408 Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
CCC Cross Reference:
Mt 14:30 448
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Reading 1
Jer 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
The following message came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel:
Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
For thus says the Lord:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your bruise;
There is none to plead your cause,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punished you cruelly;
Why cry out over your wound?
your pain is without relief.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.
Thus says the Lord:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the Lord.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
R. (17) The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall revere your name, O Lord,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the Lord has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the Lord:
“The Lord looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the Lord may be declared on Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together
and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Gospel
Mt 14:22-36
Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.
or
Mt 15:1-2, 10-14
Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”
He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
“Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?”
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Jeremiah 30:1 – 22
The word addressed to Jeremiah by the Lord: the Lord, the God of Israel says this: Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
Yes, the Lord says this:
Your wound is incurable,
your injury past healing.
There is no one to care for your sore,
no medicine to make you well again.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they look for you no more.
Yes, I have struck you as an enemy strikes,
with harsh punishment
so great is your guilt, so many your sins.
Why bother to complain about your wound?
Your pain is incurable.
So great is your guilt, so many your sins,
that I have done all this to you.
The Lord says this:
Now I will restore the tents of Jacob,
and take pity on his dwellings:
the city shall be rebuilt on its ruins,
the citadel restored on its site.
From them will come thanksgiving
and shouts of joy.
I will make them increase, and not diminish them,
make them honored, and not disdained.
Their sons shall be as once they were,
their community fixed firm in my presence,
and I will punish all their oppressors.
Their prince will be one of their own,
their ruler come from their own people.
I will let him come freely into my presence and he can come close to me;
who else, indeed, would risk his life
by coming close to me? – it is the Lord who speaks.
And you shall be my people and I will be your God.
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 101(102):16-21,29,22-23
The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall fear the name of the Lord
and all the earth’s kings your glory,
when the Lord shall build up Zion again
and appear in all his glory.
Then he will turn to the prayers of the helpless;
he will not despise their prayers.
The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for ages to come
that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord;
for the Lord leaned down from his sanctuary on high.
He looked down from heaven to the earth
that he might hear the groans of the prisoners
and free those condemned to die.
The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
The sons of your servants shall dwell untroubled
and their race shall endure before you
that the name of the Lord may be proclaimed in Zion
and his praise in the heart of Jerusalem,
when peoples and kingdoms are gathered together
to pay their homage to the Lord.
The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
Gospel Matthew 15:1 – 14
Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem then came to Jesus and said, ‘Why do your disciples break away from the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat food.’ He called the people to him and said, ‘Listen, and understand. What goes into the mouth does not make a man unclean; it is what comes out of the mouth that makes him unclean.’
Then the disciples came to him and said, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked when they heard what you said?’ He replied, ‘Any plant my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them alone. They are blind men leading blind men; and if one blind man leads another, both will fall into a pit.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Tuesday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time
From: Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-16, 18-22
Distress and hope
---------------------------
[1] The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: [2] "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.
[12]"For thus says the Lord:
Your hurt is incurable,
and your wound is grievous.
[13]There is none to uphold your cause,
no medicine for your wound,
no healing for you.
[14]All your lovers have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you;
for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy,
the punishment of a merciless foe,
because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant.
[15]Why do you cry out over your hurt?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant,
I have done these things to you.
[18]"Thus says the Lord:
Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob,
and have compassion on his dwellings:
the city shall be rebuilt upon its mound,
and the palace shall stand where it used to be.
[19]Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving,
and the voices of those who make merry.
I will multiply them, and they shall not be few;
I will make them honoured, and they shall not be small.
[20]Their children shall he as they were of old.
and their congregation shall be established before me;
and I will punish all who oppress them.
[21]Their prince shall be one of themselves,
their ruler shall come forth from their midst;
I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me,
for who would dare of himself to approach me? says the Lord.
[22] And you shall be my people,
and I will be your God."
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Commentary:
30:1-33:26. The second section of the second part of the hook is traditionally called the "Book of Consolation" because both the oracles in verse and the prose passages interspersed among them carried a message of consolation for the people during their years in exile.
Although the section may seem to break the thread of the narrative, it does not really do so. Having dealt with the difficulties met by Jeremiah in his attempts to dispel false hopes in an early return from exile, the book now records oracles about a future return to Judah. The central theme is hope in the restoration of Israel and Judah based on a "new covenant". This section could date from the end of Zedekiah's reign (587 BC) or a little later.
