Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

82A Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links
CCC 302-314: divine providence and its role in history
CCC 2113-2115: idolatry subverts values; trust in providence vs. divination
CCC 2632: prayer of faithful petition for coming of the Kingdom
CCC 2830: trust in Providence does not mean idleness

CCC Cross Reference:
Is 49:14-15 219, 370; Is 49:15 239
1 Cor 4:1 859, 1117; 1 Cor 4:5 678
Mt 6:24 2113, 2424, 2729, 2821, 2848; Mt 6:25-34 2547, 2830; Mt 6:25 2608; Mt 6:26-34 322; Mt 6:26 2416; Mt 6:31-33 305; Mt 6:32 270; Mt 6:33 1942, 2604, 2608, 2632; Mt 6:34 2659, 2836

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Reading 1: Is 49:14-15

Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;
my LORD has forgotten me.”
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9

R. (6a) Rest in God alone, my soul.

Only in God is my soul at rest;
from him comes my salvation.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all.
R. Rest in God alone, my soul.

Only in God be at rest, my soul,
for from him comes my hope.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed.
R. Rest in God alone, my soul.

With God is my safety and my glory,
he is the rock of my strength; my refuge is in God.
Trust in him at all times, O my people!
Pour out your hearts before him.
R. Rest in God alone, my soul.

Reading 2: 1 Cor 4:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
Thus should one regard us: as servants of Christ
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Now it is of course required of stewards
that they be found trustworthy.
It does not concern me in the least
that I be judged by you or any human tribunal;
I do not even pass judgment on myself;
I am not conscious of anything against me,
but I do not thereby stand acquitted;
the one who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore do not make any judgment before the appointed time,
until the Lord comes,
for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness
and will manifest the motives of our hearts,
and then everyone will receive praise from God.

Gospel: Mt 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples:
“No one can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink,
or about your body, what you will wear.
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Look at the birds in the sky;
they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,
yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they?
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?
Why are you anxious about clothes?
Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.
They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor
was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field,
which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,
will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’
or ‘What are we to drink?’or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given you besides.
Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.
Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First Reading: Isaiah 49:14-15

Zion was saying, ‘The Lord has abandoned me,
the Lord has forgotten me.’
Does a woman forget her baby at the breast,
or fail to cherish the son of her womb?
Yet even if these forget,
I will never forget you.


Psalm: Psalm 61(62):2-3,6-9

In God alone is my soul at rest.

In God alone is my soul at rest;
  my help comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
  my fortress: I stand firm.

In God alone is my soul at rest.

In God alone be at rest, my soul;
  for my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock, my stronghold,
  my fortress: I stand firm.

In God alone is my soul at rest.

In God is my safety and glory,
  the rock of my strength.
Take refuge in God, all you people.
  Trust him at all times.
  Pour out your hearts before him.

In God alone is my soul at rest.


Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

People must think of us as Christ’s servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God. What is expected of stewards is that each one should be found worthy of his trust. Not that it makes the slightest difference to me whether you, or indeed any human tribunal, find me worthy or not. I will not even pass judgement on myself. True, my conscience does not reproach me at all, but that does not prove that I am acquitted: the Lord alone is my judge. There must be no passing of premature judgement. Leave that until the Lord comes; he will light up all that is hidden in the dark and reveal the secret intentions of men’s hearts. Then will be the time for each one to have whatever praise he deserves, from God.


Gospel: Matthew 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No one can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.

‘That is why I am telling you not to worry about your life and what you are to eat, nor about your body and how you are to clothe it. Surely life means more than food, and the body more than clothing! Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap or gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are we not worth much more than they are? Can any of you, for all his worrying, add one single cubit to his span of life? And why worry about clothing? Think of the flowers growing in the fields; they never have to work or spin; yet I assure you that not even Solomon in all his regalia was robed like one of these. Now if that is how God clothes the grass in the field which is there today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, will he not much more look after you, you men of little faith? So do not worry; do not say, “What are we to eat? What are we to drink? How are we to be clothed?” It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’

Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

From: Isaiah 49:8-15

The Restoration of Zion
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[14] But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, my LORD has forgotten me?"

[15] "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that, she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you."

