Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Sleep of Jesus During the Storm”
by Alexandre Bida, c. 1875

Readings for Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1][2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12

Hear this word, O children of Israel, that the Lord pronounces over you,

over the whole family that I brought up from the land of Egypt:

You alone have I favored,

more than all the families of the earth;

Therefore I will punish you

for all your crimes.

Do two walk together

unless they have agreed?

Does a lion roar in the forest

when it has no prey?

Does a young lion cry out from its den

unless it has seized something?

Is a bird brought to earth by a snare

when there is no lure for it?

Does a snare spring up from the ground

without catching anything?

If the trumpet sounds in a city,v will the people not be frightened?

If evil befalls a city,

has not the Lord caused it?

Indeed, the Lord God does nothing

without revealing his plan

to his servants, the prophets.

The lion roars—

who will not be afraid!

The Lord God speaks—

who will not prophesy!

I brought upon you such upheaval

as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah:

you were like a brand plucked from the fire;

Yet you returned not to me,

says the Lord.

So now I will deal with you in my own way, O Israel!

and since I will deal thus with you,

prepare to meet your God, O Israel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commentary on Am 3:1-8; 4:11-12

The Prophet Amos issues a warning to Israel (the Northern Kingdom). He begins his address by explaining that because the people of Israel are God’s chosen ones, the Lord will hold them to a higher standard of behavior (were not they given the Law of Moses?). Then he starts with his own divinely inspired compulsion to exhort them with his prophetic vision using a series of every day events to which his listeners would have been familiar (“Do two walk together unless they have agreed?” Agreement goes before harmony. “Does a lion roar in the forest when it has no prey?” The answer would also be, yes. etc.) The prophet therefore must also speak “The Lord God speaks—who will not prophesy!” The concluding remarks in this selection indicate the Lord’s judgment is at hand.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 5:4b-6a, 6b-7, 8

R. (9a) Lead me in your justice, Lord.

At dawn I bring my plea expectantly before you.

For you, O God, delight not in wickedness;

no evil man remains with you;

the arrogant may not stand in your sight.

R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.

You hate all evildoers;

you destroy all who speak falsehood;

The bloodthirsty and the deceitful

the Lord abhors.

R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.

But I, because of your abundant mercy,

will enter your house;

I will worship at your holy temple

in fear of you, O Lord.

R. Lead me in your justice, Lord.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commentary on Ps 5:4b-6a, 6b-7, 8

Psalm 5 is a lament pleading for rescue from those who are evil and do not follow the statutes of God. The love of God is for has faithful people and those who do not follow his law “the Lord abhors”.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gospel: Matthew 8:23-27

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him.

Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea,

so that the boat was being swamped by waves;

but he was asleep.

They came and woke him, saying,

"Lord, save us! We are perishing!"

He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?"

Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea,

and there was great calm.

The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this,

whom even the winds and the sea obey?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commentary on Mt 8:23-27

Jesus calming the sea is the first of this set of miracles recorded in St. Matthew’s Gospel. There are notable differences between St. Matthew’s account and that of St. Mark (Mark 4:35-41). First we note that Jesus leads the disciples into the boat rather than the disciples taking him there. We also see a more reverent attitude on the part of the twelve as the wake him contrasted with the accusatory tone in St. Mark (“…do you not care that we are perishing?") This account of the disciple’s experience, in both cases, points directly at the identity of Jesus as the Son of God and serves as a proof for the reader.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reflection:

Beyond the obvious proof of Jesus identity as the Messiah, the Son of God, the story of Jesus calming the sea has another important lesson for us, his modern day followers.  Simply stated the story is; Jesus beckons and the disciples are compelled to follow.  A storm threatens them and Jesus calms both the storm and their fears.  The story encapsulates one of the many gifts Christ offers those who trust in him, His peace and consolation.

The peace of Christ is something so valuable, so cherished by his faithful that we should thank God for it daily.  It is the peace of Christ that gave the early martyrs the courage to stand up under torture.  It is the peace of Christ which opened the hearts of many of the saints to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  When the storm rages around us and all seems to be chaotic our natural emotional state tends to imitate the chaos around us and cloud our vision.  But the peace of Christ calms those turbulent waters and allows us to see clearly into the very depths of the sea, as Diadocious of Photice in his Treatise on Spiritual Perfection,

The peace of Christ requires something of the believer.  To attain this serenity in the face of calamity, it is necessary to place our trust, our complete trust, in the Lord our Savior.  We are reminded of an old movie called “The Court Jester” with Danny Kay.  In one scene Danny, a bumbling minstrel, was hypnotized by a minion of the beguiling princess (Angela Lansbury) and was transformed into a champion fencer.  While he was under the influence of the suggestion, he fought bravely and with skill against the evil Sir Ravenhurst (Basil Rathbone).  But when the trance was broken he became the terrified jester flailing wildly.  Without the trust and faith in Christ our human emotions betray us and, like horses fleeing fire, we can be lead to do exactly the wrong thing.

When we are faced with crisis, it is so important that we pause and place our trust in Christ.  Allow Him to take on the fearful situation, as he did the storm in the Gospel, and he will calm our fears, bring us peace, and show us the way.  Does that mean he will intervene and change our physical reality?  No, but he can change our mental state, providing the comfort, consolation, and peace that will make all the difference in how we react and how others perceive God acting through us.

Our prayer today is that God will strengthen us and give us His peace, calming the storms that rage about us, that we might boldly proclaim His Name to all we meet this day.

