16 June 2024: Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary time B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Ez 17:22-24	Ps 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16	2 Cor 5:6-10	Mk 4:26-34
		RCL: 2 Cor 5:6-10 (11-13), 14-17

Discipleship: actively living for others in God’s kingdom

During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on the emergence of and life within God’s reign or kingdom.

First reading (Ez 17:22-24)

The first reading is from Ezekiel, a prophet who spoke God’s word to the Jews exiled in Babylon. He was a Jerusalem priest deported by Nebuchadnezzar II to Babylon in 597 BC. His prophetic themes include ritual purity versus sin’s defiling effects, God’s abandonment of Jerusalem because the people have turned away, and awareness of divine power.

In today’s pericope, Ezekiel, speaking for God (“Thus says the Lord GOD”), concludes an allegory about trees and vines introduced earlier. His oracle describes Israel’s ideal and lasting restoration: God plants a cedar branch (“a tender shoot,” representing the Davidic monarchy), which will grow (“become a majestic cedar”) and become a home for many people, including gentiles (“birds of every kind”). God reveals divine power by exalting the once humble tree (Israel) while humbling the higher trees (Babylon, Egypt, and other powerful nations), and healing the withered tree (the exiles in Babylon).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading because Jesus’ gospel parables echo Ezekiel’s tree allegory.

Second reading (2 Cor 5:6-10)

The second reading is the fifth part of an eight-week, semi-continuous reading from Paul’s second letter to the Corinth ekklesia. Paul writes to continue the Corinthians’ instruction, sharing his own apostolic work as an example. Written throughout 57 AD, Paul’s letter describes how a believer’s life reveals God’s power and authority, which shines through and empowers a believer’s own human weaknesses and trials.

In today’s pericope, Paul reflects on his future and the future of all believers (“we”). The goal for all believers is to be with Christ in glory. At present, believers are living an embodied, human life (“at home in the body”), and are “away from the Lord.” In this physical existence, believers encounter (“know”) the risen Lord through their faith only; human eyes cannot physically see him (“we walk by faith, not by sight”). In either case (“at home or away”), believers seek to live moral lives (“aspire to please him”), so that when Christ judges us at the end-time (“we appear before the judgment seat”), he will reward us for our embodied words and actions (“what we did in the body”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to continue Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from Second Corinthians.

Gospel (Mk 4:26-34)

Today’s pericope from Mark is part of Jesus’ “day of parables,” which includes the seed that grows by itself parable (Mk 4:26-29) and the mustard seed parable (Mk 4:30-32). Mark presents Jesus as the teacher, teaching in Wisdom style through parables. In Jewish tradition, parables had a set form and purpose: to describe in human terms and through scripture references what God or God’s kingdom was like. Rabbis used parables to interpret scripture; they often placed several related parables together so hearers could reflect on different possible meanings.

• The seed that grows by itself parable. Unlike the beleaguered seed in the sower parable (Mk 4:3-9), the seed in this parable is so powerful it sprouts everywhere, even when the farmer does nothing (“even while he sleeps, . . . he knows not how”). This parable presents the reassuring perspective of Wisdom literature: in spite of human limitations, God makes all things work together for good. Jesus reminds his hearers that God, not humans, controls everything; humans must trust in God’s providence.
• The mustard seed parable. This parable helps interpret the sower parable and the seed that grows by itself parable. In this parable, Jesus’ hearers would be surprised that anyone would plant mustard seeds because the plants grew wild, like weeds. Instead, in “the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade,” they would hear the echo of Ezekiel’s oracle (Ez 17:23, today’s first reading) and of Daniel’s vision interpretation (“under it the wild beasts found shade, in its branches the birds of the air nested,” Dn 4:9). The parable presents God’s kingdom as God transforming a very common thing (a mustard tree) into something mighty and life-giving. Jesus reminds his hearers that God creates every human to experience life fully in the divine kingdom.

Summary and reflection

This week’s readings ask us to think about the place of our discipleship in God’s kingdom. Ezekiel reminds the Jewish exiles that God brings the divine plan to fruition in unseen and unexpected ways. Paul reminds the Corinthians that, despite what happens around them, they must live moral lives to the best of their human abilities. Jesus teaches that, despite human limitation or interference, God is continually expanding and bringing forth the divine reign or kingdom for the benefit of all.

