s miraculous provision of water for desperate persons (Genesis 21:19) and communities (Exodus 17:1-7). Water is often used as a metaphor for salvation (Isaiah 35:6-7 and 55:1; Ezekiel 47:1-12). And water represents the very presence of God with individuals (Psalm 42:1 and 63:1) and with communities (Isaiah 44:3).
Here in Isaiah 12:3, the “wells of salvation” from which the people will draw seem to reflect both salvation and divine presence, as the reference to God’s indwelling with Israel suggests.
The wells of salvation, the water of God’s gracious presence, are bottomless, endless. These are the waters that give life, restoring vibrancy to a world that is dying of thirst, and seeking wholeness for those overwhelmed by the floods of destruction.
The water of forgiveness, of liberation from all that holds us in captivity, of refreshment of souls that are parched for grace, is the same water of which Jesus speaks to the Samaritan woman at the well: “but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14). The water of salvation that flows with the very presence of God is coming again to the world in endless supply for our deepest need.
Reading 2 Phil 4:4-7
It's an exclamation we've heard time and time again, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4).
The two-fold expression to rejoice echoes what the apostle said in 3:1, "Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord." Rejoicing is a keynote of this letter. The inclusion of the pantote, translated as "always," can also be rendered "at all times." The statement calls for an ongoing activity, one not based upon the particular circumstances of the apostle's readers. In one way, this adverb points to the future and its possible trials. The idea then is to keep on rejoicing in the Lord at all times, regardless of what may come upon you.
At this point, it is important to remember that Paul wrote this from prison. As portrayed in Acts, Paul and Silas, although beaten and in prison, sang hymns and prayed (Acts 16:25). Thus, the apostle has already demonstrated to his congregation what it means to rejoice in adversity. (At 2 Corinthians 6:10 Paul speaks of himself as "sorrowful yet always rejoicing.")
The key to understanding Paul's exhortation to rejoice is that it is "in the Lord." This signifies that the Lord is either the object of our rejoicing or its grounding, the one in whom our joy thrives. This continuous rejoicing in the Lord is a very important concept for Paul. It is a distinguishing mark for Christians (see Romans 12:12) and a characteristic of life in the kingdom of God (14:17). It is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It becomes evident during times of suffering and trial (Romans 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 6:10; 8:2-3).
In the third short sentence, the term to epieikes "gentleness") is tricky to translate. Its use in the Greek language includes "what is fitting," "magnanimity," and "reasonableness." It can also be understood to describe the clemency of a ruler. Undoubtedly, the Philippians would have been aware of the purported benevolence of the Roman emperors. If the Christian life is to be characterized by joy it is also distinguished by a gentleness that is known to all. It is akin to being merciful.
In a world where strict adherence to the letter of the law would lead to injustice, epieikeia knew how to act with fairness. The treatment of Jesus highlights for Paul what this gentleness is all about (see 2 Corinthians 10:1). Thus, the gentleness he describes is the response of a person who has suffered injustice and disgrace.
The "gentleness" that Christians have is to be made "known to all sorts of people" (Philippians 4:5). This idea harkens back to something Paul says earlier in the letter, "Only live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ" (1:27). Politeuesthe "live your life") denotes life as a citizen. And so, the idea of living in two communities -- the church and the civic community -- is intoned with this exhortation to gentleness. It reminds us that the church should not be too preoccupied with its own interests.
The shortest sentence is the fourth: kurios eggus ("the Lord is near"). It combines ethics and eschatology, although its meaning is not entirely clear because of the ambiguity surrounding how eggus is supposed to be understood. Like its English counterpart, eggus can be understood spatially or temporally. Spatially, it means "near" or "close at hand." If this is true, then "near" here signifies that the Lord is close to or present with the Philippians. Thus, the Lord is aware of their conduct as well as a ready source for their aid. Temporally, it means the Jesus' second coming is imminent. The early Christians often would say, Marana tha ("Come, O Lord"). Thus, this statement would be a parallel to such exclamations (see 1 Corinthians 16:22; Revelation 22:20), and fits well with what the apostle says in 3:20-21 about the readers eagerly awaiting Jesus' return from heaven. The truth may be that both understandings are correct. Paul may have intended to include both ideas of time and space in his use of eggus: the Lord whose return is imminent is also continually near his people to guide them.
Why place this admonition here? Well, it could serve to connect what was said earlier about gentleness to what is said afterwards about anxiety. In other words, as he exhorts them to rejoice, the apostle commands them to let their gentleness to be known to all, and not to be anxious.
We are not only urged to stop worrying about anything, but also exhorted in every situation to make our requests known to God. In 4:6 three synonyms for prayer are heaped together. The Philippians are urged, as a corrective to their anxiety, to let their specific requests be made known to God. Paul is echoing Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount, "your heavenly Father knows that you need them." Paul may be urging Christians to cast all of our cares upon God (cf. 1 Peter 5:7). In doing so, we acknowledge our total dependence upon God.
The longest sentence is the last. Paul tells us that the result of laying out our cares to God is that God's peace, which is more wonderful than anyone can imagine, will stand guard over our hearts and minds. While we are still vulnerable, we are also assured of God's concern and protection.
Gospel Lk 3:10-18
This Sunday's Gospel continues last week's focus on John the Baptist and his role in preparing the way for Christ. Recall that last week's reading described John's appearance in the desert and established his connection with the prophetic tradition of Israel. If we were to read Luke's Gospel continuously, we would learn about John the Baptist challenging the crowds who came to him and calling upon them to show evidence of their repentance. John tells his listeners that they cannot rely on their lineage as Israelites because children of Abraham can be raised up from stones. Repentance, rather, must be observable in one's actions. Here, Luke is continuing to set up two important themes of his Gospel message: the Christian faith is expressed in one's actions, and the call to salvation is extended to everyone, Jews and Gentiles.
In today's Gospel reading, the crowds ask John the Baptist for specifics. What evidence of repentance is required? John replies by naming concrete actions: crowds should share their food and cloaks; tax collectors should be just; soldiers should act fairly. The concern for justice is a hallmark of Luke's Gospel.
When the crowd begins to wonder if John the Baptist might be the Messiah, John interprets his baptism and makes it clear that his ministry is in preparation for the Messiah. John the Baptist knows his place and role in God's plan of salvation. By encouraging the crowd to act similarly in accordance with their stations in life, John's teaching suggests that each person has a role to play in God's salvation. It is the great mystery of our salvation that God permits and even asks for human cooperation in his divine plans.
The third Sunday of Advent is also called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word that means “rejoice.” This name is taken from the entrance antiphon for Sunday's Mass, which is also echoed in today's second reading from the Paul's letter to the Philippians. Some people mark this Sunday by lighting a pink candle instead of a purple one on their Advent wreath. It is a reminder that the Advent season is a season of joy because our salvation is already at hand.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- There are many situations that occur in our lives where we might have to apologize to someone or another person might have to apologize to us. Which apology sounds more sincere: when a person says, “I'm sorry” or when a person says, “I'm sorry I called you a name. I know that this hurt your feelings, and I'll try not to do it again.”: (The second one since it is more specific.)
- Apologies often sound more sincere when we can be specific about what we are sorry about and then identify specific changes we will try to make to act differently in the future. In today's Gospel, we heard people ask John the Baptist what is needed for their repentance.
- Which groups question John? (the crowds, the tax collectors, the soldiers) How does John respond? (To the crowds, he says share what you have with others. To the tax collectors, he says be just. To the soldiers, he says be fair.)
- John makes specific, concrete suggestions for each of the groups who question him. Our desire to make ready for Jesus will be more sincere if we can identify one specific change we might make in our lives to prepare the way of the Lord.
- What is one specific change you might make during Advent to prepare for Jesus?
- Pray asking God to help us in our commitment to make this one specific change in our lives. Pray Act of Contrition.
I am sorry for my sins with all my heart.
In choosing to do wrong
and failing to do good,
I have sinned against you
whom I should love above all things.
I firmly intend, with your help,
to do penance,
to sin no more,
and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.
Our Savior Jesus Christ
suffered and died for us.
In his name, my God, have mercy.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Zep 3:14-18a
There is nothing more joyful than forgiveness. All the great moments in life, birth, sacramental moments, life's transitions, marriage, and death, have the potential to bring people together. When people are brought together in forgiveness, there is relief and peace. These are causes for joy.
Beginning the passage of joy, Zephaniah symbolizes Jerusalem as a young girl who should be at a party. Why should there be rejoicing? The danger has passed, the enemies are gone, and God is in their midst. And not only does the city have cause for rejoicing; the prophet loudly proclaims God's joy over the return of his people. God and the people are together; they are reconciled. There is true joy.
Reading this passage should remind Christians of the Annunciation (Lk 1:26-38), when the angel Gabriel invited the Virgin Mary, a daughter of Zion, to rejoice and not fear because the Lord is with her (Lk 1:20, 28). In the Incarnation of the Word, the Lord God came to dwell among His people, and the salvation that Zephaniah promised became manifested in Mary's son, the "mighty Savior," the Son of God who has renewed us with His love poured out on the altar of the Cross.
How many times do people have parties only to complain about the company? It's unfortunate that people do not have reconciliation parties and celebrate joy!
Responsorial Psalm Is 12:2-3, 4, 5-6.
What events do you anticipate during the holidays? Do these events give you hope or fill you with dread? Why?
The holidays are always a mixed bag. Joy mingles with melancholy. Christmas cheer goes together with the holiday blues. Despite these contrary emotions, there are always those events that we look forward to. We enjoy family gatherings, Christmas midnight Mass, the season's decorations, even a chance to give. No matter how we feel at the moment, anticipation that the holidays bring has the ability to lift our spirits.
Isaiah 12 anticipated better days for Jerusalem after the exile in Babylon. The hope was personal. Events would turn up for the leaders and the people. The desolate capital would rise again to a greater glory. No matter what happened in the past, God's activity would soon make the past a distant memory.
Some biblical scholars point to Isaiah 12 as a microcosm of the book itself; chapters 1-39 addressed the desolation of the nation at the hands of the Babylonians, while chapters 40-66 encouraged hope in those that would return and rebuild. In the midst of destruction, Isaiah 12 looked ahead to a time when God would be present and act among his people.
With the restoration of His people, God reestablished His relationship with Israel as His faithful Bride. He is one with His people in the covenant bond of faithfulness that the prophets compared to the covenant bond between a bridegroom and his bride in marriage. Jesus used this same symbolic imagery in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, referring to Himself as the "Bridegroom" (Mt 9:15; Lk 5:34-35). And, in the Book of Revelation, the climax of human history will occur at Jesus's Second Coming when He brings His Bride, the Church, into the heavenly Jerusalem to celebrate the wedding supper of the Lamb and His Bride (Rev 19:6-9; 21:1-7). This is the climatic event we anticipate during the Season of Advent and for which we must prepare ourselves should our Bridegroom suddenly return during our lifetimes.
This short chapter from the prophet should raise our spirits. Yes, sometimes we would rather ignore the holidays and put off our yearly tasks. But, when we take our focus from ourselves and put it on the coming of Christ, we will see our predicament in a different light. With God, we have hope and confidence in what is to come.
Reading 2 Phil 4:4-7
We Christians expect Jesus to come soon. At this time of year, we expect him at Christmas and at the end of time. This expectation can be anxious or joy filled. Paul gave us this choice. The first way leads to all sorts of problems, especially in our relationships with others. The second way leads to peace with others, for joy is never assertive or destructive. Of course, such joy is a gift from God. It is based in a peace that transcends the limitation of the human mind and heart. But if we want to experience God's peace, we must turn away from anxiety and open ourselves up to his presence.
St. Paul's message in this passage is even more impressive when we bear in mind that he wrote his letter to the Christians at Philippi during what was probably his first imprisonment in Rome, awaiting his trial in AD 61-63. When Paul mentions "anxiety" in verse 6, he is experiencing anxiety during this trying period in his life. But despite his current situation, he still urges the Christians of Philippi to have courage, rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, and offer up prayers of thanksgiving.
Paul's point is to have joy in our relationship with God, and if we are enduring temporal suffering, it should not matter. Whatever our current situation, it is only temporary, and our eternal future should be the focus of our lives. The kind of joy that fills the Christian's soul with peace does not come from the physical or material. It comes from a spirit of faithfulness generated by the knowledge that God is with us and has a plan for our lives. St. Cyprian wrote: "This is the difference between us and those who do not know God. They complain in adversity, but difficulties do not draw us away from virtue or from the true faith. On the contrary, our virtue and faith are reinforced in affliction" (De mortalitate, 13).
So take the time, slow down. Enjoy the season. Pray in the spirit of thanks for the season. Let God give you his peace.
Gospel Lk 3:10-18
The word "prophet" connoted two roles: moral conscience and visionary of future events. In this section of Luke, John did both. He exhorted his audience to practical, moral change that would enhance the common good. But, then he pointed to One Greater than he: the Messiah.
At the time of John and Jesus, Jews expected four different types of Messiahs. First, militant Jews looked to a Davidic king to rise up from the populace and lead a revolt against the Romans. Second, many Jews expected a great High Priest to cleanse the Temple from its corruption and restore a pure worship. Third, some yearned for a Great Teacher like Moses to explain the Law plainly and led all Jews in the way that would please the Lord. All three of these Messiahs would come from the people and would have some sort of pedigree (education, lineage, family or professional connection). But the last Messiah would appear from nowhere. And his authority to judge would come from God himself: the "Son of Man" from Daniel 7:13. The Davidic king would be known for his military genius. The High Priest would be known for his zealous purity in worship. The Great Teacher would be known for his wisdom. But the Son of Man would be known as God's agent of judgment. Clearly, John had this image in mind when he proclaimed the coming of the One Greater.
(Christian tradition claimed the other three images of Messiah for Jesus. Matthew's genealogy emphasized Jesus as the Son of David, "King," and Son of Abraham. The five great discourses found in Matthew point to Jesus as the "Great Teacher" in the tradition of Moses, who, according to tradition, wrote the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. And the letter to the Hebrews spoke to the role of Jesus as "High Priest." But the core claim Christians have to the Messiahship of Jesus lay squarely in the resurrection, an act of God, not of man. The resurrection justified the identification of Jesus as Daniel's "Son of Man." This was the figure John looked forward to.)
John used the image of baptism (immersion) with the Holy Spirit and fire. The notes above discussed the relationship between the two. And theological hindsight can reconcile the differences (i.e., God's mercy and his justice are the same). Even with that aside, we should remember John's prophecy was violent in nature, with God himself as the cause. The crisis of God's action would cause change: personal, social, and world wide. Under the direction of the Holy Spirit, the believer would suffer from their faith choice. Those who rejected the faith would also suffer from God's judgment. And, the Messiah would act as God's agent.
Why did all this talk of violence encourage John's audience? Why were these predictions "Good News?" Simply because these people would enjoy the comfort of the Spirit, in spite of the cost. They implicitly realized they would be saved through God's judgment. (Remember Jesus' words from two weeks ago in Luke 21:34-36. He encouraged his followers to pray for strength during the test and for strength to stand before the Son of Man at the Last judgment.)
How has God changed your life? How have you changed morally? How has he changed your outlook on the future?
Living as a Christian begins and ends with faith. The ability to see beyond the present. And the ability to trust the person one sees. John the Baptist empowered people to believe. To see beyond their moral dilemmas. And to see One Greater.
Let us open our eyes to see the possible. A better life. And a life with Christ. Let us trust God will make these things happen.
Christmas is just around the corner. What small, practical changes can you see between now and then? How can you trust God with those changes?
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Sunday December 8, 2024 Second Sunday of Advent
Lectionary: 6
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Bar 5:1-9
Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery;
put on the splendor of glory from God forever:
wrapped in the cloak of justice from God,
bear on your head the mitre
that displays the glory of the eternal name.
For God will show all the earth your splendor:
you will be named by God forever
the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship.
Up, Jerusalem! stand upon the heights;
look to the east and see your children
gathered from the east and the west
at the word of the Holy One,
rejoicing that they are remembered by God.
Led away on foot by their enemies they left you:
but God will bring them back to you
borne aloft in glory as on royal thrones.
For God has commanded
that every lofty mountain be made low,
and that the age-old depths and gorges
be filled to level ground,
that Israel may advance secure in the glory of God.
The forests and every fragrant kind of tree
have overshadowed Israel at God’s command;
for God is leading Israel in joy
by the light of his glory,
with his mercy and justice for company.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those who sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Reading 2 Phil 1:4-6, 8-11
Brothers and sisters:
I pray always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,
because of your partnership for the gospel
from the first day until now.
I am confident of this,
that the one who began a good work in you
will continue to complete it
until the day of Christ Jesus.
God is my witness,
how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this is my prayer:
that your love may increase ever more and more
in knowledge and every kind of perception,
to discern what is of value,
so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness
that comes through Jesus Christ
for the glory and praise of God.
Gospel Lk 3:1-6
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,
when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea,
and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region
of Ituraea and Trachonitis,
and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,
during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,
the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert.
John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan,
proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah:
A voice of one crying out in the desert:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight his paths.
Every valley shall be filled
and every mountain and hill shall be made low.
The winding roads shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Bar 5:1-9
Put off, O Jerusalem. Earlier in the book Jerusalem was personified as a mother mourning for her exiled children: For she saw the wrath of God coming upon you, and she said: Give ear, all you that dwell near Sion, for God hath brought upon me great mourning: For I have seen the captivity of my people, of my sons, and my daughters, which the Eternal hath brought upon them. For I nourished them with joy: but I sent them away with weeping and mourning (Bar 4:9-11). It was a common practice of the time to put on simple clothing for the act of mourning (Joel 1:13), and this Mother Jerusalem did: I have put off the robe of peace, and have put upon me the sackcloth of supplication, and I will cry to the most High in my days (Bar 4:20).
And put on the beauty, and honor of that everlasting glory. A change of clothing (“and put on”) meant a change in status, and in the Bible often signifies divine blessings. Joseph’s status (for example) is closely associated with clothing. His status as his father’s favorite was symbolized by a tunic (Gen 37:3-4). His jealous brother’s stripped him of the tunic when they sought to rid themselves of him (Gen 37:23). Later, Pharaoh showed him favor by placing him in charge of all Egypt and bestowing upon him a fine linen robe (Gen 41:39-42). All of this related to the divine plan (Gen 45:4-5). The long naked Gerasene demoniac was found fully clothed after being healed by Jesus (Luke 8:26-39, esp. verse 35). The repentant son in the Parable of the Prodigal is clothed with his father’s finest robe (Luke 15:11-32, esp. verse 22). See also Revelation 3:4-5, Gal 3:27; Eph 4:24, Eph 6:11, etc).
Garment of justice. Reverses the guilt and shame mentioned in their confession of sin: To the Lord our God belongs justice: but to us, and to our fathers confusion (shame) of face, as at this day (Bar 2:6).
Will set a crown on thy head. Reversing the situation of punishment that resulted because of their sins. The kingdom centered in Jerusalem had fallen into abeyance and the children of the kingdom scattered to serve pagan monarchs: And he hath delivered them up to be under the hand of all the kings that are round about us, to be a reproach, and desolation among all the people, among whom the Lord hath scattered us (Bar 2:4).
To every one under heaven. Those Gentile peoples who were bidden by Mother Jerusalem to witness the exile (Bar 4:14) are now called upon to witness its end. For as the neighbors of Sion have now seen your captivity from God: so shall they also shortly see your salvation from God, which shall come upon you with great honor, and everlasting glory (Bar 4:24).
The repentant, having appealed to the name of God will themselves be given a name: Remember not the iniquities of our fathers, but think upon thy hand, and upon thy name at this time: For thou art the Lord our God, and we will praise thee, O Lord: Because for this end thou hast put thy fear in our hearts, to the intent that we should call upon thy name, and praise thee in our captivity, for we are converted from the iniquity of our fathers, who sinned before thee (Bar 3:5-7).
Like clothing, a new name indicates a change in status (Gen 17:5; Matt 16:17-19; Isa 62:2; Rev 2:17, etc.). “The conferring of a name in a context such as the present one involves not only the giving of the name, but the bestowal of the attributes indicated” (Jerome Biblical Commentary 37:20).
Arise…stand on high. A reversal of their exile: And we are brought low, and are not raised up: because we have sinned against the Lord our God, by not obeying his voice (Bar 2:5).
And behold thy children gathered together. Mother Jerusalem, who saw the captivity of her children (Bar 4:10) is bidden to witness their being gathered together, reversing the punishment of exile and bring the relief for which they had prayed (Bar 2:4, Bar 2:13).
Some translations, such as the RSV and NAB speak of the return in this fashion: “but God will bring them back to you, carried in glory, as on a royal throne, ” thus emphasizing the contrast and reversal of their situation: led out on foot by enemies, carried back on thrones by God.
See Isaiah 40:3-4 and Luke 3:4-6 (part of today’s Gospel reading). A kingly people carried on thrones deserves a king’s welcome. In ancient times, when a king or royal figure was traveling to a city in the kingdom, it was expected that the roads be put into good repair before his arrival, such is the underlying imagery here. God has decreed that all the obstacles for his people’s return be removed. High mountains were often an image of (or associated with) arrogance and opposition to God (Jer 51:24-25; Zech 4:7; Isa 2:11-15; Isa 37:24), perhaps because they were often associated with pagan worship (Hosea 4:13). Valleys, ravines, etc., also were associated with sin (Isa 57:5; 2 Kings 23:10). It’s not hard to understand how the image came to be associated with repentance; human pride and sin must be brought down before one can return to God.
God will bring Israel with joy. Thus is reversed the prophecy of Jeremiah 7:34 which was quoted in Baruch 2:23: And I will take away from you the voice of mirth, and the voice of joy, and the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, and all the land shall be without any footstep of inhabitants. God’s punishment having had it desired effect-opening his people to the grace of repentence-God’s mercy now comes to the fore.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6.
The theme of restoration is continued this week in Psalm 126.
In this psalm, the theological theme of restoration is knitted together with the theme of rejoicing. The product is one of the grandest, most eloquent lyrical prayers in the Psalter.
Psalm 126 is one of a collection of poems (Psalms 120-134) known as the "Songs of Ascents." These most likely did not all originate from a single source or for some unified purpose, but were rather collected together for some common use While interpreters cannot be one-hundred percent sure, the best guess is that the psalms of ascents were collected together in order for the faithful to use when they made pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Although one should not press the metaphor, one can make an analogy between the ancient pilgrimages that Israelites made to Jerusalem and the modern preparations that Christians make during Advent for Christmas.
The psalm has two stanzas (vv. 1-3; 4-6). Similar to the way in which Psalm 85 begins, the first stanza of Psalm 126 recalls God's past acts of restoration (v. 1) and the emotions of joy and celebration of laughter that accompanied those saving acts. The temporal clause with which the psalm begins, "When the Lord restores the fortunes of Zion," most likely has in mind the return of the people to the land following the Babylonian exile. But within the broader biblical narrative, the phrase calls many divine restorations to mind:
- the restoration of Sarah to Abraham
- the restoration of Joseph to Jacob and his brothers
- the restoration of the people to the land after the Exodus
- the restoration of the ark to the people after the Philistines captured it
- the birth of the Messiah; the restoration of Jesus to his parents
- the resurrection
The first stanza contains a most surprising testimony concerning God's gracious deeds in the entire Old Testament. The nations--that is, the people who worship other gods and often threaten Israel (cf. Psalm 124:2)--praised God. The very people who, during the years in Babylon, looked upon God's people and "were astonished at him−so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals−these very nations witnessed the restoration of the people to their land and to their God and they said, "The Lord has done great things for them!" Thinking ahead to the New Testament, one is reminded of the non-Israelite magi coming to worship the one who was born "King of the Jews," or the Roman centurion who announced, "Truly this man was God's Son!"
Even more surprising, the nations' testimony to God's deeds inspires Israel to respond with its own testimony, repeating the words of the nations verbatim: "The Lord has done great things for us" (v. 3). Often in the psalms, the enemies' words are quoted as reason for God to punish them (see, for example, Psalm 10:12-14 or the ending of Psalm 137). Here, the words of the nations are quoted approvingly. Even more shockingly, the people of God then repeat the words of the nations. Why? Because God's gracious and faithful acts of restoration are so self-evident, even the blind nations can see them. And because the blind nations see those acts, the often-even-more blind people of God can see them, too.
The second stanza develops the themes introduced in the first stanza and rephrases them in the form of renewed appeals for restoration (this is similar to the structure of Psalm 85, lacking only the set of promises with which Psalm 85 culminates). The people ask God restore them once again, in order that they may rejoice yet again.
It should be emphasized that the closing verses of the psalm are an appeal couched in the form of imaginative wishes: "May those who...." The Advent people who approach Christmas recall God's restorative acts in the past. They recall the testimony of the nations to God's deliverance. They recall their own joy. And they know that until the Son of God comes again, we will be in constant and everlasting need of God's continued restoration.
In this psalm, the theological theme of restoration is knitted together with the theme of rejoicing. The product is one of the grandest, most eloquent lyrical prayers in the Psalter.
Psalm 126 is one of a collection of poems (Psalms 120-134) known as the "Songs of Ascents." These most likely did not all originate from a single source or for some unified purpose, but were rather collected together for some common use While interpreters cannot be one-hundred percent sure, the best guess is that the psalms of ascents were collected together in order for the faithful to use when they made pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Although one should not press the metaphor, one can make an analogy between the ancient pilgrimages that Israelites made to Jerusalem and the modern preparations that Christians make during Advent for Christmas.
Reading 2 Phil 1:4-6, 8-11
What difference does it make that Paul is writing his letters to an entire community, the ecclesia (assembly) in Philippi? He could have addressed his letter just to the elders there. He could have written directly to the bishop, telling him what to say to his flock and what to do next. He could have exercised a “chain of command” understood both in the Roman household and the Roman Empire that recognizes authority in specific leaders who then require those beneath them to carry out the wishes of those at the top. There is efficiency and quality control in the top-down system.
But he doesn’t. Paul writes “to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi” (verse 1). And this matters! He and Timothy are in jail, a condition of vulnerability in the ancient that relies on friends outside for basic needs like food and blankets. He and his partner Timothy reach out to more partners beyond the prison walls. Paul’s whole ministry is one of partnerships, sometimes with fellow missionaries (for example Barnabas, Timothy, Silas) traveling alongside him, and sometimes empowering local leaders such as Lydia or Priscilla. So, while Paul seems like a pretty big personality, he was not a lone ranger. Paul’s letter is clear that the whole community of brothers and sisters in Christ share “in the defense and confirmation of the gospel”.
The claim that we all “share in the gospel” is a key narrative for Christian life, especially when so much Christian culture seems to focus on individual salvation. The good news of Jesus, our experience of God’s love and grace, is not an individual possession but a communal reality that God is enacting all the time and in which we are invited to participate. Instead of focusing on individuals, Paul calls attention to the community, “all the saints,” who, together as a community, share in the gospel. This means sharing alike in the joys and in the sufferings of our common life on behalf of God’s love for the world.
Gospel Lk 3:1-6
This week and next, our Gospel readings invite us to consider John the Baptist and his relationship to Jesus. John the Baptist appears in the tradition of the great prophets, preaching repentance and reform to the people of Israel. To affirm this, Luke quotes at length from the prophet Isaiah. John baptizes for repentance and for forgiveness of sins, preparing the way for God's salvation.
The three Synoptic Gospels—Mark, Matthew, and Luke—attest to the importance of the baptism of John in preparing for Jesus. Only the Gospel of Luke, however, extends the connection between these two men to their birth. The first two chapters of Luke's Gospel contain the Infancy Narrative, which tells about the births of John the Baptist and Jesus. These stories set the stage for the beginning of Jesus' public ministry in chapter 3.
The evangelist Luke is the author of the Gospel that bears his name, and he also wrote the Acts of the Apostles as a continuation of the story of Jesus and the Church. In these two works, Luke's sense of time and history emerges. He identifies three epochs of salvation history: the time before Christ, the time of Christ, and the time of the Church and the Holy Spirit. In today's Gospel reading, as elsewhere, John the Baptist is presented as the figure who bridges the time before Christ and prepares the way for Christ's own ministry.
In today's Gospel we also note Luke's attention to political and historical detail. Luke shows that salvation is for all people and situated in world events. Therefore, Luke lists the political and religious leaders at the time of John's appearance in the desert. Salvation is understood as God's breaking into this political and social history.
John's preaching of the coming of the Lord is a key theme of the Advent season. As John's message prepared the way for Jesus, we too are called to prepare ourselves for Jesus' coming. We respond to John's message by repentance and reform of our lives. We are also called to be prophets of Christ, who announce by our lives the coming of the Lord, as John did.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES --------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Bar 5:1-9
The prophetic book of Baruch was written to explain the Babylonian exile as God's judgment, to praise the wisdom of God's Law, and to foretell the restoration of Jerusalem. Today's passage is the final chapter of the book; it speaks of hope in God's mercy and justice.
In 5:1-4, Baruch sees Jerusalem as a poor person who is raised to royal status by God. The robe of mourning and misery is the exile; the splendor of God's glory are "royal robes." [1] Notice that the exile infers distance from God and the loss of God's reputation among the nations; Israel's return means intimacy with God and an increase in God's reputation (his glory) among foreigners.
God's growing reputation is imprinted upon a crown given to the person, Jerusalem. [2] God's name, "YHWH," is the focal point. As long as Jerusalem holds close to God's name, the Lord will return the favor and increase the reputation (the "splendor") of Jerusalem. [3]
How does Jerusalem remain close to God's name? To act in justice ("cloak of justice" in 9:2 and "the peace of justice" in 9:4) so as to give true worship (that is, free of corruption and full of compassion). Baruch links worship and acts of justice in the face of a corrupt Temple bureaucracy. In the author's eyes, a just society gave credence to its worship. If Jerusalem was just, its Temple (its "mitre" or crown on the top of its highest mount) would make its God and itself famous (increase its "splendor").
As the Temple would be a beacon for God's glory (to be seen), it would also be a viewing point for the residence to coming worshipers, both Jewish and non-Jewish alike. God's word (either the prophetic word, the Scriptures, or both) would be the cause of return. [5-6] Even those who left in shame by the conquering Babylonians will return like royalty; this reflects the poor-rich schema of 9:1. [6] Even nature itself will "bow down" and "give shadow" to the returning exiles in response to God's command [7-8]. God commands the return of the exiles and the restoration of Jerusalem; the results are the glory (reputation), the mercy, and the justice of God. [9] All three are the same. And all three challenge the people to imitate them.
Even today, Christians give God glory primarily through acts of justice and mercy. Witness is only commentary on these acts. In the season of waiting, let us not forget the less fortunate. Let us act with justice and mercy.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6.
Some days are better than others. Sometimes we wake up and our bodies creak or our spirit seems low. But, there are days when the sun warms us and our hearts are filled with joy. These are the days when we raise our hearts and hands to God, and say, "Thank you!"
Psalm 126 was one of those "good day" psalms. It praised God for leading the faithful through tough and lean times. Two themes of thanks are interwoven in the psalm: 1) the restoration of the nation (126:1b) and 2) the celebration that looked forward to rain and a bountiful harvest (126:4, 6). Taken together, the psalm might have been written after the return of exiles from Babylon and the restoration of the Temple; it could have also been a psalm written for the feast of Tabernacles, a joyous feast in early Autumn that celebrated the harvest. The agricultural analogy in 126:4-6 could not be missed; 126:4 was an implicit prayer for rain (restore the desert with a shower), while 126:5-6 compared the recovery of the mourner (the spirituality of the Babylonian Exile?) with that of the farmer who had a great harvest.
As we grow older, our bad days might outnumber our good days, but we should always remember that good days are ahead. In the spirit of Psalm 126, we should thank God for the good days and look forward to better days. This is the essence of the second theological virtue: hope.
Reading 2 Phil 1:4-6, 8-11
The blessing from Paul's letter to the Philippians was a poignant display of affection. While Paul was in prison (at Ephesus in 55 A.D.?), he wrote to a community he established and nurtured (see Acts 16:11-12). His language was remarkable. The relationship he had with the community at Philippi was based on a sense of shared mission. Paul called the community "co-partners" in spreading the Gospel [1:5] both in God's grace and in suffering [1:7]. (Many scholars hold this "partnership" was based upon the continued generosity of the Philippians to Paul.) When Paul remembered the community (especially in prayer), it was a joy-filled memory. And he yearned to rejoin them at the earliest moment, only if he could.
We all have mentors. Paul was the mentor to the communities he established. We have all had mentors in faith. Do we appreciate those who nurtured our relationship with God? Do we act as mentors to others?
Reflect on those who have been your mentors. Who have you helped? Use this time to pray to God in thanks for those who have served you and those you serve.
Gospel Lk 3:1-6
Luke presented a contrary sign as proof of God's activity: a cryer of news in the desert. A news cryer was an urban activity. People gathered in the marketplace to hear the news from the traveling cryer. But, the desert (literally, deserted areas) was no place to announce news of import. Such a place hid many dangers and traps. Only the hermit endured such environs. Yet, the combination of the two images (cryer in the desert) recalled the Exodus experience and the prophetic tradition. If there was a place to hear news from God, it was the desert.
For Christians, John the Baptist represented Elijah, the desert prophet who was swept into heaven on a fiery chariot. Since Elijah did not taste death, the prophet, Jews believed, would return to herald the coming Messiah.
John's prophetic message and baptism revealed the work of God's Spirit. Like Elijah, John ministered in the desert. Like Elijah, John challenged everyone to moral change. Like Elijah, John had an audience of the poor and the true seekers. If Elijah was the first of the prophets, John would be the last. Their appearance, message, and effect created an interesting symmetry to the era of prophets. John fit the image of Elijah, but he did more than the ancient prophet.
John's ministry prepared for the coming of the Christ. His followers would be open to the preaching of the One anointed by the Spirit. His baptism of repentance prefigured the sacrament of baptism. His death prefigured the death of the Messiah. As the image of John pointed backward to Elijah, it pointed forward to Jesus.
John the Baptist was God's advertisement. Rooted in the nation's past, his appearance in the desert caught the popular imagination. His message prepared the populace for the coming of One Greater. "Get ready!"
The contrary sign of John brought together historical significance and prophetic tradition. It also revealed God's activity. God was about to do something new, unique, different. John stood in the shadows of the past, but pointed to future events.
As the year ends, we, too, look back to the past for comfort and reflection. But we look forward to the coming of One Greater. Let us take the time to "Get ready."
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Sunday December 1, 2024 First Sunday of Advent
Special Advent Wreath Note
The four candles have meaning and also a special name
Week 1 Is Hope and is called the Prophecy candle. (purple)
Week 2 Is Peace and is called the Bethlehem candle. (purple)
Week 3 Is Joy and is called the Shepherd’s candle. (pink or rose)
Week 4 Is Love and is called the Angel’s candle. (purple)
Sometimes a white candle is in the center and is lit on Christmas Eve.
Lectionary: 3
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 33:14-16
The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will fulfill the promise
I made to the house of Israel and Judah.
In those days, in that time,
I will raise up for David a just shoot ;
he shall do what is right and just in the land.
In those days Judah shall be safe
and Jerusalem shall dwell secure;
this is what they shall call her:
“The LORD our justice.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior,
and for you I wait all the day.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Reading 2 1 Thes 3:12—4:2
Brothers and sisters:
May the Lord make you increase and abound in love
for one another and for all,
just as we have for you,
so as to strengthen your hearts,
to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father
at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.
Finally, brothers and sisters,
we earnestly ask and exhort you in the Lord Jesus that,
as you received from us
how you should conduct yourselves to please God
and as you are conducting yourselves
you do so even more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
Gospel Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 33:14-16
It seems likely that this particular section of Jeremiah's prophecy is a later addition, in its current literary context, the promises are spoken to address a dire situation. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, are advancing on Jerusalem. The streets of Jerusalem will soon be filled with the corpses of her people (33:4-5), and the prophet Jeremiah himself is imprisoned by King Zedekiah (33:1).
The worst has not yet happened, but it is inevitable. Any reasonable person can see that the city is doomed. Jeremiah's many prophecies of judgment--prophecies that have landed him in prison--are coming true. Yet now, in the midst of catastrophe, the prophet finally speaks words of promise! In the previous chapter, he has purchased a piece of land, a foolish thing to do in a country soon to be conquered by invading armies. Nevertheless, he has purchased the land as a pledge, as earnest of God's redemption: "For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land" (32:15). In the midst of impending doom, a sign of hope is enacted.
Similarly, in chapter 33, the prophet speaks of the coming restoration, the restoration of normal, everyday life. There will come a time in the land of Judah when "there shall once more be heard the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" (33:10-11).
And now, in this passage, Jeremiah speaks of the restoration not simply of daily life (as momentous as that is), but also of one of the chief signs of God's favor, the restoration of the Davidic line. A righteous Branch will sprout from the line of David. A similar image is found in Isaiah 11:1 The image is one of hope and unexpected joy: new life springing up from what looks like a dead stump.
One of the chief tragedies of the Babylonian Exile, of course, was the end of the Davidic dynasty. For nearly four hundred years, descendants of David had occupied the throne of Judah, and God had promised that it would always be so (2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89). But the Babylonians destroyed David's city, burned Solomon's temple, and took David's heirs into exile. The promises of God seemed to have come to an end.
To a people devastated by loss, Jeremiah's prophecy offered hope: "The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfill the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah" (33:14). All might seem lost, but God still is faithful. The house of David might be cut down, but God is able to bring life out of death. A branch will sprout.
Historically, of course, the Davidic line did not return to the throne, so passages like this (and its parallel, Jeremiah 23:5-6), were in time interpreted to be speaking about the coming ideal ruler, the Messiah. That is certainly the reason this passage is one of the lectionary readings for the first Sunday in Advent. The descendant of David who will "execute justice and righteousness in the land" is the one for whom we wait in this Advent season. And his salvation encompasses not just Judah and Jerusalem, but the whole world.
A righteous Branch will spring up. It is a word of hope, but not naïve hope. Jeremiah is not someone who looks at the world through rose-colored glasses. Far from it! This is a prophet imprisoned by his own government because he keeps prophesying doom.
A righteous Branch will spring up. Maybe so, but that saving act of God is not readily apparent in Jeremiah's or Judah's current situation, dreading the imminent arrival of enemy armies.
A righteous Branch will spring up. This word of tenacious hope is spoken to counteract all of the life-sapping, despair-inducing evidence to the contrary. And that is its power.
The same proclamation is given today to us, inheritors of Jeremiah's task. We are called to speak a word of hope and promise in a world often filled with fear and uncertainty, even despair. Especially in this season of Advent, we speak words of hope. In the midst of darkness, light is about to break in. In the midst of despair, hope erupts. After long waiting, a branch will sprout. The complete fulfillment of God's promises has not yet happened, but it is coming. Such is Advent faith, and Advent hope.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
In the first lesson (Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32) Israel argues with God, accusing God of unfairness. No, says Ezekiel; the problem is that Israel needs to “get a new heart and a new spirit!” Israel must become teachable. The second lesson (Philippians 2:1-13) is the famous hymn to Christ. It invites us to have this mind among yourselves. To learn from Christ. Not because we are good enough, or because having the mind of Christ is an achievement, but because Jesus has “humbled himself and became like a servant.”
It is God’s work and not our ability that changes us. In the Gospel, (Matthew 21:23-32) the chief priests and elders interrogate Jesus; showing themselves to be anything but teachable. Jesus tells them that “the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.” Why? Because these sinners were teachable: they believed John’s testimony. But as for the chief priests and elders, those know-it-alls did not change their minds when they heard John’s testimony about Jesus.
In all of these texts, God teaches us humility, trust and joy in the presence of God. Learning nice little moral lessons, or memorizing factoids about God is not the point. Instead God invites us to be changed by divine mercy and love. The work of Psalm 25 is to express receptivity, or even to make us receptive. The Psalm can be used as a refrain to support the other texts, as a theme for prayer, or the focus of an entire sermon.
Originally, this Psalm was a Hebrew acrostic; that is, it began with the first letter of the alphabet, and ended with the last. But this is more than a word game. It is about God’s A- Z mercy in your life, even when you feel abandoned. Taken as a whole, Psalm 25 is a prayer for help, growing more intense as it progresses: “I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me” (25:16-19). And the last petition is for the whole people of God: “Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its troubles.”
Through it all, Psalm 25 speaks of God’s character. “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees” (25:10). The New Interpreter’s Bible finds the Psalm’s theological center here, in God’s “steadfast love and faithfulness.”
Repeatedly the Psalmist asks to be taught God’s ways. “Make me to know your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths” (verse 4). “Lead me in your truth, and teach me” (verse 5). “God instructs sinners in the way…and teaches the humble” (verses 5-6). To know about God is a starting point, but the Psalmist wants something more. The Psalmist wants to be with God, to walk in God’s path.
People want to be instantly gratified, but if we really need something we will wait for it. “For you I wait all day long” (verse 5). Waiting was hard for the Psalmist, who was in desperate need of help. Enemies were seeking to inflict harm. It seems that the enemies were external -- the “wantonly treacherous ones” who put the Psalmist to shame (verses 2-3). Shame comes from outside and is inflicted by individuals or groups. But “enemies” may also be within us, for example, guilt or regret for the “sins of my youth or my transgressions” (verse 7). Pride can make us unteachable, but so can guilt and shame. Then we can’t move forward, can’t hear God’s voice of wisdom, or receive blessing and forgiveness.
And yet we may become most teachable when we are vulnerable, when our illusions of superiority and self-sufficiency have been stripped away (verses 16-19). So the Psalmist who implores God, “lead me in your truth and teach me.”
This is a relationship with God, a two-way communication in which the Psalmist both receives God’s teaching and dares to instruct God. The Psalmist tells God what to remember: steadfast love and mercy (verse 6). And the Psalmist tells God what to forget: “the sins of my youth” (verse 7).
Reading 2 1 Thes 3:12—4:2
For a newly converted Thessalonian, the gathered community of disciples was their new home, family, and support network. Relationships mattered more now than ever as they sought to work out together what it meant to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Additionally, we should note that the Thessalonians’ are continuing to relate well to Paul and Silas (1 Thessalonians 3:6), and this is in spite of the shame that would no doubt be associated with Paul and Silas’ suffering.
This reaction by the broader population against those Thessalonians who have begun to follow Jesus is a key aspect in the context of our verses. If we sneak a peek at the verses that are prior to our passage we note there that Paul refers to persecution and suffering on three occasions in just eight verses. It is clear that Paul and Silas are suffering persecution (1 Thessalonians 3:7), but also that the Thessalonians themselves are in the midst of persecution for their faith (3:3). The Thessalonian believers have begun to follow a new King, and are seeking to adopt a set of values and an ethos rooted in Jesus. Consequently, they have begun to turn away from and reject some of the norms of their immediate society. So, how might this all begin to resonate with us?
First, we are reminded here of the joy of knowing that we are loved when life is tough.
The joy and thankfulness that is expressed in 1 Thessalonians 3:9 comes across to us as sheer delight and even with a hint of relief. The reason for this is twofold: First, because in spite of everything that is set against the fledgling Thessalonian community they are continuing in their faith. But second, I think that Paul and Silas’ exuberant thankfulness relates to the fact that the Thessalonians have maintained their commitment to relationship with Paul and Silas. They have not disowned Paul and Silas. The Thessalonians are suffering; Paul and Silas are suffering. Nothing would be easier than to call the whole thing off and to desert each other. But this is not what has happened. They continue to love, and support, and encourage one another. Relationships matter, and particularly when life is tough -- which it most often is -- relationships matter. To know that you are loved, prayed for and supported in the midst of suffering is a wonderful and joyous experience.
Second, that the key to Christian discipleship is love.
That love is central to Thessalonians is evident throughout the letter (1 Thessalonians 1:3), but Paul and Silas’ prayer here is that “the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all” (1 Thessalonians 3:12). This apprentice Christian community have rooted themselves and their relationships in love. And it is love that will ensure their survival in the midst of suffering persecution. Paul elsewhere made that radical claim that without love we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2), and the Apostle John is emphatic is his assertion that love, rooted in the life and example of the Lord Jesus, is to be demonstrated in practical ways amongst the community (1 John 3:16-17). Indeed, Jesus himself, made clear that the only thing that mattered is to love God, and to love one’s neighbor as you loved yourself (Luke 10:27-28). To be rooted in love and to practice love ensures not just the survival of faith in the midst of difficulty, but the growth and increase of faith.
Third, there is the prayer that the Thessalonians may be strengthened in holiness (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
In some ways holiness is similar to love. Both are expressions of the reality of God. God is love and those who encountered God speak of his holiness. To live a holy life is to live as a living and breathing expression of the love, life, and reality of God. This reality has already been seen in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. However, to live in holiness is not to make life any easier. The trials and persecutions experienced by the Thessalonians will not subside once they intensify their imitation of the life, love, and reality of the Lord Jesus. But rather, Paul turns the Thessalonians attention to a higher and more glorious goal, that of the coming of the Lord Jesus (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
Gospel Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Today is the first Sunday of Advent, which is also the first Sunday of the new liturgical year. The Advent season includes the four Sundays that precede Christmas. Advent is a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord. In this season, we recall two central elements of our faith: the final coming of the Lord in glory and the incarnation of the Lord in the birth of Jesus. The key themes of the Advent season are watchful waiting, preparation, and justice.
In this new liturgical year, the Gospel of Luke will be the primary Gospel proclaimed (Lectionary Cycle C). Today's Gospel is taken from the last chapter before the passion narrative in which Jesus is teaching in the Temple. We hear Jesus speak to his disciples about the need for vigilance and prayer as they wait for the coming of the Son of Man in glory. This passage marks the conclusion of a lengthy dialogue in which Jesus predicts the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, warns about the persecution and tribulations to follow, and identifies the signs that will signal the coming of the Son of Man in glory.
The community for whom Luke wrote his Gospel may have believed that they were already experiencing some of the events Jesus described. Most scholars believe that Luke's Gospel was written after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. At the time, many Christians interpreted this event as an indication that Jesus' second coming was near.
Though Jesus predicts a time of destruction and fear, Jesus indicates that others will be frightened; Jesus' disciples are not to fear, but are to stand tall. Yet Jesus does not promise deliverance from anxiety or tribulations. He encourages his disciples to pray for strength. The early Christian communities did not find consolation in the promise of a utopia, nor should we. Instead, we find in our Christian faith the means by which we witness to God's unfailing love for us in all circumstances.
Jesus' predictions about the end times may sound dire, but in the next paragraph Luke tells us that people woke early to listen to Jesus' teaching in the Temple area. In his person and in his message, those who heard Jesus found strength and consolation. Like the first Christians, we may encounter events and circumstances that could lead us to despair. Through prayer, however, we find strength and consolation in Jesus' words and in his continuing presence with us to endure all things and to witness to the action of God in our world.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- As we get older, we sometimes experience a new and difficult emotion: worry. Our choices become more difficult, and we worry about making the right decisions. We are aware of more of what is going on around us in the lives of our friends and families and in our world, and we worry if everything will turn out okay. The first step to learning to cope with this emotion is to name the things that worry us. Let's take some quiet time to think about some things we find ourselves worrying about. You may want to write them down.
- In today's Gospel, Jesus talks to his disciples about times and circumstances that many people will find troubling. But he tells his disciples that they are not to be frightened by these things.
- Why does Jesus say that his disciples should not be frightened by the signs he describes? (because these signs indicate that their redemption is near) What does Jesus say that his disciples should do to prepare for these times? (Be vigilant and pray for strength to endure.)
- We don't need to be fearful about difficult things or about changes in our lives either. We can bring these things to God in our prayers, and God will give us the strength to face everything and anything that might happen in our lives.
- Say a prayer asking God for the strength to handle the things that worry us.
St. Therese of Liseux Prayer from “Story of A Soul”
May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 33:14-16
Jeremiah, a prophet of priestly dissent, lived through the reign of three Judean kings: Josiah (627-609 BC), Jehoiakim (608-598 B.C.), Zedekiah (597-587 B.C.) As he matured, Jeremiah railed against the political intrigue in Jerusalem and royal alliances with Egypt against Babylon. He was politically influential enough to escape a royal death sentence for his public critiques. Hence, he was imprisoned.
In jail, Jeremiah wrote these verses of hope. Yes, the kingdom would fall. Jerusalem would be left desolate. But these events would not stop God's plan to restore the nation and the royal line. In fact, the righteous king would be the source of national revival.
True to his vision, Jeremiah witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile in 586 B.C. But, Jeremiah would not live to see God's people return to their homeland. Nonetheless, his words gave the people hope. God would restore the royal line, the king would rule justly, and the nation would be renewed. This, however, would happen in God's time and in God's way.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14
"No pain, no gain." This popular dictum from body building does resonate with spiritual growth. The smooth times in life seem to yield little; the tough times seem to see leaps in insight and spiritual maturity. By no means should we seek tough times, but we shouldn't shrink from them either. Facing the challenges of life does bring us closer to God.
Yet, "no pain, no gain" must be put into context. While we might see growth spurts in tough times, it is really the daily practice of faith that makes growth possible. Like a regular fitness routine, we must pray, study, and share faith on a daily basis and in a deliberate way. We can only realize growth by exercising our spiritual "muscles." We cannot expect to show spiritual strength only when challenges face us, then conveniently forget about feeding our spirit in the good times.
Psalm 25 made a subtle appeal for consistency in the spiritual life. For the psalmist, the path of the Lord was based on a consistent duty to God's Law. While much of the hymn asked God for relief, its center extolled the audience to remain faithful, for the path of the Lord had its own reward.
Psalm 25 is an unusual hymn. A quick reading reveals a theme of supplication. Yet, it is highly stylized, like wisdom literature. Nearly every line in the psalm begins with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet (two letters are missing while two letters are doubled). The psalm has a chiastic or "A-B-A" overtones. The themes of 25:1-7 are loosely reflected in 25:11-21. "Wait for the LORD" is mentioned in 25:1 and 22, escape from shame and enemies in 25:2-3 and 25:19-21, follow the ways of YHWH and relief from troubles of the heart in 25:4-5, 16-18, and love and forgiveness in 25:6-7, 11-15. These steps lead to 25:8-10, where the psalmist praised the way of the YHWH (i.e., the Torah); the humble person who follows the Law walks the path of "faithful love" (enjoys the blessings of God).
The tone and structure of the psalm point to an author who lived after the Babylonian exile. The spiritual themes are waiting and duty to the Law, not the triumphant songs of the monarchy in its glory. The psalmist asked the Lord for pardon, praised the wisdom of the Torah's lifestyle, and waited for the Lord to act in the life of the his people. These themes were present among Jews at the time of Jesus and were part of the spiritual groundwork for modern Judaism.
Psalm 25 presents us with a different tack on the spiritual life. As Christians, most of our spiritual focus is on the afterlife. Yet, God meant his life to be realized in the present. In other words, the struggle of the spiritual life has its own rewards in this realm. As we walk the path of the Lord, let us realize (and enjoy) his faithfulness and love, for he is with us now.
Reading 2 1 Thes 3:12—4:2
In one of the earliest books in the New Testament canon, Paul wrote to the Church at Thessalonika between 50-54 A.D. At the time of the letter, the city was a major seaport to the east of Greece proper. It was the seat of the Roman administration with a diverse and prosperous population. The Church at Thessalonika was mixed between Gentile and Jew.
This letter revealed that despite a strong opposition from the Jewish synagogue, Paul had a strong affection for the community because they were steadfast in their faith. Nevertheless, after Paul explained his efforts to see those in the church, he exhorted them to live chaste lives. The verses in this study form the bridge between his explanation and his exhortation.
These verses used a simple question to create this bridge: How should the Christian live? Paul's answer was as simple: love the way you have been shown to love. 3:12-13 was a prayer that the community grow in the love that Paul and his fellow missionaries showed the community. 4:1-2 reminded the community to grow in the Christian life and devotion to God. This life and devotion were again found in love. Indeed, in these verses, Paul could reduce the tradition he claimed to receive from Christ himself in one simple word: love. Christian love is the basis for missionary work and morality.
May we grow in love for each other and in the Christian life, just as Paul wrote in prayer and encouragement.
Gospel Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
In these short verses, Jesus described the beginning of God's final initiative. He would give signs of warning across the sky, cause anxiety on earth with violent sea storms, and shake up the heavens. What we would explain scientifically as eclipses, meteor showers, and the result of storm systems on earth, the ancients attributed to God's intervention in the order of the cosmos. God would shake things up.
People would grow anxious because their faith systems and rituals failed. They could no longer control malevolent spirits that drove the sun, the moon, the stars, or the seas. Without the security their idols gave them, they would faint at the coming events. For these events would be unknown, chaotic, and devastating.
But, Christians were to rejoice. Their Savior was at hand! Now, their world view and lifestyle would be vindicated. For, Christians saw the world and lived in the world differently. Notice Luke implied the division between the believers and nonbelievers. Further, he implied, Christians had something to be delivered from: persecution. Finally, Luke presented a time of hope. Through great power and glory (i.e., reputation or "flash" in the popular translation above), the Son of Man would come and free his followers. Unlike the anxious people of the world, the Christians were to anticipate the end in hope.
How was the Christian to anticipate the end? A simple profession of faith was not enough. For one could be Christian in name, but his or her heart could belong to the world, its deceptive delights, and its anxieties. Obviously, self-control was essential.
In Luke, Jesus added another condition: unceasing prayer. Unlike first century contemporaries, early Christians focused their prayer, not necessarily on present need, but upon future deliverance. They would pray for the coming of the Kingdom. Jesus encouraged them to pray for a strength of faith that would enable them to weather the final days and stand before the judgment seat.
Anxiety and anticipation do go together. They are two reactions to a life under pressure. But one sees only darkness and despair. The other sees light and hope.
We can never fully predict disastrous events, but we can prepare for them. We can live a high moral life, as if tomorrow does matter. And we can pray for the strength to live through the darker days. Ultimately we can live as if Jesus is fully present. We can live with hope fully present.
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Sunday November 24, 2024 The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Lectionary: 161
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dn 7:13-14
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
one like a Son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
when he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
the one like a Son of man received dominion, glory, and kingship;
all peoples, nations, and languages serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed;
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The LORD is king; he is robed in majesty.
Reading 2 Rv 1:5-8
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,
who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, " says the Lord God,
"the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty."
Gospel Jn 18:33b-37
Pilate said to Jesus,
"Are you the King of the Jews?"
Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own
or have others told you about me?"
Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I?
Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.
What have you done?"
Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world.
If my kingdom did belong to this world,
my attendants would be fighting
to keep me from being handed over to the Jews.
But as it is, my kingdom is not here."
So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"
Jesus answered, "You say I am a king.
For this I was born and for this I came into the world,
to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dn 7:13-14
The selection of Daniel 7:13-14 as a lectionary passage for the Feast of Christ the King reflects nearly two millennia of interpretation that identifies Jesus with the “one like a human being” in Daniel 7.
Jesus himself quotes this passage in Mark’s and Matthew’s gospels, foretelling that his disciples “‘will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power’ and ‘coming with the clouds of heaven’” (Mark 14:62) and, in Matthew, that “all the tribes of the earth … will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). For Christian audiences, Jesus’s quotation and reinterpretation of Daniel 7:13-14 casts the passage in a Christological light. But to understand the significance of Jesus’s identification with the one like a human being in Daniel seven, it is necessary first to understand the passage in its earlier, Jewish context.
Daniel 7:9-10 and 13-14 shine a spotlight first on the kingship of God, who is portrayed in Daniel’s vision as “an Ancient One,” and second on the eternal kingship that is given to the one like a human being. Kingship and sovereignty are thus central themes in this passage. Heavenly kingship -- and a heavenly kingdom -- are not divorced from earthly kingship. The book of Daniel thematizes the relationship between earthly and heavenly rule, emphasizing that the sovereign authority of earthly kings depends upon the will of God (e.g., Daniel 2:21, 5:32).
