CCC Cross Reference:
Rom 11:12 674; Rom 11:13-26 755; Rom 11:25 591, 674; Rom 11:26 674; Rom 11:28 60; Rom 11:29 839
Lk 14:1 575, 588
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Reading 1
Rom 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29
Brothers and sisters:
I ask, then, has God rejected his people?
Of course not!
For I too am a child of Israel, a descendant of Abraham,
of the tribe of Benjamin.
God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah,
how he pleads with God against Israel?
Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall?
Of course not!
But through their transgression
salvation has come to the Gentiles,
so as to make them jealous.
Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world,
and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles,
how much more their full number.
I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers and sisters,
so that you will not become wise in your own estimation:
a hardening has come upon Israel in part,
until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,
and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
The deliverer will come out of Zion,
he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;
and this is my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.
In respect to the Gospel, they are enemies on your account;
but in respect to election,
they are beloved because of the patriarch.
For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 17-18
R. (14a) The Lord will not abandon his people.
Blessed the man whom you instruct, O Lord,
whom by your law you teach,
Giving him rest from evil days.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
For the Lord will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
Were not the Lord my help,
my soul would soon dwell in the silent grave.
When I say, “My foot is slipping,”
your mercy, O Lord, sustains me.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
Gospel
Lk 14:1, 7-11
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading Romans 11:1 – 29
Let me put a further question: is it possible that God has rejected his people? Of course not. I, an Israelite, descended from Abraham through the tribe of Benjamin, could never agree that God had rejected his people, the people he chose specially long ago. Do you remember what scripture says of Elijah – how he complained to God about Israel’s behavior? Let me put another question then: have the Jews fallen for ever, or have they just stumbled? Obviously they have not fallen for ever: their fall, though, has saved the pagans in a way the Jews may now well emulate. Think of the extent to which the world, the pagan world, has benefited from their fall and defection – then think how much more it will benefit from the conversion of them all. There is a hidden reason for all this, brothers, of which I do not want you to be ignorant, in case you think you know more than you do. One section of Israel has become blind, but this will last only until the whole pagan world has entered, and then after this the rest of Israel will be saved as well. As scripture says: The liberator will come from Zion, he will banish godlessness from Jacob. And this is the covenant I will make with them when I take their sins away.
The Jews are enemies of God only with regard to the Good News, and enemies only for your sake; but as the chosen people, they are still loved by God, loved for the sake of their ancestors. God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 93(94):12-15,17-18
The Lord will not abandon his people.
Happy the man whom you teach, O Lord,
whom you train by means of your law;
to him you give peace in evil days.
The Lord will not abandon his people.
The Lord will not abandon his people
nor forsake those who are his own;
for judgement shall again be just
and all true hearts shall uphold it.
The Lord will not abandon his people.
If the Lord were not to help me,
I would soon go down into the silence.
When I think: ‘I have lost my foothold’;
your mercy, Lord, holds me up.
The Lord will not abandon his people.
Gospel Luke 14:1 – 11
Now on a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honor. He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honor. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, “Give up your place to this man”. And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher”. In that way, everyone with you at the table will see you honored. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Saturday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
Romans 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29
The New Chosen People
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[1] I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. [2a] God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel?
[11] So I ask, have they stumbled so as to fall? By no means! But through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. [12] No if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their inclusion mean!
The Conversion of the Jews
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[25] Lest you be wise in our own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, [26] and so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, "The Deliverer will come upon Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob"; [27] "and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins." [28] As regards the gospel they are enemies of God, for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. [29] For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
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Commentary:
2-5. When Israel fell into idolatry, God raised up the prophet Elijah, who confronted the king with the sins of the people, who were worshipping idols and listening to false prophets (cf. 1 Kings 19:9-18). The king, instead of listening to Elijah, persecuted him; he had to flee to Mount Horeb. There he complained to God about Israel, and God in reply told him that he would punish them: the sons of Israel would die by the sword, but not all of them. God would preserve seven thousand of them, who had remained faithful to him. St Paul recalls this episode as an example of God intervening in Salvation History through men he has specially chosen. Even in times when sinfulness was rampant the Lord kept certain individuals faithful; these acted as his instruments to revive and extend people's grasp of true teaching and love of his laws, and to render due worship to the Creator: for example, he chose Noah and his family when the world was full of wickedness (Gen 6:5-8), and Abraham, when men had forgotten the true God (Josh 24:2ft), and he did the same when the people of Israel fell into idolatry.