The oldest part of the section consists in verse oracles. In these we find recurring references to impending judgment and punishment (30:5-7, 12-15, 23-24), calls to hope (30:10-11, 16-17, 18-21; 31:2-14), laments (31:15, 18-19), and promises of better times to come (31:16-17; 31:20-22). The general tone is rather sombre. However, in the final form of the book these oracles are linked by prose passages beginning with the words "days are coming" (30:3; 31:27, 31, 38) and which have the effect of giving these chapters a hopeful tone.
The most important passage announces the "new covenant' that will replace the one broken by the people's repeated transgressions down the years (cf. 31:31-37). From very early on, Christian writers have drawn attention to this passage: "God announces that a new covenant shall be made, and it will be a light to all the nations. We believe in his proclamation: our conviction derives from the power of the name of Jesus Christ who was crucified. All the people will forsake idolatry and sin in order to draw closer to God; they will suffer death to pledge their belief in him and to fulfil the creed of their religion. It is clear from the history of events and the power that lies behind them that God's proclamation is fulfilled in the New Law and the New Covenant, in which all righteous men from all nations who desire God's goodness place their hope. We, who were led to God by Christ crucified, are the people of Israel in spirit and in truth, the people of Judah and Jacob and Isaac, and of Abraham, the one to whom God bore witness before the time of circumcision, who was blessed and called the father of many nations" (St Justin, "Dialogus cum Tryphone", 11, 4-5).
30:1-24. The oracles that start of the "Book of Consolation" include some in verse, which are designed mainly to nourish the hope of Israel, that is, the Northern kingdom. To these, others are added (they are usually in prose) which apply those promises of restoration to Judah. The former were probably composed by Jeremiah early in his ministry, in the reign of Josiah, when Assyrian power was on the wane and when religious reform in the Southern kingdom gave ground for hope that the Israelites, who had borne the brunt of Assyrian aggression, would come back into the fold. The later oracles were composed after Judah had suffered deportations. God is not forgetful of his followers, be they from North or South, and he promises to re-establish his people in their land.
In the first oracles a sharp contrast is drawn between the suffering and anguish that prevails in Israel (seemingly an insoluble situation: vv. 5-7, 12-15), and the Lord's promise that he will not abandon his people or allow them to be destroyed even though they are experiencing the punishment that their sins deserve (vv. 10-11, 16-24). Similarly, Jerusalem will be rebuilt, and after a period of religious and moral reform, it will flourish again (vv. 18-21). Just as the Lord will deliver Israel, so he will come to Judah's rescue in due course. He will lift the yoke that Babylon has placed on the Jews (cf. 27:1-22) and they will be able to serve God once more, under the rule of a descendant of David (vv. 8-9; cf. 23:5; Ezek 34:23; 37:24). The Septuagint version omits verse 22, which occurs again in 31:33. It is a wording of the Covenant valid for all times and situations (cf. 7:23; 11:4; 24:7; 32:38).
The grounds for hope are the same as appear right through the book: "I am with you" (v. 11; cf. 1:8; 1:19; 15:20; 30:11; 46:28). Despite the sins of men God is merciful: his love endures: "sin too constitutes man's misery. The people of the Old Covenant experienced this misery from the time of the Exodus, when they set up the golden calf. The Lord himself triumphed over this act of breaking the covenant when he solemnly declared to Moses that he was a 'God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness' (Ex 34:6). It is in this central revelation that a people, and each of its members, will find, every time that they have sinned, the strength and the motive for turning to the Lord to remind him of what he had exactly revealed about himself and to beseech his forgiveness" (Bl. John Paul II, "Dives in misericordia", 4).
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From: Matthew 14:22-36
Jesus Walks on the Water
---------------------------------------
[22] Then He (Jesus) made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. [23] And after He had dismissed the crowds He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, [24] but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. [26] But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. [27] But immediately He spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."
[28] And Peter answered Him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to You on the water." [29] He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; [30] but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." [31] Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" [32] And when they got into boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat worshipped Him, saying, "Truly You are the son of God."
