CHRIST THE KING 2 - 34th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

Homily for the 34^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

Based on (Gospel), (First Reading) and (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

CHRIST THE KING 2

 “This is the King of the Jews.” (Lk. 23:38)

The Gospel reading for this 34^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycel C) is from Lk 23:35-43. The first title is “The Crucifixion.”  Parallel texts for this title are:

1.       Mt 27:39-43 - The passersby jeered at him; they shook their heads (v. 39) and said, “So you who would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! Then save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!”(v. 40).The chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him in the same way. (v. 41) “He saved others’ they said ‘he cannot save himself. He is the king of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him (v.42).He puts his trust in God; now let God rescue him if he wants him. For he did say, ‘I am the son of God”’ (v. 43).

2.       Mk 15:29-32a  - The passersby jeered him; they shook their heads and said, “Aha! So you who would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days (v. 30)! Then save yourself and come down from the cross” (v.  31). The chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves in the same way. “He saved others,” they said he cannot save himself (v.32). Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.”(v. 32a).

Verse 35 says: The people stayed there watching him. As for the leaders, they sneered at him. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is  the Messiah of God, the Chosen One.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Lk 2:26 - It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death until he had set his eyes on the Christ of the Lord.ⁱ  Footnote ⁱ  says “‘the Christ of the Lord’ is the one whom the Lord anoints, cf. Ex 30:22+, i.e. consecrates for a saving mission: the king of Israel, God’s chosen prince, is thus consecrated and thus, pre-eminently, the messiah who is to establish the kingdom of God.”

2.       Lk 9:35 - And a voice came from the cloud saying, “This is my Son, the chosen One.^h Listen to him.” Footnote ^h says “Var. ‘the Beloved’; cf. Mt and Mk. The titles ‘Chosen One’, cf. 23:33; Is 42:1, and ‘Son of Man’ alternate in the Parables of Enoch.”

Verses 36 and 37 say: The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer him vinegar

they said, “If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”

Parallel text for verse 36 is Mt 24:48 that says: But as for the dishonest servant who says to himself, ‘My master is taking his time’

Verse 38 says: Above him there was an inscription, “This is the King of the Jews.”

Parallel text is  Jn 19:19 that says: Pilate wrote out a notice and had it fixed to the cross; it ran, “Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.

Verse 39, 40, 41, 42 and 43 say: One of the criminals hanging there abused him.  “Are you not the Messiah?” he said, “Save yourself and us as well.” But the other  spoke up and rebuked him,  “Have you no fear of God at all,” he  said,  You got the same sentence as he did,  But in our case we deserved it; we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.”  “Jesus,”  he said “remember me when you come into your kingdom.”^k  “Indeed I promise you’  he replied  ‘today you will be with me in paradise. Footnote ^k  says “Or else ‘in your kingly power’, i.e. to establish your kingdom. Var. ‘when you come with (i.e. in possession of) your kingdom.’”

Parallel texts  for verse 39 are:

1.       Mt 27:44 - Even the robbers who were crucified with him also taunted him in the same way.

2.       Mk 15:32b - Even those who were crucified with him taunted him

The First Reading is from 2 S 5:1-3.

Verse 1, 2 and 3 say: All the tribes of Israel then came to David at Hebron. “Look” they said “we are your own flesh and blood.” In days past, when Saul was still our king, it was you who led Israel out in all their exploits. And Yahweh said to you: You are the man who shall shepherd my people Israel, you shall be the leader of Israel.” So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with them at Hebron in the presence of Yahweh, and they anointed David king over Israel.

Parallel texts for verse 2 are:

1.       Dt 17:15 - It must be a king of Yahweh’s choosing whom you appoint over you; you are not to give yourself a foreign king, who is no brother of yours.

2.       2 S 3:10…to take the sovereignty from the House of Saul,  and set up the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.”^d  Footnote ^d  says “We are not told on what occasion this promise was made to David”.

3.       1 S 18:16 - But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he was their leader them in all their exploits.

The Second Reading is from  Col 1:12-20.

Verse 12 says: …thanking the Father who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light.^c Footnote  ^c  says “Lit. ‘Thanking the Father (for) having made you (var. ‘us’) fit for the part of the lot of the saints in the light’; var. ‘for having called you (var. ‘us’) to…’ The ‘lot of the saints’ is what all holy people are to inherit, i.e. the ‘salvation’ that had been thought of as a bequest made exclusively to Israel. Now, non-Jews are called to share it, cf. Ep 1:11-13. The word ‘saints’ (lit. ‘holy ones’) here can mean either Christians, i.e. people called to live the ‘life of light’ while still living on earth, Rm 1:7f, cf. Jn 8:12f, or it can mean the angels who live with God in the eschatological ‘light’, cf. Ac 9:13+.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ws 5:5f  - How has he come to be counted as one of the sons of God? How does he come to be assigned a place among the saints?^a Footnote ^a – ‘sons of God’ and ‘saints’ may mean the angels, Jb 1:6+; 2:1, but here more probably the elect, cf. Ws 2:13,16,18.

2.       Ep 1:11-13 - And it is in him^l that we were claimed as God’s own,^m chosen from the beginning, under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things as he decides by his own will (v. 11); Chosen to be, for his greater glory, the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came (v. 12). Now you too, ⁿ in him, have heard the message of the truth and the good news of your salvation, and have believed it; and you too have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit of the Promise^o (. 13).

3.       Ep 5:8 - Make sure that you are not included with them.

4.       1 P 1:4…and the promise of an inheritance that can never be spoilt or soiled and never fade away, because it is being kept for you in the heavens.

5.       1 P 2:9 - But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

6.       Ac 26:18…to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light,^f from the dominion of Satan to God, and receive, through faith in me, forgiveness of their sins^g and a share in the inheritance of the sanctified. Footnote ^f  says “Paul’s missionary vocation is described here in OT terms used about two great prophetic figures, Jeremiah and the Servant of Yahweh.”; and Footnote ^g  says “In 9:17-18, Paul, his sight restored, passes from darkness to light; in 22:16 (cf 9:18) Paul is ordered to wash away his sins by baptism. Thus his own experience is a symbol of his mission to others.”

Verse 13 says: He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Parallel texts are:

1.       Jn 8:12 - When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: ‘I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark; he will have the light of life’.

2.       Ep 1:6-7 - to make us praise the glory of his grace,^e his free gift to us in the Beloved,^f  in whom, through his blood, we gain freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.^g Such is the richness of the grace Footnote ^e says “The word grace (charis) as it is used here emphasizes not so much the interior gift that makes a human being holy, as the gratuitousness of God’s favor and the way he manifests his glory, cf. Ex 24:16f. These are the two themes that run through this account of God’s blessings: their source is God’s liberality, and their purpose is to make his glory appreciated by creatures. Everything comes from him, and everything should lead to him.”; Footnote ^f  says “Var. (Vulg) ‘his beloved Son’.”; and Footnote ^g  says “Third blessing: our redemption by an event in time, i.e. the death of Jesus.”

