EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

84C EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Note: this option is frequently superseded by the Lenten season or the Solemnities immediately following.

Catechism Links
CCC 2563: The heart is the home of truth
CCC 1755-1756: Good acts and evil acts
CCC 1783-1794: Forming conscience and decision-making
CCC 2690: Spiritual direction
CCC 1009-1013: Christian view of death

CCC Cross Reference:
1 Cor 15:56 602

Back to Memorial Bench
Back to SOW II '19
Back to SOW II '22

FIRST READING

Sirach 27:4-7

When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear;
  so do one's faults when one speaks.
As the test of what the potter molds is in the furnace,
  so in tribulation is the test of the just.
The fruit of a tree shows the care it has had;
  so too does one's speech disclose the bent of one's mind.
Praise no one before he speaks,
  for it is then that people are tested.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

R. (cf. 2a) Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
  to sing praise to your name. Most High,
to proclaim your kindness at dawn
  and your faithfulness throughout the night.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

The just one shall flourish like the palm tree,
  like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow.
They that are planted in the house of the LORD
  shall flourish in the courts of our God.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
  They shall bear fruit even in old age;
  vigorous and sturdy shall they be,
declaring how just is the Lord,
  my rock, in whom there is no wrong.
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

SECOND READING

1 Corinthians 15:54-58

Brothers and sisters:
When this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility
  and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality,
  then the word that is written shall come about:
   Death is swallowed up in victory.
   Where, O death, is your victory?
   Where, O death, is your sting?
The sting of death is sin,
  and the power of sin is the law.
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory
  through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters,
  be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord,
  knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

GOSPEL

Luke 6:39-45

Jesus told his disciples a parable,
  "Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
  but when fully trained,
  every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye,
   but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
  'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,'
  when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own
   eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
  then you will see clearly
  to remove the splinter in your brother's eye.
"A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
  nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
  nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart
   produces good,
  but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
  for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks."

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

First reading
Ecclesiasticus 27:5-8
In a shaken sieve the rubbish is left behind,
  so too the defects of a man appear in his talk.
The kiln tests the work of the potter,
  the test of a man is in his conversation.
The orchard where a tree grows is judged on the quality of its fruit,
  similarly a man’s words betray what he feels.
Do not praise a man before he has spoken,
  since this is the test of men.

Responsorial Psalm:
Psalm 91(92):2-3,13-16

It is good to give you thanks, O Lord.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
  to make music to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your love in the morning
  and your truth in the watches of the night.

It is good to give you thanks, O Lord.

The just will flourish like the palm tree
  and grow like a Lebanon cedar.

It is good to give you thanks, O Lord.

Planted in the house of the Lord
  they will flourish in the courts of our God,
still bearing fruit when they are old,
  still full of sap, still green,
to proclaim that the Lord is just.
  In him, my rock, there is no wrong.

It is good to give you thanks, O Lord.

Second reading
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
  Never give in then, my dear brothers, never admit defeat; keep on working at the Lord’s work always, knowing that, in the Lord, you cannot be labouring in vain.

Gospel
Luke 6:39-45

Jesus told a parable to his disciples: ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.
  ‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.’

Readings and Commentary from the Navarre Bible

8th Sunday in Ordinary Time

From Sirach 27:4-7

Sirach 27:4-7
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[4] When a sieve is shaken, the refuse remains; So a man’s filth remains I his thoughts. [5] The kiln tests the potter’s vessels; So the test of a man is in his reasoning. [6] The fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree; So the expression of a thought discloses the cultivation of a man’s mind. [7] Do not praise a man before you her him reason, For this is the test of men.

Commentary

26:28-27:30. From the point of view of themes, it is not easy to see any particular unity to this passage, or indeed unified parts within it. As on other occasions, the proverbs here vary often derive from popular wisdom and thus encourage the reader to go beyond a superficial understanding of his situation to a realization that his ideas and actions have consequences that may rebound upon him (cf., for example vv. 25-30). However the underlying purpose of the sacred writer is a religious one – teaching people not to sin (cf. 26:28-27:1), to do nothing hateful to the Lord (cf. 27:24), to pursue justice always (cf. 27:8).

