Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

354 Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

CCC Cross Reference:
2 Pt 3:11-12 671; 2 Pt 3:12-13 677; 2 Pt 3:13 1043, 1405
Mk 12:17 450

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Reading 1
2 Pt 3:12-15a, 17-18

Beloved:
Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God,
because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames
and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise
we await new heavens and a new earth
in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,
be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,
be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled
and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm
90:2, 3-4, 10, 14 and 16

R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Before the mountains were begotten
and the earth and the world were brought forth,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Seventy is the sum of our years,
or eighty, if we are strong,
And most of them are fruitless toil,
for they pass quickly and we drift away.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Gospel
Mk 12:13-17

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent
to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him,
“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.
You do not regard a person’s status
but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay or should we not pay?”
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,
“Why are you testing me?
Bring me a denarius to look at.”
They brought one to him and he said to them,
“Whose image and inscription is this?”
They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God.”
They were utterly amazed at him.

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

First reading 2 Peter 3:11 – 18

Since everything is coming to an end like this, you should be living holy and saintly lives while you wait and long for the Day of God to come, when the sky will dissolve in flames and the elements melt in the heat. What we are waiting for is what he promised: the new heavens and new earth, the place where righteousness will be at home. So then, my friends, while you are waiting, do your best to live lives without spot or stain so that he will find you at peace. Think of our Lord’s patience as your opportunity to be saved: our brother Paul, who is so dear to us, told you this when he wrote to you with the wisdom that is his special gift. You have been warned about this, my friends; be careful not to get carried away by the errors of unprincipled people, from the firm ground that you are standing on. Instead, go on growing in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory, in time and in eternity. Amen.

Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 89(90):2-4,10,14,16

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

Before the mountains were born
or the earth or the world brought forth,
you are God, without beginning or end.

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

You turn men back to dust
and say: ‘Go back, sons of men.’
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
no more than a watch in the night.

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

Our span is seventy years,
or eighty for those who are strong.
And most of these are emptiness and pain.
They pass swiftly and we are gone.

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

In the morning, fill us with your love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Show forth your work to your servants;
let your glory shine on their children.

O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

Gospel Mark 12:13 – 17

Next they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to catch him out in what he said. These came and said to him, ‘Master, we know you are an honest man, that you are not afraid of anyone, because a man’s rank means nothing to you, and that you teach the way of God in all honesty. Is it permissible to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay, yes or no?’ Seeing through their hypocrisy he said to them, ‘Why do you set this trap for me? Hand me a denarius and let me see it.’ They handed him one and he said, ‘Whose head is this? Whose name?’ ‘Caesar’s’ they told him. Jesus said to them, ‘Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar – and to God what belongs to God.’ This reply took them completely by surprise.

Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible

Tuesday of the 9th Week in Ordinary Time

From: 2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18

Moral Lessons to be Drawn
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[12] Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire! [13] But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells.

[14] Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and peace. [15a] And count the forbearance of our Lord as salvation.

[17] You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability. [18] But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

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Commentary:

12. "Waiting for and hastening": these two verbs convey the idea that Christian hope is something dynamic; it is in no way passive. Contrary to a view quite widespread among the Jews of the time, it does not mean that the Parousia will come sooner, the more meritorious men are; what it means is that the more closely united to Christ they are, the nearer they are to his glory.

Therefore, it is urgent that all should embrace faith in Christ. We who have this faith pray in the Our Father, "Thy kingdom come." The first Christians made the same petition in their ejaculatory prayer, "Marana tha", "Come, Lord" (1 Cor 16: 22; Rev 22:20), referring to the second coming of the Lord.

"The day of God": the usual expression in the New Testament is "the day of the Lord" (1 Cor 1:8; 5:5; 1 Thess 5:2; 2 Thess 2:2; 2 Pet 3:10); both expressions refer to the point at which Christ will come to judge the living and the dead.

13. "New heavens and a new earth": one of things promised for the End is that creation will be renewed, re-fashioned: the prophets proclaimed this (cf. Is 65:17), and the New Testament speaks of drinking new wine at the heavenly banquet (cf. Mt 14:25), being given a new name (cf. Rev 2:17). singing a new song (cf. Rev 5: 9), living in a new Jerusalem (Rev 21:3). All this imagery conveys the idea that the whole universe will be transformed, man included (cf. Rom 8:19-22). "We know neither the moment of the consummation of the earth and of man (cf. Acts 1:7) nor the way the universe will be transformed. The form of this world, distorted by sin, is passing away (cf. 1 Cor 7:31), and are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (cf. 2 Cor 5:2; 2 Pet 3:13), whose happiness will fill a surpass all the desires of peace arising in the hearts of men" ("Gaudium Et Spes", 39).

