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Making Sense of Sunday

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (C): 2 Maccabees 7:1-2,9-14 • Luke 20:27-38

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For November 3, 2016

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Heavenly Father,
your Son commanded us to love one another as he has loved us,
and he taught us that he loves us as you love him.
We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon us as we read your word,
so that as we come to understand your love for us
we may better love you, and all you have created, in return.
Amen.

St. Jerome: pray for us.
St. David: pray for us.

First Reading – 2 Maccabees 7:1-2,9-14 (NAB) (RSV)

?  The two books of the Maccabees are deuterocanonical. They relate the occupation of Israel by the Greek Seleucid dynasty. They are named for “Maccabeus”, the nickname of Judas son of Mattathias (1 Maccabees 2:4), who was the leader of the rebellion against Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his persecution of the Jews. 1 Maccabees covers the years 175—135 BC, while 2 Maccabees focuses on the first 14 years, giving a theological interpretation to the events which took place. The second book explains the feast of the Dedication of the Temple (Hannukah) and contains explicit evidence for belief in a bodily resurrection and prayer for the dead in late pre-Christian Judaism.

? Last Sunday’s Old Testament reading spoke mostly of God’s mercy. This Sunday’s reading speaks mostly of God’s justice. The excerpt from this chapter that we hear at Mass mentions the resurrection. We’ll read the skipped verses in the middle; the whole account of the martyrdom of seven brothers and their mother at the hands of Antiochus is worth reading.

?  Antiochus IV Epiphanes was the 8th Seleucid emperor and reigned from 175—164 BC. After the plundering of Jerusalem under his predecessor, he sought to forcibly Hellenize the Jews – that is, to make the Jews renounce their religion and become like the Greeks.

Gospel – Luke 20:27-38 (NAB) (RSV)

? St. Luke was the author of both a gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke reports at the beginning of his gospel that many others had already compiled narratives of the life of Jesus, and that his is “an orderly account” intended to assure you (the reader) of the truth of the things you have heard. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to “Theophilus”, which may have been a person, but it may just be a generic term (because it is Greek for “lover of God”).

? The Lectionary jumps to Luke 20:27. We skip over the parable of the “talents” (19:11-27), Jesus entering Jerusalem and driving money-changers out of the Temple (19:28-48), and the chief priests and scribes testing Jesus (20:1-26). Our reading begins with another group, the Sadducees, testing Jesus by asking him about marriage and the resurrection.

?  The Sadducees were a Jewish sect of priests. Their teachings differed from the Pharisees on a number of issues: they only accepted the first five books of the Scriptures (the Torah or Law) and they denied any concept of resurrection or even of the soul. Despite their dislike of the Pharisees, they united with them in opposition to Jesus.

Study Questions

?  What links can you find between the Old Testament and Gospel readings?

?  What belief does the first brother profess (verses 2 and 6)?

?  What belief does the second brother profess (verse 9)?

?  What belief does the third brother profess (verse 11)?

?  What belief does the fourth brother profess (verse 14)?

? What attitudes can we learn from these brothers?

❤️ What can we hope for in the resurrection, according to the faith of these brothers?

?  What did the Sadducees hope to accomplish by their question?

?  How would you answer the Sadducees question?

?  Why does Jesus say there is no marriage after the resurrection (verses 35-36)?

? What does Jesus’ response tell us about virginity and about marriage?

?  Why does Jesus refer to Moses and “the passage about the bush” (verse 37) in order to answer the Sadduceees?

?  How does Jesus’ answer show that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are “alive” to God?

?   Is Jesus’ answer, that there is no marriage in heaven, discouraging for married people?
What positive message can we get from it?

Commentary

You think yourself to be forsaken, because He does not rescue when you wish. He delivered the three children from the fire (cf. Daniel 3:29-30); did He, who did this, desert the Maccabees? God forbid! He delivered both of these: the first bodily, that the faithless might be confounded; the last spiritually, that the faithful might imitate them.

St. Augustine (d. 430), On Psalm 91, 19

God revealed the resurrection of the dead to his people progressively. Hope in the bodily resurrection of the dead established itself as a consequence intrinsic to faith in God as creator of the whole man, soul and body.