Within the book of Daniel, these verses are part of a longer vision report that takes place toward the beginning of the reign of the fictional King Belshazzar (Daniel 7:1). The chronology provides context for Daniel’s vision. Through most of the book, years are reckoned according to the reigns of earthly kings. This way of reckoning time was common throughout the ancient Near East, and is found also in the biblical books of Kings and Chronicles. For the audience of Daniel, this system of dating calls attention to the historical reality that, after Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Judah in 587 BCE (Daniel 1:1-2), Judah no longer had its own earthly king. Ruled instead by the Babylonian empire, Judeans were now subject to the whims of kings who neither respected their autonomy as a people nor recognized the power and authority of their God. The stories in Daniel portray the kings of Babylon commanding the worship of idols (chapter 3) and imagining themselves in the place of God (chapters 4, 6).
Readers learn at the conclusion of chapter 5 that the arrogant impiety of King Belshazzar prompts God to bring an end to Belshazzar’s kingship (Daniel 5:26-28). But Judeans still are not free. A new king, Darius the Mede, “receives the kingdom” immediately upon Belshazzar’s death (5:30). This narrative reflects the conquest of Babylon by Cyrus in 539 BCE. At this time, former subjects of the Babylonian Empire, including the Judeans in captivity and at home, became subjects of the Persian Empire.
Daniel’s vision in chapter seven reveals that, in time, yet another empire would follow that of Darius, and the Judean people would continue to suffer under foreign rule. The Macedonian general Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, including Judea, in 333-332 BCE. After his death, his successors fought to establish their own kingdoms. His generals Ptolemy and Seleukus each founded an empire, the Ptolemaic empire with its capital in Alexandria, Egypt, and the Seleukid Empire with its capitals in Seleukia in Mesopotamia and Antioch in Syria. Judeans were subject first to Ptolemaic rule, then to Seleukid rule.
Between the years 167 and 164 BCE, the Seleukid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes persecuted his Judean subjects, profaned the temple in Jerusalem, halted the regular sacrifices to Yaweh, and established a Seleukid military garrison in Jerusalem. The biblical books Daniel and 1 and 2 Maccabees (the latter two books are considered part of the Apocrypha by Protestants and deuterocanonical by Catholics) provide our main literary sources for the persecution. They describe a program of state terror, murder, and enslavement and the outlawing of Jewish identity, scriptures, and worship.
Daniel seven received its final form during the persecution of Judean Jews by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. The vision of the one like a human being offered hope to Jews who had been subject to foreign rule for over four centuries and now were victims of state terror and persecution. Even as they saw their houses burned, their loved ones tortured and slaughtered, and their temple profaned by an “abomination that desolates” (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11), Daniel’s vision allowed them to see something else: the end of empires, the sovereign power of God, and their own future kingdom. The king who persecuted them would soon pass away. His kingdom, portrayed as a monstrous, mutated beast (7:7-8), would perish (7:11), just as the kingdoms before it had done (7:12). In its place God would establish a new and everlasting kingdom that would not pass away (7:14, 18, 27). It would be given not only to the one like a human being, but also “to the people of the holy ones of the Most High” (7:27).
The other kingdoms were characterized by violence, destruction, exploitation, and oppression. The final, eternal kingdom would be oriented toward justice (Daniel 7:10, 22, 26). It has its origin at the very throne of God.
In this week’s Gospel lection, Jesus declares, “my kingdom is not from this world” (John 18:36). It is from heaven. This statement describes its origin, not its scope. Do not imagine Christ’s kingship in abstraction from earthly politics. In the here and now, many still suffer political domination, state terror, and persecution. Others exercise authority and participate willingly in political systems. God gave sovereignty to this Human One in response to the evil perpetrated by empires and the suffering of God’s people. In so doing, God sought to free and empower the oppressed and inaugurate just rule on earth as in heaven.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5
The interpretation of Psalm 93, apart from the vexing problems of setting and context, is straightforward. Declarations of the eternal nature of Yahweh's reign ("from everlasting" verse 2; "forevermore," literally "for length of days" verse 5), as well as its stability ("established" verse 1 and "never be moved" verse 2 are the same word in Hebrew; "very sure" verse 5) frame two verses employing watery imagery, whether of a mythological or natural quality (3), to reassert the supreme majesty of Yahweh (4). Thus, Psalm 93 serves as a hymn that praises Yahweh's kingship. That kingly power is illustrated in three ways:
1. Verses 1-2 announce the stability the world enjoys as a direct result of God's rule.
2. Verses 3-4 attest God's defeat of the chaos represented by the watery abyss. Their power is indicated through the device of "staircase" parallelism in which the scheme is ABC, ABD, ABE where A is the "flood," B is the verb "lift up," and C, D, and E move to a climax after the repeated initial subject and verb. Nevertheless, Yahweh is "more majestic" than even this most powerful and unpredictably chaotic force.
3. Verse 5 subtly shifts from creation to governance. Yahweh's "decrees" match his reign in stability as they are "very sure."
Regardless of what one thinks about such matters, there are two moments in the history of the universe when one can literally say Yahweh malak: at the creation of the universe and at the end of history. The Sunday of Christ the King liturgically celebrates the latter of these as the church year comes to an end. Daniel 7:14 announces "to him was given dominion and glory and kingship." Does our psalm, emphasizing the former, say anything less?
Reading 2 Rv 1:5-8
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood.
Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness ... There is a powerful New Testament emphasis upon the faith of Jesus Christ, as in Paul's writings, especially in Galatians 2:16,20; 3:22; Romans 3:22,26; Ephesians 3:12; Philippians 3:9; etc. There is a false impression that since Christ was deity incarnate he did not need to have faith; but in our Lord's humiliation as a man, faith in the Father was his predominate characteristic. All hope of salvation rests ultimately in the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the faithful witness in the sense of delivering accurately to mankind the word and the commandment which the Father gave him on behalf of humanity.
The firstborn from the dead ... The New Testament records the resurrection of Dorcas, the daughter of Jairus, Eutychus, the widow's son at Nain, and that of Lazarus in addition to the resurrection of Christ. In addition, there were "many of the saints" who came out of their graves following the resurrection of Christ (seven resurrections). In what sense, then, is Christ the firstborn from the dead? He alone came back from death never to die again; and besides this, there is the inherent significance of his being the first of many to triumph over death.
The ruler of the kings of the earth ... Christ is here spoken of as the possessor of all power and authority, fully in keeping with the Saviour's words, "All authority in heaven and upon earth has been given unto me" (Matthew 28:18). It should be noted that this authority belongs to Christ in the present time and perpetually. He is not planning to start ruling at some future time; he rules now! A great deal of the misunderstanding of this prophecy, as well as of the whole New Testament, derives from a failure to take account of this tremendous truth. Many have difficulty believing that Christ rules now; because, as they say, the world is in such a dreadful mess. However, the world was in a dreadful condition in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, who had to eat grass with the beasts of the field for seven years to learn that "The Most High rules in the kingdom of men" (Daniel 4:25). As for the reason why God's rule permits such atrocious wickedness on earth, it is clear enough that God permits it because it is in keeping with his purpose. The reign of Christ now in this present time will be more extensively treated under the "thousand years" interpretation (Revelation 20:2). If Christ is not exercising his authority, how can the church receive his promise that Christ will be with us "even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20)? Yes, despite the inability of some to see and recognize it, Christ is ruling now and will continue to rule until the last enemy is destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:25).
Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood ... Of significance are the present tense (loveth) and past tense (loosed), showing that Christ's love is continuous, and that the redemption mentioned is a past accomplishment. Since it is an undeniable truth that Christ keeps on saving the saved until at last they are saved eternally in heaven, it is evident that the initial salvation in conversion is the redemption that John had in view here; therefore, the KJV rendition of this as "washed us" is likewise correct. On what the scholars consider sufficient textual evidence, this was changed to "loosed us" in subsequent versions. The Greek words for these two expressions are almost identical in appearance; and, furthermore, it is immaterial exactly which is the original reading.
The passage in Revelation 7:14, as well as the overtones of the whole context, incline us to accept the opinion of Carpenter: "The general tone of thought would lead us to prefer "washed" as the true reading."[18] The slavish following of certain preferred manuscripts is not necessarily an infallible method of determining accuracy.
Gospel Jn 18:33b-37
This Sunday is the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year. On this Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King. Each year we set aside this Sunday to reflect upon this title that we have given to Jesus. In Lectionary Cycle C, we read a portion of the passion from the Gospel of John, which is also part of the Gospel reading proclaimed each year on Good Friday.
In John’s Gospel, Pilate is shown in a more favorable light than in the other Gospels. In today’s reading, we hear one of two dialogues between Jesus and Pilate that are reported in John’s Gospel. Pilate questions Jesus about the charges brought against him. Caiaphas and the high priests have charged Jesus with a political crime, one that would require a punishment of death. Pilate distances himself from the Jewish leaders who accuse Jesus; he is not a Jew, and he seems to want little to do with this Jewish affair.
In his responses to Pilate’s questions, Jesus distinguishes his kingdom from the political powers of this world. King and kingdom may be appropriate terms for Jesus’ mission and promise, but only by analogy. Jesus is king, but not the kind of king we imagine or expect. He was certainly not the kind of king Pilate feared he might be.
Jesus refers to a kingdom that does not belong to this world. This has been mentioned earlier in John’s Gospel. Recall that in his prayer during the Last Supper discourse (see John 17:6-18), Jesus prayed for his disciples who are in the world but do not belong to the world. Yet like Jesus, they are sent into the world for the world’s salvation. In today’s reading, we see Jesus identify the final proof that his kingdom is not of this world: If his kingdom were of this world, then there would be people fighting to save him. Again we hear echoes of John’s theme—salvation is worked out through a cosmic battle. It is helpful to return to the first chapter of John’s Gospel to understand the context for Jesus’ words to Pilate. Jesus came into the world, but the world did not know him. In John’s language, the world prefers the darkness, and yet the light will not be overcome by the darkness.
Truth has been another important theme in John’s Gospel. We see it emphasized in the conclusion of the dialogue between Jesus and Pilate. Those who know the truth will recognize Jesus as king and will know how to interpret this insight. Yet Jesus’ kingship was hidden from many of his contemporaries. Only those chosen, those who have the eyes of faith, are able to see. As modern disciples of Jesus, we also struggle at times to recognize Jesus as king. Today’s Gospel invites us to see with eyes of faith that we might recognize that Jesus, through his crucifixion and death, is indeed king and Savior of all.
Making the Connection
- When you were younger, did you ever pretend to be a prince or princess, a king or queen? What did you do? (dressed up in special clothes, told other people what to do, protected your kingdom from enemies) Why do people pretend to be royalty? (because it makes us feel special, because it is fun)
- Today is the feast of Christ the King. Was Jesus a king in the way that you imagined when you pretended to be a king or queen? (No.) Jesus was and is a very different kind of king. But we can use what we imagined about earthly kings and queens to understand what we mean when we call Jesus our King.
- Why does Pilate think that Jesus might be a king? (That is the accusation made against Jesus by the Jewish authorities.) Does Pilate treat Jesus as if he believes he is royalty? (No.) What does Jesus say about his kingdom? (It does not belong to this world; those who know the truth will recognize Jesus as a king.)
- We believe that Jesus is our king, but his kingdom is heaven. He is a heavenly king who shows us how to live. All who believe in him want to obey him because they know he teaches us how to be truly happy.
- How is Jesus like the royalty we pretended to be? (He is powerful; he protects us from enemies; he can help us when we are in need; he wants us to obey him.) How is Jesus different from the royalty we pretended to be? (He served others rather than making others serve him.) How do we show that we honor Jesus as king? (We ask Jesus to help us, as subjects ask for help from a king; we obey Jesus; we thank him for the protection and love he shows us; we don’t let anything or anyone have more importance in our lives than Jesus.)
- Conclude in prayer that we will always believe that Jesus is king and that we will follow him in all we say and do. Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dn 7:13-14
The prophet Daniel's vision began in Daniel 7:9, where he saw God's heavenly court. First, Daniel saw God the Father seated on a throne with His radiating glory encircled by angels. Divine judgment was about to be announced, followed by the Divine Judge's sentence for the righteous and the wicked. Next, the Books of Deeds, containing the actions of all men and women during their lifetimes, were opened (verse 10). Then Daniel saw a figure that had the appearance of someone sharing the human condition "coming on the clouds of heaven" (verse 13). When presented to God, the mysterious figure received kingship and dominion over all peoples and nations of the earth. His kingship is announced as everlasting (verse 14), fulfilling the promise of the eternal covenant God promised King David's heir, the Messiah, who would have authority over all peoples of the earth forever (2 Sam 7:16, 29; 23:5).
Reading this passage in light of the ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, we understand that Daniel received a vision in the 6th century BC of Christ ascending to God the Father from a heavenly perspective. It is the same event witnessed by Jesus's Apostles and disciples from an earthly perspective, centuries later in AD 30 at His Ascension in Acts chapter 1. Daniel saw the resurrected and glorified Jesus Christ, whose favorite title for Himself was "Son of Man." Jesus used this title for Himself not only because He possessed two natures, human and divine, but because He is the anticipated divine Messiah Daniel saw in his vision. Scripture applies this title to Jesus some eighty times in the Gospels and in all but two times as a self-designation by Jesus; outside the Gospels, the phrase occurs only four times.
Jesus alluded to the passage from Daniel 7:13-14 when He is on trial before the high court of the Jewish Sanhedrin. He quoted from Daniel 7:13 in answer to High Priest Joseph Caiaphas's demand to tell the court if He is the Messiah. When Jesus quoted from the passage, Caiaphas realized Jesus was claiming to be the divine Messiah of Daniel's vision, and he and the court immediately condemned Jesus to death on the charge of blasphemy (Mt 26:64-66; Mk 14:61-64).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 93:1, 1-2, 5
From time to time, we all have the "mountain top" experience, that emotional high that assures us that God is truly present. In those rare moments, praise becomes fact. We realize all the platitudes we heap upon our Maker have some basis in reality. The power and glory of God are palpable.
These times remind us that praise is not only expressed in exclamation, but in a statement of fact. Psalm 93 was such a statement. It painted the rule and power of God in overarching terms. He was all-powerful in ability and presence.
The psalm was written in a quasi "A-B-A" structure. Verses 1-2 and verses 5-6 ("A" parts) expressed the unwavering power of God. His power and reign could not be moved; its results in creation (93:1b) and the Law/monarch (93:5) were also solid. The most powerful force in nature (the "B" section found in 93:3-4: the flood) could not overtake the power of God.
Many scholars believe this triumphal hymn was written in the glory times of the monarchy before the Babylonian Exile. The tone of the psalm described the presence of God in royal terms; he was King and he was "clothed" in power and reputation befitting the Lord of all. His decisions would stand firm, both in creation and in Law. Those of his "house" (i.e., the house of David) would rule with him forever. Even the primordial forces could not defeat him. Notice the lack of uncertainty and melancholy that marked the writings from the time of the Exile onward.
When praise becomes fact, we see our Creator and his creation in a different light. He is with us and our daily grind can be put into context. He is the King who blesses us with every gift imaginable. In fact, our lives become pure blessing. These are the times we experience God's power and his glorious rule over us.
Reading 2 Rv 1:5-8
Revelations was unique among apocalyptic literature because it fused the historical and liturgical perspectives in a Christian context. When John received his revelation, he saw God working in human events amidst the angelic worship in heaven. In fact, he and the communities to whom he wrote were part of that angelic praise.
Imagine, for a moment, the final judgment was in progress. You stood among the angels in heaven, praising God for all he was doing. How would you see the events of the end times, as they unfold in real time? The answer to that question will give you an idea of John's perspective.
John's greeting to the seven churches began with a call to worship. He invoked the name of God: 1) the Living One active in the past and coming in the end times, 2) the fulness of the Spirit, and 3) Jesus Christ. Then, John listed a short resume of Jesus: trustworthy witness, risen from the dead, and ruler over all earthly powers. Notice the outline of the Trinity. [1:4-5a]
The invocation had a result. Through his love and his liberating death, Jesus molded his followers into a priestly nation, a people set apart to worship the God and Father of the Christ. The end of invocation was praise, not to the Father, but to Jesus. [1:5b]
In his first invocation, John used a Jewish prayer form that began with God in heaven, came down to humanity, and returned to God in the highest. The Our Father with the so-called "Protestant" ending is an example of this prayer form. John's invocation was unique for its end point, however. It began with the triune God but ended with Jesus.
After the invocation, John defined THE event of God's activity: the coming of the Kingdom. He used the traditional imagery and spirit of Daniel 7. But, notice the reference to John 19:34, the piercing of Jesus. Everyone would see the coming of the Christ, even those guilty of his death. And all would mourn at the sight of his glory, from guilt, from dread of judgment, or both. [1:7]
Finally in John, the Living One confirmed his activity with a self-definition. He is the beginning and the end (the horizon of all that humanity can know or imagine). He repeated this definition with the same description John used for the Father in 1:4. Notice the two definitions ("Alpha-Omega" vs. "Living One who was and who will come") mirrored each other in meaning. [1:8]
In the light of these verses, the attitude of anticipation should lace Christian worship. To praise God is to wait for him to act. We should look forward to the Lord's coming, in certain knowledge that God has declared it so. Therefore let us pray and keep our eyes open for God to act!
Gospel Jn 18:33b-37
Have you ever day-dreamed about winning the Lotto? Or being king for a day? What would you do?
When we were young, we had the time to indulge our imagination. We pretended to be famous, wealthy, and powerful. Of course we grew up, but sometimes not out of those fantasies. In fact, multi-billion dollar industries are dedicated to making those dreams come true. But only for a while. And always for a price.
Let's take the ultimate indulgence. What does it really mean to be "king of the world?" Take a few moments and step into the shoes of Jesus. How would you answer the charge you were a king of all?
What does it mean to be a king? Is it the old model of absolute power? Or is it Christ's leadership of service? These questions are the essence of Pilate's and Jesus' dialogue.
As Roman governor of Judea, Pilate was judge and jury in capital cases. His question was direct: "Do you claim to be king of the area I govern in the name of Caesar?" An affirmative answer would have sealed the fate of Jesus, since he would be branded as a political revolutionary. [33]
But the phrase "King of the Jews" had a spiritual meaning that might have escaped Pilate. To probe Pilate's understanding, Jesus answers a question with a question: "Who are your witnesses about me?" Dismissing Jesus' question, Pilate retorts by pressing his point: "What have you done?" In other words, Pilate wants a direct witness from the source Himself, not from his accusers. [34-35]
Jesus responds with a speech about his arena (i.e., "his kingdom"). Jesus' arena is not that of popular culture or politics; if it was there would be a bloody revolution. [36]
Pilate still presses the point: "You are a king, aren't you?" Jesus gives in on a semantic point ("You're the one who says so, Pilate") but finally gives Pilate a direct witness: Jesus speaks the truth.
How does the truth Jesus speaks and the truth the "world" speaks differently? The truth of the world is transient in nature; it changes with the season and the political landscape. It speaks to ambition and power, to possessions and pleasure. The truth of the world is, at best, shallow.
But the truth Jesus speaks is one of the heart. The truth of Jesus is more than facts; it is one of fidelity. God is "true" to us; that means, he is faithful. He shows us his fidelity through his Son and the power of his Spirit. When we are true to God in return, we "live in truth" (that is, in relationship). Since God is eternally faithful, God's truth goes beyond the transient nature of politics, fad, and fashion.
How does your relationship with God touch you in ways the world cannot match? How has the truth of the world failed you? How has God's faithfulness sustained you?
A theologian once said that all revelation is invitation. In other words, all that God reveals to us invites us to live with him. This is the reality of Jesus' kingship. Jesus is Lord, so we might live near him in love. He is King of the World, not over us but for us and with us.
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Sunday November 17, 2024 Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 158
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dn 12:1-3
In those days, I Daniel,
heard this word of the Lord:
"At that time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since nations began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.
"Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;
some shall live forever,
others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
"But the wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
and those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Reading 2 Heb 10:11-14, 18
Brothers and sisters:
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering
he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.
Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer offering for sin.
Gospel Mk 13:24-32
Jesus said to his disciples:
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dn 12:1-3
“At that time”. This phrase connects this verse to the tumultuous events of chapter 11. When those terrible things take place, God has a plan to save his people.
“there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people” . We first heard of Michael in 10:13, when “a man clothed in linen”—presumably an angel (10:5)—sought to reassure Daniel. He said that the prince of the kingdom of Persia had opposed him, but Michael dealt with that dark prince. He then said, there is none who holds with me against these, but Michael your prince (10:21). In the New Testament, Michael is portrayed as fighting Satan (Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7).
Jewish tradition speaks of seven archangels, four of whom—Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel—were allowed to stand in God’s presence. While the duties of the archangels are not clearly delineated, the idea seems to be that God placed them in command of the great host of God’s angels to do God’s bidding. It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since the nation began until that time.
This time of anguish would be when Antiochus IV tried to “profane the sanctuary, even the fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt offering. He will defeat Egypt and “go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many”.
At that time your people shall escape.
This is the point. In spite of this bad king’s power and wealth, “he shall come to his end, and none will help him”. His power and wealth will not protect him against the justice of God, who will deliver his people. Judas Maccabeus and his family will defeat Antiochus and his armies—a true David-and-Goliath kind of victory.
“everyone who is found written in the book”. This would be the Book of Life (a phrase that is used in Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27). That is a book in which God records the names of the righteous. It is “a list of those who belong to God’s people, the citizen list of the true Jerusalem”.
It is these people—those whose names are written in the Book of Life—who shall be delivered.
“Many (rab·bim) of those”. This Hebrew word, rab·bim, means “many.” Some scholars interpret rab·bim in this context to emphasize the selectiveness of those who will awake to everlasting life. Other scholars feel that the emphasis is on the large number rather than the selectiveness.
“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, others to reproach and everlasting disgrace”. In the Old Testament, “sleep” is sometimes used as a metaphor for “death” (Job 14:12; Psalm 13:3; Jeremiah 51:39, 57).
This is one of only a few references to resurrection in the Old Testament—although the word “resurrection” doesn’t appear until the New Testament. Other allusions to resurrection in the Old Testament include:
• Isaiah 25:8 (“He will destroy death forever, The Lord will wipe away tears from all faces”).
• Isaiah 26:19 (“But your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise!”).
• Ezekiel 37:12-14 “Therefore, prophesy and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: Look! I am going to open your graves; I will make you come up out of your graves, my people, and bring you back to the land of Israel. You shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and make you come up out of them, my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may come to life, and I will settle you in your land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. I have spoken; I will do it—oracle of the LORD.
• Hosea 6:2 (“He will revive us after two days. On the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence”).
But, for the most part, Old Testament Jews tended to think of living on through their children rather than living eternally in heaven.
In the New Testament, the Jewish people were divided on the subject of resurrection. Pharisees believed in resurrection, but Sadducees did not (Matthew 22:23; Mark 12:18).
“But those with insight shall shine brightly”. In this verse, “Those who are wise” stands parallel to “those who turn many to righteousness”—which suggests that wise people are righteous people. It takes a wise person to lead people to wisdom and a righteous person to lead people to righteousness.
However, we should not hear this to mean that “those who are wise” constitute an exclusive elite. Spiritual wisdom isn’t limited to those few people who enjoy a high IQ, but is a characteristic of every faithful believer. Spiritual wisdom isn’t manifested in mental gymnastics, but in a life lived faithfully for God.
“like the splendor of the firmament and those who lead the many to justice shall be like stars forever”. People have been fascinated by the bright lights of the sky—the sun, moon, and stars—from the beginning of time. Many ancients worshiped the stars, although Jewish law forbade such practice (Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:2-5).
Those of us who live and work indoors, surrounded at night by bright light, can barely fathom the impact that the moon and stars had on primitive people. Their nights would take on a quality of darkness that most people today never experience. On a clear night, they would see millions of stars—most of which would never show through our light-pollution.
The stars were not only beautiful; they were useful too. The ancients found their way around the darkness by moonlight and starlight. They learned early that they could use stars for navigation. Stars might seem to move across the night sky, but the ancients knew that the stars were never out of place. If they seemed out of place, it was only because the observer didn’t understand them—or because the observer was out of place.
Now, Daniel’s vision promises that the faithful shall shine like those stars—beautiful—dependable—useful—eternal. People would admire them. They would learn to guide by the light of their faithful mentors. Faithful people would bless all those who observed their lives, just as we are all blessed by the lights that God has placed in the sky.
Surely with this verse in mind, Jesus concluded his Parable of the Weeds by saying: “Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
Psalm 16 is a lovely and eloquent poetic rendering of Israel’s radical monotheism. Each of its sections offers a variation on the theme of “no other gods” or “the LORD alone.”
Verse 1 features the major psalmic concept of “refuge,” which is introduced in Psalm 2:12 and appears frequently, especially in Book I (Psalms 1-41; see 5:11; 7:1; 11:1; 14:6; and more). To “take refuge” in God means to trust God unreservedly. This, in turn, means to submit the self fully to God, as the psalmist indicates that she or he has done by addressing God as “my Lord” in verse 2.
The theme of “the LORD alone” culminates in the conclusion to verse 2. The word “good” refers to the resources, material and other things, that make life possible; so the psalmist affirms that his or her life derives from and depends solely upon God.
Verses 3-4 are notoriously difficult, and translations vary considerably. But general acceptance is that the psalmist expresses exclusive loyalty to God by honoring those who honor God (verse 3), as well as by avoiding every semblance of idolatry (verse 4).
In contrast to those who drink idolatrous offerings (verse 4), the LORD is the psalmist’s only “cup” (verse 5). But the real unifying feature of verses 5-6 is the language of land-settlement that is drawn from the book of Joshua -- “”portion” (Joshua 19:9), “lot” (18:6, 8), “boundary lines” (17:5, “portions” and “heritage” (14:3; 17:6; “inheritance”. Because land represented access to life, the affirmation again is that the psalmist’s life derives from and depends solely upon God.
The affirmation “I bless the LORD” (Psalm 16:7) reinforces the psalmist’s submission to God (see verse 2), since “bless” seems originally to have meant something like to “kneel in obeisance to.” The mention of “counsel” and round-the-clock instruction recalls Psalm 1 (see “advice” in 1:1 and “night” in 1:2), which opens the Psalter by orienting readers exclusively to God and God’s will, as a matter of life and death. Verse 8 continues the focus on the constancy of God’s presence, which proves to be the psalmist’s sole source of stability (see 15:5, and compare 13:4 where “shaken” represents the same Hebrew root).
The variation on the theme of “the LORD alone” involves anthropological language in verse 9: “heart,” “soul” (more literally “glory”), and “body.” The psalmist’s whole being is involved in the unreserved commitment to God. So the psalmist does what all Israel does in 14:7 in responses to God’s life-giving presence: “is glad” and “rejoices.” The Hebrew root underlying “secure” (verse 9) is ordinarily translated “trust,” reinforcing the opening affirmation of refuge found in God. The result is life (verse 10; “Sheol” and “the Pit” are names for the realm of the dead).
Not surprisingly, “the path of life” is mentioned explicitly in verse 11. This verse serves well as a culmination, since its vocabulary recalls earlier sections of the poem -- see “pleasures” and “pleasant places” (verses 6, 11), “right hand” (verses 8, 11), and “joy”/”rejoices” (verses 9, 11). The repetition summarizes and reinforces the message of the whole; that is, the psalmist’s joyful affirmation that his or her life derives from and is dependent upon “the LORD alone.”
The appearance of Psalm 16 in the lectionary is an opportunity both to appreciate its artistic beauty and to open ourselves to the challenge of Israel’s radical monotheism. In our pervasively self-centered context, for instance, what difference might it make if we entertained the conviction that life is not something we achieve, but rather something we receive as a gift from God? What difference might it make if we viewed the life-sustaining resources that most of us enjoy not as something we have earned or deserve, but rather as evidence of God’s goodness? Might a pervasive sense of entitlement begin to be replaced by a posture of humility and gratitude?
Reading 2 Heb 10:11-14, 18
Read in the context of post-modernism, Hebrews 10, seems to call into question our assumptions around the so-called means of grace practices that all Christians engage in during times of worship. The sharp contrast between the repeated sacrifices done by the Jewish priest and the once-and-for-all sacrifice that Jesus did serves as a reminder of the true nature of the identity of Jesus as the one who establishes a new covenant. As partakers of Holy Communion, Christians are reminded of the presence of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine elements.
The preacher of Hebrews returns once again to the basic text, which is Psalm 110:1-4 of which an eternal priest like Melchizedek was to remain seated until his enemies were put down. Having already offered his once-for-all sacrifice, he sits in the rightful place, “at the right hand of God,” (Hebrews 10:12a). What then should Christians do or what are the implications of what the Hebrew preacher is saying in these verses? There seems to be three elements that can assist us to interpret these verses in a practical way. First, sacrifices are meaningful when they give people what they need, rather than what they want. Since Jesus came as a high Priest, he came as John claims, to “have life and have it abundantly.” It is crucial to remember the presence of Jesus Christ in all that we do and say. Second, we must prepare ourselves to receive, be it the effects of baptism or Holy Communion, and we can only do this after prayer. Prayer is absolutely necessary for spiritual and faith transformation and without prayer, all that we do in our churches slides into meaningless and powerless rituals. Third, people must pray for Holiness (Psalm 51:1-2). The problem in our postmodern era and in some parts of the world is that there are some Christians who believe that there is nothing to confess while they live in sin, yet God commands us to “be perfect” (Matthew 5:48).
The following verses of Hebrews 10:15-18 are probably problematic to most Christians because the mention of the “Holy Spirit” as the one that testifies about what God through Jesus says, tends to be difficult for people to wrestle with. Yet, the power of the written word and Jesus’ power is manifested in the work of the Holy Spirit, which is the cornerstone of biblical interpretation, worship, and all that takes place in the Church. Like Christians, Jewish preachers and writers attributed the inspiration of Scripture to the “Holy Spirit,” who in ancient Judaism was viewed as the Spirit of prophecy (Jeremiah 31:31-34).
Hebrews 10 reminds us to always remember that Jesus is more superior to any other priest, be it a Levitical or modern day priest.
The theological notion that Jesus is a high priest before God leads interpreters to wrestle with the idea of a heavenly tabernacle of which Jesus Christ is the embodiment (Exodus 25:9; 40; 26:30). While the notion of colonization and decolonization do not appear in Hebrews, readers may be intrigued to notice how verses 15-18, are a call to be decolonized from colonial powers of culture, religion, and empires. The promise of verse 18 is that the new covenant established by Jesus Christ, the eternal priest, was first and foremost for the forgiveness of sins, and one’s sins will never be remembered because of the ‘atonement’ that was made by Jesus. In the postmodern period, the gospel of Jesus Christ has one goal in mind, simply to decolonize families, individuals, churches, and world communities from religious, cultural, and imperial colonization. Hebrews has one goal in mind and that goal is to rescue souls from spiritual death; restoring and nourishing believers to eternal life through Jesus Christ. Thus, being a believer is equal to being a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). The problem for our time is that there are many Christians who do not believe in what Jesus Christ did, and consequently their faith in Jesus is not well established.
The theology of Hebrews is that forgiveness is for everyone no matter how wicked one is. The key is simply to confess and believe in what Jesus did. The message that Jesus has compassion for everyone is profoundly important for readers and interpreters of Hebrews. Hebrews summons Christians to a life of constant spiritual alertness, engagement, and striving to be Holy and perfect (Hebrews 12:2).
Hebrews 10:19-25 are indisputably a call to a new form of worshiping God, one in which faith in Jesus allows believers to have access to God without waiting for a priest. The superiority of Jesus’ sacrifice opened a new door for believers to have obedience in both death and resurrection of the messiah. In verse 21, there is an allusion to Jesus’ superiority over Moses and this helps interpreters to appreciate the magnitude of the ‘Christ event.’ Of theological depth is the language of “Drawing near,” which signals an invitation to enter into a relationship with God (Hebrews 7:19), as well as availing oneself in the presence of God (Hebrews 10:19-20).
Gospel Mk 13:24-32
This Sunday is the second to last Sunday of our liturgical year. As we approach the end of the Church year, our Gospel invites us to consider Jesus’ predictions and teaching about the end of the world. In the context of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ words about this are spoken to his disciples as he prepares them for his passion and death.
Before we consider Jesus’ words, it is important to note the political backdrop against which many think Mark’s Gospel was written. Most scholars concur that Mark wrote his Gospel for Christians living in or near Rome about 30 to 40 years after the death of Jesus. This was a time of political turmoil in Rome. Some Christians experienced persecution by the Romans during the reign of the emperor Nero (about 64 A.D.). Jewish revolutionaries rebelled against the Romans, which led the Romans to destroy the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. In this time of political turmoil and persecution, many in Mark’s community might have wondered if the end times predicted by Jesus were in fact quite near.
Last Sunday we heard Jesus’ observation about the contributions being made to the temple treasury and the example of sacrificial giving that he saw in the poor widow’s offering. If we had been reading Mark’s Gospel continuously, we would have heard Jesus predict the destruction of the Temple, his teaching about the costs of discipleship, and the woes that will accompany the end times. Finally, we would have heard Jesus instruct his disciples about the need for watchfulness so that they will not be caught unprepared for this final day of judgment.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus continues this teaching by offering his disciples signs to look for that will indicate that the coming of the Son of Man is near. His words and images draw upon Old Testament imagery, especially images found in the Book of Daniel. Next, Jesus offers the lesson of the fig tree, a parable that teaches that if one knows how to read the signs, one can be prepared for the end times. Jesus also teaches, however, that no one knows when the end time will come, except the Father. In the verses that follow this reading in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus continues to warn his disciples to be on watch for this end time.
Jesus’ words are not spoken to frighten his disciples, nor should they frighten us. Rather, they are offered to prepare us for the changes we will experience during our lifetimes and at the end times. Our consolation and hope is found in the lasting nature of Jesus’ words and God’s never-ending love for us.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- When predicting the weather, what signs are used? (temperature, wind direction, clouds, and so on) What do you predict the weather will be tomorrow? Are your predictions likely to be accurate? Why or why not? (They might be accurate because we heard a forecaster give the weather report; they might not be accurate because we don’t know how to interpret the signs; and so on.)
- We can make a guess about what the weather will be tomorrow, but we’re not really making a weather prediction. Without the help of trained meteorologists, it is unlikely that our predictions will be accurate. If they are, it is because we have read the forecast of others very well.
- Just as signs help meteorologists predict the weather, Jesus told us there will be signs that will indicate that the end of the world is near. Think about this Gospel.
- What signs does Jesus say will signal the end times? (the sun darkening, stars falling, the coming of the Son of Man, and so on) Do you think we will be able to predict the end times? Who does Jesus say knows when these things will happen? (only God)
- We don’t know when the things that Jesus talks about will happen, but we know that they will happen. Why? (because we can trust Jesus’ words to us)
- Jesus does not want us to be frightened by these signs, nor does he want us to be fearful about the fact that the world will one day come to an end. Many things in the world may change, but Jesus’ words to us and God’s love for us will never change.
- Let’s end by thanking God for the great, unending love he showed to us by sending us Jesus. Pray together the Glory Be to the Father
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dn 12:1-3
When the millennium approached, many people were concerned about the corruption of society and the pending end of the world. Such fears are not new; they extend back 2200 years to the book of Daniel. Before Daniel, Jewish prophecy was analogous; it could be clearly interpreted. Full of obscure symbols that can be interpreted many different ways, Daniel is one of the first books that includes "apocalyptic" visions as prophecy. And Daniel's concern focused on the "day of the Lord" (i.e., judgment Day).
Even in a time of great stress, Daniel emphasizes God's protection in the person of Michael (the archangel) [1]. But, what of the righteous who died and did not receive protection? Here, Daniel introduces the concepts of the resurrection and the final judgment [2]. Notice, the evil would be shamed as their punishment, while the faithful would have reputations "like the stars in the sky," bright and forever [3]. The just (i.e., the faithful) have a place in the creation ("the firmament") like the stars. Daniel connected moral living with God's creation; at the end of time, everything, including morality, would be set "right."
Daniel saw the unity of nature and morality in a way that Western culture easily overlooks. But we should not make connections in terms of karma, the eternal payback. God's judgment is his mercy and his love; these are the divine qualities we believe in, not in moral retribution as a "law of the universe." Daniel saw the connection between creation and morality in God. The only way to live that connection is in a faith relationship.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
Let's face it. We live in a world where even our closest friends and family members can have different viewpoints and priorities than we do. They may even have a different world view than we have. In the past, those differences could be divided into us vs. them, black vs. white, right vs. wrong. Today, however, many differences are measured in shades of gray. We might not be sure of our own moral or faith compass, much less those of others close to us. We're tempted to cry out to God for direction in the face of so much uncertainty.
If you feel this way, take heart; so did the author of Psalm 16. He was a Levite who competed with pagan cults for the loyalty of the populace around Jerusalem. In such an atmosphere, his reputation and income was undercut, but his faith was not.
Psalm 16 can be divided into two sections: prayer for safety (16:1-6) and blessing of confidence (16:7-11). The prayer for safe harbor was not only personal, it was institutional. The author represented the true Levite who would not abandon his place and his commitment to worship YHWH.
We live in a marketplace of ideas, and a marketplace of values. We can choose our viewpoint "cafeteria style" if we wish, and create a world view that is self-serving. But, is that wise? The lure of the easy way may distract us but it will not bring us true happiness. Sometimes we must disagree even with those close to us about priorities and values, but instinctively we know what will bring us joy: the presence of God in our lives. He will be with us, even if we find we are out of place in a room full of people.
Reading 2 Heb 10:11-14, 18
The world viewed the cross as death. We see it as life.
In these verses, the author of Hebrews concluded his exposition about sacrifice. As he did before, the author compared the earthly cult of the Temple in Jerusalem with the heavenly worship of Jesus which began on the cross. Both types of sacrifice were continuous. The earthly cult offered the same sacrifices over and over. In this sense, it was impotent, for it could not affect what it asked: reconciliation and intimacy with God. The heavenly cult of Jesus was also continuous, but in a different sense. The death of Jesus on the cross was a one time event. But the reality of that event, found in the risen body of the Lord, would live forever.
To truly appreciate the thinking in Hebrews, we must once again see what kept people from a lasting, intimate relationship with God: death. The earthly cult of the Temple could never overcome death. This was why it could not take away the cause of death: sin. But, with the death and resurrection of Jesus, death itself was destroyed and, by extension, its cause.
Belief in the Risen Lord connected one to his eternal life. With such life now a reality, the author looked forward to the destruction of those who aligned themselves with sin and death (i.e., non-believers). These would be the enemies "as a stool under his feet."
Some might mock us for our trust in someone who died two millennia ago. This was the same skepticism that Jewish-Christians faced when they held onto their faith in the face of the destruction of the Temple. The gloomy outlook of the world, critics claim, is enough to argue against faith. Believers, however, view the outlook AS a reason for faith. We reach out to the One beyond us, because the world is not enough. And he gives us true, everlasting life.
Gospel Mk 13:24-32
In Mark's gospel, Jesus addressed the coming day of the Lord in two ways: active anticipation and faith. Look for signs, Jesus told his followers, but trust in the Lord's time, not your own.
Viewing the end of time, Jesus saw the event as the visit of the divine King. God would prepare the visit with cosmic signs and events as a means of announcement. The King would arrive in a way that reflected his power and reputation (on the clouds); his messengers-criers ("angels") would go throughout the known world to gather all the faithful. Remember that the Jewish people had been displaced throughout the known world because of economic opportunity or oppression. Jesus implied that the injustice of Jews living on foreign soil would be corrected during his lifetime.
How did his disciples know Jesus spoke the truth? Jesus gave a farming analogy of the fig tree (green before the summer to support his belief in God's immanent judgment. Then he compared God's creation to his words. Nature changed, but his words would not; they were eternal and, so, trustworthy.
After all that, Jesus said that only God knew the day (the time frame) or the hour (the exact moment) of these events. Doesn't this contradict his preaching and assurance? To the impatient Westerner, the answer would seem to be "yes." But Jesus challenged his disciples to see the process through God's eyes. These things would happen in God's time, not ours. The teaching of Jesus challenged both his audience and our uncertain time to trust God with the future. Anxiety and paranoia were futile responses to a situation that requires faith.
What themes in popular culture remind you of the Second Coming? What is your response to them as a Christian?
When are you coming, Lord? When!? While we might not be consumed with the question of the end time, personal anxiety in life will cause us to ask the question. Jesus' answer to us is the same one he gave his followers two thousand years ago. Look for signs of his coming in the chaos of life. And trust in his time of your deliverance. Rest assured, he will come at the right time!
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Sunday November 10, 2024 Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 155
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:10-16
In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
"Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink."
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
"Please bring along a bit of bread."
She answered, "As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
'The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD 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 he 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
Reading 2 Heb 9:24-28
Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands,
a copy of the true one, but heaven itself,
that he might now appear before God on our behalf.
Not that he might offer himself repeatedly,
as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary
with blood that is not his own;
if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly
from the foundation of the world.
But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages
to take away sin by his sacrifice.
Just as it is appointed that human beings die once,
and after this the judgment, so also Christ,
offered once to take away the sins of many,
will appear a second time, not to take away sin
but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.
Gospel Mk 12:38-44
In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."
He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:10-16
On the surface, 1 Kings 17:10-16 tells a familiar story of a prophet who performs miracles.
A widow and her son, on the brink of starvation, are provided with an oil jug that will not run dry and a stash of grain that will never be empty. Such a surface reading misses the import of the specific details of this text, details that provide surprising hooks into the contemporary world.
This passage is part of the introduction of the prophet, Elijah, into the books of Kings. The first cycle of Elijah stories (1 Kings 17:1–19:18) centers on the nation’s economic collapse as the result of a severe drought that ruins crops and decimates the population. In the opening verse of the cycle, the reader is told that Israel’s God, Yahweh, has sent the drought.
Images of food and water permeate these chapters. The cycle is framed by two scenes where God feeds Elijah (17:4-7 and 19:5-9). The cycle depicts the interplay of religion and politics during national crisis. The drought is the result of the religious policies of Ahab, and it is prolonged by a lengthy government-sponsored contest between prophets of competing religions. This contest with the prophets of Baal in chapter 18 is won, not when Elijah calls fire down from heaven, but when clouds appear on the horizon (18:44-45).
The story of the widow of Zarephath precedes this contest. The story illustrates the severity of the drought, while the woman’s plight humanizes the casualties of this tragic interplay of politics and religion. The Elijah narrative then commences with a clear focus on those most vulnerable: a widow and her child.
In today’s world, the statistics on women and children in situations of famine are sobering. Human rights organizations note that the effects of natural disaster, including climate change, are felt most acutely by women and children. Oxfam International’s film, “Sisters on the Planet,” includes the story of a Ugandan woman named Martina during a time of severe drought (http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/climatechange/sisters-planet).
Her story eerily echoes the passage from 1 Kings. Both stories open with the women gathering sticks to cook what meager food they can find. Both stories hint that the drought might be the result of a prophetic curse. In both narratives, the audience experiences the severity of the drought through the heartbreak of women unable to adequately feed their children.
Both stories require the audience to have compassion for the ways decisions in our homeland affect women in other parts of the world. One of the important details of the story in 1 Kings is that this woman is a Phoenician. Phoenicia was a rich country just north of Israel. Elijah is sent by God to this one woman. The effects of the drought are felt beyond the borders of Israel.
The story of the Phoenician widow sets up an ironic contrast with the other female figure who appears later in the cycle, Ahab’s queen, Jezebel, was also Phoenician and whose religious fervor for her native gods (Baal and Asherah) led to Ahab’s religious policies. The story of a poor widow from Phoenicia becomes a fitting contrast to the damaging effects of the workings of a rich Phoenician wife.
Although the story seems to be about Elijah, his actions are rather problematic on their own. His command to the woman to feed him the last of her grain is shocking. Why would she acquiesce? Did she feel threatened by him? She was, after all, alone and vulnerable. Or was she simply convinced that his prophetic promise of food (17:14) was authentic? The text does not say.
- Saving a Phoenician woman demonstrates God’s care for the world. Although God will judge the Phoenician Jezebel, this is not a judgment on all Phoenicians.
- In this story about competing religious claims, Yahweh’s ability both to commence and to end drought undercuts the claim of both Israelites and foreigners that Baal is the only effective weather god, not only in Israel, but also across the globe.
- This is a story about the effects of economic injustice. The powerful, like Ahab and Jezebel are not starving, although they live in the same drought-stricken area. While they claim that the gods are on their side, the story reveals that God is on the side of those ignored by policy-makers.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
Worship is obviously an appropriate concept to anchor Psalm 146, the first of the concluding five "hallelujah" psalms and a fine example of the "hymn" genre.
Providence and Praise
The call to praise is reinforced by the abundant references to the covenant name of the Lord throughout the psalm. The saturation of God's name is itself a testament to the ubiquitous providence of God. While it is true that many psalms praise God for specific, miraculous acts of individual and national deliverance, the argument here is precisely that these divine acts are not special interventions, not extraordinary instances of divine compassion, but rather Israel's characteristic language of Yahweh's providential presence in the world.
Yahweh is the one "who made heaven and earth . . . who keeps faith forever . . ." (verse 6). Scholars are therefore correct to suggest some influence on this psalm from the biblical wisdom traditions, for they contributed to Israel's theology of creation and providence. Hence, one can see why this psalm would become part of Judaism's "daily morning prayers."
What should be emphasized with equal seriousness is that God's characteristic involvement with creation and history has a certain focus in this psalm, namely the oppressed and hungry, the prisoners (verse 7), the blind, and those who are bowed down (verse 8), and the stranger, orphan, and widow (verse 9). Israel's law and prophets called the nation to account for its treatment of the most vulnerable members of society, and a Christian reading of this psalm rightly sees a connection with Jesus' programmatic Nazareth sermon (Luke 4:16-29). God's providence is praised not only in Jesus' miracles, which are the first fruits of the restoration; it is also profoundly united to our understanding of the incarnation and crucifixion, in Jesus' complete identification with humankind and his complete self-giving. We can think of the way the motion picture, Seven Pounds, vividly portrays Ben Thomas (Will Smith) as a Christ-figure who gives himself -- literally -- to create healing and restoration in others.
The Infinite King and Finite Princes
Psalm 146 provides energy to the theme of God's providential involvement by linking it to God's righteous rule from Zion (verse 10) and presenting a stark contrast between this king who "will reign forever" and "princes . . . mortals in whom there is no hope" (v. 3; see also Psalm 118:9).
"Princes" come under particular indictment because, as nobles, they were in a position to effect change for the poor and oppressed. The prophets often laid responsibility for Israel's woes at the feet of its various leaders (Isaiah 3:14; Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; Hosea 5:1). Yahweh's royal office is highlighted, therefore, because he alone enacts true justice within history.
However, translating this judgment into our socio-political system, apart from a fully developed biblical theology of leadership, might lead to unwarranted applications. The hymn does not say that leaders are unnecessary or that they are not useful. It does warn against trusting them for salvation.
Reading 2 Heb 9:24-28
The letter to the Hebrews paints a series of contrasts between Jesus, our great high priest, and the sacrificial system of atonement that pre-figured his redeeming work.
Today's lesson sums up these contrasts with an image of Christ's heavenly, final and effective intercession for us sinners, resulting in the tremendous good news of God's complete and lasting forgiveness.
In order to get to this good news, we need to wrestle a bit with the author's language of blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins (9:22, 25-26), of the earthly realm as a copy of heavenly realities (8:5; 9:23-24; 10:1), of the end of the age (9:26), and of the second coming of Christ (9:28). These ideas are not part of the currency of our everyday conversation. They assume an understanding of ancient Israel's atonement ritual during the Exodus, even prior to the building of the Temple under David.
At that time, the place of worship was a tent with an inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9:1-5; Exodus 25-30), where the high priest entered once a year to offer sacrifices for himself and for the sins of the people (Hebrews 9:6-10). Drawing on Exodus 25:40, the author of Hebrews says that this sanctuary, and the sacrificial system that went with it, was a copy of a heavenly reality (Hebrews 8:5); drawing on Greek Platonic philosophy, Hebrews adds that the copy was inferior to the reality towards which it points. That reality is Christ's self-offering on our behalf (Hebrews 8:7), as the one who is both priest and sacrificial victim (Hebrews 9:23-24).
This vivid picture of the ultimate reality towards which the Jewish system of atonement points lies behind today's text, which makes four points about Christ:
- Christ has entered into heaven to intercede for all humanity through his own self-offering.
- Christ's action is "once-for-all," unique, unrepeatable and fully effective.
- Christ's first appearance and self-offering signal "the end of the age."
- Christ will come a second time to save those who eagerly await him.
The idea of Christ's bloody sacrifice is offensive to many modern sensibilities; we may feel that we have advanced culturally beyond such rituals. Yet a moment's thought will illuminate the many ways in which we still sacrifice each other, using other people as scapegoats for our own wrong and guilt. This happens in families and communities, when one member or group becomes the outcast whose expulsion makes everyone else heave a sigh of relief.
For example, in Ian McEwan's novel (later movie), Atonement, a young handy man bears the guilt for a rape committed by a member of the upper class. In Toni Morrison's novel, The Bluest Eye, a helpless young African-American girl becomes the scapegoat of the family and the community. Our sacrificial systems are subtle, but nonetheless real and destructive. Christ's final self-offering on the cross means we have place to put our guilt without sacrificing each other.
We also encounter the contrast between imitation and reality in relationship to matters of faith. The popularity of books and movies such as The Da Vinci Code testify to a widespread fear of being "taken in" by religious beliefs, sold a bill of goods by the church. Hebrews tells us that it is crucial to distinguish rightly between imitation and reality, which means, ultimately, listening to the lonely night questions about what really matters. What really matters, says Hebrews, is what Christ does in the presence of God, reconciling us to the divine presence. Only God can really deliver on God's promises. There is room here for both appropriate cynicism about human pretensions, and boundless faith in God.
Christ's once-for-all redemption, contrasted with the repeated sacrifices of the old system of atonement, removes the church from the business of mediating between God and humanity. This means that the church is not a system of atonement. A human system of dealing with sin has to be repetitive because, as a mere imitation of divine reality, it cannot have any lasting effects. But since Christ has effected forgiveness once-for-all, such a system is now obsolete, superfluous and misleading.
What a difference it makes to experience the church as a community of forgiven sinners, who don't need to sacrifice each other, whose consciences are cleansed "from dead works to worship the living God" (9:14). When it comes to Christian community, this is the real deal.
Gospel Mk 12:38-44
The context for today’s Gospel continues to be mounting tension between Jesus and the Jewish authorities. Mark reports some of Jesus’ teaching in the Temple area in today’s reading and in the preceding verses not included in our Lectionary sequence. In the first part of today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus warn the crowds not to follow the example of the scribes in seeking honor and attention from others. It is important to recall that Mark indicates that Jesus taught these things while in the vicinity of the Temple in Jerusalem. Mark is setting the stage for Jesus’ passion.
Jesus then observes how Jewish pilgrims are making their contributions to the temple treasury. The Temple in Jerusalem was the center of Jewish worship in the time of Jesus. It was expected that observant Jews would make pilgrimages to the Temple to offer prayer and sacrifices. Pilgrims were also expected to make a financial contribution to the temple treasury.
As we would expect to be the case, Jesus observes that those who were rich contributed large sums to the treasury. Those with less means made smaller contributions. A similar situation exists in most of our parishes as well. Jesus calls attention, however, to a poor widow who makes the smallest of contributions—two coins of little value. Jesus upholds the poor widow’s offering for his disciples’ consideration, commending her because her small offering was an act of profound generosity, giving from her livelihood rather than her surplus.
To give from our livelihood is not only an act of generosity, it is also an act of trust in God. We can only give from our need if we trust that God will provide for us. Jesus himself demonstrates the ultimate act of generosity and trust in God as he gives his life for us on the cross.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Which would be more difficult: giving away a shirt you have outgrown or giving away your favorite shirt while it still fits you? (Giving away something that no longer fits us, while difficult, is usually easier.) Which is a more generous gift: giving away something that no longer fits or giving away your favorite shirt even when you can still wear it? (giving away your favorite shirt)
- One way we judge generosity is by the sacrifice required to make the gift. It is much more difficult to give away a piece of clothing we like very much and still fits. It requires us to make a sacrifice, to give up something we like in order to share with another person.
- What does Jesus notice about the people putting money into the collection box? (The rich people put in large amounts of money; a poor widow put in two small coins.) What does Jesus say about the poor widow? (that she gave more than all the others because she shared all that she had)
- Jesus acknowledges the generosity of the poor widow, even though she gave a lesser amount to the treasury. Her small coins required a greater sacrifice than the large amounts contributed by those who were rich. In order to be generous like the poor widow, we must have trust that God will take care of us, even if we share all that we have with others.
- Conclude in prayer asking God to teach us to trust him so that we can be generous like the poor widow in today’s Gospel. Pray the Peace Prayer of St. Francis.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:10-16
The entire region of the Levant was devastated by drought and resulting famine that the prophet Elijah foretold at God's command as a judgment against the worship of the false Canaanite and Phoenician god, Baal (1 Kng 17:1). To protect His prophet from the wrath of King Ahab of Israel and his pagan wife Jezebel, God told Elijah to journey to a Mediterranean coastal city in the Phoenician territory to seek refuge with a widow (1 Kng 17:2-9). Elijah's life was in danger from King Ahab and his Gentile wife, who promoted Baal worship. Yet, God commanded him to go into the very center of Baal worship to seek refuge among pagan Gentiles. God commanded Elijah to go to Zarephath in Sidonia, where He had moved the heart of a Gentile widow t Zarephath, a town on the Mediterranean coast, was located eight miles south of the prosperous Phoenician trading city of Sidon. Sidon was the birthplace of Jezebel, the daughter of the King of Sidon and wife of King Ahab of Israel. Elijah probably recognized the woman as a widow by her widow's clothing that was typically worn long after the mourning period (Gen 38:14 and Jdt 8:5; 10:3; 16:8). He knew that the woman didn't have enough resources to sustain herself, much less him, but he understood that Yahweh's words, "I have ordered a woman there to give you food," to mean that a miracle was going to come from his association with the woman.
Elijah tested the woman in three ways:
He asked her for water.
He asked her to bring him a little bread.
After she admitted that she and her son were starving, he asked her to bake a cake of bread for him.
Elijah tested the woman to see if she was the one Yahweh chose by requesting water. This act recalls Abraham's servant testing of another woman in Genesis 24:10-20. The servant Abraham sent to find a bride for his son Isaac in the Aramaean homeland of Abraham's extended family tested Rebekah's generosity. He asked for water in Genesis 24:17 to see if she was the one Yahweh selected as a wife for Isaac. Comparing the story of Elijah and the widow with Abraham's servant and Rebekah, God's servant discovered the right woman using the same tactic. Rebekah only underwent one test, but Elijah tested the widow three times. Elijah's widow was a very patient woman. She was in desperate straits, and Yahweh was not her God, yet she did as Elijah requested. The widow's act of mercy and self-giving for the sake of a stranger counted toward her salvation both temporally and spiritually. As a reward, Elijah gave the woman a blessing in the name of Yahweh, telling her for the entire time until the end of the drought that her jar of oil would never run dry and her jug of meal would always be full. God blessed both women for their generous response to a traveler's request.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10
Like patience, faith has its own reward: happiness. People who really trust in God are truly happy. They have someone who looks over them; they have someone who is trustworthy and full of love. They have someone they can emulate in their dealings with their fellow human beings. Most importantly, those who trust God touch his eternal nature. Their faith is a window into an existence beyond the boundaries of space and time. While they experience God within the confines of this life, that experience points to a life outside of those confines.