There is also in these verses a call to know when to speak and when to listen (27:11-21). The wise man is sensible and prudent: you can identify him by how he speaks. He has the great skill of knowing how to speak the truth in the right way at the right time, so that his conversation is always pleasant and sensitive, even when others try to lower the moral tone. “Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be known, or for making use of a discreet language. The duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it. (cf. Sir 27:17; Prov 25:9-10)” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2489).

********************************************************************************* From: 1 Corinthians 15:54-57

The manner of the resurrection of the dead
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[54] When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
"Death is swallowed up in victory."
[55] "O death, where is thy victory?
O death, where is thy sting?"
[56] The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. [57] But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Commentary:

54-57. The chapter ends with the words of joy and thanksgiving to God for the tremendous benefits bought by the death and resurrection of our Lord, benefits which result from his victory over those enemies which had made man their slave – sin, death and the devil. Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross – offering himself to God the Father in atonement for all the offences of mankind – has conquered sin and the devil, who attained power through sin. And his victory was completed by his resurrection, which routed death. This has made it possible for his elect to be raised in glory, and is the cause of their resurrection. "In Christ", Bl. John Paul II explains, "justice is done to sin at the price of his sacrifice, of his obedience 'even to death' (Phil 2:8). He who was without sin, 'God made him to be sin for our sake' (2 Cor 5:21). Justice is also brought to bear upon death, which from the beginning of man's history has been allied to sin. Death has justice done to it at the price of the death of the one who was without sin and who alone was able – by means of his own death – to inflict death upon death (cf. 1 Cor 15:54f) […]. In this way the cross, the Cross of Christ, in fact, makes us understand the deepest roots of evil, which are fixed in sin and death; thus the Cross becomes an escha- tological sign. Only in the eschatological fulfillment and definitive renewal of the world will love conquer, in all the elect, the deepest sources of evil, bringing as its fully mature fruit the kingdom of life and holiness and glorious immortality.

The foundation of this eschatological fulfillment is already contained in the Cross of Christ and in his death. The fact that Christ 'was raised the third day' (1 Cor 15: 4) constitutes the final sign of the messianic mission, a sign that perfects the en- tire revelation of merciful love in a world that is subject to evil. At the same time it constitutes the sign that foretells 'a new heaven and a new earth' (Rev 21:1) when God 'will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away' (Rev 21:4)" ("Dives in misericordia", 8).

56-57 The Apostle here provides a summary of his teaching on the connections between death, sin and the Mosaic Law, a teaching which is given in a much more elaborate form in chaps 5-7 of his Letter to the Romans. Sin is the sting of death in the sense that death entered the world through sin (cf. Rom 5:12) to do harm to men. Sin, in its turn, grew as a result of and was reinforced by the Mosaic Law: the Law did not induce people to sin but it was the occasion of increase in sin in the sense that made it plainer where good lay and yet did not provide the grace to enable man to avoid sin (cf. "Commentary on 1 Cor, ad loc.").

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From: Luke 6:39-45

Integrity
------------
[39] He (Jesus) told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? [40] A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when he is fully taught will be like his teacher. [41] Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your eye? [42] Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye."

[43] "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; [44] for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. [45] The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure pro- duces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

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Commentary:

[None for Luke 6:39-42. Below is a commentary on a similar theme from Matthew 7:1-5. Commentary for Luke 6:43-45 follows.]

1. Jesus is condemning any rash judgments we make maliciously or carelessly about our brothers' behavior or feelings or motives. "Think badly and you will not be far wrong" is completely at odds with Jesus' teaching.

In speaking of Christian charity St. Paul lists its main features: "Love is patient and kind [...]. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5, 7). Therefore, "Never think badly of anyone, not even if the words or conduct of the person in question give you good grounds for doing so" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 442).

