Wednesday

11th Week of Ordinary Time

(I) 1st Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Blessings To Be Expected
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[6] The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who
sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. [7] Each one must do as he has made
up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
[8] And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you
may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every
good work. [9] As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his
righteousness endures for ever." [10] He who supplies seed to the sower and
bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest
of your righteousness. [11] You will be enriched in every way for great genero-
sity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

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Commentary:

6-15. The collection appeal ends with some remarks about the benefits that ac-
crue from it. First, St Paul says that the generous almsgiving of the Corinthians
will stand to them in this life and in the next (vv. 6-10), and then he refers to its
effects on the faithful in Jerusalem: they will praise God and feel closer to the
Christians of Corinth (vv. 11-15).

A person who is generous in almsgiving draws down on himself the blessings
of God. St Augustine says: "Your Lord says this to you, [...] Give to me and re-
ceive. In due course I will give back what is due to you. What will I give back?
You gave little to me, you will receive a great deal; you gave me earthly things,
I will give back heavenly things; you gave me temporal things you will receive
eternal things; you gave me what was mine, you will receive me, myself [...].'
See whom you lent to. He nourishes (others) and (yet he himself) suffers hun-
ger for your sake; he gives and is needy. When he gives, you wish to receive;
when he is needy, you are unwilling to give. Christ is needy when a poor man
is needy. He who is disposed to give eternal life to all his own has deigned to
receive temporal things in (the person of) anyone who is needy' ("Sermon 33",
8).

6. This image of sowing and reaping is often used in Sacred Scripture to indicate
the connection between one's actions and reward or punishment in the next life
(cf. Prov 22:8; Mt 25:24-26; Gal 6:7f). What the Apostle says here reminds us of
our Lord's promise: "Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down,
shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap" (Lk 6:38). However much
we give God in this life, he will reward us with much more in the next.

7. "God loves a cheerful giver": a teaching often found in Scripture (cf. Deut 15:10;
Ps 100:2; Sir 35:11; Rom 12:8). An alms or a service done reluctantly can never
please anyone, particularly God our Lord: "If you give bread and it makes you sad
to do so," St Augustine comments, "you lose both the bread and the reward" (St
Augustine, "Enarrationes in Psalmos", 42, 8); whereas the Lord is delighted when
a person gives something or gives himself lovingly and spontaneously, not as if
he were doing a great favor (cf. "Friends of God", 140).

8-10. St Paul emphasizes the abundant divine blessings--both temporal and spiri-
tual--which generous almsgiving brings. In the Old Testament we read in the Book
of Tobias: "Give alms from your possessions to all who live uprightly, and do not
let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from
any poor man, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. If you have
many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid
to give according to the little you have. So you will be laying up a good treasure
for yourself against the day of necessity. For charity delivers from death and keeps
you from entering the darkness; and for all who practice it charity is an excellent
offering in the presence of Most High" (4:7-11). To almsgiving can be applied our
Lord's promises about the hundred-fold in this life and then everlasting life--promi-
ses made to all those who give up something in his name (cf. Mt 19:28f).

"Righteousness" is equivalent to holiness. In the Bible the person is described
as righteous or "just" who strives to do God's will and serve him to the best of his
ability (cf., e.g., notes on Mt 1:19; 5:6).

10. "For," comments St John Chrysostom, "if even to those who sow the earth
and to those who are concerned about the needs of the body, God gives in great
abundance, much more will he give to those who till the soil of heaven and apply
themselves to the salvation of their souls, for he wills that we should spare no
sacrifice in that regard [...].

"This holy apostle gives these two principles: in temporal things one should limit
oneself to what is necessary; but in spiritual things one should seek as much as
possible. Therefore he asks that we should not simply give alms, but give alms
generously. That is why he calls alms 'seed'. Just as corn cast into the ground
produces a crop, so generous alms produces righteousness and abundant har-
vest" ("Hom. on 2 Cor", 20).

11-15. The collection is designed to relieve the material needs of the brethren in
Jerusalem, but St Paul expects it to produce spiritual fruit above all--thanksgiving
to God, on the part of those who receive the aid, for the faith and fraternal charity
of the Corinthians, and prayer for them; and this will make for greater solidarity
between Christians of Jewish origin and those of Gentile origin. This unity of the
churches was one of the Apostle's prime objectives (cf., e.g., 1 Cor 1:10ff).

