Thursday

8th Week of Ordinary Time

(I) 1st Reading: Sirach 42:15-25

The Splendor of the Created World
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[15] I will now call to mind the works of the Lord, and will declare what I have seen.
By the words of the Lord his works are done. [16] The sun looks down on every-
thing with its light, and the work of the Lord is full of his glory. [17] The Lord has
not enabled his holy ones to recount all his marvellous works, which the Lord the
Almighty has established that the universe may stand firm in his glory. [18] He
searches out the abyss, and the hearts of men, and considers their crafty devices.
For the Most High knows all that may be known, and he looks into the signs of
the age. [19] He declares what has been and what is to be, and he reveals the
tracks of hidden things. [20] No thought escapes him, and not one word is hidden
from him. [21] He has ordained the splendors of his wisdom, and he is from ever-
lasting and to everlasting. Nothing can be added or taken away, and he needs no
one to be his counsellor. [22] How greatly to be desired are all his works, and how
sparkling they are to see! [23] All these things live and remain for ever for every
need, and are all obedient. [24] All things are twofold, one opposite the other, and
he has made nothing incomplete. [25] One confirms the good things of the other,
and who can have enough of beholding his glory? 

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Commentary:

42:15-50:29 As in the other "parts" of the book, we can say that this one has two
sections to it--a doctrinal section (dealing with the origin of the universe, God as
Creator and provident Lord: 42:15-43:33) and then a sort of practical section (44:
1-50:29), dealing with praise of the ancestors of Israel to whom God "granted wis-
dom" (43:33). In this sense, this last part of Sirach is a recapitulation and a deve-
lopment of the two central ideas contained in the poems that mark the high point
of the book (1:1-2:18 and 24:1-34). In Sirach 1:1 it said that "All wisdom comes
from God" and, now in 42:15-43:33, it describes appreciation of the created world
as discernment of that Wisdom that the Lord left imprinted upon it. And similarly,
in 24:3-8, it said that Wisdom came from the mouth of the Most High, to dwell in
Israel; and now, in 44:1-50:29, it describes how Wisdom was at work in "famous
men" who lived in, keeping with the Law. The glory of God is to be seen in nature
and in the history of mankind.

42:15-43:33. This last introductory section marks the climax of the book mes-
sage. The author began by establishing that all wisdom comes from God (1:1-2:
21). Then he said that the study of the world and, of man is the, route to under-
standing because wisdom can be seen in the laws that God has built into every-
thing he made (16:24-18:14). Therefore, in the third part of the book, it said that
a person who desires to have wisdom must keep the commandments (24:1-34),
that is, be steeped in "fear of the Lord", which was the focus, of the fourth part
(32;14-33:18). Now it extols the glory of God, who creates and rules the world.
When it says that "by the words of the Lord his works are done" (42:15) it must
have in mind the first chapter of Genesis which narrates how God went about his
work of creation and distinguished his works one from another by means of his
word ("And God said ...". Gen 1:3, etc.); but the passage also prepares the way
to understand the Word of God made flesh, as we discover in Jesus Christ in the
New Testament. In the prologue to his Gospel, St. John proclaims that "all things
were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made"
(Jn 1:3; see the note on 1:1-2:21). Thus, God's Revelation reached its climax in
his incarnate Son: "In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by
the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he ap-
pointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world" (Heb 1:1-2).

In his reflection on the glory of God as manifested in creation, Ben Sirach begins
with thoughts on God's wisdom and knowledge (42:15-25) and then goes on to
show how heavenly bodies manifest the glory of God--the sun (43:1-5), the moon
(43:6-8), the stars (43:9-10) and the rainbow (43:11-12). Later he comments on
God's power over the elements--snow, lightning, hail, thunder, winds, frost etc.
(43:13-27). Finally he ponders the greatness of God over everything that exists
and invites us to worship him as he deserves (43:27-32), for "the Lord has made
all things, and to the godly he has granted wisdom" (43:33).

