Words of the Word

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“One cried out to the other:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!
All the earth is filled with his glory!”

(Isaiah 6:3.)

Origen of Alexandria (part 2 of Pope Benedict’s reflections on Origen) comments on this verse from the First Reading proclaimed at Mass today:

“My Hebrew master used to say that the two seraphim, which are described in Isaiah as having six wings each and as crying one to another and saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts,” were to be understood to mean the only-begotten Son of God and the Holy Spirit.

My Hebrew teacher also used to teach as follows, that since the beginning or the end of all things could not be comprehended by any except our Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, this was the reason why Isaiah spoke of there being in the vision that appeared to him two seraphim only, who with two wings cover the face of God, with two cover his feet and with two fly, crying one to another and saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of your glory.” For because the two seraphim alone have their wings over the face of God and over his feet, we may venture to declare that neither the armies of the holy angels, nor the holy thrones, nor the dominions, nor principalities nor powers can wholly know the beginnings of all things and the ends of the universe.” (On First Principles)

Reflection on Sunday’s proclamation of the Call of Isaiah.

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.

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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Saturday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

“Through him [then] let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.” (Hebrews 13:15)

In commenting on these verses from today’s First Reading, Saint John Chrysostom writes:

“Let us bear all things thankfully, be it poverty, be it disease, be it anything else whatever, for God alone knows the things expedient for us, “for we do not know how to pray as we ought.” We, then, who do not know even how to ask for what is fitting unless we have received of the Spirit, let us take care to offer up thanksgiving for all things, and let us bear all things nobly. Are we in poverty? Let us give thanks. Are we in sickness? Let us give thanks. Are we falsely accused? Let us give thanks. When we suffer affliction, let us give thanks. This brings us near to God.” (On the Epistle to the Hebrews, 33)

“After speaking implicitly, in 13:10, of Christian worship, the author speaks of it explicitly in 13:15-16. He immediately expresses its main characteristic by saying, "through him," that is to say, "through Christ." Christian worship goes through Christ, through Christ's priestly mediation. This worship comprises two aspects that correspond to the two dimensions of the love of charity: the aspect of continual thanksiving to God (13:15) and the aspect of charity toward human persons (13:16), because acts of charity toward human beings are at the same time sacrifices offered to God. Through his sacrifice, Christ glorified God and saved his brethren;in his life, the Christian must give thanks to God and serve his brethren.” (Cardinal Albert Vanhoye, The Letter to the Hebrews: A New Commentary. Paulist Press 978-0809149285, page 226.)

Collect

Grant us, Lord our God,
that we may honor you with all our mind,
and love everyone in truth of heart.
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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Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8.)

Origen of Alexandria (part 2 of Pope Benedict’s reflections on Origen) comments on these verses from the First Reading proclaimed at Mass today:

“And if “today” means the whole present age, “yesterday” is probably the bygone age. This what I have understood to be the meaning in the psalm and in Paul’s epistle to Hebrews. In the psalm it says: “A thousand years are in your eyes as a yesterday that has passed.” Whatever the much talked of millennium means, it is likened to yesterday as opposed to today. And in the apostle writes, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” No wonder that the whole of an age counts with God as the space of a single day with us, and I think even less.” (On Prayer, 27.)

“Here the author takes up the statement he made in part 1 of his homily, in 1:12: “You, you are the same,” and amplifies it by adding, “Yesterday and today the same, and forever” (13:8). That statement obviously applies to the glorified Christ; it does not apply to Christ before his glorification, for his incarnation had then brought him into a state of becoming. He had to be “made perfect” through his sufferings (2:10; 5:8-9; 7:28). But after that he was “crowned with glory and honor” (2:9); he is henceforth “priest forever” (7:16-25) and therefore constitutes for faith an eternally stable support.” (Cardinal Albert Vanhoye, The Letter to the Hebrews: A New Commentary. Paulist Press 978-0809149285, page 223.)

Collect

Grant us, Lord our God,
that we may honor You with all our mind,
and love everyone in truth of heart.
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.

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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Even in time of persecution let the Cross be your joy

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

Bishop and Father of the Church

An excerpt from his Catecheses, 13

Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

The Catholic Church glories in every deed of Christ. Her supreme glory, however, is the cross. Well aware of this, Paul says: God forbid that I glory in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!

At Siloam, there was a sense of wonder, and rightly so. A man born blind recovered his sight. But of what importance is this, when there are so many blind people in the world? Lazarus rose from the dead, but even this affected only Lazarus. What of those countless numbers who have died because of their sins? Those five miraculous loaves fed five thousand people. Yet this is a small number compared to those all over the world who were starved by ignorance. After eighteen years a woman was freed from the bondage of Satan. But are we not all shackled by the chains of our own sins?