Verse  14 says: in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Rm 3:24 - And both are justified through the free gift of his graceⁱ by being redeemed^j in Christ Jesus.  Footnote ⁱ   says “This word (charis) when used with reference to human relationships can mean as the quality that makes a person attractive (Ac. 2:47), or it can mean thank for a gift (Lk. 6:32-34; 17:9); or it can mean something given free and unearned (Ac. 25:3, 1 Co. 16:3, 2 Co. 8:6-7, 19). This last sense predominates in the NT and especially in Paul. (John uses agape), who uses the word to describe the way God saves through Jesus: it is a work of spontaneous love to which no one has any claim It was an act of ‘grace’ for Jesus to come on earth (2 Co. 8:9, Tt. 2:11, Jh. 1:14,47); to die (Heb. 2:9), for his Father to give up as a gift that includes all divine favors (Rm 8:32; cf. 1 Co 2:12; Ep 1:8f): justification, salvation, and the right to inherit by having faith in him, without having to perform the works of the Law ( Rm 3:24; 4:4f; Ep 2:5,8; Tt. 3:7; cf. Ac 15:11): it will also be an act of ‘grace’ for Christ to come again at the end of the world and for us to receive everlasting glory (1 P1:13; 2 Th 1:12). It was by grace that Abraham received the promise (Rm 4:16; Ga 3:18) and that a few Israelites were chosen to survive  (Rm 11:5f). Since grace is God’s love for us, it is inexhaustible (Ep 1:7; 2:7; cf. 2 Co 4:15; 9:8,14; 1 Tm 1:14) and it conquers sins (Rm 5:15,7,20). The one word ‘grace’ is so useful and full of meaning that it can be used to indicate the entire messianic era that was once proclaimed by the prophets (1 P.1:10) and is now proclaimed as the  Good News (Col 1:6; cf. Ac 14:3; 20:24,32). The word sumps up the gifts of God so well that Paul begins and ends his letters by wishing ‘grace’ to all his readers (1 Th 1:1 and 5:28, etc.; cf 1 P 1:2; 5:10,12; 2 P 1:2; 3:8, 2 Jn 3; Rv 1:4; 22:21). It is by an act of grace that ‘the God of all grace’ (1 P 5:10) calls men to salvation (Ga 1:6; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 P 3:7), leads them with all spiritual gifts (1 Co 1:4-7; cf 2 Th 2:16; Ac 6:8), makes Paul an apostle of the pagans (Rm 1:5; 12:3; 15:15f; 1 Co 3:10; Ga 1:15f; 2:9; Ep 3:2,7,8; Ph 1:2) and assigns to each Christian a part he has to play in the life of the Church (Rm 12:6; 1 Co 12:1+; 2 Co 8:1;  Ep 4:7;  1 P 4:10); similarly, it is a ‘grace’ to suffer for Christ (Ph 1:29; 1 P 2:19-20). Mary ’found grace’ with God (Lk 1:30; cf Ac 7:46; and LXX passim); Jesus himself received the ‘grace’ of the highest name of all (Ph 2:9; cf. Lk 2:40). For human beings to be agreeable to God depends primarily on God’s initiative and secondarily on human response. It is possible to receive grace I vain (2 Co 6:1; cf. 1 Co 5:10), to fall from grace (Ga. 5:4), to forfeit grace (Heb 12:15), and thus to insult the Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29). Grace obtained must be carefully guarded (Rm 5:2; Heb 12:28; 1 P 5:12) and used wisely (1 P 4:10); it is not enough to remain in grace (Ac 13:43; cf 14:26;  15:40), it  must increase (2 P 3:18), to strengthen us (2 Tm 2:1), and help us to persist in our good intention (Heb 13:9). This divine help is given to the humble (Jm 4:6; 1 P 5:5) and is obtained by prayer, since this is to approach ‘the throne of grace’ confidently (Heb 4:26). Grace will be granted and will be found sufficient; it is the power of Christ operating in weak man (2 Co 12:9; cf. 1 Co 15:10) and this grace of Christ triumphs over unspiritual wisdom (2 Co 1:12). The same word charis is also used for thanksgiving (Rm 6:17; 7:25; 1 Co 10:30; 15:57; 2 Co 2:14; 8:16; 9:15; Col 3:6; 1 Tm 1:12; 2 Tm 1:3;and cf. the verb eucharistein), since gratitude to God is the fundamental and necessary disposition for grace. From all these shades of meaning, it is clear that the word charis is always used to emphasize that the gift  is absolutely free: to bring out its power and its inwardness Paul also uses the word pneuma (cf. Rm 5:5+)”.; and Footnote ^j  says “Yahweh had ‘redeemed’ Israel by delivering her from slavery of Egypt, to provide himself with a nation for his ‘inheritance’ Dt 7:6+. When the prophets spoke of the ‘redemption’ from Babylon, Is 41:14+, they hinted at a deliverance more profound and less restricted, the forgiveness that is deliverance from sin, Is 44:22; cf Ps 130:8; 49:7-8. This messianic redemption is fulfilled in Christ, 1 Co 1:30; cf. Lk 1:68; 2:38. God the Father through Christ - and indeed Christ himself- has ‘delivered’ the new Israel from slavery of the Law, Ga 3:13, 4:5; and of sin, Col 1:14; Ep 1:7; Heb 9:15, by ‘acquiring’ her, Ac 20:28, making her his own, Tt 2:14; purchasing her, Ga 3:13; 4:5; 1 Co 6:20; 7:23; cf. 2 P 2:1. The price was the blood of Christ, Ac 20:28; Ep 1:7; Heb 9:12; 1 P 1:18f; Rv 1:5; 5:9. This redemption, begun on Calvary and guaranteed by the present gift of the Spirit, Ep 1:14; 4:30, will be complete only at the parousia, Lk 21:28, when deliverance from death is secured by the resurrection of the body, Rm 8:23.”

2.       Heb 1:3 - He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature,^c sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. Footnote ^c  says “These two metaphors are borrowed from the Sophia and logos theologies of Alexandria, Ws 7:25-26; they express both the identity of nature between Father and Son, and the distinction of person. The Son is the brightness, the light shining from its source, which is the bright glory, cf. Ex. 24:16+, of the Father (‘Light from Light’). He is also the replica, cf. Col 1:15+, of the Father’s substance, like an exact impression made by a seal on clay or wax, cf. Jn 14:9.”

Title “Christ is the head of all creation^e”. Footnote ^e says “In this poem Paul introduces two ways in which can claim to be the ‘head’ of everything that exists:1. He is the head of creation, of all that exists naturally, vv. 15-17; 2. He is head of the new creation and all that exists supernaturally through having been saved, vv. 18-20. The subject of the poem is the pre-existent Christ, but considered only in so far as he is manifest in the unique historic person that is the Son of God made man, cf. Ph 2:5+. It is as the incarnate God that Jesus is the ‘image of God’, i.e. his human nature was the visible manifestation of God who is invisible, cf. Rm 8:29+, and it is as such, in this concrete human nature, and as part of creation, that Jesus is called the ‘first born of creation’ - not in the temporal sense of having been born first, but in the sense of having been given the first place of honor.”

Verse 15 says: He is the image of the unseen God, and the firstborn of all creation.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Col 1:18 - Now the church is his body, he is the head, ^f As he is the Beginning, he was first to be born from the dead, so that he should be first in every way. Footnote ^f  says “On the church a Christ’s body, cf. 1 Co. 12:12f, he is called the ‘head’ of his own body both in a temporal sense (v. 18, i.e., he was the first to rise from the dead) and in a spiritual sense (v. 20, i.e. he is the leader of all the saved).”

2.       Gn 1:1-2 - In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (v. 1). Now the earth was a formless void, ^b there was darkness over the deep, and God’s spirit hovered^c the water (v. 2). Footnote ^b  says “In Hebrew tohu and bohu, ‘trackless waste and emptiness; these, like the ‘darkness over the deep’ and the ‘waters’, are images that attempt to express in virtue of those negative quality the idea of creation from nothing’ which reaches precise formulation for the first time in 2 M 7:28.” and Footnote ^c  says ^“Like a bird hanging in the air over its young in the nest, Dt 32:11.”

3.       Ps 89:27…and I shall make him my first born, the Most Highⁱ for kings on earth. Footnote ⁱ  says “A divine title here applied to God’s anointed king.”

