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| “Expulsion of the Moneychangers from the Temple” by Luca Giordano, c. 1675 |
Reading 1: Sirach 44:1, 9-13
Now will I praise those godly men,
our ancestors, each in his own time.
But of others there is no memory,
for when they ceased, they ceased.
And they are as though they had not lived,
they and their children after them.
Yet these also were godly men
whose virtues have not been forgotten;
Their wealth remains in their families,
their heritage with their descendants;
Through God’s covenant with them their family endures,
their posterity, for their sake.
And for all time their progeny will endure,
their glory will never be blotted out.
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Commentary on Sir
44:1, 9-13
In this passage we hear the author extol the virtue of the great
people of faith who have gone before – Prophets and patriarchs. He also speaks of those “forgotten” faithful
who because they kept their covenant with God, have passed on that heritage and
faith to endless generations.
“As in the previous section God's wisdom shone forth in the works
of nature, so in these chapters (Sirach 44-50) it is also revealed through the
history of God's people as seen in the lives of their patriarchs, prophets,
priests and rulers. The example of these great men, whose virtues are here
recalled, constitutes a high point
CCC: Sir 44:9-20 2112
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Responsorial
Psalm: Psalm 149:1b-2,
3-4, 5-6a and 9b
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the
faithful.
Let Israel
let the children of Zion
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them praise his name in the festive
dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel
and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their
couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their
throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful.
Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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Commentary on Ps
149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
Psalm 149 is a communal song of praise, rejoicing in God’s
kingship and inviting the faithful to celebrate his saving works. We rejoice
because God brings victory to the lowly and hope to the oppressed. The psalmist
calls to the faithful to give praise in the assembly of the people – to give
witness to their faith publicly – communally; as God’s chosen ones.
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Gospel: Mark 11:11-26
Jesus entered Jerusalem
He looked around at everything and, since it was already late,
went out to Bethany
The next day as they were leaving Bethany
Seeing from a distance a fig tree in leaf,
he went over to see if he could find anything on it.
When he reached it he found nothing but leaves;
it was not the time for figs.
And he said to it in reply, “May no one ever eat of your fruit
again!”
And his disciples heard it.
They came to Jerusalem
and on entering the temple area
he began to drive out those selling and buying there.
He overturned the tables of the money changers
and the seats of those who were selling doves.
He did not permit anyone to carry anything through the temple
area.
Then he taught them saying, “Is it not written:
My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples?
But you have made it a den of thieves.”
The chief priests and the scribes came to hear of it
and were seeking a way to put him to death,
yet they feared him
because the whole crowd was astonished at his teaching.
When evening came, they went out of the city.
Early in the morning, as they were walking along,
they saw the fig tree withered to its roots.
Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look!
The fig tree that you cursed has withered.”
Jesus said to them in reply, “Have faith in God.
Amen, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain,
‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’
and does not doubt in his heart
but believes that what he says will happen,
it shall be done for him.
Therefore I tell you, all that you ask for in prayer,
believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours.
When you stand to pray,
forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance,
so that your heavenly Father may in turn
forgive you your transgressions.”
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Commentary on Mk 11:11-26
This Gospel passage has three intertwined elements. First we hear Jesus uncharacteristically
“curse” the fig tree for its lack of fruit.
The common thought about this incident is that it is a metaphor for the Jewish
lack of faith and acceptance of scriptures fulfilled in Christ.
The second element is the story of Jesus and the money
changers. The Lord drives out the
merchants who had set up their tables in the outer most courtyard of the Temple Tyre
Finally we come to the last part of the Gospel as Jesus instructs
the disciples about prayer. The selection
concludes much like the Lord’s Prayer, with the request for forgiveness. v. 26 (which is omitted because it is not
found in the best source documents) actually reads: "But if you do not
forgive, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your transgressions,"
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Reflection:
The
story of Jesus cursing the fig tree provides us with some shock value. It is so
out of character that the Lord of love would do anything like cursing a tree
(or for that matter disrupting the money changers in the temple). In this case
we can almost miss the real point being made by these short vignettes.
In
the case of the fig tree, Jesus is demonstrating the power of faith. Note when
the disciples see the results of the curse he laid upon the tree and call it to
his attention he makes the profound response “Have faith in God. Amen, I say to
you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and
does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it
shall be done for him.”
It
is that incredible faith, the faith of Bartimaeus the blind man whose site was
restored, that the Lord asks us to have. It is so difficult for us to accept
that the use of this gift can have such an amazing effect on our lives. But
there it is; we are promised that if we do not let doubt enter in, our faith in
the Christ will allow almost anything to be possible.
Today
as we recall the shock value of the cursed fig tree, let us pray in our hearts
for the faith the Lord asks us to have. We have been assured, if we can
approach that level of trust in God, all things are possible.
Pax
[1]
ALTRE
[2]
The picture is “Expulsion of the Moneychangers from the Temple ” by Luca Giordano, c. 1675
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
[4]
See NAB Footnote on Sirach 44:1
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