For us all, however, the cross is the crown of victory! It has brought light to those blinded by ignorance. It has released those enslaved by sin. Indeed, it has redeemed the whole of mankind!

Do not, then, be ashamed of the cross of Christ; rather, glory in it. Although it is a stumbling block to the Jews and folly to the Gentiles, the message of the cross is our salvation. Of course it is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it was not a mere man who died for us, but the Son of God, God made man.

In the Mosaic law a sacrificial lamb banished the destroyer. But now it is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Will he not free us from our sins even more? The blood of an animal, a sheep, brought salvation. Will not the blood of the only-begotten Son bring us greater salvation?

He was not killed by violence, he was not forced to give up his life. His was a willing sacrifice. Listen to his own words: I have the power to lay down my life and take it up again. Yes, he willingly submitted to his own passion. He took joy in his achievement; in his crown of victory he was glad and in the salvation of man he rejoiced. He did not blush at the cross for by it he was to save the world. No, it was not a lowly man who suffered but God incarnate. He entered the contest for the reward he would win by his patient endurance.

Certainly in times of tranquillity the cross should give you joy. But maintain the same faith in times of persecution. Otherwise you will be a friend of Jesus in times of peace and his enemy during war. Now you receive the forgiveness of your sins and the generous gift of grace from your king. When war comes, fight courageously for him.

Jesus never sinned; yet he was crucified for you. Will you refuse to be crucified for him, who for your sake was nailed to the cross? You are not the one who gives the favor; you have received one first. For your sake he was crucified on Golgotha. Now you are returning his favor; you are fulfilling your debt to him.

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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Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

“Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.” (Hebrews 12:13.)

Origen of Alexandria (part 2 of Pope Benedict’s reflections on Origen) comments on this verse from the First Reading proclaimed at Mass today:

“Nevertheless, since Jesus recites the law to you and reveals to your hearts its spiritual meaning, do not remain “proselytes,” that is, catechumens, any longer, but hurry to receive fully the grace of God. And you “children,” “do not be children in your thinking; be babes in evil, but in thinking be mature.” As the apostle says to the Hebrews, “Let us leave the elementary doctrines of Christ and go on to maturity.” But you, too, who under the title women are weak, cast down and tired, you are exhorted to “lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees.” (Homilies on Joshua)

“The other text comes from the Book of Proverbs: “Make straight paths for your feet” (4:26). It moves us to another domain, that of activity, and thus announces the next part. The context of the Book of Proverbs states that it is a question of being directed toward “right things” (4:25). The link between the two sentences of this conclusion is perfect, because the first speaks of “hands” and “knees” and the second speaks of “feet”; we are still in the same metaphorical domain. But we are going from the idea of valiantly bearing with affliction to that of aiming activity in the right direction. The same passage from one theme to the other comes in the Letter of James, who, having spoken about affliction and endurance, adds, “But let endurance be accompanied by a perfect work” (1:4).” (Cardinal Albert Vanhoye, The Letter to the Hebrews: A New Commentary. Paulist Press 978-0809149285, page 204.)

Collect

O God, strength of all the saints,
Who through the Cross
were pleased to call the martyrs
Saint Paul Miki and companions to life,
grant, we pray, that by their intercession
we may hold with courage even until death
to the Faith that we profess.
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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Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us.” (Hebrews 12:1.)

Saint Ephrem the Syrian offers the following insight on these verses from today’s First Reading:

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses” about the weight of our life, that is, about the fact that we have ahead of us a cloud of sad afflictions, which lead many who trust in Christ and die for him to honor, “let us lay aside everything” from us. . . . And “let us run with perseverance the race that is set for us” not only by our persecutors but by the devil himself.” (Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews)

“In 12:1 the solemn "That is why" does not just refer to the preceding sentence, but to all the section on the faith of the ancestors. The author makes that clear immediately by speaking of "such a great cloud of witnesses." The expression is surprising, however, because it inverts the relations: instead of showing the great believers of antiquity as models to be looked at so as to be able to imitate them, the author presents them as persons who are looking at us and who, having lived in full accord with faith, are in a position to pass judgment on the relation of our life with faith. Their presence "around us" is surely very stimulating. But it is not on them that the author invites his hearers fix their gaze, it is on "Jesus" (12:2).” (Cardinal Albert Vanhoye, The Letter to the Hebrews: A New Commentary. Paulist Press 978-0809149285, page 195.)