This concern about the needs of others, such as we see among the first Chris-
tians (cf. Acts 2:44-47; 4:34-37), which St Paul impresses on the faithful in the
new communities he founds, should always stand to us as an example no Chris-
tian should be indifferent to the needs, spiritual or material, of others; he should
generously try to meet these needs.

11. "Through us": in the sense that it will be Paul and his co-workers who bring
the collection to Jerusalem.


(II) 1st Reading: 2 Kings 2:1, 6-14

Elijah is taken up into the sky
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[1] Now when the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind Eli-
jah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.

[6] Then Elijah said to him, "Tarry here, I pray you; for the Lord has sent me to
the Jordan." But he said, "As the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not
leave you." So the two of them went on. [7] Fifty men of the sons of the prophets
also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing
by the Jordan. [8] Then Elijah took his mantle, and rolled it up, and struck the
water, and the water was parted to the one side and to the other, till the two of
them could go over on dry ground.

[9] When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you,
before I am taken from you." And Elisha said, "I pray you, let me inherit a double
share of your spirit." [10] And he said, "You have asked for a hard thing; yet, if
you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if you do
not see me, it shall not be so." [11] And as they still went on and talked, behold,
a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up
by a whirlwind into heaven. [12[ And Elisha saw it and he cried, "My father, my
father! the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more. Then
he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.

Elisha, Elijah's successor
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[13] And he took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back
and stood on the bank of the Jordan. [14] Then he took the mantle of Elijah that
had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, "Where is the Lord, the God
of Elijah?" And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to one side
and to the other; and Elisha went over. 
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Commentary: 

2:1-13:25. Having concluded the section dealing with kings in the time of Elijah
(cf. 1 Kings 17:1-2 Kings 1:18), the biblical narrative now focuses on Elisha.
First it tells how he succeeded Elijah (chap. 2) and then it goes on to cover his
wonderworking and prophetical activity, up to his death (chap. 13). The account
of his death, which occurred at the beginning of the eighth century BC, brings
to a close a period of the history of Israel spanning the careers of two great pro-
phets, Elijah and Elisha.

Elisha's activity is different from Elijah's in many ways: firstly, Elisha's miracles
are designed to resolve difficulties of his contemporaries, whereas Elijah's were
performed to demonstrate the sovereignty of the one God; secondly, Elisha is 
much more involved than his predecessor in political affairs and is much closer
to the kings, too; finally, Elisha has more contact with the groups of prophets
than Elijah had. Elisha is, then, a prophet much closer to the people, showing
them the love God has for them.

2:1-25. Elisha becomes the heir of his master's spirit when he sees Elijah being
taken up to heaven (vv. 9-12). The signs which Elisha goes on to work win him
recognition as Elijah's successor – first, from the other prophets, once they are
convinced that Elijah is indeed no longer in this world (vv. 13-18), and then from 
all the people, who witness extraordinary prodigies worked by Elisha (vv. 19-25).

2:1-12. This passage deals with one of the most mysterious, and also the most
popular, episodes in the Old Testament – Elijah being taken up to heaven by a
whirlwind. God wants to show the special destiny reserved for Elijah on account
of his fidelity, a destiny similar to Enoch's for having walked with God (cf. Gen
5:21-24).

In recounting this ancient tradition about Elijah, the sacred writer highlights as-
pects of Elijah's connexion with groups of prophets and particularly with Elisha,
whom he had already designated as his successor (cf. 1 Kings 19:19-21).

Elisha's request for a double share of Elijah's spirit is reminiscent of the double
portion of the paternal estate due to the first-born in Israel (cf. Deut 21:17). The
condition that Elijah lays down shows that divine gifts can be passed on only
to those able to receive them (cf. vv. 10-12).

The function of the chariot and horses of fire is to separate the two prophets
when Elijah is being swept up. The book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus), in its time,
will interpret them as a sign that God has brought him up into heaven (cf. Sir 48:
8-9). Chariots of fire are also a symbol of God's presence and of his glory, as in
Psalm 68:17, for example. The fact that Elijah had not died is the reason why he
is assigned a role in the future, at the messianic restoration of the twelve tribes
(cf. Sir 48:10) and before the coming of the "day of the Lord" (Mal 4:5). The fi-
gure of Elijah is also to be found in the New Testament where he is identified
with John the Baptist, Christ's precursor (cf. Mt 11:14, 17:10-12), in the sense
that the Baptist is inspired by the same spirit as inspired Elijah.

