16 July 2023: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time A

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Is 55:10-11	Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14	Rom 8:18-23	Mt 13:1-23 or Mt 13:1-9
RCL: Is 55:10-13		RCL: Rom 8:1-11	RCL: Mt 13:1-9, 18-23

The mystery of discipleship: God’s word brings results

During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on the mystery of discipleship and the power of God’s word.

First reading (Is 55:10-11)

The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah, specifically third Isaiah, who prophesied after the exiles’ return and during the rebuilding of Jerusalem (~515-480 BC). The interaction between the Holy One of Israel (God) and Jerusalem (the people of God) drives all of Isaiah’s narrative.

In today’s pericope, the prophet urges the exiles to return to Jerusalem, where they can remain in God’s presence and participate in God’s life. Isaiah reminds the exiles that God is the source for all life. God sends rain to water the earth, making the crops grow, providing seed for farmers and food for animals and humans. In the same way, God’s efficacious word will restore Jerusalem and God’s people (“achieving the end for which I sent it”). God’s word cannot be withdrawn or thwarted.

The Lectionary editors chose this reading because Isaiah’s message about the mystery of water, seed growth, and crops echoes in Jesus’ gospel parable about the mystery of seeds and yields.

Second reading (Rom 8:18-23)

The second reading continues the fourteen-week, semi-continuous reading of Paul’s letter to the ekklesiai (multiple communities) in Rome. Romans, written in 56-57 AD, is Paul’s final letter. He has completed his missionary work in Asia and now plans a missionary trip to Spain, with a stop in Rome. He writes to the Roman believing communities to introduce himself and to give an authentic and acceptable account of the gospel he preaches.

In today’s pericope, Paul opens with the idea that what believers suffer because of the gospel is trivial (“are as nothing”) when compared with the resurrected life (“the glory to be revealed”) that awaits. Adam’s disobedience affected not only humans but all creation (“made subject to futility”). Paul sees creation, along with believers, “eagerly awaiting” Christ’s return (“the revelation of the children of God”), when God restores creation to its original state (“set free from slavery to corruption”). Paul’s hope rests in this coming “glorious freedom” for believers and all creation. Creation’s turmoil (“groaning in labor pains”) signals a longing for Christ’s return, just as believers anticipate with hope (“we groan within ourselves”) the parousia. Through the “gift of the Spirit,” believers already experience God’s promise or down payment (“firstfruits”) of future glorification (“the redemption of our bodies”) like the resurrected Jesus. The Spirit instills restless in believers, a longing for and hope in full union with God (“adoption”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading as part of Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from Romans.

Gospel (Mt 13:1-23)

Matthew presents the first part of Jesus’ “day of parables” discourse, which the Lectionary continues for the next two Sundays. Today’s pericope has three sections: Jesus’ parable to the crowds (Mt 18:3b-9), why Jesus teaches in parables (Mt 18:10-17), and a later allegorized interpretation of the sower parable (Mt 18:18-23).

• Parable: seeds and yield. Jesus addresses this parable to a Galilean crowd of fishermen and farmers. Jesus’ hearers understand that only God makes crops grow; the harvest is God’s gift. Jesus’ parable asks his hearers to think about the mystery of seeds and harvest yields: why do some seeds fail and some yield a bounty? (The typical harvest yield in Jesus’ time was about 8:1; the parable’s yields of 30:1 or 60:1 or 100:1 would surprise Jesus’ hearers as absurdly superabundant.) Jesus’ ministry results are equally mysterious. Although Jesus sows the word of God’s kingdom everywhere he goes, he has relatively few takers and much opposition from the religious leaders. The parable suggests that, despite these seeming failures, God will bring Jesus’ ministry superabundant success.
• Parables and hearers. A parable compares something familiar with something new or unknown, engages the hearer through vivid or imaginative language, and leaves the hearer uncertain about its meaning, spurring the hearer to continued thought. Jesus’ disciples ask: why speak in parables? Jesus tells the disciples that God has given them the gift of insight (“knowledge of the mysteries”). Those without God’s gift “look but not see; hear but do not understand;” they have closed themselves off from Jesus’ message. By the late first century, Matthew’s Jewish Christian community used this saying to explain why many fellow Jews rejected Jesus’ ministry.
• Interpretation: soil as types of believers. By the late first century, Matthew’s believing community had come to believe in the word of God’s kingdom. They reinterpreted Jesus’ parable as a commentary on discipleship within the ekklesia. Rather than interpret the mystery of seeds’ yields, they created an allegory about soil types and discipleship. The allegory gives specific reasons for failings (the evil one, personal shallowness, worldly concerns, the quest for wealth) and for success (hearing, understanding, abundant yields).