Psalm 146 presented a compressed view of the Mosaic covenant, surrounded by a hymn of praise. The psalm was remarkable in its implicit belief that YHWH was eternal, based upon his activity in the temporal realm; in other words, his mighty deeds in the history of Israel revealed his immortality. Those mighty deeds were delineated in his covenant with the Chosen people. The creator also saved the poor, the feeble and crippled, the prisoner, the stranger, the widow and the orphan. The psalmist seemed to state that the faithful Jew would follow the example of God in his dealing with the less fortunate. YHWH revealed his eternal nature through his mercy and compassion; the faithful Jew could touch eternity through similar acts.
Praise acted as bookends to this remarkable vision of God. 146:1-2 indicated this praise was a life-long endeavor that overtook family allegiances or political alliances (146:3-4). Trust in the God of Jacob was a beatitude (146:5), for YHWH was the true, eternal deity (146:10). Trust in and allegiance to the eternal God led to a happiness that touched on eternity.
As Christians, we believe that faith in God now will lead to a life with God forever. Praising God throughout life makes a statement in that belief. We praise God for what he has done and is doing now in life. In his activities, we can experience his eternal nature and can gain more and more reasons to believe that we will live with him forever.
Reading 2 Heb 9:24-28
In these verses, the author of Hebrews focused on heaven and the end times. The sacrifice of the cross extended itself into heaven where Jesus intercedes for us. Because his priesthood was eternal, he needed to only offer once. It was for all time. So, it did not need to be offered in yearly cycles, like the levitical celebration of Yom Kippur.
In his argument, the author wove the threads of sin and death tightly together. People may try to appease God over and over for their shortcomings, but they die only once. Their death, the author assumed, was the result of sin. In this sense, their appeasement fell short and their judgment after death would be negative. But the death of Christ was the forgiveness of sin. So it had the power to destroy the source of death. In doing so, the end of life became a way to look forward to salvation. Futility was replaced by hope. Death led to life.
These verses challenge us with the question found in the note on 9:27-28. Do we accept what the death of Christ can do for us? This is the pivotal question of life. For it can lead to hope. And life!
Gospel Mk 12:38-44
Everyone I know who has ever led in ministry has secretly wanted to play to an audience. Every preacher, every teacher, has a small bit of entertainer in them. Every minister has wanted their few moments under the spotlight.
Of course, this is an immature reason to serve. Many people fight the urge (some even refuse to serve for this reason!). Many have this need fulfilled and have moved on. Many simply grow out of the need and remain for the right reason: the joy of service.
Why did Jesus criticize the scribes directly? These men were the brightest, most influential, and most important experts on the Law. Since Jews in Judea, throughout the Roman Empire, and in many parts of the world lived in self-governing enclaves, the power of these scribes could not be underestimated. They were lawyers and judges. They were civic leaders and legislators. Their knowledge and ability were vital to the survival and the growth of God's chosen.
A closer reading of the text revealed Jesus did not speak of their position and power. No, Jesus attacked the scribes for their love of the limelight. He slammed their love of reputation and implied they cheated the poorest of the poor ("houses of the widows") for their own gain and the gain of their benefactors, the wealthy. On the heels of last week's study about the Great Commandment (Mark 12:28-34), the words of Jesus had a special sting. What did the leaders love more, popularity or service? Self or God? The actions of the scribes said it all.
Having sat opposite the (collection) box of the treasury, HE was watching how the crowd threw coins into the treasury box. Many rich (people) were throwing in many (coins). The text implies continuous action. Instead of putting in all the money at once, the rich would take their time, put in one coin after another, and make a show of their offering.
Having approached, a poor widow threw in two small coins, which is a quadrans. (a quadran equaled 3/8 of a cent). Having called together HIS disciples, HE said to them, "Amen, I say to you that this poor widow threw in more than all those throwing (money) into the treasury box (put together). For all those threw in from their abundance. But this one out of her need threw in everything she had, her whole means of support."
The poor widow gave all she had as a gift. She also gives us a gift. The opportunity to sacrifice our convenience, our self-centeredness, our petty concerns to share what we have with others. To her and all like her, let us express our gratitude.
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Sunday November 3, 2024 Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 152
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dt 6:2-6
Moses spoke to the people, saying:
"Fear the LORD, your God,
and keep, throughout the days of your lives,
all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you,
and thus have long life.
Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them,
that you may grow and prosper the more,
in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers,
to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.
"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!
Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God,
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your strength.
Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
The LORD lives! And blessed be my rock!
Extolled be God my savior.
You who gave great victories to your king
and showed kindness to your anointed.
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
Reading 2 Heb 7:23-28
Brothers and sisters:
The levitical priests were many
because they were prevented by death from remaining in office,
but Jesus, because he remains forever,
has a priesthood that does not pass away.
Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him,
since he lives forever to make intercession for them.
It was fitting that we should have such a high priest:
holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners,
higher than the heavens.
He has no need, as did the high priests,
to offer sacrifice day after day,
first for his own sins and then for those of the people;
he did that once for all when he offered himself.
For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests,
but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law,
appoints a son,
who has been made perfect forever.
Gospel Mk 12:28b-34
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
"Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these."
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
'He is One and there is no other than he.'
And 'to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself'
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
"You are not far from the kingdom of God."
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dt 6:2-6
Our reading was delivered by Moses, God's covenant mediator to the Israelites, in his second discourse to the children of Israel at their camp on the east side of the Jordan River as they prepared to begin their conquest of the Promised Land. In his discourse from chapters 6-11, Moses focuses on developing the central ideas of his teaching from the first section of the Ten Commandments (Dt 5:7-10) that demands loyalty to Yahweh, the one true God. The faithfulness of the Israelites demonstrates that commitment by serving only Yahweh, rejecting pagan idols, and continuing the covenant in future generations.
In the introduction to this section, Moses speaks of God's promised blessings for the new generation of Israel's obedience in putting His laws into practice when entering and taking possession of the Promised Land. It is one of the central themes of his final sermons in the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses urges the Israelites to "hear" his teaching on the Law and "keep/protect" what they have learned. He repeats what he taught at the end of his Ten Commandments discourse in Deuteronomy 5:29.
Moses admonished the people: "Fear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all the statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life."
The Israelites must pass on Moses's teaching and their "fear of Yahweh" to future generations as the basis for covenant continuation. They must apply God's commands and prohibitions to their daily lives as examples of righteousness living for their children (Dt 6:20-25).
He urged the Israelites to "fear the Lord" and obey His commandments numerous times in his three discourses to the new generation of Israelites. However, Moses was not speaking of the kind of fear that drives the people away, like the fear the people felt after witnessing the terrifying Theophany at Mt. Sinai (Ex 20:18-19). At the end of his first homily in Deuteronomy 4:34-40 and 6:2-5, Moses juxtaposed the fear of God and the call to obey His commandments (verse 2) with his call for the people to love God (verse 5). He used "fear" as an expression typifying a deep reverence for God that inspires fear of offending God and, therefore, faithfulness to God and loyalty to His covenant. Israel's response to God's love in giving them the Law of the Covenant (the Ten Commandments and other articles of the Law) as a guide to righteousness behavior must be the people's obedience to His commands and loyalty to the covenant as the expression of Israel's love (Dt 4:37; 6:2-5, 13; 10:12-15).
If they put what Moses urged into practice, God would reward their obedience with prosperity and fertility in a land with an abundance of everything to make life good. The promised blessings in verse 3 are reminiscent of those God first promised humanity at the Creation event and repeated to Noah and his family after the Great Flood (see Gen 1:28-30 and 9:1). "A land flowing with milk and honey" is a metaphor describing the abundance of Eden when man lived in perfect harmony with God. It also recalls the promises made to Noah and his family after the Great Flood. In each case, the land's blessings of fertility and prosperity are associated with a new creation.
It recalls the blessings of the first creation event.
It repeats the blessings of the renewed creation with the earth and Noah's family after the Great Flood.
It creates and blesses a new people and their nation, living in unity within a corporate covenant with Yahweh.
In verse 3, the children of Israel were to reap God's blessings if they both feared (loyalty born of reverent respect) and loved Yahweh (Ex 20:20; Lev 25:17, 36, 43; Dt 4:10 5:29; 6:2, 13, 24, and Dt 5:10; 6:5; 10:12; 11:1, 13, 22; 19:9; etc.).
Their first obligation was to love God with an undivided heart and with their whole being (heart, soul, and strength). Second, they were to place their relationship with God as individuals and a unified people above everything else. Verses 4-5 are the opening verses of the Old Covenant profession of faith known as the Shema. Rabbinic Judaism requires reciting the Old Testament verses of the Shema (Dt 6:4-9; 11:3-21, and Num 15:37-41) in morning and evening prayers.
The passage from the First Reading should remind us of the revelation of God's love for humanity in the New Covenant, which originates in God's divine plan already taking shape in the Old Testament. Because of His love for us, God sent His "only beloved Son" into the world to die for the sins of humanity so that those who accept God's gift of salvation through the New Covenant of Christ Jesus might have victory over death and life eternally.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
The first words, I love you, Lord, my strength, are the scope and contents of the psalm. Those that truly love God, may triumph in him as their Rock and Refuge, may with confidence call upon him. It is good for us to observe all the circumstances of a mercy which magnify the power of God and his goodness to us in it. David was a praying man, and God was found a prayer-hearing God. If we pray as he did, we shall succeed as he did. It is not possible to apply to the history of the son of Jesse those awful, majestic, and stupendous words which are used through this description of the Divine manifestation. Every part of so solemn a scene of terrors tells us, a greater than David is here. God will not only deliver his people out of their troubles in due time, but he will bear them up under their troubles in the mean time. Can we forget that it was in the hour of Christ's deepest calamity, when Judas betrayed, when his friends forsook, when the multitude derided him, and the smiles of his Father's love were withheld, that the powers of darkness prevented him? The sorrows of death surrounded him, in his distress he prayed, Heb 5:7. God made the earth to shake and tremble, and the rocks to cleave, and brought him out, in his resurrection, because he delighted in him and in his undertaking.
Reading 2 Heb 7:23-28
Hebrews 7:23-28 occurs in the middle of a larger argument about Jesus being a heavenly high priest.
This is one of the central ideas of Hebrews, and it is a unique contribution in the New Testament to our understanding of Jesus. Our passage has two main points: 1) Because Jesus is not subject to death, in contrast to the earthly priests, as the heavenly high priest he is able to serve and offer salvation perpetually; 2) Jesus only had to sacrifice himself once for all people, in contrast to the repeated sacrifices made by the earthly priests.
Christ is first identified as high priest in Hebrews 2:17, and the basic points are summarized in 4:14-16. The detailed discussion of the designation occupies 5:1-10 and chapters 7-10. In the argument of Hebrews, Christ's identity as the heavenly high priest is what enables him to offer eternal salvation -- so it is a point of tremendous importance! A basic understanding of the argument will provide valuable context for understanding our passage.
The argument is complex, but it may be summarized as follows: Priests in Judaism must be from the tribe of Levi, but as the Messiah, Jesus is from the tribe of Judah (David's tribe). Thus Jesus could not be in the traditional Jewish priesthood. However, Psalm 110, a psalm recognized as a messianic prophecy in the Judaism of the time, contains the line, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek" (verse 4). Melchizedek is an obscure character from the story of Abraham (Genesis 14:17-20), a "priest of God Most High." Psalm 110:4 thus provides a way for Jesus as the Messiah to be a priest, indeed a priest "forever." This last point becomes the basis for the contrast between the eternal priesthood of Jesus and the limited priesthood of the earthly priests.
This contrast is the subject of verses 23-25 in our passage. Earthly priests obviously die, so their priesthood is of limited duration (verse 23), but because of his resurrection and exaltation to God's right hand, Jesus' priesthood will have no end (verse 24). This eternal status thus provides a different order of salvation than that available through the traditional priesthood -- the salvation offered by Jesus is eternal, because his intercession on our behalf will never cease (verse 25). A similar point can be seen in Romans 8:34.
Verses 26-28 provide further contrasts between Jesus and the earthly high priests. While verse 26's adjectives "holy," "blameless," and "undefiled" can be used in a variety of contexts, together with the following phrase, "separated from sinners," they emphasize Jesus' sinlessness, a point made elsewhere in Hebrews (4:15) and by other New Testament writers (e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5).
Verse 27 adds the contrast between the once-for-all nature of Christ's sacrifice and the perpetually repeated sacrifices offered by the earthly priests. This contrast will be greatly elaborated in chapters 9 and 10, especially 10:1-14. The fact that the earthly sacrifices have to be performed repeatedly points to the fact that they cannot take away sins in the first place; otherwise they would cease (10:1-4, 11).
These sacrifices cleanse only "the flesh", being unable to "perfect the conscience of the worshiper". Christ's sacrifice, on the other hand, was "a single sacrifice for sins" "offered for all time", penetrating into our innermost being, cleansing our conscience, having "perfected for all time those who are sanctified". The resulting covenant is thus one of the inside, of the heart and mind, as attested by the Holy Spirit, with the result that other sacrifices are needed no more.
Verse 28 adds yet two more contrasts between Jesus and the earthly priests. First, the weakness of the earthly high priests contrasts with the perfection of Jesus. The language of Jesus having "been made perfect" often surprises readers. It is not a claim, however, about the intrinsic character of Jesus -- after all, Jesus' sinlessness is a key assertion of Hebrews, as discussed above -- but about his having been fitted perfectly to his role.
The second contrast is that Jesus was appointed high priest with an oath, unlike the earthly priests. "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind." The author of Hebrews sees this formula as underscoring the eternal nature of Christ's priesthood.
Gospel Mk 12:28b-34
As we continue to read from Mark’s Gospel, our Lectionary skips a chapter that helps set the context for today’s reading. If we were to read the sections skipped (chapter 11 and part of chapter 12), we would hear about Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, his cleansing of the Temple, and the questioning of Jesus’ authority by the chief priests, scribes, and elders. The context, therefore, for this Gospel is Jesus’ growing exposure before the Jewish authorities. Jesus is being questioned and tested by the Jewish authorities, yet the scribe who addresses Jesus in today’s Gospel seems to be an admirer; he is not testing Jesus.
The question posed in today’s Gospel requires Jesus to interpret the Law of Moses. The Mosaic Law consists of the Ten Commandments and many additional commandments, numbering into the hundreds. For a devout Jew, adherence to the Mosaic Law is an expression of faithfulness to God’s covenant with Israel. The ranking of these commandments was regularly debated among the teachers of the Law.
Jesus was not the only Jewish religious teacher to connect these two commandments, love of God and love of neighbor. Both of these commandments were central elements of the religious tradition that Jesus learned from his Jewish community. Indeed, these commandments continue to be central aspects of contemporary Jewish religious understanding. Jesus’ response to his questioners proposed an integral connection between these two aspects of the Jewish Law. Love of God finds its expression in our love for our neighbor. Many believe, however, that this connection was heard in a new and fresh way when spoken by Jesus.
The scribe who questions Jesus in today’s Gospel engages in a positive dialogue with Jesus. He agrees with Jesus’ teaching that the commandments to love God and love neighbor stand above the commandment to offer worship and sacrifice in the Temple. With this dialogue, Jesus appears to close the debate with the Jewish authorities. Mark reports that no one dared to question Jesus further.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think about a tripod. Will the tripod stand with just one leg? (No); with two? (No.) All three legs of the tripod are required to make it stand.
- Think about the tripod without setting the legs to equal lengths. If one or more of the legs of the tripod is shorter than the others, will the tripod stand straight? (No.) Will this tripod work well if it isn’t straight? (No.) Of course not. In order to make this stand up straight and balanced, all three legs must work together.
- Jesus is asked a question in today’s Gospel about which of the God’s commandments is greatest. His answer reminds me of this tripod, which needs three legs to be balanced. Many of us will find this Gospel very familiar.
- Which of the commandments does Jesus say is the greatest? (to love God) But what does Jesus add to this? (He adds that we should love our neighbors as ourselves.)
- How are Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel like the tripod we discussed earlier? (God wants us to learn to balance three kinds of love: love of God, love of ourselves, and love of our neighbor.)
- Jesus teaches us that the key to the Kingdom of God is found in balancing our love for God, our love for ourselves, and our love for our neighbors.
- Ask God to help us keep balance in our lives by loving God, loving ourselves, and loving our neighbors. Pray the Act of Love.
O my God, I love you above all things with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all my love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me and I ask pardon of those whom I have injured.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dt 6:2-6
The verses of this passage sum up the crisis in which the Deuteronomy first appeared (about 900 B.C. during the reign of the kings in Israel and Judah). Faith in the God of Israel was challenged by the practices of fertility gods. Originally popular in the rural area, worship of these gods found its way into the city, especially among the ruling class.
Other issues faced the nation that were reflected in the pages of Deuteronomy. Economic power began to shift from the countryside to the cities. Urban money lenders charged exorbitant rates to farmers and claimed the land of delinquent debtors. Debtors sold themselves into slavery so they could buy food to feed their families. In addition, political power became corrupt. Judges took bribes and showed favors to the wealthy. Economically and politically, the gap widened between the rich and the poor.
Deuteronomy appeared to reform these injustices. It reaffirmed the Ten Commandments with the power of God's personal revelation (Deuteronomy 5). In the midst of fear from God's power and the blessing of God's promise, Moses proclaimed these famous lines: love God with your being and life. These words summarized the covenant allegiance God had with his chosen. This allegiance defined the identity of the Israelite.
In the second century AD, the Shema found a definitive form:
From these passages it is obvious the Shema stressed fidelity to the covenant in word, deed, and lifestyle. They were to be prayed twice a day. And they were idealized as the words of a dying Jew preparing to meet God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
After a brief comment about the authorship, 18:1-3 stated the reason for the psalm in a doxology. The praise of God as rock, savior, strength, etc. set the stage for the victim's outcry (18:4-7a) for the theophany (7b-16). This divine appearance rivaled creation itself. More than the classic descriptions of divine activity (earthquakes, ominous clouds with lightning and thunder, downpours), this theophany laid bare the structure of creation. With the outcry (18:4-7a) and the rescue (18:17-20) acting as book ends, the full power of God was made manifest in the answer of a prayer. YHWH would tear creation apart to save the king from his enemies (who were evil painted larger than life). Why would the Creator violate his creation for the king (and the people)? Simply put, he made a covenant with them; that covenant was based on his love (18:20).
18:47-51 recounts the doxology from 18:1-3. The Rock, the Savior, has rescued the king and the nation from their enemies. So, the king (and the people) would praise YHWH above all other gods, for he has shown his kindness.
God is with his people, but we should not presume our will is God's. We can rely on his help to move heaven and earth to show his love to us. His love and his ways might be mysterious, however. There is one thing that is certain. God will bring us to him in the end.
Reading 2 Heb 7:23-28
With this background, we can now address the verses in this reading. The author These few verses acted as a conclusion to the arguments the author made for Jesus as High Priest. He based his insight on Psalm 110:4: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.'" (RSV) To flesh out his interpretation of this Psalm, he began with a study on the person of Melchizedek in Genesis 14:17-20.
Melchizedek was the king-priest of the Most High. He was not listed with parentage or descendants in Scripture. He offered sacrifice on behalf of Abram (later Abraham), who, in turn gave him a tithe. For the author, Melchizedek represented the eternal worship of the living God (the king-priest did not have a genealogy). Through the intercession of such worship, Abram would receive the blessing of God's covenant. In return, Abram gave the leader of the eternal worship his due (a tithe). In this sense, Melchizedek was a symbol of the eternal worship offered to God in heaven. (Hebrews 7:1-10)
Scholars call a symbol like Melchizedek an "archetype;" for interpreters like the author of Hebrews, such an archetype would be the key to understanding the question of Hebrew priesthood. Melchizedek was found in the book of Genesis, which was, both by traditional chronology and by the order of the canon, before the appearance of the priesthood of Aaron (in Exodus). Because of its place of importance and its eternal status, the priesthood of Melchizedek was the measure of Aaron's priesthood. The Levitical priesthood which descended from Aaron was human (as it was passed from father to son) and, so, had all the frailties of human nature. In light of the "order of Melchizedek," the Levites would always turn out second best.
The author then separated the two priesthoods, as distinct. (Hebrews 7:11-14) One was human, based upon the Law which could regulate, but could not perfect humanity. The other was based upon God's direct oath (found in Psalm 110:4) toward a Son. This Son would be perfected, since his priesthood was different from that of Aaron's descendants. And since he would stand forever in worship. The result would be a new covenant between God and people. (Hebrews 7:15-22)
implied the chief impediment to the Levitical priesthood was death itself. Christ, who was THE priest in the order of Melchizedek, overcame death. So, he could not pass on his status. Those who approached God through his intercession could do so in fullest confidence.
In addition, Christ had no sin. He could succeed where the other high priests had failed. The author implied this was the reason Christ could overcome death. In the minds of his contemporaries, sin led to death. Only the One without sin could conquer death and fulfill the promise of Psalm 110:4. He did so in his self-offering death. While this might seem a contradiction, bring to mind the image of the Suffering Servant from Isaiah. The sinless Servant who suffered and died for the sins of others would see life again. His death led to a new life. In this way, the Son was perfected; in this sense, perfection meant status. Christ acted as High Priest directly before the throne of God in heaven. No one had a higher status than he had.
The book of Hebrews gives us much to think about. For much of our faith was contained in these compressed verses. The priesthood of Melchizedek was not one of ritual, but one of self-giving death. We join with Christ's priesthood when we die to self for the sake of others. In this way, we join our worship with his in heaven. We must remember that self-giving is the essence of Christian worship.
Gospel Mk 12:28-34
When we ignore the rhetoric and simply look at someone's lifestyle (ourselves or others), we'll soon learn the answer to the question: what's most important? The question asks more than values. It points toward a life orientation. It helps to answer the greater question: what is the purpose of life?
In a relationship with God, we can ask the same question: what's most important? How does that question impact our prayer life, our family life, our social life? What one principle or character trait tells others we are followers of Christ?
A scribe asked Jesus that question. While Jesus' answer may have been a common one at the time, the underlying understanding Jesus gave the answer changed more than his followers. It changed the world.
The scribe asked Jesus a question about importance in the Law. And Jesus gave a straightforward answer. Obviously, an answer about the Law should come from the Law. So Jesus quoted Scripture.
The question of importance, as the note stated above, was one of guiding principles. Through this one command, one could create a hierarchy with the other commands, give direction to their enforcement, and a symbol that encompassed the meaning of Judaism.
Jesus answered the first part of that question with the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Love God with all your being. Love in this sense was not an inner emotion or psychological state alone. In the time and culture of Jesus, love meant allegiance. As God made a covenant with his people (a formal allegiance between a king and his subjects), he demanded a response. A commitment and a faithful life to that allegiance (i.e., covenant) was the only answer. Notice that the command was pointed at the nation and the individual. God wanted faithful individuals to form a faithful community. The individual was to take ownership of his or her response and take responsibility for the type of community he or she lived in. Taking both types of ownership was implicit in the command: "Love God."
"The second (is) this: 'You will love your neighbor as yourself.' There is not another commandment greater than these."
Agreement on these two guiding commands and their shared quality of allegiance became the starting point for proclaiming the Good News. Yes, one could live his or her life trying to love God and neighbor, but there was a better way. Believe in the One who had lived the commandment perfectly. Believe in the One who could help the faithful along the way.
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Sunday October 27, 2024 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 149
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 31:7-9
Thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.
Behold, I will bring them back
from the land of the north;
I will gather them from the ends of the world,
with the blind and the lame in their midst,
the mothers and those with child;
they shall return as an immense throng.
They departed in tears,
but I will console them and guide them;
I will lead them to brooks of water,
on a level road, so that none shall stumble.
For I am a father to Israel,
Ephraim is my first-born.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Reading 2 Heb 5:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
Every high priest is taken from among men
and made their representative before God,
to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,
for he himself is beset by weakness
and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself
as well as for the people.
No one takes this honor upon himself
but only when called by God,
just as Aaron was.
In the same way,
it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,
but rather the one who said to him:
You are my son:
this day I have begotten you;
just as he says in another place:
You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
Gospel Mk 10:46-52
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
"Son of David, have pity on me."
Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?"
The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see."
Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you."
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 31:7-9
When return seems impossible, the prophet sees a way home that will accommodate their different, but limited, human abilities and life stages. God makes it possible for all to walk a straight and smooth path. Finally, the oracle answers the pain of displacement, loss, and alienation with the intimacy of life as a family.
The prophet himself is not in exile, but in Judah, land of promise. His oracle thus speaks to multiple audiences. Most directly, he speaks to those who remain in Judah and Israel, whose children, parents, brothers and sisters, friends, neighbors, extended families, and neighboring tribes have been taken from them, first by Assyria over a century before and most recently by Babylon. He also speaks to those now in exile, the people of Israel and Judah who had been deported from their homeland against their will. Some, those deported from Judah in 597 BCE, could be traced to Babylonia. Others, the deported tribes of Israel or Ephraim, had been lost in place and time, and were connected now only in memory, tradition, and hope. The oracle focuses especially on this remnant of Israel, lost to their brothers and sisters in Judah and Samaria, scattered to the corners of the earth. Only God can know where they have been taken.
The first verse of this passage is a loud one. Jeremiah’s audience is breaking a silence imposed throughout the earlier chapters of the book. Earlier, the prophet had been told not to pray or cry out on behalf of the people (Jeremiah 7:16, 11:14, 14:11). God refused to hear the laments of the people and promises to end the sound of their celebrations (7:16,29,31; 16:9; 25:10). The people too had been instructed to refrain from mourning their dead and from feasting in gladness (16:5-9; cf. 25:33). But Jeremiah and his people were not completely silent. Despite the injunction God placed on them, we hear repeated weeping, wailing, mourning, and lament (9:1,10; 13:17; 14:17). The command to keep silent is an impossible one. The people’s pain at their woundedness, the desolation of the land, and the loss of their kin kept breaking through the silence (31:9).
Now God wants the amplifier to be dialed up to eleven, and the song is one not of sorrow but of joy. The first word of the Lord’s speech is a command to the people: “shout joyfully” (Jeremiah 31:7). The verb is a favorite of the psalmists, and occurs many times in Isaiah. But it has not occurred in Jeremiah prior to this moment. The entire book has changed keys. The minor chords of chapters 1-29 gave voice to judgment, anger, exile, and death. Chapter 30 marked a shift: God would answer the sound of distress (30:4-7) with salvation (30:8-11), cure the incurable wound (30:12-17), and restore Jacob’s tents, city, children, and ruler (18-21). Chapter 31 continues in this new key, picking up strains of gladness foretold in 30:19.
The glad shouts here in 31:7 are for Jacob, in response to the good news of restoration and salvation for those who have been lost for so long. They are also to be shouted “for the chief of the nations” (New Revised Standard Version) or “at the head of the nations” (New American Bible). The exact meaning of this latter phrase is less obvious: it may paint a moment of triumph, when captives are finally free to look their captors in the eye and say, “you didn’t win, after all.” Gloating is dangerous, as the prophets so frequently remind us, but so is quiet acquiescence to empires and injustice. The other possible meaning of this phrase is to interpret the chief or head of the nations as referring to God. The passage culminates in the restoration of the familial relationship between God and Jacob; this journey home is a celebration for them both.
The company the Lord will gather from the North and from the corners of the earth includes the blind and the lame, pregnant women, and women in labor (Jeremiah 31:8). A multitude will return and they will walk on a straight path alongside brooks of water (31:8-9). None will stumble (31:9). God does not promise to change the bodies of blind and lame. Yet God ensures that the path home includes and accommodates them as they are. God does not ask the women among them to postpone their pregnancies or deliveries or postpone their travel so as not to slow down the pace of the company. This party will travel as slowly as it needs to, and they will have the water they need to sustain them at every step.
Those whom God intends to bring back to you will come to you at their own pace, and they will bring new life into your midst. They are the firstborn, returning to their ancestral home.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
In this psalm, the theological theme of restoration is knitted together with the theme of rejoicing. The product is one of the grandest, most eloquent lyrical prayers in the Psalter.
Psalm 126 is one of a collection of poems (Psalms 120-134) known as the "Songs of Ascents." These most likely did not all originate from a single source or for some unified purpose, but were rather collected together for some common use While interpreters cannot be one-hundred percent sure, the best guess is that the psalms of ascents were collected together in order for the faithful to use when they made pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Although one should not press the metaphor, one can make an analogy between the ancient pilgrimages that Israelites made to Jerusalem and the modern preparations that Christians make during Advent for Christmas.
The psalm has two stanzas (vv. 1-3; 4-6). Similar to the way in which Psalm 85 begins, the first stanza of Psalm 126 recalls God's past acts of restoration (v. 1) and the emotions of joy and celebration of laughter that accompanied those saving acts. The temporal clause with which the psalm begins, "When the Lord restores the fortunes of Zion," most likely has in mind the return of the people to the land following the Babylonian exile. But within the broader biblical narrative, the phrase calls many divine restorations to mind:
- the restoration of Sarah to Abraham
- the restoration of Joseph to Jacob and his brothers
- the restoration of the people to the land after the Exodus
- the restoration of the ark to the people after the Philistines captured it
- the birth of the Messiah; the restoration of Jesus to his parents
- the resurrection
The first stanza also contains what is considered to be perhaps the most surprising testimony concerning God's gracious deeds in the entire Old Testament. The nations--that is, the people who worship other gods and often threaten Israel (cf. Psalm 124:2)--praised God. The very people who, during the years in Babylon, looked upon God's people and "were astonished at him−so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals−these very nations witnessed the restoration of the people to their land and to their God and they said, "The Lord has done great things for them!" Thinking ahead to the New Testament, one is reminded of the non-Israelite magi coming to worship the one who was born "King of the Jews," or the Roman centurion who announced, "Truly this man was God's Son!"
Even more surprising, the nations' testimony to God's deeds inspires Israel to respond with its own testimony, repeating the words of the nations verbatim: "The Lord has done great things for us" (v. 3). Often in the psalms, the enemies' words are quoted as reason for God to punish them (see, for example, Psalm 10:12-14 or the ending of Psalm 137). Here, the words of the nations are quoted approvingly. Even more shockingly, the people of God then repeat the words of the nations. Why? Because God's gracious and faithful acts of restoration are so self-evident, even the blind nations can see them. And because the blind nations see those acts, the often-even-more blind people of God can see them, too.
The second stanza develops the themes introduced in the first stanza and rephrases them in the form of renewed appeals for restoration (this is similar to the structure of Psalm 85, lacking only the set of promises with which Psalm 85 culminates). The people ask God to restore them once again, in order that they may rejoice yet again.
The psalm paints bountiful images:
- Dry river beds coursing with torrents of water
- Farmers weeping as they plant because they did not expect a harvest
- Those same farmers singing joyfully as they harvest, because creation has produced an unlooked-for bounty
- Those same farmers bearing heavy sheaves of produce as they return home from the fields
It should be emphasized that the closing verses of the psalm are an appeal couched in the form of imaginative wishes: "May those who...." The Advent people who approach Christmas recall God's restorative acts in the past. They recall the testimony of the nations to God's deliverance. They recall their own joy. And they know that until the Son of God comes again, we will be in constant and everlasting need of God's continued restoration.
Reading 2 Heb 5:1-6
Christ was first identified as high priest in 2:17, and 4:14-16, part of a previous lectionary text, which presented the basic idea and implications of Jesus being high priest.
But it is not until today's passage that Hebrews begins to really make the case for Jesus being high priest. After a brief digression, the argument is picked up again in chapter 7 and continues from there through chapter 10. Our passage has two sections to it: Verses 1-4 give the definition of and criteria for being a priest and verses 5-10 show how Christ meets these criteria.
The first verse gives the defining function of a high priest, offering sacrifices for sin. While the Jewish high priest played other roles, too, this function is the only one of real concern in Hebrews. Hebrews especially focuses throughout on the high priestly activities on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the annual ritual where the high priest would atone for the sins of the Jewish people (see Leviticus 16).
Verses 2-3 emphasize a high priest's solidarity with sinners. Verse 2 gives the positive side that a high priest can sympathize with sinners because he himself has experienced weakness. This aspect of Jesus' character was presented in 2:9-18 (especially verses 17-18), revisited in 4:15-16, and will be elaborated later in our passage, verses 7-9. Verse 3 gives the negative side, that because a high priest is himself a sinner he must atone "for his own sins as well as for those of the people" (Leviticus 16:6 covers this requirement). This negative side will provide a key contrast with the sinless Jesus, a point already mentioned in 4:15 and to be elaborated in 7:26-28.
Verse 4 specifies an important prerequisite for anyone to take on the role of high priest: The high priest must be called by God. The original high priest Aaron is the quintessential example, whose calling is recounted in detail in the Old Testament (see Exodus 28:1, 40:12-15; Leviticus 8:1-12; Numbers 18:1-20), and to whom the story of the false claimant Korah and company provides a key counter-example (Numbers 16:1-35).
In actuality, the history of the high priesthood was an inglorious one, the office having become highly politicized, especially in the Maccabean and Roman periods that led into the time of Jesus. Opposition to the corrupt priesthood was one of the factors that led to the formation of the dissident Qumran community, locus of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Christ's divine appointment to the high priesthood is explained briefly in verses 5-6 (and at much greater length in chapter 7). To twenty-first century readers, the passage's explanation will likely be baffling. The author simply quotes verses from the middle of two different psalms and viola -- we have Jesus as high priest!
The key for the original audience was that both psalms, Psalm 2 and Psalm 110, were widely recognized as messianic prophecies, so it would have been natural for the audience to apply these two verses to Jesus (see Mark 12:35-37 for an important application of Psalm 110; in Hebrews Psalm 110 has been used already in 1:13). The first quote (Psalm 2:7) establishes the Messiah as God's Son; Hebrews already quoted the verse for this very purpose in 1:5. The second quote (Psalm 110:4) is where the priesthood comes in explicitly.
To fully explain how Hebrews applies Psalm 110:4 to Jesus' status as high priest would require a full study of chapter 7, but to summarize briefly: Jesus could not be a regular Jewish priest because, as the Messiah, he is from the tribe of Judah, whereas priests must come from the tribe of Levi. The character of Melchizedek, however, provides an alternative priesthood.
Melchizedek is an obscure figure who appears in the story of Abraham in Genesis 14:17-20. He is said to be both a king and a "priest of God Most High." He appears nowhere else in scripture until his name shows up in this psalm, where the addressee of the psalm -- understood by Jews of this period to be the Messiah -- is said to be a priest in his order. Hence we have the basis for the Messiah to be identified as a high priest, despite the non-Levite ancestry. Particularly important for Hebrews is that he is said in the verse to be a priest "forever," which connects nicely to Christ's immortal post-resurrection status, and which provides a contrast with the mortality of the Levitical priests.
That Jesus' cries to be saved from death were "heard" refers to the resurrection -- he was saved, but only after experiencing death first! Language about Jesus learning obedience and being made perfect (verse 9) often surprises readers today, but the author clearly does not see this as compromising Jesus' sinlessness (see 4:15).
Rather, his being "made perfect" refers to the fact that in order for Jesus to be a high priest, he had to share in the experiences of those he represented -- hence he had to suffer. Being perfected means being fitted properly to the role of high priest, and this required suffering. This was described in 2:5-11. The ultimate purpose of Jesus becoming high priest is given at the end of verse 9: "He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." It takes an eternal high priest to bestow eternal salvation!
Gospel Mk 10:46-52
Today we continue to read from Mark’s Gospel. In this Gospel, we find evidence of Jesus’ fame in the sizable crowd that accompanies him as he journeys to Jerusalem. Jesus’ reputation as a healer has preceded him. When the blind man, Bartimaeus, hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, he calls out to him, asking for his pity.
When Bartimaeus calls out to Jesus, the crowd around him tries to silence him. Yet Bartimaeus persists, calling out more loudly and with greater urgency. He will not be silenced or deterred from getting Jesus’ attention. We notice how quickly the crowd’s reaction changes when Jesus calls for Bartimaeus. Those who sought to quiet him now encourage him.
When Jesus restores Bartimaeus’s sight, no elaborate action is required. (In other healing stories in Mark’s Gospel, actions accompany Jesus’ words). In this instance, Jesus simply says that Bartimaeus’s faith has saved him. Throughout Mark’s Gospel, the success of Jesus’ healing power has often been correlated with the faith of the person requesting Jesus’ help. For example, it is because of her faith that the woman with the hemorrhage is healed. When faith is absent, Jesus is unable to heal; we see this after his rejection in Nazareth.
Once his sight has been restored, Bartimaeus follows Jesus on his way to Jerusalem. In Mark’s Gospel, Bartimaeus is the last disciple called by Jesus before he enters Jerusalem. Bartimaeus hears that Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, but he calls out to Jesus using words of faith—“Son of David.” Many in Jesus’ time believed that the anticipated Jewish Messiah would be a descendent of King David. Bartimaeus’s words prepare us for the final episodes of Mark’s Gospel, which begin with Jesus’ preparation for the Passover and his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. As Mark has shown us in our readings over the past few Sundays, however, Jesus will be the Messiah in a way that will be difficult for many to accept. Jesus will show himself to be the Messiah through his suffering and death.
Cut and paste the below link to see a video of the healing of Bartimaeus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_00PM3bdCME
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think back to when you were a young person what is something you might have asked your parents to do for you? (to drive you to a dance or sporting event, permission to meet your friends, and so on) When you want your parents to help you in these ways, how many times did you ask? If the first answer was no, did you ask again? Why or why not? (Why do we keep asking? (because asking works, because we know that our parents care about us and want to make us happy, and so on)
- We were very persistent with our parents, especially when we wanted them to do something for us. We continue to ask because we know how much our parents love us and they want us to be happy. In today’s Gospel, we hear how a blind man’s persistence in asking Jesus for help was rewarded.
- What does Bartimaeus do when he hears that Jesus was passing by? (He calls out, asking Jesus to have pity on him.) Why must he be persistent in calling out to Jesus? (Some people in the crowd are telling him to be quiet.) What does Bartimaeus do? (He calls out to Jesus all the more.) When Jesus stops and calls for him, what does Jesus do and say? (He restores Bartimaeus’s sight; Jesus tells Bartimaeus that his faith has saved him.)
- Bartimaeus continues to call out to Jesus because he believes that Jesus will heal him. Jesus' words to Bartimaeus tell us that our persistence in prayer is a sign of our faith that God wants to save us.
- What do you think this might teach us about prayer? (We should be persistent in our prayer, continuing to bring our needs to God; we should pray with confidence, trusting that God wants to help us.)
- Say some prayers of petition and then say “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on us.” Conclude with the Glory Be to the Father.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 31:7-9
Imagine living in Germany from the beginning of the 20th century through World War II. The nation was at its cultural and economic height, only to fall to the great loss of its population and its economic stability, only to fall into the evils of Nazism. If you can imagine such a life, you can walk for a few moments in the shoes of Jeremiah.
Jeremiah was born in the time of the last true reform kings, Josiah. At the end of his life, the nation was in ruins from the Babylonian invasion. He was forced into exile and died on foreign soil. But his writings rose above cynicism and despair. Even though he would not see the day, Jeremiah saw rays of hope in the darkness.
In Chapter 31, Jeremiah wrote that God would save Judah from Babylon and restore his people's glory. The small people would brag with the great; the small portion of the population (i.e., the "remnant") would go home [7].
Even though Babylon was due east, the people would return home from the north, via the Fertile Crescent [8] (the land directly east is desert). Others would return, primarily from the west (Egypt and the Mediterranean). (Why were Jews spread out throughout the known world? By this time, Judah was a merchant nation, importing and exporting between the north and Egypt, between the east and the Mediterranean world. Many Jews settled in foreign lands to watch over their economic interests.) Those who did return would become one with the weak and marginal who stayed behind. The returning would find peace [9], for God was their father.
We live in times of rapid change; tomorrow is no more certain than yesterday. The message we need for this world is hope in God. He will see us through these times with his gift of peace.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
Some days are better than others. Sometimes we wake up and our bodies creak or our spirit seems low. But, there are days when the sun warms us and our hearts are filled with joy. These are the days when we raise our hearts and hands to God, and say, "Thank you!"
Psalm 126 was one of those "good day" psalms. It praised God for leading the faithful through tough and lean times. Two themes of thanks are interwoven in the psalm: 1) the restoration of the nation (126:1b) and 2) the celebration that looked forward to rain and a bountiful harvest (126:4, 6). Taken together, the psalm might have been written after the return of exiles from Babylon and the restoration of the Temple; it could have also been a psalm written for the feast of Tabernacles, a joyous feast in early Autumn that celebrated the harvest. The agricultural analogy in 126:4-6 could not be missed; 126:4 was an implicit prayer for rain (restore the desert with a shower), while 126:5-6 compared the recovery of the mourner (the spirituality of the Babylonian Exile?) with that of the farmer who had a great harvest.
As we grow older, our bad days might outnumber our good days, but we should always remember that good days are ahead. In the spirit of Psalm 126, we should thank God for the good days and look forward to better days. This is the essence of the second theological virtue: hope.
Reading 2 Heb 5:1-6
What did it take to do a job? Especially if the job was High Priest before God?
The author of the Hebrews used the job description of High Priest to heighten the role Christ played in salvation. In 5:1-4, the author painted the role of High Priest: 1) as mediator between God and people, 2) in a pastoral sense to deal with the ignorant and the morally wavering, 3) as a worship leader among (not above) the people, and 4) as one called by God. This is a good description of the role of an understanding and prayerful man of God. But the difference between the role of a good High Priest and Christ was one of human weakness. A good High Priest was painfully aware of his own sinfulness. And his own need for forgiveness, just like the people. While Christ did not sin, he did empathize with people because he was tempted. So, in this sense he could be the perfect High Priest, since he fulfilled every function, including his assumed weakness. Christ may have been the Son of God and Eternal High Priest, but he was still one of us in every single way, but one. Sin.
God calls us to join the priesthood of his Son. We are to pray with and for others, while we understand their weakness. For we ourselves are weak. And we depend upon the strength of God.
Gospel Mk 10:46-52
When he heard that Jesus was approaching, the blind beggar called out to set Jesus up for a cure [47-48]. The title "Son of David" could have referred to Jesus' great ancestor; it could also have referred to Solomon, the wisest man in Jewish history. According to the popular image of the Galilean preacher, Jesus possessed God's wisdom with his teaching, for he had God's power with his healing. So, he had the spirit of Solomon. In either case, however, the blind beggar used the title of honor as bait. Unlike the Pharisees and scribes, the beggar did not seek to discredit Jesus in order to build up his own honor. The beggar simply wanted to have his sight and his place in society returned to him. Unlike the Pharisees' challenges, fulfilling the blind man's challenge would increase the honor of both men.
In the time of Jesus, the phrase "have mercy" meant to pay debts; when the debtor paid his or her creditor, he or she was "having mercy" on the creditor. Through God's eyes, the healthy and the well-off have a social debt to pay to the sick and the poor. In his cry for mercy, the blind man was really challenging Jesus: "Hey, wise man, pay your social debt and cure me!"
No wonder Jesus' disciples wanted to shut him up. What an embarrassment! But that did not stop the tenacious man [48]. When Jesus recognized his plea (and challenge), the social embarrassment became encouragement [49-50]. Jesus asked and responded to the man's request for sight [51].
Unlike last week's gospel, where James and John requested leadership, this week the blind man requested sight. Unlike the physical, spiritual "sight" is the ability to see the greater picture, to see events through God's eyes. Lacking physical sight, Bartimaeus already had this spiritual gift; Jesus' disciples did not. That is why Jesus could say to Bartimaeus: "Your faith has saved you." Jesus equated spiritual sight with faith.
Jesus also tells the cured man: "Go your way." But at the point Bartimaeus called upon Jesus, he became a follower along the way of Jesus (whether he knew it or not). That is why Bartimaeus did not go home, but followed Jesus on his Way (another buzz phrase for "Christianity").
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Sunday October 20, 2024 Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 146
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 53:10-11
The LORD was pleased
to crush him in infirmity.
If he gives his life as an offering for sin,
he shall see his descendants in a long life,
and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.
Because of his affliction
he shall see the light in fullness
of days;
through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Reading 2 Heb 4:14-16
Brothers and sisters:
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast to our confession.
For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who has similarly been tested in every way,
yet without sin.
So let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
Gospel Mk 10:35-45
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,
"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?"
They answered him, "Grant that in your glory
we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."
Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup that I drink
or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
They said to him, "We can."
Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared."
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them,
"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles
lord it over them,
and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 53:10-11
The central movement of the Suffering Servant poem in Isaiah 53:4-12 is from humiliation to exaltation, from shame to honor, from weakness to greatness.
From Weakness to Greatness: Individual Servants
This movement is a recurring pattern in the ways of God throughout Scripture. God chose a humble elderly immigrant and his barren wife to be the primary vehicle of God's blessing "to all the families of the earth" (Genesis 12:1-3). God regularly chose the younger and less likely sibling over the usually preferred elder brother as God's specially chosen and exalted servant: Isaac over Ishmael (Genesis 17:15-19), Jacob over Esau (Genesis 25:22-26), Joseph over the other sons of Jacob (Genesis 37:1-11; 50:15-21), Judah over the first-born Reuben (Genesis 49:3-4, 8), young David over the other sons of Jesse (1 Samuel 16:10-13), King Solomon over his older brother Adonijah (1 Kings 1:22-40).
God was in the habit of raising up the weak and unlikely to lead God's cause against the strong. God called a humble and reluctant shepherd named Moses (Exodus 3:1-11; Numbers 12:3; Deuteronomy 34:10-12). God tapped Gideon, the weakest member of Israel's weakest clan, to save Israel from its oppressors (Judges 6:11-16). God appointed an insecure teenager named Jeremiah to be "a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:1-10).
God's appointment and use of these many unlikely individuals and servants stands against the backdrop of the most unlikely choice of all in the Old Testament: God's selection of the people of Israel as God's own special people and "treasured possession" among all the nations (Deuteronomy 7:6). Israel was the most unlikely of candidates for this exalted vocation. Lowly Israel was the "fewest of all peoples" (Deuteronomy 7:7). Many other nations could claim much older and grander pedigrees as powerful and venerable empires with deep roots in history: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia and Greece. Each of these empires considered Israel an insignificant outpost, a weak province to be plundered, a humble upstart who needed to be crushed and taught a lesson from time to time.
The Servant of Isaiah 53: Individual or Collective?
All of this is important background to the suffering servant poem of Isaiah 53:4-12. Scholars debate the identity of the humiliated, marred, sick, and suffering servant who is then dramatically exalted by God. Some say the "servant" could be an individual. The suffering servant could be an anonymous and persecuted prophet of Israel. Or could the servant be Cyrus the Persian who elsewhere is called God's anointed "messiah" and "shepherd" and who overthrew Babylon and freed Israel from its exile (Isaiah 44:28, 45:1, 13)?
Others argue for a collective interpretation. The suffering servant is the whole people of Israel who suffered in exile. In exile, they were despised by the nations, but then God exalted them by freeing them from exile and returning them to their home in Jerusalem. Evidence for this position is that the people of Israel or Jacob are often called God's "servant" throughout Isaiah 40-55 (Isaiah 41:8-9; 44:1-2, 21; 45:4; 49:3). At other points in Isaiah 40-55, the "servant" seems to be an individual or a sub-group within Israel, perhaps a persecuted disciple or group of disciples of a prophet, who work to redeem and restore Israel (Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-6; 50:4-9).
We are not sure why the lectioner chose only verses 10 and 11 but I think we need the background of the previous verses to understand these two. The servant will be rewarded if only he keeps the faith.
The world may wonder how much real effect the ministry of Jesus and his community can have. What good is it to preach the gospel, sing a hymn, pour water over a baby, offer a bit of bread and a sip of wine, hold a hand, speak a forgiving word, stock a food shelf, fold hands in prayer, fold clothes for the homeless, visit the sick, comfort the grieving, negotiate a conflict, advocate for the poor, carry out a daily vocation with integrity, all in the name of Christ?
The nations may scorn and despise these seemingly humble and weak ministries of Christ's church. Yet Scripture testifies that it is through such seemingly weak and foolish means that God chooses to do God's work (1 Corinthians 1:27-31). For the long and unbroken chain of God's quiet, humble and faithful servants stretching from ancient Israel to all the hidden corners of the world today, we give thee thanks and praise.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
One of the table prayers we have used in our family has been "God is great, God is good, and we thank him for our food." This prayer summarizes the pattern of the psalms of praise in the Bible: it expresses praise and thanks and gives two reasons for praise and thanks: God's greatness and God's goodness.
The suggestion is that Psalm 33 is a psalm of praise with imperative plurals calling to praise (verses 1-3, "Rejoice, Praise, Sing") followed by reasons for praise, including God's greatness (verses 4-12) and God's goodness (verses 13-19). The psalm is then rounded off with an affirmation of trust (verses 20-21) and a request addressed to the Lord in "you" form (verse 22).
The Same Old Songs? (verses 1-3)
The three imperative plural verbs are addressed to the congregation: "rejoice, praise, sing." These three verses provide thought for a worship committee:
1. Worship should be joyful! (verse 1)
2. Worship may include the use of musical instruments, mentioned here for the first time in the psalms; a modern-day writer would have spoken of trumpets, trombones, guitars, harps.
3. Worship of the Creator ought to be marked by creativity. In other words, let us have a few new songs in the language and melodies of our own age! (verse 3)
4. Those leading worship ought to be well trained so that they "play skillfully." Let us worship God with the best musicians and poets we have! After all, we are following in the tradition of Johann Sebastian Bach!
5. Worship ought to be enthusiastic, even with the volume turned up! (verse 3)
Why Praise? God is Great! (verses 4-12)
Now the psalm gives some reasons for praising God. The first word of verses 4 and 9 is "for," bracketing that section as a unit. Why praise God? Because God created the whole cosmos and especially our "blue planet" with its deep blue seas. How did God do this? The psalmist picks up the notion of creation through the word. God said "let there be"—and there it was! (Genesis 1).
The "God is great" theme continues in verses 10-12 when the writer reflects on God's work in history. As the prophets make clear, God was concerned not only with what was happening in Israel and Judah! God was also involved with the great nations of their day, in the actions of Assyria, Babylon, Persian and Greece (see Amos 9:7-8, Isaiah 13-23, Jeremiah 46-51). And while God may be moving in mysterious ways in our own time, we may assume that God is also concerned about what happens in the nations of our time, Iraq or Afghanistan, Africa or Antarctica, the United Kingdom or the United States. Psalm 32 had things to say about individual happiness (32:1-2, 11). Psalm 33:12 asserts that a people whose God is the Lord -- will be blessed.
Why Praise? The Lord is Good! (verses 13-19)
I read about a priest touring a Greek Orthodox church where there was, front and center, near the ceiling, a painting of a huge eye, with a brown iris and black pupil. Our guide explained: "That painting represents the eye of God. Walk around anyplace in our sanctuary, look back and you will see that the eye of God is watching you!" Verses 13-15 declare that the Lord looks down at what is happening on our planet. Verses 18-19 promise that the Lord "keeps an eye on us." Children, as we know, love to have their parents and grandparents "keeping an eye" on them. They like be watched and praised for their accomplishments. But we think they also like the sense that someone who loves them is watching, protecting, in case anything should go wrong!
God is great, says this psalm, and God is also good. That goodness is expressed in the declaration of God's steadfast love (Hebrew, hesed; verses 5, 18). The prophet Isaiah had said that the earth was filled with the glory of God (Isaiah 6:3). This psalm says that the earth is filled -- with God's steadfast love (hesed, verse 5). Thus, we ought not locate God only high in the heavens...but think of God in terms of a cloud of amazing grace, spread throughout the entire planet! The fact that God has an eye on us is reason for fear and trust in God's steadfast love (hesed, verse 18).
In the Meantime (20-22)
The writer catches our mood as we live out our days. We can be glad because we can trust.
Finally, we can pray (and here is the third hesed) "Let your steadfast love be upon us, as we live in hope."
Reading 2 Heb 4:14-16
Last week we had HEB 4:12-13 and we had added 14-16. So not much new to add so we just repeated last week’s message.
In "Glory Days," Bruce Springsteen sings of that high school baseball player who "could throw that speedball by you.
Make you look like a fool boy." So the image with which this lectionary reading from Hebrews begins--with a disturbing image, not of a speedball, but of the word of God that slices us open for inspection. The opening two verses (4:12-13) describe the power of God's word.
The writer lists several characteristics of that word. First, it is "living and active" (4:12). The writer frequently describes God as "the living God" (3:12; 9:14; 10:31; 12:22), and here he uses the same adjective to describe God's word as one that acts and accomplishes the divine will.
Secondly, the divine word penetrates. The writer pictures the word as a sword (compare Isaiah 49:2; Wisdom of Solomon 7:22, 24; 18:15-16; Ephesians 6:17; Revelation 1:16; 2:12; 19:15). No matter how sharp a knife or dagger one might wield, the word of God cuts with even more precision as it reaches our innermost being.
Third, as the word penetrates, it judges our hearts. The role of the heart is a central feature in the sermon against unbelief (3:7--4:13). The writer quotes the psalmist's warning against hard hearts (3:8, 15; 4:7), for God laments that the wilderness generation went astray in their hearts (3:10). Since our hearts represent who we are as a whole, the condition of our hearts marks our openness to or rejection of God's voice. Thus the divine word unmasks and makes clear our faithfulness or unbelief.
The following sentence (4:13) also focuses on judgment, but the focus shifts from the divine word that judges to those of us who are judged. Nothing is hidden from the Creator whose scrutiny encompasses all of creation. God sees and knows all, and we stand accountable before God for our response to the divine word. The term "laid bare" comes from the verb "to grip in a neck-hold," an image that conveys vulnerability and peril. This stress on our exposure and accountability provides a solemn warning for all of us who hear the word of God.
Given this uncomfortable picture of our nakedness before God, we may rightly ask, "Where is the good news in this passage?" Thankfully, the text does not end here. Instead, the writer affirms Jesus' high priestly ministry to us in our need (4:14-16). That affirmation transforms the warning of the first section. Even though the word of God penetrates and exposes the deepest recesses of our hearts, we should not despair. We must give an account, a word that responds to the divine word. But in our efforts to speak, we are not left alone. There is one who has come to help us, to be our "merciful and faithful high priest" (2:17).
As the Exalted One seated at God's right hand (1:3, 13), Jesus has passed through the heavens to occupy a place of honor and glory. That status inspires us in moments of discouragement to hold on to our confession, our hope, and our confidence in God and Jesus (3:1; 10:23). We have an advocate in God's court.
Gospel Mk 10:35-45
In this Sunday’s Gospel, we continue to read from the section of Mark’s Gospel that reports Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. Last Sunday we heard Jesus lament the particular challenges those with many possessions face in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus then predicts his passion to the Twelve, who are amazed and afraid. In this part of Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ words to his closest disciples seem to be intended to prepare them for the events that will occur in Jerusalem.
In today’s Gospel, James and John ask to be given seats of honor when Jesus enters into his glory. Once again, the disciples seem to be selective in what they hear Jesus say. They want to share Jesus’ glory, but do not appear to understand that his glory will be preceded by his suffering. Jesus notes their lack of understanding and predicts the suffering they will endure for the sake of the Gospel. Jesus says that the honor they seek is not his to give. When the other ten hear what James and John have asked, Mark reports that they are indignant. Jesus takes the opportunity to teach them.
Jesus explains the importance of service and sacrifice in the life of a disciple. In particular, he seems to be preparing the Twelve for their leadership roles in the emerging Christian community. Echoing the Gospel we heard several weeks ago (on the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Mark 9:33-37), Jesus acknowledges that his teaching is countercultural. In today’s Gospel, Jesus contrasts the dynamics within the community of disciples with those shown by the rulers of the Gentiles.
