Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

306 Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

CCC Cross Reference:
1 Sm 1 489; 1 Sm 1:9-18 2578
Mk 1:21 2173; Mk 1:24 438; Mk 1:25 1673; Mk 1:26 1673

Back to Deacon’s Bench '08
Back to Servant of the Word '10
Back to SOW II '12
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Back to SOW II '16
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Back to SOW II '20
Back to SOW II '22

Reading 1
1 Sm 1:9-20

Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh,
and presented herself before the Lord;
at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost of the Lord’s temple.
In her bitterness she prayed to the Lord, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: “O Lord of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the Lord for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
As she remained long at prayer before the Lord,
Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently;
though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard.
Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her,
“How long will you make a drunken show of yourself?
Sober up from your wine!”
“It isn’t that, my lord,” Hannah answered.
“I am an unhappy woman.
I have had neither wine nor liquor;
I was only pouring out my troubles to the Lord.
Do not think your handmaid a ne’er-do-well;
my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery.”
Eli said, “Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
She replied, “Think kindly of your maidservant,” and left.
She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband,
and no longer appeared downcast.
Early the next morning they worshiped before the Lord,
and then returned to their home in Ramah.

When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah,
the Lord remembered her.
She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the Lord for him.

Responsorial Psalm: 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

R. (see 1) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“My heart exults in the Lord,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The Lord puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The Lord makes poor and makes rich;
he humbles, he also exalts.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

Gospel
Mk 1:21-28

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers,
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.

All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

First reading 1 Samuel 1:9 – 20

Now after they had eaten in the hall, Hannah rose and took her stand before the Lord, while Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. In the bitterness of her soul she prayed to the Lord with many tears and made a vow, saying, ‘O Lord of Hosts! If you will take notice of the distress of your servant, and bear me in mind and not forget your servant and give her a man-child, I will give him to the Lord for the whole of his life and no razor shall ever touch his head’.

While she prayed before the Lord which she did for some time, Eli was watching her mouth, for she was speaking under her breath; her lips were moving but her voice could not be heard. He therefore supposed that she was drunk and said to her, ‘How long are you going to be in this drunken state? Rid yourself of your wine.’ ‘No, my lord,’ Hannah replied ‘I am a woman in great trouble; I have taken neither wine nor strong drink – I was pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; all this time I have been speaking from the depth of my grief and my resentment.’ Then Eli answered her: ‘Go in peace,’ he said ‘and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of him’. And she said, –’May your maidservant find favor in your sight’; and with that the woman went away; she returned to the hall and ate and was dejected no longer.
They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord and then set out and returned to their home in Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with Hannah his wife and the Lord was mindful of her. She conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel ‘since’ she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.’

Responsorial Psalm: 1 Samuel 2:1 – 8

My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

My heart exults in the Lord.
  I find my strength in my God;
my mouth laughs at my enemies
  as I rejoice in your saving help.

My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

The bows of the mighty are broken,
  but the weak are clothed with strength.
Those with plenty must labour for bread,
  but the hungry need work no more.
The childless wife has children now
  but the fruitful wife bears no more.

My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

It is the Lord who gives life and death,
  he brings men to the grave and back;
it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.
  He brings men low and raises them on high.

My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

He lifts up the lowly from the dust,
  from the dungheap he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes
  to give him a glorious throne.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
  on them he has set the world.

My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

Gospel Mark 1:21 – 28

They went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority

In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.


Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible

Tuesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time

From: 1 Samuel 1:9-20

Birth of Samuel (Continuation)
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[9] After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. [10] She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD, and wept bitterly. [11] And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy maidservant, and remember me, and not forget thy maidservant, but wilt give to thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head."

[12] As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. [13] Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard; therefore Eli took her to be a drunken woman. [14] And Eli said to her, "How long will you be drunken? Put away your wine from you." [15] But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman sorely troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. [16] Do not regard your maidservant as a base woman, for all along I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation." [17] Then Eli answered, "Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have made to him." [18] And she said, "Let your maidservant find favor in your eyes." Then the woman went her way and ate, and her countenance was no longer sad.

[19] They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. And Elkanah knew Hannah his wife, and the LORD remembered her; [20] and in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the LORD."

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Commentary:

1:11-20 Eli, the priest and head of the shrine at Shiloh, comes to bless [Hannah] but even he cannot understand her (vv. 15-l7). God is the only one who listens to her, and he accepts the vow she has made to him (v. 11). Hannah follows in the line of Sarah, Rachel and the mother of Samson--other women in whom the action of God could be seen very clearly when he took away the stigma of their barrenness. But, above all, she is the prototype of the devout woman who perseveres in prayer, convinced that it will be heard. "Why is it necessary to list here all those who, by praying as they ought to do, won from God the greatest gifts? For it would be easy for anyone to take an abundant sample of cases based in holy Scripture. Hannah gave birth to Samuel, who was to be compared with Moses himself (cf. Jer 15:1), because although she was sterile, she had faith and prayed to the Lord (1 Sam 1:9ff). [...] How many favors each of us could tell of if we recalled with gratitude the gifts we have received in order to praise God for them! Once they have been watered by the grace of the Holy Spirit through constant prayer, souls that have gone for a long time without bearing fruit, sterile in the most noble part of their being and with the signs of death on their souls, think wholesome thoughts and are filled with the knowledge of the truth" (Origen, "De Oratione", 13, 2-3).