Pax

---

[1] ALTRE

[2] The picture used is “Sleep of Jesus During the Storm” by Alexandre Bida, c. 1875

[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.

Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church)

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of the First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

“Studies of a Fox” by Pieter Boel, 1669-71

Readings for Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1][2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: Amos 2:6-10, 13-16

Thus says the Lord:
For three crimes of Israel, and for four,
I will not revoke my word;
Because they sell the just man for silver,
and the poor man for a pair of sandals.
They trample the heads of the weak
into the dust of the earth,
and force the lowly out of the way.
Son and father go to the same prostitute,
profaning my holy name.
Upon garments taken in pledge
they recline beside any altar;
And the wine of those who have been fined
they drink in the house of their god.

Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorites before them,
who were as tall as the cedars,
and as strong as the oak trees.
I destroyed their fruit above,
and their roots beneath.
It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and who led you through the desert for forty years,
to occupy the land of the Amorites.

Beware, I will crush you into the ground
as a wagon crushes when laden with sheaves.
Flight shall perish from the swift,
and the strong man shall not retain his strength;
The warrior shall not save his life,
nor the bowman stand his ground;
The swift of foot shall not escape,
nor the horseman save his life.
And the most stouthearted of warriors
shall flee naked on that day, says the Lord.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Am 2:6-10, 13-16

Placed in context, the prophet riles against the crimes of Moab (2 Kings 3:9ff). The selection from Amos begins with a detailed list of the crimes the Hebrew people of Jerusalem have committed. They disregard the poor and treat them without dignity; they take that which was given in tribute to God and use it for their own pleasure; they turned to idolatry (“…they recline beside any altar”). They did so in the face of God’s faithfulness. God stood with their armies as they defeated the Amorites and was with Moses who led them out of bondage in Egypt.

The prophet concludes with a warning oracle; (“I will crush you into the ground”) God will abandon them and they will not be able to hide from his punishment.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 50:16bc-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23

R. (22a) Remember this, you who never think of God.

“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.

“When you see a thief, you keep pace with him,
and with adulterers you throw in your lot.
To your mouth you give free rein for evil,
you harness your tongue to deceit.”
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.

“You sit speaking against your brother;
against your mother’s son you spread rumors.
When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.”
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.

“Consider this, you who forget God,
lest I rend you and there be no one to rescue you.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”
R. Remember this, you who never think of God.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 50:16bc-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23

Psalm 50 is a “covenant lawsuit”, that is a lament against those who have violated God’s law and the covenant made with Him upon which it was based. Much like the oracle from Amos 2:6ff, the strophes point to those who are unfaithful and contrast them with God who is always faithful.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 8:18-22

When Jesus saw a crowd around him,
he gave orders to cross to the other shore.
A scribe approached and said to him,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
Another of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But Jesus answered him, “Follow me,
and let the dead bury their dead.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 8:18-22

We come to an interlude between the miracle stories in St. Matthew’s Gospel. In this passage we find two sayings dealing with discipleship and what that means. The first of these is a reply to a scribe who wished to travel with the Lord. The Savior’s reply indicated that he must be prepared to have no permanent home if he was going to do so. He must give up material wealth.

In the second situation, the would-be disciple asks to be allowed to bury his father. This does not mean his father had already died but that he wished to wait for that to happen so he could carry out his family responsibilities. The Lord’s response makes it clear that ties to the family would be secondary to the disciples call to follow him (see also commentary on Luke 9:51-62).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:

The Lord asks the scribe in the form of a metaphor, if he is willing to give up all the world holds as important to follow him. His inference with the statement: “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head” is that accepting the way of Christ means placing everything of earthly value second. Homes and families become secondary to the work of spreading the news of God’s salvation.

Using a more contemporary image, we were reminded recently of the great example set for us by St Josemaria Escriva who, though he did not know what he was being called to, repeatedly said yes to the call of the Lord. In his life, like so many of the great saints, worldly values beckoned to him and he was forced to say no. The Lord asks for our love and understands that when we say yes, we take up a cross that is very familiar to him. It may mean family and friends turn away, they will not understand single hearted love of God. It will almost certainly mean that secular definitions of success will not apply. Financial wealth, material goods, and worldly pleasures will have little value in the life of Christ’s disciples.

Why then, one might ask, would a person willingly choose to follow Jesus? It seems almost as if the Lord is trying to push us away. No, he is simply trying to teach us where true happiness and peace can be found. By embracing God, we find an inner peace that eludes those whose passion is building wealth, whose treasure is fiscal gain. Wealth demands attention, effort, and work. Trusting Jesus to walk with us and the Father to watch over us, our spirit soars and a great burden is lifted.

Today we ask for the strength to let go of our earthly desires and turn away for the urgings of the flesh (as St. Paul would say) to embrace Christ and follow his way to salvation.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today “Studies of a Fox” by Pieter Boel, 1669-71
[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.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

“Saints Peter and Paul”
by Guido Reni, c. 1600

Mass During the Day

Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul - Vigil

Readings for the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul [1][2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary: [3][4]

Reading 1: Acts 12:1-11

In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.
He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,
and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews
he proceeded to arrest Peter also.
-It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.-
He had him taken into custody and put in prison
under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.
He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.
Peter thus was being kept in prison,
but prayer by the Church was fervently being made
to God on his behalf.