Following Jesus’ example of sacrificial love continues to be countercultural in our day as well. We might take this opportunity to consider our models of authority and examine our own exercise of authority. On whose example do we model our leadership?
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- What honors do young people you know (nieces, nephews, cousins) sometimes earn for their activities and achievements? (honor roll, trophies for sports programs, prizes for contests) What symbols might we be given for these honors? (public recognition, trophies, ribbons, prizes)
- In today’s Gospel, James and John seek a place of honor in the Kingdom of God. What is the symbol of this place of honor?
- What is the symbol of the honor that James and John seek? (a seat at Jesus’ side when he comes in glory) What does Jesus say will be required of the people who will receive such an honor? (to suffer in the same way that Jesus will suffer) What is Jesus’ answer to James and John? (that Jesus cannot give them the honor that they seek)
- In the words that follow, Jesus teaches his disciples what it will take to be great in the Kingdom of God. What does Jesus say? (that those who wish to be first in God’s kingdom must be the servants of others)
- What are some honors that are given to those who serve others? (Think of St. Teresa, Soldiers etc) Do you think that people serve others in order to win prizes? (Probably not.) Then why do you think people spend their lives serving the needs of others?
- Pray that we may receive honor in God’s eyes by learning to serve others in love.
ADITIONAL NOTES -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 53:10-11
This passage takes place in the context of Isaiah 53, one of the so-called "Suffering Servant Songs." Written at the end of Babylonian Exile, these "songs" speak of God inflicting suffering upon his servant for the good of the people. While interpreters have argued over the identity of the servant, Christians have always pointed to the crucified Christ as the One who suffers for the people. Indeed, Isaiah 53 is read on Good Friday as the first reading.
Isaiah 53:10-11 speaks of the reason for suffering [10] and the reward for the servant [11]. Notice both the suffering and reward are community wide; the servant suffers for the sin of the community and the benefits of the suffering are enjoyed by the same community. Hence, the servant is a leader appointed by God (to do his will in 53:10) but rejected by people (see 53:3).
Catholics speak of Jesus as priest, prophet, and king. All three images converge in Isaiah 53. The rejected leader (king) offers himself (priest) for the good of the community; his action reveals God's will and actions (prophet).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
There are many reasons to praise God, but his powerful presence must rank number one. We praise God because he is the creator and we are his creatures. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving. We praise God for what he is, first of all. His activity among us comes second.
Psalm 33 praised God for what he was, not what he did for his people. It began with praise for the power of his word. As a liturgical psalm, 33:1-3 extolled the Temple musicians to "sing a new song" (a command to recognize a new activity of God among his people; see Psalm 40:4, 98:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1, Isaiah 42:1). The musicians were to praise God with a joyful chant.
In 33:4-5, the reason for praise lies in God's word. Like God himself, his word was faithful and true (terms that described the covenant God had with his people). The Lord loved those who returned fidelity in his covenant (justice and right) and he filled the earth with his presence (goodness).
33:13-15 described God as the universal judge from heaven, even over kings who claimed some sort of absolute rule (33:16-17). He blessed those who follow the covenant with sincere hearts, saving them even from death (33:18-19).
In 33:20-22, the psalm ended with a petition for blessing on those who waited for the Lord to act and trust in his power (i.e., his name).
Notice the divine attributes were inferred. God was all-knowing (33:13-15), all-powerful (33:6-7, 9), and all-loving (33:5). The name of YHWH was mentioned 13 times in the psalm; this reinforced the notion of God's position and power.
Many times, our prayer life shrinks to our own parochial concerns. My prayer is focused on myself, my needs, my wants. But is that really prayer? Isn't prayer at its roots treating God as God? Should prayer be praise for God out of a sense of awe and reverence?
Praise God. Praise God for he is our God.
Reading 2 Heb 4:14-16
This study falls on the heels of last week's excursion into God's coming judgment. Hebrews 4:12-13 portrayed God's word as a sharp knife that could lay bare anyone's thought and intentions. And, the verses implied that we were under this knife as a judgment. The language of the verses painted a sacrifice by a temple priest.
Hebrews 4:14-16 followed on the image of our sacrifice/judgment with the comforting message of Jesus as High Priest. The knife was in his hand, so he could show us mercy. And, as High Priest, he could represent us before God (the throne of grace). And we could receive mercy and grace in a timely fashion. Even though he was without sin, he still endured every temptation we could receive. So, he could empathize with us.
Jesus is a compassionate figure in these verses. We should lean on his compassion as a way to grow closer to him.
Gospel Mk 10:35-45
A simple test of character is the question: "Why?" Why does the candidate seek the power a political position holds? Why does the actor seek fame in Hollywood or on Broadway? Why does the business person seek wealth or to climb up the corporate ladder? Why does the person of faith seek a position of ministry?
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with ambition in any of these fields. In fact, most people use ambition to better themselves and their surroundings. But the question must be asked: why do they seek? Do they want wealth and fame and power for themselves alone? Or do they want to use these ambitions for the greater good? These were the questions Jesus asked his followers when the subject of ambition raised its head among the Apostles.
Having heard (the discussion), the (other) ten began to become angry at James and John. Having called them towards (HIMSELF), JESUS said to them, "You know that the ones regarded as rulers of the nations show mastery over them and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not thus among you. But, whoever might want to become great among you will be your servant, and whoever might want to be the first will be the slave of all. For even the SON OF MAN did not come to be served, but to serve and to give HIS life (as a) ransom on behalf of many."
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Sunday October 13, 2024 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 143
Reading 1 Wis 7:7-11
I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
and I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Make us glad, for the days when you afflicted us,
for the years when we saw evil.
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children;
and may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!
Reading 2 Heb 4:12-13
Brothers and sisters:
Indeed the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.
Gospel Mk 10:17-30
As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,
knelt down before him, and asked him,
"Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Jesus answered him, "Why do you call me good?
No one is good but God alone.
You know the commandments: You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
you shall not defraud;
honor your father and your mother."
He replied and said to him,
"Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth."
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,
"You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
At that statement his face fell,
and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,
"How hard it is for those who have wealth
to enter the kingdom of God!"
The disciples were amazed at his words.
So Jesus again said to them in reply,
"Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle
than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."
They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves,
"Then who can be saved?"
Jesus looked at them and said,
"For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God."
Peter began to say to him,
"We have given up everything and followed you."
Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,
there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or children or lands
for my sake and for the sake of the gospel
who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:
houses and brothers and sisters
and mothers and children and lands,
with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Wis 7:7-11
The Book of Wisdom, written in the 1st century B.C. is known to us only in the Greek. It is generally held certain that Greek was the original language. For this reason it is not contained in the Hebrew Bible; nor is it in the Protestant Bible, having been discarded by Martin Luther around A.D. 1520. Because it is known that Jesus and the apostles used the Greek (Septuagint) translation of the Old Testament, Wisdom has always been considered canonical by the Catholic Church. In fact, the Muratorian Fragment (A.D. 155-200), the earliest known list of writings approved as Scripture for use in the Church at Rome, and which gives a fairly orderly treatment to the titles contained in the New Testament, includes Wisdom as a New Testament book.
The book is divided into 3 parts: 1) Wisdom & Human Destiny (chapters 1-5), 2) Solomon & The Quest For Wisdom (chapters 6-9), and 3) Wisdom At Work In History (chapters 10-19).
Today’s reading comes from the second part and describes Solomon’s (or at least the authors who borrowed his name) praying and the riches that came to him.
I prayed,
Solomon’s prayer is given in 1 Kings 3:7-9 and 2 Chronicles 1:8-10. The author’s version of this prayer is given in Wisdom 9.
and prudence was given me;
Prudence is understanding. The author develops a parallelism: Prayer – pleaded; prudence – wisdom. Solomon preferred wisdom over power, riches, health, comeliness, and light. Solomon prayed for wisdom and it came to him along with all these good things. I pleaded and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, And deemed riches nothing in comparison with her, nor did I liken any priceless gem to her; Because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand, and before her, silver is to be accounted mire. Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, And I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
God was pleased with Solomon’s humble request, to be given wisdom to lead his people rather than riches.
Wisdom never ceases to exist (see Wisdom 7:29-30).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
Psalm 90 has often been categorized as a wisdom psalm, which, like the book of Ecclesiastes (see 3:19-20; 7:2), is very much in touch with human finitude and the brevity of human life (see also Psalms 39:4-6; 49:10-12, 16-20).
While this interpretive approach is helpful, it has often overlooked the facts that Psalm 90 is consistently addressed to God, that it is the only psalm attributed to Moses, and that it opens Book IV of the Psalter.
These facts do not imply that Moses is the author of Psalm 90, but rather that the editors of the Psalter invite readers to hear Psalm 90 as a prayer offered by Moses on behalf of the people in response to the crisis of exile that is articulated in the concluding psalm of Book III (see Psalm 89:38-51). For instance, the plea for God to "Turn" (verse 13) recalls Moses' request for God to "Turn" in Exodus 32:12 (note also that "compassion" in verse 13 represents the same Hebrew root as "change your mind" in Exodus 32:12). In short, as Moses interceded for the people in the face of God's anger over their creation of the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6), so Psalm 90 portrays Moses as intercessor in the face of God's anger expressed in verses 7-11.
These two interpretive approaches are not mutually exclusive; and in fact, they can even be seen as complementary. In any case, Psalm 90 features the concept of time (see words or phrases related to time in verses 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16); and one of the most startling aspects of Moses' life is that, in effect, he ran out of time -- that is, he died before entering the land of promise, because God was angry with him (Deuteronomy 3:26).
Before our lection picks up at verse 12, the contrast between humanity's limited time and God's enduring time has been drawn very sharply (see verses 3-6). But Psalm 90 is not over at verse 10. Even though verse 11 repeats "anger" and "wrath" from verse 7, its mention of "the fear that is due you" hints at something more positive.
The possible wisdom orientation of Psalm 90 reminds us that, according to the sages, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10; see Proverbs 1:7; Job 28:28). Thus, verse 11 anticipates verse 12, which marks the transition from the thoroughly depressing verses 3-11 to the much more hopeful verses 13-17.
But what is it that constitutes a "wise heart"? "To count our days" is an accurate literal translation; but what good would derive from simply keeping track of one toilsome, wrath-filled day after another? In this case, a more paraphrastic rendering is helpful. "Lord, teach us to make each day count, to reflect on the fact that we must die, and so become wise."
In other words, "a wise heart" involves the disavowal of autonomy; and it means the entrusting of life and future fully to God. Such "fear of the LORD" offers the courage and energy to live each day to the fullest, quite literally, for God's sake!
Such disavowal of autonomy in favor of daily dependence upon God recalls another Mosaic connection -- namely, Exodus 16 and God's daily provision of manna in the wilderness. In this regard, it may not be coincidental that the three consonants in the Hebrew word for "count" are the same ones that compose the word "manna."
In any case, daily dependence upon God is capable of transforming the human perception and experience of the passage of time. When we entrust life and future to God, then we can experience the passage of time as something other than an oppressive reality to be endured.
The concluding verses of Psalm 90 reinforce this conclusion. The "morning" can bring the fulfilling and joyful experience of God's love (verse 14; compare verses 5-6 and Psalm 89:49). Our "days" and "years" can bring gladness (verse 15; compare verse 9), not merely "toil and trouble" (verse 11). Entrusted to God, even our human "work" (twice in verse 17) can endure, insofar as it contributes to God's "work" (verse 16).
By way of God's "compassion" (verse 13) and "steadfast love" (verse 14), human time partakes of eternity. In short, when life and future are entrusted to God, there is hope. For the psalmist, the recognition of human finitude and fallibility is not finally cause for despair, but rather an occasion for prayer. And in humble, honest, faithful prayer, the psalmist arrives at the good news that the hope of the world is grounded in God's "compassion" and "steadfast love" (verses 13-14).
Reading 2 Heb 4:12-13
In "Glory Days," Bruce Springsteen sings of that high school baseball player who "could throw that speedball by you.
Make you look like a fool boy." So the image with which this lectionary reading from Hebrews begins--with a disturbing image, not of a speedball, but of the word of God that slices us open for inspection. The opening two verses (4:12-13) describe the power of God's word.
The writer lists several characteristics of that word. First, it is "living and active" (4:12). The writer frequently describes God as "the living God" (3:12; 9:14; 10:31; 12:22), and here he uses the same adjective to describe God's word as one that acts and accomplishes the divine will.
Secondly, the divine word penetrates. The writer pictures the word as a sword (compare Isaiah 49:2; Wisdom of Solomon 7:22, 24; 18:15-16; Ephesians 6:17; Revelation 1:16; 2:12; 19:15). No matter how sharp a knife or dagger one might wield, the word of God cuts with even more precision as it reaches our innermost being.
Third, as the word penetrates, it judges our hearts. The role of the heart is a central feature in the sermon against unbelief (3:7--4:13). The writer quotes the psalmist's warning against hard hearts (3:8, 15; 4:7), for God laments that the wilderness generation went astray in their hearts (3:10). Since our hearts represent who we are as a whole, the condition of our hearts marks our openness to or rejection of God's voice. Thus the divine word unmasks and makes clear our faithfulness or unbelief.
The following sentence (4:13) also focuses on judgment, but the focus shifts from the divine word that judges to those of us who are judged. Nothing is hidden from the Creator whose scrutiny encompasses all of creation. God sees and knows all, and we stand accountable before God for our response to the divine word. The term "laid bare" comes from the verb "to grip in a neck-hold," an image that conveys vulnerability and peril. This stress on our exposure and accountability provides a solemn warning for all of us who hear the word of God.
Given this uncomfortable picture of our nakedness before God, we may rightly ask, "Where is the good news in this passage?" Thankfully, the text does not end here. Instead, the writer affirms Jesus' high priestly ministry to us in our need (4:14-16). That affirmation transforms the warning of the first section. Even though the word of God penetrates and exposes the deepest recesses of our hearts, we should not despair. We must give an account, a word that responds to the divine word. But in our efforts to speak, we are not left alone. There is one who has come to help us, to be our "merciful and faithful high priest" (2:17).
As the Exalted One seated at God's right hand (1:3, 13), Jesus has passed through the heavens to occupy a place of honor and glory. That status inspires us in moments of discouragement to hold on to our confession, our hope, and our confidence in God and Jesus (3:1; 10:23). We have an advocate in God's court.
Gospel Mk 10:17-30
Today we continue reading the Gospel of Mark from where we left off last Sunday. Last Sunday our Gospel told how Jesus was tested by the Pharisees about the requirements for divorce. Recall that these chapters come from the second part of Mark’s Gospel, which chronicles the beginning of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.
In today’s Gospel, an unnamed man approaches Jesus and inquires about what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replies that one must follow the commandments of the Law of Moses. The man acknowledges that he has observed all of these since his childhood. Jesus then says that only one thing is lacking: he must give his possessions to the poor and follow Jesus. The man leaves in sadness, and Mark tells us that this is because he had many possessions.
The belief in resurrection and eternal life was a relatively recent development in Jewish thought at Jesus’ time, and it wasn’t shared by everyone. The Pharisees taught that there would be a resurrection from the dead; the Sadducees did not share this belief. Jesus taught that there would be a final judgment for everyone and eternal life (the Kingdom of God) for believers.
Jesus makes two requirements of the wealthy man who approaches him. First, he must give up his possessions. Throughout history, some Christians have taken this literally. Their example witnesses to us a radical commitment to the Gospel of Jesus. Some have read this as a particular requirement directed to this specific individual. Still others have sought to explain the meaning intended by the word possessions as those things that prevent one from following Jesus. Christians have generally understood that at the least, following Jesus requires that believers hold material possessions loosely and remain vigilant against seeking security in accumulating possessions.
The second requirement Jesus makes of this man is the invitation that Jesus extends to all would-be disciples: “follow me.” Jesus very much wants this man to be his disciple. We believe that the Christian faith is one in which each believer is in a personal relationship with Jesus. Just as this Gospel tells us that Jesus loves the man and is sad when he departs, so too, Jesus loves us and is saddened when we are unable to follow him.
We see in this Gospel reading another example of Mark’s pattern, which shows Jesus offering further elaboration about his message and meaning to his disciples. To his disciples, Jesus laments the challenges faced by those who are rich in following him and entering the Kingdom of God. In reply to the disciples’ astonishment at the strictness of the standard that Jesus speaks about today, Jesus reminds his disciples that nothing is impossible with God. Salvation is determined by our ability to rely completely upon God.
Peter replies to Jesus by boasting that the disciples have already given up everything. Jesus acknowledges that those who have given up everything for the sake of the Gospel will be rewarded. This reward begins now, in the new community that one will gain in this life, and will continue in the eternal age to come. Our personal relationship with Jesus is also an invitation to the community of faith, the Church.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- How many possessions do you have? (probably too many to count) Are there things you own that you don’t need anymore? What do you do with these things? Throw them out? Donate to Purple Heart?
- Consider books you have, ornaments, nick knacks etc. What do you do with these things? When it comes time to give these away, how easy is it for you to give them up? Sometimes it is even difficult for us to give away things we don’t use anymore.
- In today’s Gospel, a man asks Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life.
- What is the first part of Jesus’ answer to this man’s question? (to follow God’s commandments) What is the second part of Jesus’ answer? (to give what he has to the poor and to follow Jesus) What does the man do? (He goes away in sadness.) Why? (because he had many possessions and it was too difficult for him to give them up to follow Jesus)
- Jesus is telling us that money and possessions can sometimes become more important to us than doing what God wants. Jesus wants us to be careful about our attitude toward material things. If our possessions stand in the way of loving God or loving others, it is better for us to give them away.
- Pray and ask God to help you remember that doing what God wants is more important than keeping our possessions. Pray the Peace Prayer of Saint Francis.
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
==============================================================
ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Wis 7:7-11
The inspired writer of the Book of Wisdom identifies himself with King Solomon, who has limits like all human beings despite his exalted state. For all humanity, from kings to commoners, physical life is temporal (verses 1-7). Scripture presents the young King Solomon as the epitome of the wise man. He was not born wise, but he humbly petitioned God for wisdom (1 Kng 3:5-14; 5:9-14), and God granted him the spirit of wisdom, which the young Solomon wisely preferred to the trappings of kingship and wealth. The psalmist says that spiritual gifts are superior to material things, using ten comparisons to make that point (verses 8-10).
But what does the Bible tell us it means to possess wisdom? It means allowing oneself to be guided by the commands of God and acknowledging His sovereignty over one's life and all humanity. Wisdom also includes an understanding of the created world and human nature. This kind of knowledge leads to the "good things" of verse 11. Therefore, the fullness of the wisdom that brings one closer to God makes life more meaningful and, therefore, more complete. The Church has always taught that there is no disunity between knowledge of reason and knowledge of faith. "Faith intervenes not to abolish reason but to bring human reason to understanding that in these events it is the God of Israel who acts" (John Paul II, Fides et ratio, 16).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17
Psalm 90 is the only psalm attributed to Moses (see verse 3 and compare to Gen 2:7). The psalmist acknowledges that life is short; therefore, he asks God for a heart of wisdom to guide the brief span of his days (verse 12). He mourns the fact that it has been a long time since the Theophany of God to His people at Mt. Sinai, and he asks God how much longer the people will have to wait until God returns in some visible form to His servants (verse 13).
In the meantime, he petitions the Lord to fill His people with His kindness so they will be grateful even for the afflictions of God's divine judgments against them (verses 14-15). He also asks the Lord to give the people evidence of His works, so the people and their children will know that God is still with them (verse 16). Thus, he has confidence that there are no bad days for those who trust God because all days are good for serving the Lord. Moses ends his prayer by petitioning God's favor in establishing His works through the hands of His covenant people. God chose Israel by divine election to be His holy people and a light to the Gentiles. The psalmist (Moses) asks that the covenant people be permitted to fulfill that mission as partners in God's plan for salvation history (verses 17).
God answered the psalmist/Moses' petition for a visible return of the Lord and the visible sign of His works in the Incarnation and mission of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He performed many signs of His divine authority by healing physically and spiritually, forgiving sins, and raising the dead. His works among humanity climaxed in His death, burial, Resurrection, and Ascension, thus fulfilling God's plan to bring the promise of eternal salvation to humankind.
The PSALTER
150 Psalms divided into 5 books
Book 1 Psalms 1 - 41
Book 2 Psalms 42 - 72
Book 3 Psalms 73 - 89
Book 4 Psalms 90 – 106
Book 5 Psalms 106 - 150
Reading 2 Heb 4:12-13
The inspired writer, believed by many Church Fathers and modern scholars to be St. Paul, uses the metaphor of the two-edged sword to warn the first generation of Jewish-Christians. He reminds them that they can keep nothing hidden from God, who exposes all human weaknesses and failures. Their ancestors of the first generation of the Exodus fell into sinful rebellion against God. In His judgment against them, they lost their inheritance in the Promised Land, dying in the desert wasteland. The "word of God" (verse 12) is a guide and a hope in the fulfillment of God's promises to the faithful of the new generation of the New Covenant people. If they remain faithful, they will inherit through Jesus the Son eternal rest and peace with God in the heavenly reality of the true Promised Land.
The words of God in Sacred Scripture provide a tutor and guide for our lives, and the "living Word," Jesus Christ, judges the hearts and minds of believers who seek "rest," peace in their relationship with God. Jesus said, "Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me" (Jn 12:48-50). No one can hide their secret thoughts from God, and everyone will have to render a final account of how they lived when Christ returns to judge the living and the dead (Mt 25:31-46; Rev 20:11-15; CCC 1038-41). In Sacred Scripture, the Church finds her strength and nourishment to lead humanity to eternal salvation. She embraces it not as human words but as what it truly is, the word of God (1 Thess 2:13), as He comes in love to meet, speak, and guide His children (CCC 101-104)
Gospel Mk 10:17-30
The political season is upon us. Politicians from every side promise us policies and programs to satisfy every need. Have a problem? Look around. You'll soon find a candidate that will "empower" you with a solution.
Of course, the cynic in all of us knows better. But, that skeptical piece of knowledge does not stop our inner craving for answers to our problems. Sometimes we seek the public means, sometimes private. No matter how hard we try, no matter how much money or influence we have, it does not seem to be enough. We still seek that which will make us happy, that which leaves us satisfied.
A man knelt before Jesus to find an answer to his search. What Jesus said to the man challenged the fundamental direction of his life.
As the scene opens, a man ran up to Jesus, knelt as a sign of respect, and then addressed him with the phrase "Good Master." Jesus rejected the term "good" since the title could be a trap [17-18]. But in the exchange, the man inquired about eternal life; this was a sign that the man saw the path ("journey" in 17) Jesus and his followers took as the means to eternal life. So Jesus asked about the man's moral life [19]; how had he adhered to God's law (Ten Commandments numbers 4-8)?
When the man answered in the affirmative, Jesus moved to the next step: the invitation to fellowship [21]. But the cost was high. The man must give up his possessions, not necessarily his personal wealth, but his attachments to extended family and to business. The man would be a social "orphan"; his family would be the Church.
If the man were to give up attachments, he would abandon his reliance on the mentor-client system of the ancient world. As the note above implied, mentors acted as "middlemen" between richer-ruling families and poorer-servant families. For favors bestowed by the richer families, poorer families (i.e., the "clients") would pay kickbacks, taxes, and bribes. They would also boost the reputation of the richer families, thereby cementing their higher status. Middle men between the families grew in wealth and influence as the relationship between the families became tighter.
The questioner was rich. More importantly, however, he used the mentor-client system to his advantage of his reputation. Jesus asked him to give up that system and all its perks. The man would become a typical follower.
But what would he gain? Instead of having clients, he would be a client of God the Father. Instead of having others dependent on him, he would be totally dependent upon God. This would be a true act of faith. He then would be truly ready to follow Jesus.
In the end, the man could not join Jesus and walked away. He could not give up what he took most of his life accumulating: wealth and power.
==========================================================================
Sunday October 6, 2024 Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 140
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Gn 2:18-24
The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a suitable partner for him."
So the LORD God formed out of the ground
various wild animals and various birds of the air,
and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them;
whatever the man called each of them would be its name.
The man gave names to all the cattle,
all the birds of the air, and all wild animals;
but none proved to be the suitable partner for the man.
So the LORD God cast a deep sleep on the man,
and while he was asleep,
he took out one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.
The LORD God then built up into a woman the rib
that he had taken from the man.
When he brought her to the man, the man said:
"This one, at last, is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called 'woman, '
for out of 'her man' this one has been taken."
That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
May you see your children's children.
Peace be upon Israel!
R. May the Lord bless us all the days of our lives.
Reading 2 Heb 2:9-11
Brothers and sisters:
He "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels, "
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated
all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers.”
Gospel Mk 10:2-16
The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
"Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?"
They were testing him.
He said to them in reply, "What did Moses command you?"
They replied,
"Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her."
But Jesus told them,
"Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate."
In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,
"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery."
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
"Let the children come to me;
do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to
such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Gn 2:18-24
The book of Genesis begins with two different but complementary stories of God's creation of the world.
Two Creation Stories and Two Portrayals of God
In Genesis 1, God is portrayed as speaking from afar, bringing order out of chaos in a well planned and carefully structured progression of six days of creation. Genesis 1 teaches us that God's intentions for creation will come to fruition in accord with God's will and desire.
When we turn to the second creation story in Gen 2:4b-25, the portrait of God is somewhat different. God gets "down and dirty" with creation, forming the human (adam) from the land or clay (adamah). God performs CPR on the newly formed lump of clay, breathing into the dirt-creature's nostrils "the breath of life." Like the crazed doctor who brings to life the lifeless Frankenstein in the film Young Frankenstein, we can imagine God exclaiming, "He's alive! He's alive!"
The image of the garden of Eden as a laboratory with God as the chief scientist engaging in trial-and-error experiments captures something of the spirit of God's portrayal in Genesis 2. Although God will finally and assuredly have God's way with the world (Genesis 1), God will also encounter unexpected challenges and try new solutions in a give-and-take in interaction with creation and its creatures (so Genesis 2).
Being Lonely: Not Good!
In Genesis 1, God had repeatedly said that everything was "good." In Genesis 2, God surveys his emerging horticultural experiment in Eden and senses something is "not good." God observes, "It's not good that the man should be alone" (2:18). God's discovery highlights what is fundamental to human nature and human flourishing: humans are social creatures who thrive in close and intimate relationships with others. Thus, God resolves to make for the single human "a helper [Hebrew: ezer] as his partner." A "helper" in the Old Testament is not a subordinate but one who may be an equal or sometimes even a superior to the one who is being helped. In fact, God is often called a "helper" to humans in need (Psalm 10:14; 54:4).
God's first experimental attempt to resolve this deficit of community is to create an array of wild animals, birds, and domestic animals as possible soul mates for the human. God marches the colorful parade of diverse wild life before the human and invites him to give names to the various creatures (2:18-20). Elephant, condor, dog, cat, kangaroo, what have you. The act of naming in the ancient world was a means of defining and shaping the character and essence of the one named. By naming the animals, the human participates with God as a co-creation, but sadly this first experiment does not work. The animals are interesting, but none of the animals fully resolves the ache and void of human loneliness.
The Second Experiment: Success at Last!
So God embarks on another experiment. God assumes the role of chief surgeon and anesthetizes the man into a deep sleep. This new attempt at finding a "helper as his partner" will not involve human co-creation this time. It will all be God's doing, a gift from God alone. God surgically removes a rib from the man's side and lovingly shapes the rib into a second human being who is "like" the man but also "opposite" him, like two puzzle pieces that fit together. The animal-as-full-partner experiment had been a bust, but this time God gets it oh so right! The man awakes and instantly recognizes the fulfillment of his deep longing in the eyes of the new "other," the woman.
For the first time in Scripture, the human speaks in the elevated language of poetic verse as a sign of the ecstasy and joy that accompanies this discovery:
This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh.
This one shall be called Woman [Hebrew ishshah]
for out of Man [Hebrew ish] this one was taken.
"At last," the search is over. The imagery of being "bone of my bones" and "flesh of my flesh" speaks of a bond between the man and woman so strong that to sever it would be as if to rip out a physical part of one's own body. The man's lyric response is the Bible's first example of love poetry but not its last. The Bible's other great celebration of human love and passion is the Old Testament book, the Song of Songs, a commentary and sequel to Genesis 2.
Love as a Fragile Gift
This marital bond is so intimate that the two "become one flesh"--naked, open to one another, vulnerable, trusting, passionate, loving, and "not ashamed" (2:24-25). This union of two lonely human beings yearning for community and finding it in one another is the great climax of the second creation story.
Unfortunately, the happy union is quickly strained and marred as the narrative suddenly and unexpectedly descends into the story of Adam and Eve's disobedience and expulsion from the garden of Eden in Genesis 3. Mutual trust, partnership, support, freedom from shame, and equality of relationship are all threatened by human disobedience in Genesis 3.
The reality and the mystery of human love is that sometimes it endures and sometimes it does not. Genesis 2 reminds us of God's original intention and desire for humans--to find in at least one other person a bond of love that runs so deeply and so intimately that we never feel alone.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
This, as the former, is a psalm for families. In that we were taught that the prosperity of our families depends upon the blessing of God; in this we are taught that the only way to obtain that blessing which will make our families comfortable is to live in the fear of God and in obedience to him. Those that do so, in general, shall be blessed (v. 1, 2, 4), In particular,
- I. They shall be prosperous and successful in their employments (v. 2).
- II. Their relations shall be agreeable (v. 3).
- III. They shall live to see their families brought up (v. 6).
- IV. They shall have the satisfaction of seeing the church of God in a flourishing condition (v. 5, 6).
It is here shown that godliness has the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
It is here again and again laid down as an undoubted truth, that those who are truly holy are truly happy.. God blesses them, and his pronouncing them blessed makes them so. They are blessed now, they shall be blessed still, and forever. This blessedness, arising from this blessing, is here secured.
That, by the blessing of God, they shall get an honest livelihood and live comfortably upon it. It is not promised that they shall live at ease, without care or pains, but, What your hands provide you will enjoy; you will be blessed and prosper.
Here is a double promise,
That they shall have abundance of comfort in their family-relations. As a wife and children are very much a man's care, so, if by the grace of God they are such as they should be, they are very much a man's delight, as much as any creature-comfort.
The wife shall be as a vine by the sides of the house, not only as a spreading vine which serves for an ornament, but as a fruitful vine which is for profit, and with the fruit whereof both God and man are honored, Jdg. 9:13. The vine is a weak and tender plant, and needs to be supported and cherished, but it is a very valuable plant, and some think (because all the products of it were prohibited to the Nazarites) it was the tree of knowledge itself. The wife's place is the husband's house; there her business lies, and that is her castle. Her place is by the sides of the house, not under-foot to be trampled on. She shall be fruitful as the vine, not only in children, but in the fruits of wisdom, and righteousness, and good management, the branches of which run over the wall (Gen. 49:22; Ps. 80:11), like a fruitful vine, not cumbering the ground, nor bringing forth sour grapes, or grapes of Sodom, but good fruit.
The children shall be as olive plants, likely in time to be olive-trees, and, though wild by nature, yet grafted into the good olive, and partaking of its root and fatness, Rom. 11:17. It is pleasant to parents who have a table spread, though but with ordinary fare, to see their children round about it, to have many children, enough to surround it, and those with them, and not scattered, or the parents forced from them.
That they shall have those things which God has promised and which they pray for: The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion, where the ark of the covenant was, and where the pious Israelites attended with their devotions. Blessings out of Zion are the best-blessings, which flow, not from common providence, but from special grace, Ps. 20:2.
That they shall live long, to enjoy the comforts of the rising generations: "Thou shalt see thy children's children, as Joseph, Gen. 50:23. Thy family shall be built up and continued, and thou shalt have the pleasure of seeing it.' Children's children, if they be good children, are the crown of old men (Prov. 17:6), who are apt to be fond of their grandchildren.
Reading 2 Heb 2:9-11
Hebrews 2:9-11 opens to us a spiritual reality that we must come to understand and appreciate if we are to make the most of this wonderful opportunity of salvation that God gave to us completely unbidden. Because of our disobedience and the resulting curse of death placed on us, we could never experience what is said of us in Psalm 8:4-8, which the author of Hebrews refers to here. However, Jesus suffered death and gained the victory for us. As a result, He wears the crown of glory and rules the universe. We know this Being as God-in-the-flesh, but the author uses His earthly name, Jesus, so that we can see the historical setting of His victory.
"Jesus" calls to mind the concept of salvation, as it means "savior." The author writes that Jesus accomplished the redemption of His people by "tasting] death," not—interestingly—by merely "dying." To taste death is a graphic illustration of the painful way He suffered and died. He was not spared this excruciating trauma because He was the Son. He experienced suffering, both physical and emotional, to the very marrow of His bones.
In Hebrews 2:10, we find that the "everyone" of verse 9 is, in realty, not in this context the whole world, but it is limited to the "many sons" being brought to glory—in other words, the church. He bore the suffering that should have come upon us as the wages of our sins. He is the Author, the Pioneer, the Trailblazer, the Forerunner, going before us to our salvation. He is the One clearing the path, as it were, as we make our way following our calling. In Hebrews 12:2, He is called "the author and finisher [or perfecter] of our faith." The Father made Him pass through gruesome suffering in our behalf.
He completed His preparation for the responsibility that He now holds as our High Priest; the Father has charged Him with the task of preparing many others to share life with them in the Kingdom of God. Jesus, therefore, is the One who makes men holy. The path to sanctification lies in obedience to doing God's will, and that obedience is to be given out of gratitude because one understands and knows the Father and Son from within an intimate relationship (John 17:3).
Gospel Mk 10:2-16
Today we continue to read from the Gospel according to Mark. For the past three Sundays, we have been hearing Mark’s reports of conversations between Jesus and his disciples. Recall that in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus uses these private moments to teach his disciples in greater detail about the Kingdom of God. Beginning with today’s Gospel, Jesus returns to Judea, Jewish territory, and resumes his public ministry. The first verse of chapter 10 of Mark’s Gospel tells us that crowds gathered around Jesus, and he taught them, as was his custom. Immediately, the Pharisees approach Jesus to test him.
The Pharisees question Jesus about the lawfulness of divorce. Under specific conditions, divorce was an accepted practice among the Jewish people during the time of Jesus. It was regulated by the Law of Moses, as found in Deuteronomy 24:1-5. This law only permits that a husband may divorce his wife if he finds her to be indecent. This is the justification that the Pharisees reference when Jesus inquires about the commandment of Moses. In reply, Jesus quotes from the Book of Genesis and counters that God’s original intention was that men and women would become one flesh in marriage. Jesus describes the teaching of Moses as a concession made to God's original intention because of human stubbornness.
In private, Jesus’ disciples question him further about this teaching on divorce. It is to his disciples that Jesus lays out the implications of his teaching by explaining that remarriage after divorce is adultery. Jesus’ teaching was more restrictive than the teaching of the Pharisees, which permitted remarriage. Jesus further distinguished his teaching from the cultural norms of his time by applying his words equally to men and women. Jewish culture permitted only that a husband may divorce his wife. Wives were not permitted to divorce their husband for any reason, including adultery.
At first glance, the final part of today’s Gospel seems unconnected to the previous teaching about divorce. When read together, however, these passages present a strong picture of Jesus’ emphasis on the importance of family. God intended for women and men to be joined together in marriage. Among the purposes of marriage is the raising of children. By welcoming children and fostering their relationship with God, parents and families bear witness to the Kingdom of God.
At the end of today’s Gospel, the people were bringing their children to Jesus, and again Jesus’ disciples show that they just don’t get it. Recall that in the Gospel for each of the past two Sundays, Jesus has taught his disciples the value and importance of these “little ones” in the Kingdom of God. Yet in today’s Gospel, the disciples try to prevent people from bringing their children to Jesus. Jesus reprimands his disciples and welcomes these children. Again Jesus offers these children as an example of the kind of complete trust and dependence upon God that ought to be the attitude of all believers.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think about how relationships are portrayed in songs, books, or TV shows.
- Some of the messages about love and relationships sound very romantic. But making a long-term commitment to another person is a difficult thing. People succeed only with God’s help and grace. This grace is celebrated in the Sacrament of Marriage. Jesus sent a strong message about the importance and strength of this commitment in today’s Gospel.
- What does Jesus say about the marriage relationship in today’s Gospel? (that God joins man and woman in marriage; that in marriage, man and woman become one flesh; that what God has brought together may not be separated by human beings) The disciples question Jesus further about this teaching. Why do you think they ask Jesus about this again? (because they find this teaching challenging because Jesus is being more strict than the Pharisees, and so on)
- What scene is described at the end of today's Gospel? (Jesus welcoming the children)
- It seems like these two scenes are unrelated, but hearing them together teaches us something very important. God wants to help us honor our commitments to one another. To do this, we must be like children before God, trusting him completely and depending upon his help. The Church teaches us that the Sacrament of Marriage strengthens our commitment and gives married couples the gift of the Holy Spirit to help them honor their promises to one another.
- Pray that God will strengthen the commitment of married couples and help them honor and respect one another. Pray Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s prayer, the Suscipe.
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.
You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.
Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Gn 2:18-24
This reading focuses upon the place of marriage in the plan of creation.
Genesis 2:18-24 represents the height of the second creation story in Genesis. The first creation story (Genesis 1) begins with water and the furthest reaches of the (then known) universe. Over the course of seven days, creation becomes closer and closer until it touches the person in the creation of man and woman. (One can think of this story as "creation by the sea.")
In the second creation story (Genesis), a desert appears. God orders a spring to appear and, from the mud of the sand and the water, he creates the first human being. But, God realizes the loneliness of the first person [18], so he creates animals and plant life [19]. In giving the animals and plant life names, the first person defines their power in purpose in creation [19-20]. In this sense, the first person was God's "co-creator." But even this activity does not satisfy the first person's loneliness [20].
Up to this point, the first person did not have a sexual function; the word "man" is used in a generic sense for "human being." Only with the deep sleep and the removal of the rib [21] did the first person become male. God creates the woman and presents her to the man [22]; the man repeats the "creation naming" [19-20] by giving his partner a name (and a function) [23]. This is the high point of the second creation story God creates while man "co-creates."
The editorial comment about marriage [24] only defines the previous passage. The fullness of humanity is expressed in the marriage bond. Marriage is the exercise of co-creation with God. A good marriage brings happiness and joy to the couple; loneliness is banished.
Marriage has taken a beating in our culture, but it will never completely disappear. The second creation story speaks a universal truth; marriage is the world-wide symbol of human fulfillment.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
This short psalm was a beatitude for the humble, Law-abiding family man. The man in awe of the Lord would prosper, have a "proper," child-bearing wife (hidden in the family's compound), and children who would surround the father at the table. (Notice the two agricultural analogies: the vine represented the fertile wife bearing many children and the olive plants represented the productive off-spring to bring the father wealth.) The form of Psalm 128:1b-4 was "A-B-A," where the man feared the Lord (1b and 4) would prosper with wife and many children.
This man would receive the blessing of the Temple and share in the festivities of Jerusalem. The end of the blessing wished the man long life to see his grandchildren.
The invocation of "Shalom" for Israel concluded the psalm.
In context, this "song of ascents" was prayed over the pilgrim at sacrifice in the Temple. The priest who received the offering blessed the faithful man. 128:5-6 indicated this blessing may have been invoked before the pilgrim left. In any case, the psalm presented the ideal lay man: prosperous, yet humble with a faithful, fertile wife and many children. In the eyes of the psalmist, this pilgrim would see his grandchildren and live to a ripe old age.
Notions about the ideal lay person have changed. Women have an equal place with men. Children are treasured and nurtured, not exploited for their productivity. Yet, the idea of family as a blessing remains. God uses the family to bless parents. Every parent prays they will see their grandchildren. (Some of us actually reach that point!). Some of us even get to see Great-grandchildren. What a blessing!!
Reading 2 Heb 2:9-11
The author offered some unique answers. One of those answers lies in "salvation history." This concept was uniquely Jewish, for it saw cosmic history as chronological time with a beginning and an end (not as a series of endless cycles of nature). It also saw God as the author of time (in the beginning, everything came from God and, in the end, everything would return to God). Finally, it saw God active within time and history. The faceless God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the "living "God, a God to be personally experienced not made an object in stone as an idol.
The author of Hebrews placed Jesus into the center of salvation history. He was the instrument and reason for the cosmos [2:10]. He came from God yet humbled himself to be born as one of us and to die as we all will [2:9]. Yet, his death would be salvific. Through his suffering and death, he would destroy death and offer everyone a relationship with God [2:9-10]. And, through the same means, he would raise the status of all he saved, for he would call them "brothers." [2:11]
The author of Hebrews presented us with the "Big Picture." Jesus came from God at the beginning of time and in the Incarnation. And would return to God through his Resurrection-Ascension and at the end of time when he would destroy all evil and return creation back to his Father. Jesus was the sign that God was at work in the world in a definitive way. As another human being, Jesus gave us a tactile way to experience God. Yet, he transcends our world to become the Savior of all.
Gospel Mk 10:2-16
Having come, the Pharisees were asking HIM, testing HIM, "Is it permitted (in the Law) for a man to dismiss a woman (in divorce)?" "Testing him" is actually at the end of the sentence. Unlike English, placement of the participial phrase was not critical, since the endings in Greek would connect the phrase to the subject (the Pharisees). Mark placed the phrase after the question to indicate the dubious intent of the subjects.
The men were able to write a document to set (his marriage) aside and to dismiss (his wife)." Mosaic Law allowed a man to write a divorce document in the presence of witnesses. Then the man would present it to his wife, with the words: "Here is your bill of divorce."
Jesus inferred that Moses allowed divorce because the Israelites were too obstinate to accept his will.
Jesus said "he will be joined to his woman." The verb "will be joined to" is literally, "will be glued to." Jesus indicated God's command, like all his other commands, had a permanent status. The phrase itself has brackets, indicating scholars dispute whether it was original or not.
"The two will become one flesh.' So, they are no longer two but one flesh." Jesus used the phrase "unity of flesh" twice, once from Genesis 2:24, once for emphasis. The union of flesh did not refer to sexual union, per se, but to the union of the wife to the husband's family. Through the marriage, the husband's wife now had a rightful place in her mate's clan. The writer of Genesis clearly saw the wife had a necessary and vital role in society, for marriage created and strengthened clans, the bedrock of ancient society. Jesus saw divorce not only as an injustice to the woman (who would be thrown out of the clan to live a homeless existence). He saw divorce as a danger to society itself. Since Jews believed the structure of society was divinely ordained, Jesus saw divorce was sin against society, almost capital in nature. Jesus' conclusion (in 10:9) reflected that belief.
10:9 "that (union) which God yoked together" The phrase "yoked together" was used in the context of marriage. Since God yoked the man and woman together, Jesus saw marriage as God's will, not man's.
At the time of Jesus there were two opinions about divorce. One opinion stated a man was free to divorce at any time and for any reason, while the other opinion stated marriage could not be dissolved.
Again, the Pharisees came to trick Jesus with a question on the Law [2]. Jesus answered a question with a question on the source of divorce from Moses, the lawgiver [3]. When the Pharisees answered, Jesus appealed to an early (and purer) reason: the point of creation! [7-9] God's original intention was for lifelong monogamy.
Why did Jesus oppose divorce, besides theological reasons? Verses 10-16 give us a clue: the effects divorce had on families, especially children. In the time of Jesus, divorced women many times ended up homeless and their children became orphans. If the divorced woman and children returned to her extended family, the family was shamed and the woman was considered a failure.
Why did Jesus consider remarriage as "adultery" [10-12]? Many times, adultery was used as a social weapon against a married man or family; adultery caused scandal and shame. Remarriage could have the same result, especially if a man divorced his wife to marry for lust or social status. Such reasons did not coincide with God's original purpose; hence they were sinful (i.e., "adulterous.").
13 (People) were bringing HIM small children that HE might touch them. But the disciples rebuked (the people). 14 Having seen (this happen), JESUS was angry, and said to them, "Permit the small children to come to ME. Do not hinder them. For, one like this belongs to the Kingdom of God 15 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a small child will not, by no means, enter it." 16 Having embraced them, HE blessed (the children), setting his hands on them.
10:13 "small children" could mean anyone from infancy to age 12.
"he might touch them" the people wanted Jesus to bless their children.
10:15 "Amen, I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a small child will not, by no means, enter it." Jesus made an emphatic statement in two ways. First he used the formula "Amen, I say to you." Second, he used a double negative for the main verb (translated as "will not, by no means"). Jesus' point was clear. Those who entered the Kingdom must have the status of a child, that of a slave. Any reference to childlike qualities (like innocence, trust, love, etc.) would be secondary in importance.
The scene ends with Jesus blessing the children. We discussed the status of children and the leadership of the Church several Sundays ago. But it is well worth noting that parenthood is a call to service, like leadership in the Church. Parents are to be last; personal interests of the mother or father give way to the good of the family. Children are to be blessed [16] not rebuked [13]
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Sunday September 29, 2024 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 137
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Nm 11:25-29
The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.
Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,
the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;
and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied.
Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad,
were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.
They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent;
yet the spirit came to rest on them also,
and they prophesied in the camp.
So, when a young man quickly told Moses,
"Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, "
Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’aide, said,
"Moses, my lord, stop them."
But Moses answered him,
"Are you jealous for my sake?
Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
Though your servant is careful of them,
very diligent in keeping them,
Yet who can detect failings?
Cleanse me from my unknown faults!
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
.
From wanton sin especially, restrain your servant;
let it not rule over me.
Then shall I be blameless and innocent
of serious sin.
R. The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
.
Reading 2 Jas 5:1-6
Come now, you rich, weep and wail over your impending miseries.
Your wealth has rotted away, your clothes have become moth-eaten,
your gold and silver have corroded,
and that corrosion will be a testimony against you;
it will devour your flesh like a fire.
You have stored up treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers
who harvested your fields are crying aloud;
and the cries of the harvesters
have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived on earth in luxury and pleasure;
you have fattened your hearts for the day of slaughter.
You have condemned;
you have murdered the righteous one;
he offers you no resistance.
Gospel Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."
Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where 'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'"
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Nm 11:25-29
We have here the performance of God's word to Moses, that he should have help in the government of Israel.
Here is the case of the seventy privy-counsellors in general. Moses, though a little disturbed by the tumult of the people, yet was thoroughly composed by the communion he had with God, and soon came to himself again. He did his part; he presented the seventy elders before the Lord, round the tabernacle, that they might there stand ready to receive the grace of God, in the place where he manifested himself, and that the people also might be witnesses of their solemn call. Note, Those that expect favor from God must humbly offer themselves and their service to him. God was not wanting to do his part. He gave of his Spirit to the seventy elders, which enabled those whose capacities and education set them but on a level with their neighbors all of a sudden to say and do that which was extraordinary, and which proved them to be actuated by divine inspiration: they prophesied, and did not cease all that day, and (some think) only that day. They discoursed to the people of the things of God, and perhaps commented upon the law they had lately received with admirable clearness, and fullness, and readiness, and aptness of expression, so that all who heard them might see and say that God was with them. Thus, long afterwards, Saul was marked for the government by the gift of prophecy, which came upon him for a day and a night.
Here is the particular case of two of them, Eldad and Medad, probably two brothers.
They were nominated by Moses to be assistants in the government, but they went not out unto the tabernacle as the rest did. Most think that they declined coming to the tabernacle out of an excess of modesty and humility; being sensible of their own weakness and unworthiness, they desired to be excused from coming into the government. Their principle was their praise, but their practice in not obeying orders was their fault.
The Spirit of God found them out in the camp, where they were hidden among the stuff, and there they prophesied, that is, they exercised their gift of praying, preaching, and praising God, in some private tent. Note, The Spirit of God is not tied to the tabernacle, but, like the wind, blows where he listens. There was a special providence that these two should be absent, for thus it appeared that it was indeed a divine Spirit which the elders were actuated by, and that Moses gave them not that Spirit, but God himself. They modestly declined preferment, but God forced it upon them; nay, they have the honor of being named, which the rest have not: for those that humble themselves shall be exalted, and those are most fit for government who are least ambitious of it.
Joshua moved to have them silenced: My lord Moses, forbid them. It is probable that Joshua himself was one of the seventy, which made him the more jealous for the honor of their order. He takes it for granted that they were not under any necessitating impulse, for the spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets, and therefore he would have them either not to prophesy at all or to come to the tabernacle and prophesy in concert with the rest. He does not desire that they should be punished for what they had done, but only restrained for the future. This motion he made from a good principle, not out of any personal dislike to Eldad and Medad, but out of an honest zeal for that which he apprehended to be the unity of the church, and concern for the honor of God and Moses.
Moses rejected the motion, and reproved him. Though Joshua was Moses's particular friend and confidant, though he said this out of a respect to Moses, whose honor he was very loth to see lessened by the call of those elders, yet Moses reproves him, and in him all that show such a spirit. We must not secretly grieve at the gifts, graces, and usefulness of others. It was the fault of John's disciples that they envied Christ's honor because it shaded their master's.
The elders, now newly ordained, immediately entered upon their administration; when their call was sufficiently attested by their prophesying, they went with Moses to the camp, and applied themselves to business. Having received the gift, they ministered the same as good stewards. And now Moses was pleased that he had so many to share with him in his work and honor.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
The song employs beautiful imagery, playful poetry, and elegant prayer-petitions. - In the first section (verses 1-6), the focus is on creation, the genre is similar to a hymn, the poetry is flexibly fluid, and the generic name for God is used.
- In the second section (verses 7-10), the focus is on God's Torah (translated as "law" but "instruction" would be better), the genre is similar to a wisdom psalm, the poetry becomes consistently formal, and the proper name of the LORD is used.
- In the third section (verses 11-14), the focus shifts to the "servant" who speaks the psalm, the genre is similar to a prayer, the poetry becomes more informal, and the proper name for the LORD continues to be used.
Most current interpreters hold that the poem is a coherent whole. The root metaphor of the psalm is speech:
Part I (verses 1-7) Creation's Speech -- praise for God
Part II (verses 8-12) Torah's Speech -- instruction of humanity
Part II (verses 13-15) Servant's Speech -- prayer to God
Psalm 19 intends to teach. The first part of the poem teaches that the heavens tell us that there is a God. The power of the creator can be known about through the paradoxical, unspoken speech of creation: "There is no speech, nor are there words; [the heavens'] voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world" (verses 4-5).
But the second part of the psalm teaches us who God is and what God wills. The Lord's Torah -- we would call it Scripture -- is a word that we can actually understand and gives us words to follow.
The Assigned Verses: "The Torah of the Lord is Perfect"
As already mentioned, the poetry and focus of the psalm change beginning with verse 8, which is the first verse in the psalm's second section. The focus shifts to the "Torah of the Lord." The poetry becomes rigidly regular. Each of the lines in verses 8-10 is constructed identically: noun + Lord + adjective + participle + noun.
Each phrase begins with a synonym for the Torah of the Lord -- Torah, decrees, precepts, commandment, fear, and ordinances -- are a reference to the word of God revealed in the Scriptures. Torah is not here "law" in the legal sense, but as "instruction" in a more holistic sense. This section of the poem celebrates what God has done and continues to do through the Scriptures. God revives the soul, makes wise the simple, enlightens the eye, endures forever, and is altogether righteous.
Stop a moment. Pause briefly and linger on the promise here.
The Bible is such a part of Western society that we often fail to appreciate the means of grace that Scripture is. The psalm offers poetic testimony that invites both church and synagogue to realize the miracle that we hold in our hands. And it does this by offering promises about what the Word does (revive the soul, make wise the simple, enlighten the eye, and so on).
The poem then offers two (literally) golden metaphors for the Word. It is more desirable than refined gold. It is sweeter than the golden honey of the honeycomb.
Yes, the Torah of the Lord is perfect. Yes, its laws are a gracious gift from the very God who created us -- they show us how to live and they offer pictures of what it means to love the neighbor.
As the psalmist knows, "in keeping them there is great reward" (verse 12). Reward here doesn't mean that God miraculously rewards those who keep God's law. Rather, reward here means that good things come in the very earthly keeping of the laws -- don't steal and you stay out of prison, don't kill and you won't be executed, and so on.
But, as the psalmist also knows that perfect obedience is beyond human capacity. The psalmist knows that no one "can detect their [own] errors." Therefore the psalmist prays, "Clear me from hidden faults" (verse 13).
The psalm ends with a prayer that many preachers use for the start of their sermon: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." The use of this prayer in connection with preaching begs us to wonder if even our proclamation of God's word needs God's forgiving, gracious blessing.
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Reading 2 Jas 5:1-6
James returns to the principle that work must serve the needs of others. His words in the beginning of chapter 5 are scathing. He warns “the rich” to “weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you” (James 5:1). While the gold in their vaults and the robes in their closets may look as shiny as ever, James is so certain of their coming judgment that he can speak as if their riches were already decomposing: “Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted” (James 5:2–3). Their self-indulgence has succeeded only in “fattening” them “for the day of slaughter” (James 5:5). The day of slaughter seems to be a reference to the day in which God judges those whom he called to lead and care for his people, but who preyed on them instead (Zech. 11:4–7).
These rich people are doomed both for how they acquired their wealth and for what they did (or didn’t do) with it once they had it. James echoes the Old Testament as he excoriates them for their unjust business practices: “Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts” (James 5:4; cf. Lev. 19:13).[1]
Leviticus 19 is one of James’s favorite Old Testament passages; see Luke Timothy Johnson, Brother of Jesus, Friend of God (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004), 123ff.
Money that should be in the hands of laborers sits instead in the treasuries of the landowners. And there it stays—they hoard their wealth and ignore the needy around them (James 5:3).
Business leaders must be especially diligent about paying their workers fairly. An analysis of what constitutes fair pay is beyond the scope of this discussion,
but James’s words “the wages you have kept back by fraud” (James 5:4) are an accusation of abuse of power on the part of these particular wealthy landowners. The workers were owed wages, but the rich and powerful found a way out of paying them without incurring punishment by the legal system. The rich and powerful often have means to subvert the judiciary, and it’s astonishingly easy to exercise unfair power without even recognizing it. Abuses of power include misclassifying employees as independent contractors, inaccurately registering workers in a lower skill code, paying women or minorities less for doing the same job as others, and using children for jobs so dangerous that adults refuse to do them. Misuse of power can never be excused just because it is a so-called standard practice.
James also condemns those who “have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure” (James 5:5). The question of what constitutes living in luxury and in pleasure is also complex, but it confronts many Christians in one way or another. James’s chief concern in this passage is the well-being of the poor, so the most relevant question may be, “Does the way I live enhance or diminish the lives of poor people? Does what I do with money help lift people out of poverty or does it help keep people impoverished?”
Gospel Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
Today we continue to read from the Gospel of Mark. Recall that last week we heard Jesus chastise his disciples for their argument about who among them was the greatest. Jesus taught them that the greatest among them will be those who serve the least ones. In today’s Gospel, the disciple John questions Jesus about an unknown exorcist who was driving out demons in Jesus’ name. John’s question might have been motivated by jealousy. Previously in Mark's Gospel, Jesus healed a boy whom the disciples had been unable to heal. John’s question is further evidence that the disciples have not yet grasped Jesus’ words to them. They continue to compare themselves to others who seem to have greater healing powers, and they do not want to share the power of Jesus’ name with others.
Today the demon possession described in the Gospels might be seen as a form of mental illness, but the need for healing these syndromes was as real then as it is now. Exorcism was a common practice in first-century Palestine. Some people had the power to heal the symptoms of possession. One of the strategies used was to invoke the name of a person or figure who was believed to have the power to heal.
The disciples observed that the unknown exorcist invoked Jesus’ name and was successful in his healing efforts. This unknown healer recognized the power of Jesus’ name, yet he was not a follower of Jesus. In his reply to his disciples, Jesus acknowledges that deeds of faith can precede the words of faith. He also teaches that the disciples should not be reluctant to share Jesus’ healing powers with others.