Catechism 992 on 2 Maccabees 7

Virginity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven is an unfolding of baptismal grace, a powerful sign of the supremacy of the bond with Christ and of the ardent expectation of his return, a sign which also recalls that marriage is a reality of this present age which is passing away.

Catechism 1619 on Mark 12:25 (parallel to Luke 20:35)

Consider This

The seven brothers were martyrs; the Greek word martyros means “witness”. How are you a witness to your faith in God in your daily life? What challenges or temptations do you face?

Reflection

?  What have I learned about who God is,
so that I can love Him better?

?   What have I learned about Christ,
so that I can recognize his love for me better?

?  What have I learned about the Christian life,
so that I can show my love for God and neighbor better?

❤️  How can I incorporate into prayer what I have learned,
so that I can express my gratitude for God’s love?

Closing Prayer

Almighty God,
as we remember your holy saints, and all our faithful departed,
we look with hope to the promise of the resurrection.
May our desire for life with you in the world to come
compel us in this world to love you above all things,
and to love all things for your sake.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Making Sense of Sunday

31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C): Wisdom 11:22—12:2 • Luke 19:1-10

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For October 27, 2016

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Heavenly Father,
your Son commanded us to love one another as he has loved us,
and he taught us that he loves us as you love him.
We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon us as we read your word,
so that as we come to understand your love for us
we may better love you, and all you have created, in return.
Amen.

St. Jerome: pray for us.
St. David: pray for us.

First Reading – Wisdom 11:22—12:2 (NAB) (RSV)

?  The book of Wisdom, like Sirach, is another deuterocanonical book belonging to the “wisdom literature” of the Old Testament. It is sometimes called the “Wisdom of Solomon” because some of its verses use language evocative of the reign of King Solomon in Israel. It was written in Greek, but in the style of Hebrew poetry, and was composed either in the 2nd or 1st century BC, many centuries after the death of Solomon. The book describes Wisdom in ways that associate it with creation, salvation, and instruction (thus, with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), possibly expressing a first glimpse of a Trinitarian view of God (see especially Wisdom 9:9-18).

? Wisdom 10:1—11:20 speaks of the role of Wisdom from the creation of Adam and Eve through to the exodus from Egypt. Our reading picks up immediately after this, where the text becomes more general and describes God’s patience and mercy with His creation. We will include verse 21, which is omitted from the Mass reading.

?  King Solomon, whose reputation is evoked in the book of Wisdom, was the third king of Israel. Saul was the first king, followed by David, followed by David’s son Solomon. Solomon was visited by God in a dream (1 Kings 3:1-15), in which God told Solomon to ask for anything. Solomon, despite his youth, realized that he needed the gift of wisdom to justly govern the kingdom and its people. This request pleased God exceedingly, that Solomon did not ask for a long life, or the deaths of his enemies, or for riches, so God gave him these things in addition to great wisdom, such that there would never be another king like him.

Gospel – Luke 19:1-10 (NAB) (RSV)

? St. Luke was the author of both a gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke reports at the beginning of his gospel that many others had already compiled narratives of the life of Jesus, and that his is “an orderly account” intended to assure you (the reader) of the truth of the things you have heard. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to “Theophilus”, which may have been a person, but it may just be a generic term (because it is Greek for “lover of God”).

? After the two parables about prayer, Luke records four more scenes in chapter 18: a) people bringing their children to Jesus to bless them (15-17); b) a rich man asking Jesus how he can inherit eternal life, and Jesus’ challenge to him to give up everything and follow him (18-30); c) one of Jesus’ prophecies of his impending arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection (31-34); d) and a miracle of restoration of sight to a blind beggar (35-43). Chapter 19 finds Jesus on his way to Jerusalem, arriving at Jericho, around 20 miles to the northeast.

?  Zacchaeus (whose name means “pure”) was a chief tax collector. Remember tax collectors? They were hated for their service to the Roman occupiers and for extorting more money than was owed in taxes. Zacchaeus was particularly wealthy, which implies he collected far more money than was due.

