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| “The Apostle, by El Greco, 1610-14 |
(Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time
when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed
Virgin Mary is allowed[1].
Mass texts may be taken from the Common
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a votive Mass, or from the special
collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Reading 1: Ephesians 1:15-23
Brothers and sisters:
Hearing of your faith in the
Lord Jesus
and of your love for all the
holy ones,
I do not cease giving thanks
for you,
remembering you in my
prayers,
that the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give you a spirit of
wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of
him.
May the eyes of your hearts
be enlightened,
that you may know what is the
hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the
holy ones,
and what is the surpassing
greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise
of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right
hand in the heavens,
far above every principality,
authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also
in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath
his feet
and gave him as head over all
things to the Church,
which is his Body,
the fullness of the one who
fills all things in every way.
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Commentary on
Eph 1:15-23
After his introductory
address and blessing, St. Paul
The prayer for enlightenment
promotes the idea that only through an understanding of God’s great sacrifice
can the hope offered by the savior be realized.
The Apostle emphasizes the power and majesty of Jesus placing his
sacrifice in perspective “…he put all things
beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things” – how much love was shown to God’s creation by
offering up one whose state is so exalted.
St. Paul
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 8:2-3ab, 4-5,
6-7
R. (7) You have given your Son rule over the works
of your hands.
O LORD, our LORD,
how glorious is your name
over all the earth!
You have exalted your majesty
above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes
and sucklings
you have fashioned praise
because of your foes.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your
hands.
When I behold your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which
you set in place—
What is man that you should
be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you
should care for him?
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your
hands.
You have made him little less
than the angels,
and crowned him with glory
and honor.
You have given him rule over
the works of your hands,
putting all things under his
feet.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your
hands.
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Commentary on
Ps 8:2-3ab, 4-5, 6-7
Psalm 8 is
another of the songs of thanksgiving. In
this selection we hear the title “son of man” used.
It is, in this instance referring to the people as opposed to
Jesus. The song reflects on the creation
account from Genesis and how God gave man dominion over the life he had
created.
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Gospel: Luke 12:8-12
Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me
before others
the Son of Man will
acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before
others
will be denied before the
angels of God.
“Everyone who speaks a word
against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When they take you before
synagogues and before rulers and authorities,
do not worry about how or
what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will
teach you at that moment what you should say.”
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Commentary on
Lk 12:8-12
Jesus, still addressing the disciples
about their mission, brings in the person of the Holy Spirit. “The sayings
about the Holy Spirit are set in the context of fearlessness in the face of
persecution (Luke
12:2-9; cf Matthew 12:31-32). The Holy Spirit will be presented in Luke's second volume, the Acts of
the Apostles, as the power responsible for the guidance of the Christian
mission and the source of courage in the face of persecution.”[5]
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Reflection:
St. Luke’s Gospel provides us
with a look into the mind of Christ as he instructs his disciples about their
up-coming mission. He tells them that if anyone denies him [Jesus], the “son of man”, they
may be forgiven but if anyone blasphemes against God, in the person of the Holy
Spirit, they will be condemned.
This small set of sayings
about the Holy Spirit provides us with an understanding of the power the Lord
left to us, his modern day disciples. He promised that this Divine Advocate
would be provided so that we could have ongoing guidance from God (recall his
words “And I will ask the Father, and he will
give you another Advocate to be with you always,” John
14:16).
He reminds us, his faithful
followers, that what he asks of us will not be easy. We like so many who have
gone before us, will be resisted, persecuted and rejected by those who would
rather embrace darkness. On our own we will be ineffective in overcoming this
resistance. The Lord did not leave physical proof that the Kingdom of God is
coming and so many who do not want to believe in the Son of God demand that physical
proof (see
this link to Fr. Barrons for more). Like the unbelieving in this same
Gospel, they ask for a sign.
He tells his disciples not to
worry about these times of confrontation. He tells them “…the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you
should say” (v.12). The faith that St.
Paul speaks about in the reading from Ephesians taps into the power of that
Holy Advocate and our words can have power beyond all reckoning. That is the
hard part of course. Being so at peace with the knowledge of God’s love that we
can reach in and open that indwelling source of grace, giving it the power to
silence the evil one and proclaim God’s glory. Today we pray for that peace,
that state of grace that will allow the Holy Spirit to transform us into
instruments of God’s purpose.
Pax
[3]
The picture is “The Apostle, St. Paul” by El
Greco, 1610-14
[4]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5]
See NAB footnotes on Luke 12:8ff
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