4.       Ws 7:26 - She is the reflection of the eternal light^k untarnished mirror of God’s active power, image of his goodness. Footnote ^k  says “In the OT God is never called ‘light’ cf. 1 Jn 1:5; Jm 1:17, but light accompanied him, Ex. 24:17, cf. Ex 24:16+; Ezk 1:27, Hab 3:4; Ps 50:3; 104:1-2; Is 60:19-20. See Jn 8:12+.”

5.       Zc 12:10 - But over the house of David and the citizens of Jerusalem I will pour a spirit  of kindness and prayer. They will look on the one whom they have pierced;^e they will mourn for him as for an only son, and weep for him as people weep for a first-born child. Footnote ^e  says “‘the one’ Theodotion, Jn. 19:37; ‘me’ Hebr. The death of the Pierced One occurs in an eschatological context (cf. Rv. 1:7), ch. The raising of the siege of Jerusalem, the national mourning, vv. 10-14, the opening of the fountain of salvation, 13:1. The messianic age thus depends on a passion and a mysterious death comparable to the sufferings of the servant in Is. 52:13-53:12. Jn. 19:37 sees is this passage the figure of the passion of Christ, the ‘only son’ and the ‘first-born’, cf. Jh.  1:18,; Col. 1:15, whose pierced body will be ‘looked on’ with the saving eye of faith, cf. Jn 3:14+; Nb. 21:8-9. And whose opened side is a fountain of salvation, Jn. 19:34; 7:38.”

6.       Jn 1:3,18 - Through him all things came to be, not one thing has its being but through him (v. 3). No one has ever seen God; it is the only Son,^r who is nearest to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. Footnote ^r  says “Var. ‘God, only begotten’.

7.       Rm 8:29 - They are the ones he chose especially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son,^q so that the Son might be the eldest of many brothers. Footnote ^q  says “Christ, the image of God in the primordial creation, Col 1:15+; cf. Heb. 1:3, has now come, by a new creation, 2 Co 5:17+, to restore to fallen man  the splendor of that image which has been darkened by sin, Gn 1:26+, 3:22-24+; Rm 5:12+. He does this by forming man in a still more splendid image of a son of God (Rm 8:29); thus, sound moral judgment is restored to the ‘new man’, Col 3:10+, and also his claim to glory which he had sacrificed by sin, Rm 3:23+. This glory which Christ as the image of God possesses by right, 2 Co 4:4, is progressively communicated to the Christian, 2 Co 3:18, until his body is itself clothed in the image of the ‘heavenly man, 1 Co 15:49.”

8.       Heb 1:3,6 - He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature,^c sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty(v. 3) Again, when he brings the First-born into the world^d, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him. Footnote ^c  says “These two metaphors are borrowed from the Sophia and logos theologies of Alexandria, Ws 7:25-26; they express both the identity of nature between Father and Son, and the distinction of person. The Son is the brightness, the light shining from its source, which is the bright glory, cf. Ex. 24:16+, of the Father (‘Light from Light’). He is also the replica, cf. Col 1:15+, of the Father’s substance, like an exact impression made by a seal on clay or wax, cf. Jn 14:9”; and Footnote ^d  says “Either at the Parousia or more probably, at the incarnation.”

Verses 16 and 17 say: for him were created all things in heaven and on earth: everything visible and everything invisible, Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers - all things were created through him and for him. Before anything was created, he existed, and he holds all things in unity.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ep 1:10,21 - To act upon when the times had run their course to the end;^j that he would bring everything together under Christ as head, everything in the heaven and everything on earth^k (v. 10)… far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power or Dominion,^t or any other name that can be named, not only in this age but also in the age to come (v. 21). Footnote ^j  says “Lit. ‘for a dispensation of the times’ fullness’, cf. Ga 4:4f.”; Footnote ^k  says “The main theme of this letter is how the whole body of creation, having been cut off from the Creator by sin, is  decomposing, and how its rebirth is effected by Christ reuniting its parts into an organism with himself as the head, so as to reattach it to God. The human (Jew and pagan) and the angelic worlds are brought together again through the fact that they were saved by a single act, cf. 4:10f. Footnote ^t  says “Names traditional in Jewish literature for angelic hierarchies.”

2.       Rm 11:36 - All that exists comes from him; all is by him and for him. To him be glory forever. Amen.

3.       1 Co 8:6 - Still for us there is one God, the Father, from all things come and for whom we exist; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, though whom all things come through whom we exist.

END TIME SIGNS - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

Homily for the 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

Based on Lk 21:5-19 (Gospel), Mal 3:19 – 20a (First Reading) and 2 Th 3:7-12 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

END TIME SIGNS

“What sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” (Lk 21:7)

The Gospel reading for this 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C) is from Lk 21:5-19. First title is “Discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem:^a Footnote ^a  says “In 17:22-37, Lk, following one of his sources, speaks of the coming of Jesus in glory at the end of the Age (aeon). Here, he follows Mk where two perspectives merge: that of the final coming and that of the destruction of Jerusalem; cf. Mt 24:1+.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 24:1-3 - Jesus left the Temple, as he was going away, his disciples came up to draw his attention to the Temple buildings (v. 1).  He said to them in reply, “You see all these? I tell you solemnly, not a single stone will be left here  on another: everything will be destroyed (v. 2) And when he was sitting on the Mount of Olives the disciples came and asked him privately, “Tell us, when is this going to happen, and what  will be the sign of your coming,^b and of the end of the age (v. 3). Footnote ^b  says “The Greek word ‘parousia’: it means ‘presence’ and in the Graeco-Roman society was used for official visits by royalty. The Christians adopted it as a technical term for the glorious coming of Christ, cf. 1 Co 15:23+. It is not inevitably linked up with Christ’s final coming: it can also refer to the power he will display when he comes to establish his messianic kingdom (the Church) in the ruins of Judaism; cf. 16:27-28. In this passage Matthew clearly implies that he has combined the two themes.”

2.       Mk 13:1-4 - As he was leaving the Temple one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look at the size of those signs, Master! Look at the size of those buildings!’ (v. 1) And Jesus said to him, “You see these great buildings? Not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed” (v. 2) And while he was sitting facing the Temple,  on the Mount of Olives, Peter, James, John, and Andrew questioned him privately (v. 3). “Tell us, when will this happen, and what sign will there be that all this is about to be fulfilled?” (v. 4).

Verse 5, 6 and 7 say: When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, he said, ‘All these things you are staring at now—the time (aeon) will come when not a single  stone  will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.” And they put this question to him, “Master, they said, when will this happen? And then what sign will there be that this is about to take place?”

The second title is “The Warning Signs”.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 24:4-14 - And Jesus answered them, Take care that no one deceives you; (v. 4) Because many will come using my name and saying, “I am the Christ”,^c and they will deceive many (v. 5)  You will hear of wars and rumors of wars; do not be alarmed, for this is something that must happen, but  the end will not be yet (v. 6). For nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines^d and earthquakes here and there^e (v. 7). All this is only the beginning of the birthpangs^f (v. 8). Then they will hand you to be tortured and be put to death; you will be hated by all nations on account of my name (v. 9).  And then many will fall away; men will betray one another and hate one another (v. 10). Many false prophets will arise; they will deceive many (v. 11), and with the increase of lawlessness,  love of most men will grow cold (v. 12); but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved (v. 13). This Good News of the kingdom will be proclaimed to the whole world^g as a witness to all nations. And then the end will come (v. 14).  Footnote ^c  says “Before the year 70 several impostors posed as messiah.”; Footnote ^d  says “Add. ‘plagues’, cf. Lk 21:11.” ; Footnote ^e  says “Cf. Is 8:21; 13:13; 19:2; Jr 21:9; 34:17; Ezk 5:12; Am 4:9-11; 8:8; 2 Ch 15:6; Footnote ^f  says “Cf Is 13:8; 26:17; 66:7; Jr 6:24; 13:21; Ho 13:13; Mi 4:9-10. Jewish literature uses this metaphor to describe the coming of the messianic kingdom; Footnote ^g  says “The ‘inhabited world’ (oikoumene), i.e. the Graeco-Roman world. All the Jews of the empire are destined to hear the Good News before punishment comes to Israel, cf. Rm 10:18. The earliest ‘witness’ will be directed against the faithlessness of Judaism, cf. Mt 10:18. Before 70 AD, the gospel had already reached the main parts of the Roman empire, cf. 1 Th 1:8; Rm 1:5,8; Col 1:6,23.”; and  Footnote ^h says “The fall of Jerusalem.”