?  Abraham was the man God chose to inaugurate His covenant with after the time of Noah. Originally named Abram, he lived in the land of Ur (probably in modern-day Iraq) and was called by God to leave his homeland and travel to Canaan, which would eventually become the land of Israel. God made three important promises to Abraham: he and his descendants would have land, they would become a great nation, and all the world would find blessing through him (Genesis 12:1-3). These promises were elevated to covenants through Moses (land), David (kingdom), and Jesus (blessing). Since Abraham was the forefather of Judaism (being the great-grandfather of Judah for whom Judaism is named), the Jews considered themselves heirs of the promises he received.

 

Study Questions

?  What links can you find between the Old Testament and Gospel readings?

?  Why is God is merciful, according to Wisdom 11:23 and 12:2?

?  Why is God’s mercy unexpected, according to Wisdom 11:21-22?

?  Recall what God said after every stage of creation in Genesis 1.
How does that confirm the claim of Wisdom 11:24?

? Does God’s mercy toward us give us the right to keep sinning?
What is a better response to His mercy?

?   What are some examples of Jesus being patient and merciful with His disciples?

? How can we imitate God’s patience and mercy?

❤️ If God loves every soul He has created, what is His ultimate desire for each person?

?  Why was the crowd an obstacle to Zacchaeus seeing Jesus?

?  What is ironic about the crowd’s reaction to Jesus going to Zacchaeus’ house (Luke 19:7)?
Does it remind you of a recent parable of Jesus? (See Luke 18:9-14)

? What does Zacchaeus do in response to receiving Jesus?

? Recall the reading from Sirach 35. Is Zacchaeus trying to bribe Jesus and buy forgiveness?

?  Compare Luke 18:18-30 (Jesus and the rich man) with this passage.

❤️ What does Jesus’ response to Zacchaeus mean (Luke 19:9-10)?
What is the importance of being “a son of Abraham”? (See Luke 3:8)

❤️ In order to receive salvation, what two things were required of Zacchaeus?
How does this apply to us reaching heaven?

Commentary

Christ exhorts us to imitate this long-suffering goodness of God, who makes the sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust; that we may be careful not to revenge, but may do good to them that hate us, and so may be perfect, even as our Father in heaven is perfect.

St. Augustine (d. 430), Reply to Faustus the Manichaean, XIX:28

Those who, directly or indirectly, have taken possession of the goods of another, are obliged to make restitution of them, or to return the equivalent in kind or in money, if the goods have disappeared, as well as the profit or advantages their owner would have legitimately obtained from them. Likewise, all who in some manner have taken part in a theft or who have knowingly benefited from it … are obliged to make restitution in proportion to their responsibility and to their share of what was stolen.

Catechism 2412 on Luke 19:1-10

Consider This

What obstacles do you encounter that try to keep you from Jesus?  What do you need to rise above, like Zacchaeus, in order to see Jesus clearly?

How do your encounters with or experiences of Jesus change you?

Do you seek to right the wrongs you have committed?

Reflection

?  What have I learned about who God is,
so that I can love Him better?

?   What have I learned about Christ,
so that I can recognize his love for me better?

?  What have I learned about the Christian life,
so that I can show my love for God and neighbor better?

❤️  How can I incorporate into prayer what I have learned,
so that I can express my gratitude for God’s love?

Closing Prayer

Almighty God,
we thank you for patience with us,
and for the great gift of mercy that you extend to us.
May we imitate Zacchaeus, by responding to mercy with great love,
and learn by your example to be patient and merciful with others.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Making Sense of Sunday

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C): Sirach 35:15b-22b • Luke 18:9-14

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For October 20, 2016

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Heavenly Father,
your Son commanded us to love one another as he has loved us,
and he taught us that he loves us as you love him.
We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon us as we read your word,
so that as we come to understand your love for us
we may better love you, and all you have created, in return.
Amen.

St. Jerome: pray for us.
St. David: pray for us.

First Reading – Sirach 35:15b-22b (NAB) (RSV)

?  The book of Sirach belongs to the “wisdom literature” section of the Old Testament. It was written in Hebrew at the beginning of the 2nd century BC by a man named Joshua, either the son or grandson of Sirach. The book begins with a prologue written by Joshua’s grandson, who translated his grandfather’s Hebrew text into Greek in the late 2nd century BC. The Catholic Church considers this book canonical (inspired) Scripture although it was not part of the accepted Hebrew scriptures.

