13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A (가해 연중 제13주일)
1st Reading: 2 Kings 4,8-11.14-16a
[8] One day Eli'sha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged
him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there
to eat food. [9] And she said to her husband, "Behold now, I perceive that this is
a holy man of God, who is continually passing our way. [10] Let us make a small
roof chamber with walls, and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp,
so that whenever he comes to us, he can go in there." [11] One day he came there,
and he turned into the chamber and rested there. [14] And he said, "What then is
to be done for her?" Geha'zi answered, "Well, she has no son, and her husband is old."
[15] He said, "Call her." And when he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
[16] And he said, "At this season, when the time comes round, you shall embrace
a son."
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Commentary:
4:8-37. Elisha here is an itinerant prophet who has only one servant and
whose base is Mount Carmel: in this he Is like Elijah. This passage shows,
firstly, God blessing the childless woman with the gift of motherhood,
thanks to the prophet's intervention (vv. 11-17); and, secondly, the
prophet's extraordinary power to raise up her dead son (vv. 18-37).
From a literary point of view, it is a well-constructed account full of
little details which help to build up the dramatic tension. The feelings of
the woman, who first of all receives the of a son without having sought it,
and then cannot resign herself to his death, provide the basic story-line.
St John Chrysostom quotes this passage show that real love means being
concerned even about the physical welfare of others: "Elisha not only gave
spiritual help to the woman who had shown him hospitality; he also tried
repay her in a material way" ("De Laudibus Sancti Pauli Apostolici",
3, 7).
The first part of the story shows the reward given someone who welcomes a
prophet because he is a prophet; it is reminiscent of the reward that Jesus
promises to those who acknowledge and welcome an apostle (cf. Mt 10: 13-14).
The main thing to be learned from this passage (as also from 1 Kings 17:6)
is the power of the prophet's prayer and indeed anyone else's prayer when
done with faith. But we also learn that when God gives a gift, no matter how
surprisingly and unexpectedly (such as the gift of a son to this woman), he
also gives the grace to conserve it and make it bear fruit. The Lord does
not leave us to our own devices when he gives us, for example, personal
talents, or a vocation even if we may not have sought one.
Elisha's journey to the dead boy and the action he takes is compared by St
Augustine and other Fathers to the incarnation of Christ and to his work of
redemption. "Elisha arrived and went up to the chamber, just as Christ
would
come and go up to the scaffold of the cross. Elisha stretched himself upon
the child, to raise him up; Christ humbled himself in order to raise up the
world that was laid prone by sin. Elisha put his eyes on the child's eyes,
his hands on his hands. Notice, my brothers, how that grown-up man shrank
himself in order to fit the size of the dead child. What Elisha prefigured
(in the way he cured the child), Christ fulfilled in regard to all mankind.
Listen to what the Apostle says; 'He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto
death.' Because we were children, he made himself a child; because we lay
dead, the first thing the doctor did was to bend over, for no one can raise
his stricken brother unless he bends down to him. The child's sneezing seven
times stands for the seven forms of grace of the Holy Spirit that are given
mankind, in order to raise it up, at Christ's coming (Sermons attributed to
St Augustine, "Sermons", 42, 8).
2nd Reading: Romans 6:3-4.8-11
Baptism (Continuation)
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[3] Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were
baptized into His death? [4] We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into
death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we
too might walk in newness of life.
[8] But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.
[9] For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death
no longer has dominion over him. [10] The death He died He died to sin once for
all, but the life He lives He lives to God. [11] So you also must consider yourselves
dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
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Commentary:
1-11. The universal dominion of sin, which began with the sin of Adam, is not the
only event to be reckoned with. When sin reached its full extent, the grace brought
by Jesus Christ came in superabundance. Through Baptism this grace reaches
each of us and frees us from the control of sin. When we receive this Sacrament
we die: that is to say, our blameworthiness is destroyed, we renounce sin once
and for all, and are born again into a new life.
"The Lord", St. Ambrose tells the newly baptized, "who wanted His benefactions
to endure, the serpent's plans to be turned to naught, and the harm done to be
put right, delivered a sentence to mankind: 'You are dust, and to dust you shall
return' (Genesis 3:19), and made man subject to death [...]. The remedy wa
given him: man would die and rise again [...]. You ask me how? [...] Pay
attention. So that in this world too the devil's snare would be broken, a rite was
instituted whereby man would die, being alive, and rise again, being alive [...].
Through immersion in water the sentence is blotted out: 'You are dust, and to
dust you shall return'" ("De Sacramentis", II, 6).