Throughout scripture we see God creating and creatively revealing, restoring, and growing God’s reign among humans. Some humans think they know better than God what a divine kingdom ought to look like, and build their human kingdoms through money, power, and oppression. Our role as disciples is to trust God and to live lives aligned with God’s love and care. Do we see in our own lives the unexpected emergence of God’s reign? Do we try in our daily lives to honor and to please God as best we can? Do we live our lives daily as members of God’s kingdom, witnessing God’s care and kindness to others who “dwell in its shade?”

—Terence Sherlock

9 June 2024: Tenth Sunday in Ordinary time B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Gn 3:9-15	Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8	2 Cor 4:13-5:1	Mk 3:20-35
RCL: Gn 3:8-15

Discipleship: healing broken relationships, creating new families

During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on choices and consequences, from ruptured relationships to choosing to create and to live in new relationships.

First reading (Gn 3:9-15)

The first reading is from Genesis, the first book of Torah. Genesis tells the stories of the world’s creation, Adam and Eve, Noah’s ark and the flood, the Tower of Babel, and the lives of the patriarchs. Genesis introduces Hebrew and Christian scriptures’ key themes: God causes everything; there is only one God; God has a personal relationship with humans; the divine/human relationship is essential, applying not only to God’s relationship with people, but also to the peoples’ relationships with each other.

In today’s pericope, the Genesis author tells the story of human overreach and its consequences. God’s question (“Where are you?”) echoes the broken divine/human relationship. The human desire to “be like gods” and the human choice to violate God’s boundary (“I had forbidden you to eat”) destroys the relationship. God judges the snake, the woman, and the man. God’s sentences are etiologies (stories that give the causes or origins of things): why snakes crawl on the ground, why humans are afraid of snakes, why humans act the way they do. Although the humans break their relationship with God and God judges and sentences them, God does not abandon them. God compassionately arranges for the humans’ needs, a pattern God repeats throughout Hebrew scripture. Whenever humans break the divine/human relationship, God finds a way to restore balance.

The Lectionary editors pair this reading with today’s gospel because later Jewish and Christian thought associates the snake with the devil.

Second reading (2 Cor 4:13-5:1)

The second reading is the fourth part of an eight-week, semi-continuous reading from Paul’s second letter to the Corinth ekklesia. Paul writes this letter (or a series of letters) to continue the Corinthians’ instruction, sharing his own apostolic work as an example. Written throughout 57 AD, Paul’s letter describes how a believer’s life reveals God’s power and authority, which shines through and empowers a believer’s own human weaknesses and trials.

In today’s pericope, Paul tells the Corinthians that he “believes and speaks” (preaches) that the God “who raised Jesus” from death “will also raise” those who believe. All that Paul does and encounters (traveling, preaching, apostolic work, personal afflictions) is for the Corinthians’ benefit (“everything indeed is for you”), so that they, too, experience God’s “abundant grace” as Paul has. Even though his missionary work is physically demanding (“our outer self is wasting away”), his work revitalizes and recharges Paul’s spiritual life (“our inner self is being renewed day by day”). He contrasts his present challenges (“momentary light affliction”) with a future glory with God that is “beyond all comparison;” the now’s visible and transitory with the future’s unseen eternal. What awaits Paul and all believers beyond a physical body (“earthly dwelling, a tent”) is an eternal, resurrected body (“a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands”). This certain faith stands behind all Paul’s words and actions.

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to continue Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from Second Corinthians.

Gospel (Mk 3:20-35)

Mark’s pericope is a classic “Marcan sandwich.” Mark begins a story about Jesus’ relatives traveling to save him, interrupts the story with a controversy about possession, evil spirits, and God’s spirit, then finishes the story teaching about new families and discipleship.

• Saving Jesus from himself. Concerned for his well-being, Jesus’ family decides to go from Nazareth to Capernaum where Jesus is preaching. They think Jesus is “out of his mind” (in Greek, literally “standing outside himself”) and want to care for him.
• Jesus conspires with demons? Meanwhile in Capernaum, Jerusalem scribes pronounce that Jesus is possessed by Beelzebul (Hebrew for “lord of flies” or “lord of dung,” another name for the devil). They argue that if Jesus were a good person, he would avoid evil persons; but because he seeks out the possessed, he must be possessed.
  