? In the New American Bible (NAB), this reading is verses 12-19a. In the Revised NAB, it’s verses 15b-22b. In the Revised Standard Version (RSV), this reading is verses 12b-18a. This is due to differences in splitting up the sentences of this chapter into verses. If there is any confusion, this passage begins with “For he is a God of justice” (NAB) or “For the Lord is the judge” (RSV), and concludes with the words “will not delay” (NAB and RSV).

? This chapter admonishes the reader to keep the commandments, to be kind, to be generous in charity, to avoid bribes; in general, to act with justice. From there it describes the most just one of all, God, which is where our reading begins. The themes in the reading are very similar to Jesus’ parable about the widow and the judge (Luke 18:1-8).

? This whole chapter is worth reading, but we’ll stick to what we’ll hear at Mass. For some reason, the reading at Mass skips the verses about the tears of the widow, but we’ll include those too.

Gospel – Luke 18:9-14 (NAB) (RSV)

? St. Luke was the author of both a gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke reports at the beginning of his gospel that many others had already compiled narratives of the life of Jesus, and that his is “an orderly account” intended to assure you (the reader) of the truth of the things you have heard. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to “Theophilus”, which may have been a person, but it may just be a generic term (because it is Greek for “lover of God”).

? This reading picks up immediately after last Sunday’s reading, about perseverance in prayer. The theme of prayer is continued, but the emphasis is now on one’s attitude in prayer.

? A parable is usually a brief story that teaches a lesson by way of comparison or allegory. The word comes from the Greek parabole meaning “to throw (bole) alongside (para)”, just like hyperbole (an exaggerative expression) means “to throw (bole) beyond (hyper)”.

?  Pharisees were a religious sect in Judaism; their name means “separated ones”, and they were so named for two reasons. First, they were so concerned to keep the Jewish faith free from foreign religious practices that they demanded strict separation from Gentiles (non-Jews). Second, they considered themselves set apart from other Jews because of their strict adherence to priestly laws concerning ceremonial purity, despite not being priests! They looked down on other Jews who did not live up to their observances. Jesus considered them to be good teachers of the Law, but not good doers of the Law. He recognized that they were more focused on exterior purity than interior purity, and on adhering to the tiniest parts of the Law while actually overlooking the most important parts. (Read Matthew 23 for his rant against them.) Because of this conflict, the Pharisees considered Jesus an enemy and sought to have him discredited, and they eventually arranged for his arrest, trial, and execution.

?  Tax collectors (or “publicans”) on the other hand, were notorious among the Jews for being allied with their Roman rulers and for extorting additional money on top of the taxes that were owed. Pharisees despised the tax collectors (and all other sinners, for that matter), and were outraged that Jesus would speak and dine with them. One of the apostles and evangelists, Matthew (also named Levi), was a tax collector (see Matthew 9:9).

Study Questions

?  What links can you find between the Old Testament and Gospel readings?

?  What does it mean to be “partial” or to “show partiality”?

? What does the First Reading teach us about what God thinks of justice?

? How should we conduct ourselves in prayer if we wish to be heard by God?

?  What does Jesus say about the manner in which the Pharisee prayed (see Luke 18:11)?

?  What is the content of the Pharisee’s prayer? To whom does he compare himself?

?   What type of person might the Pharisee represent?

?  What is the content of the tax collector’s prayer? To whom does he compare himself?

?   What type of person might the tax collector represent?

? Is righteousness displeasing to God, and sin pleasing to Him?
Do fasting and tithing displease God?

? What positive lessons can we learn from both the Pharisee and the tax collector?

? How do we exalt ourselves? How do we humble ourselves?

❤️ What are some prayers we know that ask God for forgiveness?

? What can some of these prayers teach us about forgiving others?

❤️ Consider what both readings say about prayers reaching God in heaven.
What can they teach us about ourselves reaching heaven?

Commentary

When we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or “out of the depths” of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer.

Catechism 2559 on Luke 18:9-14

Consider This

When reading or hearing this parable, do you ever stop and think to yourself, “I’m glad I’m not like the Pharisee”? If so… read the parable again.