Summary and reflection

This week’s readings ask us to think about the mystery of God’s word empowering what God’s intends. Isaiah, speaking about the people’s exile and restoration, promises that God brings about what God intends. Paul describes how creation, also affected by Adam’s turning away from God, longs to be restored as Eden at Christ’s return. Jesus tells a parable about how, despite small beginnings, God’s word engenders an abundant kingdom.

Kanter’s law states: “In the middle, everything looks like a failure.” As disciples, we live in the middle, in the time between Jesus’ resurrection and his promised return. We can sometimes long for and groan that our discipleship is not yielding the results we expect, either in ourselves or in the world. Isaiah’s simile and Jesus’ parable remind us that God mysteriously brings the kingdom to abundant fulfillment in cooperation with (and sometimes despite) us. Do we nurture the small beginnings of God’s work? Do we find hope in the small results of our lives and work? Do we hear and understand God’s word so we can yield an abundant harvest?

—Terence Sherlock

10 July 2022: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time C

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Dt 30:10-14	Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37 or Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11	Col 1:15-20	Lk 10:25-37
RCL: Dt 30:9-14		RCL: Col 1:1-14

Discipleship: to know, and also to do

During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on turning the knowledge of what is right into active discipleship.

First reading (Dt 30:10-14)

The first reading is from Deuteronomy (“second law”), the fifth and final book of Torah, which contains Moses’ exhortations to the Israelites before they enter Canaan. In today’s pericope, Moses reminds the people that Torah sets out divine wisdom clearly, and everyone has access to it. In other cultures, only mighty heroes, bold enough to climb to the sky or powerful enough to cross the great sea, could discover the divine realm’s hidden treasures. For the Israelites, God’s wisdom and knowledge is present, “already in your mouths and in your hearts.” The Lectionary editors chose this reading because it describes God’s commands as being near, something we already know, like the law of love in today’s gospel.

Second reading (Col 1:15-20)

The second reading begins a four-week, semi-continuous reading from the letter to the Colossae ekklesia. An unknown author writing in Paul’s name sent this letter between 70 and 80 AD to refute and to correct “false teachers,” who emphasized aesthetic practices and visionary experiences. In today’s pericope, the author quotes from a liturgical hymn, adding his own clarifying points. The hymn, which may have been part of a baptismal liturgy, addresses two ideas: Christ’s role in creation (Col 1:15-18) and Christ’s role in reconciliation (Col 1:19-20). First, the incarnate Christ is the visible “image” of the “invisible God.” Christ stands at the head (“firstborn of all creation”) of the universe because he created “all things,” including angels and cosmic powers (“thrones, dominions, principalities, powers”). Christ not only created all things, he keeps them in existence (“all things hold together”). Second, because Christ stands at the head of creation, he is also “head” of the “body” of believers (the ekklesia, “the church”), through his transformative death and resurrection (“firstborn from the dead”). Because God dwells within Christ (“all fullness”), Christ is able to “reconcile all things” through his saving death. The Lectionary editors chose this reading to begin Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from Colossians.

Gospel (Lk 10:25-37)

Luke’s gospel has two parts: a discussion of the greatest commandment and a parable that addresses neighborliness. In today’s pericope, Jesus contrasts knowing and following rules with the requirement of doing what’s right.

