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| “Saint James” by Andrea Del Sarto, 1528-29 |
Reading 1: Wisdom 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.
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Commentary on Wis
2:12, 17-20
In this passage from Wisdom we see scripture usually associated
with the Passion of the Lord. It draws
heavily on imagery from the “suffering servant” in Isaiah (Isaiah 52-66). The motives and feelings of those who oppose
God are laid bare in clear language as is their reaction to one who comes from
God.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 54:3-4, 5, 6 and
8
R. (6b)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.
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Commentary on Ps
54:3-4, 5, 6 and 8
Psalm 54 is an individual lament. The psalmist first cries out to the Lord for
help against a godless enemy. In the
second part, praise and sacrifice are offered as a consequence of the salvation
confidently expected.
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Reading II:
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.
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Commentary on Jas
3:16-4:3
This passage is part of a
discussion about “true Wisdom” and is linked to a broader discussion about
teaching. The selection begins with a
warning against Jealousy and selfish pride.
These are also part of the list of vices recorded in 2 Corinthians 12:20. This is followed by St. James synthesis of
Christina wisdom capturing parts of the beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-10) and from the
teaching of St. Paul (Galatians 5:22-23).
In
the second part of the passage St. James takes up issues resulting from failing
to adopt Christian wisdom. “The concern here is with the origin of conflicts in
the Christian community. These are occasioned by love of the world, which means
enmity with God (4). Further, the conflicts are bound up with failure to pray
properly (cf Matthew 7:7-11;
John 14:13; 15:7; 16:23), that is, not asking
God at all or using God's kindness only for one's pleasure.”[4]
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Gospel: Mark 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
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.”
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Commentary on Mk
9:30-37
This selection
describes Jesus’ interaction with the disciples following the cure of the boy
with the Mute Spirit. Jesus and his
disciples continue their journey through Galilee
and he teaches them in private about what is to come giving them the second
prediction of the passion.
While the
disciples clearly understand the Lord is to leave them, they do not yet grasp
the nature of his mission as they are arguing about who among them will be
greatest once victory is achieved. The
Lord sees this in them and when they don’t respond to his direct question he
gives them the example of first a servant and then a child so they can
understand that it is through humility and innocence that God’s servants
lead. Jesus tells them directly that
their role (and by extension the role of all Christian disciples) is one of
service. He probably uses the example of
Children to represent the “anawim”; the poor in spirit, the most vulnerable of
the Christian faithful.
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Reflection:
In a recent slide show about
a missionary trip to Africa, the presenter went through a couple of pictures
taken in Kenya
Who among us would not reach
out to such as these to try to help? We
use this question today because it is part of the analogy the Lord uses in St.
Mark’s Gospel. Each day we encounter
those who have lost their Heavenly Father.
They have become the poor children, bereft of hope for salvation, having
lost the means for their eternal survival.
In most cases we walk on by
these “poor in spirit”. We feel we
cannot help those who do not want to be helped and we accept their situation,
one they willingly embrace. Why do they
not see that they are orphans? Are they
so blind that they do not understand that faith in God is something they desperately
need? If we ask most of them they will
say they are spiritual people and do not need “church” or organized religion of
any sort. They believe they will get the
reward of the “good person” when they come face to face with death.
As disciples of Jesus we are
called to reach out to such as these. We
are asked to lead them back to the Lord if we are able. We are told most eloquently today that the
way we must do this is by serving such as these with compassion, consolation,
and love. We cannot argue them into
belief for the most part. They have to
come to understand that there is something important missing in their lives;
something they need and can find only through faith.
This understanding of the
servant heart of discipleship is at the core of Christian wisdom and
leadership. We pray today that we might
find the strength to lead others to Christ and the means with which to show the
“orphaned children” the home of their heavenly parent is open to them.
Pax
In other years: September 23 –
Optional
Memorial of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, Priest
[2]
The picture is “St. James” by Andrea Del Sarto, 1528-29
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4]
See NAB footnote on James 4:1-12
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