When a class takes a test, if the teacher grades on a curve, it usually means the student who scores the highest on the test, no matter what their actual score is, is considered to have scored 100%, and the other students are graded in proportion to that student. Its opposite is grading the students without comparing them to each other, but to a perfectly taken test.

How did the Pharisee believe God “grades” humanity? What did the tax collector believe?

And you?

Reflection

?  What have I learned about who God is,
so that I can love Him better?

?   What have I learned about Christ,
so that I can recognize his love for me better?

?  What have I learned about the Christian life,
so that I can show my love for God and neighbor better?

❤️  How can I incorporate into prayer what I have learned,
so that I can express my gratitude for God’s love?

Closing Prayer

Almighty God,
grant us the grace to be humble in your presence,
to confess our sins and strive for righteousness in your sight.
Keep us from becoming proud and setting ourselves apart;
rather, may our witness to your great love for mankind
encourage all to approach you and be welcomed into your kingdom.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Making Sense of Sunday

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C): Exodus 17:8-13 • Luke 18:1-8

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For October 13, 2016

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Heavenly Father,
your Son commanded us to love one another as he has loved us,
and he taught us that he loves us as you love him.
We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon us as we read your word,
so that as we come to understand your love for us
we may better love you, and all you have created, in return.
Amen.

St. Jerome: pray for us.
St. David: pray for us.

First Reading – Exodus 17:8-13 (NAB) (RSV)

? Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and one of the five books of Moses, collectively called the Torah (which means “the law”) and the Pentateuch (which means “the five books”). The book of Genesis ends with the families of Jacob’s twelve sons living in Egypt, and the book of Exodus begins by mentioning that their descendants (Hebrews/Israelites) became so great that the Pharaoh in Egypt enslaved them (c. 1600 BC), and records the events of their rescue by God through Moses and his brother Aaron (c. 1450 BC).

? In chapter 14, the Israelites cross the Red Sea; their song of victory is recorded in chapter 15. Their journey in the desert from the Red Sea to Mount Sinai (where they will receive the Ten Commandments) is in chapters 16 through 19. God feeds them miraculously with manna and with water from a rock, and then the encounter with the Amalekites occurs.

? Rephidim is somewhere near the southern end of the Sinai peninsula, to the east of Egypt. It was the Israelites’ last recorded stop before they reached Mount Sinai.

?  Moses was an Israelite who was raised by the Egyptians during the Israelites’ slavery. He eventually fled Egypt after killing a slave-master, and God chose him to lead His people out of Egypt, along with his brother Aaron.

?  Joshua was the chief assistant of Moses, and would become the leader of the Israelites after Moses’ death. Joshua was originally named Hoshea, but Moses renamed him; his new name (Yehoshu’a in Hebrew, meaning “Yah[weh] is salvation”) is essentially the same name as Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew, meaning “he saves”, is an abbreviated form of Yehoshu’a).

?  Aaron was the older brother of Moses; he eventually became the first high priest of the Israelites. Hur was a companion of Moses and Aaron, but there is not much about him in the Bible.

?  In Genesis we read about Adam and Eve, Noah, and then Abraham. Abraham’s son Isaac had twin sons, Esau and Jacob. There was often strife between Esau and Jacob, and between their descendants as well. Amalek was a grandson of Esau; his descendants were a nomadic people called the Amalekites. The Israelites are descendants of Jacob (whom God renamed “Israel”). Amalek himself was dead long before the events of Exodus 17; the use of his name in this passage is an example of metonymy, a figure of speech where a thing or concept is called by the name of something associated with it, such as in the expressions “the White House responded to reports…” or “Boston will be playing New York”.

Gospel – Luke 18:1-8 (NAB) (RSV)

? St. Luke was the author of both a gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke reports at the beginning of his gospel that many others had already compiled narratives of the life of Jesus, and that his is “an orderly account” intended to assure you (the reader) of the truth of the things you have heard. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to “Theophilus”, which may have been a person, but it may just be a generic term (because it is Greek for “lover of God”).

? After his encounter with the ten lepers, Jesus talks about the kingdom of God and the day when the “Son of Man” is revealed (Luke 17:20-37). Luke 18 begins with this Sunday’s reading. This parable concludes with Jesus referring again to the “Son of Man”.

