Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

“Christ Enthroned” (detail)
by Bartolomeo Vivarini, 1450

Readings for Thursday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 2 Timothy 2:8-15
 
Beloved:
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:
such is my Gospel, for which I am suffering,
even to the point of chains, like a criminal.
But the word of God is not chained.
Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,
together with eternal glory.
This saying is trustworthy:
 
If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
 
Remind people of these things
and charge them before God to stop disputing about words.
This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen.
Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God,
a workman who causes no disgrace,
imparting the word of truth without deviation.
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Commentary on 2 Tm 2:8-15
 
St. Paul begins this section with the slogan: “But the word of God is not chained.” It is believed by scholars that what follows is a quote from a hymn in common use at the time (“If we have died with him”). The reference in the hymn is to the death to sin in baptism from which the faithful shall gain the promise of eternal life (“we shall also reign with him”). The hymn quote concludes with assurance that Jesus is always faithful and constant even if those who believe in him fail.
 
The passage concludes with St. Paul telling his student to faithfully proclaim these truths without dispute. It is the principles that must be observed, not the specific language used.
 
CCC: 2 Tm 2:8 437; 2 Tm 2:11-13 2641
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
 
R. (4) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
 
Your ways, O Lord, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
 
Good and upright is the Lord;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
 
All the paths of the Lord are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the Lord is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 25:4-5ab, 8-9, 10 and 14
 
Psalm 25 is an individual lament. The sinful psalmist prays that God’s”ways” be made known. The request directs us to repentance and ultimately justice. The theme of guidance is continued in the psalm. This selection gives a clear sense of the Lord’s path, announced by angelic messengers, prophets, and the very Law of Moses.  It is the culmination and completion of God’s covenants. These verses are echoed later by Malachi (Malachi 3:1-4) and John the Baptist (Luke 3:1 ff), also announcing the Lord's path.
 
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Gospel: Mark 12:28-34
 
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
“Which is the first of all the commandments?”
Jesus replied, “The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
He is One and there is no other than he.
And to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
 
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Commentary on Mk 12:28-34
 
In the continuing dialogue with the Sadducees from the Gospel of St. Mark, we find the scribe is impressed with the way Jesus handled the challenge by the Sadducees (found in the previous verses). The Lord answers the scribe's question about the law with the Great Commandment, the opening of the Shema, the great Jewish prayer, and then he follows that statement with the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (see also Leviticus 19:18). When the scribe clearly understands what Jesus is saying, the Lord tells him he is "not far from the Kingdom of God" (see also the commentary on Matthew 22:34ff).
 
CCC: Mk 12:28-34 575; Mk 12:29-31 129, 2196; Mk 12:29-30 202; Mk 12:29 228
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Reflection:
 
If someone told us they did not want to read the whole Bible to figure out what Christians believe, but wanted just a few short passages, we could not recommend much better selections than those we are given today.
 
While it is important to understand the Old Testament because it reveals God’s actions in the world before Christ arrived, Jesus sums up in one short statement the most important teaching of that volume – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” -- which he quotes from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and then goes further quoting Leviticus 19:18 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”
 
If someone asked you, “What did Jesus teach?” this is the first thing, the most important thing we could say. If they went further and asked, “And what does that get you?” we could answer with the hymn from St. Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy;
 
“If we have died with him
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.
we shall also live with him;
if we persevere
we shall also reign with him.
But if we deny him
he will deny us.
If we are unfaithful
he remains faithful,
for he cannot deny himself.”
 
Encapsulated in this short quote from an ancient hymn is our belief that through our baptism we are adopted into the life of the spirit of God, and our adoption leads to salvation. But even if we are unfaithful, fail to love him, fail to love others, he still loves us because he is love as God is love.
 
It’s all nicely tied up for us today. The difficulty of course is living the commandment, and our prayer today is that we have the strength to do so.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ Enthroned” (detail) by Bartolomeo Vivarini, 1450.
[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.