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

20 September 2020: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary time

Reading 1	Response	Reading 2	Gospel
Is 55:6-9 RCL: Jonah 3:10-4:11	Ps 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18	Phil 1:20c-24, 27a RCL: Phil 1:21-30	Mt 20:1-16a

When justice and generosity seem to collide

 During Ordinary time the Lectionary presents stories and teachings from Jesus’ everyday ministry. This week’s readings focus on God’s justice and generosity and our response.

The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah, specifically Third Isaiah, who spoke to the exiles returning from Babylon. In this chapter, Isaiah invites the returning exiles to God’s eschatological banquet. Today’s reading focus on the mystery of God’s thoughts to humans. God’s mercy (“turn to the LORD for mercy”) and generosity (“generous in forgiving”) motivate all to seek the Lord, but “God’s ways” remain a mystery to humans (“my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways”). The Lectionary editors chose this reading because the mystery of God’s mercy and generosity matches today’s gospel parable.

The second reading begins a continuous reading from Paul’s letter to the Philippi ekklesia. (The next four weeks features Philippians readings.) In this pericope, Paul thinks aloud so the Philippians can understand his reasoning. Paul. in prison, lays out his choices: either to live (“in the flesh”) and to continue bringing the good news to the Philippians, or to die (“depart this life”) and to be with Christ. In either choice, Christ is exalted (“Christ will be magnified”). Although Paul prefers to be with Christ (“life is Christ,” “I long to be with Christ”), he remains for the greater good (“for your benefit”) to preach the gospel (“fruitful labor for me”). Having explained and chosen, Paul now instructs the Philippians to be worthy of the gospel, and of Paul’s choice for them. Paul’s point is what you do shows who you are. Vincent de Paul voices the same idea: “If God is the center of your life, no words are necessary. Your mere presence touches hearts.” The Lectionary editors chose this reading as part of Ordinary time’s continuous reading from Philippians.

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, tells a parable about a compassionate employer. Although traditionally called “the workers in the vineyard,” this parable is actually about the vineyard master’s actions.

• The setting. In Hebrew scripture, the vineyard is a symbol for Israel (Is 5:1-7). The owner’s need for many workers suggests that harvest is near. The harvest is a symbol for the final judgement. At day’s end, the vineyard master settles accounts and pays wages; these actions reinforce the final judgement image.

• The conflict. The parable’s conflict is between generosity and justice. Those who worked only a partial day are surprised to receive a full day’s wage. They see the master as very generous. Those who worked all day ask, “why do latecomers receive the same wage as us?” They see the master as unjust (even though they agreed to the day’s wage at the parable’s outset); they expect and assume they deserve more.

• The ending. The parable ends with the master’s question, “Are you envious of my generosity?” Like the prodigal son parable, this parable remains unresolved. Jesus leaves his hearers to examine their own reactions to the story. Does the master’s abundant generosity to some make him unjust? Or does the master’s just wage to others make his generosity seem unfair? In God’s kingdom, God is both generous and just. Humans find God’s ways mysterious.

This week’s readings ask us to think about God’s abundant mercy and generosity and God’s justice. Isaiah praises God’s mercy and generosity, but warns that God doesn’t think like humans. Paul charges the Philippians to act in a way worthy of the gospel. Jesus invites us to consider God’s generosity and justice and how we as disciples balance justice and mercy (generosity) to others. If justice must be equal for all, can justice exclude mercy? How do we decide who is worthy of generosity? Do we ask for justice for others but expect mercy for ourselves? How do we react when we receive justice, but think we are entitled to more?

—Terence Sherlock