"Let us be slow to judge. Each one sees things from his own point of view, as his mind, with all its limitations, tells him, and through eyes that are often dimmed and clouded by passion" ("ibid"., 451).

1-2. As elsewhere, the verbs in the passive voice ("you will be judged", "the measure you will be given") have God as their subject, even though He is not explicitly mentioned: "Do not judge others, that you be not judged by God". Clearly the judgment referred to here is always a condemnatory judgment; therefore, if we do not want to be condemned by God, we should never condemn our neighbor. "God measures out according as we measure out and forgives as we forgive, and comes to our rescue with the same tenderness as He sees us having towards others" (Fray Luis de Leon, "Exposicion Del Libro De Job", chapter 29).

3-5. A person whose sight is distorted sees things as deformed, even though in fact they are not deformed. St. Augustine gives this advice: "Try to acquire those virtues which you think your brothers lack, and you will no longer see their defects, because you will not have them yourselves" ("Enarrationes In Psalmos", 30, 2, 7). In this connection, the saying, "A thief thinks that everyone else is a thief" is in line with this teaching of Jesus.

Besides: "To criticize, to destroy, is not difficult; any unskilled laborer knows how to drive his pick into the noble and finely-hewn stone of a cathedral. To construct that is what requires the skill of a master" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 456).

Luke 6:43-45 --

43-44. To distinguish the good tree from the bad tree we need to look at the fruit the tree produces (deeds) and not at its foliage (words). "For there is no lack of people here on earth who, on being approached, turn out to be nothing but large, shiny, glossy leaves. Foliage, just foliage and nothing more. Meanwhile, many souls are looking at us hoping to satisfy their hunger, which is a hunger for God. We must not forget that we have all the resources we need. We have sufficient doctrine and the grace of God, in spite of our wretchedness" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 51).

45. Jesus is giving us two similes--that of the tree which, if it is not good, produces good fruit, and that of the man, who speaks of those things he has in his heart. "The treasure of the heart is the same as the root of the tree," St Bede explains. "A person who has a treasure of patience and of perfect charity in his heart yields excellent fruit; he loves his neighbor and has all the other qualities Jesus teaches; he loves his enemies, does good to him who hates him, blesses him who curses him, prays for him who calumniates him, does not react against him who attacks him or robs him; he gives to those who ask, does not claim what they have stolen from him, wishes not to judge and does not condemn, corrects patiently and affectionately those who err. But the person who has in his heart the treasure of evil does exactly the opposite: he hates his friends, speaks evil of him who loves him and does all the other things condemned by the Lord" ("In Lucae Evangelium Expositio", II, 6).

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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 purchaseThe Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.

O Antiphons

The Roman Church has been singing the "O" Antiphons since at least the eighth century. They are the antiphons that accompany the Magnificat canticle of Evening Prayer from December 17-23. They are a magnificent theology that uses ancient biblical imagery drawn from the messianic hopes of the Old Testament to proclaim the coming Christ as the fulfillment not only of Old Testament hopes, but present ones as well. Their repeated use of the imperative "Come!" embodies the longing of all for the Divine Messiah. (USCCB)

December 17

O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all
 creation with your strong yet tender care: Come
 and show your people the way to salvation.

 O Sapientia, quae ex ore Altissimi prodisti,
 attingens a fine usque ad finem fortiter,
 suaviter disponensque omnia:
 veni ad docendum nos viam prudentiae.

December 18

O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed
yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave
him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch
out your mighty hand to set us free.

O Adonai, et dux domus Israel,
qui Moyse in igne flammae rubi apparuisti,
et ei in Sina legem dedisti:
veni ad redimendum nos in brachio extent.

December 19

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,
controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come,
break down the prison walls of death for those
who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death;
and lead your captive people into freedom.

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel,
qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperuit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

December 20

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel,
controlling at your will the gate of heaven: Come,
break down the prison walls of death for those
who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death;
and lead your captive people into freedom.

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel,
qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperuit:
veni, et educ vinctum de domo carceris,
sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

December 21

O Radiant Dawn,
splendor of eternal light, sun of justice:
Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death.