This passage of the epistle, which reveals the key truths concerning Baptism,
also reminds us of the profound meaning of this rite which Christ established, its
spiritual effects in Christians and its far-reaching effects with respect to the Chris-
tian life. Thus, we can apply to Baptism what St. Thomas Aquinas says about
all the sacraments: "Three aspects of sanctification may be considered--its very
cause, which is Christ's Passion; its form, which is grace and the virtues; and its
ultimate end, which is eternal life. And all these are signified by the sacraments.
Consequently, a sacrament is a sign which is both a reminder of the past, that
is, of the Passion of Christ, and an indication of what is effected in us by Christ's
Passion, and a foretelling and pledge of future glory" ("Summa Theologiae", III,
q. 60, a. 3).
In the specific case of Baptism, the various things which the Sacrament implies
carry a special nuance--a new birth which presupposes a symbolic death. It
reproduces in us not only the Passion, Death and burial of Christ, symbolized by
immersion in water (verses 3-4, 6), but also new life, the life of grace which pours
into the soul, enabling the person to share in the Resurrection of Christ (verses
4-5). This sharing in Christ's Resurrection to immortal life is a kind of seed which
will ultimately produce the glorious resurrection of our bodies.
The baptized person is, therefore, someone newly created, someone born into a
new life, someone who has moved out of darkness into light. The white garment
used at Baptism symbolizes innocence and grace; the burning candle, the light
of Christ--two symbols the Church uses in the baptismal liturgy to signify what
is happening.
Thus, in Baptism, God "removes every trace of sin, whether original or personal"
("The Rite of Baptism", Introduction, 5) and also remits the penalties that these
sins incur. On being baptized in the name of the Three Divine Persons, the
Christian is shown God the Father's love for him (a love he has not merited), is
given a share in the Paschal Mystery of the Son, and to him is communicated
new life in the Spirit (cf. "Instruction on Infant Baptism", 20 October 1980, 9).
Baptism, which is also described as "the door of the spiritual life", unites a per-
son to Christ and to the Church by means of grace, which makes us children
of God and heirs to Heaven. Finally, in addition to the infused virtues and super-
natural gifts, the person is given "the graces necessary to live in a Christian way,
and on his soul is impressed the sacramental character which makes him a
Christian for evermore" ("St. Pius X Catechism", 250).
Baptism, which confers a "character", that is, a kind of seal confirming our
Christian calling, gives us a share in Christ's priesthood and makes us capable
of receiving the other sacraments.
4. It is easier to grasp the symbolism of burial and resurrection if one remembers
that in earlier times, and particularly in the apostolic period, Baptism was usually
administered by immersion in water--in some cases by total immersion, up to
three times, with one Person of he Blessed Trinity being invoked each time.
"They asked you, 'Do you believe in God the Father almighty?' You said, 'I be-
lieve', and you were immersed, that is, you were buried. Again they asked you,
'Do you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Cross?' You said, 'I believe',
and you were again immersed. This time you have been buried with Christ, and
he who is buried with Christ rises with Christ. For a third time you were asked,
'Do you believe in the Holy Spirit?' You said, ' I believe', and for a third time you
were immersed, so that by this three-fold confession you might be loosed of
your many attachments to your past life" (St. Ambrose, "De Sacramentis", II, 7).
Today Baptism is normally administered by pouring water over the head -- a
method also used in apostolic times and which gradually came into general use
because it was found more convenient.
5. Just as the ingraft and the plant form a single thing and make a single prin-
ciple of life, Christians by being grafted onto or incorporated into Christ through
Baptism form one single thing with Him and begin to draw on His divine life. We
are also "united with Him in a death like His": Christ suffered physical death; we,
in Baptism, die spiritually to the life of sin. St. John Chrysostom explains this as
follows: "Baptism is for us what the Cross and burial were for Christ; but with
this difference: the Savior died physically, He was physically buried, whereas we
ought to die spiritually. That is why the Apostle does not say we are 'united with
Him with His death', but 'in a death like his'" ("Hom. on Rom.", 10).
9-10. Jesus Christ chose to bear all the consequences of sin, even though He
was sinless. His voluntary death on the Cross and His glorious Resurrection
broke the bonds of death, for Himself and for all His own. Death no longer shall
have dominion: "[Christ died] that through death He might destroy him who has
the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of
death were subject to lifelong bondage" (Hebrews 2:14-15). And as a conse-
quence He won, for His own human nature and for us, a new life.
In all those who have been baptized these same events in Christ's life are in
some way reproduced. "Our past sins have been wiped out by the action of grace.
Now, so as to stay dead to sin after Baptism, personal effort is called for, although
God's grace continues to be with us, providing us with great help" (Chrysostom,
"Hom. on Rom.", 11). This personal effort might be encapsulated in a resolution:
"May we never die through sin; may our spiritual resurrection be eternal" (St. J.