Later in this Gospel, Jesus teaches us not to create obstacles for those who are just beginning to have faith but to encourage even the smallest signs of faith. The Greek word used here for sin also connotes “stumbling” or “causing scandal.” In vivid terms Jesus teaches his disciples the consequences to those who would put obstacles before people who are on the road to faith.
Making the Connection
- Jealousy. What does it mean to be jealous? Why might a person be jealous of another person? What are some signs that a person is jealous? (Accept all reasonable answers, but be sure that the conversation moves beyond being jealous about possessions; if needed, redirect the questions to raise the issue about being jealous of another person’s abilities or power.)
- Being jealous of another person can sometimes cause us to exclude or disregard the contributions they make. In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus’ reply to a question from his disciple John about a person who was using Jesus’ name to heal. It sounds as if Jesus’ disciples might be jealous of this power.
- Why did the disciples want to stop the person who was healing in Jesus’ name? (because this person was not a follower of Jesus) What answer did Jesus give to his disciples? (He told the disciples to let this person continue.)
- The disciples sounded jealous because they thought that they were the only ones who would be able to heal others using the power of Jesus’ name. Jesus teaches them that they should not be jealous. Instead they should remember that all who do what God wants are equal in his eyes and are working together to serve the Kingdom of God.
- This is important for us to remember. Whenever we do something good for another person, even the smallest good deed, God is pleased with us. And God wants us to appreciate the good deeds of others, who are working, like us, to serve the Kingdom of God.
- Ask God to keep us from being jealous of the things others can do and ask God to help us work with others to serve the Kingdom of God. Pray the Lord’s Prayer.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Nm 11:25-29
Sometimes mystery shrouds God's will. We expect God to act in a certain way only to be surprised. These can be times of insight or frustration.
This passage lies in the story of the grumbling Israelites who desired meat, not just manna. Addressing God, Moses lamented over their demands. God answered Moses' prayer by gathering the leaders and sending quail meat to the Israelites. But God afflicted the people for their greed with a plague. Hence, the place was called "Graves of Greed."
Moses spoke to God about the burden of his responsibility to care for the people's material and spiritual well-being, serving as their covenant mediator and teacher of the Law. In response to his complaint, Yahweh appointed seventy elders to aid Moses in teaching the people and assisting with their needs. These may have been the same seventy men who attended the sacred meal sealing the covenant ratification ceremony in Egypt. God used others as his instruments, including those not recognized as leaders. Eldad and Medad not being part of the publically anointed ecclesial community of elders did not prevent God's Spirit from manifesting Himself upon them. God's Spirit is without limit; therefore, His Spirit that was on Moses did not lessen when distributed to the seventy elders. The spirit of God gave the gift of prophecy, not the Israelite chain of command. That fact did not stop Joshua, Moses' right hand man, from objecting. But Moses sees clearly; who can tell God what to do? Moses, then, wished that all God's people had his Spirit, so all could share his intimacy and be his instruments.
There is an old saying: God wants followers, not advisors. When God does not do what we want him to do, we might get angry at God; worse yet, we might be tempted to give up on God. When we are scandalized by God's will, is the source of scandal God or our desire to control God so I can have my way?
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
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Despite the chaos of social and political life, the world just goes on. No matter how we get caught up in our own problems or the crises of the moment, there always seems to be a tomorrow. God's in charge and, sometimes, that's all we need to know.
The orders that regulated creation found their way into the Law; the author praised God for that power. Notice how many differed times the name of YHWH was invoked in 19:8-10. Notice, too, how the Law resulted in order in the believer's life. The perfect Law renewed life. The trustworthy Law gave wisdom. The right ways of the Law brought joy. The clarity of the Law enlightened. The edicts of the Law were true and just. The Law stood beyond sensual pleasures, for it brought sure reward to the spirit. Pleasures may be transitory, but awe of the Lord in the believer and creation remained forever.
Many people criticize the Christian lifestyle as too confining; these people want their freedom but refuse to see the price that freedom demands. The faithful might not wallow in the transitory pleasures evil provides, but they do enjoy the peace and joy that the wisdom and justice God's will brings. The God who has a plan for the universe has a plan for each one of us. By acknowledging his control of creation and obeying his will, we can realize his favor.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Nm 11:25-29
Sometimes mystery shrouds God's will. We expect God to act in a certain way only to be surprised. These can be times of insight or frustration.
This passage lies in the story of the grumbling Israelites who desired meat, not just manna. Addressing God, Moses lamented over their demands. God answered Moses' prayer by gathering the leaders and sending quail meat to the Israelites. But God afflicted the people for their greed with a plague. Hence, the place was called "Graves of Greed."
Moses spoke to God about the burden of his responsibility to care for the people's material and spiritual well-being, serving as their covenant mediator and teacher of the Law. In response to his complaint, Yahweh appointed seventy elders to aid Moses in teaching the people and assisting with their needs. These may have been the same seventy men who attended the sacred meal sealing the covenant ratification ceremony in Egypt. God used others as his instruments, including those not recognized as leaders. Eldad and Medad not being part of the publically anointed ecclesial community of elders did not prevent God's Spirit from manifesting Himself upon them. God's Spirit is without limit; therefore, His Spirit that was on Moses did not lessen when distributed to the seventy elders. The spirit of God gave the gift of prophecy, not the Israelite chain of command. That fact did not stop Joshua, Moses' right hand man, from objecting. But Moses sees clearly; who can tell God what to do? Moses, then, wished that all God's people had his Spirit, so all could share his intimacy and be his instruments.
There is an old saying: God wants followers, not advisors. When God does not do what we want him to do, we might get angry at God; worse yet, we might be tempted to give up on God. When we are scandalized by God's will, is the source of scandal God or our desire to control God so I can have my way?
Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14
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Despite the chaos of social and political life, the world just goes on. No matter how we get caught up in our own problems or the crises of the moment, there always seems to be a tomorrow. God's in charge and, sometimes, that's all we need to know.
The orders that regulated creation found their way into the Law; the author praised God for that power. Notice how many differed times the name of YHWH was invoked in 19:8-10. Notice, too, how the Law resulted in order in the believer's life. The perfect Law renewed life. The trustworthy Law gave wisdom. The right ways of the Law brought joy. The clarity of the Law enlightened. The edicts of the Law were true and just. The Law stood beyond sensual pleasures, for it brought sure reward to the spirit. Pleasures may be transitory, but awe of the Lord in the believer and creation remained forever.
Many people criticize the Christian lifestyle as too confining; these people want their freedom but refuse to see the price that freedom demands. The faithful might not wallow in the transitory pleasures evil provides, but they do enjoy the peace and joy that the wisdom and justice God's will brings. The God who has a plan for the universe has a plan for each one of us. By acknowledging his control of creation and obeying his will, we can realize his favor.
Reading 2 Jas 5:1-6
The diatribe of James against the rich was a cultural prejudice among the common people of the ancient world. With ninety-five percent of the Roman Empire classified as "poor," rich people were caricatured and looked upon with disdain. James did not equate money with evil, however. He described the rich as money hungry and money hoarders. "Rich," in the eyes of James, was not the size of a bank account, but an attitude that put money above everything else.
There were several items of note in this passage. James implied the Second Coming would be a judgment against the rich (the warning of hard times in 5:1 and the cries that heard by God in 5:4). Money was hard currency (gold and silver in 5:3); over time these metals tarnish (i.e., "rust"). Like many other riches (clothes in 5:2), money itself was transitory. Finally, the people who served the rich were the same ones who the rich oppressed (the farmers in 5:4 and the righteous man in 5:6). Taken together, the rich lived only for the moment, but they had the intention to maintain their lifestyle. This attitude blinded them to the greater vision that faith presented. Wealth faded, but sure faith did not. In fact, God would right any wrong committed by the rich against the poor, especially at the end of the world.
The words of James give us pause. We have creature comforts that make us the envy of the world's poor. How do we respond to the needs of the poor, both here at home and abroad? If James were alive today, could he use these same words against us?
Gospel Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
Were the actions of the disciple causing scandal to the "little ones?" Scandal was such a great concern, it deserved a great punishment (to make the point Jesus inferred capital punishment in v. 42). In the gospels, the "little ones" can be either the faithful or traveling missionaries. Scandal among the congregation or the leadership caused dissension, discord, and disunity. It could destroy the Church to a far greater extent than any outsider.
In v. 43, 45, and 47, Jesus used extreme language to make his point about the choice between the Kingdom and Gehanna. For the Jew in Jesus' time, the hand and the foot represented the areas of human activity. Did the activity of the disciple represent Christ or selfishness and evil influence? It was better not to be involved in a certain activity (have hands and feet "cut off") than to scandalize and be condemned.
The eyes [47] represented windows to one's heart and mind. Their use could weaken or strengthen the faith life of the disciple. Better not to see something (have the eyes "cut out") than to "scandalize" one's self and be condemned.
What is worse, to cause scandal or to be scandalized? Neither advance faith, only egos. Both can destroy faith and community participation. Both can lead to spiritual death.
Jesus gave us guidelines to address scandal. Encourage the faith of those outside the community. Know yourself and your weaknesses that can cause scandal. And, do not aspire to offices where you can cause scandal. Jesus wanted an increase in faith, not scandal. We should, too.
When believers cause scandal, it is a challenge away from faith. But, when God causes scandal, it is a challenge to faith. God's will (his "scandal") requires openness of mind and heart. What time and energy have you spent seeking God's will, hearing his voice?
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Sunday September 22, 2024 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 134
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Wis 2:12, 17-20
The wicked say:
Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us;
he sets himself against our doings,
reproaches us for transgressions of the law
and charges us with violations of our training.
Let us see whether his words be true;
let us find out what will happen to him.
For if the just one be the son of God, God will defend him
and deliver him from the hand of his foes.
With revilement and torture let us put the just one to the test
that we may have proof of his gentleness
and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death;
for according to his own words, God will take care of him.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
R. The Lord upholds my life.
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. The Lord upholds my life.
For the haughty men have risen up against me,
the ruthless seek my life;
they set not God before their eyes.
R. The Lord upholds my life.
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. The Lord upholds my life.
Reading 2 Jas 3:16—4:3
Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.
Where do the wars
and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions
that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive,
because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Gospel Mk 9:30-37
Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
They had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in the their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Wis 2:12, 17-20
For they have said. A reference to the wicked and ungodly men introduced at the end of the last chapter with these words: But the wicked with works and words have called it (i.e., death) to them: and esteeming it a friend, have fallen away and have made a covenant with it: because they are worthy to be of the part thereof (Wisdom 1:16). Their culture of death philosophy is introduced here, and continues in the following verses. They reject the concept of immortality and, as a result, adopt a “live for today alone” approach to the things of this world, and a “might makes right” approach to their fellow human beings. For this reason they persecute the just man whose life and very existence is a witness against them. But they err in thought, and are blinded by wickedness, unable to discern God’s plan for humanity. No doubt thinking themselves highly independent, each one priding himself on being his own man, they are in reality in the devil’s possession (Wisdom 2:23-24).
Verses 12-22 which forms the bulk of today’s readings concerns the suffering of the just man. As is the case with so many texts along these lines, this one is often applied to Christ in the liturgy.
The truly righteous man is a living witness against the sinner who cannot abide the testimony. They say he is not for our turn, i.e., he refuses to turn in their immoral direction. They are incensed that this is itself a witness against them: he is contrary to our doings. The righteous man thinks the time past is sufficient to have fulfilled the will of the Gentiles, for them who have walked in riotousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings and unlawful worshipping of idols, because they know a judgement is coming. The unrighteous, however, think it strange that you run not with them into the same confusion of riotousness (see 1 Peter 4:3-4).
Pope John Paul II (Veritatis Splendor #93)~By witnessing fully to the good, they (martyrs and saints) are a living reproof to those who transgress the law (cf. Wisdom 2:12), and they make the words of the Prophet echo ever afresh: “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isa 5:20)
Wis 2:15 The very sight of the righteous man makes them irate. This statement of the unrighteous will take on added meaning in verses 17 and 19 (see notes below)
Wis 2:16 He treats them like Triflers because of their superficial philosophy (Wisdom 2:1-5) and the lifestyle they have embraced because of it (Wisdom 2:6-10). Triflers because they treat the righteous man of no account, and persecute him (Wisdom 2:12-20). They are thoroughly superficial: clouds without water, which are carried about by winds: trees of the autumn, unfruitful, twice dead, plucked up by the roots: Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own confusion: wandering stars, to whom the storm of darkness is reserved for ever (Jude 12-13).
Wis 2:17 & 18
In verse 15 they said, he is grievous to us, even to behold, but here they wish to try and test him to see for themselves if he is righteous and true, and if his end is as he hopes. Here they imitate Satan, the Devil, in whose possession they are (Wisdom 2:24-25, John 8:42-44), for he tempted Christ is just such a manner: If thou be the son of God…(Matt 4:1-11). See also Matt 27:39-43.
Wis 2:19 Note the reference to examining and knowing. They bring up once again the theme of sight (verse 15 & 17) and knowledge (“reasoning with themselves”, verse 1). Also, having determined that we are born of nothing, and after this we shall be as if we had not been: for the breath in our nostrils is smoke (Wisdom 2:2), the unrighteous have decided that the lives of others are of no real consequence: Let us examine him by outrages and tortures.
Wis 2:20 Modern translation such as the RSV differ regarding the second part of the verse: Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for, according to what he says, he will be protected.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
If making plans of our own (presumably in the face of God's plans for us) is laughable, how about issuing commands to God, telling God the Divine's own business in no uncertain terms? Who would dare to give God orders? Yet this is, in a sense, exactly what Psalm 54 does.
Our psalm begins with a four-fold plea: "save me...vindicate [me]...hear [me]." Each of these pleas -- actually imperative verbs -- and a fourth “listen” [to me] quite literally command God's attention, response, and action. These imperative clauses that form the introduction to the psalm demand God's attention. And while some Hebrew language grammarians might call this particular use of the imperative a "jussive," (a command) that is really just a delicate way of labeling the act of giving orders to someone who out-ranks you.
But enough grammar. Why is God's attention and action commanded? Because the enemies of the psalmist, the insolent and the ruthless, have risen against him to tear him apart with their words.
At issue here in Psalm 54 is speech: speech directed to God in response to the vile slander of human beings. Notice the tension that is present in regards to the hearing of speech in the psalm. God is commanded to "give ear," to listen, to pay attention to the psalmist's words, and perhaps at the same time to the false witness of the psalmists enemies. It is almost as if the psalmist begs God, "Can you not hear the insolent and the ruthless as they lie about me?"
That the enemies actions are speech-based seems clear in that the enemies are said to be "rising against" him, a reference (most likely) to the actions of witnesses in the gate of the community (Isaiah 29:20-21: "For the tyrant shall be no more, and the scoffer shall cease to be; all those alert to do evil shall be cut off -- those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit, who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate, and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right"; cf. Psalm 27:12, "Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence").
Notice also that the psalmist does not answer word-for-word those who falsely accuse him. Such a response is the fool's move; implicit in the psalm is the sense that he-said-they-said doesn't get a person anywhere. Instead, the psalmist "sets God" before him, appealing to God to judge on his behalf, to find for the defense if you will, and to reverse the judgment, pronouncing it against the psalmist's enemies. Indeed, before offering a pledge of thanksgiving, the psalmist exults in this reverse judgment saying that God "will repay my enemies for their evil," and that "my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies."
The psalm, which may strike us as an odd selection for reading/recitation during worship, actually couches the whole conflict very much in terms of the worship life of the community. This may be, at least in part, what is meant by the idea of "putting God" before oneself -- which the psalmist does and his enemies do not (compare verses 2 and 3). It is only in the presence of God that the conflict will be appropriately resolved. In service of putting God before himself, and at the same time putting his pleas before God, the psalmist employs several terms which are worship-related and technical.
At the end of the psalm, coming in response to his (presumed? assumed? anticipated?) vindication the psalmist vows an act of thanksgiving for God's judgment against his enemies. The author of the psalm says, "I will sacrifice," presenting a "freewill offering," in order to "give thanks" (verse 8). In worship, the psalmist will celebrate his deliverance.
One might ask at this point, if any sinner (which all of us most surely are) could ever do such a thing as demand that God act as judge on our behalf. But because God has delivered us from every trouble (verse 9), and because God is our helper (verse 6), even the sinful man or woman can, in the face of evil, rely on God to be not just a judge, not just any judge, but their judge.
Reading 2 Jas 3:16—4:3
3:13-18 These verses show the difference between men's pretending to be wise, and their being really so. He who thinks well, or he who talks well, is not wise in the sense of the Scripture, if he does not live and act well. True wisdom may be known by the meekness of the spirit and temper. Those who live in malice, envy, and contention, live in confusion; and are liable to be provoked and hurried to any evil work. Such wisdom comes not down from above, but springs up from earthly principles, acts on earthly motives, and is intent on serving earthly purposes. Those who are lifted up with such wisdom, described by the apostle James, is near to the Christian love, described by the apostle Paul; and both are so described that every man may fully prove the reality of his attainments in them. It has no disguise or deceit. It cannot fall in with those managements the world counts wise, which are crafty and guileful; but it is sincere, and open, and steady, and uniform, and consistent with itself. May the purity, peace, gentleness, teachability, and mercy shown in all our actions, and the fruits of righteousness abounding in our lives, prove that God has bestowed upon us this excellent gift.
The former chapter speaks of envying one another, as the great spring of strife and contentions; this chapter speaks of a lust after worldly things, and a setting too great a value upon worldly pleasures and friendships, as that which carried their divisions to a shameful height. The apostle here reproves the Jewish Christians for their wars, and for their lusts as the cause of them: The Jews were a very seditious people, and had therefore frequent wars with the Romans; and they were a very quarrelsome divided people, often fighting among themselves; and many of those corrupt Christians against whose errors and vices this epistle was written seem to have fallen in with the common quarrels. Hereupon, our apostle informs them that the origin of their wars and fighting was not (as they pretended) a true zeal for their country, and for the honor of God, but that their prevailing lusts were the cause of all.
They make a war within as well as fighting without. Impetuous passions and desires first war in their members, and then raise feuds in their nation. From lust of power and dominion, lust of pleasure, or lust of riches, from some one or more of these lusts arise all the broils and contentions that are in the world; and, since all wars and fighting come from the corruptions of our own hearts, it is therefore the right method for the cure of contention to lay the axe to the root, and mortify those lusts that war in the members. It should kill these lusts to think of their disappointment: "You lust, and have not; you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain. You covet great things for yourselves, and you think to obtain them by your victories over the Romans or by suppressing this and the other party among yourselves. You think you shall secure great pleasures and happiness to yourselves, by overthrowing everything which thwarts your eager wishes; but, alas! you are losing your labor and your blood, while you kill one another with such views as these.’’
Sinful desires and affections generally exclude prayer, and the working of our desires towards God: "You fight and war, yet you have not, because you ask not. You fight, and do not succeed, because you do not pray you do not consult God in your undertakings, whether he will allow of them or not; and you do not commit your way to him, and make known your requests to him, but follow your own corrupt views and inclinations: therefore you meet with continual disappointments.’’
James is trying to get them to turn back to God and beg His forgiveness.
Gospel Mk 9:30-37
In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus again predict his passion, death, and Resurrection to his disciples. The setting here is important. Jesus and his disciples are preparing to journey through Galilee, a Jewish territory in which Jesus has already encountered problems with the Pharisees. Perhaps this is why Mark indicates that Jesus was trying to journey in secret. In predicting his passion, Jesus is acknowledging the danger they will face and is trying to prepare his disciples for it. Yet Mark tells us that the disciples did not understand what Jesus was saying and were afraid to ask what he meant. Such hesitation on the part of the disciples is not characteristic behavior. Peter had no fear about rebuking Jesus in last week’s Gospel. Perhaps this is an indication that the disciples were aware that a new situation was emerging.
Mark paints a vivid picture in today’s Gospel. Having arrived at Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples enter a house. In this private place, Jesus asks his disciples about the argument they had while they were journeying. Again, the disciples are uncharacteristically silent and afraid to answer. They have been found out. Jesus then summons the Twelve, whom Mark identified earlier in his Gospel as those chosen by Jesus to preach and to drive out demons. To this select group of disciples, Jesus teaches that those who would be first in God’s kingdom must be servants of all.
Jesus then calls forward a child and teaches the Twelve that to receive a child in Jesus’ name is to receive both Jesus and the One who sent him. We might easily fail to understand the significance of this action. In first-century Palestine, children were without status or power, possessing no legal rights. In this action, Jesus is teaching his disciples and us that when we serve the least ones among us, we serve Jesus himself. Who are the people without power or status in our society that Jesus is calling us to serve? Do we do so willingly? Jesus teaches that God’s judgment of us will be based on this criterion alone.
Making the Connection
- Name some people who are famous (actors, athletes, politicians, and so on). Why are these people famous? Try to identify some of the things that people do to become famous.
- Some people in our society become famous for their abilities, such as athletes and actors. Other people become famous because they have accepted important jobs, such as leaders of government and politicians.
- Do you think you would you like to be famous? Why or why not?
- In today’s Gospel, we learned that some of Jesus’ first disciples argued about which of them was the greatest or the most important. Even they wanted to be famous! Jesus teaches them something surprising about what it means to be great in God’s eyes.
- What did Jesus tell his disciples would make them great? (serving others, especially serving the least ones among us) Do you think God cares if people are famous? (No.) What will make us great in God’s eyes? (if we serve other people in love)
- Pray the Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s Prayer for Generosity.
Teach me true generosity.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labor without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Wis 2:12, 17-20
People gossip. They always will. Sometimes their talk is idle chatter. Sometimes their gossip turns ugly, slanderous, and, ultimately, vengeful. So, the innocent suffer from the venom of those who speak behind backs and seek their brand of "justice" in the dark. The believer suffers at the hands of those who hate God. The righteous suffer at the hands of the jealous and the devious.
In these passages from the "Wisdom of Solomon," the author wrote about the true nature of evil. It sought vengeance upon the just almost without reason. In the context of the book, the wise (i.e., the person who followed God's will and tried to live a good life) would prevail, but only through God's help. Living out that trust divided the good from the bad. It was that trust that drove the wicked to frenzied action.
Trust in God has a price. Sometimes trust costs us our reputation. Sometimes it costs us relationships. In the case of a few, it cost them their lives. But, trust means that God will win out in the end. It means he will save us. It means the price is worth paying.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
In the midst of life"s pressures, there is little time for prayer, especially those of thanksgiving. Sometimes life can be so hectic we need to slow down and open our eyes to the wonders God places before us. Even if we take a sliver of our day, we need to refocus on the greater picture and thank God for his activity in our lives.
Psalm 54 has such a sliver of thanks. Read in the light of the prelude, the body of the psalm covered the tribulation of David"s life on the run, yet the sentiments expressed could be anyone"s. The prayer began with a call for help for salvation: "Save me from my evil enemies." (54:1-3).
After the break in the psalm (the unknown term "Selah"), the theme changed from salvation desired to salvation realized. Yes, troubles might have dogged the psalmist, but YHWH would quickly redeem him. That belief was so certain, the author could make a free-will offering and shout thanksgiving. (54:6) Victory was at hand!
One could argue that the desperation of 54:1-3 was counter balanced by the upbeat spirit of 54:4-7. More likely, the later part of the psalm answered the author"s pleas. In other words, troubles challenge us to reaffirm faith through prayers of thanks, not to wallow in our misery.
Thanksgiving should be a daily prayer activity, despite the depth of problems we find ourselves mired in. Such prayers help us realized that God is present and active in our lives. Such prayer help realized that our salvation is at hand and, in some ways, already here.
Reading 2 Jas 3:16—4:
Why do we have strife in daily living? Why do we battle our "inner demons?" These verses from James tried to answer the questions. Simply put, James pointed to the lack of God's wisdom for these troubles.
In past studies, James created and knocked down straw men to advance his belief. Faith needed works, moral duties of the Law. These works (which James defined in terms of charity) evangelized non-believers and strengthened the community. The person who believed but did not act on these beliefs, James claimed, weakened both Christian witness and the cohesion of the local church.
In James practical logic, the dichotomy between faith and works came down to the use of wisdom: knowing where and when to act. Believers who did not act wisely lived in a sea of desire and unfulfilled cravings. From this unsettled state, people act out in jealous, petty ways. While there was no clear parallel between the faith-only (i.e., libertine) Christian and the desirous believer, there were implicit ties.
Toward the end of the passage, James shifted from the language of war [4:1] to an object of desire [4:2-3]. What was this object? A brief reading seemed to point to material goods or pleasure. But a deeper reading pointed to wisdom itself. Greek culture made wisdom the highest value. Over the centuries before the birth of Christ, Jewish culture was influenced by this ideal. Indeed, several deutero-canonical books (Sirach and Wisdom of Solomon, for example) appealed to wisdom as the virtue most desired. From wisdom came riches and reputation, as well as high moral living. While James may have not implied these outcomes for wisdom, clearly, he saw wisdom from God as greater than human desires or ambitions.
Ironically, while many people desired power, possessions, or cult of personality, these same people were jealous of the wise person. Wisdom was attractive. Many sought it out of selfish motivations only to have it elude them or to have it slip through their fingers because of their self- centered nature. Implicitly they desired to earn what God gave as a gift. A gift that calmed inner turmoil and promoted harmony within the community. The wise person received and exercised the virtue simply because he or she was open to God.
Wisdom, then, is God's gift to the person who opens mind and heart to his will. So, put away selfish pursues and gain God's wisdom.
Gospel Mk 9:30-37
Jesus taught his followers the true meaning of leadership. Leadership does not mean power but service. Power strangles life and brings a slow death. But, service brings life, even from death itself. The measure of servant leadership lies not with adults, but with children.
We all have the opportunity and the responsibility to exercise leadership in our lives. But, as the gospel points out, leadership means service. It means setting aside our selfish desires to care for others' needs and to show them respect. This is at the heart of the leadership commandment: "Honor your father and mother."
Children. They are our challenge and our reward. They might be two or a hundred and two. They might look like small tykes or just act the part. They might give freely or stand stubbornly (just like adults). But, they are God's gifts to us. They are the measure of our Christian leadership. How we lead them, how we serve them, reveals the seriousness of our commitment to Christ. Let us serve them well.
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Sunday September 15, 2024 Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 131
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 50:5-9a
The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.
The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let that man confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?
Responsorial Psalm Ps 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I love the LORD because he has heard
my voice in supplication,
Because he has inclined his ear to me
the day I called.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The cords of death encompassed me;
the snares of the netherworld seized upon me;
I fell into distress and sorrow,
And I called upon the name of the LORD,
"O LORD, save my life!"
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gracious is the LORD and just;
yes, our God is merciful.
The LORD keeps the little ones;
I was brought low, and he saved me.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For he has freed my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Reading 2 Jas 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
"Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, "
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.
Indeed someone might say,
"You have faith and I have works."
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
Gospel Mk 8:27-35
Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that I am?"
They said in reply,
"John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets."
And he asked them,
"But who do you say that I am?"
Peter said to him in reply,
"You are the Christ."
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 50:5-9a
- The Song itself falls naturally into four strophes, (a structural division of a poem containing stanzas of varying line-length, especially an ode or free verse poem) each of which is introduced by the refrain "The Lord GOD (verses 4, 5, 7, 9):
Result: preaching consolation
B The Lord GOD has opened (perfect) my ear
(verses 5-6)
Result: suffering
a - did not hide face
b - disgrace
B’ The Lord GOD will help (imperfect) me
(verses 7-8)
Result: vindication
a - set face like flint
b - no disgrace
A’ The Lord GOD will help (imperfect) me (verse 9)
Result: no one can declare me guilty
The first two strophes A (verse 4) and B (verses 5-6) are further characterized by past tense (perfect) verbs describing what the Lord God has done, namely, given the servant the tongue and ear of a disciple. In contrast to this, the last two strophes B' (verses 7-8) and A' (verse 9) are characterized by future tense (imperfect) verbs describing what the Lord God will do; in both cases God will help him. All four strophes conclude with the results of God's activity. The two middle strophes are further linked by their repetition of "disgrace”, "insult") and "face" as the servant describes the vindication of his suffering. An exhortation identifying the speaker as the "servant" closes the song (verses 10-11).
The first strophe begins with the servant declaring that "The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of a disciple" (limmudim), not the tongue of a "teacher". That is, he has been equipped by God for the prophetic office. The purpose of his calling is that he "may know how to sustain the weary with a word," that he may console those who are suffering under the burdens of life. He has received this "tongue of a disciple" because every morning the Lord God wakens his ear to listen as a disciple (in Hebrew, the same word as above).
In the second strophe the servant describes what has happened to him as a result of his acceptance of this call and his unwillingness to shrink from the burdens that call entailed. He suffered the physical hostility of being scourged and the ultimate ancient near eastern humiliation of having his beard plucked out and being spit upon, as well as the mental anguish and disgrace that accompanied such abuse.
The third strophe describes a reversal signaled by the change from past tense verbs descriptive of God's activity to future tense verbs. Despite the disgrace and humiliation the servant experiences, he goes on to declare his unwavering trust in and reliance upon God. He is convinced that the God who called him to this disagreeable office is with him in the midst of his suffering: "he who vindicates me is near," he cries out in verse 8, and this confidence results in the strength he needs to courageously bear the disgrace and humiliation he has encountered, knowing that in the end he will be vindicated.
In the final strophe, he reaffirms that the Lord God will help him and he challenges his adversaries to a trial, let those who judge him so harshly now dare to face him in the court of heaven where the Lord God will stand beside him as advocate. The outcome is not in doubt, his cause will be vindicated and his adversaries will perish, deprived of victory and like a garment that falls apart to rags or is consumed by moths.
Following the Song itself, Second Isaiah has added a concluding exhortation "Who among you fears the Lord and obeys his servant?" Second Isaiah asks. Answer: "Those who walk in darkness and have no light," those who suffer persecution. And all because despite their suffering and affliction they "trust in the name of the Lord and rely upon their God," and they will be vindicated.
Powerful as this message is this week, Christians must read and hear these words the way the church has always read and heard them: as descriptive of the suffering experienced by Jesus in his life-giving passion and death. Just as the servant was persecuted for his faithful obedience to God, maintaining that faithful obedience to the end, so Jesus was persecuted for his message, remaining obedient unto death, "even to death on a cross" as Paul reminds us.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
A hymn celebrating Israel’s escape from Egypt, journey through the wilderness, and entry into the promised land, and the miracles of nature that bore witness to God’s presence in their midst. In the perspective of the Psalm, the people proceed directly from Egypt into the promised land (Ps 114:1–2). Sea and Jordan, which stood like soldiers barring the people from their land, flee before the mighty God as the earth recoils from the battle (Ps 114:3–4). The poet taunts the natural elements as one taunts defeated enemies (Ps 114:5–6).
Pairs of cosmic elements such as sea and rivers, mountains and hills, are sometimes mentioned in creation accounts. Personified here as warriors, the pairs tremble in fear before the Divine Warrior. The quaking also recalls the divine appearance in the storm at Sinai and elsewhere. But each time repeating the exhortation, “I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living”, indicating it id the Lord their God providing for them.
Reading 2 Jas 2:14-18
In this latter part of the chapter, the apostle shows the error of those who rested in a bare profession of the Christian faith, as if that would save them, while the temper of their minds and the tenor of their lives were altogether disagreeable to that holy religion which they professed. To let them see, therefore, what a wretched foundation they built their hopes upon, it is here proved at large that a man is justified, not by faith only, but by works.
I. Upon this arises a very great question, namely, how to reconcile Paul and James. Paul, in his epistles to the Romans and Galatians, seems to assert the directly contrary thing to what James here lays down, saying if often, and with a great deal of emphasis, that we are justified by faith only and not by the works of the law. Amicae scripturarum lites, utinam et nostrae—There is a very happy agreement between one part of scripture and another, notwithstanding seeming differences: it were well if the differences among Christians were as easily reconciled.
1. When Paul says that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law (Rom. 3:28), he plainly speaks of another sort of work than James does, but not of another sort of faith. Paul speaks of works wrought in obedience to the law of Moses, and before men's embracing the faith of the gospel; and he had to deal with those who valued themselves so highly upon those works that they rejected the gospel (as Rom. 10, at the beginning most expressly declares); but James speaks of works done in obedience to the gospel, and as the proper and necessary effects and fruits of sound believing in Christ Jesus. Both are concerned to magnify the faith of the gospel, as that which alone could save us and justify us; but Paul magnifies it by showing the insufficiency of any works of the law before faith, or in opposition to the doctrine of justification by Jesus Christ; James magnifies the same faith, by showing what are the genuine and necessary products and operations of it. 2. Paul not only speaks of different works from those insisted on by James, but he speaks of a quite different use that was made of good works from what is here urged and intended. Paul had to do with those who depended on the merit of their works in the sight of God, and thus he might well make them of no manner of account. James had to do with those who cried up faith, but would not allow works to be used even as evidence; they depended upon a bare profession, as sufficient to justify them; and with these he might well urge the necessity and vast importance of good works. As we must not break one table of the law, by dashing it against the other, so neither must we break in pieces the law and the gospel, by making them clash with one another: those who cry up the gospel so as to set aside the law, and those who cry up the law so as to set aside the gospel, are both in the wrong; for we must take our work before us; there must be both faith in Jesus Christ and good works the fruit of faith. Paul may be understood as speaking of that justification which is inchoate, ( just begun and so not fully formed or developed; rudimentary.) James of that which is complete; it is by faith only that we are put into a justified state, but then good works come in for the completing of our justification at the last great day; then, Come you children of my Father—for I was hungry, and you gave me to eat, etc.
Having thus cleared this part of scripture from everything of a contradiction to other parts of it, let us see what is more particularly to be learnt from this excellent passage of James; we are taught,
That faith without works will not profit, and cannot save us. So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Can faith save him? Observe here, (1.) That faith which does not save will not really profit us; a bare profession may sometimes seem to be profitable, to gain the good opinion of those who are truly good, and it may procure in some cases worldly good things; but what profit will this be, for any to gain the world and to lose their souls? For a man to have faith, and to say he has faith, are two different things; the apostle does not say, If a man have faith without works, for that is not a supposable case; the drift of this place of scripture is plainly to show that an opinion, or speculation, or assent, without works, is not faith; but the case is put thus, If a man say he has faith, etc. Men may boast of that to others, and be conceited of that in themselves, of which they are really destitute.
Gospel Mk 8:27-35
Today’s reading is the turning point in Mark’s Gospel. Almost exactly at the book's midpoint, this passage initiates a major shift in Mark's plot. The word Christ has not appeared since the Gospel's opening verse. We have had seven-plus chapters of Jesus' ministry, questions asked about his true identity and authority, secrets told and disclosure promised, and demonic powers identifying Jesus as God's Son. Readers have been given no indication that death awaits Jesus, although if you know the book's ending maybe you see foreshadowing in his baptism (1:9-11), the opposition he encounters (3:6), and John's execution (6:14-29).
In the presentation of the life and ministry of Jesus found in the Gospel of Mark, the deeds of Jesus have shown Jesus to be the Son of God. Yet many, including Jesus’ disciples, have not yet realized his identity. In today’s Gospel Jesus is near Caesarea Philippi, a very Roman setting and once the limit of ancient Israel's northward extension. Here he pops the question: "Who do people say that I am?" Now he wants to discuss his reputation, here at this borderland?
He then turns the question directly to the disciples and asks what they believe. Peter speaks for all of them when he announces that they believe Jesus to be the Christ.
The word Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah, which means “the anointed one.” At the time of Jesus, the image of the Messiah was laden with popular expectations, most of which looked for a political leader who would free the Jewish people from Roman occupation. Jesus does not appear to have used this term for himself. As we see in today’s reading, Jesus refers to himself instead as the Son of Man, a term derived from the Jewish Scriptures, found in the Book of Daniel and in other apocryphal writings. Many scholars suggest that the phrase Son of Man is best understood to mean “human being.”
Now that the disciples have acknowledged Jesus as the Christ, Jesus confides in them the outcome of his ministry: he will be rejected, must suffer and die, and will rise after three days. Peter rejects this prediction, and Jesus rebukes him severely. The image of Christ that Jesus is giving is not the image of the Messiah that Peter was expecting. Jesus then teaches the crowd and the disciples about the path of discipleship: To be Chris’s disciple is to follow in the way of the cross.
We can easily miss the fear that Jesus’ words must have evoked in his disciples. Death by crucifixion was all too familiar as a method of execution in Roman-occupied territories. It was also an omnipresent danger to the Christian community for whom Mark wrote. The path that Jesus was inviting his disciples to share meant tremendous suffering and death. This is the kind of radical commitment and sacrifice that Jesus calls us to adopt for the sake of the Gospel.
Making the Connection
- Think about a time when you were told something that you didn’t want to hear. For example your car can’t be fixed. Or the TV is dead. How did you respond?
- In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus telling his disciples something that they may not have wanted to hear.
- What did Jesus ask his disciples at the beginning of today’s Gospel? (He asked what people were saying about him.) What did Peter answer when Jesus asked the disciples who they thought that he was? (Peter said that Jesus was the Christ) In saying this, Peter acknowledged that he believed that Jesus was sent by God to save his people. This must have sounded pretty good to the disciples.
- What does Jesus tell his disciples next? (that he was going to suffer and die) What does Peter do? (Peter objects to what Jesus has said and rebukes him.) How does Jesus respond? (He tells Peter that he doesn’t understand and that he is not thinking like God.) Then what does Jesus tell his disciples? (Jesus says that anyone who wants to be his disciple must follow his example by denying oneself and taking up one’s cross.)
- Peter didn’t want to hear this part of the Good News of Jesus. But Jesus said that we have to accept all of it to be his followers, both the cross and the glory of the Resurrection. Jesus set an example for all his disciples to follow. He loved us so much that he was willing to suffer and die for us.
- Who are some people in our world today who serve others? Police officers, Firemen etc’ These people can also be examples for us. Jesus also wants us to offer our lives in service to others.
- Pray that we will be good followers of Jesus. Pray together the Lord’s Prayer.
ADDITIONAL NOTES ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 50:5-9a
Our reading is from the third of Isaiah's four "Songs of the Servant of Yahweh." Isaiah presents the Servant's testimony in the first person, allowing him to speak for himself. In our passage, the Servant emphasizes his strength and suffering; and then he challenges those who oppose him.
First, the Servant describes his strength in the Lord God, and he has the ear/hearing of a faithful servant who listens to the Lord. Thus, he testifies to his obedience to his divine Master and his mission (verse 5). Second, the Servant describes his suffering (verses 6-7). He willingly endures and does not resist suffering and humiliation for God's sake as he is beaten, mocked, and people spit on him. However, he is not disgraced and has remained steadfast ("set my face like flint") to fulfill his mission because he knows the Lord will sustain and will ultimately vindicate him. Third, in verses 8-9a, he challenges his enemies. As he reflects on God's protection and the promise of his vindication, he has found himself able to stand firm. He asks two questions: "Who disputes my right? Let that man confront me" and "Who will prove me wrong?" In other words, who can dispute his right to speak the word of the Lord, or accuse him of not being faithful to his mission, or bring charges against him, or condemn him? The answer is no one who matters because God is on his side.
The Church has always seen the events described in this Servant's Song fulfilled in Jesus Christ's Passion and Resurrection:
Jesus was obedient to His mission to proclaim the Kingdom in words that came from God (Jn 14:10).
He endured suffering and humiliation in His trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin and with the Roman governor, followed by His crucifixion.
The final fulfillment of Jesus's vindication in His glorious Resurrection.
As for the challenge for those who dispute God's Servant (Jesus the Messiah), they will appear together with Him before the throne of God for condemnation on the Day of Judgment; just as He will appear with those who believe in Him as their Advocate, and they will not face condemnation. In Romans 8:31-39, St. Paul refers to God's Servant's challenge in verses 8-9a as he describes the firm standing of all who place their faith and trust in Jesus. Paul writes: Who will bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us (Rom 8:33-34).
Responsorial Psalm Ps 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-94
Today's psalm is a hymn of thanksgiving in which the psalmist responds in gratitude to God's divine intervention in rescuing the psalmist from mortal danger (verses 3-4). Next, in verse 5, he acknowledges God's mercy for the "little ones," literally "the simple," meaning the humble and lowly, including himself in that category since he was unable to defend himself against his enemy. Finally, in verses 8-9, he proclaims his gratitude and commitment to remain faithful to the Lord. He also announces his confidence that one day he will be with the Lord God in the "land of the living" that is the Lord's heavenly kingdom. It is the hope and desire of all Jesus's faithful believers.
Reading 2 Jas 2:14-18
St. James addresses the Christian obligation to imitate Jesus's non-partiality in daily interactions with others in his letter. He writes that Christians must value each person as a child of God no matter their social standing. Christians have a covenant obligation to keep all of Jesus's New Covenant Law of salvation, exercising mercy toward others in the same way God is merciful in forgiving our trespasses. The examples of love in action, as expressed in Jesus's command to "love your neighbor" (Mt 22:39; Mk 12:33; Lk 10:27), prepare the reader of James's letter for his definition of faith as "love in action."
The ascent to the entire doctrine of the obedience of faith requires action. To dismiss the needs of the poor by saying it is not our responsibility to feed and clothe those who are in need shows contempt for the poor and a disregard for Jesus's teachings. To say, "Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well," is useless without the actions necessary to bring about those good intentions. The sentiment is as valueless as faith without the effort of good deeds. James calls this kind of inaction "dead faith" (verse 17) instead of living, active faith that is a sign of the quality of our love.
Indeed, someone might say, "You have faith, and I have works." Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.
The "someone" is an imaginary person with whom James is having this debate, and to whom James presents the challenge: Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. His point is that faith is our first response to God's grace and the first step on the road to salvation. The Church defines this first step of faith as "initial justification" in our first response to God's grace. But the next step is to act upon that faith, making the first "work" of faith that should be conversion: the repentance and confession that leads to Baptism, or a turning back to God for those who are already baptized. Thus, repentance and conversion are works of faith.
However, the works of faith do not stop with the Sacrament of Baptism. If you say you only have faith and nothing else, James asks what proof is there that you have any faith at all? James declares that he demonstrated his faith through his deeds. We are justified by faith as our response to God's grace and sanctified by works of mercy and love which enrich our lives as we continue to grow in grace and faith. Sanctifying grace is a habitual gift that perfects the soul to live in fellowship with God and act out living faith in His call to love our neighbor as Christ loves us. The process of living and active faith does not end until we reach our final destination: the throne room of God on the Day of Judgment.
Gospel Mk 8:27-35
Now that the disciples understand from Peter's declaration that He is the Messiah, Jesus reveals His coming suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. One can only imagine the shock they must have felt at His words. They could not comprehend with His divine power that He would let such a thing happen to Him. The prediction in verse 31 is the first of three prophesies Jesus gave concerning His Passion (also see Mk 9:30-32 and 10:32-34). In sharing this secret with the disciples, Jesus corrected the common misperception that the Messiah would come in triumph and glory to conquer Israel's enemies and re-establish the Davidic kingdom on earth just as it was in the past glory days of kings David and Solomon. Jesus's revelation of His suffering and death in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies of the Suffering Servant marks a new phase in His ministry, as Mark introduces the revelation of Christ's Passion with the phrase "He began to teach them ..." (verse 31).
The reference to the "three days" in verse 31 may intend to recall Hosea's prophecy: In their affliction, they shall look for me: "Come, let us return to the LORD, for it is he who has rent, but he will heal us; he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds. He will revive us after two days; on the third day, he will raise us up, to live in his presence" (Hos 6:1-2). In the prediction of His suffering and death, Jesus identifies Himself not as a victorious David but as the Suffering Servant of the prophecies in the Servant Songs of the prophet Isaiah (Is 53-54).
Peter resisted what Jesus told the disciples about His suffering and death and received a harsh rebuke in front of the others. Peter understood that Jesus was the divine Messiah. Peter knows that He is God come to gather His scattered people and fulfill the prophecy of Ezekiel chapter 34 that "God Himself" will come to rescue and restore His people. Peter also knows the Temple hierarchy has no power over God's Anointed Messiah (Christ). Therefore, he cannot comprehend why Jesus would allow Himself to be killed by those in authority over the Church of the Sinai Covenant when He could consume them in Holy Fire like the rebellious priestly sons of Aaron (Lev 10:1-2). Jesus rebuked Peter publicly as an object lesson to the others because Peter had voiced opposition to God's plan when he should humbly accept that plan and assist Jesus in His mission.
At this, he turned around and, looking at the disciples, rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do."
Jesus gave Peter the same rebuke He gave Satan in Matthew 4:10 at His temptation ordeal. The Hebrew word satan means adversary. Thus, whenever one stands as an adversary to God's plan for humanity's salvation, that person is indeed acting as Satan in human form.
He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it.
Verse 34 is the first mention of the cross of crucifixion in Mark's Gospel. Jesus used the image of a cross, a Roman instrument of death in the execution of criminals, as a shocking metaphor for the uncompromising obedience of discipleship. Jesus used three verbs in three commands in His instruction on the conditions of genuine discipleship in Mark 8:34. He told them to deny, take, and follow. He instructed them that He bases true discipleship on:
- Their willingness to "deny" selfish desires by a daily dying to oneself to live for Christ, and
- their desire to willingly "take" and endure those struggles/crosses that are necessary in order
- to "follow" Jesus's teachings faithfully and obediently in service to Christ and His Kingdom.
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Sunday September 8, 2024 Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 128
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 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.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. 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.
Reading 2 Jas 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?
among the people.
Gospel Mk 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.”
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 35:4-7a
Isaiah 35:4--7a is a small selection from the larger vision found in 35:1--10. Chapter 35 can be divided into two sections:
1) The theophany of the LORD (verses 1--6a)
2) The return of the people (verses 6b--10)
Both units begin with descriptions of the desert changing from a dry and barren place into a land that is flourishing (verses 1--2a) with an abundance of water (verses 6b--7). The two sections also share the theme of joy, first at the coming of the LORD and then for the return of God's elect. Most scholars assign Isaiah 35 to Deutero Isaiah, an exilic author, since the prophet uses the well-known theme of the LORD making a way or "highway" in the desert (cf. Isaiah 40:3; 43:19).
In verses 1-6a, the author draws heavily on the theme of the LORD's coming. God's appearance in the created order, also known as a theophany, is the primary image within this first half of Chapter 35. The section begins in verses 1--2 with the wilderness rejoicing and blooming when it sees the "glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God" (verse 2). Thus, the barren ground responds and is transformed at the coming of the LORD.
Following this doxological response from nature, the people are encouraged to take heart and not to fear (verses 3--4). It is common within the biblical narrative for the people to respond in fear to the LORD's appearance. Here, however, the writer provides assurance that God's coming will result not in the people's destruction but in their salvation (verse 4b). Moreover, just like the parched land, the weakest and most vulnerable in society will respond and be transformed--the blind shall see, the deaf shall hear, and the lame shall "leap like a stag" (verse 6a).
In verses 6b--10, the LORD's coming parallels the homecoming of the exiles. The theophany in the first section has given way to the corresponding image of God's people returning through the desert, a holy pilgrimage with Zion as its destination. Like the first section, this second unit of Chapter 35 begins with the transformation of the natural order. The desert becomes a well-watered land. The salvation of the LORD, whether depicted theologically through the appearance of God or anthropologically in the people's joyful journey home, begins with the natural order's transformation and response to the mighty acts of God. Rather than facing the harsh natural forces of the wilderness, the people return upon a well-watered highway. Instead of hostile terrain, the travelers encounter a flourishing path with "streams in the desert" (verse 6b).
This passage emphasizes the radical nature of God's work among humanity. When the LORD appears, strange and marvelous things happen. The wilderness becomes a flourishing path with streams of water flowing abundantly. Dangerous roads become secure paths upon which the redeemed can walk with assurance. The blind see, the deaf hear, and the lame not only walk but leap for joy. The exiles return home.
When God visits God's people, there is only one appropriate response. All of creation and humanity are transformed at the appearance of their God, and all rejoice together and sing for joy. The LORD's presence, whether characterized by a theophany or manifested through the mighty works done on behalf of God's people, changes everything, quite literally.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
This is a praise psalm. Indeed, they’re all praise psalms here at the end of the Psalter. Psalms 146-150 make up a sort of “praise collection” -- with the Hebrew root halal (“praise”) appearing 40 times in the last five psalms. Each of those five psalms begins and ends with the Hebrew “Hallelu-Jah” -- that is, with the exhortation to “Praise the Lord!”
Psalm 146 is, like the four psalms that follow, unrestrained in its exuberance. Generally speaking, praise psalms attend to the variety of reasons for such exuberance in the first place. Here in Psalm 146, the reasons are ample. Praise the Lord for creating sky, earth, and sea, and all that is in them and for keeping faith without ceasing (verse 6). Praise the Lord, too, for giving justice to the oppressed, food to the hungry, freedom to the imprisoned, and sight to the blind, not to mention a few other items, such as protecting strangers and supporting widows and orphans (verses 7-8). There’s a lot of praiseworthiness here. Simply put, the psalm gives credit where credit is due.
The words of Isaiah 61:1-2 -- words which proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor -- are reflected in this section of Psalm 146. For this reason, scholars believe that Psalm 146 -- like Isaiah 61 -- derives from Israel’s post-exilic period. As if to underscore the psalm’s historical setting, the very next psalm begins by declaring, “Hallelujah … The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the broken-hearted, and binds up their wounds” (147:2-3).
Reading 2 Jas 2:1-5
The apostle is here reproving a very corrupt practice. He shows how much mischief there is in the sin of prosopolepsia —respect of persons, which seemed to be a very growing evil in the churches of Christ even in those early ages, and which, in these after-times, has sadly corrupted and divided Christian nations and societies. Here we have a caution against this sin laid down in general. The character of Christians fully implied: they are such as have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ; they embrace it; they receive it; they govern themselves by it; they entertain the doctrine, and submit to the law and government, of Christ; they have it as a trust; they have it as a treasure. How honorably James speaks of Jesus Christ; he calls him the Lord of glory; for he is the brightness of his Father’s glory, and the express image of his person. Christ’s being the Lord of glory should teach us not to respect Christians for anything so much as their relation and conformity to Christ. You who profess to believe the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the poorest Christian shall partake of equally with the rich, and to which all worldly glory is but vanity, you should not make men’s outward and worldly advantages the measure of your respect. In professing the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, we should not show respect to men, so as to cloud or lessen the glory of our glorious Lord: how ever any may think of it, this is certainly a very heinous sin. We have this sin described and cautioned against, by an instance or example of it. For if there come into your assembly a man with a gold ring, etc. Assembly here is meant of those meetings which were appointed for deciding matters of difference among the members of the church, or for determining when censures should be passed upon any, and what those censures should be; therefore the Greek word here used, synagoge, signifies such an assembly as that in the Jewish synagogues, when they met to do justice. To this the phrases used by the apostle have a most plain reference, and therefore the assembly here spoken of must be some such as the synagogue-assemblies of the Jews were, when they met to hear causes and to execute justice: to these the arbitrations and censures of their Christian assemblies are compared. But we must be careful not to apply what is here said to the common assemblies for worship; for in these certainly there may be appointed different places of persons according to their rank and circumstances, without sin. Thus, now hear the case: "There comes into your assembly) a man that is distinguished by his dress, and who makes a figure, and there comes in also a poor man in vile raiment, and you act partially, and determine wrong, merely because the one makes a better appearance, or is in better circumstances, than the other.’’ Observe hence, God has his remnant among all sorts of people, In matters of religion, rich and poor stand evenly; no man’s riches set him in the least nearer to God, nor does any man’s poverty set him at a distance from God. With the Most High there is no respect of persons, and therefore in matters of conscience there should be none with us. All undue honoring of worldly greatness and riches should especially be watched against in Christian societies. James does not here encourage rudeness or disorder. Civil respect must be paid, and some difference may be allowed in our carriage towards persons of different ranks; but this respect must never be such as to influence the proceedings of Christian societies in disposing of the offices of the church, or in passing the censures of the church, or in any thing that is purely a matter of religion; here we are to know no man after the flesh. It is the character of a citizen of Zion that in his eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honors those that fear the Lord. If a poor man be a good man, we must not value him an iota less for his poverty; and, if a rich man be a bad man, we must not value him any iota the more for his riches. Of what importance it is to take care what rule we go by in judging of men; if we allow ourselves commonly to judge by outward appearance, this will too much influence our spirits and our conduct in religious assemblies.
Gospel Mk 7:31-37
Today we continue to hear the Gospel of Mark proclaimed. In today’s reading, Jesus heals a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. This is a story about Jesus’ healing power, and in it we find clues about our understanding of sacrament. We are struck by the physical means used to heal the man, the use of spittle and touch. The Church continues to celebrate the sacraments using physical means. In the Sacrament of Baptism, water and oil are used to show the power of the Holy Spirit. In the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, we are anointed with holy oil on the forehead and the hands. In the Eucharist, bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. We are a sacramental people who believe that God’s grace is given to us through these physical signs.
Some, however, see in this Gospel an image of the proclamation of the good news of Jesus to the Gentiles. The geographic references tell us that Jesus is journeying through Gentile territory. Jesus had previously visited this region and healed a person possessed by a demon. Jesus was already famous there, which explains why people brought the deaf man to him. The story that precedes this reading in Mark’s Gospel sets the stage. Jesus encounters a Gentile, a Syrophoenician woman who asks him to heal her demon-possessed daughter. Jesus engages her in a dialogue about not feeding to dogs the food intended for children. Jesus is struck by the woman’s great faith when she replies that even dogs eat the food that falls from the table, and he heals her daughter immediately. The faith of this Greek woman compels Jesus to respond to her plea.
Mark shows that Jesus’ own mission affirms the early Church’s mission to the Gentiles. This was a significant issue to the early Christian community, which found that the good news of Jesus took root and spread quickly among the Gentiles. Yet there is an irony in the story of healing that Mark tells. Jesus gives the man the gift of speech, but then tells him not to use it. Jesus asks that the news of his healing power, which is evidence of his identity as the Messiah, not be spread. This is a recurring motif in Mark’s Gospel and is sometimes called the “messianic secret.”
Making the Connection
- Think about times when you were told good news or experienced something wonderful and yet were asked not to tell others about it. What are some reasons why people are asked to keep such news secret for awhile? (because they want to tell people themselves; because it is intended to be a surprise) Is it easy to keep such a secret or surprise?
- In today’s Gospel, Jesus asks someone to keep secret the amazing thing that Jesus did for him. We’re not sure why Jesus asked for such a secret to be kept. But we learned in this Gospel that the secret was not kept.
- What did Jesus do for this man? (Jesus healed his deafness and removed his speech impediment.) Why might Jesus have asked that no one be told about this healing? Who shares the news of the man’s healing? (the man and those who brought the man to Jesus) What did they announce? (that Jesus had done all things well and had made the deaf man hear and cured his speech impediment)
- Christians are like the man and his friends in today’s Gospel. We have great news about Jesus that we can't help but share with others so that they might also know Jesus’ love.
- Ask God to help us share the good news of God’s love with others. Pray together the Prayer to the Holy Spirit.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.
Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ---------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Is 35:4-7a
In our First Reading, the prophet Isaiah wrote about God's acts of love that would be poured out upon the earth in the era of the promised Messiah, and the Messiah's works of love and mercy will be the signs of His divine authority in bringing the restoration and salvation of God's covenant people. St. Justin Martyr (martyred c. 165) testified that the works of Jesus Christ fulfilled the words of the prophets: "Christ is the stream of living water that flows from God; he sprang up in the desert wastes of ignorance of God: that is, in the parched earth of all the nations. He, who was born among your people, cured those who were blind from birth and the deaf and the lame: by his word alone, they leaped and heard and saw once more. He raised the dead and gave them new life, and by all his good works prompted men to see him for who he is. [...] He did all these things to convince those who were to believe in him, whatever bodily defects they might have, that if they obeyed the teachings that he gave them, he would raise them up again at his Second Coming and make them whole and perfect and immortal as he is"
As the old adage goes, the prophet's job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. In the midst of the later (castigating the rich and powerful), the prophet gives comfort.