O Oriens,
splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae:
veni, et illumina sedentes in tenebris,
et umbra mortis.

December 22

O King of all the nations, the only joy of every
human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of
man: Come and save the creature you fashioned
from the dust.

O Rex Gentium, et desideratus earum,
lapisque angularis, qui facis utraque unum:
veni, et salva hominem,
quem de limo formasti.

December 23

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the
nations, Savior of all people: Come and set us
free, Lord our God.

O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster,
expectratio gentium, et Salvator earum:
veni ad salvandum nos,
Domines, Deus noster.

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

90C Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Catechism Links
CCC 646, 994: in raising the dead Christ announces his own Resurrection
CCC 1681: Christian meaning of death associated with the Resurrection
CCC 2583: Elijah and the widow
CCC 2637: Christ frees creation from sin and death

CCC Cross Reference:
1 Kgs 17:7-24 2583
Gal 1:13 752; Gal 1:15-16 442; Gal 1:15 153; Gal 1:16 659; Gal 1:19 500; Gal 1:20 2154
Lk 7:11-17 994; Lk 7:16 1503

Back to SOW II '13
Back to SOW II '16

Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:17-24

Elijah went to Zarephath of Sidon to the house of a widow.
The son of the mistress of the house fell sick,
and his sickness grew more severe until he stopped breathing.
So she said to Elijah,
“Why have you done this to me, O man of God?
Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt
and to kill my son?”
Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”
Taking him from her lap, he carried the son to the upper room
where he was staying, and put him on his bed.
Elijah called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
will you afflict even the widow with whom I am staying
by killing her son?”
Then he stretched himself out upon the child three times
and called out to the LORD:
“O LORD, my God,
let the life breath return to the body of this child.”
The LORD heard the prayer of Elijah;
the life breath returned to the child’s body and he revived.
Taking the child, Elijah brought him down into the house
from the upper room and gave him to his mother.
Elijah said to her, “See! Your son is alive.”
The woman replied to Elijah,
“Now indeed I know that you are a man of God.
The word of the LORD comes truly from your mouth.”

Responsorial Psalm Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Reading 2 Gal 1:11-19

I want you to know, brothers and sisters,
that the gospel preached by me is not of human origin.
For I did not receive it from a human being, nor was I taught it,
but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

For you heard of my former way of life in Judaism,
how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure
and tried to destroy it, and progressed in Judaism
beyond many of my contemporaries among my race,
since I was even more a zealot for my ancestral traditions.
But when God, who from my mother’s womb had set me apart
and called me through his grace,
was pleased to reveal his Son to me,
so that I might proclaim him to the Gentiles,
I did not immediately consult flesh and blood,
nor did I go up to Jerusalem
to those who were apostles before me;
rather, I went into Arabia and then returned to Damascus.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem
to confer with Cephas and remained with him for fifteen days.
But I did not see any other of the apostles,
only James the brother of the Lord.

Gospel Lk 7:11-17
Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst, ”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.

Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

 First reading    1 Kings 17:17-24

The son of the mistress of the house fell sick; his illness was so severe that in the end he had no breath left in him. And the woman said to Elijah, ‘What quarrel have you with me, man of God? Have you come here to bring my sins home to me and to kill my son?’ ‘Give me your son’ he said, and taking him from her lap, carried him to the upper room where he was staying and laid him on his own bed. He cried out to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, do you mean to bring grief to the widow who is looking after me by killing her son?’ He stretched himself on the child three times and cried out to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, may the soul of this child, I beg you, come into him again!’ The Lord heard the prayer of Elijah and the soul of the child returned to him again and he revived. Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. ‘Look,’ Elijah said ‘your son is alive.’ And the woman replied, ‘Now I know you are a man of God and the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth itself.’

Psalm:   Psalm 29:2,4-6,11-13

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me
  and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead,
  restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him,
  give thanks to his holy name.
His anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life.
  At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

The Lord listened and had pity.
  The Lord came to my help.
For me you have changed my mourning into dancing:
  O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever.