Escriva, "Holy Rosary", 1st Glorious Mystery).
Gospel Reading: Matthew 10:37-42
Jesus' Instructions to the Apostles (Continuation)
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(Jesus said to His disciples) [34] "Do not think that I have come to bring peace
on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. [35] For I have come to
set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-
in-law against her mother-in-law; [36] and a man's foes will be those of his own
household. [37] He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of
Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; [38]
and he who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. [39] He
who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
[40] He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him
who sent Me. [41] He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall
receive a prophet's reward, and he who receives a righteous man because he is
a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. [42] And whoever gives
to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple,
truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward."
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Commentary:
34-37. Our Lord has not come to bring a false and earthly peace -- the sort of
tranquility the self-seeking person yearns for; He wants us to struggle against
our own passions and against sin and its effects. The sword He equips us with
for this struggle is, in the words of Scripture, "the sword of the Spirit which is
the word of God" (Ephesians 6:17), "lively and active, sharper than any two-
edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow,
and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12).
The word of God in fact leads to these divisions mentioned here. It can lead,
even within families, to those who embrace the faith being regarded as enemies
by relatives who resist the word of truth. This is why our Lord goes on (verse 37)
to say that nothing should come between Him and His disciple--not even father,
mother, son or daughter: any and every obstacle (cf. Matthew 5:29-30) must be
avoided.
Obviously these words of Jesus do not set up any opposition between the first
and fourth commandments (love for God above all things and love for one's par-
ents): He is simply indicating the order of priorities. We should love God with all
our strength (cf. Matthew 22:37), and make a serious effort to be saints; and we
should also love and respect--in theory and in practice--the parents God has gi-
ven us; they have generously cooperated with the creative power of God in brin-
ging us into the world and there is so much that we owe them. But love for our
parents should not come before love of God; usually there is no reason why
these two loves should clash, but if that should happen, we should be quite clear
in our mind and in heart about what Jesus says here. He has in fact given us an
example to follow on this point: "How is it that you sought Me? Did you not know
that I must be in My Father's house?" (Luke 2:49) -- His reply when,as a youth,
Mary and Joseph found Him in the Temple of Jerusalem after a long search. This
event in our Lord's life is a guideline for every Christian -- parent or child. Children
should learn from it that their affection for their parents should never come before
their love for God, particularly when our Creator asks us to follow Him in a way
which implies special self-giving on our part; parents should take the lesson that
their children belong to God in the first place, and therefore He has a right to do
with them what He wishes, even if this involves sacrifice, even heroic sacrifice.
This teaching of our Lord asks us to be generous and to let God have His way.
In fact, however, God never lets Himself be outdone in generosity. Jesus has
promised a hundredfold gain, even in this life, and later on eternal life (cf. Mat-
thew 19:29), to those who readily respond to His will.
38-39. The teaching contained in the preceding verses is summed up in these
two succinct sentences. Following Christ, doing what He asks, means risking
this present life to gain eternal life.
"People who are constantly concerned with themselves, who act above all for
their own satisfaction, endanger their eternal salvation and cannot avoid being
unhappy even in this life. Only if a person forgets himself and gives himself to
God and to others, in marriage as well as in any other aspect of life, can he be
happy on this earth, with a happiness that is a preparation for, and a foretaste
of, the joy of Heaven" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 24). Clearly,
Christian life is based on self-denial: there is no Christianity without the Cross.
40. To encourage the Apostles and to persuade others to receive them, our
Lord affirms that there is an intimate solidarity, or even a kind of identity, be-
tween Himself and His disciples. God in Christ, Christ in the Apostles: this is
the bridge between Heaven and earth. (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:21-23).
41-42. A prophet's mission is not essentially one of announcing future events;
his main role is that of communicating the word of God (cf. Jeremiah 11:2; Isai-
ah 1:2). The righteous man, the just man, is he who obeys the Law of God and
follows His paths (cf. Genesis 6:9; Isaiah 3:10). Here Jesus tells us that every-
one who humbly listens to and welcomes prophets and righteous men, recogni-
zing God in them, will receive the reward of a prophet and a righteous man. The
very fact of generously receiving God's friends will gain one the reward that they
obtain. Similarly, if we should see God in the least of His disciples (verse 42),
even if they do not seem very important, they are important, because they are
envoys of God and of His Son. That is why he who gives them a glass of cold
water -- an alms, or any small service--will receive a reward, for he has shown
generosity to our Lord Himself (cf. Matthew 25:40).
1. In chapters 11 and 12 the Gospel records the obduracy of the Jewish leaders
toward Jesus, despite hearing His teaching (chapter 5-7) and seeing the miracles
which bear witness to the divine nature of His person and His doctrine (chapters
8 and 9).
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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 purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
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