An Introduction to the Sunday Scriptures - November 17, 2024
“But Of That Day Or Hour, No One Knows"
On this second to last Sunday in our liturgical year, the Church turns our attention to the Last Things - death, judgement, heaven and hell. Before we begin with our season of Advent, it is good to ponder our mortality and the passing of all things.
In our first reading (Daniel 12:1-3), we hear a very clear description of the resurrection of the dead and everlasting life. Its purpose was to promise final deliverance of God's people who are faithful, while others will meet "everlasting horror and disgrace." This vision offered hope to those who were suffering great persecution - just as it should for us today. “The wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament.” We are also reminded that the Archangel Michael is our protection from evil—remember the prayer: “St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. . . .”
In our Epistle reading (Hebrews 10:11-14, 18), we hear another comparison between the earthly priests of Israel and our eternal high priest, Jesus, who offered one sacrifice for sins and then “he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.” Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for our sins is offered once; there need be no further offering for sin. It is through the Eucharist and the Mass that we continually participate in the re-presentation of this sacrifice.
In our Gospel reading (Mark 13:24-32), Jesus borrowed from another one of Daniel's visions (Daniel 7:13-14) as He said, "you will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds". Jesus was describing first, the coming destruction of the temple in Jerusalem “in that current generation”, which happened in 70 AD, and then His second coming at the final judgement. “But of that day or hour, no one knows….but only the Father.”
As we begin to prepare for the close of our liturgical year and look forward to preparations for the awesome and glorious incarnation of Jesus at Christmas, we should keep in mind that God's will unfolds according to His eternal plan. Nothing is happenstance for God. The ultimate triumph of good over evil has been ordained since the beginning of time.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111724.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - November 10, 2024
“She, From Her Poverty, Contributed All She Had”
Our readings today offer us a glimpse into the world of the poorest of the poor who give to God all that they have. They are our models of offering to God everything we have.
In our first reading from the first Book of Kings (1 Kings 17:10-16), the prophet Elijah had proclaimed a drought in the land of Israel because of their evil deeds and idol worship. God then commanded Elijah to travel to Zarephath of Sidon. There he encountered a poor widow who shared with him her last meal, even as she and her son were about to die of famine. God rewarded her and her son with an abundance of oil and flour for the next year until the rains came and the drought ended.
In our Epistle reading (Hebrews 9:24-28), we hear a continuation of the Letter to the Hebrews from the past few weeks. In it, we hear the continuing contrast between Jesus, our eternal high priest, and the earthly high priests of Israel. They entered a man-made sanctuary, while Jesus enters the heavenly sanctuary, into the presence of God on our behalf. They offered imperfect sacrifices, first for their own sins, then for others. Jesus, the unblemished lamb, offers the perfect sacrifice - himself. They offered continual sacrifices year after year. Jesus offers himself once, for all.
In our Gospel reading (Mark 12:38-44), we hear of a poor widow who gave to the temple treasury everything she had, which was two small coins. This was in contrast to the scribes and the rich people who gave large sums, but only out of their surplus wealth. Jesus called attention to the poor widow as a model for us.
Just as Jesus offered everything He had, His very self, in atonement for our sins, so too, our two widows in today's readings gave everything they had in offering to God. We are called to emulate that spirit of giving - not from our surplus wealth but from our poverty.
Perhaps we can examine our own lives — What is it we are poorest in? Is this what we are called to give?
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111024.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - November 3, 2024
“Hear O Israel! The Lord Is Our God, The Lord Alone”
Our readings this Sunday ask us to ponder a most important question: How should our lives be ordered? Jesus gives us the answer in today's
Gospel.
In our first reading (Deuteronomy 6:2-6) we hear Moses teaching the Israelites the central theme of the Mosaic Law, what ultimately became known as the Shema Prayer. Shema, in Hebrew, is the first word of the prayer, "Hear O Israel. . . ." This prayer is still prayed to this day by devout Jews every morning and every night.
In our Epistle reading (Hebrews 7:23-28), we hear of the Jewish high priests, who would offer sacrifice once each year and would ultimately die and be replaced by another high priest. He would offer atonement for his own sins as well as those of the people by going behind the veil of the sanctuary and making whole burnt offerings to the Lord. Then we hear of Jesus, who is our eternal high priest. Because He remains forever, He offered His own body and blood as sacrifice once, for all people and for all time. Paul writes, “He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day,...He did that once for all when He offered himself.”
In our Gospel reading (Mark 12:28-34), Jesus was questioned by a scribe (scholar of the law), "What is the first of all commandments?" Jesus answered by reciting the Shema prayer we hear in our first reading. This is a prayer every Jew would learn from a very early age and recite three times per day. But Jesus then took His answer a step further, "Love your neighbor as yourself." In answering this way, Jesus distilled the ten commandments into its two basic sections—love of God (commandments 1—3) and love of neighbor (commandments 4-10). In responding, the scribe said that these two commandments “are worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
What Jesus puts to us succinctly in today's Gospel is the thought that sin is in one form or another an offense against God, another person, or our own person. That is why all the commandments can be summarized in these two great commandments—Love of God and Love of Neighbor. This might make for a good nightly examen - "How have I offended my God today; how have I offended my neighbor, how have I offended my own person?"