On the very night before Herod was to bring him to trial,
Peter, secured by double chains,
was sleeping between two soldiers,
while outside the door guards kept watch on the prison.
Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him
and a light shone in the cell.
He tapped Peter on the side and awakened him, saying,
"Get up quickly."
The chains fell from his wrists.
The angel said to him, "Put on your belt and your sandals."
He did so.
Then he said to him, "Put on your cloak and follow me."
So he followed him out,
not realizing that what was happening through the angel was real;
he thought he was seeing a vision.
They passed the first guard, then the second,
and came to the iron gate leading out to the city,
which opened for them by itself.
They emerged and made their way down an alley,
and suddenly the angel left him.
Then Peter recovered his senses and said,
"Now I know for certain
that the Lord sent his angel
and rescued me from the hand of Herod
and from all that the Jewish people had been expecting."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 12:1-11

The Christian Jews in Jerusalem have fallen from favor, probably due to St. Stephen’s teaching and the subsequent back lash. The execution of St. James marks the beginning of the third persecution of the early Church in Jerusalem, this one from a more formal source.

The liberation of Peter from prison echoes many events of Jewish history (the deliverance of Joseph, Genesis 39:21-41:57; the three young men, Daniel 3; and Daniel [himself], Daniel 6) that consciously reflect the paschal liberation (Exodus 12:42). Peter now undergoes the same trial and deliverance as his Master and in his own person becomes a sign of God’s deliverance of his people.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (5) The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

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. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

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. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

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. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.

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. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Psalm 34 is a song of thanksgiving and a favorite for celebrating the heroic virtue of the saints. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Psalm 34:5, 7), can teach the "poor," those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone. This psalm, in the words of one being unjustly persecuted, echoes hope for deliverance and freedom.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18

I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation,
and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have competed well; I have finished the race;
I have kept the faith.
From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,
which the Lord, the just judge,
will award to me on that day, and not only to me,
but to all who have longed for his appearance.

The Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.
The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat
and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom.
To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18

Paul is writing from prison at the end of his life. The only deliverance he can expect is death, and he confidently proclaims that it is the greatest deliverance of all. The death of the Christian who has lived and worked in union with the death of Christ through baptism is true release to freedom and glory. The Apostle views this deliverance as an act of worship. At the close of his life Paul could testify to the accomplishment of what Christ himself foretold concerning him at the time of his conversion, "I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name" (Acts 9:16).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 16:13-19

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi
he asked his disciples,
"Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Simon Peter said in reply,
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah.
For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.
And so I say to you, you are Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my Church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.
I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven.
Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven;
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 16:13-19

St. Matthew’s story of how Jesus asked about what people were saying about him has a profound impact on the Church. Here, when challenged by Jesus with the question, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon answers, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” The second title is not present in St. Mark’s version of this encounter. It adds an understanding that Jesus is not just the Messiah, but also the Son of God. Given this response, Jesus confers upon Simon a new name “Kephas” which comes from the root Aramaic word Kepa or “Rock”. When translated into Greek it came out Petros and from there to Peter. The name, however, becomes the foundation for the Church and Peter, as a consequence of this exchange is given Christ’s authority, an authority that is passed down through Papal Succession to the Pope who sits on the Chair of Peter today.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:

Where would we be without St. Peter and St. Paul? Peter was given the keys to the kingdom to pass down to us while Paul was sent to proclaim that kingdom to non-Jewish people. Without Peter, there would be no first Pontiff, without Paul Christianity might have been nothing more than an insignificant scandalous off-shoot of Judaism.

While they were both critical to God’s plan, how differently they are painted by scripture. Peter was so very human. He could suddenly be open to the Holy Spirit and then just as suddenly fall pray to doubt. We saw it many times in the Gospel.

Remember the time in the boat on the Sea of Galilee, he saw Jesus and got out of the boat and actually began walking on the water? (Matthew 14:22-36) We are reminded of a child learning to ride a bike. The parent patiently takes the child out onto the sidewalk, tells the child to begin peddling as the parent walks next to them holding on to the back. At some point the parent lets go and the child rides on. Until, that is, they realize the parent is not there and then they generally lose faith (and concentration) and crash. Peter was like that, he started walking on water and as soon as he realized that it was impossible, he started to sink. The Lord rescued him, of course, like he always does for all of us. And he chastised Peter for his lack of faith.

Remember that awful night in the garden when Jesus was taken? How earlier in the evening when they were reclining at table Peter told Jesus how he would follow Jesus down any road. Remember how the Lord told him that before that night was out he would deny the Him 3 times? Again Peter was caught up in the spirit and said the noble thing only to fall pray to his own human weakness later. (Matthew 26:14—27:66) I love him for that weakness; it gives me hope for myself.

Then we have Paul who was a melodramatic firebrand. Paul, it seemed to me, threw himself into situations he knew would be spectacular. It was his style. Once there, with the predictable outcome (usually that meant he was either in jail or on the verge of being executed), he would lament his troubles (like today; I, Paul, am already being poured out like a libation). He wanted us to see graphically that being Christian and following Christ in our lives would be difficult, should be difficult. He had a keen intellect and enjoyed matching wits with the best philosophical minds in Rome. Like so many of us in the Church today, Paul, as a convert, was the most fervent in his faith.

Two very different tools in the Lord’s tool box are celebrated today. We, his modern day followers will do well if we can emulate either of them in the love of God and their dedication to the faith. We celebrate the fact that both followed Christ in life and death and sit now in the heavenly kingdom with all the angels and saints and we ask for their intersession on our behalf.

