Friday

10th Week of Ordinary Time

(I) 1st Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:7-15

The Trials He Has Experienced
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[7] But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent
power belongs to God and not to us. [8] We are afflicted in every way, but not
crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; [9] persecuted, but not forsaken;
struck down, but not destroyed; [10] always carrying in the body the death of
Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. [11] For
while we live we are always being given up to death for Jesus' sake, so that the
life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. [12] So death is at work in
us, but life in you.

He Is Sustained By Hope in Heaven
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[13] Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and
so I spoke," we too believe, and so we speak, [14] knowing that he who raised the
Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
[15] For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people
it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

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Commentary:

7-12. In contrast to the greatness of the Gospel--the "treasure" entrusted to them
by God--St. Paul emphasizes the limitations of its ministers: they are "earthen
vessels" (v. 7). To illustrate this he describes the afflictions and persecution to
which he finds himself subjected and in which God's grace always comes to his
aid.

In some way these sufferings of the Apostles and of all Christians reproduce in
their lives the sufferings of Christ in his passion and death. In his case his suf-
fering opened the way to his glorification after the Resurrection; similarly his
servants, even in this life, are experiencing an anticipation of the life they will at-
tain in heaven; this helps them overcome every kind of affliction.

7. St. Paul again stresses that the effectiveness of all his apostolic activity comes
from God (cf., e.g., 1 Cor 1:26-31; 2 Cor 3:5); he it is who places his treasures in
poor earthenware vessels. The image the Apostle uses--which is reminiscent of
the clay which God used to make Adam (cf. Gen 2:7)--helps Christians realize
that through grace they bear in their souls a wonderful treasure, God himself; like
earthen vessels they are very fragile and they need to be put together again in the
sacrament of Confession. As a gloss on these ideas St Escriva taught that
Christians by bearing God in their souls are enabled to live at one and the same
time "in heaven and on earth, divinized: but knowing that we are of the world and
made of clay, with the frailty that is typical of clay--an earthenware pot which our
Lord has deigned to use in his service. And whenever it has got broken, we have
gone and riveted the bits together again, like the prodigal son: 'I have sinned
against heaven and against you...'" (quoted in Bernal, "Monsignor Escriva de
Balaguer").

8-9. The Apostle's words assure the Christian that he or she can always count
on God's help: no matter what trials they have to undergo, victory can be attained
with the grace of God as happened in St. Paul's case. "God is faithful, and he will
not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with temptation will also provide
you the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it" (1 Cor 10:13). Moreover,
St. Paul's example reminds us that more or less severe suffering and tribulation
will be a normal thing in the lives of Christ's followers; theirs will never be a comfor-
table, trouble-free life. "If it is your ambition to win the esteem of men, if your
desire is to be well-regarded and seek only a life of ease, you have gone astray
[...]. In the city of the saints, entrance is given and rest and eternal rule with the
King, only to those who have made their way along the rough, narrow way of
tribulation" (Pseudo-Macarius, "Homilies", XII, 5).

10-11. As happened in St. Paul's case, in their daily lives Christians must relive
the sufferings of Christ through self-denial and penance: this is part of following
Christ and imitating him. "The Christian vocation is one of sacrifice, penance,
expiation. We must make reparation for our sins--for the many times we turned
our face aside so as to avoid the gaze of God--and all the sins of mankind. We
must try to imitate Christ, 'always carrying in the body the death of Christ', his
abnegation, his suffering on the cross, 'so that the life of Jesus may be manifes-
ted in our bodies' (2 Cor 4:10). Our way is one of immolation and, in this denial,
we find "gaudium cum pace", both joy and peace" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is
Passing By", 9).

Self-denial, mortification, does not have to be something overt; it should be prac-
ticed in the ordinary circumstances of life--for example, by being punctual for
appointments, carefully fulfilling one's duties, treating everyone with as much
charity as possible, accepting little setbacks in a good-humored way (cf. St. J.
Escriva, "Friends of God", 138).

10. "The death of Jesus": more exactly, the "dying" of Christ: the Greek word
refers to the situation of someone who is dying.

12. In the Apostles, and also in other Christians, the paradox of Jesus' life is veri-
fied: his death is the cause of life for all men. "Unless a grain of wheat falls into
the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (Jn 12:24).
Afflictions and tribulations, physical and moral pain, daily self-denial and penance,
cause Christ's disciple to die to himself and, if united to the sufferings of his Mas-
ter, they become a source of life for others through the communion of saints.