[34] And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. [35] And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent round to all the region and brought to Him all that were sick, [36] and besought Him that they might only touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were made well.
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Commentary:
22-23. It has been a very full day, like so many others. First, Jesus works many cures (14:14) and then performs the remarkable miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish, a symbol of the future Eucharist. The crowd who have been following Him were avid for food, teaching and consolation. Jesus "had compassion on them" (14:14), curing their sick and giving them the comfort of His teaching and the nourishment of food. He continues to do the same, down the centuries, tending to our needs and comforting us with His word and with the nourishment of His own body. Jesus must have been very moved, realizing the vivifying effect the Blessed Sacrament would have on the lives of Christians—a sacrament which is a mystery of life and faith and love. It is understandable that He should feel the need to spend some hours in private to speak to His Father. Jesus' private prayer, in an interlude between one demanding activity and another, teaches us that every Christian needs to take time out for recollection, to speak to His Father, God. On Jesus' frequent personal prayer see, for example, Mark 1:35; 6:47; Luke 5:16; 16:12. See the notes on Matthew 6:5-6 and Matthew 7:7-11.
24-33: This remarkable episode of Jesus walking on the sea must have made a deep impression on the Apostles. It was one of their outstanding memories of the life they shared with the Master. It is reported not only by St. Matthew, but also by St. Mark (6:45-52), who would have heard about it from St. Peter, and by St. John (6:14-21).
Storms are very frequent on Lake Gennesaret; they cause huge waves and are very dangerous to fishing boats. During His prayer on the hill, Jesus is still mindful of His disciples; He sees them trying to cope with the wind and the waves and comes to their rescue once He has finished praying.
This episode has applications to Christian life. The Church, like the Apostles' boat, also gets into difficulties, and Jesus who watches over His Church comes to its rescue also, after allowing it to wrestle with obstacles and be strengthened in the process. He gives us encouragement: "Take heart, it is I; have no fear" (14:27); and we show our faith and fidelity by striving to keep an even keel, and by calling on His aid when we feel ourselves weakening: "Lord, save me" (14:30), words of St. Peter which every soul uses when he has recourse to Jesus, his Savior. Then our Lord does save us, and we urgently confess our faith: "Truly you are the Son of God" (14:33).
29-31. St. John Chrysostom ("Hom. on St. Matthew", 50) comments that in this episode Jesus taught Peter to realize, from his own experience, that all his strength comes from our Lord and that he could not rely on his own resources, on his own weaknesses and wretchedness. Chrysostom goes as far as to say that "if we fail to play our part, God ceases to help us." Hence the reproach, 'O man of little faith" (14:31). When Peter began to be afraid and to doubt, he started to sink, until again, full of faith, he called out, "Lord, save me."
If at any time we, like Peter, should begin to weaken, we too should try to bring our faith into play and call on Jesus to save us.
34-36. Learning from the faith of these people on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, every Christian should approach the adorable humanity of the Savior. Christ --God and Man -- is accessible to us in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
"When you approach the Tabernacle remember that He has been awaiting you for twenty centuries" (St. J. Escrivá, "The Way", 537).
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From: Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14
True Cleanness
----------------------
[1] Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, [2] "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
[10] And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand: [11] "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." [12] Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" [13] He answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. [14] Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
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Commentary:
10-20. Our Lord proclaims the true meaning of moral precepts and makes it clear that man has to answer to God for his actions. The scribes' mistake consisted in concentrating on externals and not giving pride of place to interior purity of heart. For example, they saw prayer in terms of exact recital of fixed forms of words rather than as a raising of the soul to God (cf. Mt 6:5-6). The same thing happened in the case of dietary regulations.
Jesus avails of the particular cases dealt with in this passage to teach us where to find the true center of moral action: it lies in man's personal decision, good or evil, a decision which is shaped in his heart and which then is expressed in the form of action. For example, the sins which our Lord lists are sins committed in the human heart prior to being acted out. In the Sermon on the Mount he already said this: "Every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Mt 5:28).
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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.
CCC Cross Reference:
Mt 14:30 448
Back to Deacon’s Bench '08
Back to SOW II '10
Back to SOW II '12
Back to SOW II '14
Back to SOW II '16
Back to SOW II '18
Back to SOW II '20
Back to SOW II '22
Reading 1
Jer 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
The following message came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel:
Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
For thus says the Lord:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your bruise;
There is none to plead your cause,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punished you cruelly;
Why cry out over your wound?
your pain is without relief.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.
