CCC Cross Reference:
Mk 9:9-31 649; Mk 9:23 1504, 2610; Mk 9:24 162
Back to Deacon's Bench '07
Back to Deacon's Bench '09
Back to SOW II '11
Back to SOW II '13
Back to SOW II '17
Back to SOW II '19
Back to SOW II '23
Reading 1
Sir 1:1-10
All wisdom comes from the LORD
and with him it remains forever, and is before all time
The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain,
the days of eternity: who can number these?
Heaven’s height, earth’s breadth,
the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?
Before all things else wisdom was created;
and prudent understanding, from eternity.
The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom
and her ways are everlasting.
To whom has wisdom’s root been revealed?
Who knows her subtleties?
To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed?
And who has understood the multiplicity of her ways?
There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring,
seated upon his throne:
There is but one, Most High
all-powerful creator-king and truly awe-inspiring one,
seated upon his throne and he is the God of dominion.
It is the LORD; he created her through the Holy Spirit,
has seen her and taken note of her.
He has poured her forth upon all his works,
upon every living thing according to his bounty;
he has lavished her upon his friends.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
R. (1a) The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
The LORD is king, in splendor robed;
robed is the LORD and girt about with strength.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
And he has made the world firm,
not to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old;
from everlasting you are, O LORD.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Your decrees are worthy of trust indeed:
holiness befits your house,
O LORD, for length of days.
R. The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
Gospel
Mk 9:14-29
As Jesus came down from the mountain with Peter, James, John
and approached the other disciples,
they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him,
the whole crowd was utterly amazed.
They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”
Someone from the crowd answered him,
“Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down;
he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid.
I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so.”
He said to them in reply,
“O faithless generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you? Bring him to me.”
They brought the boy to him.
And when he saw him,
the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions.
As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around
and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father,
“How long has this been happening to him?”
He replied, “Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him.
But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
Jesus said to him,
“‘If you can!’ Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Then the boy’s father cried out, “I do believe, help my unbelief!”
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering,
rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it,
“Mute and deaf spirit, I command you:
come out of him and never enter him again!”
Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out.
He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, “He is dead!”
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private,
“Why could we not drive the spirit out?”
He said to them, “This kind can only come out through prayer.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Ecclesiasticus 1:1-10
All wisdom is from the Lord,
and it is his own for ever.
The sand of the sea and the raindrops,
and the days of eternity, who can assess them?
The height of the sky and the breadth of the earth,
and the depth of the abyss, who can probe them?
Before all other things wisdom was created,
shrewd understanding is everlasting.
For whom has the root of wisdom ever been uncovered?
Her resourceful ways, who knows them?
One only is wise, terrible indeed,
seated on his throne, the Lord.
He himself has created her, looked on her and assessed her,
and poured her out on all his works
to be with all mankind as his gift,
and he conveyed her to those who love him.
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 92(93):1-2,5
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed;
the Lord has robed himself with might,
he has girded himself with power.
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
The world you made firm, not to be moved;
your throne has stood firm from of old.
From all eternity, O Lord, you are.
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
Truly your decrees are to be trusted.
Holiness is fitting to your house,
O Lord, until the end of time.
