 |
“St. Vincent de Paul,”
artist and date are unknown |
Readings for Saturday of the
Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
Readings from the Jerusalem
Bible [2]
Readings and Commentary: [3]
Reading 1: Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15a
I, Zechariah, raised my eyes
and looked:
there was a man with a
measuring line in his hand.
I asked, “Where are you
going?”
He answered, “To measure Jerusalem,
to see how great is its width
and how great its length.”
Then the angel who spoke with
me advanced,
and another angel came out to
meet him and said to him,
“Run, tell this to that young
man:
People will live in Jerusalem as though in
open country,
because of the multitude of
men and beasts in her midst.
But I will be for her an
encircling wall of fire, says the LORD,
and I will be the glory in
her midst.”
Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!
See, I am coming to dwell among
you, says the LORD.
Many nations shall join
themselves to the LORD on that day,
and they shall be his people
and he will dwell among you.
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Commentary on Zec 2:5-9, 14-15a
This first selection from the Book of the prophet Zechariah is the
third vision the prophet has described. The vision anticipates the rebuilding
of Jerusalem. Its size requires an angel (the man with the measuring line
was also an angel) to measure the expanse of the New Jerusalem, God’s heavenly kingdom
(see also Ezekiel
40:2-3 and 41:13). In the
broader sense, it predicts the coming of the Messiah providing a rather unique
glimpse of the messianic expectation: he comes to unify and bring security to
the faithful. This passage also demonstrates the “true man, true God” essence
of the Lord by saying “I am coming to dwell among you.”
CCC: Zec 2:14 722
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Responsorial Psalm: Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ab, 13
R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us as a shepherd
guards his flock.
Hear the word of the LORD, O
nations,
proclaim it on distant isles,
and say:
He who scattered Israel, now
gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd
guards his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us
as a shepherd guards his flock.
The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the
hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount
the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to
the LORD’s blessings.
R. The Lord will guard us
as a shepherd guards his flock.
Then the virgins shall make
merry and dance,
and young men and old as
well.
I will turn their mourning
into joy,
I will console and gladden
them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us
as a shepherd guards his flock.
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Commentary on Jer 31:10, 11-12ab, 13
The prophet Jeremiah foresees the return of the
people from exile and the joyful restoration of Jerusalem. The people
rejoice as they return to prosperity, led by the Lord, the faithful shepherd
who accomplishes this saving act. As in Isaiah
42:10 and Isaiah
49:1, all nations are called to witness God’s
saving hand stretched out to his people
The song from Jeremiah recalls the Diaspora, the exile of the
Hebrews. In these strophes, the prophet sees the salvific work of God who
shepherds his people as they return from exile in the “new exodus,” and
the reunification of the people. He prophesies their return to the land
from which they had been driven, giving praise to God for his mercy.
CCC: Jer 31 1611
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Gospel: Luke 9:43b-45
While they were all amazed at
his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Pay attention to what I am
telling you.
The Son of Man is to be
handed over to men.”
But they did not understand
this saying;
its meaning was hidden from
them
so that they should not
understand it,
and they were afraid to ask
him about this saying.
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Commentary on Lk 9:43b-45
Jesus begins this second announcement of his
coming passion using language that would have evoked a sense of the holy as his
words (literally, “lay these words within your ears”) would be
reminiscent of Exodus 17:14b. “[M]eaning;
Think seriously about what you have seen and heard, for my life is moving
determinately to a violent death. Handed over: From Isaiah
53: 12 (LXX) the fourth song of the suffering
servant.” [4] The fact that the disciples “should not understand
it” was not seen as a defect of belief on their part, but rather as
necessary (not yet time) in the plan of revelation.
CCC: Lk 9:45 554
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Reflection:
The Gospel proclaimed today
is set shortly after the miracle of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Jesus has continued with his disciples toward
Jerusalem and his great passion, curing the sick and preaching along the
way. As the disciples become more and
more in awe of the Lord’s great majesty, he finds it necessary to remind them
of what he has already told them – he is not to assume power and majesty in the
earthly kingdom – his place is in the new Jerusalem (as described by the prophet
Zechariah in the first reading).
Even with the added emphasis (“Pay attention to what I am telling you.”)
they did not grasp what was unfolding.
The disciples were so completely taken aback that they were even afraid
to ask him for an explanation. But they
would have to wait and face their fear in the Garden.
The spiritual frailty of the Twelve
painted in this excerpt from St. Luke’s Gospel gives us hope for
ourselves. How often have we been
confronted by issues in our lives and said in prayer: “Lord help me to know
what to do! I don’t understand what is
happening and I can’t see the way.” The
disciples were in that place and we know that ultimately the love of God showed
them their way.
Our great solace is that when
we are confronted with a situation we do not understand, recalling the
disciples’ similar challenge, we can be patient and have hope. The Lord went to his passion for our
salvation, and his Holy Spirit is with us still to help and guide us. We pray today for the wisdom to hear that
word and have hope.
Pax
[1]
The picture is “St. Vincent de Paul,” artist and date are unknown.
[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]
Jerome Biblical Commentary (Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968), 44:92.
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