"God is infinitely greater than all works (Sir 43:30): 'You have set your glory above
the heavens' (Ps 8:1; Sir 43:28). Indeed, 'God's greatness is unsearchable' (Ps 8:
2). But because he is the free and sovereign Creator, the first cause of all that ex-
ists, God is present to his creatures' inmost being: 'In him we live and move and
have our being' 17:28). In the words of St Augustine God is 'higher than my high-
est and more inward than my innermost self' ("Conf., 3, 6, 11)" ("Catechism of the
Catholic Church", 300).
　

(II) 1st Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-5, 9-12

Like Newborn Babes (Continuation)
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[2] Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow
up to salvation; [3] for you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

The Priesthood Common to All Believers
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[4] Come to Him, to that living stone, rejected by men but to God's sight chosen
and precious; [5] and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house,
to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ.

[9] But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own peo-
ple, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of Him who called you out of dark-
ness into His marvelous light. [10] Once you were no people but now you are
God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mer-
cy.

Setting an Example for Pagans
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[11] "Beloved, I beseech you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the passions
of the flesh that wage war against your soul. [12] Maintain good conduct among
the Gentiles, so that in case they speak against you as wrongdoers, they may
see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

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Commentary:

1-3. The liturgy applies this text to the newly baptized (cf. Second Sunday of
Easter, entrance antiphon): they are like babies recently born to the new life of
grace (cf. 1:23). These verses are an exhortation to have the sincerity and sim-
plicity of children.

Just as little children clamor for their food, Christians should long for the spiritual
nourishment that lies in the Word of God and the sacraments. St Bede comments:
"Just as children have a natural desire for their mother's milk [...], so should you
desire to know the rudiments of the faith [...], so that by learning well you may
come to receive the living Bread that has come down from heaven, through the
sacraments of the Lord's incarnation; these sacraments cause you to be born
again and give you nourishment that enables you to contemplate the majesty
of God" ("Super 1 Pet. expositio, ad loc.").

Psalm 34, to which St Peter refers in v. 3 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is
good" (v. 8); by applying these words to Christ, his divinity is being asserted (cf.
note on 1:10-12). Among the early Christians it was quite usual for Holy Commu-
nion to be given during the baptismal ceremony (in which this psalm was sung in
honor of the Eucharist). "This hymn", St Cyril of Jerusalem teaches, "is a divine
melody inviting us to partake of the divine mysteries: 'O taste and see the Lord
is good.' It is not your tongue but your sound faith that forms your judgment. For
it is not bread and wine that you are tasting, but body and blood which they con-
tain" ("Mystagogical Catechesis", 5, 20).

2. "Like new-born babies": although this simile applies here to people who have
only recently received Baptism, all Christians should throughout their lives have
the simplicity and trust of children. "Unless you turn and become like children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:3). Spiritual childhood, where-
by we always see ourselves as small children in God's eyes is one way of gro-
wing in intimacy with him. "In our interior life", St. Escriva recommends, "it does
all of us good to be "quasi infantes", like those tiny tots who seem to be made
of rubber and who even enjoy falling over because they get up right away and
are running around again, and also because they know their parents will always
be there to console them whenever they needed.

"If we try to act like them, our stumbling and failures in the interior life (which,
moreover, are inevitable) will never result in bitterness. Our reaction will be one
of sorrow but not discouragement, and we'll smile with a smile that gushes up
like fresh water out of the joyous awareness that we are children of that Love,
that grandeur, that infinite wisdom, that mercy, that is our Father. During the
years I have been serving our Lord, I have learned to become a little child of God.
I would ask you to do likewise, to be "quasi modo geniti infantes", children who
long for God's word, his bread, his food, his strength, to enable us to behave
henceforth as Christian men and women" ("Friends of God", 146).

"Spiritual milk": this maybe an allusion to the promises God made to the chosen
people to bring them into "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Ex 3:8), and it
could be that from those words the custom grew in the early baptismal liturgy of
giving the recently baptized milk mixed with honey (a custom suppressed towards
the end of the fourth century). The expression refers to all the graces our Lord
gives in Baptism to enable a person attain salvation.