I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.

Second reading    Galatians 1:11-19

The Good News I preached is not a human message that I was given by men, it is something I learnt only through a revelation of Jesus Christ. You must have heard of my career as a practising Jew, how merciless I was in persecuting the Church of God, how much damage I did to it, how I stood out among other Jews of my generation, and how enthusiastic I was for the traditions of my ancestors.
  Then God, who had specially chosen me while I was still in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I might preach the Good News about him to the pagans. I did not stop to discuss this with any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were already apostles before me, but I went off to Arabia at once and later went straight back from there to Damascus. Even when after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days, I did not see any of the other apostles; I only saw James, the brother of the Lord.

Gospel    Luke 7:11-17

Jesus went to a town called Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. When he was near the gate of the town it happened that a dead man was being carried out for burial, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a considerable number of the townspeople were with her. When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her. ‘Do not cry’ he said. Then he went up and put his hand on the bier and the bearers stood still, and he said, ‘Young man, I tell you to get up.’ And the dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Everyone was filled with awe and praised God saying, ‘A great prophet has appeared among us; God has visited his people.’ And this opinion of him spread throughout Judaea and all over the countryside.

Reading and Commentary from the Navarre Bible

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

From: 1 Kings 17:17-24

The Son of the Widow of Zarephath Restored to Life
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[17] After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; and his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. [18] And she said to Elijah, "What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!" [19] And he said to her, "Give me your son." And he took him from her bosom, and carried him up into the upper chamber, where he lodged, and laid him upon his own bed. 20] And he cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, hast thou brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?" [21] Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this child's soul come into him again." [22] And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. [23] And Elijah took the child, and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and delivered him to his mother; and Elijah said, "See, your son lives." [24] And the woman said to Elijah, "Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth."

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Commentary:

1 Kings 17:1-2 – 2 Kings 1:18. The ample coverage given to the reign of Ahab is not so much due to the actions of the king as to the fact that God raised up at this time prophets who played a critical role in maintaining knowledge and worship of the God of Israel when they were under threat. The most outstanding of these prophets is Elijah. It is quite likely that the narratives to do with Elijah were lifted straight out of another text and inserted here, like other accounts of prophets of the same time -- an unnamed prophet (chap. 20) and Micaiah the son of Imlah (chap. 22), both of whom speak to the king on God’s behalf during the war against Syria.

17:1-19:21. The great drought, which is the backdrop of chapters 17-19, seems to be a divine punishment for the king’s idolatry reported in the previous chapter; but the main thing it does is to provide an opportunity to show the superiority of the God of Israel over the Canaanite god Baal. Elijah, whose name means “my God is the Lord”, is an itinerant prophet who, like the patriarchs, moves around the country in obedience to the word of the Lord.

God makes himself known in a new way through the prophet Elijah. The same God who manifested himself as friend and protector of the patriarchs, and who gave the Law to Moses, now reveals himself as the Lord of creation and of nature. To the Canaanites the god Baal was master of the forces of nature -- rain, storms, fertility etc. Through the prophet Elijah the true God reveals himself to be distinct from and higher than all those forces, no matter what their power (cf. 19:11-13), as well as being their Lord (cf. 17:1). Elijah is the champion of the rights of God and of the poor (cf. chap 21) and in this sense he is a model for all the prophets that will come after him, the so-called writer prophets. “Elijah is the ‘father’ of the prophets, ‘the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob’ (Ps 24:6)” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2582).

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From: Galatians 1:11-19

God's Call
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[11] For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not man's gospel. [12] For I did not receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

[13] For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; [14] and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. [15] But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, [16] was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, [17] nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus.

[18] Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and remained with him fifteen days. [19] But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother.