2.       Mk 13 - As he was leaving the Temple one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look at the size of those stones, Master! Look at the size of those buildings!’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You see these great buildings? Not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And while he was sitting facing the Temple, on the Mount of Olives, Peter, James, John and Andrew questioned him privately. ‘Tell us, when is this going to happen, and what sign will there be that all this is about to be fulfilled?’ Then Jesus began to tell them, ‘Take care that no one deceives you. Many will come using my name and saying, “I am he’, and they will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed, this is something that must happen, but the end will not be yet. For nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes here and there; there will be famines. This is the beginning of the birthpangs. ‘Be on your guard: they will hand you over to sanhedrins; you will be beaten in synagogues; and you stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them, since the Good news must first be proclaimed to all the nations. ‘And when they lead you away to hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what to say; no, say whatever is given to you when the time comes, because it is not you who will be speaking: it will be the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you see the disastrous abomination set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must escape to the mountains; if a man is on the housetop, he must not come down to go into the house to collect any of his belongings; if a man is in the fields, he must not turn back to fetch his cloak. Alas for those with child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come! Pray that this may not be in winter. For in those days there will be such distress as, until now, has not been equaled since the beginning when God created the world, nor ever will be again. And if the Lord has not shortened that time, no one would have survived; but he did shorten the time, for the sake of the elect whom he chose. And if anyone says to you then, ‘Look, here is the Christ’ or ‘Look, he is there’, do not believe it; for false Christs and false prophets will arise and produce signs and portents to deceive the elect, if that were possible. You therefore must be on your guard. I have forewarned you of everything. But in those days, after that time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven. ‘Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.  ‘But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father. ‘Be on your guard, stay awake, because you never know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad: he has gone from home, and left his servants in charge, each to his own task; and he has told the doorkeeper to stay awake. So stay awake, because you do not know when the master of the house is coming, evening, midnight, cockcrow, dawn; if he comes unexpectedly, he must not find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake!’ (v. 37).

Verses 8 and 9 say: “Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time is near at hand.’ Refuse to join them! And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened; for this is something that must happen but the end is not too soon.” 

Parallel text for verse 9 is Dn 2:28 that says: …but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and who has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what is to take place in the days to come. These, then, are the dream and the visions that passed through your head as you lay in bed.ⁱ Footnote ⁱ  says  “The allegories in Dn, of which this is the first, are veiled description of the great successive empires of history: neo-Babylonian, Median, Persian, Greek (Alexander’s Asiatic kingdom governed by his successors). The allegory is here borrowed from ancient speculations on the ages of the world, the symbolism being used founded of metals in descending scale of value. Las of all comes the messianic kingdom. The empires of earth collapse and give place to a new kingdom which, being founded by God, is everlasting: the ‘kingdom’ of heaven cf. Mt 4:17+. Jesus will later call himself ‘Son of Man’, cf Dn 7:13+ and Mt 8:20+: he will also refer to himself, cf. Mt 21:42-44; Lk 20:17-18 as the keystone formerly rejected, Ps 118:22, and as the foundation stone of Is 28:16, with a clear allusion to the stone which breaks away from the mountain and crushes him on whom it falls, Dn 2:34, 44-45.”

Verses 10 and 11 say:  Then he said to them, “Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and plagues, and famines, here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

Parallel text for verse 10 is Is 19:2 that says:  I will stir up the Egyptians against each other and they shall fight every man  against his brother, friend against friend, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

Verse 12 says: But before all this happens, men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Lk 12:11-12 - When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say (v. 11), because when the time comes, the holy Spirit will teach you what you must say (v. 12).

2.       Mt 10:17-22 - The missionaries will be persecuted^g Beware of men: they will hand you over to sanhedrins^h and scourge you in their synagogues (v. 17). You will be dragged  before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the pagans (v. 18).  But when they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; what you  are to say  will be given to you when the time comes (v. 19); because it is not you who will be speaking; the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you (v. 20). Brother will betray brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death (v. 21).   You will be hated by all men on account of my name; but the man who stands to the end will be saved  (v. 22). Footnote ^g  says “The instruction of vv. 17-39 clearly suppose a horizon wider than that of this first mission of the Twelve: they must have been issued at a later date (note their situation in Mk and Lk). Matthew puts them here to complete his missionary’s handbook.”; and Footnote ^h says “The small provincial Sanhedrins and also the Great Sanhedrin of Jerusalem; cf. 5:21-22.”

3.       Jh 15:20 - Remember the word I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they kept my word, they will keep yours as well.

4.       Jh 16:1-2 - I have told you all this so that your faith may not be shaken (v. 1).   They will expel you from the synagogues, and indeed the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is doing a holy duty to God (v. 2).

5.       Ac 4:13 - They were astonished at the assurance shown by Peter and John, considering they were uneducated laymen; and they recognized as the associates of Jesus….

Verse 13 to 17 say: And that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind,  you are not to prepare your defense, Because I myself^b shall give you an eloquence and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relations and friends; and  some of you will put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name…Footnote ^b  says “Lk in this place, assigns to Jesus the role reserved by Mt 10:20; Mk 13:11; Lk 12:12 to the Spirit of the Father (Mt), the Holy Spirit (Mk and Lk), Ac 6:10. Cf. Jn 16:13-15.”

Parallel text for verse 15 is Ac 6:10 that says: They found they could not get the better of him because of his wisdom, and because it was the Spirit that prompted  what he said.

Verse 18 says: but not a hair on your head will be lost.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Lk 12:7 - Why, every hair on your head has been counted. There is no need to be afraid: you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

2.       Mt 10:30 - Why, every hair on your head has been counted.

Verse 19 says: Your endurance will win you your lives.

Parallel text is Heb 10:36, 39  that says:  You will need endurance to do God’s  will and gain what he has promised (v. 36).  You and I are not the sort of people who draw back, and are lost by it;  we are the sort who keep faithful until our souls are saved (v. 39).

The First Reading is from Mal 3:19 – 20a.

Verse 19 says: For the day is coming now, burning like a furnace;ⁱ and all the arrogant and the evildoers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says Yahweh Sabaoth, leaving them neither root nor stalk. Footnote ⁱ   says “For the fire on the day of Yahweh, cf. Is 10:16f; 30:27; Zp 1:18; 3:8; Jr 21:14.”

