606 SAINTS JOACHIM AND ANNE, PARENTS OF
THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY MEMORIAL
CCC Cross Reference:
Sir 44:9-20 2112
Mt 13:3-23 1724; Mt 13:10-17 787
FIRST READING
Sirach 44:1, 10-15
Now will I praise those godly men,
our ancestors, each in his own time:
These were godly men
whose virtues have not been forgotten;
Their wealth remains in their families,
their heritage with their descendants;
Through God's covenant with them their family endures,
their posterity for their sake.
And for all time their progeny will endure,
their glory will never be blotted out;
Their bodies are peacefully laid away,
but their name lives on and on.
At gatherings their wisdom is retold,
and the assembly proclaims their praise.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 132:11, 13-14, 17-18
R. (Luke 1:32) God will give him the throne of David, his father.
The LORD swore to David
a firm promise from which he will not withdraw:
"Your own offspring
I will set upon your throne."
R. God will give him the throne of David, his father.
For the LORD has chosen Zion;
he prefers her for his dwelling.
"Zion is my resting place forever;
in her will I dwell, for I prefer her."
R. God will give him the throne of David, his father.
"In her will I make a horn to sprout forth for David;
I will place a lamp for my anointed.
His enemies I will clothe with shame,
but upon him my crown shall shine."
R. God will give him the throne of David, his father.
GOSPEL
Matthew 13:16-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Blessed are your eyes, because they see,
and your ears, because they hear.
Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people
longed to see what you see but did not see it,
and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
First reading: Ecclesiasticus 44:1,10-15
Their name lives on for all generations
Let us praise illustrious men,
our ancestors in their successive generations.
Here is a list of generous men
whose good works have not been forgotten.
In their descendants there remains
a rich inheritance born of them.
Their descendants stand by the covenants
and, thanks to them, so do their children’s children.
Their offspring will last for ever,
their glory will not fade.
Their bodies have been buried in peace,
and their name lives on for all generations.
The peoples will proclaim their wisdom,
the assembly will celebrate their praises.
Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 131(132):11,13-14,17-18
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
The Lord swore an oath to David;
he will not go back on this word:
‘A son, the fruit of your body,
will I set upon your throne.’
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
For the Lord has chosen Zion;
he has desired it for his dwelling:
‘This is my resting-place for ever;
here have I chosen to live.
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
‘There David’s stock will flower;
I will prepare a lamp for my anointed.
I will cover his enemies with shame
but on him my crown shall shine.’
The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
Gospel: Matthew 13:16-17
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’
Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible
Tuesday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time
From: Sirach 44:1, 8, 10-15
Prologue
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[1] Let us now praise famous men,
and our fathers in their generations.
[8] There are some of them who have left a name,
so that men declare their praise.
[10] But these were men of mercy,
whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten;
[11] their prosperity will remain with their descendants,
and their inheritance to their children's children.
[12] Their descendants stand by the covenants;
their children also, for their sake.
[13] Their posterity will continue for ever,
and their glory will not be blotted out.
[14] Their bodies were buried in peace,
and their name lives to all generations.
[15] Peoples will declare their wisdom,
and the congregation proclaims their praise.
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Commentary:
44:1-50:29. This eulogy of ancestors begins with a short prologue (44:1-15), which summarizes Ben Sirach's teachings. What it says about them is what we have read elsewhere in the book about wise people, people who were loyal to the Law: they "have left a name" (44:8; cf. 41:12-13), whereas the ungodly "have no memorial" (44:9; cf. 41:11); "their righteous deeds have not been forgotten" and they have left an "inheritance" to their descendants (44:10-11; cf. 23:25-26); their name "lives to all generations", in all peoples and in the praise of the "congregation" (44:14-15; cf. 39:10-11). But these admirable lives are, in the last analysis, further evidence of the greatness of God (44:2). In the Church this same teaching applies in the case of saints. In their memory we remind God that "You are glorified in your saints, for their glory is the crowning of your gifts. In their lives on earth you gave us an example. In our communion with them, you give us their friendship. In their prayer for the Church you give us strength and protection. This great company of witnesses spurs us on to victory, to share their prize of lasting glory" ("Roman Missal", Preface of the holy men and women).
The author goes on to survey sacred history from Enoch (44:16) to the priest Simon (50:1-21). In fact he goes right back to Adam, because Adam stands at the very origin of man (cf. 49:16). In this survey one can see the author's teaching is close to the Deuteronomic Tradition -- fidelity to the Covenant with God, adherence to the Law, the temple as the sole place of divine worship. The only three kings given praise in Deuteronomic history (David, Hezekiah and Josiah) are lauded here too (cf. 49:4). Even Solomon, despite all his wisdom, despite the fact that he built the temple, put a stain on the honor of God (47:20) and as a consequence (in line with Ben Sirach's persistent message) his son Rehoboam was ample in folly" (47:23).
The list of people praised also includes the main judges and prophets. However, one cannot help noticing the somewhat over-generous amount of space given to Aaron (45:6-22). In fact what Sirach praises is not just Aaron himself; he revels in the magnificence of Aaron's sacred vestments, thereby emphasizing the reverence that is due to priests and to things to do with the liturgy. The last person to be eulogized, the high priest Simon: 50:1-21 really marks the climax of all this praise: Simon in some way embodies all the very best to be learned from these great ancestors.
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From: Matthew 13:16-17
Speaking in Parables (Continuation)
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[16] But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. [17] Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."
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Commentary:
16-17. In contrast with the closed attitude of many Jews who witnessed Jesus' life but did not believe in Him, the disciples are praised by our Lord for their docility to grace, their openness to recognizing Him as the Messiah and to accepting His teaching.
He calls His disciples blessed, happy. As He says, the prophets and just men and women of the Old Testament had for centuries lived in hope of enjoying one day the peace the future Messiah would bring, but they had died without experiencing this good fortune. Simeon, towards the end of his long life, was filled with joy on seeing the infant Jesus when He was presented in the temple: "He took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 'Lord now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation'" (Luke 2:28-30). During our Lord's public life, His disciples were fortunate enough to see and be on close terms with Him; later they would recall that incomparable gift, and one of them would begin his first letter in these words: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life; [...] that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing this that our [or: your] joy may be complete 1 John 1:1-4).
This exceptional good fortune was, obviously, not theirs but of special merit: God planned it; it was He who decided that the time had come for the Old Testament prophecies to be fulfilled. In any event, God gives every soul opportunities to meet Him: each of us has to be sensitive enough to grasp them and not let them pass. There were many men and women in Palestine who saw and heard the incarnate Son of God but did not have the spiritual sensitivity to see in Him what the Apostles and disciples saw.
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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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