?  “Son of Man” is an Old Testament expression meaning “mortal human”. In the book of the prophet Ezekiel, God calls Ezekiel “Son of man” nearly 100 times. The phrase is often used in the Psalms in conjunction with just the word “man” in a poetic couplet:
“What is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:4)
In the book of the prophet Daniel, it is used twice; once as in Ezekiel, but once in a vision that Daniel has, where he sees “[coming] with the clouds of heaven … one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days … and to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom” (Daniel 7:13-14). In his final days, Jesus applies that description to himself (see Matthew 26:64, Mark 14:62, and Luke 21:27); he speaks of himself as the “Son of man” dozens of times. He is described as “one like a son of man” on two occasions in St. John’s Revelation (1:13; 14:14). This title emphasizes both his true human nature and his divine majesty as God’s Son and anointed one (both “Messiah” and “Christ” mean “anointed”).

Study Questions

?  What links can you find between the Old Testament and Gospel readings?

?  How, and why, is the Israelites’ victory over Amalek dependent upon Moses?

?   What event is foreshadowed by Moses, Aaron, and Hur on the hill?

?   Who do the Israelites represent?
Who do the Amalekites represent?

?   How do both Moses and Joshua symbolize Christ?

❤️ How can prayer help us in overcoming sin?

? What do Moses, Aaron, Hur, and Joshua teach us about the Christian life?

? What is the lesson Jesus is teaching by this parable (see Luke 18:1)?

?  What sort of picture do you get of the judge, based on his description?

?  Why does the judge hear the widow’s case?

?   Who do the judge and the widow represent?

?  Is the dishonest judge really a good model or example of God?
What is Jesus actually teaching about God here?

❤️ Why do we need to persevere in prayer? Why pray for something more than once?

?  What does Jesus’ question mean? Why does he ask it after this parable?
(What does faith have to do with the lesson of the parable?)

Commentary

A sign of Him that was to be crucified was made … in the type of the extending of the hands of Moses, and of Hoshea being renamed Jesus (Joshua). … God enjoined that the incident be recorded, and the name of Jesus laid up in your understandings.

St. Justin Martyr (d. 165), Dialogue with Trypho, 131

See how the type was “given by Moses,” but the “Truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). When the Amalekites warred, the hands of Moses were supported by Aaron and Hur standing on either side of him; but when Christ came, He of Himself stretched forth His Hands upon the Cross.

St. John Chrysostom (d. 407), Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, John 1:16

Amalek shall be conquered, not with arms alone, but with the hostile hand of the righteous forming both prayers and the invincible trophy of the Cross.

St. Gregory Nazianzen (d. 390), Second Oration on Easter, 21

If he then heard her prayer, who hated to be asked, how must He hear who exhorts us to ask? … [But] if faith fail, prayer perishes. For who prays for that which he does not believe?

St. Augustine (d. 430), Sermons, LXV

Consider This

What is the “Amalek” in your life? Who are your Aaron and Hur? To whom can you be an Aaron or a Hur? Who is the Joshua to your Moses: who are you supporting with prayer?

Reflection

?  What have I learned about who God is,
so that I can love Him better?

?   What have I learned about Christ,
so that I can recognize his love for me better?

?  What have I learned about the Christian life,
so that I can show my love for God and neighbor better?

❤️  How can I incorporate into prayer what I have learned,
so that I can express my gratitude for God’s love?

Closing Prayer

Almighty God,
teach us to persevere in prayer,
and grant us patience to wait for your word.
Give us eyes that we may see our brothers and sisters in need of prayer,
and strength so that we may support them if they grow weary.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Making Sense of Sunday

Readings for 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)