This passage is part of a great liberation poem. The broken people (represented by the frightened [4], the blind and the deaf [5], and the crippled and the speechless [6]) would be restored to wholeness. The land of the people would be fruitful; springs would turn desert into lush farmland [7]. The passage describes a time of divine restoration.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
Psalm 146 presented a compressed view of the Mosaic covenant, surrounded by a hymn of praise. The psalm was remarkable in its implicit belief that YHWH was eternal, based upon his activity in the temporal realm; in other words, his mighty deeds in the history of Israel revealed his immortality. Those mighty deeds were delineated in his covenant with the Chosen people. The creator also saved the poor, the feeble and crippled, the prisoner, the stranger, the widow and the orphan. The psalmist seemed to state that the faithful Jew would follow the example of God in his dealing with the less fortunate. YHWH revealed his eternal nature through his mercy and compassion; the faithful Jew could touch eternity through similar acts.
Praise acted as bookends to this remarkable vision of God. 146:1-2 indicated this praise was a life-long endeavor that overtook family allegiances or political alliances (146:3-4). Trust in the God of Jacob was a beatitude (146:5), for YHWH was the true, eternal deity (146:10). Trust in and allegiance to the eternal God led to a happiness that touched on eternity.
As Christians, we believe that faith in God now will lead to a life with God forever. Praising God throughout life makes a statement in that belief. We praise God for what he has done and is doing now in life. In his activities, we can experience his eternal nature and can gain more and more reasons to believe that we will live with him forever.
Reading 2 Jas 2:1-5
As we learned in last week's lesson, James wrote to a Jewish Christian audience. He stressed the moral duty of the Law over the ritual and against those who saw faith as the only necessary ingredient in salvation. So, James actually had two implicit antagonists: Jewish synagogues with their connection to Temple cult and libertine Christians.
In this passage, James again argued for the morality as basis for faith in Christ. While the passage seemed self evident, there were a few undercurrents worth mentioning. First, this was a letter to a community (or communities). So, the intended audience was greater than the leadership. (Yet, 2:2-4 seemed to be addressed to leadership.) Second, the clear-cut, yet extreme choice was more of a Semitic rhetorical device than an actual problem. (After all, any leader who treated a poor man so badly would cause a scandal to the community. His attitude would be an insult the common virtue of hospitality.) Finally, the words "judging" and "judge" in 2:4 seemed to compare the evil doer with a Jewish synagogue leader. Such a leader could seat a guest in a place of honor during services. (Was James accusing his synagogue counterparts as being money hungry and social snobs?)
With these thoughts in mind, let us look to the real issue in this passage. James did not address a real problem, per se, but an attitude: social prejudice. Almost everyone prefers to associate with those of their same social standing. Or higher. Almost everyone wants to climb the social ladder. Few want to descend. No one wants to be poor, hungry, and dressed in rags. Let, as James rightfully pointed out, the poor are rich in faith. Their faith is the quiet backbone to the community. They eagerly share what they have with others, without a thought to tomorrow. For their tomorrow depends upon the Lord's goodness.
The Lord Jesus came to save all, including those who are shunned. If social prejudice disconnects us from the shunned, how can we claim to be faithful followers? The faith James professed pointed to the Lord in glory (2:1), the judge of all. If we don't judge the way he does (without favor) how can we claim to be truly Christian?
Gospel Mk 7:31-37
Jesus treated this healing as a demonic possession. He spat on the ground as a warning against evil spirits. He touched the man on the ears and the tongue to infuse God's power. As a result, the man was able to truly hear and understand. And the chains that held his tongue (demons bound his tongue) were loosened. The man could speak clearly, for no demon could now touch him.
Jesus freed the man from more than a physical ailment. He restored the man's moral character and social contacts. Jews in the time of Jesus assumed physical ailments (like the one the man suffered from) were the result of sin, either personal or ancestral. Such an ailment reflected moral deficiencies. It also placed barriers between the man and a normal social life. (Indeed, some of his family members might have been ashamed of his condition and sought to hide him.) Despite the action of the crowd to deliver the man to Jesus, the man still would have been "different," counted among the outcasts and sinners.
We must not overlook whose voice, whose command, healed the man. The man responded to Jesus' word: "Be opened!" The man heard and felt Jesus. His power healed the man. Now, the man could hear the truth. And he could clearly speak the truth. Mark inferred that the man was freed from his demons and rose to proclaim faith. How much clearer can one speak?
The clarity of the man's speech (his own witness) caused others to praise God and spread the reputation of Jesus. Why did Jesus try to discourage the crowd from praising him? Historically, such praise would bring a backlash. "The carpenter had no right to be a healing minister," some would think. Controversy would bring scandal and scandal would bring condemnation. Those who rose above their place in life would be knocked down.
There was another reason for Jesus' reaction to such praise. Those who praised him would misunderstand his ministry and his Messiahood. They would expect Jesus to be God's vengeance, the Davidic messiah who would drive the Romans into the sea and restore his ancestor's throne. In the end, even his most enthusiastic followers would leave him when they found Jesus would not fulfill their political ambitions.
Jesus wanted discretion from the crowd because he would, in time, reveal the type of Messiah he was. He would also reveal the type of follower his Messiahood required.
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Sunday September 1, 2024 Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 125
Reading 1 Dt 4:1-2, 6-8
Moses said to the people:
"Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees
which I am teaching you to observe,
that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land
which the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you.
In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God,
which I enjoin upon you,
you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it.
Observe them carefully,
for thus will you give evidence
of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,
who will hear of all these statutes and say,
'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.'
For what great nation is there
that has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to us
whenever we call upon him?
Or what great nation has statutes and decrees
that are as just as this whole law
which I am setting before you today?"
Responsorial Psalm Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
by whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Reading 2 Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Dearest brothers and sisters:
All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change.
He willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you
and is able to save your souls.
Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:
to care for orphans and widows in their affliction
and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Gospel Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem
gathered around Jesus,
they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals
with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands.
—For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,
do not eat without carefully washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. --
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"
He responded,
"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
He summoned the crowd again and said to them,
"Hear me, all of you, and understand.
Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;
but the things that come out from within are what defile.
"From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dt 4:1-2, 6-8
The book of Deuteronomy (from the Greek deuteronomos, literally, "second law") consists of a series of speeches given by Moses to the generation of Israelites who are about to enter into the Promised Land. In many ways, the lectionary text for today may be understood as a microcosm of the entire book of Deuteronomy, as it consists of injunctions to follow the law, as well as motivations for doing so.
The theological center of the passage appears in verses seven and eight. Note the parallel structure in the following rhetorical questions:
- What great nation is there that has gods near to it like the LORD our God? (verse 7)
- What great nation is there that has statutes and ordinances righteous as all this law? (verse 8)
If God draws near in the law that God gives, then we can expect the law to produce the same things that God produces. According to our Deuteronomy text, it does. As God gives life, so the law gives life. In verse 1, Moses urges the Israelites to listen to the statutes and ordinances he is teaching them. Why? "In order that you may live and go and inherit the land." In verse 2, Moses explains that nothing is to be added to, or taken away from these commands. The law shares God's attribute of completeness and wholeness.
What is missing in the lectionary pericope is verses 3-5, which recount the Israel's history at Baal Peor, where the Israelites yoked themselves to foreign women and the gods of Moab (cf. Numbers 25:1-13). Moses explains, "The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who went after the Baal of Peor, while those of you who held fast to the Lord your God are all alive today" (verses 3-4). While this may not be a very palatable text, it makes the point strongly that there is death to those who do not follow God, and life for those who hold fast to God. Note how easily, then, the author switches between talking about the life-giving law and the life-giving God.
Verse 6, where our text picks up again, explains that keeping the statutes and ordinances will demonstrate the Israelites' wisdom and understanding to other nations. The wisdom and understanding of God will be evident to the other nations as the Israelites obey the law. Verse 8 tells us that the statutes and ordinances referred to in verse 1 are equated with the torah, which is described with the adjective, "righteous," probably referring to the social righteousness of these laws.
Christians must decide whether we too are heirs of this command. Jesus was called "Rabbi" by his disciples, who were students of his interpretation of the law. It is therefore highly unlikely that Jesus calls us to dismiss the law's life-giving power, wisdom and understanding. Far more likely is that if we study Deuteronomy and learn more about the law, it will bear witness to those around us (the other nations) and we will learn to love Jesus more.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5
The Hebrew Bible as a whole represents the tension felt in Israelite society over the relationship between the worship one offers to God and the actions one takes with respect to neighbor. No single text in the Old Testament ever completely resolves this tension, though a strong case can be made that the prophetic witness certainly directed Israelites away from legalistic ritual toward obedience to God's word in general (1 Samuel 15:22, "surely, to obey is better than sacrifice") and concern for social justice in particular (Isaiah 1:11-17; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:6-8).
Moreover, the Ten Commandments themselves exhibit a "marriage between cultic duty and moral demand." Rather than replacing concerns for ritual holiness, therefore, Old Testament theology invites Yahweh's worshipers to celebrate their relationship with God from within a life that exhibits love of neighbor. This is certainly part of the thrust of Jesus' teaching in the gospel lection for today, as well as in James's instruction about "the law of liberty" in the epistle reading (James 1:17-27).
Regardless of the number of distinct statements, the economy of language is stunning, with only fifty three Hebrew words compared to the NRSV's one hundred and two words. The psalmist wanted a memorable and trustworthy guide for social conduct, and sermons can present the psalm as a living portrait of the kind of life Moses called for in the Old Testament lection for this Sunday (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9). Observing Yahweh's words will indeed display Israel's "wisdom and discernment" to all the peoples (Deuteronomy 4:6).
What then shall we do with the specific claims the psalm places upon us? Overall, we affirm that the instructions of verses 2-5 are not conditions for entering worship but descriptions of living in a community guided by wisdom. The active participles in verse 2 (the walker, the doer, the speaker) reinforce this notion by emphasizing qualities of continued practice, not achieved righteousness.
Of particular concern are what people do with their speech (verses 3-4) and how they handle their money (verse 5), but these are not stated as general principles as they might be found in the Book of Proverbs. They are instead contextualized in terms of the effect our words and finances have on "friends" and "neighbors" (verse 3). Even when other persons are not mentioned by name, their presence is implied as the recipients of an oath (verse 4) or a loan (verse 5).
To bring the message full circle, the psalm is describing the kind of community within which God dwells. When the psalms were being collected in the post-exilic era, many dispersed Jews would never experience Temple worship. Psalm 15 encouraged them that communities of honesty and justice, wherever they may be, were themselves dwelling places of God.
Reading 2 Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
This theme -- God's goodness and perfection, and therefore the goodness and perfection of what God gives -- is the starting place for the present passage (verse 17). Human beings, brought forth by this good God by means of a word of truth, are to reflect divine goodness and perfection in the world.
One of the notable features of James is the author's use of vivid, concrete images that, parable-like, both illustrate the author's points and leave enough ambiguity to tease our minds into active thought. But the one who hears without doing, James implies, has what one of my associates called "moral Alzheimer's," a kind of deep forgetfulness that leaves the religious self unable to function fully.
So this is what James tells us: that we are to be quick to "hear," because not hearing enough leads us, apparently inevitably, to speech that is angry and unproductive. But hearing alone is not sufficient. We must also "do," because failing to act is evidence of a fundamental failure to function as God's first fruits in the world.
In what, then, does our religion consist? Perhaps the second startling turn in this passage is not so unexpected, after all, to those who have followed the argument leading up to it. Pure and undefiled religion, according to James, is this:
- caring for orphans and widows in their distress
- keeping oneself unstained from the world
That's it. The care of "orphans and widows" is a synecdoche for actions taken on behalf of the less fortunate, since in the ancient world widows and orphans were the most vulnerable members of society, singled out for special consideration also in biblical law and prophetic pronouncements. And since such work would necessarily bring one into contact with unbelievers and with the seamier side of human existence, believers are supposed to be careful to avoid participation in practices contrary to their Christian ethic.
Certainly these are important facets of most Christians' understanding of their religion. They would likely make many Christians' "top ten." But James challenges us to imagine a Christianity in which these are vital. What would such a faith and practice look like?
Perhaps, if we as Christians were to follow James's precepts, we would do a lot less talking and a lot more listening. We would forswear anger and self-deception. We would measure our faith by our personal relationships, both in our habits of speech and our relationships with others in the community. Our primary expression of our religion would be in outreach to the poor and neglected. By such attitudes and actions, James tells us, we fulfill the divine purpose and become first fruits of all God's creatures
Gospel Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
The writer of Mark's Gospel often mentions apparently small details almost nonchalantly, in passing, seemingly on the way to a larger point. But these small details often make an even larger point, for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. Such is the case here. The fact that these Pharisees and scribes are from Jerusalem matters a great deal. For Mark, Jerusalem's greatest significance is that it is where Jesus will die. Mark's narrative is breathlessly hurtling toward Jerusalem, and to the death and resurrection of Jesus that will set the fulfillment of the kingdom of God in motion. By noting that these Pharisees and scribes are from Jerusalem, Mark is linking not only them, but this entire event, to Jesus' death and resurrection. It is because the kingdom is at hand that it's imperative that Jesus' message is understood, right now.
In today’s Gospel, Mark provides a significant amount of information about the Jewish observance of ritual-purity laws. Most scholars believe that Mark includes this information because his audience includes Gentile Christians who have no knowledge or experience of these laws. We can infer, therefore, that many in Mark’s community were not Jewish Christians.
In this Gospel, Mark addresses the question of which Jewish practices would also be observed in the newly emerging Christian community. This was a significant question for the early Christian Church, especially in communities that included both Jewish and Gentile converts to Christianity. We also hear this question addressed in the letters of Paul with regard to table fellowship. In Gospel passages such as the one today, we see the Gospel evangelists finding justification for a Christian practice distinct from Judaism in the remembrances of Jesus’ teaching and the practice of his first disciples.
Jesus first criticizes the Pharisees for putting human tradition above God’s Law. Here, Jesus is referring to the tradition of the elders, the teachings of the Pharisees, which extended the ritual-purity laws of Temple worship to everyday Jewish life. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for making this tradition equal to and as binding as the Law of Moses.
Next, Jesus comments on the meaning behind the Pharisees’ language of holiness—clean and unclean. Jesus teaches that a person is not defiled by the food that enters his or her body, but rather by sin that emerges from his or her words and actions. In this teaching, Jesus unmasks a deeper question behind the one posed to him by the Pharisees. The real issue is holiness, which is not found in external acts alone. Holiness comes from within and is evidenced in the actions and attitudes that emerge from a person’s life.
If we read today’s Gospel carefully, we will see a pattern in Jesus’ teaching method that will be repeated in the weeks ahead. Jesus’ first teaching is directed to the Pharisees who questioned him. Jesus’ words are then directed to the crowd, teaching that a person is defiled by his or her words and actions, not by the food that he or she eats. In verses omitted in today’s reading, we learn that Jesus returned home with his disciples, who in turn questioned him about what he had taught. The words we read at the conclusion of today’s Gospel are addressed to Jesus’ disciples. Mark’s narrative shows several audiences for Jesus’ teaching: his antagonists, the crowds, and Jesus’ disciples. As we see in this reading, the words to the Pharisees are often words of challenge. The teaching to the crowds is often a general, sometimes cryptic, message. With the disciples, who often misunderstand Jesus’ words, further explanation is offered about his message and its meaning.
Jesus’ words challenge us as well. In our desire to show that we are holy, we might also give too much credence to externals, following rules without thinking about the intention behind them. Jesus reminds us that we do not make ourselves holy only by our actions. Rather, we become holy when we allow God’s Spirit to transform us. Our actions should be an expression of the conversion of our heart to God and to God’s ways.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think about the rules you have to follow; like driving, in a court room or at home, others? How do these rules compare? What are some examples of rules that are the same at home and outside the home? (Respect those in authority, respect others, be kind, be responsible for yourself.) What are some examples of rules that are different at home and at work or school? Why do you think some rules are different?
- All rules are important. It is also important for us to know the reasons rules are made so that we can better understand why it is important to honor the rules. Like red light, stop signs etc.
- In today’s Gospel, we hear the Pharisees challenge the practice of Jesus’ disciples that went against a rule that the Pharisees taught about washing hands and food utensils.
- What did the Pharisees think that Jesus’ disciples should be doing? (washing their hands carefully) This was a practice of the Pharisees and of some Jewish people. They washed their hands and purified food utensils to make them clean. They thought that by doing this they were making themselves holy. What did Jesus say was a better indication of a person's holiness than washing one's hands and dishes? (the words and deeds he or she does)
- Jesus taught that the Pharisees had forgotten the meaning behind their rules. They thought that they were making themselves holy by following the rules about making things clean. But Jesus taught that there was something more important than these actions. Jesus taught that our words and deeds toward others are what show us to be holy people. God wants us to do good things with our lives, such as share our possessions, think kind thoughts even about those who hurt us, and be truthful.
- Ask God to help us live our lives in ways that show that our love for Jesus. Pray the Morning Prayer.
Morning PrayerGod, our Father, I offer you today
all that I think and do and say.
I offer it with what was done
on earth by Jesus Christ, your Son.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Dt 4:1-2, 6-8
Have you ever pondered, "how do foreigners judge us as a people?" We Americans stand tall not only for the quality and diversity of our people; we proudly proclaim our ideals. Remember the opening lines from the Declaration of Independence. We hold that God created everyone equal and gave them inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Foreigners hold us to that ideal. They judge us based upon that standard.
In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses reminded the people of the great gift God had given them in the Law. His ordinances were a point of pride and a burden. Israelites could crow about the Torah only to the extent that they held true to it. They shouldn't modify it for the sake of convenience. They shouldn't ignore it to gain advantage. The Law defined them as a people. It declared YHWH as their God and Israel as His servants.
As American Christians, we cling to our identity as free individual who chose to follow a Jewish Messiah. Our choice defines our identity and implicitly gives others a yardstick to measure us. If we hold fast to that identity, we will be found worthy and influence others, even as they point to us as examples. And, who knows, they might even join us.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5
Some bible scholars speculate Psalm 15 represented a ritual to re-admit a penitent to the Temple for worship. Psalm 15 began with a question: who could live with God? The images of the tent for the Exodus journey and the mountain where the Temple sat represented the presence of the divine. The answer came with a brief summation of the Law. 15:2 stressed the intent of the faithful Jew, since the spirit of the Law lead to its observance. 15:3-5 described relations with one's countrymen; respect others, reject evil people, fear God, be fair in questions of politics and commerce. 15:6 closed the psalm with a note of encouragement: "whoever acts in this way will not be disturbed."
Let's assume the biblical scholars are correct; Psalm 15 was a ritual of re-admittance to the Temple. The ritual could be divided into the following steps. The penitent, along with a priest and possibly other officials stood at the Temple gate. The priest would ask the question posed in 15:1. The penitent or a representative would answer with 15:3-5; in this way, the penitent would renew his commitment to faithfulness. The priest would respond with 15:6; he would approve of the penitent's return, thus allowing him entrance to the Temple. While this scenario is not certain, it can give us a glimpse into the cultural values of the time.
Many Americans believe forgiveness and acceptance should be relegated to the private sphere; the public sphere of the courts or legislation should focus on justice and the rights of the people. This is unfortunate. Imagine if our culture did have public rituals of forgiveness. We might be a better society, for we would have a way to reintegrate the penitent. We would have institutional ways not just to right wrongs, but to heal them.
Reading 2 Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27
Tradition holds that the book of James was written in opposition to the views of Paul. The famous "faith vs. works" battle of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation found its seeds in this letter. But, we should be careful not to over generalize the book as only a polemical treatise. Primarily, it was a wisdom book, a set of sayings that guided the conduct of a Jewish Christian community in Palestine. While the author had an eye on the sayings of Paul, his first question was: how can his community live out the Law as a follower of Jesus?
Judaism has always been more than a set of religious practices. It was a world view that combined faith with a highly moral lifestyle. Worship of God had ethical consequences. When Paul rejected the duties of the Law (so-called "works"), he really rejected its ritual obligations. Gentiles who joined the Church were not to be circumcised, maintain a kosher diet, or remain separate from their non-Christian neighbors. In this sense, they were truly free from the Law. They had a relationship with God, not based upon the covenant of Moses, but upon faith.
Unfortunately, some took Paul's words to their logical conclusion. Freedom from the Law meant a libertine lifestyle: freedom without God's Law. Here was where James stepped in. He defined "a clean (i.e., 'kosher') religion" as one based upon the ethical duties found in the Law. A relationship with God was to be lived out in the spirit of Hosea 6:6 ("For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings." RSV). Or, as Matthew 9:13 paraphrased Hosea: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." Those who lived out God's Law performed acts of charity and kept a morally upright reputation. This was what James meant by the phrase "be a doer of the Word."
James placed the moral lifestyle of the Christian in the context of grace. Every good gift came from God. But the highest gift was his "Word," the indwelling of Christ through the power of the Spirit. The Word was not something to be simply heard, as something external. No, it was to take root in one's being and lived out. For James, the life of grace was the ethical life.
Paul may have rejected the Law to be more pastoral with the new converts. But, with his Jewish background, James was more practical in the everyday implications of the Christian lifestyle. They may have come from different theoretical corners. But together, they helped define the new movement of the Nazarene.
Gospel Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
As a religious and political group, the Pharisee party taught that living the Law would bring God's kingdom closer to reality. To help them live out the Law, the Pharisees created other laws, rules, and guidelines to keep people from breaking the Law. Jews call this practice "building a fence around the Law." [3-4]
But, why did the Jews practice all these washings? These rituals were points of transition between the secular world and the sacred, between the time of work and the time of worship. Meal time celebrated community in the presence of God. Families and friends gathered together to share stories, news of the day, and gossip. But they always gathered as God's people; prayer became an integral part of the meal.
These washings became more important as Judaism moved from an agrarian religion to an urban (even ghetto) phenomenon. With the decline of Judea and the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587 B.C.E., the people migrated to different parts of the world. From India to the head waters of the Nile, Jews gathered to remain a community in the cities. (For example, at the time of Jesus, Jews accounted for one third of the largest city in the Roman Empire, Alexandria in Egypt.) The Diaspora dwelled in the cities of other nations, but remained distinctly Jewish.
How, then, would Jews keep their faith in the midst of a foreign culture? Heighten the differences. Hence, practices like washings reminded Jews of their heritage, their current faith, and the reason they were not like other peoples. Their practices also reminded the host culture Jews were different!
The party of the Pharisees were quickly becoming the urban force in Judaism. And their vision of a city-based Judaism gained influence. Jesus, however, represented a rural vision of Judaism. Rules and rituals were secondary to survival. The carpenter and his fishermen followers from Galilee did not have the luxury of time to wash hands or utensils. No, the Nazarene had a far greater vision in mind than that of ritual.
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Sunday August 25, 2024 Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 122
Reading 1 Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,
summoning their elders, their leaders,
their judges, and their officers.
When they stood in ranks before God,
Joshua addressed all the people:
"If it does not please you to serve the LORD,
decide today whom you will serve,
the gods your fathers served beyond the River
or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are now dwelling.
As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
But the people answered,
"Far be it from us to forsake the LORD
for the service of other gods.
For it was the LORD, our God,
who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt,
out of a state of slavery.
He performed those great miracles before our very eyes
and protected us along our entire journey
and among the peoples through whom we passed.
Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Many are the troubles of the just one,
but out of them all the LORD delivers him;
he watches over all his bones;
not one of them shall be broken.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reading 2 Eph 5:21-32
Brothers and sisters:
Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is head of his wife
just as Christ is head of the church,
he himself the savior of the body.
As the church is subordinate to Christ,
so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives,
even as Christ loved the church
and handed himself over for her to sanctify her,
cleansing her by the bath of water with the word,
that he might present to himself the church in splendor,
without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
that she might be holy and without blemish.
So also husbands should love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one hates his own flesh
but rather nourishes and cherishes it,
even as Christ does the church,
because we are members of his body.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery,
but I speak in reference to Christ and the church.
Gospel Jn 6:60-69
Many of Jesus' disciples who were listening said,
"This saying is hard; who can accept it?"
Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this,
he said to them, "Does this shock you?
What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending
to where he was before?
It is the spirit that gives life,
while the flesh is of no avail.
The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.
But there are some of you who do not believe."
Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe
and the one who would betray him.
And he said,
"For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me
unless it is granted him by my Father."
As a result of this,
many of his disciples returned to their former way of life
and no longer accompanied him.
Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life.
We have come to believe
and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Joshua invites all Israel to the town of Shechem in the central highlands of Israel. Joshua reminds them of the long history of all that God had done for Israel: the promises to the ancestors, the deliverance from slavery in Egypt, and God’s provision through the wilderness (Joshua 24:1-13). Although much of this section is deleted from the lectionary reading, these verses are important. They testify to God’s grace, mercy and unmerited love of Israel which forms the reason for Joshua’s call in verse 14: “Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness.” Reverence and obedience to God are the primary ways by which God’s people give thanks to God for the generous gifts of life and freedom God has already given.
Joshua urges the people to put away “the gods of the ancestors” and “serve the LORD.” Speaking on behalf of his own household, Joshua declares: “We will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). If the other Israelite household are unwilling to follow the example of Joshua in serving the LORD, then they are free to “choose” among multiple other foreign gods, whether Mesopotamian gods (from “beyond the River [Euphrates]”) or “the gods of the Amorites [Canaanites]” (24:14-15). It doesn’t matter which other god they choose; they will have broken the sacred covenant bond between them and their one true God.
The Israelites respond to Joshua enthusiastically: “We also will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:18)! Now the reader might expect Joshua at this point to say, “Great! I’m delighted to hear you’re on board!” Instead, Joshua sternly replies, “You cannot serve the LORD!” God is jealous for your love, and God will not forgive you endlessly and without consequence. If you forsake God, God will “consume you, after having done you good” (Joshua 24:19). The people urgently answer back, “No, we will serve the LORD” (24:21). The elderly Joshua seems to have a longer view of these matters based on his long experience.
Joshua knew all too well what Moses also knew (Deuteronomy 31:27, 29). The future of God’s people in the land depended ultimately not on the people’s sincerity, faithfulness or obedience. No, ultimately, the future depended on God -- God’s faithfulness, God’s mercy, God’s powerful word, God’s transformation of the heart. Israel would suffer severe consequences for its centuries of forsaking God (exile from the land). In the end, however, God would bring Israel back to the land not because of who the people were, but because of who God was…and who God is.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
Psalm 34 is an individual hymn of thanksgiving of David sung on the occasion of the deliverance of his very life by God, perhaps as the ultimate word about God's help to those who are in need (a summary of all that could be said about God's help in the face of oppression and hurt). Readers and hearers, then, should heed the words of Psalm 34, a song of thanksgiving for deliverance and find in them hope for deliverance from various oppressive situations. In the focus text, Psalm 34:1-8, the psalmist first offers praise to God.
The psalmist unflinchingly holds the traditional wisdom of verses 11-14 together with the fact of suffering for the righteous. Given the reputation of the Book of Proverbs as presenting a simplified view of obedience and blessing, we should notice that the object of oppression and trouble in verses 15-22 are not some group of pretend-worshipers or secret slackers who finally get what's coming to them. If that were the case, then we could explain their sufferings and take refuge in our tidy theology of prosperity for the righteous.
However, this psalm won't let us off the hook. Without disparaging the general truth of traditional wisdom, the author nevertheless states that the righteous do indeed suffer. They "cry" and experience "troubles" (verses 15, 17).1 They are "brokenhearted" and have "afflictions" (verses 18-19). It is also likely the case that these righteous ones are "socially marginal," turning to Yahweh for help instead of to some other source within human society.2 Such a class reading may help to explain a source of their affliction, but the repetition of "righteous" points to a moral/spiritual cause of persecution as well. One thinks, in this regard, of the apostle's encouragement of those who "suffer for doing what is right" (1 Peter 3:14; 4:15-16).
There are excellent biblical and theological reasons for shunning a world and life view that explains everything in terms of conflict. We live with the increasing potential for demonizing enemies and even average folks who simply disagree with us on politics and religion. A gospel mindset teaches that abundant life isn't about identifying the "bad guys" in every situation or turning every issue into an ultimate battle between good and evil. That being said, the tone of opposition in our passage is confirmed by human experience.
Thus, in spite of the very real danger of oversimplification, Psalm 34 provides an eloquent Old Testament conversation partner for the New Testament epistle reading this Sunday (Ephesians), with its message of spiritual conflict. The psalmist's reason for acknowledging such conflict is not to demonize evildoers but to maintain solidarity with the victims of evil. The believer leaves the judgment in the hands of the Lord (verse 16). While this passage is not a mandate to end the struggle for justice, the author prefers to trust the mysterious workings of providence, namely, that "evil brings death to the wicked" (verse 21a). Moreover, the passive sense of verse 21b ("those who hate the righteous will be condemned") tends to remove personal vengeance from the disposition of justice.
In spite of the above painful realities, the psalmist nevertheless believes that God is actively present to bless and save the righteous sufferer. This theme is lifted up in manifold ways that all have a vivid, sensory, and personal expression: God's "eyes" and "ears" which see and hear the plight of the needy (verses 15, 17); God's "face" which is "against evildoers (verse 16); God's nearness to and salvation of the "brokenhearted" (verse 18); God's keeping "the bones" and redeeming "the life" of the righteous (verses 20, 22). "The true happiness of a godly life consists in the nearness of God and in the living experience of his help and not in being spared suffering and affliction." This notion dovetails nicely with the sense of "abiding" in the gospel lection for today, John 6:60-69.
Reading 2 Eph 5:21-32
Here the apostle begins his exhortation to the discharge of relative duties. As a general foundation for these duties, he lays down that rule v. 21. There is a mutual submission that Christians owe one to another, condescending to bear one another's burdens: not advancing themselves above others, nor domineering over one another and giving laws to one another. Paul was an example of this truly Christian temper, for he became all things to all men. We must be of a yielding and of a submissive spirit, and ready to all the duties of the respective places and stations that God has allotted to us in the world. In the fear of God, that is, so far as is consistent with the fear of God, for his sake, and out of conscience towards him, and that hereby we may give proof that we truly fear him. Where there is this mutual condescension and submission, the duties of all relations will be the better performed. From v. 22 to the end he speaks of the duties of husbands and wives; and he speaks of these in a Christian manner, setting the church as an example of the wife's subjection, and Christ as an example of love in husbands.
The duty prescribed to wives is submission to their husbands in the Lord (v. 22), which submission includes the honoring and obeying of them, and that from a principle of love to them. They must do this in compliance with God's authority, who has commanded it, which is doing it as unto the Lord; or it may be understood by way of similitude and likeness, so that the sense may be, "as, being devoted to God, you submit yourselves unto him." From the former sense we may learn that by a conscientious discharge of the duties we owe to our fellow-creatures we obey and please God himself; and, from the latter, that God not only requires and insists on those duties which immediately respect himself, but also respect our neighbors. The apostle assigns the reason of this submission from wives: For the husband is the head of the wife, v. 23. The metaphor is taken from the head in the natural body, which, being the seat of reason, of wisdom, and of knowledge, and the fountain of sense and motion, is more excellent than the rest of the body. God has given the man the pre-eminence and a right to direct and govern by creation, and in that original law of the relation, Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Whatever there is of uneasiness in this, it is an effect of sin coming into the world. Generally, too, the man has (what he ought to have) a superiority in wisdom and knowledge. He is therefore the head, even as Christ is the head of the church. There is a resemblance of Christ's authority over the church in that superiority and headship which God has appointed to the husband. The apostle adds, and he is the Savior of the body. Christ's authority is exercised over the church for the saving of her from evil, and the supplying of her with everything good for her. In like manner should the husband be employed for the protection and comfort of his spouse; and therefore she should more cheerfully submit herself unto him. So it follows, Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ (v. 24), with cheerfulness, with fidelity, with humility, so let the wives be to their own husbands in ever thing—in everything to which their authority justly extends itself, in everything lawful and consistent with duty to God.
II. The duty of husbands (on the other hand), is to love their wives (v. 25); for without this they would abuse their superiority and headship, and, wherever this prevails as it ought to do, it will infer the other duties of the relation, it being a special and peculiar affection that is required in her behalf. The love of Christ to the church is proposed as an example of this, which love of his is a sincere, a pure, an ardent, and constant affection, and that notwithstanding the imperfections and failures that she is guilty of. The greatness of his love to the church appeared in his giving himself unto the death for it. Observe, As the church's subjection to Christ is proposed as an exemplar to wives, so the love of Christ to his church is proposed as a pattern to husbands; and while such examples are offered to both, and so much is required of each, neither has reason to complain of the divine injunctions. The instrumental means whereby this is affected are the instituted sacraments, particularly the washing of baptism and the preaching and reception of the gospel. And that he might present it to himself, etc., v. 27.
The apostle adds, For we are members of his body, of his flesh and of his bones, v. 30. He assigns this as a reason why Christ nourishes and cherishes his church-because all who belong to it are members of his body, that is, of his mystical body. Or, we are members out of his body: all the grace and glory which the church has are from Christ, as Eve was taken out of the man. But, as one observes, it being the manner of the sacred writings to express a complex body by the enumeration of its several parts, as the heaven and earth for the world, evening and morning for the natural day, so here, by body, flesh, and bones, we are to understand himself, the meaning of the verse being that we are members of Christ.--For this cause (because they are one, as Christ and his church are one) shall a man leave his father and mother; the apostle refers to the words of Adam, when Eve was given to him for a meet help, Gen. 2:24. We are not to understand by this that a man's obligation to other relations is cancelled upon his marriage, but only that this relation is to be preferred to all others, there being a nearer union between these two than between any others, that the man must rather leave any of those than his wife.--And they two shall be one flesh, that is, by virtue of the matrimonial bond. This is a great mystery, v. 32. Those words of Adam, just mentioned by the apostle, are spoken literally of marriage; but they have also a hidden mystical sense in them, relating to the union between Christ and his church, of which the conjugal union between Adam and the mother of us all was a type: though not instituted or appointed by God to signify this, yet it was a kind of natural type, as having a resemblance to it: I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Gospel Jn 6:60-69
For our Gospel today we hear the conclusion of the “Bread of Life discourse” in the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. In the preceding verses, which we have heard proclaimed in our liturgy over the past few weeks, we have heard Jesus explain that he is the Bread of Life, given so that those who believe may have eternal life. This discourse follows the miracle in which Jesus fed more than five thousand people with five barley loaves and two fish. As Jesus has been teaching these things, John’s Gospel describes a murmuring crowd unable to accept Jesus’ words. In today’s Gospel, the crowd has dwindled in number, and John no longer references them, or the Jews. Instead John describes the questioning of those considered to be Jesus’ own disciples.
Today’s Gospel first records the response of those in the crowd who are described as Jesus’ disciples. Just as the larger crowd had struggled with Jesus’ teaching, these disciples also cannot accept Jesus’ words. Jesus is said to know about their murmuring. He responds by acknowledging their unbelief and by reiterating that only those chosen by the Father will follow Jesus to the end. John’s Gospel reports that many of those who had been Jesus’ disciples ceased to follow him at this point. The number of people following Jesus dwindled from a crowd of more than 5,000 to only 12 people. And it is to these Twelve that Jesus now turns his attention.
Simon Peter’s response to Jesus’ question as to whether those closest to him will also leave, reminds us of the reports of Peter’s confession of faith in the Synoptic Gospels. Peter announces, on behalf of all the Twelve, that they have come to believe all that Jesus has taught about himself: Jesus is the one from God in whom they have found the path to eternal life.
This conclusion of the Bread of Life discourse focuses on personal faith in the life of Christian discipleship. Each person must make his or her own judgment about who Jesus is and in doing so determine the way of life that he or she will follow. God’s grace invites us to be Jesus’ disciples, but each person must respond to the grace of God and confess as his or her own the belief that Jesus is the one from God. This faith then commits us to the path of life, leading us to eternal life.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- If you were baptized as an infant, your parents spoke for you in making a profession of faith in what the Catholic Church teaches about Jesus. Your parents also promised to teach you about our faith in Jesus. For many of us, this is why we celebrate Mass and participate in Church activities, because it is important to our parents and our families. Eventually, each of us makes our own decision about why and how we will express our faith in Jesus.
- For the past several weeks, we have heard Jesus teach about himself in our Gospel. In particular, we have heard Jesus teach us that he is the Bread of Life. In today’s Gospel we hear how those closest to Jesus responded to these words.
- Did all of Jesus’ disciples accept his teaching? (No, many of Jesus’ disciples could not accept his words and went away.) Who did accept Jesus’ teaching? (the Twelve) What did Simon Peter say that the Twelve had come to believe about Jesus? (that Jesus came from God; that Jesus could lead them to eternal life)
- As we grow in our faith, we will make our own choices about living our faith. But we can’t do this without God’s help and the help of the community of faith, the Church. We pray that God will help us be like Simon Peter and the disciples who chose to follow Jesus.
- Conclude by praying the Apostles’ Creed.
Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b
How difficult is making the choice to believe? We can ask the question in another way. What is the cost of faith?
After 40 years wandering in the desert, Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land. The people had endured suffering and long waiting. But, taking possession of the land meant warring against the local population. Hence Joshua gathered the people together and asked them the faith question. How much faith did the Israelites have in God?
At the time of the settlement and afterwards, the Israelites lived in a world of many gods. These gods functioned as the mascot of the local population, since they believed their existence was divinely mandated. So, to fight against a local population meant to fight against their god(s).
Joshua, then, gave them not only a choice of faith but one of national allegiance. Joshua seemed to ask them: "Are you an Israelite or not?" There was no room to waver religiously or patriotically. So, get rid of other idols. The people renew their faith by a retelling of their history.
Many people wonder if the early Israelites were true monotheists. In other words, didn't they believe in only one God? As a religious philosophy, monotheism reduces all divinity to one being and denies the possible existence of any greater power. The Israelites were a migrating people, however; they did not bother with such philosophic questions. Their God was a national symbol; they rejected any other god simply because the gods were not Israeli.
As a side note, monotheism, as a religious philosophy, began with the Egyptians, not with the Israelites. However, the Israelites were the first practicing monotheists. In addition, the Israelites were the first to believe in a God that revealed himself not in the powers of nature, but in the events of history. As such, no image from nature could truly represent the power of God; so the lack of an image became part of the Israeli faith.
Today, our wars are for monetary gain in the marketplace, not victory on the battlefield. Media floods us with seductive images that lead us from faith. And, in today's multicultural society, there are as many diverse philosophies as ever. We face temptation at every turn. Do we stay faithful, or do we fall away? The challenge of Joshua is as relevant today as it was when he first spoke those words in the first reading.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21
The first verses were an invitation to communal praise; the leader extolled the glory of the Lord as a witness to the community, then invited the assembly to join him. Verses1-21 continued the wisdom theme, but this time, in proverbs. Like the imperatives of 34:5, 8-9, 34:11 was a call, but this time to learn wisdom about the fear of the Lord. 34:12 asked a rhetorical question about love of happiness, only to be followed by two proverbs (34:13-14), one to refrain from speaking evil, the other to repent and seek peace. 34:15-22 described the outcome of the proverbs. He would look over the good, but destroy the evil. Such protection did not mean freedom from misery (34:18-20), but did guarantee a safe arrival to the presence of God. (34:20b was quoted in John 19:36 as a fulfilled prophecy in his Passion narrative.)
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. The imperative of 34:9a is valid in good times and tough going. Despite the ups and downs of life, God will be there if we are open to his presence. He is there, waiting for our company.
Reading 2 Eph 5:21-32
This passage is a land-mine for modern, Western readers. There are two reasons for concern, questions on the definition of marriage and the status of women. But, these are our cultural concerns. The author of Ephesians assumed a definition of marriage and the secondary status of women. Yet, his analogy of marriage and relationship between Christ and the Church implicitly raised the status of women in his cultural setting and changed the Christian meaning of marriage.
The Definition of Marriage in Ephesians: These days, the definition of marriage has come into question. Obviously, marriage as a legal term could change. In the past two hundred years, "marriage" has shifted in meaning from a religious covenant to a legal contract. The religious institution has given way to the state in the regulation of marriage.
But, at its core, marriage brings two people together to live in the same house and the same bed. From them comes a family. The author of Ephesians used this simple description as an analogy for Christ in the Church.
The Status of Women in the Ephesian Community: Even in the "progressive" Greek culture that Rome ruled, women had few rights. They could own and inherit property and could initiate divorce. However, only the rich and educated could exercise these prerogatives. The majority poor were governed less by the state than by tradition and the patriarchal structure of the family. Women were second class citizens in a male-dominated, gender-segregated society. Service and childbearing were the main functions of women.
Raising the Status of Women in the Community: The author of Ephesians raised the status of women within the cultural context by raising the status of the husband. The husband was the image of Christ in the marriage. As such, wives were to defer to their husbands and serve them, but this deference and service was not based in cultural norms. No, it was based in faith. Wives were to serve their husbands in the same way they served the Lord.
But notice the greater responsibility and real shift in behavior was placed on the husband. He was to love his wife as himself. This meant he was to treat her as an equal, not as a servant or as property. Just as important, he was to see himself as Christ to his family. How did Christ found the Church? (Baptism and the pronouncement of the word in 5:26.) What was the destiny of the Church? (As the spotless companion of the Christ at the end of time in 5:27.) Implicit in these questions was the beginning and meaning of marriage for the husband. How he treated his wife in the beginning of his married life would impact their life together in the future. If he respected his spouse at the start, she would remain respectable throughout their lives. If he really loved her when the vows were exchanged, his love would only grow for her over time.
Changing the Christian Meaning of Marriage: While the author used the image of Christ to raise marriage to a higher level, he used marriage as a symbol of the end times. Up to this point, celibacy and the single life stood as counter-cultural signs of the final days. Jesus was single. So was Paul. This freedom gave them the opportunity to preach and heal in the name of the Kingdom. In a society dominated by marriage, the single life was not unusual. But it was different. In Christian circles, it pointed to the immanence of the Second Coming. (See 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 and Matthew 19:10-12.)
But, notice in this passage, marriage became the symbol for the Second Coming. Certainly, marriage had always been an analogy for God's unity with his people (see Hosea, for example). But, the author of Ephesians made marriage a model for ministry, just as much as the single life had been. So, both the single and married life had parity in the eyes of the community. Both were paradigms for Christian living and Christian expectation.
In the end, the author could state that a good Christian community was like a good marriage, built on love, trust, and mutual respect. But he said more. To be Christian is to always act like Christ, both in public and in private. What he did is our model for life, whether we are single or married. And if we are married, we are to give as he gave, love as he loved, and in the end, share glory as he shares it with us.
Gospel Jn 6:60-69
Faith in Christ does indeed bring scandal. But many leave the Catholic Church or Christianity itself because of sinfulness. Power, possessions, and position can drive more away than the scandal of faith. Each must take responsibility for his or her actions and their consequences, no matter which side he or she may stand.
But, just because one leaves the Church or joins another congregation does not mean God has rejected him or her. Those in other Churches and ecclesial communities offer their followers means of sanctification: God's written word and a life of grace (the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity, along with the gifts of the Spirit). Those washed in the waters of Baptism and living a life of faith have the right to be called Christian. Even those who reject Christ and his Church are called to return by means we may never know. So, those who leave the Catholic Church for another community, and those who leave Christianity altogether need to be treated with respect and charity, not distance and disdain. For our actions may be part of God's plan that will eventually bring the lost back to Christ and the fullness of Christian life.
Do you know of someone who has left the Church or rejected Christ? What sort of relationship do you have with that person? How can you help them return?
In an era of "cafeteria Christianity" let us remember why we are Catholics, but let us also empathize with those who have doubts. Let us lead those in a faith crisis by prayer, compassion, and honesty. Finally, let us remember that faith and faithfulness are gifts from God. We cannot impose them on others.
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Sunday August 18, 2024 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 119
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Prv 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her house,
she has set up her seven columns;
she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,
yes, she has spread her table.
She has sent out her maidens; she calls
from the heights out over the city:
"Let whoever is simple turn in here;
To the one who lacks understanding, she says,
Come, eat of my food,
and drink of the wine I have mixed!
Forsake foolishness that you may live;
advance in the way of understanding."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
.
Reading 2 Eph 5:15-20
Brothers and sisters:
Watch carefully how you live,
not as foolish persons but as wise,
making the most of the opportunity,
because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not continue in ignorance,
but try to understand what is the will of the Lord.
And do not get drunk on wine, in which lies debauchery,
but be filled with the Spirit,
addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts,
giving thanks always and for everything
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
.
Gospel Jn 6:51-58
Jesus said to the crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Prv 9:1-6
Wisdom who has previously partnered with God in creation, (Proverbs 8:22-31), is now the host of a great banquet. But before she sets her table, she builds a house (or perhaps a banquet house). It seems that the whole purpose of her building is hospitality; she needs a place to host the banquet to which she will soon invite the world. Wisdom is no lady at leisure ordering the staff about -- she has staff but works with them and does hard, manual labor herself.
First in verse 1, Wisdom builds her own house, then she crafts seven decorative pillars -- either chopping down trees or carving stones. Then in verse 2 she butchers her own fresh meat, mixes her own wine and sets her table. In verse 3 she tasks her serving girls with an undisclosed task, likely invitations to specific guests -- who are they? -- yet she herself invites complete strangers en mass. She goes from place to place, specifically inviting those who are woefully unacquainted with her in verse 4, calling out to them, shouting loudly in public places, in so doing she models extraordinary yet perhaps acceptable behavior for human women. In verse 5 she explains that the way for those bereft of her to benefit from her is to feast at her table. And if they do so, they will live and walk in understanding.
Wisdom's table is a metaphor for the acquisition of wisdom. But what is wisdom? It is more than innate intelligence or sense; for it can be gained by those who lack it. In Biblical Hebrew, wisdom is as much technical expertise or craft(wo)manship as it is intellectual knowledge. The women (Exodus 35:26) and men (Exodus 31:6) who craft the Tabernacle in the wilderness are all called wise; if Israel keeps the Torah they will be a "wise and understanding people" in Deuteronomy 4:6; the wise woman who led her city seems to be the governing official who saves her people from certain death by shrewd and lethal political dealing in 2 Samuel 20:22, and of course the wisdom of Solomon was legendary, 1 Kings 4:29. So wisdom is craft: statecraft, Torah-craft craftwomanship, craftsmanship and craftiness.
The source of wisdom is Wisdom herself. And who (or what) is Wisdom? In rabbinic (Jewish) thought, Wisdom is the Torah. The rubric goes something like this: Both Wisdom and Torah are feminine nouns. Proverbs 3:18 says, "She is a Tree of Life," also understood to be the Torah. Torah-knowledge, fruit from that tree, should be feasted upon like the banquet at Wisdom's table: "taste and see" (Psalm 34:8), the sweetness of God's word(s) is compared to honey, (Psalm 119:103; Ezekiel 3:3), the notion continues in the New Testament in Revelation 10:9. Wisdom is also intimately tangled up with God, said to be both the first of God's creation (Proverbs 8:22) and God's co-worker/master-worker (Proverbs 8:30). God is the source of Wisdom (and Torah and life).
0Wisdom has built her house...she has set her table. So pull up a seat and sit down. Eat and drink your fill. And be satisfied.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Notice this is almost a copy of last weeks’ Psalm. Psalm 34 is a testimony embedded in the narrative of scripture. Like any testimony, it gives the narrative of God and the narrative of David, the Old Testament protagonist or antagonist -- depending on which part of his life the reader is considering. In Psalm 34, David gives testimony of a time when he fled Saul, took refuge with the Philistines, and came to be afraid of King Achish, the king of Gath (1 Samuel 21:10-12).
The structure of the first eight verses of this Psalm does two things: it establishes the author’s intention to give a testimony (v. 1-3) and it provides details of David’s experience that prompted the testimony.
David begins his testimony in Psalm 34 by stating his intent: to worship God at all times (v. 1). This praise, however, is not passive; it is an intentional commitment to extol the name of GOD in an ongoing manner. This praise is to be continuous. It is to happen at all times. The author then invites, even commands others to listen (v. 2), particularly those who are weak. What is the cumulative result? The assembly will worship GOD together by offering praise, so that what began as one individual’s praise has now become a corporate reason to praise (v. 3).
Verses 4-6 are a more specific account of the general introduction to Psalm 34. Here, the Psalmist doesn’t tell the whole story, but he does say that he prayed to GOD, GOD heard, and GOD rescued him from what may have been a terrifying experience (v. 4). GOD delivered him from the “object” of the fear, not only the feeling of fear. Looking to GOD will do for others as it did for the Psalmist: give a new appearance (v. 5). In this particular instance, the new appearance was one of radiance, of shining. Verse 6 provides a recap of the Psalm: a weak man called to GOD, GOD listened, and GOD delivered.
Thomas Long has said, “To be human is to live a story.” Psalm 34 reminds us of this. Psalm 34 also reminds us that sharing that story through the practice of Christian testimony is deeply embedded in the narrative of scripture and in the narrative of God and God’s people.
Here, we see David’s testimony embedded in the narrative of scripture, of God, and of God’s people. Through David, we are reminded that as Christians our testimonies are not boring because they involve the action of God, the one whose ears are turned to us, the one who has delivered our forebears, and the one who is ready to deliver us if we are bold enough to ask. And, we are reminded that when God does deliver us, we are to share that story so that our individual praise can become a communal praise.
Reading 2 Eph 5:15-20
Addressed to the church in Ephesus but presumed to have been circulated to many churches, Ephesians 5:15-20 fits well within the framework of today's governing scripture -- the Gospel reading -- and the congenial imagery of Proverbs. Both tell us that this Sunday is about the food of true life. The living bread is given -- body and blood -- for the beloved community.
This passage sets forth stark alternatives aimed specifically at living a life that is centered in worship: singing (lalountes) and giving thanks (eucharistountes) in the name of the Lord. This passage also lays out a pathway to that life by setting up stark oppositions. One scholar sees three oppositions in Ephesians 5:1-20: love vs. lust, light vs. darkness, and wisdom vs. foolishness. The text for this Sunday focuses on the last of these.
God has given us time, ourselves, and Earth in and through which to exercise reverence by being wise, focused on God's desire for all creation, and Spirit-filled. We honor God's gifts when we attend to its profundity, acknowledging that creation and our own lives actually matter. If we spend our days numbed to God's gifts (that is, inebriated by a myriad of possible anesthetics, including greed, power, contempt for others, and all manner of unfocused indulgences), we cannot experience life "filled with the Spirit."
The contrast here is between going along with social norms and, conversely, being directed by a more penetrating source of purpose. These admonitions are not meant to be legalisms that straitjacket joy; they articulate contrasts that can help us see our true identity as beloved of God in Christ Jesus. To be filled by the Holy Spirit is, in fact, to be baptized and, thus, invited to the feast of bread and wine.
It is not possible, aside from the presence of Christ, to know the will of the Lord or to make the most of our time or even to be careful! Indeed, a person can choose one path rather than another, negotiate the extent to which we believe we have a handle on God's will, and learn how to be useful and productive with our days. We may well be good care-takers of Earth and its creatures. But we cannot know most deeply what God has made available to us without knowing what it is to live a life of thanksgiving. The writer of Ephesians describes that thanksgiving as a gathering of those who come together to sing to the Lord and give thanks "at all times and for everything."
There is a certain irony in a text that sets foolishness against wisdom. The cross is wisdom. Life in Jesus' risen presence is abundant life. Yet, isn't it also foolish? To live a life of thanksgiving in the face of all that is wrong in the world, all the pain and need and stupidity, may seem to some people to be a very foolish way to live. So this passage invites us to think deeply about the relationship between foolish and wise life, to pay attention, so that we live according to what resides beyond the present moment.
Gospel Jn 6:51-58
On this Sunday, we continue to read from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. Today’s Gospel elaborates further on the teaching that Jesus began in our liturgy last week. In that reading, the crowds wondered about how Jesus could say that he had come down from heaven because they knew Jesus to be the son of Joseph. In this Gospel, some have difficulty with Jesus’ teaching that he is the living bread sent from God. Recall that Jesus had told them that just as God gave the Israelites manna to sustain them in the desert, so now God has sent new manna that will give eternal life. We hear the concluding verse of last week’s Gospel repeated in today’s reading: Jesus himself is the bread sent by God; Jesus’ flesh is the bread that is given for the life of the world.
Among the stumbling blocks for those who heard but did not understand Jesus is teaching that the bread that Jesus will give is his own flesh. In response to the people who quarreled over his words, Jesus teaches with even greater emphasis that salvation comes to those who eat his Body and Blood. Jesus doesn’t seem to answer the question posed about how salvation will come about, perhaps because this reality can only be understood after his death and Resurrection. Instead, Jesus teaches about the life that he will give to the world.
To many ears, Jesus’ words are jarring and difficult to hear. Many who heard Jesus could not accept what he said. Many today continue to struggle to accept these words. But they are important words because they reveal our intimate connection with Jesus.
Without the familiar story of the last supper, this text is the primary reflection on the Eucharist in John. With that in mind, we need to notice the clear and insistent focus on Jesus himself as the one given by the Father, the one who is the Bread of Life from Heaven, the one on whom we must feed.
If this text is at one level a meditation on the Eucharist then part of the point is that the Eucharist is life-giving because it is Jesus who gives it, and it is life-giving because it is Jesus himself who is given. The Eucharist is life-giving because it draws us deeper into relationship with Jesus, so that we may "abide" there (verse 56). There can be no proper understanding of the Eucharist apart from this life-giving participation in the life and the death of Jesus himself.
This is the mystery that is at the heart of our eucharistic theology. In the elements of bread and wine, Jesus’ Body and Blood are made truly present. When we share in the Body and Blood of Christ, Jesus himself comes to dwell within us. This communion with the Lord makes us one body, brings us eternal life, and sends us forth to be Christ’s body for the life of the world.
Without the familiar story of the last supper, this text is the primary reflection on the Eucharist in John. With that in mind, we need to notice the clear and insistent focus on Jesus himself as the one given by the Father, the one who is the Bread of Life from Heaven, the one on whom we must feed.
If this text is at one level a meditation on the Eucharist then part of the point is that the Eucharist is life-giving because it is Jesus who gives it, and it is life-giving because it is Jesus himself who is given. The Eucharist is life-giving because it draws us deeper into relationship with Jesus, so that we may "abide" there (verse 56). There can be no proper understanding of the Eucharist apart from this life-giving participation in the life and the death of Jesus himself.
Making the Connection
- Identify as many different forms of bread as you can think of (white bread, wheat bread, bagels, English muffins, pitas, tortillas, and so on).
- Why do we eat bread? What does bread do for us? (Bread is nourishment; bread sustains us; eating bread fills us.)
- Bread is a staple of our diet, as it was for people in Jesus’ time. Today’s Gospel reading talks about the bread that Jesus gives us. This reading is taken from the Gospel of John, which we have been hearing at Sunday Mass for the past several weeks. We’ll understand today’s Gospel better if we review these readings.
- Remember that a crowd of people had gathered to hear Jesus, and Jesus had blessed five barley loaves and two fish; there was enough to feed over five thousand people. Many people came to believe that Jesus came from God because of that miracle. The next day, the crowd continued to follow Jesus, and many wanted to see him perform another miracle. Instead, Jesus talks with them about the miracle, the sign, he had performed. Many people who hear him are not sure how to receive his words.
