(Optional Memorial for Saint
Margaret of Scotland) or
(Optional Memorial for Saint Gertrude,
Virgin) or
(Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
On Saturdays in
Ordinary Time when there is no obligatory memorial, an optional memorial of the
Blessed Virgin Mary is allowed.[1]
Mass texts may be taken from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
from a Votive
Mass, or from the special
collection of Masses
for the Blessed Virgin Mary (USCCB recommends: #42.
The Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians).
 |
| “Crossing of the |
Reading 1: Wisdom
18:14-16; 19:6-9
When peaceful stillness
compassed everything
and the night in its swift
course was half spent,
Your all-powerful word, from
heaven’s royal throne
bounded, a fierce warrior,
into the doomed land,
bearing the sharp sword of
your inexorable decree.
And as he alighted, he filled
every place with death;
he still reached to heaven,
while he stood upon the earth.
For all creation, in its
several kinds, was being made over anew,
serving its natural laws,
that your children might be
preserved unharmed.
The cloud overshadowed their
camp;
and out of what had before
been water, dry land was seen emerging:
Out of the Red
Sea an unimpeded road,
and a grassy plain out of the
mighty flood.
Over this crossed the whole
nation sheltered by your hand,
after they beheld stupendous
wonders.
For they ranged about like
horses,
and bounded about like lambs,
praising you, O Lord! their
deliverer.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9
This selection from the Book of
Wisdom speaks first of the bondage and death the Hebrews suffered in Egypt.
There is a specific intent in this section (called the fifth diptych) to relate
the Egyptian massacre of the infants born to the Hebrews, with the tenth plague
in which the first sons of Egypt were killed. The image presented is inspired
by Exodus 12:23, Job 4 13-15, and 1 Chronicles 21:15-27.
In the second section we hear an
account of the exodus through the Red Sea, and of the gratitude of those
delivered. Again Wisdom borrows imagery from Exodus
14:19-20 as the freed peoples passed through the sea unimpeded, awestruck
by the power of God.
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
105:2-3, 36-37, 42-43
R. (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous
deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek
the LORD!
R. Remember the marvels
the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Then he struck every firstborn
throughout their land,
the first fruits of all their
manhood.
And he led them forth laden
with silver and gold,
with not a weakling among
their tribes.
R. Remember the marvels
the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
For he remembered his holy
word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people
with joy;
with shouts of joy, his
chosen ones.
R. Remember the marvels
the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 105:2-3, 36-37, 42-43
This passage from
Psalm 105 focuses on the part of the exodus story that deals with the final
plague in Egypt
CCC: Ps
105:3 30
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 18:1-8
Jesus told his disciples a
parable
about the necessity for them
to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, “There was a judge
in a certain town
who neither feared God nor
respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used
to come to him and say,
‘Render a just decision for
me against my adversary.’
For a long time the judge was
unwilling, but eventually he thought,
‘While it is true that I
neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps
bothering me
I shall deliver a just
decision for her
lest she finally come and
strike me.’”
The Lord said, “Pay attention
to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the
rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and
night?
Will he be slow to answer
them?
I tell you, he will see to it
that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man
comes, will he find faith on earth?”
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk
18:1-8
This is the first of two parables
on the need for prayer found in St. Luke’s Gospel. In this selection, the Lord
tells the disciples of the need for persistent prayer so they do not fall
victim to apostasy. He assures them that God, the Just Judge,
will listen to their prayers, and come speedily to their aid in times of need.
“As the widow pleaded for justice,
so we should persevere in faith and tirelessly petition God for our needs (Romans 12:12; 1
Thessalonians 5:17)” In v.6, “His [the unrighteous judge’s] indifference to the
widow’s distress was a violation of justice (Deuteronomy
27:19). The parable’s outcome is thus a mere shadow of God’s
concern for us. If an unjust and callous judge will vindicate a
persevering widow, the Father will much more come to the aid of his prayerful
children (Sirach 35:12-17).”[5]
The question at the end of the
Parable (“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”)
completes a thought in Luke 17:37, which
relates the relationship of the faithful to God at the final judgment.
CCC: Lk 18:1-8 2573, 2613; Lk
18:1 2098; Lk 18:8 675
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
The parable from St. Luke’s
Gospel on the need for the disciples to pray constantly has a sort of “folksy”
ring to it. It demonstrates a relationship to God that is at once very personal
and at the same time respectful. The dishonest judge from the parable would
have rendered a judgment in favor of the widow had she been able to bribe him.
As the story goes, he renders that judgment because of her persistence. Jesus
uses this story as a contrast rather than an example of the effect our constant
prayers have on the “Just Judge.” The dishonest judge delayed in rendering
judgment. Jesus tells the disciples that the Father will act quickly to answer
the prayers of his children.
We think the analogy of the
mother of an adolescent child probably shows us the relationship Jesus has in
mind. The youngster sees things in black and white terms and feels that
fairness is their right. So, when they have what they perceive is a “need,”
they go quickly to their mother. (Or to their father, but for the sake of this
analogy we will use the mother – it’s more realistic. When the child reaches
adulthood and they need really big favors – then they go to dad.) The child
wants/expects their request to be acted upon quickly; it is after all a dire
need. At that age all needs are dire. The mother, in her wisdom sees the bigger
picture and understands that perhaps, the excruciating need their child has
expressed for say, an iPod or a new phone, might not be quite as life-changing
as other needs. Yet when that same child is truly in need of help, their mother
will move heaven and earth, at the speed of light if she can, to see the that
the child is protected from harm.
God sees and hears our
prayers in the same way. Some prayers God sees as beyond the scope of his
direct involvement, others he sees as unrealistic or absurd. And still other
prayers he sees already answered although we may not see or understand how that
is possible. An example of that “already answered prayer” is the dying person’s
prayer: “Please don’t let me die.” God has already answered that prayer, but
not in the way the person requests. God has opened the door to eternal life.
All that is necessary is to accept God’s offer.
The important conclusion we
must draw from the Gospel is that, in praying to God for our wants and needs,
we must be willing to accept that we may not understand how God’s answer will
come, or when it will come. The really
important message is that we must stay in touch with the Lord. Communication with him in prayer is our lifeline.
Pax
[1]
General Norms for the Liturgical Year and
the Calendar Miscellaneous Notes no. 5: “Outside Advent, Christmas Time,
Lent, and Easter Time, on Saturdays which have no commemoration having the rank
of Obligatory Memorial or higher, a Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
may be celebrated. This is indicated in the calendar by “BVM.” The readings and
prayers may be selected from the Collection
of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
[2]
The picture is “Crossing of the Red Sea ” by
Cosimo Rosselli, 1481-82.
[4]
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.
[5]
Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. p.
140.
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