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Commentary:

49:14-50:3. After the oracles concerning the servant, the prophet now focuses on Zion, the city beloved of the Lord, to which people will come from all over, the diaspora, to settle there. It will be a genuine miracle. The first verses speak very movingly of God's love for his people (49:14-20). The passage goes on, in a didactic style, to stress that the Lord will bring about the liberation of Jerusalem (49:21-26). It draws two comparisons--that of an eastern kingdom (49:22-23) and that of mighty warrior (49:24-26); each ends with an assertion reminiscent of Ezekiel's message: "And you will know that I am the Lord" (cf. "Introduction to Ezekiel", p. 595, below). Finally (50:1-3), the sense of abandonment felt by those in Jerusalem (cf. v. 14) is answered from another angle. Using the wedding imagery first used by Hosea (cf. Hos 1-3), the prophet puts words in the Lord's mouth to the effect that the exile was not meant to be forever; it was not irrevocable. There was no document written to terminate the marriage (cf. Deut 24:1-2, Jer 3:8); nor was the sale contract ever closed. Exile was a punishment that had to happen; it was a temporary thing, provoked by the people's sins. But God keeps his promises; he will restore Zion; he is as mighty now as he was at the time of the exodus, as he will demonstrate.

In the fullness of time, when Jesus brings salvation, this oracle will have even greater significance: "In Jesus Christ God has established a new and everlasting covenant with mankind. He has placed his almighty power at the service of our salvation. When his creatures lose confidence and are afraid through lack of faith, we hear once again the voice of Isaiah who speaks out in the name of the Lord: 'Is my hand too short to redeem? Have I not strength to save?" (St Josemaria Escrivá, "Friends of God", 190).

49:15-16. The image of the mother who can never forget her children (v. 15) is one of the most beautiful metaphors used in the Bible to describe the love that God has for his people; it has been echoed by spiritual writers down the ages. Pope John Paul II applies it with reference to the merciful love that God shows his own--the "rahamin" in Hebrew, a word that derives from maternal love ("rehem" means motherly embrace). Like a mother, God has borne mankind, and especially the chosen people, in his womb; he has given birth to it in pain, has nourished and consoled it (cf. 42:14; 46:3-4): "From the deep and original bond -- indeed the unity -- that links a mother to her child there springs a particular relationship to the child, a particular love. Of this love one can say that it is completely gratuitous, not merited, and that in this aspect it constitutes an interior necessity: an exigency of the heart. It is, as it were, a 'feminine' variation of the masculine fidelity: to self expressed by "hesed". Against this psychological background, "rahamin" generates a whole range of feelings, including goodness and tenderness, patience and understanding, that is, readiness to forgive. [...] This love, faithful and invincible thanks to the mysterious power of motherhood, is expressed in the Old Testament texts in various ways: as salvation from dangers, especially from enemies; also as forgiveness of sins--of individuals and also of the whole of Israel; and finally in readiness to fulfill the (eschatological) promise and hope in spite of human infidelity" ("Dives In Misericordia", note 52; cf. "Mulieris Dignitatem", 8).

The first words of v. 16 are another graphic description of the love of God; and so we find John Paul II using them in an exhortation on that subject "Dear young people, receive the love that God first gives you (cf. 1 Jn 4:19). Hold fast to this certainty, the only one that can give meaning, strength and joy to life: his love will never leave you, his covenant of peace will never be removed from you (cf. Is 54:10). He has stamped your name on the palms of his hands (cf. Is 49:16)" ("World Youth Day", 6 January 1997).

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From: 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Servant of Christ
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[1] This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. [2] Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. [3] But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself. [4] I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. [5] Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God.

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Commentary:

1-2. The features of every apostle, as outlined here by St Paul -- "servants of Christ", "stewards of God's mysteries"--put this ministry beyond the reach of grudges and petty squabbles. "Servants of Christ", that is, ministers of Christ, are people to whom he has entrusted his property--his teaching and his sacraments--for them to protect it faithfully and, acting as his agents, to manage it, pass it on and "disperse" it to others (cf. "Commentary on 1 Cor, ad loc."). As Paul stresses, a basic qualification for being a servant or steward is trustworthiness: "Those are untrustworthy stewards who when it comes to dispensing the divine mysteries do not seek the welfare of the people, the honor of Christ or the advantage of his members [...]. Trustworthy stewards are those who always seek the honor of God and the welfare of his members" ("ibid., ad loc.").

