Ordinary Time

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time,Cycle B

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In today’s First Reading we see Wisdom personified as a woman who invites the uninstructed to come to her banquet and receive nourishment in order to attain life and understanding. Wisdom is associated with life and knowledge. The Second Reading also encourages the Christians to live wisely, trying to understand the will of the Lord and not just seeking the immediate and irresponsible pleasures of a fleeting drunken banquet, but, rather a celebration that fills with the Spirit, a liturgical celebration of hymns to the Lord and thanksgiving to the Father through Christ.

The Second Reading aptly summarizes the discourse we’ve been considering over the last few Sundays regarding the Eucharist: instead of seeking the fleeting pleasure of wine and remaining in ignorance, Our Lord is inviting his listeners to be filled with the Spirit and to partake of the banquet of his Body and his Blood and to grow in knowledge through faith in him. If the First Reading personified Wisdom and its benefits in terms of a woman inviting to a fine meal, Our Lord today is not speaking metaphorically or symbolically, as the consternation of his listeners shows at the thought of eating his flesh. With Jesus they’re receiving an invitation from the Wisdom of God in person (see 1 Corinthians 1:24), and he is saying that he is the banquet they need for eternal life and communion with God. Through communion with him they will enjoy wisdom and will enjoy eternal life, but they must have faith in the knowledge he is trying to impart to them.

As we receive Our Lord in the Eucharist today, the Wisdom of God in person, let’s thank him for coming in person to nourish us and ask him to fill us with his Spirit so that we praise him “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”

Readings: Proverbs 9:1–6; Psalm 34:2–7; Ephesians 5:15–20; John 6:51–58.

19th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord teaches us about marriage in response to some sticky questions posed by the Pharisees about divorce in order to trip him up.  Marriage was a complex issue back then, and in today’s society it has not grown any easier. This is one of the few Gospel passages where Our Lord sees the need to correct an interpretation that Mosaic law made; usually Our Lord exhorts a more profound observance of the Law, not a correction to it. He teaches in today’s Gospel that marriage is something established between a man and a woman, but it is also bond forged by God. As a bond forged by God the married man and woman also receive spiritual help in remaining faithful to each other. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time were debating whether divorce was allowed for either a serious reason or a less serious reasons, as two Rabbinical schools at the time were contending, trying to interpret Mosaic law’s concession of divorce in some cases.* Jesus responded that neither school was correct: divorce was not part of God’s plan “from the beginning.”

Jesus qualifies this by speaking of an exception for the marriage being “unlawful.” A lot of ink has been spilt regarding the meaning of this phrase, especially since the more literal translation of the expression is “fornication” or “sexual immorality,” so it gives the impression that divorce would be permitted in cases of adultery. Given what Our Lord had just said, it’s unlikely this is what he would have meant. “Unlawful” here could refer to a union in marriage that would be incestuous (relatives, such as cousins, marrying each other), and therefore they shouldn’t have been married due to consanguinity. Catholic teaching on this clause is that a faithful spouse can separate from an unfaithful one who has fallen into sexual immorality: it refers to separation, where the marriage bond continues but the spouses live apart, as opposed to dissolving the marriage bond through divorce.*

Let’s pray today for all marriages, for those spouses who are suffering from a separation, and that marriages experiencing difficulty may receive the grace, counseling, and insight they need in order to resolve their differences and be faithful to the bond God has forged between them until death do them part.

Readings: Joshua 24:1–13; Psalm 136:1–3, 16–18, 21–22, 24; Matthew 19:3–12.

* See Jones, A. (1953). “The Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St Matthew” in B. Orchard & E. F. Sutcliffe (Eds.), A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Toronto;New York;Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson, p. 885.

19th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord reinforces a theme we pray about in the Lord’s Prayer: that we ask for forgiveness, but should forgive in turn. When someone doesn’t value mercy they not only don’t welcome it into their hearts, but are also unlikely to show much of it to others.

The servant forgiven an enormous debt by his master in today’s Gospel didn’t appreciate it. By turning on his fellow servant, who owed him a miniscule amount in comparison, he showed that he had not really accepted the gift of his master’s mercy. When we have wronged someone we want to be forgiven, but we should show our gratitude by forgiving those who trespass against us.

Let’s thank Our Lord today for all the mercy he has shown us–past, present, and future–by being merciful and forgiving toward others.

Readings: Joshua 3:7–10a, 11, 13–17; Psalm 114:1–6; Matthew 18:21–19:1.

19th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord reminds us that before entering into litigation with someone who has wronged us we should try simple fraternal correction. Our society today tends to try and resolve disputes through rules and regulations, lawyers and courts, fines and penalties. We often try from the beginning to get justice from someone through someone else, when we know that nobody reacts well to being pressured into doing something. We should always try to start by settling a dispute fraternally: one on one, in frank but charitable dialogue. We should not only seek our own good, but the good of the person who has afflicted us, and we won’t completely understand their motives if we don’t speak to them. There are many small disagreements that can be resolved this way, and to everyone’s satisfaction.

If an attempt at fraternal correction fails it is not a lack of charity to bring witnesses in and, if necessary the Church (authorities), in order to help both parties see the truth and adhere to it. Justice is sought after, but the good of both parties as well. If the guilty party does not listen to all the facts and to an authoritative judgment, then the guilty party has been shown to not be in communion with those he or she has afflicted and that has to be acknowledged, sometimes publicly.

Let’s pray today that everyone be open to simple fraternal correction for the sake of charity and communion, without the need for “escalation.”

Readings: Deuteronomy 34:1–12; Psalm 66:1–3a, 5, 8, 16–17; Matthew 18:15–20.

19th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord teaches us that children are precious for two reasons: because they teach us about the simplicity and humility that we must all live as Christians if we are to form part of the Kingdom of heaven, and because they are all precious in the eyes of God. It’s sad that in society today things are branded as “adult” or for “mature” audiences when they contain content that isn’t appropriate for children or for adults. It’s not a society at times that fosters the innocence of children or adults, and sometimes children are forced to “grow up” before their time due to the dramatic circumstances they have to face, and certain adults need to grow up, living in a state of immaturity that’s not health for adults or children.

We must care for our children and we must learn from them: a child shows joy, kindness, simplicity, and trust. He or she reminds us that we are children of one Father and that He has given us a Blessed Mother to watch over us. Like children we can turn to God and to Mary for help in whatever we need, and let ourselves be led by Mary’s hand to her Son in order to be lead to Our Father. Anything that interferes with that, whether for children or adults, is toxic. Our Lord reminds us today that the loss of one member of the flock is not indifferent: everyone deserves care and attention, which is why we defend life from the moment of its conception to its natural death and support whatever measures help that life to grow spiritually. In today’s complex society there are so many ways for sheep to be lost, so we must be vigilant and be voice for those lost sheep who can’t speak for themselves.

Let’s ask Our Lord today to help us grow in child-like simplicity and humility, and pray for the protection and spiritual growth of every life in every stage of its existence so that we may all enter into the Kingdom.

Readings: Deuteronomy 31:1–8; Deuteronomy 32:3–4b, 7–9, 12; Matthew 18:1–5, 10, 12–14.