ORDINARY TIME, Week 5: Tuesday

“Yet you say, ‘If a person says to father or mother, “Any support you might have had from me is qorban”’ (meaning, dedicated to God)...” (Mark 7:11.)

Saint Jerome offers the following insight on this verses from today’s Gospel Proclamation:

“The Lord himself discussed that commandment of the law which says: “Honor thy father and thy mother.” He made it clear that it is to be interpreted not as mere words, which, while offering an empty show of honor to parents, might still leave them poor and their necessities unrelieved. Instead the honor of parents should focus on the actual provision of the necessities of life. The Lord commanded that poor parents should be supported by their children who would reimburse them back when they are old for all those benefits which they themselves received in childhood. The scribes and Pharisees instead were teaching children to honor their parents by saying: “It is corban, that is to say, a gift which I have promised to the altar and will present at the temple, where it will relieve you as much as if I were to give it to you directly to buy food.” So it frequently happened that while father and mother were destitute, their children were offering sacrifices for the priests and scribes to consume.” (Letter 123: To Ageruchia)

Collect

Keep Your family safe,
O Lord, with unfailing care,
that, relying solely
on the hope of heavenly grace,
they may be defended always
by Your protection.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Glory to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen

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