Parallel text is Am 5:18 that says: Trouble for those who are waiting so longingly for the day of Yahweh!^p What will this day of Yahweh mean for you? It will mean darkness, not light…^q Footnote ^p  says “Confident in its election, Dt 7:6+, Israel serenely awaits God’s intervention which is bound to be in its favor. To this expected ‘day of Yahweh’ Amos opposes the prophetic concept of it: the day of Yahweh is a day of wrath, Zp 1:15; Ezk 22:24; Lm 2:22, against an Israel hardened in sin: a day of darkness, tears, massacre, terror, Am 5:18-20; 2:16; 8:9-10,13; Is 2:6-21; Jr 30:5-7; Zp 1:4-18, cf. Jl 1:15-20; 2:1-11. All these tetxs contain threats of a disastrous invasion (Assyrian or Chaldean). During the Exile, the day of Yahweh becomes an object of hope: the wrath of God will now turn against Israel’s oppressors, Ob 15; Babylon. Is 13:6,9; Jr 50:27; 51:2; Lm 1:21; Egypt, Is 19:16; Jr 46:10,21; Ezk 30:2; Philistia, Jr 47:4; Edom, Is 34:8; 63:4. This day, therefore, is to bring Israel’s recovery, a sense found even in Amos 9:11, and also in Is 11:11; 12:1; 30:26; cf. Jl 3:4; 4:1. After the Exile, the ‘day of Yahweh’ becomes more and more a day of ‘judgment’ ensuring triumph of the virtuous and the destruction of sinners, Ml 3:19-23; Jb 21:30; Pr 11:4, with the whole world for its theatre, Is. 26:20-27:1; 33:10-16. See also Mt 24:1+. On the cosmic signs that are to accompany the day of Yahweh, cf. Am 8:9+; and Footnote ^q  says “Cf Jl 2:1-2; Zp 1:14-18.”

Verse 20a says: But for you who fear my name, the sun of rigtheouness^j  will shine out with healing in its rays;^k Footnote ^j   says “‘righteousness’ here implies power and triumph as in Is 41:1+. The title ‘sun of righteousness’ applied to Christ has to some extent conditioned the liturgy of Christmas and Epiphany.’; and Footnote ^k  says “Lit. ‘in its wings’.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ws 19:9 - They were like horses at pasture, they skipped like lambs, singing your praises, LORD, their deliverer.

2.       Lk 1:79…to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

3.       Jn 8:12 - When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: ‘I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark; he will have the light of life’.

The Second Reading is from 2 Th 3:7-12.

Verse 7 says: You know how you are supposed to imitate us;^b now we were not idle when we were with you. Footnote ^b  says “By imitating Paul , 1 Co 4:16; Ga 4:12; Ph 3:17, Christians will be imitating Christ, 1 Th 1:6; Ph 2:5; cf Mt 16:24; 1 P 2:21; 1 Jn 2:6; who is the one that Paul is imitating, 1 Co 11:1. Christians must also imitate God, Ep 5:1 (cf. Mt 5:48), and they must imitate each other, 1 Th 1:7; 2:14; Heb 6:12. Behind this community of life is the idea of a model of doctrine, Rm 6:17, that has been received by tradition, v. 6: 1 Co 11:2+; 1 Th 2:13++. The leaders who transmit the doctrine must themselves  be ‘models’ v. 9; Ph 3:17; 1 Tm 1:16; 4:12; Tt 2:7;  1 P 5:3; whose faith and life are to be imitated, Heb 13:7.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ac 18:3 - And when he found they were tentmakers, as the same trade as himself, he lodged with them and they  worked together.^d  Footnote ^d  says “Though Paul acknowledges the missionary’s right to sustenance, 1 Co 9:6-14; Ga 6:6; 2 Th 3:9; cf. Lk 10:7, he himself always practiced a trade, 1 Co 4:12, not wishing to be a burden on anyone, 1 Th 2:9; 1 Th 3:8; 1 Co 12:13f, and in order to prove his singleness of purpose, Ac 20:33f; 1 Co 9:15-18; 2 Co 11:7-12. Only from the Philippians did he accept help, Ph 4:10-18; 2 Co 11:8f, cf. Ac 16:15+. He recommended his followers to do the same to supply their own needs, 1 Th 4:11f; 2 Th 3:10-12, and those of the poor, Ac 20:35; Ep 4:28.”

2.       1 Co 11:1 - Take me as your model, as I take Christ.

3.       Ga 4:12 - Brothers, all I ask you is that you should copy me as I copied you^f. You have never treated me in an unfriendly way before… Footnote ^f  says “Probably by refusing to practice the Law’s ritual, cf. 1 Co 9:21.”

Verse 8 says: nor did we ever have our meals  at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to burden any of you.

Parallel texts are:

1.       1 Th 2:9 - Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to work, slaving night and day so as not to be a burden on any of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you.

2.       Mt 6:11 - Give us today our daily^c bread; Footnote ^c  says “The Greek word is obscure: this traditional rendering is a probable one. Other possibilities: ‘necessary for subsistence’ or ‘for tomorrow’. Whatever the exact translation the sense is that we must ask God for the sustenance we need in this life but for no more-not for wealth or luxury. The Fathers applied this text to the bread of the Holy Eucharist.”

Verse 9, 10 and 11 say: This was not because that we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow. We gave you a rule when we were with you: not to let anyone have any food is he refused to do any work.^c  Now we hear that there are some of you living in idleness, doing no work themselves  but interfering with everyone else’s. Footnote ^c  says “This may have been laid down by Jesus Christ, but it may have been a proverb: it has been called the golden rule for Christian work.”

Parallel text for verse 9 is Mt 10:10 that says: …with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic, or footwear or staff, for the workman deserves his keep.

Verse 12 says: In the Lord Jesus Christ, we order and call on people of this kind to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat.

Parallel text is Gn 3:19 that says: With sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the soil, from as you were taken from it; For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.

Homily: Outstanding point for this Sunday readings is about the Virtue of Perseverance. Perseverance and patience are related to each other. See Jas 1:2-4.

AGE OF THE RESURRECTION - 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

Homily for the 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

Based on Lk 20:27-38 (Gospel), 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14 (First Reading) and 2 Th 2:16-3:5 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

AGE OF THE RESURRECTION

“Those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.” (LK 20:35)

The Gospel reading for this 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time is from Lk 20:27-38 under the title “The resurrection of the dead.” Parallel texts for this title are:

1.       Mt 22:23-33 - That day some Sadducees  - who deny that there is no resurrection -  approached him and they put this question to him (v. 23) “Master, Moses said that if a man dies childless, his brother is to marry the widow, his sister-in law, to raise up children for his brother.’ 24 Now we had a case involving seven brothers; the first married and then died without children, leaving his wife to his brother (v. 25); the same happened with the second and third and so on to the seventh  (v. 26), and then last of all the woman herself died (v. 27). Now at the resurrection  to which of those seven will she be wife since she had been married to them  all” (v. 28). Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you do not understand neither scriptures nor the power of God (v. 29). For at the resurrection men and women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven (v. 30). As far as the resurrection of the dead, have you never read what  God himself said to you (v. 31‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is God, not of the dead, but of the living’ (v. 32).  And his teaching  made a deep impression on the people who heard it  (v. 33). 

2.       Mk 12:18-27 - Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and put this question to him, (v. 18) saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.’ (v. 19). Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants (v. 20). So the second married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise (v. 21).  And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died (v. 22).  At the resurrection [when they arise] whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her”(v. 23). Jesus said to them, “Are you not misled because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God? (v. 24). When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven (v. 25). As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, [the] God of Isaac, and [the] God of Jacob’? (v. 26). He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled (v. 27).

Verses 27 to 36 say: Some Sadducees - those who say that there is no resurrection – approached him and they put this question to him, “Master, we have it from Moses in writing that if a man’s married brother dies childless, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother.’ Well then, there were seven brothers. The first, having married a wife but died childless. Then the second and then the third married the widow. And the same with all the seven, they died leaving no children. Finally the woman herself died. Now, at the resurrection, to which of them  will she be wife  since she had been married to all seven?” Jesus replied, “The children of this age^b take wives and husbands; but those who are judged worthy of a place in the coming age and in the resurrection from the dead^c do not marry. because they can no longer die^d, for they are the same as the angels, and being children of the resurrection^e they are sons of God. Footnote ^b  says “‘children’; a Semitism for ‘those who belong to…’Cf. 16:8.”; Footnote ^c  says “Only the resurrection of the just is considered here. Cf. Ph 3:11+.”; Footnote ^d  says “Var. ‘they have not to die’”; and Footnote  ^e  says “Semitism for those who are actually raised up.”