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Commentary:

11-12. "What shall I do, Lord?" (Acts 22:10), Paul asked at the moment of his conversion. Jesus replied, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do" (ibid.). The former persecutor, now under the influence of grace, will receive instruction and Baptism through the ordinary course of divine Providence--from a man, Ananias. Thereby Jesus led him to humility, obedience and abandonment. The Gospel which St Paul preached was identical with that preached by the other Apostles, and already had the character of "tradition" in the nascent Church (cf. 1 Cor 15:3; Gal 2:2). This is compatible with Paul's claim--made in this passage--that his Gospel does not come from any man but through a revelation from Jesus Christ. Firstly, because on seeing the risen Christ he was given supernatural light to understand that Jesus was not only the Messiah but also the Son of God; and also because this first revelation was followed by many others to which he refers in his epistles (cf. 1 Cor 11:23; 13:3-8 and especially 2 Cor 12:1-4).

St Paul's was a unique case, because normally a person came to know the Gospel of Christ by receiving it or learning it from those who had seen Christ during his life on earth and listened to his teachings. This was what happened in St Luke's case, for example (cf. Lk 1:2). St Paul still felt the need to go to Jerusalem to hear the Apostles' preaching (cf. below 1:16-18), especially that of St Peter.

13-14. The Acts of the Apostles tell us about Paul's religious zeal; a Pharisee, he had studied under Gamaliel (cf. Acts 22:3; Phil 3:5) and had consented to and been present at the martyrdom of Stephen (cf. Acts 7:58; 8:1). Saul had stood out as a persecutor of Christians, so keen was he to seek them out and imprison them, even going beyond Judea to do so (cf. Acts 9:1-2). Clearly he had been a man convinced of his Jewish faith, a zealous keeper of the Law, and proud to be a Jew (cf. Rom 11:1 ; 2 Cor 11:22). Such was the fear the early Christians had of him that they could not bring themselves to believe in his conversion (cf. Acts 9:26). However, this same fervor and passion, to use St Augustine's comparison (cf. "Contra Faustum", XXII, 70) was like a dense jungle -- a serious obstacle and yet an indication of immensely fertile soil. Our Lord sowed the seed of the Gospel in that soil and it produced a very rich crop.

Everyone, no matter how irregular his life may have been, can produce good re- sults like this--with the help of grace, which does not displace nature but heals and purifies it, and then raises and perfects it: Courage! You...can! Don't you see what God's grace did with sleepy-headed Peter, the coward who had denied him ..., and with Paul, his fierce and relentless persecutor?" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 483).

15-16. More than once in Scripture we read about God choosing certain people for special missions even when they were still in their mother's womb (cf. Jer 1:5; Is 49:1-5; Lk 1:15; etc.). This emphasizes the fact that God makes a gratuitous choice: there is no question of the person's previous merits contributing to God's decision. Vocation is a supernatural divine gift, which God has planned from all eternity. When God made his will known on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 9: 3-6), St Paul "did not confer with flesh and blood", that is, did not seek advice from anyone, because he was absolutely sure that God himself had called him. Nor did he consent to the prudence of the flesh, seeking to "play safe": his self- surrender was immediate, total and unconditional. When the Apostles heard Jesus inviting them to follow him, they "immediately left their nets" (Mt 4:20, 22; Mk 1:18) and followed the Master, leaving everything behind (cf. Lk 5:11). We see the same thing happening in Saul's case: he responds immediately. If he makes his way to Ananias, he does so on the explicit instructions of Jesus--in order to receive instruction and Baptism and to discover what his mission is to be (Acts 9:15-16).

God's call, therefore, should receive an immediate response. "Consider the faith and obedience of the Apostles", St John Chrysostom says. "They are in the midst of their work (and you know how attractive fishing is!). When they hear his command, they do not vacillate or lose any time: they do not say, 'Let's go home and say goodbye to our parents.' No, they leave everything and follow him [...]. That is the kind of obedience Christ asks of us -- not to delay even a minute, no matter how important the things that might keep us" ("Hom. on St Matthew", 14, 2). And St Cyril of Alexandria comments: "For Jesus also said, 'No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the Kingdom of God', and he looked back who asked permission to return home and speak to his parents. But we see that the holy Apostles did not act in that way; rather they followed Jesus, immediately leaving the boat and their parents behind. Paul also acted immediately. He 'did not confer with flesh and blood'. That is how those who want to fol- low Christ must act" ("Commentarium in Lucam", 9).