The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
Gospel Mark 9:14-29
When Jesus, with Peter, James and John came down from the mountain and rejoined the disciples, they saw a large crowd round them and some scribes arguing with them. The moment they saw him the whole crowd were struck with amazement and ran to greet him. ‘What are you arguing about with them?’ he asked. A man answered him from the crowd, ‘Master, I have brought my son to you; there is a spirit of dumbness in him, and when it takes hold of him it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and goes rigid. And I asked your disciples to cast it out and they were unable to.’ ‘You faithless generation’ he said to them in reply. ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me.’ They brought the boy to him, and as soon as the spirit saw Jesus it threw the boy into convulsions, and he fell to the ground and lay writhing there, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, ‘How long has this been happening to him?’ ‘From childhood,’ he replied ‘and it has often thrown him into the fire and into the water, in order to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.’ ‘If you can?’ retorted Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for anyone who has faith.’ Immediately the father of the boy cried out, ‘I do have faith. Help the little faith I have!’ And when Jesus saw how many people were pressing round him, he rebuked the unclean spirit. ‘Deaf and dumb spirit,’ he said ‘I command you: come out of him and never enter him again.’ Then throwing the boy into violent convulsions it came out shouting, and the boy lay there so like a corpse that most of them said, ‘He is dead.’ But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him up, and he was able to stand. When he had gone indoors his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ ‘This is the kind’ he answered ‘that can only be driven out by prayer.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Monday of the 7th Week in Ordinary Time
From: Sirach 1:1-10
All Wisdom Comes from the Lord
------------------------------------------------
[1] All wisdom comes from the Lord and is with him forever. [2] The sand of the sea, the drops of rain, and the days of eternity -- who can count them? [3] The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth, the abyss, and wisdom -- who can search them out? [4] Wisdom was created before all things, and prudent understanding from eternity. [6] The root of wisdom -- to whom has it been revealed? Her clever devices -- who knows them? [8] There is One who is wise, greatly to be feared, sitting upon his throne.
God Imbues All His Work with Wisdom
---------------------------------------------------------
[9] The Lord himself created wisdom; he saw her and apportioned her, he poured her out upon all his works. [10] She dwells with all flesh according to his gift, and he supplied her to those who love him.
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1:1-16:23 Just as the Torah is made up of the five books of the Pentateuch, we could say that the book of Ben Sirach also consists of five parts, over the course of which the teacher distills his teaching. The first of these covers almost sixteen chapters. It begins with kind, of doctrinal introduction dealing with the divine origin of Wisdom (1:1-2:18). Then (3:1-16:23) there follows a series of practical teachings about a whole range of things to do with ordinary life--duties to parents (3:1-16), solidarity with others (4:1-10), human virtues (3:l7-29; 4:25-6:1). As a kind of refrain, every now and then we get exhortations about the need to be prudent and to acquire true wisdom.
1:1-2:21. In the. doctrinal instruction to the first part of the.book, Ben Sirach zones in on the main ideas he means to explore over the course of the book. It has to do with the Lord as the source of wisdom, and with the attitude a person needs to have to become wise. In the Greek translation, as in the Septuagint's translation of other Old Testament works, the term "the Lord" used where the Hebrew text uses the proper name of God, "Yhwh".
The first question posed is: Where does wisdom come from? And the answer is quite, definite from the very start "All wisdom comes from God and is with him forever" (1:1). There is no source .of wisdom but the one true God: "There is [only] One who is wise" (1:8). He created all things and "he poured (wisdom) out upon all his works" (1:9). Therefore the study, of nature and of man (God's works) is the way to discover wisdom. More will be said about this in the introduction to the second part of the book (16:24-18:14).
Every created thing is designed in a particular way and the Lord's wisdom can be seen from the order that exists in creation and from the laws governing the nature and activity of man. In the case of human beings, a person will attain happiness and wisdom if he or she adheres to these rules laid by God. This leads Ben Sirach to say this is the main contribution his book makes), "If you desire wisdom, the commandments" (1:26). A person who approaches God in all simplicity, ready to listen to his precepts and puts them into practice will discover the meaning of the things and events of the world around him, which he so greatly desires. In the introduction to the part of the book these ideas are developed further (24: 1-34).
It follows that a person who wants to be wise should logically show grateful respect to the Creator by acting in line with the "instructions" wisely imprinted on created things (man included). This is what in the tradition of Israel called "fear of the Lord", which is therefore "wisdom and instruction" (1:27). The expression "fear of the Lord" does not, then, in any sense mean being afraid of God. On the contrary, it is a reverent way of referring to the religious attitude of man towards Him who looks after him with great solicitude.
When the fourth part of the book goes into the motivation that, should inspire one's everyday conduct, it stresses the need for fear of the Lord in order to be wise (32:14-33:17).