The Magisterium of the Church has often applied these words to the Christian priesthood: "The Apostle of the Gentiles thus perfectly sums up what may be said of the greatness, the dignity and the duty of the Christian priesthood: 'This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God' (1 Cor 4:1). The priest is the minister of Christ, an instrument, that is to say, in the hands of the divine Redeemer. He continues the work of the redemption in all its universality and divine efficacy, that work that wrought so marvelous a transformation in the world. Thus the priest, as is said with good reason, is indeed 'another Christ', for, in some way, he is himself a continuation of Christ: 'As the Father has sent me, even so I send you' (Jn 20:21), is spoken to the priest, and hence the priest, like Christ, continues to give 'glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased' (Lk 2:14). A priest is appointed 'steward of the mysteries of God' (cf. 1 Cor 4:1 ) for the benefit of the members of the mystical body of Christ, since he is the ordinary minister of nearly all the sacraments--those channels through which the grace of the Savior flows for the good of humanity. The Christian, at almost every important =stage of his mortal career, finds at his side the priest with power received from God, for the purpose of communicating or increasing that grace which is the supernatural life of his soul" (Pius XI, "Ad Catholici Sacerdotii").

3-5. A servant, an employee, is obviously answerable for his actions -- but he is answerable only to his master; only his master can judge him. Therefore, referring to the minister of Christ, St Paul declares that only our Lord can be his judge, because it is to him his service is owed. This teaching applies in the first place to Church ministers; but it also applies to all the faithful, for all should serve God by putting their talents to good use. Therefore, it is not for us to judge others, unless we have some special position which obliges us to do so. And certainly any judgment we do make is valid only if it accords with the will of God; any type of rash judgment would lead to very unfortunate results. Even that judgment we make about ourselves--examination of conscience, which St Paul seems to be hinting at when he says that he is not aware of anything against himself – should be made with the help of grace. It is not a matter of subjective introspection, but rather a sincere review made in the presence of God. It is not meant to be a reply to the question, What do I think of my behavior?; but rather to a different question, What does God think of it? Thus, a Christian should not be trying to meticulously measure his conduct, but to have recourse to God, who is rich in mercy. If so, the end-product of his examination will never be like that of the Pharisee, "God, I thank thee that I am not like other men", but instead, like the publican's "God, be merciful to me, a sinner" (Lk 18:11, 13).

The Apostle, as we can see, is speaking of his own experience, and speaking from a heart full of pastoral solicitude: he is not merely giving advice or taking people to task.

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From: Matthew 6:24-34

Trust in God's Fatherly Providence (Continuation)
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(Jesus said to His disciples,) [24] "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

[25] "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [27] And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? [28] And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; [29] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? [31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' [32] For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

[34] "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day."

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Commentary:

24. Man's ultimate goal is God; to attain this goal he should commit himself entirely. But in fact some people do not have God as their ultimate goal, and instead choose wealth of some kind--in which case wealth becomes their god. Man cannot have two absolute and contrary goals.

25-32. In this beautiful passage Jesus shows us the value of the ordinary things of life, and teaches us to put our trust in God's fatherly providence. Using simple examples and comparisons taken from everyday life, He teaches us to abandon ourselves into the arms of God.

27. The word "span" could be translated as "stature", but "span" is closer to the original (cf. Luke 12:25). A "cubit" is a measure of length which can metaphorically refer to time.

33. Here again the righteousness of the Kingdom means the life of grace in man --which involves a whole series of spiritual and moral values and can be summed up in the notion of "holiness". The search for holiness should be our primary purpose in life. Jesus is again insisting on the primacy of spiritual demands. Commenting on this passage, Pope Paul VI says: "Why poverty? It is to give God, the Kingdom of God, the first place in the scale of values which are the object of human aspirations. Jesus says: 'Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness'.

And He says this with regard to all the other temporal goods, even necessary and legitimate ones, with which human desires are usually concerned. Christ's poverty makes possible that detachment from earthly things which allows us to place the relationship with God at the peak of human aspirations" ("General Audience", 5 January 1977).

34. Our Lord exhorts us to go about our daily tasks serenely and not to worry uselessly about what happened yesterday or what may happen tomorrow. This is wisdom based on God's fatherly providence and on our own everyday experience: "He who observes the wind will not sow; and he who regards the clouds will not reap" (Eccles 11:4).

What is important, what is within our reach, is to live in God's presence and make good use of the present moment: "Do your duty 'now', without looking back on 'yesterday', which has already passed, or worrying over 'tomorrow', which may never come for you" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 253).

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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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