Verse 37 says: And Moses himself implies that the dead will rise again in the passage about the bush where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

Parallel text is  Ex 3:6 that says: I am the God of your father,’ he said, ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ At this Moses covered his face, afraid to look at God.^e” Footnote ^e  says “God’s majesty is such that no man can gaze on it and live.”

Verse 38 says: Now he is God, not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all men are in fact alive.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Rm 6:10-11 - When he died, he died, once and for all, to sin,^e so his life now is life with God (v. 10). Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as [being] dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus (v. 11). Footnote ^e  says “Christ was sinless, 2 Cor. 5:21, but having a physical body like our own, Rm. 8:3, he belonged to the order of sin; when he became ‘spiritual’, 1 Co. 15:45-46, he belonged only to the divine order. Similarly, though the Christian remains in the flesh for a time, he already lives in the spirit.”

2.       Ga 2:19 - In other words, through the Law I am dead to the Law, ⁱ so that now I can live for God. I have been crucified with Christ. Footnote ⁱ says “So short as to be obscure: there have been various explanations:  1. Christians, crucified with Christ, are dead with Christ and therefore, like Christ, dead to the Mosaic law, cf. Rm 7:1f – and indeed in virtue of that law, Ga 3:13; this is why Christians already share the life of the risen Christ, Rm 6:4-10; 7:4-6 with notes. 2. Christians only renounced the Law for a deeper obedience to the OT, Ga 3:19,24; Rm 10:4; 3.Christians are only dead to the Mosaic Law in obedience to a higher law, the law of faith and of the Spirit, Rm 8:2.”

The First Reading is from 2 Mc 7:1-2, 9-14.

Verses 1 and 2 say: There were also seven brothers who were arrested with their mother.  The king tried to force them to taste pig’s flesh, which the law forbids by torturing them with whips and scourges.  One of them, acting as spokesman for the others, said: “What are you trying to find out from us? We are prepared to die rather than break the laws of our ancestors.”

Parallel text is Jr 15:9 that says: The mother of seven sons grows faint, and  breathes her last. It is still day, but already her sun has set, shame and disgrace are hers… And the remainder of them shall hand over to their enemies to be cut to pieces—It is Yahweh  who speaks.’

Verse  9 says: With his last breath he exclaimed, ‘Inhuman fiend, you may discharge us from this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up, since it is for his laws that we die, to live again forever’.^a Footnote  ^a  says “Belief in the resurrection of the body, not clearly expressed in Is 26:19 and Jb 19:26-27 (see notes) is here asserted for the first time, vv.9,11,14,23,29,36, and in Dn 12:2-3 (again in the context of Antiochus Epiphanes’ persecution, Dn 11). Cf. also 2 M. 12:38-45+; 14:46. By the power of the creator the martyrs will rise again, v. 23 to a life, v. 14, cf. Jn 5:29, which is eternal, vv. 9,36. At this point we encounter the doctrine of immortality which will be developed in the atmosphere of Greek thought and without reference to the resurrection of the body, by Ws 3:1-5:16. For Hebr. Thought however, which makes no distinction between soul and body, the notion of survival implied a physical resurrection, as we see here. The text does not explicitly teach universal resurrection, and is only concerned with the case of the virtuous, cf. v. 14, Dn 12:2-3 is clearer.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       2 Mc 12:44 - For if he had not expected the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead (v. 44)

2.       2 Mc 14:46 - Although he had now lost every drop of blood, he tore out his entrails and taking them in both hands flung them among the troops, calling on the Master of his life and spirit to give them back to him one day. Such was the manner of his passing (v. 46).

Verses 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 say:  After him, they amused themselves the third who being asked for his tongue promptly thrust it out when told to, and boldly  held out his hands with these honorable words: “It was heaven that gave me these limbs; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again.” The king and his attendants were astounded at the young man’s courage and his utter indifference  to suffering. When this one was dead, they subjected the fourth to the sane savage torture . When he neared his  end, he cried, “Ours is the better choice, to meet death at man’s hands, yet relying on God’s promise that we shall be raised up by him; but for you, whereas for you, there can be no resurrection, no new life.”

Parallel text for verse 12 is 2 Mc 12:38-46 that says: The sacrifice for the fallen^g Judas then rallied his army and moved on to the town of Adullam, and since  the seventh day of the week had arrived,  they purified themselves according to custom and kept the abbath in that place (v. 38).  The next day, they came to  Judas (since the necessity was by now  become urgent)^h to have the bodies of the fallen taken up and laid to rest among their relatives in their ancestral tombs (v. 39). But when they found on each of the dead under the tunic amulets of the idols taken from Jamnia, which the law prohibits to Jews it became clear to everyone that this was why these men had lost their lives (v. 40).  All then blessed the ways of the Lord, the just judge who brings hidden things to light (v. 41) and gave themselves to prayer, begging that the sin committed might be fully blotted out. Next, the valiant Judas urged the people to keep themselves free from all sin, having seen with their own eyes the effects of the sin of those who had fallen(v. 42). After this he took up a collection from them individually, amounting to nearly two thousand  drachmae, and sent it to Jerusalem to have a sacrifice for sin offered, a altogether fine and noble action in which he took full account of the resurrection (v. 43); for if he had not expected the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. 44 Whereas if he had in view the splendid recompense reserved for those who make a pious en, the thought was holy and devout (v. 45) This was why he had made this atonement  sacrifice offered for the dead so that they might be released from their sin (v. 46). Footnote ^g says “Judas is thinking of the resurrection of his fallen soldiers, cf. 7:9+, which, however is dependent on atonement in the other world. Expiation for their sins is to be won by prayer, v. 42, and the offering of sacrifice, v. 43. After their resurrection the soldiers will receive their reward; v. 45. This is the only OT text mentioning an intermediate state, where the souls of the dead are purified, and assisted in the process by the prayers of the living: i.e. purgatory.”; and Footnote  ^h  says “Insertion missing in a few textual authorities”.

The Second Reading is from 2 Th 2:16-3:5.

Chapter 2, verses 16 and 17 say: May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has given us his love and through his grace  such inexhaustible comfort and sure hope, comfort you and strengthen you in everything good that you do or say.

Parallel text for verse 16 is 1 Th 3:11-13 that says: Now may God our Father himself and our Lord Jesus make it easy for us to come to you (v. 11),  May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race^d as much as we love you (v. 12). And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.^e (v. 13). Footnote ^e  says “Add. “Amen’. Holiness, 4:3+, begins with brotherly love but will not be perfect till the parousia. In this context ‘saints’ can refer to the chosen, the saved or the angels, Ac 9:13+.”

 Chapter 3, verse 1 says: Finally, brothers, pray for us; pray that the Lord’s message may spread quickly and be received with honor as it was among you,

Parallel text is Rm 10:16 that says: Not everyone of course listens to the Good News; as Isaiah says, “Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed?”

Verse 3 says: But the Lord is faithful and he will give you strength and guard you from the evil one^a. Footnote ^a  says “Or perhaps ‘from evil.’ Christians will be tempted but not beyond their power of resistance, 1 Co 10:13.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 6:13 - And do not put us into the test, but save us from the evil one^d  Footnote ^d  says “Or ‘from evil’. Add ‘For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (a reading introduced into the text through liturgical influence).”

2.       1 Th 5:24 - God has called, and he will not fail.