Collect

May the Virgin Martyr Saint Agatha
implore your compassion for us, O Lord, we pray,
for she found favor with you
by the courage of her martyrdom
and the merit of her chastity.
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.

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

Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions” (Hebrews 11:32-33.)

In commenting on these verses from today’s First Reading, Saint John Chrysostom writes:

“And what shall I more say? For time would fail me to tell.” After this Paul no longer puts down the names, but, having ended with a harlot and put them to shame by the quality of the person, he no longer enlarges on the histories, lest he should be thought tedious. However, he does not set them aside but runs over them, doing both very judiciously, avoiding satiety without spoiling the closeness of the argument. He was neither altogether silent, nor did he speak so as to annoy, for he effected both points. For when a person is contending vehemently in argument, if he persists in contending, he wears out the hearer, annoying him when he is already persuaded and gaining the reputation of vain ambitiousness. For he ought to accommodate himself to what is expedient. “And what more do I say?” he says. “For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets.”

Some find fault with Paul because he puts Barak, Samson and Jephthah in these places. What do you say? After having introduced the harlot, shall he not introduce these? For do not tell me of the rest of their life but only whether they did not believe and shine in faith. “And the prophets,” he says, “who through faith conquered kingdoms.” Do you see that he does not here testify to their life as being illustrious, for this was not the point in question; the inquiry thus far was about their faith. For tell me whether they did not accomplish all by faith?” (On the Epistle to the Hebrews, 27.)

“In contrast to these triumphs, the author next describes the terrible trials faced by the believers. Instead of triumphing "they were tortured." The contrast cannot be more complete. But it is enlightened immediately by two remarks that will cast light on all that follows. The first remark corrects the passive aspect of the statement. The believers were not passive; they voluntarily faced the affliction; they did not accept the deliverance offered them in return for a denial of their faith. The other remark shows the vitality of their hope. Their affliction was not a grim impasse. It was the way of "a better resurrection." These afflictions are, in reality, the occasion of still more heroic and fruitful victories: more heroic because it takes more courage to refuse deliverance than to race to the fight; more fruitful because that resistance obtains "a better resurrection," not just a simple return to life on earth, but a definitive entry into God's rest. The author here is alluding to historical facts.” (Cardinal Albert Vanhoye, The Letter to the Hebrews: A New Commentary. Paulist Press 978-0809149285, pages 192-193.)

Collect

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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Set apart for the mission to proclaim Truth

εὐαγγελίζω (euaggelizo)
“to announce the Good News of victory in battle”

“The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated (קָדַשׁ qadash) you,
a prophet (נָבִיא nabi) to the nations I appointed (נתן natan) you.

(Jeremiah 1:4-5.)

θεωρέω (theoreo)
(“to perceive, discover, ponder a deeper meaning”)

As the account of Jeremiah’s call is proclaimed this Sunday, it is wise to pose a couple of questions: who is a prophet? What does a prophet do? Popularly, many have an image of a prophet as an otherworldly guru endowed with some magic-seeing power that gives him or her an ability to predict the future as a soothsayer or fortune-teller. Fortunately for us, such is NOT the biblical prophet of Israel and it certainly does not describe the work of Jeremiah.

The biblical prophet lived and worked in a world familiar with prophecy. In the Ancient Near Eastern world practically every king or queen had a guild or a company of prophets. These prophets acted as counselors or advisors on all sorts of matters concerning day-to-day living. At times guilds of prophets contended with each other, jockeying for position and prominence in society. Many times the ‘advice’ proffered was anything but counsel – ‘advice’ amounted to nice-sounding words to secure one’s position with the reigning ruler.

In Israel, like so many other aspects of her life in the Ancient Near Eastern world, prophecy was different. Sure there was a need for counsel and advice, but prophecy had another function vital for living the Covenant. In Israel, the prophet (nabi in Hebrew) was one ‘who spoke on behalf of God.’ The prophet tended to be an individual person, not a guild or a school. Unlike the guild prophets throughout the world of that time, Israel’s nabi were called by God. Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel – to name only a few – did not ‘join’ or sign-up to be a nabi. In fact, many of Israel’s nabi resisted and balked when called by God to speak on His behalf. Israel’s nabi also nurtured an intense, intimate relationship with God and even some of their ‘conversations’ with God sound shocking in their apparent audacity (cf. ‘The Confessions’ of Jeremiah) yet they reveal a profound relationship with God and a willingness to serve Him and the people to whom the prophet is sent.