13-18. The Apostle explains where he gets the strength to bear all the tribulations
of life--from his hope in the resurrection and his expectation of being in heaven
with those to whom he is writing (v. 14). There is nothing selfish about this desire
for heaven: it helps us to stay true to the faith and it enables us to see all the
sufferings of this life as something transitory and slight (v. 17), a necessary step
to heaven and a way to obtain incomparably greater happiness. "If we wish to
enjoy the pleasures of eternity," St. Alphonsus reminds us, "we must deprive our-
selves of the pleasures of time. 'Whoever would save his life will lose it' (Mt 16:25)
[...]. If we wish to be saved, we must all be martyrs, either by the tyrant's sword
or through our own mortification. Let us have this conviction--that everything we
suffer is nothing compared with the eternal glory that awaits us. 'I consider the
sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be
revealed to us' (Rom 8:18). These momentary afflictions will bring us eternal hap-
piness (cf. 2 Cor 4:17)" ("Treasury of Preaching Material", II, 9).

13. The Apostle's faith leads him to keep on preaching, despite all the difficulties
this may involve. There is nothing else he can do: he is convinced that his faith
is what can save the world and he cannot but strive to spread it. If he acted
otherwise it would mean his faith was asleep and he did not truly love others.
"When you find that something has done you good," St. Gregory the Great ex-
plains, "try to bring it to the attention of others. You should, therefore, desire
others to join you on the ways of the Lord. If you are going to the forum or the
baths, and you meet someone who is not doing anything, you invite him to go
along with you. Apply this earthly custom to the spiritual sphere, and as you
make your way to God, do not do so alone" ("In Evangelia Homiliae", 6, 6).

14. What inspires St. Paul's apostolic activity and enables him to bear all the
difficulties it involves, is his firm belief in resurrection in glory, the basis and cause
of which is Christ's resurrection. He also has the hope of sharing this happiness
in heaven, in the presence of God, with all the faithful for whose salvation he is
working on earth.

15. After reminding the Corinthians that all the sufferings he has been speaking
about he has borne for their sake (cf. 4:5), St. Paul tells them what motivates him
most--the greater glory of God, to whom the faithful should turn in deep gratitude
(cf. 1:11; 9:12). This should be man's primary attitude to God--one of profound
adoration and thanksgiving for all his benefits, as we are daily reminded in the
Preface of the Mass.

"If life's purpose were not to give glory to God, how contemptible, how hateful it
would be" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 783).
　

(II) 1st Reading: 1 Kings 19:9a, 11-16

Elijah’s encounter with God
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[9a] And there he came to a cave, and lodged there; and behold, the word of the
Lord came to him. [11] And he said, “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before
the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
mountains, and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not
in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earth-
quake; [12] and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and
after the fire a still small voice. [13] And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his
face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And be-
hold, there came a voice to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
[14] He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the peo-
ple of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain they
prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take
it away.” [15[ And the Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness
of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;
[16] and Jehu the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet
in your place.

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Commentary: 

19:9-14. “Taking the desert road that leads to the place where the living and true
God reveals himself to this people, Elijah, like Moses before him, hides ‘in a cleft
of the rock’ until the mysterious presence of God has passed by (cf. 1 Kings
19:1- 14; cf. Ex 33:19-23). But only on the mountain of the Transfiguration will
Moses and Elijah behold the unveiled face of him whom they sought; ‘the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God [shines] in the face of Christ’, crucified and
risen (cf. 2 Cor 4:6)” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2583). There is a sharp
contrast between the spectacular forces of nature, in which God is not present,
and the small still voice of a gentle breeze in which Elijah recognizes God to be
present (vv. 11-13). “In this way,” writes St Irenaeus, “the prophet, who was great-
ly downcast by the transgression of the people and the murder of the prophets,
learned to work with greater calm, and thus also the coming of the Lord in human
form is signified. In the light of the Law given to Moses, his coming will be seen
as an untroubled time when the bent reed will not be crushed nor the flickering
flame quenched. The sweet rest and peace of his reign is foreshadowed here as
well. After the wind that moves mountains, after earthquake and fire, the calm 
and peaceful age of his reign will come, in which the Spirit of God will revitalize 
and gently encourage the growth of man” (Adversus haereses, 4, 20, 10).

19:15-18. It is important to note that the “anointing” given to the prophet Elisha
is on a par with that given to the kings – and that there is already a reference
here to the remnant of Israel (cf. Is 4:3).


Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:27-32

Jesus and His Teaching, the Fulfillment of the Law (Continuation)
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(Jesus said to His disciples:) [27] "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall
not commit adultery.' [28] But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. [29] If your right
eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose
one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. [30] And if
your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that
you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

[31] "It was also said, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate
of divorce.' [32] But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except
on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a
divorced woman commits adultery."

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Commentary:

27-30. This refers to a sinful glance at any woman, be she married or not. Our
Lord fills out the precepts of the Old Law, where only adultery and the coveting
of one's neighbor's wife were considered sinful.

"Lustfully": feeling is one thing, consenting another. Consent presupposes that
one realizes the evil of these actions (looking, imagining, having impure thoughts)
and freely engages in them.