Pax

In other Years: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

---

[1] ALTRE

[2] The picture used is “Saints Peter and Paul” by Guido Reni, c. 1600

[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] In part, from the commentary from Fr. Tom Welbers at Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Berkley, California.

Memorial for the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

“The Immaculate Heart of Mary”
Artist and Date are UNKNOWN

(Saturday Following The Second Sunday After Pentecost)
Note: On this feast, the Gospel from the Proper is Proper

Information about the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Alternate Proper for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary [1]

Readings for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary [2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: Lamentations 2:2, 10-14, 18-19

The Lord has consumed without pity
all the dwellings of Jacob;
He has torn down in his anger
the fortresses of daughter Judah;
He has brought to the ground in dishonor
her king and her princes.

On the ground in silence sit
the old men of daughter Zion;
They strew dust on their heads
and gird themselves with sackcloth;
The maidens of Jerusalem
bow their heads to the ground.

Worn out from weeping are my eyes,
within me all is in ferment;
My gall is poured out on the ground
because of the downfall of the daughter of my people,
As child and infant faint away
in the open spaces of the town.

In vain they ask their mothers,
“Where is the grain?”
As they faint away like the wounded
in the streets of the city,
And breathe their last
in their mothers’ arms.

To what can I liken or compare you,
O daughter Jerusalem?
What example can I show you for your comfort,
virgin daughter Zion?
For great as the sea is your downfall;
who can heal you?

Your prophets had for you
false and specious visions;
They did not lay bare your guilt,
to avert your fate;
They beheld for you in vision
false and misleading portents.

Cry out to the Lord;
moan, O daughter Zion!
Let your tears flow like a torrent
day and night;
Let there be no respite for you,
no repose for your eyes.

Rise up, shrill in the night,
at the beginning of every watch;
Pour out your heart like water
in the presence of the Lord;
Lift up your hands to him
for the lives of your little ones
Who faint from hunger
at the corner of every street.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lam 2:2, 10-14, 18-19

The reading from Lamentations begins with the author’s sorrow at the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple (587 BC). The prophets who promised prosperity were wrong (“Your prophets had for you false and specious visions”). The sorrow and humble repentance of the faithful are expressed as is the plight of the people who remain. They are afflicted with famine and drought. But hope remains as they continue to reach out to the Lord who has not completely forsaken them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 74:1b-2, 3-5, 6-7, 20-21

R. (19b) Lord, forget not the souls of your poor ones.

Why, O God, have you cast us off forever?
Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
Remember your flock which you built up of old,
the tribe you redeemed as your inheritance,
Mount Zion, where you took up your abode.
R. Lord, forget not the souls of your poor ones.

Turn your steps toward the utter ruins;
toward all the damage the enemy has done in the sanctuary.
Your foes roar triumphantly in your shrine;
they have set up their tokens of victory.
They are like men coming up with axes to a clump of trees.
R. Lord, forget not the souls of your poor ones.

With chisel and hammer they hack at all the
paneling of the sanctuary.
They set your sanctuary on fire;
the place where your name abides they have razed and profaned.
R. Lord, forget not the souls of your poor ones.

Look to your covenant,
for the hiding places in the land and the plains are full of violence.
May the humble not retire in confusion;
may the afflicted and the poor praise your name.
R. Lord, forget not the souls of your poor ones.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 74:1b-2, 3-5, 6-7, 20-21

“A communal lament sung when the enemy invaded the temple; it would be especially appropriate at the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. Israel's God is urged to look upon the ruined sanctuary and remember the congregation who worshiped there.”[4]

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 2:41-51

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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 2:41-51

From the Gospel of St. Luke we have the story of Jesus in the Temple. It is significant from a number of perspectives. First the story breaks the scriptural silence regarding the “lost years” of Jesus’ growth from infancy to adulthood. This story says Jesus is twelve, that would be the time when he would have celebrated his bar miswah, he would have been considered a man.

This story is at odds with the Apocryphal Gospels (such as the Gospel of St. Thomas) that attributed to Jesus many miracles during his early years, this story paints his childhood as fairly normal, the implication based on Joseph and Mary’s reaction is that they, at this point, do not completely understand their son’s mission.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:

Yesterday’s celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is joined appropriately with today’s Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Yesterday we rejoiced in the love our Savior has for us. Today, his Mother, our Mother, Mary, reminds us that he expects to be loved by us in return. Even as we know that we can never earn the love of Christ, that we can never receive it on our own merits, we know that our love of Jesus must be made clear.

Today we reflect not just in prayer by in a very pragmatic way about how we can accede to Mother Mary’s fervent hope and example. She demonstrated for us how that love could be shown. She was the first to believe in him. Her actions most closely echoed his command to love one another. She clearly loved the Lord with such intensity and passion that her heart was pierced at his death as Simeon had predicted.

We cannot hope to rival the love of the Theotokos, the Mother of God, in her love for her Son. We may have difficulty finding the intense emotional attachment to the Lord she showed us so naturally. But we can demonstrate our love for Him through our actions.

Think for a moment about how others know we love our parents or our siblings or even our close friends. We do things for them that please them. We spend time with them and we behave in ways that make them happy, sharing our joy and our sorrow.

Using that simple model, that is how we show our love for Jesus. That is the beaconing call of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We do things that please the Lord, we praise His Father (he always enjoys that), and we act in ways that tell others “Oh, they must be Christians”. We serve others, because the Lord’s life and His Mother’s were dedicated to serving others. And we spend time with the Lord, as much time as possible. We talk with him in prayer, not just to ask for things like a spoiled child or and ungrateful friend, but talking to him about the things we have been able to accomplish with his help and about our joys and sorrows. Finally we spend time with him physically in his gift of the Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration. Is this not the way we act with those we love?