The nabi in Israel was also a person “dedicated” by God for a particular mission. “Dedicated” translates the Hebrew (קָדַשׁ qadash). Qadash is part of a Hebrew word-group that essentially means “set apart” and eventually “set apart for a particular purpose or usage.” As such, the Hebrew root of qadash is the basis for the English word “holy.” The importance of qadash is that this is not a matter of good, better best. Because a person (or object, place) is set apart that person has a particular task or work to accomplish. It does not necessary make her or him any ‘better’ in an objective moral sense.

To accomplish the task or work that one has been “set apart for,” one requires sufficient material and means. Translated here “appoint,” the Hebrew verb נָתַן (natan) has a wide range of meanings in the Prophetic Texts of the Old Testament. The root and derivatives of natan are part of a Hebrew word-group that means “to give as a gift.” The word is used so extensively throughout the Old Testament that there are myriads of meanings associated with natan. With his ‘appointment’ from God as nabi, Jeremiah is given all that is needed to do the work for which he has been set apart. All that Jeremiah received, most especially the Word of God, was given without earning or merit: all was and remains Gift.

As linked with the Gospel episode of Jesus’ proclaiming the Word of God in Nazareth and the people’s response, it is fair to ponder, not only the gift of prophecy, but all gifts given by the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to build-up the Body of Christ, the Church. Through Baptism, Confirmation and the Most Holy Eucharist, all have been “set apart” and “appointed” for particular missions throughout our lives, beginning with the call ‘to be holy.’ A prayer by Blessed John Henry Newman captures this well:

“God has created me to do Him some definite service.
He has committed some work to me
which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission.
I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.
He has not created me for naught.
I shall do good; I shall do His work.
I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place,
while not intending it if I do but keep His commandments.
Therefore, I will trust Him,
whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him,
in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him.
If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.
He does nothing in vain. He knows what He is about.
He may take away my friends.
He may throw me among strangers.
He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink,
hide my future from me.
Still, He knows what He is about.”

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.” (Jeremiah 1:5.)

Origen of Alexandria (part 2 of Pope Benedict’s reflections on Origen) comments on this verse from the First Reading proclaimed at Mass today:

“We forget that the words “Let us make man according to our image and according to our likeness” apply to each person. When we fail to remember the one who formed a person in the womb, and formed all people’s hearts individually and understands all their works, we do not perceive that God is a helper of those who are lowly and inferior, a protector of the weak, a provider of shelter of those who have been given up in despair and Savior of those who have been given up as hopeless.” (Commentary on the Gospel of John, 13.)

Click for a reflection on this Sunday’s First Reading and Gospel.

Collect

Grant us, Lord our God,
that we may honor you with all our mind,
and love everyone in truth of heart.
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.

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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Christ has called us to his kingdom and glory

Saint Ignatius of Antioch

Bishop, Apostolic Father of the Church and Martyr

An excerpt from his The Letter to the Church of Smyrna

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From Ignatius, known as Theophorus, to the Church of God the Father and of Jesus Christ, his beloved, at Smyrna in Asia, wishing you all joy in an immaculate spirit and the Word of God. By his mercy you have won every gift and lack none, filled as you are with faith and love, beloved of God and fruitful in sanctity.

I celebrate the glory of Jesus Christ as God, because he is responsible for your wisdom, well aware as I am of the perfection of your unshakeable faith. You are like men who have been nailed body and soul to the cross of Jesus Christ, confirmed in love by his blood.

In regard to the Lord, you firmly believe that he was of the race of David according to the flesh, but God’s son by the will and power of God; truly born of the Virgin and baptized by John, that all justice might be fulfilled; truly nailed to a cross in the flesh for our sake under Pontius Pilate and the Tetrarch Herod, and of his most blessed passion we are the fruit. And thus, by his resurrection he raised up a standard over his saints and faithful ones for all time (both Jews and Gentiles alike) in the one body of his Church. For he endured all this for us, for our salvation; and he really suffered, and just as truly rose from the dead.

As for myself, I am convinced that he was united with his body even after the resurrection. When he visited Peter and his companions, he said to them: Take hold of me, touch me and see that I am not a spirit without a body. Immediately they touched him and believed, clutching at his body and his very spirit. And for this reason they despised death and conquered it. In addition, after his resurrection, the Lord ate and drank with them like a real human being, even though in spirit he was united with his Father.

And so I am giving you serious instruction on these things, dearly beloved, even though I am aware that you believe them to be so.

Click for a reflection on this Sunday’s First Reading and Gospel.

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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