• Knowing vs doing. The law (Torah) scholar, an opponent of Jesus, tests Jesus by asking what he must “do” to inherit “eternal life.” (The scholar knows that “eternal life” is a gift from God, not something earned.) Jesus tests the scholar with a Torah question: “how do you read it?” The scholar answers “correctly,” but Jesus points out that knowing Torah is not enough: “do this [Torah] and you will live.”
• Obligation vs self-gift. The scholar asks for a definition of the neighbor. Jesus responds with a parable about how to be a neighbor. The scholar, asking “who is my neighbor?,” treats the neighbor as an object. He can then make a rule about his obligations to a neighbor. Jesus, asking “who was/became a neighbor?,” treats the neighbor as a subject. Jesus wants his hearers to become neighbors to others by giving of themselves. Jesus points out that knowing the neighbor is not enough: “go and do likewise (act like a neighbor).”

Summary and reflection

This week’s readings ask us to think about knowing and doing. Moses urges the people to listen to the Torah already within them. The Colossae author points to Christ as the source of wisdom and beginning of human understanding. Jesus teaches that knowing the right thing must lead to acting on it.

Discipleship is about the courage to act on what one believes. The study of and reflection on scripture is important, but that knowledge must result in action. Do we make the effort to understand the meaning of scripture, so that we can respond fully with our hearts and souls? Do we listen to God as the source of wisdom and knowledge, or do others tell us how and what we should think? When we know what God asks of us as disciples, do we act? Does our discipleship come from rules and obligations, or as a freely-given self-gift?

—Terence Sherlock

11 July 2021: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time B

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Amos 7:12-15	Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14	Eph 1:3-14 or Eph 1:3-10	Mk 6:7-13
RCL: Amos 7:7-15		RCL: Eph 1:3-14	RCL: Mk 6:14-29

Discipleship: sent to continue Jesus’ mission

During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on our mission as disciples.

First reading (Amos 7:12-15)

The first reading is from the prophet Amos, whom God sends to prophesy to the people of Israel (the northern kingdom). The native northern prophets are not proclaiming God’s message, but rather are supporting king Jeroboam II’s unjust actions. The priest Amaziah speaks for the king, telling Amos to go back to where he came from (“flee to the land of Judah”) where people will pay him (“earn your bread”) for his prophesying. Amos rejects Amaziah’s characterization of him as a “professional prophet” like the northern prophets. God called (“took”), instructed (“said”), and sent (“go”) Amos, a shepherd and farmer (“dresser of sycamores”), to bring God’s message to Israel. Amos speaks for God, denouncing the king for his inhuman policies. Amos ultimately fails in his mission; Amaziah drives him from the king’s city. The Lectionary editors chose this reading because God’s sending Amos to preach to Israel parallels Jesus’ summoning, instructing, and sending his disciples to preach in Galilee.

Second reading (Eph 1:3-14)

The second reading is the beginning of a seven-week semi-continuous reading from the letter to the Ephesus ekklesia. Many scholars date this letter to about 90 AD, when a third generation of believers were being introduced to the ekklesia. The author is bringing Paul’s teachings to a new generation in a new social setting and context. In the Greek text, Eph 1:3-14 is a single sentence, full of liturgical forms (“blessings”), repeated words (“grace,” “glory,” “destined”) and purposeful redundancy. Drawing on themes found in undisputed letters of Paul and Colossians, the author’s message is that God has a plan for the universe from before the “foundation of the world.”‘ Christ, God’s agent, revealed and fulfilled this plan. Believers have received the Spirit as a pledge of their “inheritance toward redemption.” God, Christ, and the Spirit each have roles in this mysterious plan. The Spirit is a seal (“sealed”) that a believing person receives at baptism that guarantees that person’ inheritance until he or she possesses the Spirit fully. This seal also sets apart the baptized as belonging to God. The Lectionary editors chose this reading to introduce Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from Ephesians.

Gospel (Mk 6:7-13)

In Mark’s gospel, Jesus summons, instructs, and sends his disciples to preach in Galilee. Mark relates Jesus’ instructions and warnings to encourage and to warn his own believing community about their missions.