  In response, Jesus asks simply, “How can Satan drive out Satan?” He then points out that if an intruder (“robber”) plans to rob a “strong man,” the intruder needs to restrain the strong man first. In this case, the intruder (Satan), who plans to rob the strong man (Jesus, see Mk 1:7), is failing to subdue the strong man; Jesus’ successful exorcisms prove that.
  
  Although Jesus’ opponents attack his exorcisms (“he drives out [lesser] demons by the prince of demons”), Jesus speaks about forgiveness (“all sins and all blasphemies will be forgiven”). Jesus teaches that the only “unforgivable” sin is refusing to see God’s spirit present in all humans (see Ps 51:11). Mark criticizes Jesus’ opponents who say Jesus does not have God’s spirit of holiness, but an “unclean spirit.”
• Jesus redefines families through discipleship. When Jesus’ mother and brothers reach Capernaum, Mark contrasts the crowd seated around and staying with Jesus with his family standing outside. That is, the crowd in the house listening to Jesus has taken the place of a conventional family. Jesus then redefines his family as “whoever does God’s will,” his definition of discipleship. In Mark’s gospel, people define themselves by their words and actions, not by external labels (“family,” “scribe,” “unclean”).

Summary and reflection

This week’s readings ask us to think about covenantal relationships. The Genesis author describes how humans selfishly chose to break God’s covenant relationship, and how God judged and sentenced the snake. Paul describes his certain faith that sustains his work, and invites the Corinthians to experience God’s abundant grace. Jesus confronts his opponents’ refusal to see God’s spirit in his saving works, and invites disciples into a new covenantal family that does God’s will.

The readings suggest that refusing to recognize and to accept God’s always-present and reconciling spirit lies at the heart of human unhappiness. God continuously offers covenantal love, but humans seem to prefer to go it alone. How do we respond when God asks us, “Where are you?” What sustains our work and relationships? Why do we find it hard to believe that God wants every person to be part of the divine family?

—Terence Sherlock

2 June 2024: Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Ex 24:3-8	Ps 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18	Heb 9:11-15	Mk 14:12-16, 22-26

Eucharist: echoing the Passover meal and Sinai covenant

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (or Corpus Christi [= “Body of Christ”]), celebrates the Eucharist’s many aspects as meal, memorial, sign of unity, and eschatological banquet. This week’s readings connect the Sinai covenant’s sacrificial offering, prefigured by the Passover meal, with Jesus’ self-offering, prefigured by the new covenant’s Eucharist meal.

First reading (Ex 24:3-8)

The first reading is from Exodus, the second book of Torah. Exodus tells the stories of Moses, Passover, freedom from Egypt’s slavery, the Ten Commandments, and the Israelites’ wilderness wanderings. At its core, Exodus proclaims Israel’s divine redemption from Egypt’s oppression and the Sinai covenant’s eternal salvation.

In today’s pericope, the author describes Moses receiving the covenant from God and ratifying the covenant with the people. First, Moses announces God’s “words and ordinances” to the people. The “words” are the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:1), and the “ordinances” are the covenant code (Ex 21:1). Next, the people accept their covenantal responsibilities (“We will do everything that the LORD has told us”). Moses then builds an altar to God, and sets up twelve standing stones to represent Israel’s twelve tribes; he designates Israelites to offer burnt sacrifices to God. Moses splashes the altar, which represents God, with sacrificed bulls’ blood. He then reads the covenant’s words and ordinances to the people. The people agree to the covenant, saying, “All that the LORD has said, we will hear and do.” Finally, Moses splashes the people with the remaining sacrificial blood, which seals the covenant.

The Lectionary editors chose this reading because it introduces the ideas of covenant, blood, and mediator.

Second reading (Heb 9:11-15)

The second reading is from the letter to the Hebrews. Based on the author’s elegant Greek and Septuagint (Greek version of Hebrew scripture) quotations, scripture scholars believe the author was an unknown, well-educated Jewish Christian writing to Jewish Christian readers, possibly in Rome, between 75 and 90 AD. Hebrews is a long theological reflection on the early Christian profession of faith that Christ died for us and our sins. The Hebrews author’s important themes are faith and faithfulness.

