 |
“Light of the World”
by William Holman Hunt, 1851 |
Readings for Thursday of the
Third Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem
Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: 2 Sm 7:18-19, 24-29
After Nathan had spoken to
King David,
the king went in and sat
before the LORD and said,
“Who am I, Lord GOD, and who
are the members of my house,
that you have brought me to
this point?
Yet even this you see as too
little, Lord GOD;
you have also spoken of the
house of your servant
for a long time to come:
this too you have shown to
man, Lord GOD!
“You have established for
yourself your people Israel as yours forever,
and you, LORD, have become
their God.
And now, LORD God, confirm
for all time the prophecy you have made
concerning your servant and
his house,
and do as you have promised.
Your name will be forever
great, when men say,
‘The LORD of hosts is God of
Israel,’
and the house of your servant
David stands firm before you.
It is you, LORD of hosts, God
of Israel,
who said in a revelation to
your servant,
‘I will build a house for
you.’
Therefore your servant now
finds the courage to make this prayer to you.
And now, Lord GOD, you are
God and your words are truth;
you have made this generous
promise to your servant.
Do, then, bless the house of
your servant
that it may be before you
forever;
for you, Lord GOD, have
promised,
and by your blessing the
house of your servant
shall be blessed forever.”
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Commentary on 2 Samuel 7:18-19, 24-29
Nathan’s
oracle has been communicated to David, that the Lord has established the
Davidic dynasty. In this passage from 2 Samuel, David now goes to the tent
where the Ark of the Covenant is kept (“King David went in and sat before
the Lord”) and prays that all God has promised will be fulfilled. The
prayer is in the form of a response to a covenant proposed, if you do this, I
will do that.
CCC: 2 Sm 7:18-29 2579; 2 Sam 7:28 215, 2465
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 132:1-2, 3-5, 11, 12, 13-14
R. (Lk 1:32b) The Lord God will give him the throne
of David, his father.
LORD, remember David
and all his anxious care;
How he swore an oath to the
LORD,
vowed to the Mighty One of
Jacob.
R. The Lord God will give
him the throne of David, his father.
“I will not enter the house
where I live,
nor lie on the couch where I
sleep;
I will give my eyes no sleep,
my eyelids no rest,
Till I find a home for the
LORD,
a dwelling for the Mighty One
of Jacob.”
R. The Lord God will give
him the throne of David, his father.
The LORD swore an oath to
David
a firm promise from which he
will not withdraw:
“Your own offspring
I will set upon your throne.”
R. The Lord God will give
him the throne of David, his father.
“If your sons keep my
covenant,
and the decrees which I shall
teach them,
Their sons, too, forever
shall sit upon your throne.”
R. The Lord God will give
him the throne of David, his father.
For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he prefers her for his
dwelling:
“Zion is my resting place
forever;
in her I will dwell, for I
prefer her.”
R. The Lord God will give
him the throne of David, his father.
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Commentary on Ps 132:1-2, 3-5, 11, 12, 13-14
Psalm 132 is a
song of thanksgiving sung by the community as they remember the establishment
of God’s salvation expressed in the Davidic dynasty. The promise of God is fulfilled in Jesus, the
Messiah, who comes from the house of David to rule forever.
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Gospel: Mark 4:21-25
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Is a lamp brought in to be
placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed,
and not to be placed on a
lampstand?
For there is nothing hidden
except to be made visible;
nothing is secret except to
come to light.
Anyone who has ears to hear
ought to hear.”
He also told them, “Take care
what you hear.
The measure with which you
measure will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given
to you.
To the one who has, more will
be given;
from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.”
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Commentary on Mk 4:21-25
Jesus continues his private talk with his disciples, explaining the
parables he had used when speaking to the crowds from the boat. The description
of the lamp placed high so that all can benefit from the light continues the
description of the seed that fell on fertile ground in the parable of the
Sower. It therefore takes the character of a description of the duties of those
who hear the word and have it take root in them.
“‘By your mere presence others shall eat better,’ Christ is telling us,
‘and by your presence others shall see better.’ Salt and light each impart
their own virtue, provided they remain fully what they are.” [4]
The second part of the reading speaks of “the measure.” Again,
this refers to his disciples who are given the gift of the word. In them the
word will grow. The Lord understands that one of their number will fall: “from
the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
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Reflection:
We picture the scene once
more. Jesus is sitting on the shore with his disciples after having spent much
of the day teaching from a boat so the people could hear. His disciples are
gathered around him, listening intently as the Lord explains the parts of his
parables that were difficult for them to understand. He had used the parable of
the Sower, and had just finished his explanation that the seed that fell on
fertile ground represented those who heard his word and had it take root in
them. We pray we are among that number, don’t we?
He continues his explanation
now, telling his disciples that what they are receiving (and are to proclaim)
is not private or secret knowledge. He has not given it to them so they alone
can find peace and happiness in their own salvation. No, he asks them the
rhetorical question: "Is a lamp
brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be
placed on a lampstand?” Their duty is to take their understanding into the
world and to give it away. There is a resonance in this action. The more they
give away their knowledge of the Kingdom of God, the love the Father has for
us, the greater that knowledge and understanding grows in them. He tells them
to listen closely. “Take care what you
hear.” Each word from the Lord’s lips is precious, it carries life and
hope.
Give it away, he tells them,
like light from the lamp, let it illuminate all dark places. And the wonder of
it, the light will be reflected back and grow and become brighter until it
lights up the whole world. And even as he tells them how they will be filled
up, perhaps his eyes rest ever so briefly on Judas Iscariot, the traitor, and
he is reminded that not all who hear will understand, and even the little
wisdom that is imparted will be taken away.
For us, we who have heard the
word of love poured out from the Father through his Son, the injunction of
Jesus comes to us clearly. We, like his first disciples, have been given the
gift of faith. Our faith is not a private thing. It is not a secret to be kept
or a gift to be hidden. It is for the world, this Word of God we are given.
Today we are reminded once more that we must live that word and speak that word
so that all who hear us are bathed in the light of it. This is our great
mission, and we are also reminded that as we give away what we have, it will
come back to us magnified and fill us up as well.
Pax
[1]
The picture is “Light of the World” by William Holman Hunt, 1851.
[2]
S.S. Commemoratio[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 republication is not authorized by USCCB and is
for private use only.
[4]
Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius
Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996), 206-07.