3.       1 Jh 2:14 - I have written^d to you, children, because you already know the Father; I have written to you, fathers, because you have come to know the one who has existed since the beginning; I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and God’s word had made a home in you, and you have come the Evil One.^e Footnote ^d says “Var. (Vulg.) ‘I am writing to you (now)’. The second clause (‘I have written to you, fathers…beginning’) is omitted by Vulg.”; and Footnote ^e  says “The devil is still the tempter as in Gn 3:1-6; Jb 1:6+, who incites human beings to wickedness, 1 Jn 3:8+. Christians however, having ‘known’ the Son, the Son lives in them, 1:3+, and ‘clothes’ them in light, virtue and love, 1:7+,; and as this protects them from the devil, 5:18; Jn 17:15; and prevents them from sinning, 3:6,9, it constitutes their victory over the devil, 2:13,14, and over this transient world, 4:4, 5:4,5; cf. Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:33; Mt. 6:13.”

Verse 4 says: and, in the Lord, have every confidence  that you are doing and go on doing all that tell you.  

Parallel text is 2 Co 7:16 that says: I am very happy knowing that I can rely on you so completely.

Verse 5 says: May the Lord turn your hearts towards the love of God and to the fortitude of Christ.

Parallel text is 1 Co 13:13 that says: In short,^e there are three things that last:^f faith, hope and love; and the greatest of these is love. Footnote ^e  says “Or ‘Meanwhile.’”; and Footnote ^f  says “Or ‘In short, then, we are left with these three things.’ This association of the three theological virtues, which is found earlier in 1 Th 1:3 and which was probably in use before Paul’s time, recurs frequently in his letters, though the order varies: 1 Th 5:8; 1 Co 13:7,13; Ga 5:5f; Rm 5:1-5; 12:6-12; Col 1:4-5; Ep 1:15-18; 4:2-5; 1 Tm 5:11; Tt 2:2;  CfHeb 6:10-12; 10:22-24; 1 P 1:3-9,21f. Faith and charity are associated  in 1 Th 3:6; 2 Th 1:3; Phm 5; faith and fortitude in 2 Th 1:4, love and fortitude in 2 Th 3:5, Cf. 2 Co 13:13.”

ZACCHEUS - 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

Homily for the 31^st Sunday  in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

Based on Lk 19:1-10 (Gospel), Ws 11:22-12:2 (First Reading) and 2 Thes 1:11-2:2 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

ZACCHEUS

“For the Son of Man has come to seek out and to save what was lost” (Lk 19:10)

The Gospel reading for this 31^st Sunday in Ordinary Time is from Lk 19:1-10.

Verses 1 to 5 say: He entered Jericho and was going through the town, when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance;  he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man. He was anxious to see what kind of a man Jesus was; but he  was short and could not see him for the crowd; so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and spoke to him: “Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house  today.”

Parallel text for verse 2 is Mt 5:46 that say: For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collector^q do as much, do they not? Footnote ^q  says “They were employed by the occupying power, and this earned them popular contempt cf 9:10.”

Verse 6 says: And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.

Parallel text is  Lk 1:14 that says: He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoiceⁱ at his birth… Footnote ⁱ  says “Joy is the keynote of ch. 1-2; 1:28,46,58; 2:10. Cf 10:17,20f; 13:17; 15:7,32; 19:6,17; 24:41,5. Ac 2:46+.”

Verse 7 says:  They all complained when they saw what was happening. “He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house” they said.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Lk 5:30 - The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?

2.       Lk 12:33 - On almsgiving^d Sell you possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. Footnote  ^d  says “That riches are a danger and should be given away in alms is characteristic teaching of Lk: cf. 3:11; 6:30; 7:5; 11:41; 12:33-34; 14:14; 16:9; 18:22; 19:8; Ac 9:36; Ac 10:2,4,31.”

3.       Lk 15:2 - and the Pharisees and scribes complained. “This man’ the said, ‘welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Verse 8 says: But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, “Look, sir,  I am going to give  half of my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.”^a

Footnote ^a says “Fourfold restitution was imposed by the Jewish law (Ex 21:37) for one case only; Roman law demanded it of all convicted thieves. Zaccheus goes further: he acknowledges the obligation in the case of any injustice he may have been responsible for.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ex 21:37 - If a man steals an ox or a sheep and then slaughters or sells it, he must five oxen for the ox, four sheep for the sheep.

2.       2 S 12:6 - He must make fourfold restitution for the lamb for doing such a thing and showing no compassion.

Verses 9 and 10 say: And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a son of Abraham; ^b For the Son of Man has come to seek out and to save what was lost.” Footnote  ^b  says “Notwithstanding his despised profession. No social rank excludes ‘salvation’, cf. 3:12-14. All the Jewish privileges follow from ‘sonship of Abraham,’ cf. 3:8; Rm 4:11f; Ga 3:7f.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 21:31 - Which of the two did the father’s will?” “The first” they said. Jesus said to them, “I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.

2.       Lk 15:6,9,24,32 - And then, when he got home, call together his friends and neighbors? Rejoice with me,” he would say ‘I have found my sheep that was lost.’ (v. 6).   And then, when she had found it, call together her friends and neighbors? Rejoice with me,” she would say ‘I have found the drachma I lost.’ (v. 9).   because this son of mine was dead, and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.” And began to celebrate. (v. 24).    But it was only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found. (v. 32).

The First Reading is from Ws 11:22-12:2.

Verse 22 says: In your sight the whole world is like a grain of dust that tips the scales^p, like a drop of morning dew falling on the ground. Footnote ^p  says “Or ‘that does not even tip the scales’.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Is 40:15 - See, the nations are like a drop on the pail’s rim. They count as a grain of dust: see, the islands weigh no more than fine powder.

2.       Ho 6:4 - What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah^e This love of yours is like a morning cloud, like the dew that quickly disappears. Footnote ^e  says “The original text may have read ‘Israel’ in synonymous parallelism with ‘Ephraim’, cf. 5:3.”

3.       Ho 13:3 - Therefore, they will be like morning mist,  like the dew that quickly disappears,  like the chaff whirled^d from the threshing floor, like smoke escaping through the window.

Verse 23 says: Yet you are merciful to all^q, because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent. Footnote ^q  says “The thought of vv. 23f is not new to Israel but it had never before been expressed so powerfully, nor so serenely or so logically argued as in vv. 25-26.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Jb 34:29  - ‘Yet he is unmoved, and nothing can touch him.’ Bu nonetheless he does take pity on nations and men?

2.       Si 18:12 - He sees and recognizes how wretched their end is, and so he makes his forgiveness all the greater.

Footnote

Verse 24 says: Yes, you love all that exists, you hold nothing of what you have made in abhorrence, for had you hated anything,  you would not have formed it.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ws 12:2, 10 - Little by little, therefore, you correct those who offend, you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord (v. 2). But by condemning them piece by piece, you gave them chance to repent, although you knew very well they were inherently evil, innately wicked… (v. 10).

2.       Rm 2:4 - Or are you abusing his abundant goodness, patience, and toleration, not realizing that this goodness of God is meant to lead you to repentance?

3.       Rm 3:25 - Who was appointed by God to sacrifice his life so as to win reconciliation through faith.^k  Footnote ^k  says “Lit. ‘whom God put forward as (or: destined to be) a propitiatory through faith by his blood’. For the ’propitiatory’ or ‘throne of mercy’, cf. Ex. 25:17+; and cf. Heb 9:5. On the day of Atonement, Lv 16:1+, this was sprinkled with blood, Lv. 16:15. The blood of Christ has performed what the ancient ritual could only symbolize: purification from sin. Cf. also the blood of the covenant, Ex. 24:8+, Mt. 26:28.”

Verse  25 says: And how could a thing remain, had you not willed it; could a thing persist, how be conserved, if not called forth by you?