The last wonder worked by Elijah, over the waters of the Jordan (cf. v. 8), again
likens him to Moses (cf. Ex 14:16-21 and notes on 1 Kings 19:1-18). Even the
place where Elijah is taken up into heaven is not far from where Moses died (cf.
Deut 34:4-6) before the people entered the promised land. These similarities be-
tween Moses and Elijah suggest certain parallels: Moses represents the Law
which God gave Israel through his mediation; Elijah represents the prophetical
spirit which God manifested through the prophet's life and through his being ta-
ken up into heaven. So, it is not surprising that when our Lord chose to reveal
his glory to the disciples by his transformation on Mount Tabor, he should have
chosen to appear alongside Moses and Elijah, because the Law and the Pro-
phets find their fulfilment in Christ (cf. Mt 17:3 and par.).

2:13-18. The mantle symbolizes the authority of its owner and, in this case, the
fact that he possesses the prophetical spirit (cf. 1 Kings 19:19-21). Elisha uses
it to repeat the prodigy previously worked by Elijah; but now he does so to cross
towards the land of Israel, as the people once did on the orders of Joshua (cf.
Josh 3:14-17).

On witnessing the prodigy worked by Elisha, the prophets acknowledge him as
Elijah's true heir (v. 15); but they want to make sure that it was not to some o-
ther place on earth that Elijah was taken, as popular thinking had it (cf. 1 Kings
18:12).


Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

An Upright Intention in Almsgiving, Prayer and Fasting
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(Jesus said to His disciples,) [1] "Beware of practising your piety before men in
order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who
is in Heaven.

[2] "Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites
do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly,
I say to you, they have their reward. [3] But when you give alms, do not let your
left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] so that your alms may be in se-
cret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

[5] "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to
stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be
seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. [6] But when you pray,
go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

[16] "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfi-
gure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they
have their reward. [17] But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
[18] that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in se-
cret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

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Commentary:

[번역자 주: 오늘의 복음 말씀은, 매년 재의 수요일 복음 말씀과 동일하며, 여기를 
클릭하면 아래 해설의 우리말 번역문을 읽을 수 있을 것이다.]

1-18. "Piety", here, means good works (cf. note on Matthew 5:6). Our Lord is
indicating the kind of spirit in which we should do acts of personal piety. Alms-
giving, fasting and prayer were the basic forms taken by personal piety among
the chosen people--which is why Jesus refers to these three subjects. With com-
plete authority He teaches that true piety must be practised with an upright inten-
tion, in the presence of God and without any ostentation. Piety practised in this
way implies exercising our faith in God who sees us--and also in the safe know-
ledge that He will reward those who are sincerely devout.

5-6. Following the teaching of Jesus, the Church has always taught us to pray
even when we were infants. By saying "you" (singular) our Lord is stating quite
unequivocally the need for personal prayer--relating as child to Father, alone with
God.

Public prayer, for which Christ's faithful assemble together, is something neces-
sary and holy; but it should never displace obedience to this clear command-
ment of our Lord: "When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray
to your Father".

The Second Vatican Council reminds us of the teaching and practice of the
Church in its liturgy, which is "the summit toward which the activity of the Church
is directed; it is also the fount from which all her power flows [...]. The spiritual
life, however, is not limited solely to participation in the liturgy. The Christian is
indeed called to pray with others, but he must also enter into his bedroom to pray
to his Father in secret; furthermore, according to the teaching of the Apostle, he
must pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17)" ("Sacrosanctum Concilium",
10 and 12).

A soul who really puts his Christian faith into practice realizes that he needs fre-
quently to get away and pray alone to his Father, God. Jesus, who gives us this
teaching about prayer, practised it during His own life on earth: the holy Gospel
reports that He often went apart to pray on His own: "At times He spent the
whole night in an intimate conversation with His Father. The Apostles were filled
with love when they saw Christ pray" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By",
119; cf. Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; etc.). The Apostles followed the
Master's example, and so we see Peter going up to the rooftop of the house to
pray in private, and receiving a revelation (cf. Acts 10:9-16). "Our life of prayer
should also be based on some moments that are dedicated exclusively to our
conversation with God, moments of silent dialogue" ("ibid", 119).

16-18. Starting from the traditional practice of fasting, our Lord tells us the spirit
in which we should exercise mortification of our senses: we should do so without
ostentation, avoiding praise, discreetly; that way Jesus' words will not apply to us:
"they have their reward"; it would have been a very bad deal. "The world admires
only spectacular sacrifice, because it does not realize the value of sacrifice that
is hidden and silent" (St. J. Escriva, "The Way", 185).
　

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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].