Commentary on the Readings for Sunday – June 13, 2010
The 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
This Sunday the Church returns to ‘Ordinary Time’ in the Liturgical Calendar thus concluding several weeks of highly charged Readings concerning the risen Christ, Pentecost, the Trinity and the Body and Blood of Christ, all of which demonstrate, in one way or another, God’s love for mankind. Now, although we are back in a more ordinary time period, the readings for next Sunday are about Faith, Love and Forgiveness all of which are still signs of God’s love for us. Let us look at each to see how this is demonstrated.
In the First Reading, from the Second Book of Samuel (12:7 – 13), we hear the priest Samuel rebuking King David because of his great sin – the whole story about Bathsheba and the way her husband was killed. This reading gives us only a brief statement of David’s remorse and contrition, but there is more. (See Psalm 51) David was God’s anointed king of the Israelites and a faithful servant, but being human and vulnerable, as we all are, he committed a serious sin. Then, because of Samuel’s rebuke and warning, David repents and asks God’s forgiveness which was granted, but not without punishment. David went on to become a great kind and a great servant of God. It was David that began the ‘Golden Age’ of Judaism.
The Responsorial Psalm is (32:1 – 2). Anyone who has experienced the relief of being forgiven after confessing his or her sin can identify with this brief Psalm. It ends with the psalmist encouraging everyone to rejoice in the Lord for He is full of mercy and forgiveness.
The Second Reading is taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians (2:16 – 21). In this passage we have that great misunderstanding that precipitated the Protestant Reformation. Paul is talking about being ‘justified’ by works of the Mosaic Law. Being “Justified” means being forgiven and set “right with God.’ Paul is saying that keeping the 613 Mosaic laws will not do this. Only God in His infinite mercy can make us right after we confess our sins. “Laws” can only tell us where we have gone wrong. They cannot save us, only the grace of God given to us through Christ’s death and resurrection enable us to reach salvation.
The Gospel Reading is from the Gospel of St. Luke (7:36 – 8:3). This is a story of how love can overcome many faults and failures and how riches and position count for nothing in the eyes of God if they are not given from the heart. The Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him but for ulterior motives. He skipped the common courtesies of cleansing and greeting but then accuses in his mind and heart the woman who is anointing the feet of Jesus as her sign of love and sorrow for her faults and her sins.
God is not looking for great demonstrations of sorrow from those of us who have sinned. He is looking for sincerity, honesty and repentance – a resolution to avoid that sin, or those sins in the future. Then His great love is showered upon us and we can, as the psalmist says, “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice.” From these readings we are prompted to ask ourselves, “In looking at my spiritual life, do I feel at peace with the Lord? If not, what do I plan to do about it?
If you have comments or questions regarding the above commentary, please send them, in writing, to the parish office. We will try to respond as quickly as possible.
MFB
Sunday Commentary
Commentary on the Readings for Sunday – June 13, 2010
The 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time
This Sunday the Church returns to ‘Ordinary Time’ in the Liturgical Calendar thus concluding several weeks of highly charged Readings concerning the risen Christ, Pentecost, the Trinity and the Body and Blood of Christ, all of which demonstrate, in one way or another, God’s love for mankind. Now, although we are back in a more ordinary time period, the readings for next Sunday are about Faith, Love and Forgiveness all of which are still signs of God’s love for us. Let us look at each to see how this is demonstrated.
In the First Reading, from the Second Book of Samuel (12:7 – 13), we hear the priest Samuel rebuking King David because of his great sin – the whole story about Bathsheba and the way her husband was killed. This reading gives us only a brief statement of David’s remorse and contrition, but there is more. (See Psalm 51) David was God’s anointed king of the Israelites and a faithful servant, but being human and vulnerable, as we all are, he committed a serious sin. Then, because of Samuel’s rebuke and warning, David repents and asks God’s forgiveness which was granted, but not without punishment. David went on to become a great kind and a great servant of God. It was David that began the ‘Golden Age’ of Judaism.
The Responsorial Psalm is (32:1 – 2). Anyone who has experienced the relief of being forgiven after confessing his or her sin can identify with this brief Psalm. It ends with the psalmist encouraging everyone to rejoice in the Lord for He is full of mercy and forgiveness.
The Second Reading is taken from St. Paul’s letter to the Galatians (2:16 – 21). In this passage we have that great misunderstanding that precipitated the Protestant Reformation. Paul is talking about being ‘justified’ by works of the Mosaic Law. Being “Justified” means being forgiven and set “right with God.’ Paul is saying that keeping the 613 Mosaic laws will not do this. Only God in His infinite mercy can make us right after we confess our sins. “Laws” can only tell us where we have gone wrong. They cannot save us, only the grace of God given to us through Christ’s death and resurrection enable us to reach salvation.
The Gospel Reading is from the Gospel of St. Luke (7:36 – 8:3). This is a story of how love can overcome many faults and failures and how riches and position count for nothing in the eyes of God if they are not given from the heart. The Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him but for ulterior motives. He skipped the common courtesies of cleansing and greeting but then accuses in his mind and heart the woman who is anointing the feet of Jesus as her sign of love and sorrow for her faults and her sins.
God is not looking for great demonstrations of sorrow from those of us who have sinned. He is looking for sincerity, honesty and repentance – a resolution to avoid that sin, or those sins in the future. Then His great love is showered upon us and we can, as the psalmist says, “Be glad in the Lord and rejoice.” From these readings we are prompted to ask ourselves, “In looking at my spiritual life, do I feel at peace with the Lord? If not, what do I plan to do about it?
If you have comments or questions regarding the above commentary, please send them, in writing, to the parish office. We will try to respond as quickly as possible.
MFB