A person has a duty to follow Christ even if his relatives are opposed to his doing so or want him to delay making a final decision, perhaps because they feel that would be the more (humanly) prudent course: "A person should honor his parents, but God he should obey. We should love the one who has begotten us, but the first place should be given to him who created us", St Augustine says, not mincing words ("Sermon 100").

Even if we are unsure as to whether we are strong enough to persevere, this should not delay us or concern us: it should simply lead us to pray confidently for God's help, because, as Vatican II teaches, when God calls a person, he "must reply without taking counsel with flesh and blood and must give himself fully to the work of the Gospel. However, such an answer can only be given with the encouragement and help of the Holy Spirit [...]. Therefore, he must be prepared to remain faithful to his vocation for life, to renounce himself and everything that up to this he possessed as his own, and to make himself 'all things to all men' (1 Cor 9:22)" ("Ad Gentes", 24).

17-19. After a period of time devoted to penance and prayer, St Paul made his way to Jerusalem (cf. Acts 9:26-30) to see Cephas, that is, Peter. His stay of two weeks is an important indication of Paul's recognition of and veneration for Peter, chosen as he had been as the foundation stone of the Church.

In subsequent generations, right down the centuries, Christians have shown their love for Peter and his successors, traveling to Rome often at great personal effort and sometimes, even, risk. "Catholic, apostolic, "Roman"! I want you to be very Roman. And to be anxious to make your 'path to Rome', "videre Petrum" -- to see Peter (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 520). Solidarity with and veneration for the Pope is, then, a clear, practical sign of good Christian spirit.

"James the Lord's brother" (cf. notes on Mt 12:46-47 and 13:55) is, most commentators think, James the Less (cf. Mk 15:40), also called the son of Alphaeus (cf. Lk 6:15) and author of the letter which bears his name (cf. Jas 1:1).

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From: Luke 7:11-17

The Son of the Widow in Nain Restored to Life
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[11] Soon afterwards He (Jesus) went to a city called Nain, and His disciples and a great crowd went with Him. [12] As He drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her. [13] And when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." [14] And He came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." [15] And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And He gave him to his mother. [16] Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited His people!" [17] And this report concerning Him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

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Commentary:

11-17. "Jesus crosses paths again with a crowd of people. He could have passed by or waited until they called Him. But He didn't. He took the initiative, because He was moved by a widow's sorrow. She had just lost all she had, her son.

"The evangelist explains that Jesus was moved. Perhaps He even showed signs of it, as when Lazarus died. Christ was not, and is not, insensitive to the suffe- ring that stems from love. He is pained at seeing children separated from their parents. He overcomes death so as to give life, to reunite those who love one another. But at the same time, He requires that we first admit the pre-eminence of divine love, which alone can inspire genuine Christian living.

"Christ knows He is surrounded by a crowd which will be awed by the miracle and will tell the story all over the countryside. But He does not act artificially, merely to create an effect. Quite simply He is touched by that woman's suffering and cannot but console her. So He goes up to her and says, `Do not weep.' It is like saying, `I don't want to see you crying; I have come on earth to bring joy and peace.' And then comes the miracle, the sign of the power of Christ who is God. But first came His compassion, an evident sign of the tenderness of the heart of Christ the man" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 166).

15. This mother's joy on being given back her son reminds us of the joy of our Mother the Church when her sinful children return to the life of grace. "The widowed mother rejoiced at the raising of that young man," St. Augustine comments. "Our Mother the Church rejoices every day when people are raised again in spirit. The young man had been dead physically; the latter, dead spiritually. The young man's death was mourned visibly; the death of the latter was invisible and unmourned. He seeks them out Who knew them to be dead; only He can bring them back to life" ("Sermon", 98, 2).

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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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