Scripture tells us that Mary, Most Holy loved the Lord like no one else could and in her Immaculate Heart we see that example, clear for us to follow. Let us today be revitalized by that plea and embrace the Lord with our actions.

Pax

In other Years: Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

[1] “The Immaculate Heart of Mary” Artist and Date are UNKNOWN
[2] ALTRE 376/573
[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 for Psalm 74

Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

“St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Contemplating
the Sacred Heart of Jesus”
by Corrado Giaquinto, 1765

Additional Information about the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart [1]

Readings for the Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus [2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: Deuteronomy 7:6-11

Moses said to the people:
"You are a people sacred to the Lord, your God;
he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earth
to be a people peculiarly his own.
It was not because you are the largest of all nations
that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you,
for you are really the smallest of all nations.
It was because the Lord loved you
and because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn your fathers,
that he brought you out with his strong hand
from the place of slavery,
and ransomed you from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.
Understand, then, that the Lord, your God, is God indeed,
the faithful God who keeps his merciful covenant
down to the thousandth generation
toward those who love him and keep his commandments,
but who repays with destruction a person who hates him;
he does not dally with such a one,
but makes them personally pay for it.
You shall therefore carefully observe the commandments,
the statutes and the decrees that I enjoin on you today."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dt 7:6-11

This passage is taken from Moses second address to the people of Israel.  He has just explained that the people of the lands which they occupy (Canaan in this case) must be held at arms length and they must not intermingle their cultures or relationships.  The selection presented is the rationale for that injunction; the members of God’s covenant are sacred to the Lord and the precepts of that covenant are not to be threatened by people not bound by it.

The intense love of God for his people is made clear in this reading with specific mention made to the Heart of God “…the Lord set his heart on you and chose you”.  This directly supports devotion to the Sacred Heart of His only Son especially: “It was because the Lord loved you”.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 10.

R. (cf. 17) The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

Merciful and gracious is the Lord,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 10.

Psalm 103 is a song of praise to God for his mercy. It recognizes both God’s mercy and our need, as sinners, for it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 John 4:7-16

Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also must love one another.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.

This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,
that he has given us of his Spirit.
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.

God is love, and whoever remains in love
remains in God and God in him.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Jn 4:7-16

Love as we share in it testifies to the nature of God and to his presence in our lives. One who loves shows that one is a child of God and knows God, for God's very being is love; one without love is without God. The revelation of the nature of God's love is found in the free gift of his Son to us, so that we may share life with God and be delivered from our sins. The love we have for one another must be of the same sort: authentic, merciful; this unique Christian love is our proof that we know God and can "see" the invisible God.[4]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus exclaimed:
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 11:25-30

Jesus has just completed a fairly scathing criticism of the people in the places he has been and performed miracles yet; many have not accepted him as the Messiah. He now concludes this section on a more joyous note as he reflects that, while the Scribes and Pharisees (“the wise and learned”) have not understood who he is, those with simple faith have accepted him freely. He then issues an invitation to all who “labor and are burdened” quoting an invitation similar to one in Ben Sirach to learn wisdom and submit to her yoke (Sirach 51:23, 26).

“This Q saying, identical with Luke 10:21-22 except for minor variations, introduces a joyous note into this section, so dominated by the theme of unbelief. While the wise and the learned, the scribes and Pharisees, have rejected Jesus' preaching and the significance of his mighty deeds, the childlike have accepted them. Acceptance depends upon the Father's revelation, but this is granted to those who are open to receive it and refused to the arrogant. Jesus can speak of all mysteries because he is the Son and there is perfect reciprocity of knowledge between him and the Father; what has been handed over to him is revealed only to those whom he wishes.”[5]

The final verses of this section are found only in St. Matthew’s Gospel and promise salvation to those who are downtrodden or in pain.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:

We begin our thoughts of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in an odd place, remembering our first days in college (in ancient times).  Anxious to start on our curriculum of studies in biochemistry, we went to the advisor for the department, a brilliant young doctor of chemistry.  He immediately reviewed the options for first year students and said “You don’t need freshman biology, let’s sign you up for zoology, and you certainly don’t need plain geometry and trigonometry – you should take calculus, and by all means we should skip freshman inorganic chemistry and go straight to organic chemistry.”  Not knowing any better we did as instructed and it almost killed us.  Study should be fun, not terrifying.

What does this have to do with the intense love of God expressed by our devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?  In the Gospel reading today we are invited by the Lord to accept his yoke; “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."  He was contrasting his simple commandment to “Love one another as I have loved you” to the complex and difficult rules the Pharisees applied to authentic worship as defined by Mosaic Law.

Here is the ironic part; Jesus the Christ; the Only Son of God, is love personified.  He comes, one might say, “hard wired” to react out of love of others in all situations; the pinnacle of heroic virtue.  What he does instinctively requires of us who struggle valiantly to follow him tremendous discipline and faith.  It is like the brilliant young advisor who looked at difficult courses and thought them too easy for his new charge.

Our comfort is this; that this day we contemplate not so much how we have failed in our attempt to be like Christ, but rather his unfathomable love for us.  If we think about how intensely a mother loves her child, and then understand that the Lord loves us even more completely, we begin to get an understating of that blessing that engulfs us.  So beyond our comprehension is this immeasurable gift that we look to the Saints to describe their God-given visions of the warmth that comes from that ultimate source.