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2 Kings 5:1-19
RSV NAB
5:1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 5:1 Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram, was highly esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. But valiant as he was, the man was a leper.
5:2 Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little maid from the land of Israel, and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 5:2 Now the Arameans had captured from the land of Israel in a raid a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife.
5:3 She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 5:3 “If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria,” she said to her mistress, “he would cure him of his leprosy.”
5:4 So Naaman went in and told his lord, “Thus and so spoke the maiden from the land of Israel.” 5:4 Naaman went and told his lord just what the slave girl from the land of Israel had said.
5:5 And the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten festal garments. 5:5 “Go,” said the king of Aram. “I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments.
5:6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 5:6 To the king of Israel he brought the letter, which read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
5:7 And when the king of Israel read the letter, he rent his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.” 5:7 When he read the letter, the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed: “Am I a god with power over life and death, that this man should send someone to me to be cured of leprosy? Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!”
5:8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you rent your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 5:8 When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me and find out that there is a prophet in Israel.”
5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the door of Elisha’s house. 5:9 Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” 5:10 The prophet sent him the message: “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.”
5:11 But Naaman was angry, and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and cure the leper. 5:11 But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the spot, and thus cure the leprosy.
5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 5:12 Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?” With this, he turned about in anger and left.
5:13 But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, if the prophet had commanded you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much rather, then, when he says to you, `Wash, and be clean’?” 5:13 But his servants came up and reasoned with him. “My father,” they said, “if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, ‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as he said.”
5:14 So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. 5:14 So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
5:15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him; and he said, “Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.” 5:15 He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant.”
5:16 But he said, “As the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will receive none.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 5:16 “As the LORD lives whom I serve, I will not take it,” Elisha replied; and despite Naaman’s urging, he still refused.
5:17 Then Naaman said, “If not, I pray you, let there be given to your servant two mules’ burden of earth; for henceforth your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD. 5:17 Naaman said: “If you will not accept, please let me, your servant, have two mule-loads of earth, for I will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any other god except to the LORD.
5:18 In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.” 5:18 But I trust the LORD will forgive your servant this: when my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship there, then I, too, as his adjutant, must bow down in the temple of Rimmon. May the LORD forgive your servant this.”
5:19a He said to him, “Go in peace.” […] 5:19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said to him.
Luke 17:11-19
RSV NAB
17:11 On the way to Jerusalem he (Jesus) was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 17:11 As he (Jesus) continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
17:12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 17:12 As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him). They stood at a distance from him
17:13 and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 17:13 and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
17:14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 17:14 And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed.
17:15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 17:15 And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
17:16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17:16 and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan.
17:17 Then said Jesus, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 17:17 Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?
17:18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 17:18 Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”
17:19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” 17:19 Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”
Making Sense of Sunday

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C): 2 Kings 5:14-17 • Luke 17:11-19

3 Comments

For October 6, 2016

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,
and with all your mind, and with all your strength. (Mark 12:30)

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Heavenly Father,
your Son commanded us to love one another as he has loved us,
and he taught us that he loves us as you love him.
We ask you to send your Holy Spirit upon us as we read your word,
so that as we come to understand your love for us
we may better love you, and all you have created, in return.
Amen.

St. Jerome: pray for us.
St. David: pray for us.

First Reading – 2 Kings 5:14-17

? The six books of 1-2 Samuel, 1-2 Kings, and 1-2 Chronicles tell the history of the kingdom of Israel and its kings (11th to 6th centuries BC), from its beginnings under Saul, its flourishing under David and his son Solomon, and then its division into two kingdoms.

? Verse 14 begins with the word “So”. This implies that it follows something, and you need to read further back to know why Naaman is plunging himself into the Jordan. Verse 13 begins with “But”, which again implies that it follows something. Verse 12 is in the middle of a quote, and verse 11 begins with “But” again. Read verses 1-19 for the bigger picture.

? Aram was a country to the west of the northern kingdom of Israel, where modern-day Syria is located. Some translations of the Bible use “Syria” for “Aram”.

? Israel at this time was divided into a northern kingdom (called Israel) and a southern kingdom (Judah). The southern kingdom retained the original capital city of Jerusalem, which was home to the Temple of worship and sacrifice; the northern kingdom instead set up two cities of worship, in its southern and northern extremities, and was often chastised by prophets for abandoning true worship of God. At the time of 2 Kings 5, the capital was Samaria, a centrally located city.

? The Jordan River was an important feature in Israel’s geography. The Jews crossed over it from the east into Israel, “the promised land,” after the decades-long exodus from Egypt. It was also the site where John the Baptist carried out his ministry of baptism.

?  Naaman was not an Israelite, but an Aramean, and the commander of his king’s army, a man of great stature and wealth; he also suffered from a persistent skin disease (although not the same as modern leprosy). The Arameans had their own gods (see verse 18).