• Jesus’ instruction. As witnesses to Jesus’ mighty works, his “day of parables,” and his synagogue teaching, the Twelve understand Jesus’ mission and message. Jesus’ summary instructions to the Twelve are: Take nothing. Jesus’ message is urgent and important, don’t get caught up in logistical details. Accept hospitality. People need the good news and want to help; let them contribute. Preach metanoia. Jesus’ call to change one’s mind/heart is the start of discipleship. Drive out evil and heal the sick. These mighty works are signs of God’s kingdom; let your actions announce that God is near.
• Jesus’ warning. Having seen Jesus rejected by his own townspeople, the Twelve know that not every mission is a success. Jesus’ warnings to the Twelve are: Not all will welcome you. People will reject the good news out of fear or indifference; continue your mission. Your mission has eschatological urgency; don’t waste time with those who don’t listen. As the seed parables explained, the kingdom is present and growing; don’t spend your time trying to convince those who refuse to believe.

Summary and reflection

This week’s readings ask us to think about our missions as disciples. God sends Amos to bring God’s word to a country who prefers listening to a king’s laws, not God’s laws. The Ephesians author writes to a new generation of Christians to remind them of Paul’s basic message of hope and fulfillment. Jesus sends his disciples to bring his message and mission to greater Galilee. As disciples, we may have difficulty measuring our success in the mission we have received. Like Amos, does our message upset supporters of “civil religion,” who make patriotism a  moral requirement, over God’s call to justice and peace? Like the Twelve, does an eschatological urgency drive our mission, forcing us to “travel light” and focus on Jesus’ message? As disciples, are we remaining true to Jesus’ teachings of metanoia, rejection of evil, and love for each other?

—Terence Sherlock

12 July 2020: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Is 55:10-11 RCL: Is 55:10-13	Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14	Rom 8:18-23 RCL: Rom 8:1-11	Mt 13:1-23 or Mt 13:1-9 RCL: Mt 13:1-9, 18-23

The mystery of seed yields and soil types

 During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on seeds, soils, success, discipleship, and God’s creative power.

The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah, specifically the Second Isaiah, who comforted the Jews in exile in Babylon in the sixth century BC. Today’s reading is from a larger story about an invitation to the messianic banquet. Isaiah uses natural elements (rain, snow) as an analogy for the creative power of God’s words. Isaiah’s rain/snow metaphor implies two ideas at once. First, just as the rain and snow cannot be turned back to the sky, so God’s pronouncements cannot be withdrawn. Second, just as the rain and snow water the earth to sustain life-giving produce, so God’s word creates superabundant blessings (in this case, Israel’s restoration after captivity). The Lectionary editors chose this reading because today’s gospel echoes Isaiah’s prophetic structure and message: “As the rain … so my word/As the seed … so my word.”

The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Rome ekklesia is part a continuous reading in Ordinary time. In this section, Paul describes the believing community waiting in the hope of God’s coming “glory to be revealed” (the parousia). For Paul, “creation” means the entire world (minus humans) as presented in the biblical creation stories. Jewish tradition saw the created world’s fate intimately entwined with the fate of humans. As a result of this interdependence, not only does creation “groan” in anticipation of new life, but also disciples (“we ourselves”) “groan” in longing for new life in the Spirit. The Spirit’s indwelling marks the start of this new life (“firstfruits”). Just as the Jewish firstfruits offering pledges and consecrates the whole land and harvest to God, so also God’s giving the Spirit as “firstfruits” is God’s pledge of the full “harvest” of salvation to disciples. Disciples now await “redemption of their bodies” in hope. God’s promise of “adoption,” already begun at baptism, will be complete when disciples are resurrected and appear in glory with Jesus. The Lectionary editors chose this reading as part of Ordinary time’s continuous reading from Romans.

Matthew’s gospel is from the “day of parables” discourse, which we will hear over three weeks. This week, Jesus presents a parable about seed yields in different soils, and Matthew interprets the parable for his community.

