CCC Cross Reference:
Ps 111:9 2807
Lk 7:36 575, 588; Lk 7:37-38 2616; Lk 7:48 1441
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Reading 1
1 Tm 4:12-16
Beloved:
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 111:7-8, 9, 10
R. (2) How great are the works of the Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
His praise endures forever.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
Gospel
Lk 7:36-50
A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
“If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner.”
Jesus said to him in reply,
“Simon, I have something to say to you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?”
Simon said in reply,
“The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
“Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The others at table said to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
But he said to the woman,
“Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading 1 Timothy 4:12 – 16
Do not let people disregard you because you are young, but be an example to the believers in the way you speak and behave, and in your love, your faith and your purity. Make use of the time until I arrive by reading to the people, preaching and teaching. You have in you a spiritual gift which was given to you when the prophets spoke and the body of elders laid their hands on you; do not let it lie unused. Think hard about all this, and put it into practice, and everyone will be able to see how you are advancing. Take great care about what you do and what you teach; always do this, and in this way you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 110(111):7-10
Great are the works of the Lord.
or
Alleluia!
His works are justice and truth,
his precepts are all of them sure,
standing firm for ever and ever;
they are made in uprightness and truth.
Great are the works of the Lord.
or
Alleluia!
He has sent deliverance to his people
and established his covenant for ever.
Holy his name, to be feared.
Great are the works of the Lord.
or
Alleluia!
To fear the Lord is the first stage of wisdom;
all who do so prove themselves wise.
His praise shall last for ever!
Great are the works of the Lord.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Luke 7:36 - 50
One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to a meal. When he arrived at the Pharisee’s house and took his place at table, a woman came in, who had a bad name in the town. She had heard he was dining with the Pharisee and had brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment. She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman is that is touching him and what a bad name she has’. Then Jesus took him up and said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you’. ‘Speak, Master’ was the reply. ‘There was once a creditor who had two men in his debt; one owed him five hundred denarii, the other fifty. They were unable to pay, so he pardoned them both. Which of them will love him more?’ ‘The one who was pardoned more, I suppose’ answered Simon. Jesus said, ‘You are right’.
Then he turned to the woman. ‘Simon,’ he said ‘you see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them away with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but she has been covering my feet with kisses ever since I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. For this reason I tell you that her sins, her many sins, must have been forgiven her, or she would not have shown such great love. It is the man who is forgiven little who shows little love.’ Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven’. Those who were with him at table began to say to themselves, ‘Who is this man, that he even forgives sins?’ But he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace’.
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
From: 1 Timothy 4:12-16
Pastoral Advice to Timothy
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[12] Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. [13] Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. [14] Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you. [15] Practise these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. [16] Take heed to yourself and to your teaching; hold to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
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Commentary:
12-13. A good minister should be a model of virtue. Timothy was obviously very young for the office he held; the Apostle therefore keeps telling him that he must give good example because virtues give a person more experience than age does.
"Reading, preaching, teaching": all three were done at the liturgical assemblies of the early Christians (and continue to be done during the Liturgy of the Word at Mass): some texts of Sacred Scripture were read and then the minister gave a homily which would have included some words of encouragement and some doctrinal instruction.
14. The gift referred to here is that of the sacrament of Order: it is a permanent gift ("the gift you have") from God, bestowed by an external rite consisting of liturgical prayer and the laying on of hands. This interpretation is derived from the context: the "gift" (charism) is indelible (Timothy may neglect it but he can never lose it); therefore, it does not refer to sanctifying grace but to the priestly "character" or mark which the sacrament imprints along with the grace of the sacrament itself.
The "prophetic utterances", which in the New Testament means "public teachings (cf. note on 1 Tim 1 18-19) or words spoken in God's name, here refers to the prayers used in the ordination rite.
The "laying on of hands" is another technical expression. Jesus used this gesture many times (cf. Mt 9:18-19, 19:15; Mk 6:5; 7:32; 8:23-25; 16:8; Lk 4:40; 13:13); the Apostles used it as a rite for bringing down the Holy Spirit (Acts 8: 17; 19:6). Here, as elsewhere in these letters, the laying on of hands is the rite of priestly ordination (cf. 1 Tim 5:22; 2 Tim 1:6), whereby the mission and powers of the person performing the rite are passed on, thereby ensuring continuity of priesthood. In 2 Timothy 1:6, a parallel text, it says "through the laying on of my hands"; whereas here it says "when the elders laid their hands on you". The participles "through" and "when" imply that the action of imposition of hands is an essential part of the sacrament.
The Church has preserved intact the essential elements of the sacrament of Order--the laying on of hands and the consecrating words of the bishop (cf. Paul VI, Apost. Const. "Pontificalis Romani Recognitio", 18 July 1968).
15-16. As well as being mindful of his grace of ordination, the Christian minister must remain true to his obligations: "Take heed to yourself". Although the calling to Church office does not demand exceptional qualities in the candidate, he still needs to be exemplary and to put special effort into developing virtues or else his ministry will not be nearly as productive as it might be. "Apostolic soul: first of all, yourself. Our Lord has said, through St Matthew: 'When the day of Judgment comes, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, work many miracles in your name? Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men.' God forbid--says St Paul--that I, who have preached to others should myself be rejected" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 930).
"Hold to that", literally "hold to these things": probably a reference to the various points made in this chapter and perhaps also to things the Apostle had at different times told Timothy to keep an eye on. Perseverance is necessary for the minister himself and for the good of the people to whom he ministers.
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
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