Today we pray once more that the Lord will help us love as he does, without judgment, without reserve in perfect acceptance of all we meet.  We thank him for his example and ask for the strength for follow it, especially with those who most need to feel its warmth.

Pax

[1] The picture is “St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Contemplating the Sacred Heart of Jesus” by Corrado Giaquinto, 1765
[2] ALTRE
[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] NAB footnote on 1 John 4: 7-12
[5] See NAB footnote on Matthew 11:25ff

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

“The House Upon the Rock
and The House Upon the Sand”
by William James Webb, c. 1860

Readings for Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time [1][2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: 2 Kings 24:8-17

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.
His mother’s name was Nehushta,
daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.
He did evil in the sight of the Lord,
just as his forebears had done.

At that time the officials of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
attacked Jerusalem, and the city came under siege.
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
himself arrived at the city
while his servants were besieging it.
Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, together with his mother,
his ministers, officers, and functionaries,
surrendered to the king of Babylon, who,
in the eighth year of his reign, took him captive.
And he carried off all the treasures
of the temple of the Lord and those of the palace,
and broke up all the gold utensils that Solomon, king of Israel,
had provided in the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had foretold.
He deported all Jerusalem:
all the officers and men of the army, ten thousand in number,
and all the craftsmen and smiths.
None were left among the people of the land except the poor.
He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon,
and also led captive from Jerusalem to Babylon
the king’s mother and wives,
his functionaries, and the chief men of the land.
The king of Babylon also led captive to Babylon all seven thousand men of the army,
and a thousand craftsmen and smiths,
all of them trained soldiers.
In place of Jehoiachin,
the king of Babylon appointed his uncle Mattaniah king,
and changed his name to Zedekiah.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Kgs 24:8-17

Following his father’s death, the young king Jehoiachin reigns for a very short period in Jerusalem. King Nebuchadnezzar of Neo-Babylon has already been attacking Judah for some time and reaches Jerusalem just three months after the new king ascends the throne (history records that the wall around Jerusalem was breached on March 16, 587 B.C). Following its capture, we hear of the great Diaspora and sack of the temple as all of the leadership and soldiery are sent into exile.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 79:1b-2, 3-5, 8, 9

R. (9) For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

O God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
they have defiled your holy temple,
they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.
They have given the corpses of your servants
as food to the birds of heaven,
the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

They have poured out their blood like water
round about Jerusalem,
and there is no one to bury them.
We have become the reproach of our neighbors,
the scorn and derision of those around us.
O Lord, how long? Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealousy burn like fire?
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 79:1b-2, 3-5, 8, 9

Psalm 79 picks up the penitential note found also in Baruch 1:15. It is a communal lament in which the assembly reflects upon the punishment endured because they have sinned against God and disregarded his law. This lament is thought to reflect upon the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in 587 B.C. The singer asks God how long his anger at them will last and pleads for pardon and deliverance. Following this admission, there is a plea for mercy and a promise of atonement.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 7:21-29

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?
Did we not drive out demons in your name?
Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’
Then I will declare to them solemnly,
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words,
the crowds were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority,
and not as their scribes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 7:21-29

This is the final section of the first of five great discourses of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. In it he broadens his attack on false prophets to include those who perform acts in his name but lead lives of sin. He uses the analogy of the house built upon sand and the house built upon rock to indicate that those how have a deep faith and act out of that faith have a strong foundation and can stand against adversity; while those who give the faith lip service and for others to see but do not have that deep faith will fall. He will not even recognize them when they come before him in final judgment. The Lord also makes a distinction between saying and doing. The metaphor of the “house built upon rock” refers to those who hear the word of the Lord from an authentic source and act upon it. The house built on sand is a metaphor for those who either are not taught authentically (by false prophets) or who do not act upon what they have been given.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:

We are reminded of a story about the young Dutch boy who wished to hold back the sea so he could build a home by a wave swept shore. Each day he would go to the very edge of the shore at low tide and erect a wall as quickly as he could in hopes that it would prevent the water from washing over the place where he wanted to build when the tide came back in. Each day, no matter how fast and how sturdily he built the water would rush back and come around the sides of his wall and knock it down and wash over it.

The boy was becoming very sad and disheartened and went to his father and told him about his struggle. His father explained to him that, while he might be the best in the world at building dikes to hold back the water, he could not do what needed to be done by himself. He must enlist the aid of his friends and family that together they might create a structure that could hold back the sea for a day.

It was a week later that the boy, this time accompanied by his friends and family came to the shore. When the tide had gone out they worked furiously together and made an enclosure. When the tide came back in, the weak places were able to be reinforced and the dike stood throughout high tide. As the water receded, more dikes were added and in a matter of weeks enough ground was reclaimed from the sea to build several houses.

The young man thanked those who had helped and then together they thanked God because the Lord had given them strength to build. The Lord had created the material with which they built and had given them good weather without which all they had done would have been impossible.

We thought of this story, first because of the parable of the wise man who built his house upon a solid foundation, a rock. But when we think about that foundation we realized that it was not simply one rock that is the foundation for us but many. One man, though he was also God, came into the world and established the cornerstone of faith and upon that rock countless other people of great faith added their own effort and in many cases their blood, so that the great monument to the Father, the Church might be built.