• The parable. Although the parable might seem to be about a sower, Jesus’ hearers (Galilean farmers) know the parable is about the seed and its absurd, superabundant yield (a typical yield is about 7.5 to 1; a maximum yield is 10 to 1). Jesus’ hearers understood that only God could make crops grow; the harvest was God’s gift. The parable’s context suggests the parable is about Jesus’ ministry. Jesus asks his hearers: why don’t all seeds yield a harvest, and why do some yield more than others? Although Jesus sows the word of God’s kingdom everywhere he goes, he has relatively few takers and much hostility from religious leaders. This kingdom parable begins to explore the idea that, despite apparent failures, God will bring Jesus’ ministry superabundant success.

• Matthew’s interpretation. Matthew reinterprets Jesus’ parable as an allegory. As Matthew writes his gospel in the 80’s, his community is separating from the synagogue and developing its own identity. Matthew’s interpretation explains to his mainly Jewish-Christian ekklesia why their own Jewish family and friends reject Jesus’ teachings (the evil one’s promptings, personal shallowness, worldly concerns, desire for wealth). At the same time the ideal disciples in Matthew’s ekklesia bring forth fruit in unimaginable quantity. In this allegorical interpretation, Matthew and his community begin to explore the mystery of election and rejection.

This week’s readings ask us to think about how we measure success. Isaiah reminds his hearers that God’s word is creative and gives abundance. Jesus’ parable tells us that Jesus’ ministry will be successful because God’s word always achieves its purpose. How do we measure success? Do we believe we alone are responsible for our achievements, or do we recognize that everything we have is from God’s abundance? Do we think we control our success, or do we acknowledge the mystery of God’s role in our life’s yield? Have we confused God’s seed with discipleship’s cooperative soil?

—Terence Sherlock

14 July 2019: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Dt 30:10-14 RCL: Dt 30:9-14	Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37 or Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11	Col 1:15-20 RCL: Col 1:1-14	Lk 10:25-37

Have compassion, do something, repeat.

 During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings warn us that we must not only know what’s right, we must do (and continue doing) what’s right.

The first reading is from Deuteronomy, meaning “second law,” in which Moses retells the story of the covenant and commandments before the Israelites enter the promised land. Moses reminds the people that the Torah sets out divine wisdom clearly, and everyone has access to it. In other cultures, only heroes (Gilgamesh, Odysseus, Hercules) bold enough to climb the sky or cross the great sea could discover the divine realm’s hidden treasures. The Lectionary editors chose this reading because it describes God’s commands as being near, something we already know, like the law of love in today’s gospel.

The second reading starts a continuous reading from the letter to the Colossae ekklesia. The author incorporates an existing liturgical hymn, adding his own clarifying points. The hymn may have been adapted from Jewish Wisdom tradition; the now Christ-centered version teaches about Christ’s preeminence at the universe’s creation and at its redemption, and Christ’s role as leader of creation and leader of the ekklesia. In the coming weeks’ readings, the author further develops these themes.

Luke’s gospel begins and ends with a dialogue between Jesus and a lawyer. To answer the lawyer’s questions, Jesus tells his hearers a parable.

• Dialogue about legal requirements. An expert in Hebrew scripture (“the Law” or Torah) baits Jesus with a theological question about what he needs to “do” to “inherit eternal life”. Jesus turns the lawyer’s question back on lawyer, who correctly answers “Love God” (Dt 6:5) and “Love your neighbor” (Lv 19:18). Jesus says, “Yes, do these two and you will live.” The lawyer then challenges Jesus to define “neighbor,” knowing the Law says it is a relative or a member of one’s own people (Lv 19:17-19), or more broadly an alien who is part of your household, or a foreigner travelling through Jewish land (Lv 19:33-34). Jesus gives his definition of neighbor in a parable.