Prohibition of vices always implies a positive aspect--the contrary virtue. Holy
purity, like every other virtue, is something eminently positive; it derives from the
First Commandment and is also directed to it: "You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:37).
"Purity is a consequence of the love that prompts us to commit to Christ our
soul and body, our faculties and senses. It is not something negative; it is a
joyful affirmation" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 5). This virtue demands
that we use all the resources available to us, to the point of heroism if necessary.

"Right eye", "right hand", refers to whatever we value most. Our Lord lays it on
the line and it not exaggerating. He obviously does not mean that we should
physically mutilate ourselves, but that we should fight hard without making any
concessions, being ready to sacrifice anything which clearly could put us in the
way of offending God. Jesus' graphic words particularly warn us about one of the
most common occasions of sin, reminding us of how careful we need to be guar-
ding our sight. King David, by indulging his curiosity, went on to commit adultery
and crime. He later wept over his sins and led a holy life in the presence of God
(cf. 2 Samuel 11 and 12).

"The eyes! Through them many iniquities enter the soul. So many experiences
like David's!--If you guard your sight you will have assured the guard of your heart:
(St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 183).

Among the ascetical methods of protecting the virtue of holy purity are: frequent
Confession and Communion; devotion to our Lady; a spirit of prayer and mortifi-
cation; guarding of the senses; flight from occasions of sin; and striving to avoid
idleness by always being engaged in doing useful things. There are two further
means which are particularly relevant today: "Decorum and modesty are younger
brothers of purity" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 128). Decorum and modesty are a
sign of good taste, of respect for others and of human and Christian dignity. To
act in accord with this teaching of our Lord, the Christian has to row against the
current in a paganized environment and bring his influence for good to bear on it.

"There is need for a crusade of manliness and purity to counteract and undo the
savage work of those who think that man is a beast. And that crusade is a mat-
ter for you" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 121).

31-32. The Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 24:1), which was laid down in ancient
times, had tolerated divorce due to the hardness of heart of the early Hebrews. 
But it had not specified clearly the grounds on which divorce might be obtained.
The rabbis worked out different sorts of interpretations, depending on which
school they belonged to--solutions ranging from very lax to quite rigid. In all
cases, only husband could repudiate wife, not vice-versa. A woman's inferior
position was eased somewhat by the device of a written document whereby the
husband freed the repudiated woman to marry again if she wished. Against these
rabbinical interpretations, Jesus re-establishes the original indissolubility of mar-
riage as God instituted it (Genesis 1:27; 2:24; cf. Matthew 19:4-6; Ephesians
1:31; 1 Corinthians 7:10).

[The RSVCE carries a note which reads: "unchastity": The Greek word used here
appears to refer to marriages which were not legally marriages, because they
were within the forbidden degrees of consanguinity (Leviticus 18:6-16) or contrac-
ted with a Gentile. The phrase "except on the ground of unchastity" does not
occur in the parallel passage in Luke 16:18. See also Matthew 19:9 (Mark 10:
11-12), and especially 1 Corinthians 7:10-11, which shows that the prohibition
is unconditional.] The phrase, "except on the ground of unchastity", should not
be taken as indicating an exception to the principle of absolute indissolubility of
marriage which Jesus has just re-established. It is almost certain that the phrase
refers to unions accepted as marriage among some pagan people, but prohibited
as incestuous in the Mosaic Law (cf. Leviticus 18) and in rabbinical tradition.
The reference, then, is to unions radically invalid because of some impediment.
When persons in this position were converted to the True Faith, it was not that
their union could be dissolved; it was declared that they had never in fact been
joined in true marriage. Therefore, this phrase does not do against the indissolu-
bility of marriage, but rather reaffirms it.

On the basis of Jesus' teaching and guided by the Holy Spirit, the Church has
ruled that in the specially grave case of adultery it is permissible for a married
couple to separate, but without the marriage bond being dissolved; therefore,
neither party may contract a new marriage.

The indissolubility of marriage was unhesitatingly taught by the Church from the
very beginning; she demanded practical and legal recognition of this doctrine,
expounded with full authority by Jesus (Matthew 19:3-9; Mark 10:1-12; Luke 16:
18) and by the Apostles (1 Corinthians 6:16; 7:10-11; 39; Romans 7:2-3; Ephe-
sians 5:31f). Here, for example, are just a few texts from the Magisterium on
this subject:

"Three blessings are ascribed to matrimony [...]. The third is the indissolubility
of matrimony--indissoluble because it signifies the indivisible union of Christ with
the Church. Although a separation from bed may be permitted by reason of
marital infidelity, nevertheless it is not permitted to contract another matrimony
since the bond of a marriage lawfully contracted is perpetual" (Council of Flo-
rence, "Pro Armeniis").
　

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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.

[참고: 이 파일은 저서명 "가톨릭 교회의 말씀 전례에 따른 성경공부 해설서"(엮은이: 소순태, 출판사: 가톨릭출판사)의 각주의 연장으로 마련되었습니다].