Thus says the Lord:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the Lord.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
R. (17) The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall revere your name, O Lord,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the Lord has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the Lord:
“The Lord looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the Lord may be declared on Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together
and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Gospel
Mt 14:22-36
Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”
After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.
or
Mt 15:1-2, 10-14
Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”
He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
“Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?”
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Jeremiah 30:1 – 22
The word addressed to Jeremiah by the Lord: the Lord, the God of Israel says this: Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
Yes, the Lord says this:
Your wound is incurable,
your injury past healing.
There is no one to care for your sore,
no medicine to make you well again.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they look for you no more.
Yes, I have struck you as an enemy strikes,
with harsh punishment
so great is your guilt, so many your sins.
Why bother to complain about your wound?
Your pain is incurable.
So great is your guilt, so many your sins,
that I have done all this to you.
The Lord says this:
Now I will restore the tents of Jacob,
and take pity on his dwellings:
the city shall be rebuilt on its ruins,
the citadel restored on its site.
From them will come thanksgiving
and shouts of joy.
I will make them increase, and not diminish them,
make them honored, and not disdained.
Their sons shall be as once they were,
their community fixed firm in my presence,
and I will punish all their oppressors.
Their prince will be one of their own,
their ruler come from their own people.
I will let him come freely into my presence and he can come close to me;
who else, indeed, would risk his life
by coming close to me? – it is the Lord who speaks.
And you shall be my people and I will be your God.
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 101(102):16-21,29,22-23
The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall fear the name of the Lord
and all the earth’s kings your glory,
when the Lord shall build up Zion again
and appear in all his glory.
Then he will turn to the prayers of the helpless;
he will not despise their prayers.
The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for ages to come
that a people yet unborn may praise the Lord;
for the Lord leaned down from his sanctuary on high.
He looked down from heaven to the earth
that he might hear the groans of the prisoners
and free those condemned to die.
The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
The sons of your servants shall dwell untroubled
and their race shall endure before you
that the name of the Lord may be proclaimed in Zion
and his praise in the heart of Jerusalem,
when peoples and kingdoms are gathered together
to pay their homage to the Lord.
The Lord shall build up Zion again and appear in all his glory.
Gospel Matthew 15:1 – 14
Pharisees and scribes from Jerusalem then came to Jesus and said, ‘Why do your disciples break away from the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat food.’ He called the people to him and said, ‘Listen, and understand. What goes into the mouth does not make a man unclean; it is what comes out of the mouth that makes him unclean.’
Then the disciples came to him and said, ‘Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked when they heard what you said?’ He replied, ‘Any plant my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them alone. They are blind men leading blind men; and if one blind man leads another, both will fall into a pit.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Tuesday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time
From: Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-16, 18-22
Distress and hope
---------------------------
[1] The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: [2] "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.
[12]"For thus says the Lord:
Your hurt is incurable,
and your wound is grievous.
[13]There is none to uphold your cause,
no medicine for your wound,
no healing for you.
[14]All your lovers have forgotten you;
they care nothing for you;
for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy,
the punishment of a merciless foe,
because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant.
[15]Why do you cry out over your hurt?
Your pain is incurable.
Because your guilt is great,
because your sins are flagrant,
I have done these things to you.
[18]"Thus says the Lord:
Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob,
and have compassion on his dwellings:
the city shall be rebuilt upon its mound,
and the palace shall stand where it used to be.
[19]Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving,
and the voices of those who make merry.
I will multiply them, and they shall not be few;
I will make them honoured, and they shall not be small.
[20]Their children shall he as they were of old.
and their congregation shall be established before me;
and I will punish all who oppress them.
[21]Their prince shall be one of themselves,
their ruler shall come forth from their midst;
I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me,
for who would dare of himself to approach me? says the Lord.
[22] And you shall be my people,
and I will be your God."
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Commentary:
30:1-33:26. The second section of the second part of the hook is traditionally called the "Book of Consolation" because both the oracles in verse and the prose passages interspersed among them carried a message of consolation for the people during their years in exile.