• Parable of acting with compassion. Just as twenty-first century hearers know that a story that starts “A rabbi, a priest, and a [. . . . . ] walk into a bar” sets up a joke, first century hearers would know that a story about “a priest and a Levite” will also include “a (Jewish) layman.” Jesus’ hearers would be surprised when the layman turns out to be a traditional Jewish enemy: a Samaritan. Contrasted with the Jewish priest and Levite who do nothing, the Samaritan shows compassion through caring actions.

• Dialogue about doing. Jesus reverses the lawyer’s question from legal obligation (who deserves my love) to gift-giving (to whom can I show myself neighbor). The despised Samaritan becomes a moral exemplar. The Samaritan fulfills “love God, love the neighbor” better than the priest and Levite, and possibly the lawyer, who will not even name the Samaritan in his response. The law of love requires everyone to treat everyone else with compassion.

This week’s readings challenge every believing community member not simply to know what the law of love says, but to live out the law of love continuously: “Go and do the same.” The law is so clear that we don’t need to ask who our neighbor is. Do we instinctively recognize the neighbor in every other human? Do we act compassionately? Do we continually act with compassion toward those named as our enemies?

—Terence Sherlock

15 July 2018: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Am 7:12-15	Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14	Eph 1:3-14	Mk 6:7-13

The mission of a disciple

 During Ordinary time the Lectionary readings present stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings invite RCIA participants and the believing community to examine the Twelve’s discipleship as well as our own.

In the first reading from the prophet Amos, God sends Amos to the people of Israel (the northern kingdom) because the northern prophets fail to proclaim God’s message. The priest Amaziah, speaking for the king, supports the status quo: the royal house and patriotism. The prophet Amos, speaking for God, denounces the king and government for its injustices and inhuman policies. The Lectionary editors pair this reading with today’s gospel to compare the mission of Amos’ mission to preach to God’s people in Israel with the disciples’ mission to preach to God’s people in Galilee. The disciple’s role is often to challenge the status quo to bring about God’s justice.

The second reading is from the beginning of the letter to the “saints who are in Ephesus.” This letter will be read continuously for the next six weeks. The opening verses are almost certainly drawn from hymns and liturgy of the late first century. Ephesians preserves Paul’s teachings by further developing images from Paul’s authentic letters in new ways. The author celebrates the role of Christ and the believing community in God’s plan to unite all things in heaven and on earth. In the mystery of God’s will, God has destined Christians to sonship in Christ; they are redeemed through his blood, forgiven, experience the richness of grace, and heard the word of truth.

Mark’s gospel picks up from last week’s reading, when Nazareth rejects Jesus. Today Jesus sends out the Twelve in pairs to spread his message of conversion and healing. The following words indicate this reading is not only about the Twelve’s mission, but also the discipleship of all believers:

• Having summoned them. Mark uses “summon” when Jesus first calls the Twelve (Mk 3:13). Mark uses the same “summon” to call the disciples (Mk 10:42; Mk 12:43) and the crowds (Mk 7:14; Mk 8:34).
• He began to send them. The Greek verb ἀποστέλλω (ah-poh-STEHL-loh) means “to send out” or “to dispatch.” It is the root of the Modern English word apostle.
• Take nothing on the road. The word Mark uses means “a road,” “a journey,” “a path,” or “the Way.” The first-century believing community described themselves as “followers of The Way.” In Greek, the word for disciple means literally “someone who walks the same road or walks behind a leader.”

Today’s readings remind RCIA participants and the believing community that preaching, exorcising, and healing are the signs of God’s kingdom. Today’s gospel links the ministries of Jesus and his historical disciples with Mark’s community’s work, as well as our own: all preach, and all meet rejection and failure in the mission. The believing community can never forget its origin as a missionary community. The ekklesia is a community that is called, sent, travels light, proclaims the word fearlessly, confronts evil powers, and demonstrates God’s healing power. Where are we being sent? What do we take with us? What are we proclaiming? How do we speak against evil? How do we heal others?

—Terence Sherlock

16 July 2017: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Is 55:10-11	Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14	Rom 8:18-23	Mt 13:1-23

Disciples: seeds and sowers

 During Ordinary time the Lectionary invites RCIA participants and the believing community to hear and to reflect on Jesus’ teachings from his everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on Jesus’ parable of the sower.