- What kind of bread does Jesus say he will give? (living bread) Where does this living bread come from? (heaven) What will this bread do for those who eat it? (It will bring them eternal life; Jesus will come to live in those who eat this bread.) What else does Jesus say about this bread? (Jesus says that this living bread is his flesh, given for the life of the world.) What do you think Jesus is talking about? (the Eucharist)
- In today’s reading, Jesus is telling us about the special gift he gives us in the Eucharist. In the Eucharist, the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. When we share in the Eucharist, Jesus is present to us; through Holy Communion we will share eternal life.
- We shouldThank God for the gift of the Eucharist. Pray the Lord’s Prayer or today’s psalm.
ADDITIONAL NOTES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Prv 9:1-6
Wisdom was like a wealthy lady who built her house on seven pillars. There has been great speculation on the nature of the pillars (after all, there are seven gifts of the Spirit). While we cannot know the precise meaning of the pillars, the number is easily interpreted. The number seven denoted a fullness. Hence, the seven pillars represented the solid, unassailable foundation of true wisdom. The ancients believed that true wisdom was eternal, for it came from God. It was not like foolishness that came and went with the fads of the season.
Lady Wisdom prepared a sumptuous dinner and invited those in need of her counsel: the simple minded and those who lack common sense.
While it may take experience to separate wisdom from folly and fad, the first step to wisdom begins with a simple invitation. But that invitation can seem like a great challenge. To accept the invitation to seek wisdom requires humility. It requires a realization that we do not possess that which we seek, indeed, a hunger for the gifts of wisdom. It also requires a mind set that recognizes wisdom can feed us. Ultimately, it requires a thirst for the source of wisdom: God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
34:1-3 was an invitation to communal praise; the leader extolled the glory of the Lord as a witness to the community, then invited the assembly to join him. 34:4-10 continued this call, but took a turn toward wisdom literature; the call was not to praise but to dependance on God. 34:4, 6-7 provided the personal witness to dependence; 34:5, 8-9 were the imperatives to follow suit. Notice the imperatives contained reasons for dependence. "Look to the Lord" and you will have joy, not shame (34:5). "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord" and receive happiness (34:8). "Fear the Lord" (i.e., be in awe of God) and you will not suffer any lack.
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. The imperative of 34:9a is valid in good times and tough going. Despite the ups and downs of life, God will be there if we are open to his presence. He is there, waiting for our company.
.
Reading 2 Eph 5:15-20
The passage for this Sunday continued the comparison of behavior and lifestyle found in Ephesians 4 and 5. These verses also focused upon the community in worship as the ideal for the Christian. In other words, a believer was fully realized in common prayer with other Christians.
The author continued to divide human behavior into dual camps: evil vs. good. Unwise vs. wise, foolish vs. the will of the Lord. Drunk on wine vs. drunk on the Spirit. Notice he defined "filled with the Spirit" in liturgical terms. Praying psalms, singing hymns and "spiritual" songs with gusto. But the high point in the Spirit filled life was "giving thanks," an attitude that should pervade the Christian life, especially worship.
From the vantage point of giving thanks, the other qualities of Christian life made sense. Gratitude made one compassionate and charitable toward others. A grateful person might be a fiscal fool, but not a moral one. Most importantly, gratitude focused the believer on the gifts of God, his grace. While thanksgiving came from the Spirit, the thankful person was aware of the Spirit. Why? Because such a person concentrated on spiritual matters in deep appreciation.
What would happen if we Christians were a little more thankful for the gifts God gave us? How would the quality of our worship change? How would relations with others improve?
Gospel Jn 6:51-58
At Sunday worship, we offer ourselves to God. Christ, the High Priest, combines our meager offering to his great sacrifice to the Father. Eucharist is the means Christ chose to reveal and realize his self-giving on the cross. Hence, Eucharist does not create the passion of Christ anew. It "remembers" that seminal event in such a way that the risen Christ (wounds and all) can make himself truly present and truly unite himself to his followers.
In the species of bread and wine at the Eucharist, the risen Lord makes himself present. While the bishop or priest invokes the words of institution (thus acting as the instrument of Christ or "in persona Christi"), the conversion of the bread and wine into the blood into the Body and Blood of Christ remains the initiative of God (specifically, the Holy Spirit). The offer to partake in the "living bread" is God's offer of unity with Christ and his followers (his "body," the Church). Thus, it is a means to eternal life.
How have you experienced Christ in the Eucharist? How has Eucharist changed your perception of the Church and its members?
The challenge Jesus presented, the scandal he caused,still remains today. Two thousand years later, even after the rise and fall of European Christendom, it cannot dull us or detract from the power of risen Christ. While culture may treat Jesus with weak lip service or even condescending disdain, he still lives. That fact divides and unites.
If his presence causes scandal, what he offers can scandalize no less. And he offers himself to us as the living bread. Let us eat his Body. Let us drink his Blood. And, let others know we are his followers, for we belong to him.
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Sunday August 11, 2024 Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 116
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 1 Kgs 19:4-8
Elijah went a day's journey into the desert,
until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it.
He prayed for death saying:
"This is enough, O LORD!
Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers."
He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree,
but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat.
Elijah looked and there at his head was a hearth cake
and a jug of water.
After he ate and drank, he lay down again,
but the angel of the LORD came back a second time,
touched him, and ordered,
"Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!"
He got up, ate, and drank;
then strengthened by that food,
he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
Let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
And delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy.
And your faces may not blush with shame.
When the afflicted man called out, the LORD heard,
And from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Reading 2 Eph 4:30—5:2
Brothers and sisters:
Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
with which you were sealed for the day of redemption.
All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling
must be removed from you, along with all malice.
And be kind to one another, compassionate,
forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.
So be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,
as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us
as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.
Gospel Jn 6:41-51
The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said,
"I am the bread that came down from heaven, "
and they said,
"Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?
Do we not know his father and mother?
Then how can he say,
'I have come down from heaven'?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Stop murmuring among yourselves.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 1 Kgs 19:4-8
Elijah literally finds himself in the wilderness in this reading, but he also seems to be figuratively in the wilderness as he asks the Lord to take his life. Elijah has endured a traumatic episode with the prophets of Baal and Asherah up in the northern region of Carmel. Although he successfully dispatched the prophets and demonstrated God’s power to Ahab, something is wrong. Elijah experiences a sense of shame or failure or some type of emotion on which we cannot quite put our finger. It leaves him deflated, despondent and depressed. We may never know what exactly led to this situation under the broom tree in the wilderness, but I imagine we can all think of difficult situation like this. We can think of Hagar in the wilderness with her young boy, but God would not allow that situation to endure. We can think of Jonah under his own tree in faraway Nineveh, equally despondent.
Elijah’s struggles with many things, but nothing more than himself. We can all probably recognize how we can be our own worst enemy. 1 Kings 19 clearly demonstrates Elijah’s demons bringing him to a standstill. Oftentimes, it is easy for us to see the source of other people’s problems. We have seen many triumphs of Elijah before this event, and we know that there will be many triumphs to follow. With all of this in mind it can be hard to understand how things went so wrong so quickly for Elijah. Yet that is part of Elijah’s story just like it can often be part of our story. We can often find ourselves most at risk, when we are feeling invulnerable.
Elijah teaches us to bring all our emotions to God. God will be present to us in different ways on different parts of the journey. We cannot experience the theophany of a storm cloud and deluge in the middle of the desert, but God finds a different way to be present to us. Our reading assures us that God makes the entire journey with us.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Perhaps Psalm 34 as poetry set to song served in some way the people of God. Each human life is an aggregation of experiences that build up over time. Sedimentary layers of rocks, sludge, and discarded ideas mingle together and press in on one another. We are walking repositories of all that has happened to us and each new experience fits into that matrix to find its place among the rest.
The opening explosion of praise invokes human senses of taste, hearing, sight, and touch. It seems only the sense of smell is missing or perhaps it isn't. Since smell is intimately connected with our sense of taste it may be implicitly indicated. Smell from campfire smoke as the angel of the Lord encamped nearby touches minds filled with memories of outdoor camping experiences in the wilderness and in travels from place to place.
The Hebrew word -- ira -- translated into English as "fear" stands out in the text and draws hearers toward further reflection about how to not only be cognizant of the actions of God, but to face fears through living in right relation with the living God. The word fear is sprinkled through the Psalm from start to finish -- delivered from all fears and angels encamp around those that fear God.
Fear for human beings is the result of many catalysts. It can be derived from human experiences of guilt and shame. It can arise from threats real and imagined to our existence or the existence of those whom we love. It can grow from experience with the natural world that can be a place of physical and emotional pain. It may emerge when one is faced with something that has not been previously experienced -- like the first time standing at the edge of a high cliff when faced with the recognition that one slip could cause our demise.
Fear can make the legs weak or can trigger a response to run from the perceived danger or risk. Rarely in my experience does fear invite adoration. Instead the fight or flight response seems more common. Maybe the idea of fearing God is not so much fighting or fleeing as it is recognition of the scale of something that cannot be fully comprehended. Like an unsolvable math problem, the number of stars in the universe, or the number of beats our heart will beat over a lifetime -- we cannot determine with certitude what the solution or numbers are. We only know that they exist and if we had the capacity to determine them the answers would only produce more questions.
Reading 2 Eph 4:30—5:2
Our passage contains a lot of moral advice that can be found in many places in the ancient world.
In that sense, there is nothing "original" in this text. However, the wealth of moral instruction does not mean the Bible is simply "moralizing" its readers. The key difference lay in the motivation for the morality. Most commentators agree that Paul's framework for his ethical instruction is baptism.
Interwoven throughout the letter to the Ephesians are many references to death and life (2:1, 5), putting away the old self (4:22, 25) and being marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit (1:13, 4:30). In other words, instead of simply being exhorted to do good works, the community is continually reminded that it has been engrafted into the body of Christ and that its hope is grounded in Christ's present and future redemption. The result is a life lived in love, rooted and grounded in the love of Christ (5:2). Our discussion of this text focuses on common misunderstandings of Paul's words.
And yet we must be careful. Paul warns the Ephesians not to "let the sun go down on your anger" (4:26). He recognizes that anger can quickly become obsessive. Instead of being upset over a thoughtless word or deed, we have a tendency to make it "personal" in a hurry. We nurse a grudge and cook up schemes for revenge. Once we have slipped into this realm we have opened the door for the devil (4:27). The well-being of the community then becomes secondary and our main purpose is simply to get even. Thus Paul reminds us of the need to let forgiveness have the last word (4:32).
We can all cite examples of mothers and fathers who have gone to extraordinary lengths to help a prodigal son or daughter. These parents have indeed been "grieved" or disappointed by the actions of their loved ones -- but they rarely break off the relationship completely. Even in the most dire of cases there is still a flicker of hope for reconciliation and restoration. So it is with God. The "seal" or bond of the Spirit is inviolable.
This section concludes with the ultimate exhortation: be imitators of God (5:1)! Here is where there is a true break with the typical virtue-vice lists of the ancient world. A standard has now been set that transcends all human morality. It could also lead to despair if not handled carefully.
Our culture's interpretation of love might be said to be at war with the biblical understanding of agape. Commercials and conventional usage suggest that love is largely a romantic feeling produced by the right combination of clothes, physical conditioning, smile and make-up. In other words, love is dependent upon being lovable.
This is the exact opposite of agape love which reaches out and extends itself to the most unlovable.
Paul highlights the effects of this love as well. We now inherit the status of "beloved children" (5:1). Our task then is to take this love to the neighbor or "live in love" (5:2) as Paul says. Perfect imitation of this love is not possible. God's word of forgiveness will always be relevant (4:32). But the love of Christ dwells in our hearts as well (3:17). And that makes a big difference as we make our way into the world.
Gospel Jn 6:41-51
On this Sunday, we continue to read from the “Bread of Life discourse” found in the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. Recall that we have been reading from this chapter for the past two weeks and will continue to read from it for another two. Last week, the crowd asked for a sign that would show that Jesus came from God. Jesus replied by saying that he is the sign and the bread of life sent by God. At this point, our Lectionary omits six verses in which Jesus predicts the unbelief of the crowd and further develops his connection with God the Father. In these verses, Jesus says that he was sent by God to do the Father’s will. Jesus promises that those who look upon the Son with faith will find eternal life. Some of these themes are repeated in today’s Gospel reading.
Today’s Gospel begins with a report that the Jews complained about Jesus’ claims regarding his identity. They knew his family, and they knew he was the son of Joseph. They could not comprehend what Jesus meant when he said that he came down from heaven. Jesus responds to the complaints by saying that only those who are chosen by God will recognize him as the one that God sent. This is a recurring theme in John’s Gospel, that God has chosen those who will have faith in Jesus.
In the verses that follow, Jesus talks more about his unity with the Father. He is the one who has seen the Father and, therefore, knows the Father. Those who listen to God will recognize that Jesus is the one sent from God. Those who believe will have eternal life. Jesus concludes with the central element of our eucharistic theology. He promises that the bread of life will bring eternal life to those who partake of it, and he tells us that the bread of life will be his own flesh, given for the life of the world.
In today’s reading, we hear Jesus say again, as he did in last week's Gospel, that he is the bread of life. We also hear Jesus add that he is the living bread. Both of these statements help us understand better the gift that Jesus gives us in the Eucharist. We celebrate this gift of Jesus each time we gather for Mass. We believe that receiving Jesus in the Eucharist will lead us to eternal life.
Making the Connection
- To know a few facts about a person does not necessarily mean that we know that person well. If someone knew you only as a member of your family, what might they know about you? What kinds of things wouldn’t they know? Would knowing that you go to a particular school add any additional information? (Yes, some.) Would this be enough to know you well? (Probably not.) Why not? (They haven’t taken the time to get to know you.)
- In today’s Gospel, some of the people in the crowd are upset because Jesus told them that he was the bread of life that came down from heaven. They don’t believe this because they seem to think they know Jesus.
- In the Gospel what information does the crowd know about Jesus? (They know that his father is Joseph; they know his family.) Is this enough to know Jesus well? (No.) What does Jesus say a person must do to know him well? (Jesus says that those who listen to God will know that Jesus came from God.)
- This is important for us to understand because there are many details about Jesus' life that we don't know. But knowing these details would not tell us what we need to know about Jesus. We learn all we need to know about Jesus from God’s Word to us, the Scripture. Scripture teaches us to have faith that Jesus is God's Son who brings us salvation. We also have the gift that Jesus gave us in the Eucharist. We grow closer to Jesus when we celebrate the Eucharist.
- Pray that we will grow in our understanding and faith in Jesus through our celebration of the Eucharist. Pray the Act of Faith.
Amen.
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ADDITIONAL NOTES ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 1 Kgs 19:4-8
In the failure of Israel to repent after his victory at Mt. Carmel over the pagan priests, the ninth-century BC prophet Elijah did not experience a crisis of faith but a crisis of expectation. He expected that his great victory over the false prophets of the Canaanite and Phoenician god Baal would result in the Israelites of the Northern Kingdom and their king repenting their sins of idol worship and apostasy from God's holy covenant. He expected that they would turn back to Yahweh, destroying their pagan altars and driving out the false prophets. When this did not happen, Elijah felt his entire mission to call the Northern Kingdom of Israel to repentance had been a failure. Overcome with grief, he believed he had failed God and his people. But Elijah had not failed. On the contrary, he successfully completed the mission God gave him; it was the people of the Northern Kingdom and their king who failed.
People have many reasons to believe in God. There are just as many reasons to stop believing: 1) cultural indifference and skepticism, 2) a feeling of personal abandonment by God and others (i.e., the Church or family), or 3) hostility toward public display of religious activity. All three are common in our day; Elijah also experienced these reasons.
In this reading, Elijah was on the run from Queen Jezebel for preaching against idolatry in Israel. He was alone, for no one cared to hear his message, even after the signs God performed through Elijah. And, he was spiritually tired to the point of despair; he even prayed for death. Yet, through an angel, God gave him strength to continue his journey and his mission.
Daily trust in God is a chief reason to believe. But, what can we do when the pressures of daily living overwhelm this trust? What can we do when we want to give up? Elijah's answer was prayer and openness God's will. With prayer and an open heart, we, too, will be strengthened by God for our faith journey.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Taste and see the goodness of the Lord. God's goodness comes in many different ways, from blessing to moments of transcendence to encounters of human intimacy. Whether we are aware of God's immediate presence or we recognize his goodness in hindsight, we can always "taste and see" his goodness.
This well known phrase comes from Psalm 34:8a. This psalm combined praise and wisdom literature in an acrostic format (the first letter of each line began with a sequential letter of the Hebrew alphabet; however, one letter in the sequence is missing and two letters are reversed). The psalm began with a note concerning David's feigning madness before the king of Gath (see 1 Samuel 21:11-16) as a way to defend himself; the psalmist (or scribe) must have thought such antics showed wisdom in the face of danger.
By David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
Reading 2 Eph 4:30—5:2
As in the past few readings from the letter to the Ephesians, the author compared a shameful lifestyle with that of the Spirit. A life of rage, bitterness, and shouting and slander tore down the community. Such petty backbiting "saddened" the power that was the cause and the growth of the early Christian movement: God's Spirit. (Notice, how the author personalized the Spirit; such language helped lead to the formulation of the doctrine on the Trinity.) Instead, the author encouraged his audience to live the life of the Spirit and treat each other with respect and true affection. In other words, to treat each other as God had treated them.
The words of imitation or mimicking simply reinforced the notion. But the author took the analogy into a new area, that of worship. The early community believed its worship joined with that of the risen Lord in heaven. His love led to his passion and death. Both were one act of worship, a self-sacrifice that was like smoky incense that rose to heaven (the vision of smoke rising heavenward during sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem represented the petition of the offering party.) But, it was not only the gathering of the community in worship that imitated and joined with the Lord. Indeed, the Christian lifestyle was an act of worship that united the believer to the Master. Unlike the bitterness of the clique infighting, a life of love raised the believer beyond the terrestrial realm to that of the angels.
The challenge of in-fighting vs. love is as acute today as it was two thousand years ago in Ephesus. Those who love bind the community together and raise it to another level. While those that bicker...well, you have seen the result.
Gospel Jn 6:41-51
Like many other passages from John, this discourse wove many different themes together: the bread of heaven vs. manna, the source and witness of Jesus, the offer of eternal life. John artfully threaded these themes to present faith in its starkest terms.
The gospel opened with discussion between Jesus and his audience in progress. The people "murmured" against the statement Jesus made. How could this local son claim so much? How could he hold himself so high as a prophet?
John used the "murmur" to compare the scene of Jesus' controversy with that of Moses' in Exodus 16:1-4:
In a subtle way, John drew two contexts together. In both scenes, the people "murmured." In both scenes, God offered the people "bread from heaven." However, here the similarities ended. In the scene with Moses, God gave the people bread in response to their complaints. In the scene with Jesus, the people complained in response to God's offer itself.
The image of bread threaded the themes from 6:44-46 together: God's initiative in the ministry of Jesus, the source and witness of Jesus, and the power to raise up the faithful. As THE food staple, bread represented life. As the heavenly bread, Jesus would feed the world by 1) "coming down from heaven" (a reference to his source and witness) and 2) giving bread to the faithful so that "he might eat and not die" and might "live into the final age" (a reference to the resurrection).
Ultimately, the Father gave this bread (i.e., the life of Jesus) for "the life of the world." In other words, salvation became an extension of creation, for the death and resurrection of Christ would usher in a new time and new creation. Followers would receive the "bread of life" as a result of the Father's invitation.
What a life insurance policy Jesus offers us! In the bread and wine of Eucharist, he gives us the means to life everlasting. It is not a hedge against the unexpected, but a sure promise that we will live despite what will happen.
The cost is so small, yet so few want to pay. It seems parting with our money is easier than parting with our trust. Yet, who else should we trust with our lives?
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Sunday August 4, 2024 Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 113
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Ex 16:2-4, 12-15
The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
The Israelites said to them,
"Would that we had died at the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt,
as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!
But you had to lead us into this desert
to make the whole community die of famine!"
Then the LORD said to Moses,
"I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.
Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion;
thus will I test them,
to see whether they follow my instructions or not.
"I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites.
Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,
and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread,
so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God."
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp.
In the morning a dew lay all about the camp,
and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert
were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.
On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, "What is this?"
for they did not know what it was.
But Moses told them,
"This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
What we have heard and know,
and what our fathers have declared to us,
We will declare to the generation to come
the glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength
and the wonders that he wrought.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
He commanded the skies above
and opened the doors of heaven;
he rained manna upon them for food
and gave them heavenly bread.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
And he brought them to his holy land,
to the mountains his right hand had won.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Reading 2 Eph 4:17, 20-24
Brothers and sisters:
I declare and testify in the Lord
that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do,
in the futility of their minds;
that is not how you learned Christ,
assuming that you have heard of him and were taught in him,
as truth is in Jesus,
that you should put away the old self of your former way of life,
corrupted through deceitful desires,
and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
and put on the new self,
created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth.
Gospel Jn 6:24-35
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
"Rabbi, when did you get here?"
Jesus answered them and said,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
you are looking for me not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal."
So they said to him,
"What can we do to accomplish the works of God?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent."
So they said to him,
"What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat."
So Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world."
So they said to him,
"Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them,
"I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst."
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Ex 16:2-4, 12-15
The need for bread in this early stage of the journey out of Egypt provides both God and God’s people with an opportunity to understand and to trust the other. Throughout the narrative, the people struggle to trust and to follow God, and God struggles to know and to nurture this fledgling community of former slaves.
In the opening verses, the narrator establishes that it is the second month of the children of Israel’s journey out of Egypt, and the people are complaining (lit. “murmuring”) against Moses and Aaron because they are hungry. The complaint in this narrative is the third of its kind (see also Exodus 14:11; 15:24). Each complaint follows a certain pattern: (1) the people encounter a potentially devastating threat to their well-being -- the pursuit of the pharaoh and his chariots, deadly dehydration, starvation; (2) they complain (literally “murmur”) against their leadership; (3) their human leaders bring the complaint before God; and (4) God saves them by various means -- the miraculous crossing of the sea, providing drinkable water, and, in this narrative, providing bread from heaven.
The language of the complaint is strong. One might even say it is unfair. “The Israelites said to them, "Would that we had died at the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!
But you had to lead us into this desert to make the whole community die of famine!" (16:3). The harsh servitude the people endured in Egypt, described in the earlier chapters of Exodus, bears no resemblance to this description of the plenty they claim they enjoyed there.
Interestingly, the people make no mention of pharaoh and his unreasonable demands. In an indirect way, the people seem to blame God both for their current crisis in the wilderness as well as their enslavement: "Would that we had died at the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt. Pharaoh was the one trying to kill them in Egypt. God rescued them! Their hunger leads them to what seems to be willful forgetfulness.
One might be tempted to regard the pattern of complaints in these chapters and the injustice in the wording of this particular complaint in a negative light, but, while Moses and Aaron appear to be frustrated with the people, the text portrays God as focused on the people and their needs rather than disturbed by their demands. Indeed, the complaint and the occasion that prompts it provides God with an opening to learn more about them by means of a test.
The test itself is multilayered. On the surface, the test enables God to know the people’s response to the gift of manna: will they follow God’s instruction and gather only what they need according to the day? Will they respect the Sabbath? The answers to these questions seem to be the overall purpose of the test according to 16:4, but the test also serves another, perhaps more important, purpose: the gathering of manna in the wilderness -- with specific amounts brought in on certain days -- creates a structure in the people’s lives that is a reliable constant in the turmoil of their wilderness wandering.
The people gather in the morning what they need for the day and no more, except on the day before the Sabbath when they gather enough for both days. There are no days on which the manna fails to appear. Although the reader is not yet aware that this journey to their new land will take forty years, the narrator notes that this provision of manna lasts the entirety of the trip (16:35). Order is thus established in the midst of chaos by means of this rhythm of divine provision.
In verses 2-3, the people claimed to long for Egypt and its bounty, but what Egypt really represented was a complete lack of rest with a pharaoh who cared nothing for their well-being or their needs. Here, bread and rest -- on the Sabbath -- are provided generously and reliably. The difference between the former reality of their lives in Egypt and their present reality in the hands of a trustworthy God, who provides for them even in the wilderness, is made clear when one compares the beginning of the narrative to the end of the reading at verse 15. The “idealized and unwarranted memories of Pharaoh’s food (verse 3) are to be replaced with the genuine memories of the bread from God.”1
The stress and chaos of life on the journey of the children of Israel through the wilderness is intense and debilitating, so much so that the people begin to long for their former lives as slaves in Egypt. As they long to go back, God’s grace pushes them forward by providing strength for the journey in the form of food and a structure to their days and weeks by the instructions regarding the keeping of the Sabbath.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54
Psalm 78 is the second longest psalm in the Psalter; only psalm 119 is longer.
The psalm is often called historical, and it is an instruction or meditation in poetic form about how to live a godly life. The theme of the psalm is the relationship between God and his people. It describes the life of the Israelites from the time in Egypt to the election of David as king.
Since the psalm is very long, it is radically abridged in the lectionary. Only two introductory verses and five verses in the middle of the psalm are chosen for the day.
The story is not told in chronological order, since the aim of the psalmist is not to write history. It is rather to give examples for coming generations how not to act. History is related in order to understand the present. In that sense the psalm is a mirror for the reader/listener. The content of the psalm is built on contrasts.
The beginning of the psalm is unusual in that it is not addressed to God but to "my people," i. e. to those who listen to the teacher. The wording is remindful of that in the wisdom traditions of the Old Testament.
The teaching is called "parable” and ”dark sayings” (verse 2). The first word suggests something of importance, the second expression can also be translated ”mysteries” or ”riddles.” The intention is to make clear from the beginning that what follows is more than a retelling of history. There is something to learn from history, and that’s what the psalmist wants to stress.
Verses 34–37 are part of the section in the psalm where the Israelites in the desert are in focus. The picture of the people is not a flattering one. Israel on its way to the promised land is a history of constant trouble. The people are disobedient. It is only when God is forced to be harsh and punishes the Israelites that they return to God and ask for his help. The pattern is well-known from other parts of the Old Testament, from both the historical books and the prophetic literature.
The people knew that God was their rock and redeemer (verse 35), but their memory of this was short. Very soon after a conversion they were back to ”normal” again; and normal in their case was disobedience, lies, and an unsteady heart.
In contrast to the people, God is depicted as compassionate, forgiving, and mild (verse 38). The verse is not only the key verse in the psalm, it is also -- according to the Masoretes -- the center verse of the Psalter.
In the following God’s reactions and actions are further described, and so are the people’s actions. The contrast between the two -- God and the Israelites -- is hammered in. The psalmist’s aim is clear: he wants his listeners to have trust in
Reading 2 Eph 4:17, 20-24
The apostle charged the Ephesians in the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus, that having professed the gospel, they should not be as the unconverted Gentiles, who walked in vain fancies and carnal affections. Do not men, on every side, walk in the vanity of their minds? Must not we then urge the distinction between real and nominal Christians? They were void of all saving knowledge; they sat in darkness, and loved it rather than light. They had a dislike and hatred to a life of holiness, which is not only the way of life God requires and approves, and by which we live to him, but which has some likeness to God himself in his purity, righteousness, truth, and goodness. The truth of Christ appears in its beauty and power, when it appears as in Jesus. The corrupt nature is called a man; like the human body, it is of diverse parts, supporting and strengthening one another. Sinful desires are deceitful lusts; they promise men happiness, but render them more miserable; and bring them to destruction, if not subdued and mortified. These therefore must be put off, as an old garment, a filthy garment; they must be subdued and mortified. But it is not enough to shake off corrupt principles; we must have gracious ones. By the new man, is meant the new nature, the new creature, directed by a new principle, even regenerating grace, enabling a man to lead a new life of righteousness and holiness. This is created, or brought forth by God's almighty power.
In the following verses notice the particulars wherewith we should adorn our Christian profession. Take heed of everything contrary to truth. No longer flatter or deceive others. God's people are children who will not lie, who dare not lie, who hate and abhor lying. Take heed of anger and ungoverned passions. If there is just occasion to express displeasure at what is wrong, and to reprove, see that it be without sin. We give place to the devil, when the first motions of sin are not grievous to our souls; when we consent to them; and when we repeat an evil deed. This teaches that as sin, if yielded unto, lets in the devil upon us, we are to resist it, keeping from all appearance of evil. Idleness makes thieves. Those who will not work, expose themselves to temptations to steal. Men ought to be industrious, that they may do some good, and that they may be kept from temptation. They must labor, not only that they may live honestly, but that they may have to give to the wants of others. What then must we think of those called Christians, who grow rich by fraud, oppression, and deceitful practices! Alms, to be accepted of God, must not be gained by unrighteousness and robbery, but by honesty and industry. God hates robbery for burnt-offerings.
Gospel Jn 6:24-35
Confusion seems to abound in this passage. Except that in John confusion is as much a literary device as is symbolism. Each point of confusion, that is, offers Jesus a chance to redirect his audience to what is more important. First, the crowds want to know how he and the disciples got around the shore. Jesus accuses them of just wanting to eat again when they should be working for imperishable food. Implication: the spiritual reality of what happened is more important than the earthly one.
Then they want to know what kind of work they should be doing that would be pleasing to God and, presumably, grant imperishable food. Jesus answers that the only work that matters is believing in the one God sent. Implication: according to John's Jesus, it all comes down to this -- do you believe Jesus is the One who reveals God uniquely and fully?
The people then ask for a sign like Moses did by providing the ancient Israelites with manna (which is kind of interesting, since Jesus has just fed 5000 of them!). Jesus responds that it wasn't Moses who provided manna but God. Implication: you do not need and should not look for an intermediary, as God will provide bread from heaven for God's people directly.
Finally, the people ask for, even demand, this bread, and Jesus responds that he is the bread. Implication: Jesus reveals God's character and provides direct access to relationship with God, something formerly mediated by covenant, law, or leader but now is directly accessible through him.
Throughout, this scene provides something of a halting but progressive disclosure that in Jesus God is revealing God's own self most clearly and fully so that all people will have access to God or, to hearken back to John 1, so that all people can become "children of God" (1:12).
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- There are many needs that people require to be healthy and happy. Try to name some of these.
- Observe that some needs are more important than others. Sometimes we talk about our most important physical needs as our “basic human needs.” Which items on your list might be considered a “basic human need?” (water, food, shelter, clothing) There are also non-physical needs that might be considered “basic human needs.” What might be examples of these needs? (love, a sense of purpose, healthy relationships, faith)
- Human beings have many important needs that must be fulfilled if they are to be healthy and happy. In today’s Gospel, we hear that the people were seeking out Jesus because he had fed them abundantly with five loaves of bread and two fish. (Recall last week’s Gospel.) Jesus tells the people that God will provide a greater gift that will satisfy their spiritual needs. Think of the Gospel reading.
- What has Jesus already given the people? (He gave them food, loaves of bread and fish, so that they would not be hungry.) Are the people satisfied, or do they want something more? (They aren’t satisfied; they want more bread.)
- Jesus satisfied a basic physical need, but the people wanted more food. But Jesus tells them that he can give them something even more important than food; he can give them eternal life. What is the question the crowd asks next? (They ask what must they do to accomplish God’s work.) What does Jesus tell them? (that they will do what God wants when they believe in him) Then, Jesus says that he will give them the gift of himself, that he is the bread of life. This is the gift that Jesus has given to us in the Eucharist.
- When we celebrate the Eucharist, we are offering God our thanks because God provides for all of our needs, our basic physical needs and our spiritual needs.
- Thank God for all the wonderful gifts he has given to us, especially for the gift of the Eucharist. Pray the Act of Faith, Act of Hope, and Act of Love.
Amen
Act of Hope O my God, relying on your infinite mercy and promises, I hope to obtain pardon of my sins, the help of your grace, and life everlasting, through the merits of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Redeemer.
Amen.
Act of Love O my God, I love you above all things with my whole heart and soul, because you are all good and worthy of all my love. I love my neighbor as myself for the love of you. I forgive all who have injured me and I ask pardon of those whom I have injured.
Amen.
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Sunday July 28, 2024 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 110
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 2 Kgs 4:42-44
A man came from Baal-shalishah bringing to Elisha, the man of God,
twenty barley loaves made from the firstfruits,
and fresh grain in the ear.
Elisha said, "Give it to the people to eat."
But his servant objected,
"How can I set this before a hundred people?"
Elisha insisted, "Give it to the people to eat."
"For thus says the LORD,
'They shall eat and there shall be some left over.'"
And when they had eaten, there was some left over,
as the LORD had said.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
Reading 2 Eph 4:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace:
one body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.
Gospel Jn 6:1-15
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes
and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip,
"Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
"Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted."
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves
that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 2 Kgs 4:42-44
1) Today's text begins not with scarcity but with generosity. It begins with the announcement that a man from Baal-shalishah comes bringing "food from the first fruits." The text does not provide his name, only mentioning the village he comes from. There is no indication of any obligation on the part of this man to provide food to Elisha nor any mention that Elisha is in need of food.
The giver arrives without explanation. And it is the gifts that are described: "twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain." FYI a barley loaf was the size of one our Bagels today. This is a generous amount! It is not hard to picture, to smell, and to savor the taste of this pile of fresh bread and grain, or to recognize the labor that went into producing them.
2) A second surprising act of generosity then takes place: a sharing of these tasty foods. Elisha decides to share these first fruits with others and instructs "Give it to the people and let them eat."
3) The picture suddenly changes and the generous pile of barley loaves and fresh ears of grain suddenly seems quite small when the servant in charge of administering Elisha's instruction reveals there are a hundred people to feed. The servant's question makes it clear that the eating is to include everyone. How can the giving be accomplished with equity?
4) There is nothing magical about the food that is being discussed in this passage, but there is something unusual. It is described as "food from the first fruits." In the Israelite calendar, the first fruits marked the end of the harvest. The offering of "first fruits" acknowledged that the land and its produce belonged first of all to God. That reality was to serve as a reminder of God's providing and as a curb against selfishness and greed.
The "food from the first fruits" is a holy offering (Leviticus 23:20). According to the festival instructions, it is to be delivered to the priest who is to offer it before the LORD. In 2 Kings 4, however, it is brought to the prophet Elisha who instructs that it be offered to the people. The people will dine on the LORD's meal.
5) While the delivery of the first fruits to Elisha could be viewed as a protest against the religious establishment at Gilgal, nothing in the text makes that connection. Nor is there any objection to this redirection of the food offering (unlike the objection to Jesus plucking grain on the Sabbath in Mark 2:23-28). Instead, there is a surprising third act of generosity. Elisha repeats the instruction, "Give it to the people and let them eat," adding, "for thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and have some left.'" And it was so. The source of this abundance is God. The LORD feeds the people with the LORD's own food.
A miracle occurs in this story: a sack of grain and twenty barley loaves feed one hundred people, with food remaining. It is a miracle:
- made possible by God's abundant providing.
- initiated by the generosity of an anonymous giver.
- shared with others because of the recipient's generosity.
- in which all are included because of an administrator's concern for equity.
- through which the community shares in what is holy.
The passage depicts the miracle of daily existence: human community and holy living are dependent upon the abundant providing of God, human generosity and willingness to share, and attention to equity.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
The main subject of Psalm 145 is the eternal kingship of the Lord.
The psalm contains a comprehensive expression of praise for God as heavenly king. Perhaps this is why the psalm’s superscription designates it as a “song of praise” (Tehillah). Psalm 145 is the only psalm to be identified this way. The Talmud recognizes its unique identity as a song of praise by saying, “Everyone who repeats the Tehillah of David thrice a day may be sure that he is a child of the world to come”. What the Talmud surely recognizes is that Psalm 145 invites the believer to praise God in ways that acknowledge God’s exclusive prerogative as ruler of the cosmos and God’s unique care for those who seek him. This central set of concerns is expressed in verses 10-18.
Psalm 145 is an acrostic poem. Each successive verse begins with a new letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostics were perhaps composed for ease of memorization or to make the theological point that what is expressed in the poem aims to be comprehensive. The acrostic style creates a somewhat artificial structure. Nevertheless, the psalm has two distinct points at which the psalmist invites praise of God. In the first verse the psalmist declares “I will extol you, my God and King,” thus giving personal witness to the intention to praise. Then verse 10 expands the voice of praise to “all your works” and “all your faithful.” Hence, verse 10 marks a second beginning of praise in Psalm 145. The initial “I” voice in verse 10 speaks on behalf of all God’s creatures and all God’s people with a similar promise of praise: “All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you.”
A key question about verse 10 concerns the identity of “your faithful.” Does this expression refer to a special group within Israel (e.g. “those who love him,” as opposed to the wicked; see v. 20), to all the Israelites, or to some broader constituency? Although the psalm does not make the identity explicit, the pairing of “your faithful” with “all your works” would seem to argue for a broad identity. Even if the faithful ones who speak God’s praise do not designate an expanded, inclusive group, however, their praise sends word of God’s grace to all people (v. 12). The message, if not the messengers, includes all who turn to God. The only criterion for inclusion is need recognized and expressed.
An important part of the theology of Psalm 145:10-18 is the location of the psalm in the Psalter. It appears as the last psalm before the final doxology (Psalms 146-150, tied together by “Praise the Lord” at the beginning and end of each). As the final psalm in the last Davidic collection in the book (Psalms 138-145), Psalm 145 is also the last word of David in the Psalter. Here David speaks and praises God, and his praise in turn introduces the praise-filled conclusion to the Psalter in Psalms 146-150. At the center of David’s praise, verses 10-18 declare that “your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations” (v. 13) and “the Lord is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings” (v. 17). In other words, God as heavenly king is faithful in a way that no king of Israel ever was, and God’s kingdom of righteousness endures forever, in contrast to the Davidic monarchy that could not last. Perhaps most remarkably, David himself delivers this message. David appears here (as Moses earlier, in Psalm 90) as mediator for and guide to Israel from across the ages. He points the Israelites who have known humiliation and defeat at the hands of the Babylonians to the kingdom of God rather than to the kingdom of David’s descendants. They will find hope and future in the heavenly King rather than in a mortal “in whom is no help” (Psalm 146:3).
It is also appropriate that this final message on the lips of David sums up much of what the Psalter has been expressing in Psalms 1-144. Namely, God is uniquely concerned for the lowly and downcast (see Psalms 1; 34; 37). As verse 14 says, “the lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down.” As the psalm expresses this feature of God’s character it also presents a thorough-going understanding of God’s grace available through dependence and faith. As verse 18 proclaims, “The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.” Indeed, the main requirement for getting help from God and knowing God’s salvation is calling on him out of one’s need. In other words, God looks for those open to divine direction and help. Faithfulness is thus defined primarily by dependence.
Reading 2 Eph 4:1-6
Paul begins our section by reminding his listeners that he is a "prisoner in the Lord" (4:1). However, as Paul sees it, his frequent stays in prison are never without purpose. He does not simply refer to himself as a prisoner but as a "prisoner in the Lord" (compare 3:1). We might consider imprisonment to be a "waste" of time because it inhibits our freedom to do what we want to do. But Paul has a different perspective. Even confinement does not diminish his energy for his mission in life: to proclaim Christ. Indeed, he even reports to the church of the Philippians that his imprisonment serves to spread the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:12-14). Perhaps there are two lessons that might be drawn from Paul's example.
First, we should never limit Christ's presence and power to places we typically regard as holy or sacred. As Paul's own situation reminds us, the power of Christ can never be constrained by a physical or social location. We might think divinity goes hand in hand with wealth, splendor, influence and comfort. But almost everything in the gospels subverts this understanding.
God shows up in a manger and not a palace. The first to hear about the incarnation are not statesmen but shepherds. Jesus is regularly accused of hanging out with sinners and then, like Paul, becomes a prisoner of the state on the way to a shameful death. And then the first witnesses of the resurrection are women, deemed by their culture to be unreliable gossips.
Second, it is worth noting that stays in prison can often hone understanding and insight. Letters from captivity (like Ephesians or Philippians) are profound meditations on the meaning of faith in the midst of suffering and exclusion.
Paul pairs the words "called" and "callings" in two different places in the passage (4:1 and 4:4). The reader is reminded of the relationship between our being called by God and the subsequent assignment of a calling in the world. The language of calling links the church with the election of Israel. God has chosen for himself (1:4) a people and this election depends firmly on God's decision. It is done "before the foundation of the world" (1:4) and it relies solely on God's gracious initiative. And the result of being called is that the faithful now have callings where they lead lives marked by humility, love and patience (4:2).
It is easy to get confused about the dual nature of a call. It is worth underlining that being called and having a calling must be distinguished but never separated. Our relationship with God simultaneously involves a relationship with neighbor or community. And these callings are multiple as it is impossible for a Christian to not be in some type of calling at all times of life.
Just as God is active in every nook and cranny of creation so God uses his people to make sure people are fed, clothed, comforted, educated, protected, etc. Proclaimers would be wise to remind listeners that a calling should not be pared down to a job or occupation. This would mean wide stretches of human experience would be outside of God's providence. God calls us not only to work but to friendship, family life, citizenship, etc. In other words, our bearing witness to the truth is grounded in a deep humility (4:2).
Gospel Jn 6:1-15
The feeding of the multitude is the only miracle story told in all four Gospels.
Perhaps this story has such a secure place in the memory of the church because of the Eucharistic themes which it carries.
While each Gospel includes this story, each also strikes distinctive notes in the telling. Only John tells us that this event takes place near the festival of Passover (John 6:4). What may seem like an insignificant detail in fact is at the heart of what the entire chapter claims about Jesus.
At the end of chapter 5, Jesus complained that his opponents did not understand or believe what Moses had written (John 5:39-47). We then are ushered immediately into a scene that not only takes place at Passover, one of the great events associated with Moses, but into a text that overflows with echoes of the Passover event. Some examples include:
- At the beginning of chapter 6, events of supernatural feeding and of salvation from the sea are joined together, just as the crossing of the sea and the manna in the wilderness were part of the story of Moses.
- There is "testing" here (John 6:6), as there was in Exodus 16:4.
- Jesus commands that the pieces be gathered up so that nothing is wasted, just as Moses commanded in Exodus 16:19.
- Jesus is said to go up "to the mountain" (notice that it is not simply "a" mountain in verse 3). In fact, the text strangely says that after the feeding, Jesus (again?) withdrew "to the mountain”. Perhaps this repeated mention of "the mountain" (another piece unique to John's account) is intended to recall that other mountain in Israel's story, where Moses met God.
Verse 14 indicates that the people have made the connections. Faced with this feeding miracle in the wilderness, they remember the promise that God will raise up a prophet like Moses, and they confess that Jesus is that prophet. But they fail to realize what this sign actually reveals. Instead of seeing in Jesus the very embodiment of God's glory, love, and Word, they see a king, a political or military figure who might serve their desires.
We ought to remember the Passover was a festival of national liberation from a foreign oppressor. It is an act of revolution to want to make Jesus king. The crowds are certainly acting on their beliefs, and acting boldly; but they have missed the point of what has happened. They see Jesus' gracious gift, but they want a glory for him that fits into their assumptions and serves their goals.
How often do we fail to see the depths of what God is doing, because we are focused only on what serves our immediate desires and needs? We fail to realize how graciously God is acting among us, for our sake and for the sake of the whole world. We only see partially and in distorted ways. We need the continuing word of Jesus, and the gift of himself, if we are to move more deeply into the glory of God. This is what the crowds need as well, though it will take all of chapter 6 to tell the story.
It is at the cross that we see the full depth of God's glory, and the cross cannot be avoided. Like the crowds in John 6, we have been fed by God's grace, fed with God's mercy and care and steadfast love; and, like them, we often fail to see what God is doing among us. We look for the "wrong" kind of Jesus, one who will simply serve our programs, our desires, and our wishes.
Jesus will have no part of this, because God is up to something far greater. Jesus comes to us as God in the flesh, the one who reveals to us the Father and draws us into the Father's love. Jesus comes across the fearful, lonely, empty, threatening times and places, and says "I am." The "I am" has come to be with us and bring us to the goal God has intended.
This divine presence means we find ourselves called, as the disciples were, to feed the hungry. Of course this means we are to provide food and clean water to so many in this world who lack those things. And of course, our resources are not sufficient for such a task. But this cannot be an excuse to refuse what Jesus' gives, and to bring it to others within the world. is no excuse not to receive from Jesus' hand what he gives, and to go into the world with this gift.
All life and all good gifts come from God. Jesus comes to open our hearts and our hands to those around us. We can do that only because he also comes to open our eyes to his own presence as the grace-and-peace-filled "I" in the middle of the storm.
ADDITIONAL NOTES -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 2 Kgs 4:42-44
How much is enough? And how little will go far? These practical matters are sometimes questions of faith.
Israel, the northern kingdom, was ruled by a series of money hungry, idolatrous despots (Judea was the southern kingdom). God raised up prophets, first Elijah, then Elisha, to challenge the rulers and guide the people.
A man brought Elisha a prophet's tithe (10%), but Elisha decided to share it with the poor. When the man objected, Elisha assured the man: "There will be some left over."
In our culture of material excess, how many times have we run out of time or money or energy? Wouldn't it be amazing to experience abundance from our meager efforts? Is this not what God promises us?
Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
When was the last time you were impressed by the look of a building or star or media production? Did the look impress you more than the content? Why or why not?
Do you remember the fads of your youth? Did some of these fads endure with time? Some of these fads were a certain look, a way to dress, a hairdo, an attitude. Some survived because of the personalities involved. Sinatra set the tone for crooning. Miles Davis exhaled the "cool." The Beatles outgrew their haircuts but not their influence. These and many other stars left a cultural legacy built upon not only their talent, but their look and attitude. Their image was as important as their output.
Sometimes the Scripture contains verses that depend upon style. Psalm 145 is such a series of verses. This psalm is more stylistic than thematic. Each line of the psalm has a subsequent letter of the Hebrew alphabet (imagine a poem where the first line began with a word beginning with the letter "A," the second line began with a word beginning with "B," the third with "C," etc.). Such a psalm was limited in thought because the focus was on form.
Notice there are some repetitions. The psalm began and ended with personal praise, like bookends; the center piece of the psalm was the praise of all creation. The faithful praised God throughout the generation, while God cared for his faithful (implicitly from one generation to the next). The transitions in the psalm spoke of God's glory.
While the theme of praise threaded through the psalm, the content of the praise depended on the structure of the psalm, not the thought process itself. The verses did not built on one thought to another; they seemed to jump from one image to another. Still, the psalm held together with the idea of praise. (We can assume the original Hebrew engaged the ancient reader far more than the English translation we have today.)
Style can rise to the level of substance, even in Scripture, yet it should never overtake the spirit of the verse. Worship, like other parts of the Christian lifestyle, requires a style, but in never reducible to style. In praise, style is a means to an end, giving glory to God.
Reading 2 Eph 4:1-6
Unlike the Eastern religions which emphasize interior enlightenment of the individual as the primary goal of life, Western religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) focus upon ethical living within a community. Obviously, all major world religions seek insight and high moral living. The difference is a matter of direction. The East begins within and flows outward to others. The West begins in community and flows to the heart of the believer.
Of course, this explanation is almost a caricature of East vs. West. But, it points out the Western road to holiness. In Ephesians, the author (Paul or a ghost writer) saw unity with God through a unity with others in the community. Notice the language the author used to describe the Christian lifestyle: walking a worthy journey. This language reflected the mobile ministry of Jesus and the missionary efforts of the early Church. Early Christians described their spirituality as the "Way," a path or journey that was shared with others.
Imagine, for a moment, travel in ancient times. Since travel on the road was filled with dangers, many travelers formed or joined caravans. The group became the vehicle for safe travel. This matched the mind set for ancient culture. The one's place within the group defined the individual. What a person did for others built up his or her reputation in the community and on the road. 4:1-3 described how someone could build up others: gentleness, humility, patience, keeping peace, charity.
All these qualities (and, indeed, life itself), the author inferred, came from God. The Spirit produced the community and its lifestyle (i.e., the "Body"). The Lord Jesus taught his followers the "faith" and gave them the sacrament of baptism. And God the Father gave them the world as a home. Again, notice the flow of Christian spirituality: from the Spirit, through the Lord Jesus, to the Father. But, always, always in community.
Our unity with God as Trinity means our unity with others in community. That is the bar that measures an effective Christian life
Gospel Jn 6:1-15
What do you most appreciate in your life? How hard did you work for those items or qualities? Do you deserve those items or qualities?
Is it a gift or a right? We Americans seem to work harder to gain the good things in life. Yet, if we were asked what we cherish the most, we would point to those things that cannot be earned. Ultimately, the question falls to our inner character. Are we self-giving or self centered?
Jesus presented such a choice to the crowd he fed with bread and fish. He gave them a sign. But was it a sign of faith or a sign of birthright?
John presented us with the multiplication of loaves and fish. Beneath that narrative John asked the question every sign Jesus performed asked: Does the witness believe in Jesus?
Literal Translation
After these (events), JESUS went across the sea of Galilee, of Tiberias. A large crowd was following HIM because they were seeing the signs he was doing upon the feeble. JESUS went up a hill and sat there with HIS disciples. The Passover festival of the Jews was near. Having lifted up (HIS) eyes, and having seen that a large crowd came toward him, JESUS said to Phillip, "Where can we buy loaves of bread so that these (people) might eat?" But HE was saying this, testing him, for HE knew what HE was about to do.Phillip answered HIM, "Loaves (worth) two hundred denarii is not enough so that each one might receive a little (bread)." One out of HIS disciples, Andrew, brother of Simon Peter, said to HIM, "There is a small boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But these (items), what are they for such (large numbers of people)?" JESUS said, "Make the men recline." There was a lot of grass at the place. Then the men reclined, five thousand (in) number.
"The sea of Galilee, of Tiberias." Scholars are not sure whether "Tiberias" refers to a village on the southwest shore of the lake, or if the name is an alternative for the lake. In the former sense, the verse would read: "...the sea of Galilee, at the town of Tiberias." In the later sense, the verse would read "...the sea of Galilee (also called "Lake Tiberias").
The crowd continued to follow Jesus because of the events they were witnessing. Notice the verbs in the sentence "seeing, doing" indicate Jesus' ongoing ministry.
The noun "signs" has a technical sense in John. These were more than miracles; they were signs of God's presence. In 6:2, he performed signs on the "weak ones" (i.e., the sick).
The place (a hilltop) and the disciples' position (sitting) indicate Jesus taught them.
"Having lifted up (his) eyes" is the same as "Jesus looked around."
"Five barley loaves and two small fish" This was a meal of a pair of poor Galileans. Barley was a grain for the lower classes, while wheat was used for the rich or special occasions. The loaf size was small, actually roll size. The word for "small fish" referred to dried fish that remained eatible in the desert climate.
Sometimes we confuse God's blessing with faith: we assume abundance is the sign of God's favor. This sets up a vicious cycle of greed. The little we have is not enough; we want more. And we rationalize this greed in the name of God.
The signs, the time, and the place seemed perfect for a miracle. The signs were Jesus' cures. The time was spring, close to Passover, the feast of liberation from slavery. The place was a mountain in the desert; on such a mountain, God gave the Law to Moses and revealed his power.
Expecting an experience like their ancestors of the Exodus, the people followed Jesus. And Jesus did not disappoint them. In the multiplication of the loaves and the fish, Jesus surpassed the two great prophets of Galilee, Elijah and Elisha. From a single basket of food, there were baskets left over, a number that meant fulfillment. The time and the place were just right; the sign was from God. And, Jesus revealed himself as the Great Prophet.
JESUS took the loaves of bread and, having blessed (them), gave (them) to those reclining, and likewise with the small fish, (so the people ate) as much as they wanted. As they ate (their) fill, HE said to HIS disciples, "Gather the leftover pieces (of food), so that none might be wasted." Then, they gathered (the food) together and filled twelve baskets of leftovers out of the five barley loaves which they had eaten their fill. Having seen what sign HE did, the men were saying, "This is truly the prophet, the one coming into the world." JESUS, then, having known they were about to come and take hold of him so that they might make him king, left again into the
"Make the men recline." The narrative shifted from a discussion of the crowd to that of the males in the crowd. In a gender segregated, male dominated society, the men would be served food first. Since reclining (laying down on one's side, propped up by an elbow) was the common posture for eating at the time, Jesus had his disciples prepare the crowd for the meal.
The multiplication of the loaves reminded the people of an image for God's kingdom, the never-ending feast. Even though the food was common, the sheer amount spoke of abundance that was lacking among the poor Galileans. Seeing the sign, the men assumed Jesus was a prophet who would announce God's Kingdom. (Indeed, many scholars posit a "Messianic" prophet figure.) John's gospel infers such a prophet in 1:21, a reference to Deuteronomy 18:15, 18:
"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren--him you shall heed--I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him." (RSV)
The men in the story were ready to declare Jesus their Messiah.
The people fell to the temptation of greed; after they experienced God's blessing, they wanted more. In the people's eyes, what Jesus did was sufficient to make him the prophet-king of a country freed from Rome's dominance. So, they made their move, and Jesus fled.
The multiplication pointed to the Eucharist. From one body, God fed many and an abundance remained. One small piece of bread was broken and the result was eternal life. From the flesh of one man, the world was fed.
But, why was fish used instead of wine? For many years, bible scholars have been trying to answer this question with mixed results. But a few facts should be noted. First, the major portion of Jesus' ministry was in the neighborhood of the Sea of Galilee, an area with a fishing culture. In Galilee, fish was a main staple of food, whether it was fresh or preserved (i.e., cured, pickled, salted, or dried). Sometimes, wine was mixed with the fish brine as a preservative. And fish was always eaten with bread, even in the greater Greek culture.
Second, many of Jesus' followers were fishermen. After the resurrection, missionaries would tell and retell stories from Galilee as the Church expanded outside of Palestine. Indeed, two of the three post resurrection meal stories involved fish (Luke 24:41-43 and John 21:9-13).
So, it is not surprising that fish would be tied to stories about bread meals. The meaning of the fish, however, is a matter of great speculation. With this subject aside, the gospel presented us with two questions:
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Sunday July 21, 2024 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 107
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 23:1-6
Woe to the shepherds
who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,
says the LORD.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
against the shepherds who shepherd my people:
You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.
You have not cared for them,
but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
from all the lands to which I have driven them
and bring them back to their meadow;
there they shall increase and multiply.
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
and none shall be missing, says the LORD.
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
as king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
"The LORD our justice."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Reading 2 Eph 2:13-18
Brothers and sisters:
In Christ Jesus you who once were far off
have become near by the blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, he who made both one
and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,
that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,
thus establishing peace,
and might reconcile both with God,
in one body, through the cross,
putting that enmity to death by it.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off
and peace to those who were near,
for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
Gospel Mk 6:30-34
The apostles gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Jer 23:1-6
Just as sheep need a shepherd to guide and protect them, the people of Israel need responsible leaders to provide for them. Wise leadership matters.
Jeremiah 23:1-6, which concerns shepherds and their sheep, was chosen for this Sunday in July because of the thematic connection to the Gospel reading, Mark 6:30-34, which includes a description of the crowd following Jesus “like sheep not having a shepherd.” As we will see below, this image of shepherd-less sheep provokes feelings of anxiety and concern.
Our passage issues judgment to shepherds who have not upheld their duties to their flock. Jeremiah is not concerned with actual livestock and real shepherds. Instead, the prophet is using a common metaphor from the ancient Near East to speak of human kings and leaders as shepherds to the people. The ovine imagery is appropriate since the duties and responsibilities of shepherds would be well-known to ancient readers. Shepherds are supposed to take care of their sheep. Feed them; protect them; guide them.
But the kings have not been good shepherds given that the sheep now find themselves in exile, scattered among the nations. God blames these leaders for destroying and scattering the sheep. Given the use of the plural, shepherds, we are to assume that a whole set of Judah’s kings is responsible, not just a single figure.
