Lectionary 389 Monday of 15th week
Matthew 10:34-11:1:
Jesus is the teacher in Matthew's Gospel. Today we are coming to the end of
his great discourse and instruction on the Mission the apostles are to
fulfill. This completes the second section of Matthew's traditionally
accepted five-fold division of his Gospel. He always clues us in when the
section comes to an end with a familiar ending: "When Jesus had finished
instructing his twelve disciples, he left that locality, to teach and
preach in their towns." (Matt. 11:1).
In the Gospel for today we seem to have a number of sayings that Matthew
has collected and added to this second part of his Gospel on the active
ministry of Jesus. These make up the final words for the Missionary
Discourse and they help give us a missionary context for the Sermon on the
Mount that we had in the first part of Jesus' teachings. Jesus is
instructing his disciple and us to always put God first in our lives and
live out the will of God with all our heart, soul, and mind while being
those who are sent--missionaries. We are all missionaries when we
understand the words of Jesus to us. By placing God first in our daily
lives then the others: family, friends, relatives take on a special
dimension in our hearts that helps us love them even better because we have
it straight with God that God is the source of all we have through our
God-given gifts of family and friends. Jesus then is able to tell us that
we must carry our cross in union with him who will show us the way to bear
our heavy burdens. He is meek and humble of heart and wants to be with us
on our journey and our mission to others who have not experienced him in
their lives and their hearts. The Cross is always emphasized by the Four
Gospels and Mark and Matthew are the strongest proponents of this event and
its effect in our daily duties. Thirdly, the instruction of Jesus leads us
to be people who are hospitable to others especially the lowly, a term used
for the poor, the homeless, the weak and marginal people who surround us
and need our help and support. We are to receive the prophetic message
that comes to us from God's agents who are following this instruction. The
prophetic part of our missionary activity is thus another component of the
Teacher, Jesus. Generosity is always a part of the Christian duty.
Sometimes in giving it hurts but Jesus is there to support us whenever we
feel the pinch.
"Matthew ends his discourse by extending the correlation to those whom
Jesus sends out: Receiving them is receiving him, and receiving him is
receiving the God who sent him. Thust the mission of the disciples
involves extending God's salvation to all." (Intro. to N.T. by
R.E.Brown,SS. p.183).
Friday, July 8, Lectionary # 387:
Scripture: Lectionary 387: Genesis 46: 1-7, 28-30. Psalm
37:3-4.18-19.27-28.39-40. Matthew 10:16-23:
"Joseph is still alive!" What a powerful event for the ailing and aging
Jacob who will see, touch, speak with, and love his missing son after so
many years of thinking he was killed by a ferocious beast. The entire
family now will rejoice for all are united around the father who also is
"still alive."
The great saga of Joseph is coming to an end. It is one of the most
edifying narratives in the Bible and has been the object of our listening
and meditating for some time. The story of Joseph's life starts in chapter
37 and goes to the end of Genesis, chapter 50 thus matching and even
surpassing the story of Abraham in chapters.
Our Psalm response and its verses is an excellent way to reflect on the
passage of the first reading: "Take delight in the Lord and he will grant
you your hearts requests." How indeed Jacob experienced this in seeing his
son Joseph once again before he died.
In the Gospel Jesus tells us when an hour of temptation or trial comes upon
us we will be given what we need to cope with the situation or to say what
is helpful in difficult circumstances or persecutions. The Holy Spirit
will be with us to speak with our own words. It is our living faith, that
is, our faith of the heart that brings about the presence of the Spirit
within us. We also have the living voice of Jesus speaking to us and
helping us to understand how to be without fear and how to be atuned to the
promptings of the Spirit. In our passage there is even a mention of the
persons of the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Matthew
will keep this revelatory message alive at the conclusion of his Gospel:
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach and carry out
everything I have commanded you, and know that I am with you always until
the end of the world." Amen. (Matt. 28: 18-20).
Thursday, July 7, Commentary on Lectionary # 386:
Scripture: Lectionary 386: Genesis 44: 18-21, 23-29. 45: 1-05. Psalm
105:16-17,18-19.20-21. Matthew 10:7-15:
"Do whatever he tells you." These words of Pharaoh are the command and
authoritative delegation to Joseph to help those whom he wants to help and
to punish those who are not obedient to Pharaoh. We Catholics have a great
devotion to St. Joseph and we use words that are said about the Patriarch
Joseph: Ite ad Joseph, Go to Joseph. We are aware that the expression "Do
whatever he tells you" is said by Mary the Mother of Jesus in the Gospel of
John at the wedding feast of Cana and thus Jesus power and divinity are
shown in anticipation of his "hour". The servants carry out the advice of
Mary and water is changed into wine.
Through his power and authority the Patriarch and righteous Joseph will be
the instrument of God's salvific actions for his people and for the family
of Jacob. Joseph will be the creative agent who brings this about thus
changing the wrong action of his brothers in the past toward him into a
salvific moment or hour for them. Like St. Joseph, the son of Jacob will be
a protector for his family and his people.
We admire both the authority and good use of his power in Joseph's
executive role in Egypt. God will be callin him and his sons "out of
Egypt" just as Joseph will lead God's son and his mother out of Egypt. (see
Matthew 2:15). We are in admiration of Mary in the command she gives to the
servants at the wedding which attests to Jesus authority and role he will
have among people. His disciples are led to believe in him and they go
back to Capernaum with him and his mother after the wedding. Joseph the
Patriarch will be able to return to the land of promise with his brothers
and see his father Jacob. Though he had been sold into slavery by his
brothers he was able to fulfill a salvific role for his family and thus
participate in God's plan of salvation as a creative agent. Amen.
posted by Fr. Bert SM at 10:25 AM
<< Home