In the first reading, Isaiah reminds the people of the creative power of God’s word. The prophet poetically compares the power of God’s rain and snow to the power of God’s word. Both change the world and enable humans to thrive; both return to God only after they fulfill their work. Christians hear this reading as a prefiguring of Jesus as God’s Word and the power of the parables to deliver God’s message (see today’s gospel).

In his letter to the Roman ekklesia, Paul describes the believing community waiting now in the hope of God’s coming glory (the parousia). Paul links the created world’s destiny to the future glory that belongs to the believing community. All creation shares now in the corruption Adam’s disobedience caused; in the future, it will share in redemption’s benefits and the glory that comes from God’s ultimate liberation (Rom 8:19-22). Believers enjoy the firstfruits (the Spirit) now as a guarantee of the future liberation of their bodies from the influence of the rebellious old self (Rom 8:23).

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells the crowds and the disciples the parable of the sower. A parable contains something that surprises the hearer to make him or her think. In this parable, the successful yield is the surprise: in Jesus’ time, a typical grain yield might be four- to eight-fold. A yield of thirty-, sixty-, or a hundred-fold would astound Jesus’ hearers and lead them to wonder who the sower is and what kind of seed this could be.

• The sower. Jesus’ audience would know that Hebrew scripture presents God as a sower (Is 55:10-11; Jer 31:27-28). They would hear the parable simply as a message of God’s care and abundance (see the first reading).

• The seed. Those who really understand the parable–who have ears to hear–would perceive Jesus as offering God’s powerful and transforming word, and that God’s word requires their response. That is, the seed is really about becoming Jesus’ disciples. Jesus explains how people fail as disciples (they don’t understand the message, they are not committed, they give in to competing priorities). He also describes the results of successful disciples (increasing God’s kingdom by thirty-, sixty-, or a hundred-fold).

Today’s readings ask the believing community to listen to God’s word. God’s word is the seed sown within us, full of power and potential to transform if we respond. We have many excuses about why we don’t allow God’s word in: it’s too hard, I’m distracted, I’m too busy. For those who hear God’s word and choose discipleship, God’s superabundance becomes evident in their lives. Like the sower in the parable, both Jesus and his disciples encounter failures and successes in their ministry, but ultimately success will outweigh the failures. As disciples, do we have ears to hear, or only excuses to offer? As disciples, what kind of soil do we provide for God’s seed?

—Terence Sherlock

10 July 2016: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Dt 30:10-14	Ps 69:14, 17, 30-31, 33-34, 36, 37 or Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11	Col 1:15-20	Lk 10:25-37

Love: go and do the same

During Ordinary time the Lectionary invites RCIA participants and the believing community to hear and to reflect on Jesus’ stories and teachings from his everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on God’s law of love.

The first reading, from Deuteronomy, is from Moses’ “farewell address” section. Moses tells the Israelites that God’s law is not unknowable or undoable, but real and nearby–“in your mouth” (already memorized) and “in your heart” (already internalized). The Lectionary editors chose this reading to match Jesus’ teaching about the law of love in the gospel.

The second reading begins the letter to the Colossians. Scripture scholars believe that today’s passage is part of an early Christian liturgical hymn, known to the Colossians. The hymn presents Christ as the mediator of creation and of redemption. We will hear the author develop these themes in the coming weeks’ readings.

In Luke’s gospel Jesus and a Law expert tangle about legalism versus love. To understand the parable, we must first understand how the Law expert is testing Jesus:

Part 1: Legal definition of “what I must do.” The expert in Hebrew scripture (the Law or Torah) baits Jesus with a theological question about what he needs to “do to inherit eternal life.” The Law expert’s question has two hidden assumptions:

1. Do:  The Law expert uses a Greek verb tense (aorist tense, which has no English counterpart) that indicates an action that is done once and completed. That is, the Law expert is looking for a “one-and-done” action.
2. Inherit eternal life:  Anyone casually familiar with Hebrew scripture (especially a Law expert!) knows that eternal life is a gift from God, not something inherited or earned. That is, the Law expert is looking for a future reward for his pious acts.

Jesus’ response turns the Law expert’s question back on the questioner. The Law expert correctly answers “Love God” and “Love your neighbor.” Jesus’ comment about the law of love–“Do this and you will live“–corrects the Law expert’s errors:

1. Do:  Jesus uses a Greek verb tense and mood (present tense, imperative mood) to indicate an action that must be continued and repeated. The Law is a way of life, not a “one-and-done” action.
2. You-will-live:  Jesus redirects the Law expert’s view from eternal life to this life. The Law is about how to live this life, not about earning points for the next life.

Part 2: Legal definition of “whom I need to love.” The Law expert foolishly persists with legal questions. Jesus replies with a parable that overturns the definition of neighbor. The Jewish passers-by fail as neighbors because they don’t offer help (even though the Law requires that they must). The Samaritan–a Jewish enemy (like a Hamas member)–helps the half-dead Jewish man. He acts, “moved by compassion” (literally “his guts ached”). For Jesus, the law of love is not a theological question but a very human reaction to suffering. A neighbor is not a theoretical definition, but the person next to you who needs help, no matter who he is.

Jesus turns the parable back on the Law expert: Who became a neighbor? The Law expert admits that love must be more than feeling, it must be action: “mercy.”) Jesus orders the Law expert to “Go and do the same.”

Sometimes we of the believing community let love get stuck in committee. We argue about “who” and “what,” when we should just do. What are we waiting for?

–Terence Sherlock

12 July 2015: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary time

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Am 7:12-15	Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14	Eph 1:3-14	Mk 6:7-13

Baptism: being called, being sent

In Ordinary time, the Lectionary presents RCIA participants and all believing community members with stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week the readings invite us to think about our Christian calling.

In the first reading, God puts Amos the prophet in a tough spot. God sends Amos, a southerner from Judah, to the northern kingdom (Israel) to deliver an unpopular message: Change your ways! Amaziah, the priest at Bethel, rejects Amos’ message because it conflicts with the happy news that Amaziah prefers to give the northern king. Amos tells Amaziah that it was God who called Amos, and it’s God’s message–that’s what it means to be a prophet.

Mark’s gospel describes Jesus summoning and sending the Twelve to spread his message through Galilee (what was left of the northern kingdom Israel in the first reading). Jesus delegates his own authority over unclean spirits to the Twelve. Jesus also sends them in twos so that they are not alone. Jesus orders the Twelve to take nothing with them except their mission: preaching metanoia (“change of heart”), expelling unclean spirits, and healing the sick. Mark uses the same words to describe the start of Jesus’ mission (Mk 1:15ff). Mark is reminding his ekklesia that is it a community (“two by two”), its authority is from Jesus, and its mission is to preach metanoia and to heal.

Today’s letter to the Ephesians is an early liturgical hymn used during baptism. The hymn’s themes include: the catechumen’s election and predestination before the world’s creation (“chose us before the world’s foundation,” “destined us for adoption”); Christ’s death and resurrection (“redemption by his blood; forgiveness of sins”); knowledge from Christian experience (“In wisdom he made known to us the mystery of his will”); the cosmic scope of salvation history (“God’s plan to sum up all things in Christ”); and the sealing of gentile Christians in the Spirit at initiation (“in him you were sealed with the Spirit’s promise”).

This week’s readings revolve around being called and being sent. Ephesians reminds RCIA catechumens and all of us that in baptism God adopts us as daughters and sons, and, through Jesus’ saving death, we receive unmerited salvation. In baptism we are also called–like the Twelve–to spread the good news that we are redeemed. Redemption requires metanoia (“change of heart”). Like Amos, we might find we’re sent with an unpopular message. But we are not sent alone. We are sent with the rest of the believing community, and we are sent with Jesus’ own authority. Do we preach metanoia? Do we heal? Do we hear what we preach?

—Terence Sherlock