This judgment against the leadership brings up the question of responsibility and accountability. This passage from Jeremiah seems to want to place all the blame for the exile on the Judahite leadership (more specifically, the last few kings of Judah before the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem). But can we always blame the shepherds for the disastrous affairs among their sheep fold? What role might the sheep play also in this scattering? And how about other nations’ shepherds who have held more political and military power? The theological and ethical perspective of Jeremiah 23 is quite narrow: woe to the shepherds!
The shepherd is indeed a very biblical image. Psalm 23 uses this same imagery to speak of God as a shepherd. Shepherds take their sheep to green pastures and still waters and along correct paths. They protect them with their rod and staff in the darkest valleys. Likewise, Ezekiel 34 speaks of the leaders of Israel as shepherds and of God as the good shepherd. God seeks out the scattered sheep and rescues them from dangerous places.
Many of us today do not have intimate knowledge of these pastoral responsibilities. The metaphor of a shepherd really works only for those of us with prior biblical knowledge or livestock experience. How might we reimagine this metaphor for today? How do we speak of and imagine leadership? Similarly, many of us do not live under the rule of a king. To conceive of God as a king does not resonate as well with a people of democracy. We need perhaps new metaphors for leadership, a way to update and expand our biblical metaphors. But where shall we obtain these understandings of leadership? Should we think of God as the good C.E.O.? or the President?
God’s solution to this instance of poor leadership is forthcoming. The oracle of judgment becomes an oracle of salvation in verse 3. God takes the initiative. God will gather the flock from their scattering, bringing them back to the fold of the land of Israel, and raise up new shepherds, new leaders, for them.
Verses 5-6 then move beyond the shepherd metaphor to speak of a righteous branch. God will raise up a Branch who will reign wisely so that Judah and Israel will be saved. Jeremiah has in mind an earthly king or line of royal figures here, a future Davidic monarchy.
Finally, we get a glimpse of the characteristics of a proper leader or shepherd in verse 5: the execution of justice and righteousness in the land. The specifics of this type of wise leadership are still withheld, as these details are not a part of the rhetorical goal of this oracle of promise. Nevertheless, we have a promise of new leadership. God will begin again with the house of David to enthrone a sagacious shepherd.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
Literary artistry. The basic facts about the psalm preach an eloquent message by themselves. There are fifty-five Hebrew words in this psalm, and unlike many psalms there are almost no repetitions. Only the Hebrew words for “Lord” (vv. 1, 6), “day” (v. 6, twice), and possibly “restore/return” (vv. 3, 6) are repeated. It’s as if the poet were given a list of some fifty words and told to write the most memorable poem in human history. Moreover, a total of fifty-five words creates a precise center (the 28th word), namely, “you,” in reference to the Lord. Thus, the thought at the very center of the poem is the phrase, “you are with me” (v. 4). Combine that insight with the closure created by the use of “Lord” in the psalm’s opening and closing phrases, and we see the portrait of the divine shepherd who is there at the beginning, the middle, and the end of our journey. By virtue of its literary artistry alone, therefore, this psalm declares that God enfolds his people so that we all are part of the flock; and yet this shepherd intimately knows the sheep in all their distinction and difference. Each one of us is throughout his or her life a unique and precious possession of God.
Historical context. Scholars have done excellent work explaining the ancient Near Eastern context of the psalm. Still, this is not an idea that every commentary discusses, and it almost certainly is not on your parishioners’ radar. Nevertheless, it is important for grasping the psalm’s meaning in its original context to know that both Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures used the shepherd image for their kings, their gods, or both. The epilogue to the famous Code of Hammurabi has that king state: “I made the people lie down in safe pastures, I did not allow anyone to frighten them.” Or in regard to the image of the banquet (vv 5-6), there is the goddess Anat who “arranges seats for the warriors, arranges tables for the soldiers.” The biblical psalmist, being well aware of this broad cultural background, is thus making an affirmation of faith: The Lord -- not a foreign god or king -- is the only true shepherd of each and every Israelite. We now hear this psalm not merely as a message of comfort on life’s journey but a theological creed spoken in the midst of our own culture with all of its earthly leaders and “gods” that can never be the Shepherd-King of Psalm 23.
Biblical theology. Finally, while many parishioners will connect this poem with the shepherd images elsewhere in the Bible (e.g., Jeremiah 23, Ezekiel 34, John 10), few will identify the echoes of Israel’s national journey of deliverance, wilderness, and emergence in the land (see especially Psalm 78:52-55). This most precious of personal psalms is about both our individual journeys and the journey of the people of God. Finally, biblical theology finds echoes of prophetic themes connecting this psalm to the covenantal standards of justice. And the poet’s sense of protection from the enemies (v. 5) moves toward a richer understanding of reconciliation through the good shepherd who tells us to love and forgive them (Matthew 5:44; Luke 22:34).
Reading 2 Eph 2:13-18
Ephesians 2:11-22 in Context
Rhetorically, Ephesians 2 lays very important groundwork for the rest of the letter. It’s helpful to see the argument in terms of concentric circles. The outer circle in 2:1-10 communicates God’s cosmic transformation of humanity from being dead in sin to alive in Christ. The inner circle in 2:11-22 begins with a “therefore” (dio), suggesting that everything said issues from 2:1-10. Here Paul focuses on the reconciliation of Jew and Gentile, which falls within God’s bigger move of reconciling humanity from sin and death to life. This social, on-the-ground-relational transformation cannot be divorced from the greater cosmic move of transferring humanity from the house of the old aeon to the new house under the lordship of Jesus Christ. God’s reconciliation does not stop with me and my own sinfulness; it aims to resurrect humanity from the palpable widespread systemic brokenness of a world caught under sin and death.
Uncircumcision and Circumcision
Verses 11-12 focus on Gentiles who had been excluded and separated. They are the “uncircumcision.” It is not that Gentiles were “not saved” -- not on the train to heaven but rather on the highway to hell. The writer describes their situation as “apart from Christ, separated from the commonwealth of Israel, and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, not having hope and godless in the world.”
These verses provide opportunity to go in two directions. First, they provide a doorway to reorient the idea of God’s salvation. Being saved is not just “getting a ticket out of hell,” or positively put, assurance of heaven. It is a movement from one sphere of life to another. These verses remind us: salvation involves more than forgiveness of the individual sinful self; it is the integration into God’s work of redemption and reconciliation, which is strongly implied in the following verses (see also 2 Corinthians 5).
From the perspective of the author, humanity outside of God’s reconciliation exists as hopeless wanderers. It’s not that humanity apart from God has no identity or home. Humanity apart from God’s mission would not see themselves this way. But human identity outside of God’s working of redemption is about as lasting as the fog in the San Francisco bay. Sure, it’s thick and dense and a force to be reckoned with; but it will pass, revealing it was only a mist with no substance. It’s not that God has called humanity from nothingness; God has called humanity from the illusion that our stubborn insistence that we and our manufactured ways can actually bring into actualization our full identity as those made in the image of God.
The Two Have Become One
The circumcision and the uncircumcision are two separate groups within humanity according to our author. One group was considered outsiders, the other insiders with regard to covenant with God (and it was not only that Jews saw Gentiles as outsiders; from the perspective of Gentile life and religiosity, Jews were equally ignorant of God as defined by their history and tradition). This separation between the two groups was not limited to theological disposition -- to “belief”; it played out in very real ways in terms of human social relations. While it would be incorrect to say these groups of people had no interaction, it is important to understand that they did not sit at the same table together; they were not interested in sharing life. They were opposed.
This passage trumpets the good news that God has brought uncircumcision and circumcision together. One radical element of this message is that God’s unification of the two groups does not mean “uniformity.” One group does not fall under the power of the more dominant group. Rather, Paul says that God in Christ has made one humanity of the two. Gentiles do not become Jews; Jews do not become Gentiles. Rather, both Jews and Gentiles become united in Christ as Jew and Gentile. The uncircumcision are welcomed into the story of God played out through the people of the circumcision, to play their own part in the continuing story of redemption.
Gospel Mk 6:30-34
Verses 30-34 are the introduction to the "Feeding of the Five Thousand" account in Mark 6:35-44 and the incident when Jesus walked on the water in Mark 6:45-52. However, we skip over those two great stories. (I imagine these texts are omitted because they are included in Year A when Matthew 14:13-21 and 14:22-33 are read.)
Give It a Rest
In a Gospel which is so fast-paced and where so many things happen "immediately," it is a striking shift in verse 31 when Jesus tells the disciples to get away by themselves to rest. Unfortunately though, we find out that Jesus and the disciples never get their little vacation. (For Jesus, after presumably three years of ministry, he would have to die to get three days of rest in the tomb!)
It may be a small point, but we do see that the success of the disciples in their ministry is not measured simply by how much they accomplish. Having been out on their own, now they are called back to Jesus. It is the same with the Gospel. It's not a matter of how much we accomplish, but a matter of our relationship with the Lord.
We've seen similar scenes in Mark. This time the large crowd impinges upon Jesus and the disciples' plan for a little rest, but still Jesus has compassion. (The Greek used here is splagchnizomai, a great word denoting sympathy, mercy, and loving concern.)
Why does Jesus have compassion on them? "Because "they were like sheep without a shepherd." That is such a poignant and powerful image, and I suspect many of us often feel like we are in that position.
In chapter 10 of the Gospel of John, this image will be elaborated with the reflection on what it means for Jesus to be the Good Shepherd. For John, it ties in with Jesus being the one who knows and is known by the sheep. Most importantly, the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
If that is the case, then what would it look like for Jesus to show compassion to these "shepherdless" sheep in Mark? You might be anticipating something like how Jesus healed their sick and took the children into his arms. But that's not what the text says here.
What does Jesus do? "And he began to teach them many things" (Mark 6:34).
The supreme shepherd leading His sheep.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- I know that many of you are involved in some wonderful activities, and also keeping the house or apartment in order. I imagine at the end of a week you would probably just like a little rest.
- In last week’s Gospel, we heard Jesus send his disciples to preach and to heal in his name. In today’s Gospel, we hear what happens when they return from this important work.
- What does Jesus want his disciples to do now that they have returned from their work? (He wants them to rest.) Do they succeed in finding time to rest? (No, the crowd continues to seek them out; Jesus is moved with pity and begins to teach the crowd.)
- In today’s Gospel, we learn that Jesus wanted his disciples to rest and relax after their work. Jesus also wants us to make time in our lives for rest and relaxation. Part of this time might be spent in prayer. Just as we need to set aside time for homework and to plan for other important activities in our week, we also need to plan for prayer.
- Think about your weekly schedules and identify a time this week when you will pray. Ask Jesus to help you make prayer a priority in your life. Say the Lord's Prayer.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Reading 1 Jer 23:1-6
Readers find these words of hope among a diatribe against the corrupt kings and false prophets of Judea. By the time Judea faced its greatest challenge with the rise of Babylon, it had been reduced to the status of a city-state. The king controlled very little land outside the area surrounding Jerusalem. But the area had international importance because it lay on the trade routes between Persia in the east and Egypt to the southwest.
Which great power should Judea appease? To gain favor meant military alliances and favorable trade arrangements. But, it also meant emulating the culture of the dominant power, including the worship of their gods. A "corrupt" king would place political expediency (and idolatry) above faithfulness to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His advisors (the "false prophets") would encourage him to do the same. Only a few, brave souls who believed in God would speak out. Jeremiah was one those outspoken faithful.
[1-2] Using the "shepherd' analogy, Jeremiah summarized his condemnation of Judea's kings. Their practices had "scattered" the people. Jeremiah blamed royal corruption and idolatry for the weakness of the kingdom that resulted in the migration of Jews to Egypt and points north. (Even after the death of Jesus, there was a large population of Jews in Egypt).
[2-6] But God would not forget his people. He himself would gather the scattered and return them to a kingdom ruled by a just king. Corruption would be replaced by justice. Idolatry would be replaced by true worship. Peace and security would return to the land. All this would be God's doing and in God's time.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6
Psalm 23 contains some of the most memorable verses in all Scripture. The core of the psalms has two images, the faith of the pilgrim on his journey and the welcome banquet the pilgrim celebrated in the Temple at the journey's end.
23:1b-4 described the faith of the pilgrim on his way. The verses emphasized the faith walk, the person who traveled light and depended on the Lord to take care of his need, like sheep who depend upon their shepherd. Notice the pilgrim trusted God not only to fill his need, but reveal loving care as he provided such need ("green pastures and safe waters"). The loving care extended to the "dark" times of danger, stress, and lack. The pilgrim trusted God would be always present in every situation, for that was the true meaning of pilgrimage: a journey to a specific religious shrine in response to the call of God.
At the end of the pilgrimage lies the celebration (23:5-6). The host would show hospitality ("anoint my head with oil") and provide a feast. Such demonstrations of care would spite one's enemies. In the context of the Temple, the divine host's care would act as a blessing on the pilgrim now and in the future. The blessing was meant as a sign to non-believers to repent so they, too, could share in God's loving concern.
The uniting theme in Psalm 23 was divine care. God was the shepherd and the host. He showed the pilgrim loving concern during the journey and at the destination.
The question of journey or destination is a false one, to be sure. Both are opportunities for faith, times to trust God. Faith on the road means a dependence on the divine for our daily needs. Faith at the destination means celebration, a sense one arrived at the divine banquet.
Reading 2 Eph 2:13-18
One of the themes in Ephesians was the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles in the Church. While the authorship of the letter has been disputed, there is no doubt the rise of the Nazanene sect within Judaism and its subsequent excommunication by leaders in synagogues had a large effect on the New Testament canon. Paul defended the large influx of Gentiles into the Christian communities. Such a defense was reflected in his undisputed writings.
Paul fought against his former co-religionists, the Pharisees. Judaism under the Pharisees fought for the "purity" of the people. The holy nation should be kosher, unpolluted by foreign influences. Such an attitude led to a prejudice between Jews and non-Jews. And this was one of the reasons Jewish Christians who welcomed Gentiles were tossed out of their national communities.
To answer this prejudice, the author of Ephesians (Paul?) made an astounding claim. The death of Christ abolished the Law, with its ordinances and the decrees made by scribes. In other words, Jesus' death took away the legitimacy of "kosher." God no longer desired a unique nationality. He wanted those who followed the Christ. For in Christ, the prejudice caused by the wall of religious and national purity was wiped away. The former enemies were now one in the Lord. For they shared the same Spirit.
Of course, the social situation that created this prejudice no longer exists. In the United States, Jews no longer hold to their ghettos. The majority of non-Jewish Americans have no interest in isolating the heirs to the first covenant. Waning hatred has led to mutual respect. Yet, we still have our traditions that grew from that time of mistrust. We Christians still hold that we worship the same God as the Jews, but are not required to follow the kosher aspects of the Law. Our freedom and our unity with our Jewish brethren come from the death of Christ on the cross. We Gentiles follow the Jewish Messiah.
Gospel Mk 6:30-34
The apostles were brought together before JESUS and they told everything they did and they taught. 31 HE said to them, "Come, (just) you yourselves alone to an isolated place and rest a little." For many (people) were coming and leaving, and they did not have an opportunity to eat. 32 They went away by boat to an isolated place by themselves.
6:30 "The apostles" is one of the two times Mark used the title for the Twelve. "Apostle" literally means "to send out." After their travels, the Twelve became those Jesus had sent out.
6:31 "they did not have an opportunity to eat." is literally "they did not have a good time to eat." The commotion and demands of the people did not allow rest for Jesus and his followers.
When the Twelve returned, they reported their success. Jesus responded with an invitation to retreat. Simply, they would sail to a favorite cove Jesus used for private prayer. Yet, this trip did not appear as it seemed to the modern mind.
For moderns, scenic visas and vacant areas for relief represent relaxation. But, the contemporaries of Jesus saw "deserted" places as the home of evil and danger. Moderns seek personal space. Jews in the times of Jesus had no such concept. They banded together in a few Palestinian cities (like Jerusalem) or in small hamlets (50-150 population) for survival. Moderns seek privacy. Ancients sought social connection to the extent that personal identity almost solely depended upon one's place in family (and, hence, society).
Jesus' contemporaries viewed the land as vast playground for evil, dotted by hamlets, oases of safety. Why would Jesus seek the desert and invite his chosen to follow him? Remember the Temptation from Mark 1:12-13. After the baptism of Jesus by John, the Spirit drove Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan. After forty days, Jesus returned to begin his ministry. Mark implied Jesus conquered the devil and his land, then returned to serve people. Jesus was Lord of nature, even the "desert." He invited his followers to join him in his domain.
The opportunity to eat and rest also meant more than renewing one's needs. The meal was an event that renewed fellowship and social bonds. The gospels imply Jesus had many meals with his inner circle to develop leadership and pass along the message of the Kingdom.
33 Many (people) saw them leave and recognized them. On foot, (the people) ran together there from the cities and arrived ahead of them. 34 Having come out (of the boat), HE saw the large crowd and felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So, he began to teach them many (things).
The hunger of the people outweighed any sense of danger. The desert was safe when people traveled in numbers. So, the word went out. Mark painted a large picture of many people deserting their villages to see Jesus and preceding his arrival. Mark was not concerned with the actual numbers or possibly of "outrunning" Jesus. Mark focused upon the theme. Jesus fulfilled the spiritual needs of the people. That need would find its fulfillment in next Sunday's study: the multiplication of the loaves.
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Sunday July 14, 2024 Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 104
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Am 7:12-15
Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos,
“Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
but never again prophesy in Bethel;
for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.”
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet,
nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD —for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Reading 2 Eph 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.
In him we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.
In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.
In him you also, who have heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,
were sealed with the promised holy Spirit,
which is the first installment of our inheritance
toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.
Gospel Mk 6:7-13
Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick--
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Am 7:12-15
There are two episodes in the prophetic career of Amos, set in the northern kingdom of Israel around 750 BC.
Verses 7-9 recount a vision of doom for Israel that he received. Verses 10-17 describe his encounter with the priest Amaziah, which results in Amos’ being banned from the temple at Bethel. These originally separate episodes are connected by their similar announcements of judgment against King Jeroboam II of Israel (vv. 9, 11). Although their tone is largely negative, they are not completely without hope, and they offer contemporary readers an opportunity for critical self-reflection.
The vision
The phrase “vision” may bring to mind the elaborate, bizarre imagery associated with Ezekiel or Revelation. Many prophetic visions in the Bible, however, are simple object lessons. (Imagine a really ominous children’s moment!) The prophet sees a single object or scene, which is either self-explanatory or comes with a brief explanation.
Bethel was the site of an ancient religious shrine (see Genesis 28:18-19) that became the chief sanctuary of the kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 12:28-33). Amos had proclaimed that the worship-taking place there was meaningless because it was divorced from a concern for economic justice, especially for Israel’s oppressed agricultural laborers (Amos 5:21-24). He even warned of Bethel’s destruction (Amos 3:14, 5:5-6). Not surprisingly, these words attract the attention of Amaziah, a priest there. He perceives Amos as a threat not only to the temple at Bethel but to the stability of the nation, because the prophet had threatened the king. These fears were not groundless; prophetic activity had played a role in political uprisings in Israel before (see 1 Kings 11:29-39; 2 Kings 9:1-10). In response, Amaziah first sends a letter to King Jeroboam reporting Amos’ role in a possible conspiracy (Amos 7:10-11). This action would not have been unusual, as royal officials (including priests) frequently reported prophetic activity to rulers in the ancient Near East. Amaziah also forbids Amos from ever speaking at Bethel again. In the process, he makes it clear that Bethel is committed to the interests of the state: “it is the king’s sanctuary, and … a temple of the kingdom” (Amos 7:13 NRSV). He attempts to discredit Amos in v. 12 by dismissing him as an outsider and implying that he only prophesies for income. (Although he prophesied in Israel, Amos was a citizen of the neighboring kingdom of Judah.)
Ironically, Amos defends his prophetic activity by denying that he is a professional prophet. The phrase “prophet’s son” in v. 14 doesn’t necessarily refer to biological descent from a prophet, but rather to membership in a prophetic guild. Candidates for public office use similar rhetoric when they claim not to be career politicians or members of “the establishment.” He warns that neither Amaziah nor his family will escape the coming disaster that God has decreed for Israel (vv. 16-17). The story ends there, without revealing what happened to either Amaziah or Amos. King Jeroboam himself died peacefully, but his son was assassinated, triggering several decades of political instability for Israel (2 Kings 15:8-31). The kingdom was eventually conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC, and many of its citizens were exiled. The original audience of Amos 7, which was written after the time of the historical prophet, would have likely made these retrospective connections.
It’s easy to cast Amaziah as the villain in this story, but closer examination reveals a more sympathetic character. No doubt he sincerely believed he was doing God’s will by supporting the ruling powers. As current trends lead many to despair about the future of the church in America, one can even admire his commitment to the security of the institution he served. Faithful leadership frequently requires Amaziah’s brand of pragmatism. And yet his investment in the status quo ultimately led him to oppose God’s transformative work in the world. This unfortunate example should force us to examine our own individual and communal commitments. Whose interests do we promote? Does working with political and economic institutions -- which no doubt accomplish much good -- give our tacit approval to their unjust actions or policies? Can we simultaneously benefit from and speak out against structures that promote violence, enshrine economic oppression, and dehumanize persons of color, women, and sexual minorities? These are complex questions, and the answers may look very different in different contexts. This story invites us to self-reflection and criticism, lest we too sacrifice our witness to secure our survival
Responsorial Psalm Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
Reflecting on Psalm 85:8-13 without the first verses is akin to a liturgy that omits the call and prayer of confession, moving instead straight to the assurance of pardon.
The words are applicable alone, yet are designed as part of a whole. The psalm is a communal prayer for help and can be divided into three sections or stanzas, verses 1-3, 4-7, and 8-13. Verses 1-3 serve as a reminder of God's forgiving acts in the past, followed by pleas by the people for God's forgiveness in the present, ending with a section expressing hope for restored relationship between the people and God.
Verses 1-3 function as the call to confession reminding the people and God of God's past saving acts. God's active grace is clear in the verbs used "favor," "return," "lift," and "cover." These acts are God's alone given to an undeserving people (verse 3). The people have angered God repeatedly and in response God has relented and turned back all anger.
The second section, verses 4-7, is a cry to God for restoration now. The sinful acts of the people are not named specifically, allowing for use of this psalm in many times and places. Yet, the sins are clearly present as the people ask God if God will be angry forever (verse 5).
Many scholars see this psalm in light of the exile and this as a prayer for restoration after the exile was over. This is a possible context, but certainly not the only situation to which this prayer can apply. The pleas in this stanza are universal and, as we all know, from Genesis 3 forward, the story is a long one of sin and redemption. Over and over, the people found ways to turn from God either out of fear, lack of faith, greed, or in a search for other gods. These verses are then not about one event, but they reflect all of the times that God has restored "the fortunes" of Jacob. "Fortunes" is best understood not in terms of monetary gain, but as a restoration of the community to full communion with God.
A new voice enters at verse 8. The voice could be a prophet or a worship leader. Ultimately, it is not the person speaking the words that matter, but the message being delivered. The imperative form of the last section, give way here to the cohortative, meaning a wish for the future. The wish is a view of the world ordered by God's kingdom.
A warning within a wish for the future is not uncommon (Psalm 95:8-10). The warning serves as a reminder that the people and God have been in this place before, and the people will probably put them there again. The response to God's great forgiveness should be more than words, it involves a change in behavior. It involves remembering the warning.
The remainder of the psalm gives us a glimpse of God's kingdom. The image is of a world transformed by God's forgiveness. What if for just one Sunday, we could see and believe the power of God's forgiveness? Could we imagine the world as it should be when God sets it back in place? What if as we hear the words of assurance, the heavens open and we see the glory of God? Would we listen to the warning and change our world?
To announce God's grace and restoration is to call a new beginning into the world. Psalm 85 celebrates God's grace and offers all of us a glimpse of God's kingdom.
Reading 2 Eph 1:3-14
The Second Lesson for this Sunday is the first in a series of readings from the Letter to the Ephesians extending over seven Sundays.
Of the total verses in Ephesians (155), nearly half (75 of them) will be read during these seven Sundays.
The lesson for this Sunday begins with a lofty doxological statement concerning God the Father (1:3-6). Next, we have a brief characterization of Jesus as the one in whom we have redemption (1:7). In 1:8-10, the author again speaks about God and of what God has done in Christ. Finally, in 1:11-14 the focus is once more upon Christ.
But even in these verses there is no clear-cut division. For example, within 1:11-14, primarily on Christ, there is a clear reference to God the Father in the long phrase at 1:11b: "the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will."
The passage is filled with assertions about God the Father, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. In its "God statements," it sets forth an image of God as one who:
- has chosen believers
- has destined them for adoption as his children
- continues to bless them
- showers his grace upon them
In its "Christ statements," the passage portrays Jesus as one whose death is redemptive -- in this case explicitly meaning the forgiveness of sins -- and whose coming into the world is revelatory; he has made known "the mystery" of God's will. In him we have gained an "inheritance" and have "the word of truth," which is "the gospel of [our] salvation."
Christ is therefore both the Redeemer and the Revealer. Of course, these are the two main functions of Christ throughout the New Testament.
Concerning the Spirit, it is the "promised" Spirit. Whether the author knows of the promise of the Spirit in the Gospel of John (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) or simply from the promise in Joel 2:28-29, one cannot tell. In any case, the view that the Spirit would be poured out and distributed among believers in the early days of the Christian church was widely held. Both Acts and the letters of the apostle Paul testify to it (Acts 2:1-36; Romans 5:5; 8:13-16; 1 Corinthians 12:3-11, etc.).
The experience of the Spirit is a "pledge" or "down payment" for the final and ultimate redemption that is to follow. Here is a case of the "already/not yet" dynamic that one finds in the New Testament. The gift of the Spirit is the "already" of the new age of redemption, but it is only a pledge of more to come, the "not yet."
What is written about the Spirit in 1:13b-14 is similar to what Paul himself had written. He said that God has anointed us "by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment (2 Corinthians 1:22).
Gospel Mk 6:7-13
This week’s Gospel and the one for next week describe how Jesus sent the disciples to minister in his name and the disciples’ return to Jesus afterward. These two passages, however, are not presented together in Mark’s Gospel. Inserted between the two is the report of Herod’s fears that Jesus is John the Baptist back from the dead. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ ministry is presented in connection with the teaching of John the Baptist. Jesus’ public ministry begins after John is arrested. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, who preached the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God.
While we do not read these details about John the Baptist in our Gospel this week or next week, our Lectionary sequence stays consistent with Mark’s theme. Recall that last week we heard how Jesus was rejected in his hometown of Nazareth. The insertion of the reminder about John the Baptist’s ministry and his death at the hands of Herod in Mark’s Gospel makes a similar point. Mark reminds his readers about this dangerous context for Jesus’ ministry and that of his disciples. Preaching repentance and the Kingdom of God is dangerous business for Jesus and for his disciples. Mark wants his readers to remember that we, too, may find resistance as we choose to be disciples of Jesus.
Mark’s Gospel tells us that Jesus sent out the Twelve. These twelve were selected from among Jesus’ disciples and named by Mark in chapter 3. Mark notes that these twelve are also called “apostles.” The word apostle means “one who is sent.” The number twelve is also a symbolic number, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. By naming twelve apostles, Jesus shows his mission to be in continuity with the mission of God’s people, Israel.
Jesus’ instructions to the apostles are very specific. He repeats the mission that they are sent to preach and to share his authority to heal and to drive out demons. Jesus sends them in pairs, establishing his mission as a communal endeavor. Jesus also instructs them to travel lightly, without the customary food, money, and extra set of clothes. These instructions mean that the Twelve will be dependent on the hospitality of others, just as Jesus depended on others to provide for his needs.
Jesus continues to send us into the world as his disciples. But like the first disciples, we are not sent alone. Jesus has given us the community of the Church, which strengthens our life of discipleship. The Christian message can only authentically be proclaimed in and through the community of faith that is the Church. In our work with others, we build this community of faith and can invite others to share in it.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think about preparing for an overnight trip what will you need to pack. Try to take just essential items.
- If you were to stay at a hotel, what items would you expect to find provided in your room? (for example, soap, shampoo, conditioner) Observe that travelers expect to find these essential items provided as part of the hospitality offered when they stay at a hotel.
- In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus gives authority to the Twelve and sends them out, giving specific instructions about what they are to bring for their journey.
- What instructions did Jesus give to the Twelve when he sent them out? (He told them to take a walking stick and to wear sandals, but not to bring food or money or a second tunic. He told them to travel in pairs. He told them to stay in one house until they were ready to leave from that place.) Observe that, like travelers today, the Twelve would depend on the hospitality of others to provide for their needs.
- What were the Twelve able to do when Jesus sent them out? (They preached repentance, drove out demons, and cured many who were sick.) Observe that the Twelve were also dependent on Jesus, who gave them authority over unclean spirits.
- Jesus also calls us to share in his mission and sends us out to serve others. We depend on Jesus and the community of the Church that he gives us in our journey as disciples.
- Thank God for providing everything we need to serve others in Jesus’ name. Pray the Our Father.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
Reading 1 Am 7:12-15
In this short exchange, Amaziah objected to the prophecy of Amos. Amaziah was a priest at the king's sanctuary in Bethel, the capital of Israel (the so-called "Northern Kingdom"). Surrounding any king were advisors (so-called "prophets"). These "prophets" formed a permanent bureaucracy that guided the king in God's name.
There were other "schools" of prophets that banded together for common worship, spiritual development, and communal living. Like schools in ancient times, these bands of prophets had leaders who taught disciples.
In either case, such prophets used their oratorical skills and spiritual insights to make a living.
Amaziah assumed Amos came as an unofficial prophet from the king's court at Judea (the "southern Kingdom") or from a school of prophets in the south. He assumed Amos preached against the king to garner support and financial assistance from the king's enemies. Unlike the bureaucratic prophet or the prophet of a school, Amos came to prophesy because of God's call. He was merely a farmer who left his trade (and income) to do God's bidding. Hence, his prophecy was honorable, not self-serving. He traveled far from his homeland to do God's will.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
The king or high priest who prayed this psalm would remind the people of their duty to the Law ("not let them return to folly"). With such action came the glimmer of hope that the nation would return to its former glory.
Mercy and truth meet together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth springs out of the earth.
Righteousness has looked down from heaven.
Yes, YHWH will give that which is good.
Our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness goes before him,
And prepares the way for his steps.
There is the invocation of "righteousness," the proper relationship with God and showing the relationship between mercy and the true path to YHWH, that way of life and divine peace. Those were gifts that came from God. Those who walked in the way of the Lord would see prosperity ("Our land will yield its increase"). But notice the emphasis on "righteousness," mentioned three times. That proper relationship would result in the blessings of truth and peace.
Nostalgia, in doses, is not a bad thing, but wallowing in it can warp our view of life. We can look back to a better time, but, as Psalm 85 reminds us, we should look forward to hope and focus on a proper relationship with the Lord.
Get right with God. Then let him take care of the rest.
Reading 2 Eph 1:3-14
So, there were three sections: Praise to God, God's choice and work of Christ. Praise of God needs no explanation. But the choice of God does. The benediction actually used several verbs that were almost interchangeable in meaning: choose, elect, and predestine. Without a dark journey into the theological realm of predestination vs. free will for the individual, we can note God intended to establish a people of faith and praise. He willed his Son to die and rise again so his Son's followers could rise up with him. And become like his Son: holy and his children. That was God's choice. That was what God predestined his people to become.
What does God's Son do for us now? Forgiveness, faith, and the gift of the Spirit (in that order). The first step in the journey toward God begins with forgiveness. That happened 2,000 years ago on Calvary. We realize and accept that forgiveness in faith, the second step. Finally, we receive the Spirit and his gifts to use as a way to strengthen our faith, build up the community, and evangelize.
However, each one of those steps have a consequence in God's will. The redemption/forgiveness from the death of Jesus does not stop with believers. The author has a greater vision. Christ died not only for us, but for the entire cosmos. His death reconciles us to the Father. And will reconcile all creation to the Creator. As we are under the headship of Christ in his body, so will all creation be placed under his rule. That is the meaning of the phrase "recapitulation."
Next, faith is not just the acceptance of forgiveness. It is the cause of prayer, worship, and praise. We do not only believe we are "right" with God. We have a greater purpose. To praise him forever!
Finally, the Spirit gives us a taste of the end time. The work of the Spirit in us will continue into the Kingdom. In the Spirit, we will realize our final destiny before our Maker and King.
What comes from God should return to him. This is the story of creation and salvation. Like the author of Ephesians, we should praise God for what he has done, what he is doing now, and what he will do at the end. For, he is our source. He is our destiny. Praise God!
Gospel Mk 6:7-13
With the call came limits, in the form of travel instructions. As indicated in the translation notes above, these instructions did not reflect anything unusual in first century culture. Traveling away from home (i.e., extended family) was unexpected. (After all, the family supplied all the economic and social support anyone would need.) But that did not stop people from taking to the road.
Travel had its dangers. Provisions were scarce. And the activities of marauding bandits made travel perilous. So, Jesus instructed the Twelve to travel in pairs for safety, and to travel light for endurance (the lighter one traveled, the faster he or she could go). Since many people traveled in large caravans, the missionaries could join these groups and share their provisions. As the notes indicated above, hospitality was a common, honorable virtue that acted as a counterweight to the dangers of travel. Travelers were safe in numbers and safe with a caring host.
From a thematic viewpoint, the travel limits Jesus imposed kept the missionaries focus on serving others, not the self. In serving others, the missionary would depend on the goodwill of others and, ultimately, on the benevolence of God. So, the missionary was to travel in the spirit of dependance. Christ had called him or her, and continued the call. The initiative was Christ's and continued to be his.
Leaving, they announced (the Good News) so (others) might repent. They expelled many demons. They anointed with oil many sick people and healed (them).
With the call of Jesus came power. The Twelve preached. In doing so, They exercised power over spirits that possessed and weakened their victims. In the mindset of the ancient world, Jews commonly believed the cosmos contained a hierarchy of beings. The transcendent God sat at the pinnacle of this order. Then, came powerful spiritual beings ("archangels, principalities, and powers"). Third, came lesser spirits (common angels and "unclean spirits"). Fourth, stood humanity. Finally, came plant and animal life. Notice authority delineated this hierarchy of being. The higher level of being had power over the lower forms. So, unclean spirits could possess, weaken, and even kill people. This was the way of existence for the ancient. But, Jesus and his Twelve preached to announce a change in that hierarchy. God would adopt humanity, making its members "sons" and "daughters" of the Father (in doing so, humanity would jump two levels of being above powerful spiritual beings. This was Good News!) Jesus, the very Son of God, gave his Twelve power over a higher level of being ("unclean spirits") as they preached the coming of the Kingdom.
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Sunday July 7, 2024 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 101
THE READINGS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Ez 2:2-5
As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me
and set me on my feet,
and I heard the one who was speaking say to me:
Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites,
rebels who have rebelled against me;
they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day.
Hard of face and obstinate of heart
are they to whom I am sending you.
But you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD!
And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house--
they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
To you I lift up my eyes
who are enthroned in heaven --
As the eyes of servants
are on the hands of their masters.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
As the eyes of a maid
are on the hands of her mistress,
So are our eyes on the LORD, our God,
till he have pity on us.
Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
Have pity on us, O LORD, have pity on us,
for we are more than sated with contempt;
our souls are more than sated
with the mockery of the arrogant,
with the contempt of the proud.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
Reading 2 2 Cor 12:7-10
Brothers and sisters:
That I, Paul, might not become too elated,
because of the abundance of the revelations,
a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,
in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.
Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;
for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Gospel Mk 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.
When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!
Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,
and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?
And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them,
“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,
apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.
He was amazed at their lack of faith.
REFLECTIONS -----------------------------------------------------------------
Reading 1 Ez 2:2-5
Stubborn. Impudent. Rebellious.
These are the adjectives God uses in this address to the prophet to describe the people of ancient Israel. The descriptors certainly do not cast Ezekiel’s audience in the best light. The labels neither tell the whole story of Israel’s behavior nor provide the ethical scope for a proper theological anthropology.
It’s a one-sided characterization.
First, the adjectives remind us of that side of humanity that finds it difficult to respond obediently to God’s call. This may not be the easiest notion to preach, but we are capable of stubbornness. The prophets did not wait until Lent to remind people of this capacity.
For Ezekiel’s context, words such as “stubborn” are particularly poignant given their occurrence within his call or commissioning near the beginning of this biblical book. Our lesson today from Ezekiel 2 comes immediately after the well-known chariot vision of Ezekiel in which the prophet sees “the appearance of the likeness of the glory of God” (Ezekiel 1:28). Ezekiel has experienced an overwhelming divine vision and now hears a divine voice. If he is not already engulfed in the immensity of his prophetic call, our passage promises to create such a feeling. His call shall not involve preaching to a receptive audience ready for introspection and change. The prophet is called instead to a house of rebellion, a phrase unique to this biblical book.
This rather pessimistic attitude toward ancient Israel is also a result of the exilic context of the book of Ezekiel. If God is not to blame for the exile (and Ezekiel surely affirms that theological notion), then the people must be to blame. This point, of course, highlights the danger of such name-calling. While it is true that we like ancient Israel can be a stubborn people at times, it is simply not true that many events -- especially international events like the fall of nation-states, are the result of our rebellion. When attempting to make sense of their exilic situation, some prophets tended to emphasize Israel’s direct role in their demise, while ignoring the more likely political factors at play. We must be careful when speaking of rebellious houses to not misplace blame and shame. When bad things happen, it can be tempting to resort to blaming the victim.
Second, the call of God through the prophet implies that the people can respond. Although they are rebellious, they are not without hope. God holds out hope that the people will hear and respond. This implication is actually not emphasized much in this small passage from Ezekiel. Additionally, if you continuing reading into Ezekiel 3, you will find more name-calling (“the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart”) and little signal that God thinks Ezekiel’s prophecies will result in changed hearts.
Yet, the prophetic call for change still goes forth. And this prophetic message is written down and preserved. It is read and reread through the years and centuries until this very Sunday in Pentecost. The prophetic call goes forth not because there is no chance of a response. The call comes to us because we can and do respond.
Third, this passage from Ezekiel 2 connects to the Gospel reading for today, Mark 6:1-6. In the lesson from Mark, Jesus teaches in his hometown synagogue and receives a less than positive reception. In response to this rejection, he quotes a proverb: “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and among his own kin and in his own house”
The two readings share the idea that a prophetic voice is not always heard. Jesus identifies himself as a prophet -- standing in continuity with ancient Israel’s prophetic tradition -- who, like those earlier prophets, does not find everywhere a receptive audience. There is risk inherent in speaking for and about God. Prophets take this risk. Some will hear and respond to the call; others will be more stubborn.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4
Psalm 123 is the fourth psalm in the collection of psalms held together by the common designation “of Ascents” in their titles (Psalms 120-134).
These psalms were probably collected for use during pilgrimage to Jerusalem or to promote such pilgrimage. The term “ascents” comes from a Hebrew root meaning “to go up.” This word appears in the last line of the Chronicler’s history as part of the report that Cyrus of Persia, having conquered the Babylonians, would allow the exiled people of Judah to return to their homeland and to worship God in the soon-to-be-rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. The word to the exiles concerning anyone who would return to Jerusalem was, “Let him go up” (2 Chronicles 36:23). Thus, “ascents” in the title of Psalm 123 denotes ascent to Jerusalem and/or to the temple on Mount Zion.
The psalm has elements of the prayers for help known elsewhere in the Psalter (e.g. Psalm 13): complaint of trouble and petition for salvation (verses 3-4) and expression of trust (verses 1-2). These features most often appear in reverse order, with complaint and petition first, followed by a statement of trust, though the present order occurs in some other psalms such as Psalm 40. The two parts of Psalm 123 hold together well, with the statement of trust and confidence serving as the foundation for the complaint and petition. For example, references to mercy in verses 2 and 3 connect the two segments of the psalm. The petition for mercy in verse 3 is related to the recognition that it is God’s nature to give it.
The psalm opens with an individual speaking (“I lift up;” v. 1). In verse 2 the voice becomes plural (“our eyes look to the Lord”) and the community voice pervades the remainder of the psalm. This shift from first-person singular to first-person plural speech probably reflects the situation of worship in which an individual spoke on behalf of the worshippers gathered (see similarly-cast prayers in Psalms 129 and 131).
Psalm 123 begins with the declaration, “To you I lift my eyes” (Psalm 123:1), which is similar to the opening of Psalm 121 (“I lift up my eyes to the hills”) and may in fact be an adaptation of Psalm 121:1. “Lifting the eyes” is an expression of anxiety and helplessness.1 In Psalm 121 the psalmist lifts eyes to the hills in search of security and protection. The psalm suggests this is found in God’s presence as experienced in the Jerusalem temple. In Psalm 123:1, however, the eyes are not lifted to God’s dwelling place in the Jerusalem temple, but to God’s heavenly abode (“enthroned in heaven”). Though the psalm appears in a collection meant for pilgrimage to Jerusalem, it identifies God first and foremost as the one who dwells in the heavens. The worshippers who prayed this prayer lived in the period after the Babylonian exile. They had experienced the vulnerability of the temple in Jerusalem when they saw it destroyed and, as a result, they placed their trust in and conceived God primarily as the one who was enthroned in the temple that could not be destroyed by an enemy.
Verse 2 contains a double simile that expounds on the opening declaration. The worshipping community “lifts its eyes” as servants look to a master (v. 2a) or as female slaves look to their mistress (v. 2b). The images connote vulnerability, dependence, and obedience. But here the notion of the “master” is transformed. The psalmist who calls on the Lord as master knows no dread or fear, only mercy. This master is one exclusively sought out for salvation: “our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he has mercy on us” (v. 2).
The psalmist seeks mercy in the form of relief from the contempt and oppression of the enemy. The notion of being held in contempt by an enemy is a common theme in the Psalter. For example, the reference to being scorned by the proud suggests a situation akin to the psalmist’s description of enemies sarcastically asking “Where is your God?” in Psalm 42:3. The language here is particularly close to that in other passages that distinguish humankind as rich and poor, righteous and wicked. Those who are speaking scornfully are “at ease” (v. 4) and are identified thus as rich and wicked. Although the psalm does not identify the enemies further, this language appears in Amos 6 in reference to those who enjoy economic privilege and oppress the poor. Both Amos and the psalmist identify the poor as righteous (Amos 2:6; Psalm 34:4-10, 19-22). The division does not suggest that material wealth itself is a mark of wickedness or that lack of it is a sign of righteousness. Rather, the language is used this way to highlight the typical attitude of dependence and humility of the poor and the common lack thereof by the rich.
Reading 2 2 Cor 12:7-10
What gives us the courage to do the right thing -- to act on what our conscience calls us to do -- when we know that we often will not be rewarded for it in this life?
Can we boldly defend the common good in the face of powerful detractors concerned solely with their own interests and agendas? And when we do speak the truth about what needs to be done in specific circumstances, can we do so with the love and forgiveness needed to bring about the justice we are calling for? These are some of the larger questions Paul grapples with in 2 Corinthians that provide a context for interpreting this passage.
The logic of double-negation
In 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, Paul asserts that we can be confident in all circumstances, whether we are “at home” or “away” from either “the body” or “the Lord.” This theme resonates with his refrains in Philippians that “living is Christ and dying is gain” (Philippians 1:21) and that in any and all circumstances -- whether in plenty or in need -- we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:12-13).
There is a logic of double-negation at work in these verses that runs throughout Paul’s letters. This logic brings to the fore the point that God’s “yes” -- God’s promise, which we receive in Jesus through the Spirit -- is far greater than all our human distinctions and circumstances (2 Corinthians 1:18-22). In Galatians, for example, Paul states that through the Spirit we eagerly await the “hope of righteousness” because “in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything”; all that counts is “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:5-6). In 1 Corinthians, he makes clear that the foolishness and weakness of the cross of Christ embodies the fact that God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).
As depicted in the great hymn of Romans 8, Paul’s point with these negations is to affirm that nothing -- neither death nor life; not angels, rulers, or powers; not height or depth, nor anything else in all creation -- can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). The love of God encompasses everything in reality. Grounded in God’s love through Christ’s grace and the Holy Spirit’s communion, we can be what we have been called to be: an open statement of truth, commending ourselves with confidence to everyone’s conscience before God, regardless of our circumstances (2 Corinthians 4:2; 13:13).
Being at home or away from the body
Is Paul not introducing yet another dualism -- another distinction -- with his talk about being “at home” or “away” from “the body” or “the Lord”? We can gain some insight on this question by taking a look at his “fool’s speech” regarding the “super-apostles” who have defamed him and abused the Corinthians with their deceptive misuse of spiritual power.
In that speech Paul refers to “visions and revelations” he experienced fourteen years prior, saying that he does not know whether they were “in the body or out of the body” (2 Corinthians 12:1-7). Paul himself has had such visions and revelations, which may indeed have been “out of the body” experiences. In these kinds of experiences we may have a powerful sense of union with God or sense of being “at home” with the Lord. Yet Paul is very clear: those experiences are no more sacred -- no more weighted with authority -- than others.
Why? Because the only power and authority we can ultimately rely on is the sufficiency of God’s grace. Through that grace, power is “made perfect (teleitai, better translated as “reaches full maturity”) in weakness.” Indeed, our ultimate criterion is the weakness of Jesus’ suffering body undergoing all of our vicissitudes, even to the point of death on a cross (2 Corinthians 12:8; cf. Philipians 2:8).
Walking by faith not sight
In fact, all that we do in our bodies will be manifest (phanerothenai) before “the judgment seat of Christ” -- the eschatological place and time where and when Christ will judge all the living and the dead (2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 2:16, 14:9-10). This reference to Christ’s “judgment seat” is not a threat but a promise. Although we live in a world where technical savvy, wealth, and power seem continually to trump God’s steadfast love, justice, and righteousness, we can be confident that the latter -- described as God’s mercies and consolation in 2 Corinthians -- will prevail in the end (2 Corinthians 1:3; cf. Jeremiah 9:23-24).
Wherever we are, we are accountable to God -- and thus also to one another -- for what we do in our bodies, whether good or evil. And God’s grace is sufficient to give us the power to please God in all circumstances.
So being in “ecstasy” (eksestemen, taken out of ourselves) before God does not immune us from being accountable for what we do with our bodies (2 Corinthians 5:13). Rather, knowing the fear of the Lord -- that we are ultimately accountable to God and not to any other power -- frees us to speak to speak the truth and to persuade others to do the same. Well known to God, we can confidently make ourselves known to others, even as we persuade them to reciprocate by living in the same confidence and sincerity (2 Corinthians 5:11-13).
Grounded in God’s love, we can speak truth to one another -- we can risk sincerity -- even when we disagree or might be wrong. God is reconciling the entire world through Christ, in spite of anything we or others have done (2 Corinthians 5:19): God’s promises are always a “yes.” Rooted in that “yes,” our lives can be an open statement of truth -- regardless of where we find ourselves (2 Corinthians 1:20-22).
Gospel Mk 6:1-6
This is one of those instances where the lectionary disturbs the narrative flow of Mark's gospel.
Verses 1-6 of chapter 6 are really a self-contained unit, but who wants to end on that challenging verse 6? So we get verses 7-13 related to the sending of the disciples. We don't hear the rest of this story, however, until two weeks later in the lectionary when the return of the disciples is narrated in Mark 6:30.
So let’s just stick with the lectionary and deal with verses 1-6.
The reason why the people of Nazareth reject Jesus in Mark 6:1-6 has never been entirely clear to me. I am more familiar with instances where a small town celebrates, even exaggerates, the success stories of locals who have made it big.
The text suggests an initial positive reception, but somewhere in verses 2-3 everything changes. Why might this be?
- Did they wonder if Jesus was 'crazy smart,' and then decide that he was just crazy? Earlier in Mark 3:21, Jesus' own family had come to get him because they thought he had "gone out of his mind."
- In Mark 6:2, the people asked, "Where did this man get all this?" Did they decide, like the scribes had in Mark 3:22, that he got it all from a demonic source? (This makes for a nice connection with the earlier, similar synagogue scene in Mark 1:21-27 where the question about Jesus' authority was first raised.)
- In a social system where status was understood as fixed (i.e., your status at birth defined who you would always be) and honor/shame considerations were important, did they simply regard it as impossible for Jesus to amount to anything? The people of Nazareth indicate this negative perception when they identify Jesus as a "carpenter" (i.e., a low-status manual laborer) and as the "son of Mary" (i.e., hinting at a questionable fatherhood).
The identity of Jesus is a consistent issue in Mark. In the gospel, we hear the opinions of rulers, religious authorities, crowds, disciples, and family members. For the author of Mark, the important question keeps coming around to "who do you -- the reader -- say that Jesus is?" And if you do honor Jesus as a prophet (or more than a prophet), who does that make you? Does it mean new allegiances that supersede traditional country and family values? As you answer those questions, Mark is leading you into a confession of faith.
But what about Jesus' inability to perform miracles? Apparently it caused Jesus to wonder too! A couple things to note:
- The problem is not a matter of whether they have enough faith but that they have no faith.
- Elsewhere in Mark, a person's faith is not necessarily tied to the success of a miracle. Sometimes faith is not mentioned at all. Sometimes the faith of the restored one's friends or family is noted, or, as in Mark 9:24. Sometimes it's a matter of "I believe; help my unbelief!"
Would you agree that we are living in a world that is more and more characterized by unbelief?
If so, doesn't it feel as if we are living in a Nazareth-world -- a culture that is, at best, disinterested in Jesus?
If so, isn't it utter folly to think we can change anything by preaching Christ?
In fact, isn't any Christian whose life has been transformed by Christ living defenseless in a world where security and status are calculated commodities?
We do have one thing, we have experienced the faithfulness of God in Jesus crucified and risen. So, we may marvel at the unbelief around us, but still we go forth, proclaiming and practicing our faith in Christ.
Making the Connection
Preparation for Sunday Scripture Readings
- Think about and describe the meaning of the phrase “Act your age”’ Think about situations in which this phrase might be spoken. Think about expectations that people have regarding the behavior of others.
- Can you recall a time when a parent, teacher, or friend seemed surprised by an action of someone that showed their maturity (for example, demonstrating a new ability, accepting a new responsibility, or showing independence). Why do you think these actions were a surprise to others? As young people grow to maturity, they experience adjustments in their relationships with others as expectations change.
- In this Sunday’s Gospel, we hear about how Jesus was received when he taught in the synagogue in his hometown.
- How do the people respond to Jesus’ teaching? (Some are astonished. Some wonder that he is the same person whom they thought they knew. Some took offense at him.) How might you explain this response to Jesus and his teaching? What do some of the people of Nazareth know about Jesus? (They know that Jesus is a carpenter, and they know his family.)
- Because they do not recognize that Jesus is the Son of God, the people of Nazareth are surprised by Jesus’ teaching, and his actions among them are limited. Jesus is amazed at their lack of faith. As Christians, we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, and this faith has the power to change all our relationships.
- How does faith in Jesus as the Son of God transform our relationship with God and with one another? (For example: Jesus saves us from sin and restores our relationship with God. In Christ, we are children of God and brothers and sisters to one another.)
- Ask God to give us faith to know Jesus truly, the Son of God who saves us from sin. Pray the Act of Faith.
O my God, I firmly believe that you are one God in three divine persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that your divine Son became man and died for our sins, and that he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe these and all the truths which the holy catholic Church teaches, because in revealing them you can neither deceive nor be deceived.
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ADDITIONAL DATA
Reading 1 Ez 2:2-5
Ezekiel's call to prophecy was the longest in any of the prophetic books. Its timing was also unique. Ezekiel was called to prophecy after the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 597 B.C. The prophet served those in the Babylonian exile.
Standing before the throne of God (a vision described in 1:4-28), Ezekiel cowered low. Then, he received the Spirit, stood up, and heard his commission. (Only the Spirit can give one the power to stand before God.) His prophecy would be proclaimed to a stubborn people, so filled with self-pity and despair, with such hardened hearts, they would reject his message. But, strangely, their rejection would confirm the presence of God in the message. Indeed, if the people could receive the message and understand their plight, that would be the first step back to the Lord. It would be a step in repentance. God gave Ezekiel an impossible task. But his words would eventually bear fruit.
Even today, people do not want to hear God's message of repentance. Our words of faith many times fall on deaf ears. Our efforts towards evangelization seem to be wasted. In these times, we should remember Ezekiel who was rejected by the exile population. God worked even through his rejection. We should have the same faith as the "old, crazy prophet."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4
When have you felt abandoned and in need of help? Who helped you? How did they help you?
We all recognize despair can cripple the human spirit. But, even mild depression can debilitate our activity. Feeling down can sap our energy and drive. Such negative feelings interfere with our well-being, for we feel alone, as if no one can help us. If we do reach out for help, depression can make our efforts half-hearted and unsuccessful. After all, who wants to help someone who doesn't want to help themselves?
Psalm 123 captured the spirit of the person in depression. It was a prayer of the lowly, the vassal who looked on the hand of his or her master for direction (123:2-3). The cause of the depression seemed to be the overbearing of others (unjust, idolatrous overlords like the Babylonians?). This simple song pleaded for the Lord's favor that implied a rescue from the haughty and arrogant.
Many times, negative feelings may bring us down. They may interfere with our activities, even our faith. These are the times to pray honestly to God: admit the depths of our feelings and ask God for relief. We might not feel that our lives have turned a corner, but we can take comfort we have not given up on our Maker. Depression can co-exist with prayer.
Reading 2 2 Cor 12:7-10
Pride comes before the fall.
We all brag about our possessions, our relatives, our abilities. One-Upmanship is nothing new. Unfortunately, bragging leads to unrealistic expectations of self and others. What we brag about can be our undoing, even if our boasts are based in solid fact.
Paul knew the shortcomings of bragging. He had received direct revelation and even heavenly vision. (See 2 Corinthians 12:1-4.) His ministry gave him a place of leadership in the universal Church. His travels gave him more than enough material for entertainment. His endurance through persecution and hard times gave him wisdom for his congregation. Paul could place himself over his audience, with a firm belief that he earned his position. But, why did he humble himself? Why did he share his "thorn in the flesh" revelation? Beyond defending himself from his critics, Paul used this self-revelation to show his humanity before the face of his God. Popularity was not always permanent. Ego meant nothing to God. Bragging was just so much "hot air."
Beyond bragging, Paul showed his audience the key to Christian living. Weakness makes one dependent. But, dependent upon whom? When Christians were dependent upon God, they did his will. When Christians depended upon themselves, they stopped being Christians. When they were weak, they were open to the power of God.
Life's problems can intrude upon our self determination. Freedoms are limited. Responsibilities can increase. These are the times for faith, not self-pity. These are the times to remember Paul's words. "When I am weak, I am powerful with God's grace."
Pride comes before the fall. But grace raises us up beyond our status and expectations.
Gospel Mk 6:1-6
Jesus went home. But, he wasn't at home. In spite of his powerful teaching, his family and old friends met him with skepticism. In a static culture that measured a person's worth on their place in society, Jesus had clearly overstepped his bounds. Carpenters had the lowly reputation of traveling salesmen. Men who left their wives and mothers without physical and economic security to seek work did not even have the respect of their own families. People gossiped and speculated about carpenters' activities away from their families. Jesus came from such a profession.
The static culture also cast a critical eye toward those who stepped above their station in life. Such people did not fit into the world of family and old friends, no matter what these people did, no matter what kind of reputation they built up.
Jesus exercised a ministry different from his previous profession. He went from the marginally honorable to the highly respected (notice Jesus referred to himself in the third person as a "prophet," while those in Nazareth insisted on calling him a "carpenter"). But, he was no longer what people of Nazareth expected him to be. So, he could not lead family and old friends to faith in God through his miracles, simply because they did not trust him. Any acts of "power" would be futile. So, he went back out on the road to serve the surrounding villages.
Jesus came home, but he wasn't at home.
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