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110324.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - October 27, 2024
“Jesus, Son Of David, Have Pity On Me”
Our readings this Sunday speak to us about the hope of those who are lost, especially the blind and the lame, and those who are separated from loved ones,
both physically and spiritually. We call out from our woundedness, "Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."
In our first reading (Jeremiah 31:7-9), the prophet Jeremiah offers hope to those in exile, those who were carried off and resettled to other nations. In the future age of salvation, all of the lost, including the blind and the lame, will be gathered from the ends of the earth and brought back home to the new Jerusalem. “I will gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and the lame in their midst…”
In our Epistle reading (Hebrews 5:1-6), the author instructs us in the traditional role of the high priest - one of human estate, called by God to offer sacrifice for our sins. Christ, like us in every way but sin, experienced the sufferings of humanity first-hand. He fills this role of high priest with perfection. He was chosen and sent by his Father. He deals patiently with us; He is our high priest for ever.
In our Gospel reading (Mark 10:46-52), we hear of the healing of Bartimaeus, who was blind since birth. He is a symbol of the lost, the alienated, the spiritually blind, calling out to Jesus with persistence, calling Him “Son of David.” His faith and his persistence are models for us. Jesus heard his cry, called him and told him, "your faith has saved you."
In many ways, we live in a form of exile; at times alienated from God and/or one another, blinded by the effects of sin. We long for our return from exile. We take hope from Jeremiah that God “will gather us in.“ Sometimes, we call out “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me." Let no one silence us. It is the faith and persistence of Bartimaeus that gives us hope. We must be ready for when we hear the call, "Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you." When Jesus ask us, "What do you want me to do for you", what is it we will say to him?
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102724.cfm
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - October 20, 2024
“For The Son Of Man Did Not Come To Be Served But To Serve And To Give His Life As A Ransom For Many”
Our three readings this Sunday give us three different views of the suffering servant - the one who will give his life as a substitutionary atonement for the sins of the people (our sins). The image of the blameless lamb that is sacrificed in atonement for sins is as old as Israel itself.
In our first reading (Isaiah 51:10-11), we hear an excerpt from Isaiah's fourth Song of the Suffering Servant. Reading this passage in light of the resurrection of Jesus, it is clear that to us Christians, Jesus is this "servant who shall justify many, and their guilt He shall bear.”
In our Epistle reading (Hebrews 4:14-16), the author compares Jesus to the Jewish high priest who offered sacrifice once each year on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur. Because our "great high priest" gave His own body and blood as the sacrifice for the sins of the world (once, for all), we can approach Jesus with the confidence that He is able to “sympathize with our weakness.”
In our Gospel reading (Mark 10:35-45), we hear the incredible request by James and John to share in Jesus' glory. Odd as that may seem, it was very much in keeping with the culture of the day. They expected a messiah that would ride triumphantly into Jerusalem as king and vanquish its enemies. His disciples would naturally take their places to the left and the right of His throne. Even after multiple warnings by Jesus of His impending passion and death, they just didn't understand. Jesus responded by asking them, "Can you drink the cup that I drink?" "We can", they readily replied. Little did they know that indeed they would.
Sometimes, like the apostles James and John, we may fail to understand the significance of the passion and death of Jesus for the atonement of our sins. Jesus indeed triumphed, but not in the way His disciples expected. Jesus triumphed over sin and death by rising from the dead after three days. Sometimes, we may act as if we haven't been saved, lacking the profound joy that salvation brings. Perhaps we can do better.
www.bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102024.cfm
An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - December 25
“AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US”
Our readings for Christmas Mass at night draw a direct connection between what Isaiah prophesied more than 500
years before Christ was born and what took place that Christmas night when the prophesy was fulfilled in all its humble glory.
In our first reading (Isaiah 9:1-6), we hear the prophesy of Isaiah that is proclaimed every Christmas Eve night - God's own Son will come to deliver us. "For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David's throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.”
In our Epistle (Titus 2:11-14), St. Paul leads us to remember that Christ promised to come again and will deliver us from all lawlessness. Paul teaches us how to live while we await the return of Jesus our Savior. “The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ.”
Our Gospel reading (Luke 2:1-14) is the account of Jesus' humble birth as Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census of the house of David. The first to bear witness were the lowly shepherds from the surrounding hillsides.
The birth of the Jesus the Messiah was not just something that happened a long time ago. It was an event foretold for centuries and awaited fervently by the people of Israel. From the moment of Jesus' birth to his tragic death and triumphant resurrection, he was the embodiment of humility, patience, and love. It is how he calls us to live "temperately, justly and devoutly in this age as we await the blessed hope."
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122523-night.cfm
Click 'Read more' for the reflection on the Christmas Day readings.