We each must become like the rock that Jesus called in St. Peter. We must strengthen ourselves with what is good through prayer and discernment so we, like the friends and family of the Dutch boy in the story, might stand together against the storm of the world, remaining firm in the faith to God’s glory. We must reject what comes from the evil one and test each notion against the measure of the love of God and His Son.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture today is “The House Upon the Rock and The House Upon the Sand” by William James Webb, c. 1860
[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.

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

“Josiah” by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, c. 1850's

Readings for Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time [1][2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: 2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3

The high priest Hilkiah informed the scribe Shaphan,
“I have found the book of the law in the temple of the Lord.”
Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it.
Then the scribe Shaphan went to the king and reported,
“Your servants have smelted down the metals available in the temple
and have consigned them to the master workmen
in the temple of the Lord.”
The scribe Shaphan also informed the king
that the priest Hilkiah had given him a book,
and then read it aloud to the king.
When the king heard the contents of the book of the law,
he tore his garments and issued this command to Hilkiah the priest,
Ahikam, son of Shaphan,
Achbor, son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan,
and the king’s servant Asaiah:
“Go, consult the Lord for me, for the people, for all Judah,
about the stipulations of this book that has been found,
for the anger of the Lord has been set
furiously ablaze against us,
because our fathers did not obey the stipulations of this book,
nor fulfill our written obligations.”

The king then had all the elders of Judah
and of Jerusalem summoned together before him.
The king went up to the temple of the Lord with all the men of Judah
and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem:
priests, prophets, and all the people, small and great.
He had the entire contents of the book of the covenant
that had been found in the temple of the Lord, read out to them.
Standing by the column, the king made a covenant before the Lord
that they would follow him
and observe his ordinances, statutes and decrees
with their whole hearts and souls,
thus reviving the terms of the covenant
which were written in this book.
And all the people stood as participants in the covenant.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3

This passage chronicles the reign of King Josiah who followed King Manasseh who had reigned for 55 years and had done evil in the eyes of the Lord, following “abominable practices” (2 Kings 21:2ff). King Josiah had ordered the gifts of precious metals given to the temple to be melted down and paid out to workmen who repaired the temple. During this renovation the book of the Law was rediscovered and the people were brought back to the faith through the reaffirmation of the covenant. The historical ebb and flow of faith in Israel continues.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40

R. (33a) Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes,
that I may exactly observe them.
R. Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.
R. Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

Lead me in the path of your commands,
for in it I delight.
R. Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

Incline my heart to your decrees
and not to gain.
R. Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain:
by your way give me life.
R. Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.

Behold, I long for your precepts;
in your justice give me life.
R. Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 119:33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40

The strophes selected from this very long psalm focus on the fidelity of the singer to the “ordinances, statutes and decrees” of the Law in direct reference to the communal lament offered in 2 Kings 22. Psalm 119 is an individual lament asking for God’s support in times of difficulty.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 7:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.

So by their fruits you will know them.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 7:15-20

In this section of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns against people claiming to be God’s messengers but whose message goes against God’s commands. Jesus uses an analogy of the fruit produced by various plants as a way to test the authenticity of those who claim to come in God’s name. He tells them that the product or result of the words offered by a self proclaimed messenger will identify them. In his time, this was probably another warning about the teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees who placed self serving demands upon the people.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:

Earlier in this decade a great tragedy occurred in Waco Texas at the compound of a religious group called the Branch Davidians. A charismatic leader named David Koresh was able to convince a large group of people that he was from God and was leading them to God. The fruits of his teaching tell us what he truly was. On November 18, 1978 in a place commonly known as Jonestown in Guyana, a charismatic religious leader named Jimmy Jones lead 913 men women and children to mass suicide claiming that he was leading them to God. The fruits of his teaching identified him clearly.

If we believe the waning from the Lord can be taken lightly because we have two thousand years of history and understanding to fortify us against teachers who might lead us down the wrong path, all we need to do is look at recent history. If we believe that, because we have Saints who fought the battles to defeat challenges to Church teaching throughout history, we are free from those who would twist the word of God to their own purposes then look at the present day. Look at the saga of Jose Luis De Jesus Miranda who died last year. He was building a financial empire based in Miami predicated upon the idea that he himself is the incarnation of God and people believe him!

The words of Jesus come rushing upon us today. We are reminded that we base our hope and trust on those whose fruits are clearly seen. The Church, for all her faults, is an on-going force for good in the world. Her message of the Risen Lord, justice for the poor and love for all mankind is what we look at and see the finger prints of God. Let us take the time to inform our selves and inform those we love about the truth so they too may avoid the many false prophets who come seeming good but whose fruits proclaim them as messengers of darkness.

Pax

[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “Josiah” by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, c. 1850's
[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.

Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

Mass During the Day

“St John the Baptist as a Boy”
by  Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, c. 1665

Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist - AT THE VIGIL

Readings for the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist [1][2]

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Readings and Commentary: [3]

Reading 1: Isaiah 49:1-6

Hear me, O coastlands,
listen, O distant peoples.
The LORD called me from birth,
from my mother's womb he gave me my name.
He made of me a sharp-edged sword
and concealed me in the shadow of his arm.
He made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me.
You are my servant, he said to me,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
yet my reward is with the LORD,
my recompense is with my God.
For now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Is 49:1-6

In this passage, the beginning of the second of the four “Servant of the Lord” oracles, the Prophet Isaiah speaks of his own call to service to God. It presents him as “another Jeremiah.”  He is called from his mother’s womb (see Jeremiah 1:5). The prophet has a vocation to the gentiles (Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 25:15ff) to bring a message of both doom and happiness (Jeremiah 16:19-21.[4] We note that God sets his servants on their course from before their birth (see also Luke 1:15 (St. John the Baptist), Luke 1:31 (Jesus) and Galatians 1:15 (St. Paul the Apostle))

The servant learns that even at times when his effort seems to have failed (“Though I thought I had toiled in vain…”) that it is God’s strength and plan that succeeds (“…my recompense is with my God”)(see also 1 Corinthians 4:1-5). The prophet’s role is expanded at the end of the passage to “…reach to the ends of the earth.” A revelation further elaborated in Genesis 12:3; Luke 2:31-32; and Acts 13:47.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15

R. (14) I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

O LORD, you have probed me, you know me:
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. I praise you for I am wonderfully made.

Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother's womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.

My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
R. I praise you, for I am wonderfully made.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 14c-15

This song/prayer asks for guidance from the Holy Spirit. It recognizes that God’s spirit is in all His creation and its knowledge is omnipresent. The idea of being called from the womb – set aside for God is a common theme of the Prophetic Tradition in both the Old Testament and New Testament (We note that God sets his servants on their course from before their birth (see also Luke 1:15 (St. John the Baptist), Luke 1:31 (Jesus) and Galatians 1:15 (St. Paul the Apostle)).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: Acts of the Apostles 13:22-26

In those days, Paul said:
"God raised up David as king;
of him God testified,                                                                                    
I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;
he will carry out my every wish.
From this man's descendants God, according to his promise,
has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel;
and as John was completing his course, he would say,
'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'

"My brothers, sons of the family of Abraham,
and those others among you who are God-fearing,
to us this word of salvation has been sent."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 13:22-26

This is the first of several instances recorded in Acts that St. Paul uses his scholarly knowledge of the Hebrew tradition to build up logical rationale for Jesus as savior and Messiah. In this passage that development ends as he recounts the history of God’s covenant with the Jewish people from their exodus from Egypt under Moses to the appearance of John the Baptist (in this discourse there are quotes from several sources: Psalm 89:21; 1 Samuel 13:14; and Isaiah 44:28). St. John would have been a contemporary figure about whom these people would have been aware and he quotes Luke 3:16. He concludes by appealing to the Jewish audience (“sons of the family of Abraham”) to hear the prophetic call fulfilled.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 1:57-66, 80

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child
she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and relatives heard
that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her,
and they rejoiced with her.
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child,
they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,
but his mother said in reply,
"No. He will be called John."
But they answered her,
"There is no one among your relatives who has this name."
So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name,"
and all were amazed.
Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,
and he spoke blessing God.
Then fear came upon all their neighbors,
and all these matters were discussed
throughout the hill country of Judea.
All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,
"What, then, will this child be?"
For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
The child grew and became strong in spirit,
and he was in the desert until the day
of his manifestation to Israel.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Luke 1:57-66, 80

We hear the angel’s announcement to Zachariah (Luke 1:13ff) fulfilled in St. Luke’s account of the birth of St. John the Baptist. The naming of the child “John” broke tradition (according to the tradition of the day, the child should have been named after his father, Zachariah) and by acceding to the Archangel Gabriel’s announcement, we see the child set on a course directed by God and dedicated to him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:

The feast we celebrate today, the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, is raised to the level of a Solemnity, the highest, most important rank that is given to celebrations in the Church.  We point this out to invite the question; “Why would the birth of St. John the Baptist be placed on the same level as the feast of the Transfiguration or Christmas, or Easter?”  These other Solemnities mark major events in the life of Christ.  While he was Jesus’ cousin and his birth, like the Lord’s was miraculous (although not any were close to the virginal birth of the Lord), St. John passed from sight early in the saga of Jesus.  Why then does the Church so honor the day of his birth?

We ask the question rhetorically, of course.  Without the birth of St. John, Jesus’ mission could not have happened.  It was St. John who came as the “Elijah figure” returning as prophesied to herald the coming of the Messiah.  It was St. John who announced and prefigured the Lord in life and death.  St. John was the perfect key that opened the way for the Savior who in turn used that key to defeat death and open wide the gates of salvation for all mankind.

When we recall St. John’s beginning, scripture presents us with a clear picture of his importance in God’s plan.  Like the great prophets of old, St. John was called to his role from his mother’s womb.  Indeed, his first meeting with Jesus was from the womb as his mother, Elizabeth, met her cousin the Blessed Virgin Mary when she was newly with child.  St. John, while still in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice.  His path was already set, his mission already accepted. (Luke 1:40-41)

Like the Lord himself, little is known of St. John’s early years.  We may only speculate that, growing up, he must have spent some time with Jesus.  Clearly he knew that it was him, the Lord, whose path he made straight.  His response to those who asked him later if he was the Messiah makes clear that he was humble in his role and awed by the call he had accepted.  Acts recalled his words to us: “I am not he.” He said when asked if he was the one expected. “Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'

In his witness, St. John not only announced the Lord’s coming but provided for us an example of how we should accept the Lord’s future coming.  Like St. John, we should be filled with awe and wonder at what God has done for us.  We should be filled with expectation at what the Heavenly Father has prepared for us.  We should be joyful as we anticipate our Lord’s coming in glory.

As we recall St. John’s nativity on this his feast day, let us all pray that we may conform our attitudes to his; being filled with the Holy Spirit, rejoicing in the Lord who came as he promised and will come again.

Pax



[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture is “St John the Baptist as a Boy” by  Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, c. 1665
[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 Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 22:35, pp.376