Hannah, who will bear Samuel in her womb, is a figure of Mary and also "a symbol of the Church which carries the Lord. Her prayer is not clamorous, rather it is calm and refined; she prays in the depths of her heart because she knows that God listens to her there" (St Cyprian, "De Oratione Dominica", 5).

Samuel comes into the world as a gift from God; he is the one who was "asked for of the Lord" (cf. v. 20), according to a popular etymology of his name. His mission on earth will be as exceptional as his birth; Hannah presents him at the shrine: "as long as he lives he is lent the Lord" (v. 28). Samuel is brought up by the priest at the shrine of Shiloh (cf. Judg 18:31; 21:19), that is, within the ancient institutions of the time of the judges; thus, the new institutions he will establish do not imply any break with or rejection of what went before.

1:11. At Shiloh God was invoked as "Lord of hosts", an expression which conveys the notion of his sovereignty over all creation and, also, his preferential love for his own. The fact that Hannah prays in the temple precincts shows that Samuel will be the fruit of her petition and it will mean that God has intervened in a special way on her behalf and for the good of the whole people.

Hannah's vow about her future child means that he will be a Nazirite; that dedication involved abstaining from alcohol, avoiding any contact with dead bodies and not cutting one's hair (cf. the note on Num 6:1-21), The vow means that Samuel will be permanently and exclusively given to the tasks God gives him.

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From: Mark 1:21-28

Jesus in the Synagogue of Capernaum
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[21] And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. [22] And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. [23] And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; [24] and he cried out, "What have You to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are, the Holy One of God." [25] But Jesus rebuked him saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" [26] And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. [27] And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching! With authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." [28] And at once His fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

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Commentary:

21. "Synagogue" means meeting, assembly, community. It was--and is--used by the Jews to describe the place where they met to hear the Scriptures read, and to pray. Synagogues seem to have originated in the social gatherings of the Jews during their exile in Babylon, but this phenomenon did not spread until much later. In our Lord's time there were synagogues, in Palestine, in every city and town of any importance; and, outside Palestine, wherever the Jewish community was large enough. The synagogue consisted mainly of a rectangular room built in such a way that those attending were facing Jerusalem when seated. There was a rostrum or pulpit from which Sacred Scripture was read and explained.

22. Here we can see how Jesus showed His authority to teach. Even when He took Scripture as His basis--as in the Sermon on the Mount--He was different from other teachers, for He spoke in His own name: "But I say to you" (Matthew 7:28-29). Our Lord speaks about the mysteries of God, and about human relationships; He teaches in a simple and authoritative way because He speaks of what He knows and testifies to what He has seen (John 3:11). The scribes also taught the people, St. Bede comments, about what is written in Moses and the prophets; but Jesus preached to them as God and Lord of Moses himself (St. Bede, "In Marci Evangelium Expositio"). Moreover, first He does and then He preaches (Acts 1:1)--not like the scribes who teach and do not do (Matthew 23: 1-5).

23-26. The Gospels give us many accounts of miraculous cures, among the most outstanding of which are those of people possessed by the devil. Victory over the unclean spirit, as the devil is usually described, is a clear sign that God's salvation has come: by overcoming the Evil One, Jesus shows that He is the Messiah, the Savior, more powerful than the demons: "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out" (John 12:31). Throughout the Gospel we see many accounts of this continuous and successful struggle of our Lord against the devil.

As time goes on the devil's opposition to Jesus becomes ever clearer; in the wilderness it is hidden and subtle; it is noticeable and violent in the case of possessed people; and radical and total during the Passion, the devil's "hour and the power of darkness" (Luke 22:53). And Jesus' victory also becomes ever clearer, until He triumphs completely by rising from the dead.

The devil is called unclean, St. John Chrysostom says, because of his impiety and withdrawal from God. In some ways he does recognize Christ's holiness, but this knowledge is not accompanied by charity. In addition to the historical fact of this cure, we can also see, in this possessed man, those sinners who must be converted to God and freed from the slavery to sin and the devil. They may have to struggle for a long time but victory will come: the Evil One is powerless against Christ (cf. note on Matthew 12:22-24).

27. The same authority that Jesus showed in His teaching (1:22) is now to be seen in His actions. His will is His command: He has no need of long prayers or incantations. Jesus' words and actions already have a divine power which pro- vokes wonder and fear in those who hear and see Him.

Jesus continues to impress people in this way (Mark 2:12; 5:20-42; 7:37; 15:39; Luke 19:48; John 7:46). Jesus of Nazareth is the long-awaited Savior. He knows this Himself and He lets it be known by His actions and by His words; according to the gospel accounts (Mark 1:38-39; 2:10-11; 4:39) there is complete continuity and consistency between what He says and He does. As Vatican II teaches ("Dei Verbum", 2) Revelation is realized by deeds and words intimately connected with each other: the words proclaim the deeds and clarify the mystery contained in them; the deeds confirm the teaching. In this way Jesus progressively reveals the mystery of His Person: first the people sense His exceptional authority; later on, the Apostles, enlightened by God's grace, recognize the deepest source of this authority: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).

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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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