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| “Pietà” by Daniele Crespi, c. 1626 |
(Note: the Gospel for this Memorial is from the
Proper)
Reading 1: 1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33
Brothers and sisters:
In giving this instruction, I
do not praise the fact
that your meetings are doing
more harm than good.
First of all, I hear that
when you meet as a Church
there are divisions among
you,
and to a degree I believe it;
there have to be factions
among you
in order that also those who
are approved among you
may become known.
When you meet in one place,
then,
it is not to eat the Lord's
supper,
for in eating, each one goes
ahead with his own supper,
and one goes hungry while
another gets drunk.
Do you not have houses in
which you can eat and drink?
Or do you show contempt for
the Church of God
and make those who have
nothing feel ashamed?
What can I say to you? Shall
I praise you?
In this matter I do not
praise you.
For I received from the Lord
what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus, on the
night he was handed over,
took bread and, after he had
given thanks,
broke it and said, "This
is my Body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of
me."
In the same way also the cup,
after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new
covenant in my Blood.
Do this, as often as you
drink it, in remembrance of me."
For as often as you eat this
bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the
Lord until he comes.
Therefore, my brothers and
sisters,
when you come together to
eat, wait for one another.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 11:17-26, 33
The Apostle goes on to
recount the Eucharistic Blessing in this earliest form of the institution of
the Lord’s Supper. The emphasis is on Jesus’ generous gift of self and the
command to repeat his actions in worship.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17
R. (1 Cor
11:26b) Proclaim the death of the Lord
until he comes again.
Sacrifice or oblation you
wished not,
but ears open to obedience
you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin‑offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I
come."
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes
again.
"In the written scroll
it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is
my delight,
and your law is within my
heart!"
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes
again.
I announced your justice in
the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips,
as you, O Lord, know.
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes
again.
May all who seek you
exult and be glad in you
And may those who love your
salvation
say ever, "The LORD be
glorified."
R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes
again.
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Commentary on Ps
40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17
While Psalm 40 is a song of
thanksgiving, it is also combined with a lament. The initial waiting is
satisfied by favor shown by God to one who is faithful in service to Him. Praise
and thanksgiving are given to God whose justice is applied to all. In these
strophes the thanksgiving of those who hear the voice of God and obey his words
is sung. This obedience is loved by God above ritual sacrifices. The Lord
especially loves those who follow His law. Once heard, the good news is
proclaimed to all the people.
Supporting the new covenant,
the psalm selection tells us that the animal sacrifices and sin offerings of
the Hebrews are not what the Lord wants – he would rather have a humble and
contrite heart.
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SEQUENCE (OPTIONAL)
Stabat Mater
At the cross her station
keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
All his bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother highly blessed
Of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs,
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying, glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
'Whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that mother's pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent.
For the sins of his own nation
Saw him hang in desolation
Till his spirit forth he sent.
O sweet Mother! font of love,
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord.
Make me feel as you have felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me share with you his pain,
Who for all our sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with you,
Mourning him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.
By the cross with you to stay,
There with you to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of you to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine.
Let me to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of yours.
Wounded with his every wound,
Steep my soul till it has swooned
In his very Blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In his awful judgment day.
Christ, when you shall call me hence,
Be your Mother my defense,
Be your cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally.
Amen. (Alleluia)
Gospel: John 19:25-27
Standing by the cross of Jesus
were his mother
and his mother's sister, Mary the
wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother and the
disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother,
"Woman, behold, your son."
Then he said to the disciple,
"Behold, your mother."
And from that hour the disciple
took her into his home.
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Commentary on Jn 19:25-27
Here is Jesus’ last address to
his mother. Although the address sounds unnecessarily formal ("Woman,
behold, your son.") this would have been considered a polite address in
biblical times. The reference, “Woman”, is possibly to Genesis 3:15 which describes the mother of the
Messiah as the “woman” whose offspring conquers the devil (CCC 726, 2618).[4]
The Lord, nearing the end of his life commends the care of his mother to the
disciple whom he loved. It is presumed this is done because Jesus has no
brothers of sisters. In this instance, while it can be assumed that the
disciple referred to is St. John- the author of the Gospel, the tender
consignment of the care of the Lord’s mother is seen as iconic. That is, she is
given into the care of all of the disciples whom Jesus loves. Seeing her Son
dying upon the cross is one of the seven sorrows the Blessed Mother endured in
faith.
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OR
Second Option
Luke 2:33-35
Jesus' father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
"Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
and you yourself a sword will pierce
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
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Commentary on Lk 2:33-35
In this passage we hear Simeon’s prediction, a man, we are told earlier, who “was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel”. Simeon was told by the Holy Spirit that he would not pass away until he had seen the Messiah. He has declared that this promise has been fulfilled and then turns to Mary and makes the prediction about the nature of Christ’s ministry and the nature of the sorrow she will endure, “and you yourself a sword will pierce” The sword indicates that Mary will have a share in her Son’s sufferings; hers will be an unspeakable pain which pierces her soul. Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forge the sword of Mary’s pain.[5]
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Second Option
Luke 2:33-35
Jesus' father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
"Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
and you yourself a sword will pierce
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
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Commentary on Lk 2:33-35
In this passage we hear Simeon’s prediction, a man, we are told earlier, who “was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel”. Simeon was told by the Holy Spirit that he would not pass away until he had seen the Messiah. He has declared that this promise has been fulfilled and then turns to Mary and makes the prediction about the nature of Christ’s ministry and the nature of the sorrow she will endure, “and you yourself a sword will pierce” The sword indicates that Mary will have a share in her Son’s sufferings; hers will be an unspeakable pain which pierces her soul. Our Lord suffered on the cross for our sins, and it is those sins which forge the sword of Mary’s pain.[5]
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Reflection:
The strains of Sabat Matar
capture a shadow of the pain and sorrow of the passing of the Jesus, the Son of
Mary, from true man to true God. With all of our joy at the resurrection and
the hope that flows from that salvific event we sometimes forget the real human
drama that overtook the young mother of Jesus who was first in faith, first in
love of him who came to save us.
The Blessed Mother has long been the icon of
what it means to love unconditionally, without any reservation. She
demonstrated that ability form our first scriptural encounter with her as she
accepted, without hesitation, the honor that would belong to the vessel of God
and the sorrow promised by Simeon at the great passion of her son.
While tradition holds up for us the seven
sorrows of the Lord, any mother who has loved a child knows the constant
anxiety that goes with watching a child grow to adulthood and beyond. St. Mary
was no different, in fact she is the exemplar for all mothers; the icon of love
itself. So great was her love that it continues to transform the world. From
the very earliest of her apparitions to the children of God to the present, he
love for Christ and her love for all of God’s creation bleeds into our
consciousness in her miraculous appearances. She is a constant reminder of
God’s great love that sacrifices a son, the Son of God and Son of Mary, for our
salvation.
Today we carry on that long tradition, recalling
the great sorrow born by the Mother of Jesus the Christ. We lift up our own
sufferings and when we offer them for her intercession, our pain feels that
much lifted. Thank you Jesus, for choosing so great a mother for us.
Pax
[2]
The picture is “Pietà” by Daniele Crespi, c. 1626
[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]
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. pp.
198
[5]
The Navarre Bible, Gospels and Acts, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002,
pp.363
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