The Prophets describe those who stay faithful to Yahweh as "the remnant of Israel", or words to that effect (cf. Jer 3:14; Ezek 9:8; Amos 3:12; Is 4:2-3; Mic 4:7; Zeph 2:7, 9), and prophesy that this "remnant" will be found, fIrst, among those deported to Babylonia, later among the repatriated exiles and, finally, after the exile, among the servants of God, after the still unfaithful people are decimated and purified.
25-32. We all yearn for the fulfillment of these words--threatening yet consoling -- which Christ addressed to the scribes and Pharisees: "For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"' (Mt 23:39). "Together with the prophets and the Apostle, the Church awaits the day, known to God alone, when all peoples will call on God with one voice and 'serve him with one accord' (Zeph 3:9)" (Vatican II, "Nostra Aetate", 4). The conversion of the Jews is a secret--a mystery, the text says (v. 25) – hidden in the future, which will come about when the Incarnation of the Word achieves its ultimate purpose.
This conversion will follow on that of the Gentiles, which will be as it were a prelude to it. Jesus has foretold that "Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Lk 21:24; cf. note on same), which in some way suggests that the Jews will be converted at the end of time.
However, when the Church in its preaching touches on the main signs of the end of the world, it only refers to the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world, to apostasy and to the Antichrist, but it has nothing to say about the conversion of the Jews (cf. "St Pius V Catechism", I, 8, 7). What the Church does do, and what we should do, is to pray the Lord to listen to its prayers that the people you first made your own may arrive at the fullness of redemption" ("Roman Missal", Good Friday Liturgy, Prayer of the Faithful).
"The same thing is happening, St Paul explains, now that the Gospel is being preached. The people of Israel in general are not accepting it and are not becoming part of the Church; only a small number of Jews have believed, and these are the "remnant" of Israel, chosen by God so that in them the promises might be kept. The conversion of Paul himself is an example and an earnest of this return of the people of Israel to their God, in line with the invitation that Hosea addressed to them: "Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity" (Hos 14:2).
Throughout the history of the Church lapses of this type have occurred, with a consequent breakdown in morality. Whenever this happens, those Christians who stay true to the faith may, like Elijah, feel inclined to despair; but they should react with a realistic and vigilant optimism and not indulge in useless lamentation. In the presence of God, they should reflect on the fact that God actually wants to use them and their holy lives to turn the situation around: "A secret, an open secret: these world crises are sanctity crises. God wants a handful of men 'of his own' in every human activity. And then...'"pax Christi in regno Christi"--the peace of Christ in the kingdom of Christ" (St. J. Escriva, The Way, 301).
29. God never goes back on anything he promises; therefore he continues to call the Jews to enter the chosen people. He does not take account of their disobedience or their sins: he will love them with an everlasting love, as he promised the patriarchs and in line with the merits accruing to them for their fidelity (cf. Rom 9: 4-5). It is this very immutability of God's love that makes it possible for "all Israel" (v. 26) to be saved. God's calling, which is eternal, cannot cease; but we for our part can reject his call. The immutability of God's plan is reassuring to us: it means that even if we abandon him at any point, we can always return to our earlier fidelity: he is still there, waiting for us.
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From: Luke 14:1, 7-11
[1] One Sabbath when He (Jesus) went to dine at the house of a ruler who belonged to the Pharisees, they were watching Him.
A Lesson About Humility
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[7] Now He told a parable to those who were invited, when He marked how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, [8] "When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest a more eminent man than you be invited by him; [9] and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give place to this man' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. [10] But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. [11] For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
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Commentary:
11. Humility is necessary for salvation that Jesus takes every opportunity to stress its importance. Here He uses the attitudes of people at banquet to remind us again that it is God who assigns the places at the Heavenly banquet. "Together with humility, the realization of the greatness of man's dignity – and of the overwhelming fact that, by grace, we are made children of God – forms a single attitude. It is not our own efforts that save us and gives us life; it is the grace of God. This is a truth which must never be forgotten" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 133).
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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
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