A person beginning to set out on the path of wisdom need to be determined to keep true to the Lord, for he is bound to meet with difficulties. But he has every reason to trust in God. One good reason is the lessons of history: "Consider the ancient generations and see: who ever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame?" (2:10). The fifth and last part of the book, provide a running commentary on the example set by figures in the past (44:1-50:21).
The ideas contained in these chapters prepare the way for the full revelation of the Wisdom of God--the incarnation of the Word (cf. the prologue to St John's Gospel: Jn 1:1-18). That passage of the New Testament helps one to understand the full implications of things said here. "All wisdom comes from God and is with him for ever" (1:1), for "the Word was with God and the Word was God" (Jn 1:1); nd the Lord "supplied her [Wisdom] to those who love him" (Sir 1:10b), for "to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God" (Jn 1:12-13). The Law promulgated by God in the Old Testament prepared the way for the full revelation of God himself' in whom all Wisdom dwells: "The 'Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Christ" (Jn 1 17). The Letter to the Hebrews, in line with the call in Sirach 2:10, invites us to consider the example set by the great Israelite leaders of the past (cf. Heb 11:1-40).
The earliest Christian commentators did not fail to find in Sirach references to the fullness of God's revelation in Jesus Christ: "The divine Teacher, Jesus Christ, merits our full confidence because he possesses the three most beautiful qualities --wisdom, benevolence, and openheartedness. Wisdom, for he is wisdom of the Father: "All wisdom comes from the Lord, and is with him forever" (Sir 1:1); openheartedness, for he is God and Creator: "Everything that is was made by him, and without him nothing was made" (Jn 1:9) and benevolence, for he offered himself as the one victim for us all" (Clement of Alexandria, "Paedagogus", 1, 97:3).
*********************************************************************************************
From: Mark 9:14-29
The Curing of an Epileptic Boy
--------------------------------------------
[14] And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd about them, and scribes arguing with them. [15] And immediately all the crowd when they saw Him (Jesus), were greatly amazed, and ran up to Him and greeting Him. [16] And He asked them, "What are you discussing with them?" [17] And one of the crowd answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a dumb spirit; [18] and wherever it seizes him, it dashes him down; and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid; and I asked Your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able." [19] And He answered them, "Oh faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me."
[20] And they brought the boy to Him; and when the spirit saw Him, immediately it convulsed the body, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. [21] And Jesus asked his father, "How long has he had this?" And he said, "From childhood. [22] And it has often cash him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if You can do anything, have pity on us and help us." [23] And Jesus said to him, "If you can! All things are possible to him who believes." [24] Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" [25] And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You dumb and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again." [26] After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse; so that most of them said, "He is dead." [27] But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. [28] And when He had entered the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" [29] And He said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting."
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
17. The demon who possessed this boy is described as a "dumb spirit" because dumbness was the main feature of the possession. On diabolic possession cf. note on Matthew 12:22-24.
19-24. As on other occasions, Jesus requires submission of faith before He works the miracle. The exclamation of Jesus refers to the request of the boy's father (verse 22), which seemed to suggest some doubt about God's omnipotence. The Lord corrects this way of asking and requires him to have firm faith. In verse 24 we can see that the father has quite changed; then Jesus does the miracle. The man's strengthened faith made him all-powerful, for someone with faith relies not on himself but on Jesus Christ. Through faith, then, we become sharers in God's omnipotence. But faith is a gift of God, which man, especially at times when he is wavering, should ask humbly and tenaciously, like the father of this boy: "I believe, help my unbelief," and like the Apostles: "Increase our faith!" (Luke 17: 5).
28-29. "In teaching the Apostles how to expel a spirit as evil as this He is teaching all of us how we should live, and telling us that prayer is the resource we should use to overcome even the severest temptations, whether they come from unclean spirits or from men. Prayer does not consist only in the words we use to invoke God's clemency but also in everything we do, out of faith, as homage to God. The Apostle bears witness to this when he says: `Pray constantly' (1 Thessalonians 5:7)" (St. Bede, "In Marci Evangelium Expositio, in loc.").
*********************************************************************************************
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment