19 February 2023: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary time A

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Lv 19:1-2, 17-18	Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13	1 Cor 3:16-23	Mt 5:38-48
RCL: Lv 19:1-2,9-18		RCL: 1 Cor 3:10-11, 16-23

Discipleship: a call to deeper observance through deeper holiness

During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on a disciple’s call to God’s own holiness and perfection.

First reading (Lv 19:1-2, 17-18)

The first reading is from Leviticus, the third book of the Torah. Leviticus mixes stories about the Israelites’ wilderness experience with legal and holiness codes. The book preserves liturgical and social observances that reveal God’s holiness, and teaches God’s people how to be holy as God is holy.

In today’s pericope, the Lord tells Moses to instruct the people in how to treat each other. If God’s people are to be holy as God is holy (“Be holy, for I am holy”), they must act with justice, not with “hated” or “revenge.” In the ancient world, the “heart” is the source of not only emotion and sentiment, but also intellect, will, and understanding. God’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself” is not about emotion, but intention. That is, to be holy, a person must think, speak, and act from love. We express love through acts of justice that align with God’s commands (“bear no hatred,” “take no revenge,” cherish no grudge”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading because it sets out the call to holiness found in the second reading and the gospel.

Second reading (1 Cor 3:16-23)

The second reading is the sixth part of a multi-week, semi-continuous reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinth ekklesia. Paul writes to real flesh-and-blood people working out how best to live their faith. He urges the believing community to unity: “that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.” Paul teaches disciples to reject any words, actions, or distinctions that disrupt the community’s unity and holiness. Love is the basis and context for community life.

Just before today’s pericope, Paul uses a construction metaphor to explain the Corinthian believing community. As a foundation determines a building’s shape and structure, so Christ determines the shape and structure that the believing community builds up. The believing community’s construction project is a temple, God’s “Holy of Holies,” where God’s Spirit dwells. In today’s pericope, Paul concludes his building metaphor with a warning: if a disciple’s bad workmanship or substandard materials (un-Christian words or actions) destroy God’s temple, God will destroy that disciple. Paul then returns to his earlier themes of wisdom, foolishness, and boasting. Human wisdom (“in this age”) is self-deception. Paul urges those seeking true wisdom to accept the paradox and “become a fool” to find God’s wisdom, and so “become wise.” Paul offers two quotes from Hebrew scripture (Job 5:13 and Ps 94:11) about divine wisdom’s superiority. Paul reminds the Corinthians that, as part of the believing community, they are co-sharers and co-inheritors of God’s mystery: “everything belongs to you.” Through their community relationship they are in relationship with Christ (“you to Christ”); and through their relationship with Christ, they are in relationship with God (“and Christ to God”).

The Lectionary editors chose this reading to conclude Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from 1 Corinthians.

Gospel (Mt 5:38-48)

Matthew’s gospel continues Jesus’ Sermon on the mount. In today’s pericope, Jesus declares the religious leaders’ Torah interpretation inadequate and charges disciples to practice a deeper observance. His examples address human relationships among people in a covenantal faith community.

• On nonretaliation (Mt 5:38-42). Jesus identifies revenge as a cause of broken relationships. Torah placed limits on retribution to limit escalation. Jesus calls disciples to nonretaliation as the way to confront evil and to break the cycle of violence. He tells disciples to ignore insults, humiliation, shaming, and retaliation against others. Disciples are to show generosity to others to invite reciprocal generosity.
• Love your enemy (Mt 5:43-48). Jesus identifies actions against covenant faithfulness as a cause of broken relationships. Torah required Jews to act toward each other with honor and faithfulness (the Ten Commandments), but Jews were not obligated to treat those outside the community in the same way. Jesus calls disciples to treat those inside and outside the community with the same unlimited covenantal honor and faithfulness, just as God treats all with mercy and justice.

Summary and reflection

This week’s readings ask us to think about our holiness as based on how we treat others. The Leviticus author records God’s command: to be holy, love your neighbor as you love yourself. Paul warns the Corinthians that they don’t need to chase after the world’s wisdom or status; as members of Christ’s believing community, they already have all they need. Jesus teaches that to reach a deeper observance of God’s law and holiness, disciples must live his beatitudes.

Where do we find holiness? Do we encounter holiness only in personal acts and solitary rituals, or do we become holy in serving others? Do we seek holiness through esoteric studies, or do we find the holy in our community relationships? Do we acquire holiness in solitude, or do we live holiness in our daily engagements with everyone we meet?

—Terence Sherlock

2 October 2022: Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary time C

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4	Ps 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9	2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14	Lk 17:5-10
RCL: Hab 1:1-4; 2:1-4		RCL: 2 Tm 1:1-14

Discipleship: faith in action or faith inaction?

During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on understandings of faith and faithfulness.

First reading (Hab 1:2-3; 2:2-4)

The first reading is from the prophet Habakkuk, who prophesized in Judah (the southern kingdom) between 608 BC and 598 BC, just before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the Jews. In today’s pericope, the prophet laments that God is not answering his cries for help (“you do not listen”). The Babylonians are moving to attack Judea (“why do you let me see ruin,” “destruction and violence are before me”). God responds to Habakkuk, but not in the way the prophet expects. God gives the prophet a “vision” of restoration beyond Judah’s destruction and exile. God promises that restoration will come (“the vision still has its time”) according to God’s plan (“it will surely come, it will not be late”). God will restore those who remain faithful to God in exile (“the just one, because of his faith, shall live”). The Lectionary editors chose this reading because the saying about faith (“the righteous one lives because of his faith”) echoes Jesus’ saying in the gospel.

Second reading (2 Tm 1:6-8, 13-14)

The second reading begins a four-week, semi-continuous reading from the second letter to Timothy, written by an unknown author in the late first century AD. Second Timothy is a farewell discourse: the author, speaking as “Paul,” looks back over his apostolic career and gives “Timothy” (and other new community leaders) advice and encouragement. In today’s pericope, the author recalls Timothy’s commissioning liturgy (“the imposition of my hands”). At this liturgy, God bestows a particular “gift” (the indwelling Spirit) that enables the recipient’s ministerial work. The gift of the Spirit’s indwelling is also given to the entire believing community (“God did not give us . . .”), because they, too, are called to witness to their faith and need a spirit of “power and love and sound mind.” A believer’s witness to faith (“testimony”) is not dishonorable, but if the unbelieving world shames a believer for faith in “the gospel,” God provides the gift (“strength”) to withstand such “hardship.” The author then urges believers to remain faithful to Paul’s teaching (“sound words”) in faith (which means “a right relationship with God”) and in love (which means “a right relationship with others”). Just as Paul received his teaching from the apostles, so now he hands on the traditions to new teachers who “guard this rich trust” with the gift of the “indwelling Spirit.” The Lectionary editors chose this reading to begin Ordinary time’s semi-continuous reading from 2 Timothy.

Gospel (Lk 17:5-10)

Luke’s gospel presents discipleship teachings as Jesus continues on the road to Jerusalem. In today’s pericope, Jesus responds to the apostles’ request for more faith, and tells a parable about discipleship’s expectations and obligations.

• “Increase our faith.” For people in the ancient world, “faith” was an action, not simply “intellectual assent.” (“Faith” as intellectual assent is an Enlightenment idea.) The ancients expressed faith through actions of fidelity or loyalty, or a lived commitment. The disciples ask Jesus to tell them how to live their commitment or loyalty to him. Jesus answers with actions: “be uprooted,” “be planted.” That is, Jesus requires disciples to do acts of faith and service.
• Profitable and unprofitable slaves. The Greek word ἀχρεῖος/achreîos means “unprofitable” or “something that generates no monetary value.” Jesus (or Luke) puns on “profit-ability” in describing disciples and their acts of service as “having no value.” The pun turns on expectation of or entitlement to a wage or reward. Slaves did not expect (or receive) a master’s gratitude. In the same way, disciples should not expect or feel entitled to gratitude, either from God or other humans. God needs nothing (God has already given humans the unearned gift of righteousness). Other humans often reject a disciple’s good works. That is, doing acts of faith and service is what disciples “are obliged to do,” without reward or thanks.

Summary and reflection

This week’s readings ask us to think about how we live our faith and faithfulness to Jesus and his mission. God answers Habakkuk’s lament by reminding him that faithfulness is a long-term commitment to God’s plan. The 2 Timothy author urges the believing community to live out Paul’s teachings in faith and love. Jesus teaches that faith must be lived to be increased, and that a disciple acts in faith without expectation of reward or thanks.

Faith is something we do, not what we just think. Do we faithfully press on to fulfill God’s plan for us, or complain because God isn’t doing enough? Do we faithfully bear witness to the gospel, even when it creates hardships for us? Do we faithfully follow Jesus in service and good works, or are we waiting for some immediate payout or award?

—Terence Sherlock