In today’s pericope, the author describes the efficacy of Christ’s self-sacrifice and blood. The author’s context is the Jewish “Day of Atonement” (Yom Kippur) rituals. The temple’s or tabernacle’s inner sanctuary (the Holy of Holies) contained the Ark of the Covenant. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and he could enter only on the Day of Atonement, offering an atoning blood sacrifice for his own sins and the people’s sins, sprinkling blood on the Ark’s “mercy seat” or “place of expiation.” The author contrasts the human high priest’s ritual purification actions with Christ’s saving actions. Christ makes his saving offering in God’s heavenly dwelling (“greater and more perfect tabernacle”), not in an earthly temple (“made by hands”). Christ redeems sinners “with his own blood,” not the blood and burnt offerings (“ashes”) of goats and bulls. Arguing from lesser-to-greater effect, the author concludes that if an animal sacrifice atones (“cleanses”) for external human failings, Christ’s blood has the even greater effect of redeeming the internal human spirit (“cleansing our consciences”) before God. The author concludes that Christ is our perfect mediator with God. Christ’s death not only redeems humans from sin (“deliverance from transgressions”), but also offers humans eternal life (“the promised eternal inheritance”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading because it describes how Christ, as the perfect high priest, reenacts Moses’ role in ratifying the new covenant and serves as our perfect mediator.

Gospel (Mk 14:12-16, 22-26)

Mark’s gospel reading has two parts: the disciples’ Passover meal preparations and Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist.

• The Passover preparation’s meaning. Mark’s vagueness about details (How does the man with the water jar know to lead the disciples to the house? Why has the house-master already prepared a room for Jesus?) suggests that the episode is symbolic of the Eucharist mystery itself. Mark draws attention to the “feast of unleavened bread” (Mk 14:12), a celebration significant to his believing community. Mark also refers to the day when “they sacrificed the Passover lamb” (Mk 14:12) to call attention to the Eucharist’s sacrificial element. Mark’s unnamed man with the water jar parallels the unnamed woman with the alabaster ointment jar (Mk 14:3); her pouring out precious ointment anticipates Jesus’ pouring out his saving blood for many. Mark’s reechoing themes of bread, water, wine/blood, and pouring out point to the Eucharist.
• Passover becomes Eucharist. Mark describes a meal that is both Passover and Eucharist. The ritual blessing, breaking and giving bread, and giving the cup suggest the Passover meal’s opening prayers and actions. Jesus changes the Passover ritual and its words, identifying the bread as his body and the wine as his blood. He connects his blood with the covenant, with the Passover lamb whose blood saves the Israelites from death (Ex 12:13), and with the sacrificed bulls and goats whose blood ratifies the Sinai covenant. Jesus’s blood will be “shed for many,” a reference to Isaiah’s servant song (Is 53:11-12). Jesus’ self-giving will be a sacrificial death. Although Mark’s institutional narrative is surrounded by death (anointing, broken bread, poured-out wine, blood), the story also includes the promise of new life. God raises up and exalts Isaiah’s servant (Is 52:13). Jesus promises he will “drink [the fruit of the vine] new in the kingdom of God,” indicating God’s kingdom will prevail.

Summary and reflection

The readings for feast of the Body and Blood of Christ invite us to see the Eucharist as more than a Last Supper recreation. The Exodus author recounts the rituals (receiving, accepting, sacrificing, ratifying with blood) that surround the Sinai covenant’s institution. The Hebrews author traces the parallels between the human high priest’s atonement rites and Christ’s saving work, acting as perfect high priest and sacrifice. Mark shows Jesus transforming the Passover meal into a Eucharist that establishes a new covenant between God and humans, anticipates Jesus transformative death, and marks the start of God’s reign for the believing community.

In Mark, the Eucharist is about service. Jesus, always in service to others, gives his own blood as a sign of the new covenant of service and discipleship. He offers his own broken body to feed his faltering disciples. How do our words and actions affirm our discipleship covenant? How does Christ’s self-gift serve as our model and inform our own daily giving to the many who need help? How do our lives, sacrificed in service to others, reveal eucharitic meaning?

—Terence Sherlock