15-16. The reference to the writing of St Paul is clear evidence of the fact that from the very beginning of Christianity unity in faith was considered essential. It is difficult to say whether the sacred writer is thinking of some specific passage, for themes and even wording found in this letter are to be found in many Pauline letters--for example, on the subject of God's forbearance in waiting for men to mend their ways (cf. Rom 2:4-11; 1 Tim 1:16); or that of holiness as the Christian goal (cf. 1 Col 1:7-8; Col 1:21-22; Eph 1:5-14).

The "wisdom" of St Paul may be a reference to the special endowments the Apostle had for the spread of the Gospel; or it may refer to the charism of divine inspiration, thereby acknowledging that the Letters of St Paul are sacred scripture, because it would mean putting them on the level of the other sacred books (v. 16).

"Some things...difficult to understand": he does not mention any specific subject; the point he is making is that the false teachers can do damage if they base their errors on arbitrary misinterpretations of Pauline texts. In his time St Augustine warned about the fact that "the heresies and perverse dogmas which entrap souls and hurl them into the abyss originate simply in a bad understanding of good scriptures, and the rashness and audacity with which people put forward their misinterpretations" ("In Ioann. Evang.", 18, 1).

That is why the Church, while at the same time giving people every encouragement to read Sacred Scripture, has established precise rules to avoid erroneous interpretations and to obtain the maximum possible fruit from assiduous reading. "It is for the bishops, 'with whom the apostolic doctrine resides' (St lrenaeus) suitably to instruct the faithful entrusted to them in the correct use of the divine books, especially of the New Testament, and in particular of the Gospels. They do this by giving them translations of the sacred texts which are equipped with necessary and really adequate explanations. Thus the children of the Church can familiarize themselves safely and profitably with the Sacred Scriptures, and become steeped in their spirit" (Vatican II, "Dei Verbum", 25).]

17-18. The letter ends with a very succinct summary of some of its main points -- pastoral concern, ways to defend oneself against false teachers, and faith in the divinity of Christ.

"Beloved": the faithful are referred to in this solicitous way elsewhere in the letter (3:1, 8, 14). The warnings and threats made by the sacred writer are born of his pastoral zeal to establish them in the truth (1:12) and remind them what the true teaching is (3:1).

When he encourages them not to lose their "own strength", he is reminding them that firmness in the faith is an essential weapon for protecting themselves against deceitful teachers who are causing their faith and morals to waver (cf. 2; 3:16). Understanding and love should be shown towards those who are in error, but this should not "make us indifferent to truth and goodness. Love, in fact, impels the followers of Christ to proclaim to all men the truth which saves ("Gaudium Et Spes", 28).

"To him be the glory": most of the doxologies which appear in the New Testament are in praise of God the Father (cf. Jude 25; Rom 16:27); this one is addressed to Christ, whose divinity, as in other passages of the epistle, is openly confessed. He has the same glory as the Father: the doxology is not simply expressing a desire but stating a fact. The eternal love of Jesus Christ is the basis of the Christian's hope. "While she slowly grows to maturity, the Church longs for the completed Kingdom and, with all her strength, hopes and desires, to be united in glory with her King" ("Lumen Gentium", 5).

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From: Mark 12:13-17

On Tribute to Caesar
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[13] And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to entrap him in his talk. [14] And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? [15] Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin and let me look at it." [16] And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." [17] Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him.

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Commentary:

13-17. Jesus uses this situation to teach that man belongs totally to his Creator: "You must perforce give Caesar the coin which bears his likeness, but let you give your whole being to God, because it is his likeness, not Caesar's that you bear" (St Jerome, "Comm. in Marcum, in loc.").

Our Lord here asserts a principle which should guide the action of Christians in public life. The Church recognizes the rightful autonomy of earthly realities, but this does not mean that she has not a responsibility to light them up with the light of the Gospel. When they work shoulder to shoulder with other citizens to develop society, Christian lay people should bring a Christian influence to bear: "If the role of the Hierarchy is to teach and to interpret authentically the norms of morality to be followed in this matter, it belongs to lay people, without waiting passively for orders and directives, to take the initiative freely and to infuse a Christian spirit into the mentality, customs, laws and structures of the community in which they live. Changes are necessary, basic reforms are indispensable; lay people should strive resolutely to permeate them with the spirit of the Gospel" (Paul VI, "Populorum Progressio", 81).

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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.

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