(Optional Memorial of Saint Margaret of Scotland)
(Optional Memorial of Saint Gertrude, Virgin)
(Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
On Saturdays in Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed[1]. Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, from a votive Mass, or from the special collection of Masses for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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| “Crossing of the Red Sea” by Cosimo Rosselli, 1481-82 |
Reading 1: Wisdom 18:14-16; 19:6-9
When peaceful stillness
compassed everything
and the night in its swift
course was half spent,
Your all-powerful word, from
heaven’s royal throne
bounded, a fierce warrior,
into the doomed land,
bearing the sharp sword of
your inexorable decree.
And as he alighted, he filled
every place with death;
he still reached to heaven,
while he stood upon the earth.
For all creation, in its
several kinds, was being made over anew,
serving its natural laws,
that your children might be
preserved unharmed.
The cloud overshadowed their
camp;
and out of what had before
been water, dry land was seen emerging:
Out of the Red
Sea an unimpeded road,
and a grassy plain out of the
mighty flood.
Over this crossed the whole
nation sheltered by your hand,
after they beheld stupendous
wonders.
For they ranged about like
horses,
and bounded about like lambs,
praising you, O Lord! their
deliverer.
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Commentary on Wis
18:14-16; 19:6-9
This selection from the Book of
Wisdom speaks first of the bondage and death the Hebrews suffered in Egypt.
There is a specific intent in this section (called the fifth diptych) to relate
the Egyptian massacre of the infants of the Hebrews with the tenth plague in
which the first sons of Egypt were killed. The image presented is inspired by Exodus 12:23, Job 4 13-15, and 1 Chronicles 21:15-27.
In the second section we hear an
account of the exodus through the Red Sea and of the gratitude of those
delivered. Again Wisdom borrows imagery from Exodus 14:19-20 as the freed peoples passed through
the sea unimpeded, awestruck by the power of God.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:2-3, 36-37, 42-43
R. (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous
deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek
the LORD!
R. Remember the marvels
the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Then he struck every firstborn
throughout their land,
the first fruits of all their
manhood.
And he led them forth laden
with silver and gold,
with not a weakling among
their tribes.
R. Remember the marvels
the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
For he remembered his holy
word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people
with joy;
with shouts of joy, his
chosen ones.
R. Remember the marvels
the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps
105:2-3, 36-37, 42-43
This passage from
Psalm 105 focuses on the part of the exodus story that deals with the final
plague in Egypt
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Gospel: Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a
parable
about the necessity for them
to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, “There was a judge
in a certain town
who neither feared God nor
respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used
to come to him and say,
‘Render a just decision for
me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was
unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I
neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps
bothering me
I shall deliver a just
decision for her
lest she finally come and
strike me.’”
The Lord said, “Pay attention
to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the
rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and
night?
Will he be slow to answer
them?
I tell you, he will see to it
that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man
comes, will he find faith on earth?”
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Commentary on Lk 18:1-8
This is the first
of two parables on the need for prayer found in St. Luke’s Gospel. In this
selection the Lord tells the disciples of the need for persistent prayer so
they do not fall victim to apostasy. He assures them that God, the Just
Judge, will listen to their prayers and come speedily to their aid in times of
need. “As the widow pleaded for justice, so we should persevere in faith and
tirelessly petition God for our needs (Romans 12:12; 1 Thessalonians
5:17)” In v.6, “His
[the unrighteous judge’s] indifference to the widow’s distress was a violation
of justice (Deuteronomy 27:19).
The parable’s outcome is thus a mere shadow of God’s concern for us.
If an unjust and callous judge will vindicate a persevering widow, the
Father will much more come to the aid of his prayerful children (Sirach 35:12-17).”[5]
The question at the end of the Parable; “But when the Son
of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”
completes a thought in Luke 17:37 which relates the relationship of the
faithful to God at the final judgment.
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Reflection:
The parable from St. Luke’s Gospel on the need for the disciples to pray
constantly has a sort of “folksy” ring to it. It demonstrates a relationship to
God that is at once very personal and at the same time respectful. The
dishonest judge would have rendered a judgment in favor of the widow had she
been able to bribe him. As the story goes, he renders that judgment because of
persistence. Jesus uses this story as a contrast rather than an example of the
effect our constant prayers have on the “Just Judge”. The dishonest judge
delayed in rendering judgment, Jesus tells the disciples that the Father will
act quickly to answer the prayers of his children.
We think the analogy of the mother of an adolescent child probably shows us
the relationship Jesus has in mind. The youngster sees things in black and
white terms and feels that fairness is their right. So, when they have what
they perceive is a “need” they go quickly to their mother (or father, but for
the sake of this analogy we will use the mother – it’s more realistic. When the
child reaches adulthood and they need really big favors – then they go to dad.)
The child wants/expects their request to be acted upon quickly; it is after all
a dire need. At that age all needs are dire. The mother, in her wisdom sees the
bigger picture and understands that perhaps, the excruciating need their child
has expressed for say, an iPod or a new phone, might not be quite as life
changing as other needs. Yet when that same child is truly in need of help,
their mother will move heaven and earth, at the speed of light if she can, to
see the child is protected from harm.
God sees and hears our prayers in the same way. Some prayers God sees as
beyond the scope of his direct involvement, others he sees as unrealistic or
absurd. Other prayers he sees already answered although we may not see or
understand how that is possible. An example of that “already answered prayer”
is the dying person’s prayer – “Please don’t let me die.” God has already
answered that prayer, but not in the way the person requests – God has opened
the door to eternal life. All that is necessary is to accept God’s offer.
The important conclusion we must draw from the Gospel is that in praying to
God for our wants and needs we must be willing to accept that we may not
understand how his answer will come – or when it will come. The really important message is that we must
stay in touch with the Lord.
Communication to him in prayer is our life line.
Pax
[2]
ALTRE
[3]
The picture is “Crossing of the Red Sea ” by
Cosimo Rosselli, 1481-82
[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]
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. pp.
140
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