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ws 1:13-14 - Death was not God’s doing, he takes no pleasure in the extinction of the living. To be– for this he created all;^m The world’s created things have health in them, in them no fatal poison can be found, and Hadesⁿ holds no power on earth; Footnote ^m  says “God, ‘He-who-is’; Ex 3:14+; caused all things to be”; and  Footnote ⁿ says “‘Hades’; the Hebr. Sheol, Nb 16:33+, here represents not the dwelling place of the dead but the power of personified Death, cf. Rv 6:8; 20:14.

2.       Ws 2:23-24 - Yet God did make man imperishable, he made him in the image of his own nature;^m It was the devil’s envy that brought death into the world,ⁿ as those who are his partners will discover. Footnote ^m  says “‘nature’; var. ‘eternity’, ‘likeness’”; and Footnote ⁿ says ‘devil’ in the LXX renders the Hebr. Satan, cf. Jb 1:6+. Here, the author is interpreting Gn 3, cf. Rv 12:9; 20:2; Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:8. The death introduced by the devil is spiritual, with physical death as its consequence, cf. 1:13+; Rm 5:12f.”

3.       Gn 1:31 - God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good. Evening came, and morning came—the sixth day.

4.       Ps 145:9 - And universally kind; Yahweh’s tenderness embraces all his creatures.

Verse 26 says: You spare all things because all things are yours, Lord lover of life^r Footnote ^r  says “Lit. ‘lover of the soul’.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ezk 18:23 - What! Am I likely to take pleasure in the death of a wicked man—it is the Lord Yahweh who speaks - not prefer to see to see him renounce his wickedness and live?

2.        Ezk 33:11 - Say to them, ‘As I live – it is the Lord Yahweh who speaks – I take pleasure, not  in the death of the wicked man, but in the turning back of a wicked man who changes his ways to win life. Come back, come back from your evil ways. Why are you so anxious to die, House of Israel?’

Chapter 12, verse1 says:  You whose imperishable spirit is in all.^a Footnote ^a says “The breath of life infused into the creatures by God, Gn 2:7+, not the spirit; the soul of the world in Stoic philosophy. Vulg. translates inaccurately   ‘How good and kind, Lord, is your spirit in all beings.’”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Gn 2:7 - Yahweh fashioned man of dust from the soil^c.  Then he breathe into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being.  Footnote  ^c  says “Man, adam, is of the soil, adamah, cf. 3:19,23. This collective noun is to become, 4:25; 5:1,3, the proper name of the first human being, Adam.”

2.       Ws 11:23 - Yet you are merciful to all^q, because you can do all things and overlook men’s sins so that they can repent. Footnote  ^q  says “The thought of vv. 23f is not new to Israel but it had never before been expressed so powerfully, nor so serenely or so logically argued as in vv. 25-26.”

3.       Ws 12:10 - But by condemning them piece by piece, you gave them chance to repent, although you knew very well they were inherently evil, innately wicked…

4.       Jb 34:29  -  ‘Yet he is unmoved, and nothing can touch him.’ Bu nonetheless he does take pity on nations and men?

Verse 2 says: Little by little, therefore, you correct those who offend, you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Am 4:6 - And that is why ^f I left your teeth clean^g in all your towns, left you without bread in all your villages; and yet you never came back to me.— It is Yahweh who speaks. Footnote ^f  says “The following passages, vv. 6-12, is a short poem with a refrain indicating the lesson God wanted the people to learn from these events. As a father punished his child, Dt 8:5+, so God wants to bring back his people to himself (here the seven strokes of his rod are listed in crescendo; Am 4:6-11; Lv 26:14-39; Dt 28:15-68); but all is in vain, Is 9:12; 42:25; Jr 2:30; 5:3; Ho 7:10; Zp 3:2,7; Hg 2:17, cf. Rv 9:20,21; 16:9,11; Ex 7-11. Israel is hardened in sin and God is about to strike him down”; and Footnote ^g  says “i.e. ‘by sending famine’”.

2.       Lk 15:7 - In the same way, I tell you, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance.

The Second Reading is from 2 Thes 1:11-2:2.

Verse 11 says: Knowing this, we pray continually that our God will make you worthy of his call, and by his power fulfill all your^f desires for good ness and complete all that you have been doing through faith…Footnote ^f  says “Or ‘his’”.

Parallel text is Ph 2:13 that says: It is God, for his loving purpose, who puts both the will and the action into you.

Verse 12 says: because in this way the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you and you in him by the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Is 66:5 - Listen to the word of Yahweh, you who tremble at his word. Your brother say, who hate you and who reject you  because of my name.  Let Yahweh show his glory^d, let us witness your joy; But they shall be put to shame. Footnote ^d says “‘show his glory’ following versions”.

2.       Is 24:15  - “Therefore, in the islands they give glory^h to Yahweh! In the islands of the sea, to the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel!” Footnote ^h  says “text corr.: ‘in the lights, give glory to’ Hebr.”

3.       Jh 17:10,24 - All I have is yours and all you have is mine, and in them I am glorified (v. 10). Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am so that they may always see the glory you gave me because you loved me before the foundation of the world (v. 24).

Chapter 2, verse 1 says: To turn now, brothers, to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we shall all be gathered round him,

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 24:31 - And he will send his angels with aloud trumpet^q to gather his chosen from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.^r  Footnote ^q  says “Add. ‘and a voice’; and  Footnote ^r  says “Lit. ‘from the four winds, from the ends of the heavens to their ends’, a composite formula from Zc 2:10 and Dt 30:4, texts which treat of the reunion of scattered Israel, cf. Ezk 37:9 and Ne 1:9. See also Is 27:13. Here therefore as in vv. 22 and 24, the ‘chosen’ are those Jews that Yahweh will rescue from the ruin of their nation in order to admit them, along with the pagans, into his kingdom v. 30.”

2.       1 Co 15:23 - But all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him.

3.       1 Co 15:23 - We can tell you this, from the Lord’s own teaching^h, that any of us who are left alive, until the Lord’s coming, will not have any advantage over those who have died (v. 15). At the trumpet of Godⁱ the voice of an archangel will call out the command and the Lord himself will come down from heaven,^j and those who have died with Christ will be the first to rise (v. 16). And those of us who are still ^k alive, will be taken up in the clouds with them to meet the Lord in the air. So we shall stay be with the Lord forever (v. 17).^l Footnote ^h  says “No precise reference in the written gospels can be given for this saying of Jesus, but cf. Mt 24 with vv. 15-17. Perhaps Paul is relying here on the authority he had been given the vision on the Damascus road, cf. Dn 7:1, 13, 16’; Footnote ⁱ  says “‘us’; Paul includes himself among those who will be present at the parousia; more by aspiration, however, than by conviction, cf. 5:1+.”; Footnote ^j  says “the trumpet, voice and clouds were traditional signs that accompanied manifestations of God, cf. Ex 13:32+; 19:16+ and they were adopted as conventional elements of apocalyptic literature, cf. Mt 24:30f+; 2 Th 1:8+”; Footnote ^k  says “Om. ‘(we) who are still alive’’; Footnote ^l  says “Of all the details given here: that the dead will answer the summons by returning to life that they and the living will be taken to meet the Lord, and that they will accompany him to the judgment with which the eternal kingdom begins, the essential one is the last: eternal life with Christ, cf. 5:10; 2 Th 2:1. That is to be the ‘salvation, the glory, the kingdom’ that Jesus shares among his chosen followers.”

Verse 2 says: Please do not get excited too soon, or alarmed either by any prediction, or rumor or any letter claiming to come from us, implying that the day of the Lord has already arrived.

Parallel text is 2 Th 3:17 that says: From me, Paul, these greeting is in my own handwriting,  which is the mark of genuiness  every letter; this is my own writing.