?  Lepers were outcasts in Jewish society, because their illness (which is not the same as modern leprosy) could be contagious and even incurable. The Old Testament contains laws to keep lepers separate from healthy people, and descriptions of rituals concerning their re-admittance when they are found to be free from their disease by the priests, but there is no mention of how to cure leprosy. Less than a dozen people are identified as lepers in the Old Testament; Naaman is the only one whose cure is recorded. The king of Israel in 2 Kings 5:7 considers curing leprosy to be an act of divine intervention.

?  Elisha was a prophet living in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the successor to the prophet Elijah. As a prophet, he received revelations from God which he was to pronounce to the people to whom God directed him: sometimes to Israel, and sometimes to other nations.

Gospel – Luke 17:11-19

? St. Luke was the author of both a gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. Luke reports at the beginning of his gospel that many others had already compiled narratives of the life of Jesus, and that his is “an orderly account” intended to assure you (the reader) of the truth of the things you have heard. Both Luke and Acts are addressed to “Theophilus”, which may have been a person, but it may just be a generic term (because it is Greek for “lover of God”).

? Verse 11 begins with Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. Jesus has been preaching in villages in Galilee and Samaria, and is going south to Jerusalem for the final stage of his ministry.

? Jesus alluded to Naaman at the beginning of his ministry in Nazareth, that there were many lepers in Israel during Elisha’s time, but only a foreigner was cured (see Luke 4:27).

? Earlier in the gospels, Jesus cures a leper by touching him after the leper expresses his faith that Jesus can cure him simply by willing to do so. (see Luke 5:12-16)

? The Greek word used in verse 19 (“saved” or “made well”) comes from sozo, a different verb than “cleansed” or “healed” in the other verses. It means “to rescue, preserve, heal, save.”

? By the time of Christ, the city of Samaria had been renamed Sebaste by Herod the Great. Instead, “Samaria” now generally referred to a region (see John 4:3-5) in between Judea to the south and Galilee to the north. These three provinces comprised the land of Palestine. Jerusalem was located in Judea; Nazareth, where Jesus lived with Mary and Joseph, was located in Galilee. Jews lived in Judea and Galilee, but Samaria was home to Samaritans, who worshipped the gods of five other nations in addition to the God of the Israelites.

Study Questions

?  What links can you find between the Old Testament and Gospel readings?

?  Why does Naaman at first refuse Elisha’s instructions?

? When are we like Naaman, trying to do things our way rather than God’s way?

?  How does Naaman’s healing change him,
and why does he ask Elisha for a pile of dirt (see 2 Kings 5:15-17)?

?  How does Elisha respond to Naaman’s difficult situation (see 2 Kings 5:18-19)?

?   What sacrament is foreshadowed by Naaman’s healing?

?   What is implied by the way the ten lepers address Jesus (see Luke 17:13)?

?  Why is it significant that the leper who returns to Jesus is a Samaritan?

? How does sin make us like the lepers in the Gospel?

?   How did the Samaritan’s healing change him? (Compare Luke 17:12 and 17:16.)

?  How does the Samaritan’s gratitude set him apart from the other cured lepers?

?  How does this encounter with a leper differ from an earlier one (see Luke 5:12-16)?

?  Who was responsible for Naaman’s cure? Who was responsible for cure of these lepers?

❤️ How does the time we spend in prayer asking God for something compare to the amount of time we spend in prayer of thanksgiving?

Commentary

It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions.

St. Irenaeus of Lyons (d. 202), Fragments, 34

 

Consider This

Have you ever done something for someone who did not thank you in return? How did you feel?

Have you ever been neglectful in thanking someone for a kindness they showed you?

Reflection

?  What have I learned about who God is,
so that I can love Him better?

?   What have I learned about Christ,
so that I can recognize his love for me better?

?  What have I learned about the Christian life,
so that I can show my love for God and neighbor better?

❤️  How can I incorporate into prayer what I have learned,
so that I can express my gratitude for God’s love?

Closing Prayer

Almighty God,
help us to recognize our neighbors in need,
especially those whom the world treats at outsiders.
May their gratitude remind us to be grateful
for all the healing that you work in our lives.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.