Although the section may seem to break the thread of the narrative, it does not really do so. Having dealt with the difficulties met by Jeremiah in his attempts to dispel false hopes in an early return from exile, the book now records oracles about a future return to Judah. The central theme is hope in the restoration of Israel and Judah based on a "new covenant". This section could date from the end of Zedekiah's reign (587 BC) or a little later.
The oldest part of the section consists in verse oracles. In these we find recurring references to impending judgment and punishment (30:5-7, 12-15, 23-24), calls to hope (30:10-11, 16-17, 18-21; 31:2-14), laments (31:15, 18-19), and promises of better times to come (31:16-17; 31:20-22). The general tone is rather sombre. However, in the final form of the book these oracles are linked by prose passages beginning with the words "days are coming" (30:3; 31:27, 31, 38) and which have the effect of giving these chapters a hopeful tone.
The most important passage announces the "new covenant' that will replace the one broken by the people's repeated transgressions down the years (cf. 31:31-37). From very early on, Christian writers have drawn attention to this passage: "God announces that a new covenant shall be made, and it will be a light to all the nations. We believe in his proclamation: our conviction derives from the power of the name of Jesus Christ who was crucified. All the people will forsake idolatry and sin in order to draw closer to God; they will suffer death to pledge their belief in him and to fulfil the creed of their religion. It is clear from the history of events and the power that lies behind them that God's proclamation is fulfilled in the New Law and the New Covenant, in which all righteous men from all nations who desire God's goodness place their hope. We, who were led to God by Christ crucified, are the people of Israel in spirit and in truth, the people of Judah and Jacob and Isaac, and of Abraham, the one to whom God bore witness before the time of circumcision, who was blessed and called the father of many nations" (St Justin, "Dialogus cum Tryphone", 11, 4-5).
30:1-24. The oracles that start of the "Book of Consolation" include some in verse, which are designed mainly to nourish the hope of Israel, that is, the Northern kingdom. To these, others are added (they are usually in prose) which apply those promises of restoration to Judah. The former were probably composed by Jeremiah early in his ministry, in the reign of Josiah, when Assyrian power was on the wane and when religious reform in the Southern kingdom gave ground for hope that the Israelites, who had borne the brunt of Assyrian aggression, would come back into the fold. The later oracles were composed after Judah had suffered deportations. God is not forgetful of his followers, be they from North or South, and he promises to re-establish his people in their land.
In the first oracles a sharp contrast is drawn between the suffering and anguish that prevails in Israel (seemingly an insoluble situation: vv. 5-7, 12-15), and the Lord's promise that he will not abandon his people or allow them to be destroyed even though they are experiencing the punishment that their sins deserve (vv. 10-11, 16-24). Similarly, Jerusalem will be rebuilt, and after a period of religious and moral reform, it will flourish again (vv. 18-21). Just as the Lord will deliver Israel, so he will come to Judah's rescue in due course. He will lift the yoke that Babylon has placed on the Jews (cf. 27:1-22) and they will be able to serve God once more, under the rule of a descendant of David (vv. 8-9; cf. 23:5; Ezek 34:23; 37:24). The Septuagint version omits verse 22, which occurs again in 31:33. It is a wording of the Covenant valid for all times and situations (cf. 7:23; 11:4; 24:7; 32:38).
The grounds for hope are the same as appear right through the book: "I am with you" (v. 11; cf. 1:8; 1:19; 15:20; 30:11; 46:28). Despite the sins of men God is merciful: his love endures: "sin too constitutes man's misery. The people of the Old Covenant experienced this misery from the time of the Exodus, when they set up the golden calf. The Lord himself triumphed over this act of breaking the covenant when he solemnly declared to Moses that he was a 'God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness' (Ex 34:6). It is in this central revelation that a people, and each of its members, will find, every time that they have sinned, the strength and the motive for turning to the Lord to remind him of what he had exactly revealed about himself and to beseech his forgiveness" (Bl. John Paul II, "Dives in misericordia", 4).
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From: Matthew 14:22-36
Jesus Walks on the Water
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[22] Then He (Jesus) made the disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. [23] And after He had dismissed the crowds He went up into the hills by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, [24] but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. [25] And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. [26] But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. [27] But immediately He spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."
[28] And Peter answered Him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to You on the water." [29] He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; [30] but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." [31] Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" [32] And when they got into boat, the wind ceased. [33] And those in the boat worshipped Him, saying, "Truly You are the son of God."
[34] And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. [35] And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent round to all the region and brought to Him all that were sick, [36] and besought Him that they might only touch the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched it were made well.
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Commentary:
22-23. It has been a very full day, like so many others. First, Jesus works many cures (14:14) and then performs the remarkable miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and the fish, a symbol of the future Eucharist. The crowd who have been following Him were avid for food, teaching and consolation. Jesus "had compassion on them" (14:14), curing their sick and giving them the comfort of His teaching and the nourishment of food. He continues to do the same, down the centuries, tending to our needs and comforting us with His word and with the nourishment of His own body. Jesus must have been very moved, realizing the vivifying effect the Blessed Sacrament would have on the lives of Christians—a sacrament which is a mystery of life and faith and love. It is understandable that He should feel the need to spend some hours in private to speak to His Father. Jesus' private prayer, in an interlude between one demanding activity and another, teaches us that every Christian needs to take time out for recollection, to speak to His Father, God. On Jesus' frequent personal prayer see, for example, Mark 1:35; 6:47; Luke 5:16; 16:12. See the notes on Matthew 6:5-6 and Matthew 7:7-11.
24-33: This remarkable episode of Jesus walking on the sea must have made a deep impression on the Apostles. It was one of their outstanding memories of the life they shared with the Master. It is reported not only by St. Matthew, but also by St. Mark (6:45-52), who would have heard about it from St. Peter, and by St. John (6:14-21).
Storms are very frequent on Lake Gennesaret; they cause huge waves and are very dangerous to fishing boats. During His prayer on the hill, Jesus is still mindful of His disciples; He sees them trying to cope with the wind and the waves and comes to their rescue once He has finished praying.
This episode has applications to Christian life. The Church, like the Apostles' boat, also gets into difficulties, and Jesus who watches over His Church comes to its rescue also, after allowing it to wrestle with obstacles and be strengthened in the process. He gives us encouragement: "Take heart, it is I; have no fear" (14:27); and we show our faith and fidelity by striving to keep an even keel, and by calling on His aid when we feel ourselves weakening: "Lord, save me" (14:30), words of St. Peter which every soul uses when he has recourse to Jesus, his Savior. Then our Lord does save us, and we urgently confess our faith: "Truly you are the Son of God" (14:33).
29-31. St. John Chrysostom ("Hom. on St. Matthew", 50) comments that in this episode Jesus taught Peter to realize, from his own experience, that all his strength comes from our Lord and that he could not rely on his own resources, on his own weaknesses and wretchedness. Chrysostom goes as far as to say that "if we fail to play our part, God ceases to help us." Hence the reproach, 'O man of little faith" (14:31). When Peter began to be afraid and to doubt, he started to sink, until again, full of faith, he called out, "Lord, save me."
If at any time we, like Peter, should begin to weaken, we too should try to bring our faith into play and call on Jesus to save us.
34-36. Learning from the faith of these people on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, every Christian should approach the adorable humanity of the Savior. Christ --God and Man -- is accessible to us in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
"When you approach the Tabernacle remember that He has been awaiting you for twenty centuries" (St. J. Escrivá, "The Way", 537).
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From: Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14
True Cleanness
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[1] Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, [2] "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
[10] And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and understand: [11] "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." [12] Then the disciples came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" [13] He answered, "Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. [14] Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
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Commentary:
10-20. Our Lord proclaims the true meaning of moral precepts and makes it clear that man has to answer to God for his actions. The scribes' mistake consisted in concentrating on externals and not giving pride of place to interior purity of heart. For example, they saw prayer in terms of exact recital of fixed forms of words rather than as a raising of the soul to God (cf. Mt 6:5-6). The same thing happened in the case of dietary regulations.
Jesus avails of the particular cases dealt with in this passage to teach us where to find the true center of moral action: it lies in man's personal decision, good or evil, a decision which is shaped in his heart and which then is expressed in the form of action. For example, the sins which our Lord lists are sins committed in the human heart prior to being acted out. In the Sermon on the Mount he already said this: "Every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Mt 5:28).
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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.