4-10. Baptism makes us members of the Church. The sacred writer uses the
idea of constructing a building (verses 4-8) to explain that Christians together
go to make up the one, true people of God (verses 9-19). The whole passage is
built on quotations from the Old Testament, possibly ones used in early aposto-
lic catechesis.

The Church is like a spiritual building of which Christ is the cornerstone, that is,
the stone which supports the entire structure (cf. "Lumen Gentium", 6). Chris-
tians have to be living stones united to Christ by faith and grace, thereby forming
a solid temple in which "spiritual sacrifices" are offered which are "acceptable to
God" (verse 5). The closer their union with Christ, the stronger the building: "All
of us who believe in Christ Jesus", Origen explains, "are called 'living stones' [...].
For if you, who are listening to me, want to prepare yourself better for the cons-
truction of this building, and be one of the stones closest to the foundation, you
need to realize that Christ Himself is the foundation of the building we are des-
cribing. As the Apostle Paul tells us, 'no other foundation can any one lay than
that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ' (1 Corinthians 3:11)" ("In Iesu Nave", 9,
1).

9-10. In contrast with those who reject faith (verses 7-8), believers form the true
Israel, the true people of God. In this people the titles applied to Israel in the Old
Testament find their full meaning: they are "a chosen race" (cf. Exodus 19:5-6),
a people convoked by God to sing His praises (cf. Isaiah 43:20-21). Their election
is something Christians should glory in; it makes demands on them: Christians
are set apart for God, they belong to Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:19), for the blood of
Christ has been paid as their ransom (cf. 1 Peter 1:18-21). So, they must not re-
main passive; they have to preach the greatness of God and bring many other
souls to Him: "the Good News of the Kingdom which is coming and which has be-
gun is meant", says Pope Paul VI, "for all people of all times. Those who have re-
ceived the Good News and who have been gathered by it into the community of
salvation can and must communicate and spread it" ("Evangelii Nuntiandi", 13).
In this people there is only one priest, Jesus Christ, and one sacrifice, that which
He offered on the cross and which is renewed in the Mass. But all Christians,
through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, obtain a share in the priest-
hood of Christ and are thereby equipped to mediate in a priestly way between
God and man and to take an active part in divine worship; by so doing they can
turn all their actions into "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God" (1 Peter 2:5).
Theirs is a true priesthood, although it is essentially different from the ministerial
priesthood for those who receive the sacrament of Order: "Though they differ es-
sentially and not only in degree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the
ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are nonetheless ordered one to another;
each in its own proper way shares in the one priesthood of Christ. The ministe-
rial priest, by the sacred power that he has, forms and rules the priestly people;
in the person of Christ he effects the eucharistic sacrifice and offers it to God in
the name of all the people. The faithful indeed, by virtue of their royal priesthood,
participate in the offering of the Eucharist. They exercise that priesthood, too, by
the reception of the Sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy
life, abnegation and active charity" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 10: cf. "Preby-
terorum Ordinis", 2).

And the same Council says, apropos of those "spiritual sacrifices" (verse 5) by
which Christians sanctify the world from within, that "all their works, prayers and
apostolic undertakings, family and married life, daily work, relaxation of mind and
body, if they are accomplished in the Spirit--indeed even the hardships of life if
patiently borne--all these become spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ. In the celebration of the Eucharist these may most frequently be
offered to the Father along with the body of our Lord. And so, worshipping every-
where by their holy actions, the laity consecrate the world itself to God" ("Lumen
Gentium", 34).

10. A passage from the Book of Hosea is applied to the faithful: Yahweh tells the
prophet to name two of his children "Not pitied" and "Not my people" (Hos 1:6, 8),
to symbolize the unfaithfulness of the people of Israel, for which they deserved to
be rejected by God. However, a little further on (Hos 2:22f), when he speaks of
the new covenant he is thinking of making, Yahweh says, "I will have pity on Not
pitied, and I will say to Not my people, 'You are my people'; and he shall say, 
Thou art my God"'. St Peter indicates that this prophecy has found its fulfillment
in the Church, the new people of God.

"Christ instituted this new covenant, namely the new covenant in his blood (cf. 1
Cor 11:25); he called a race made up of Jews and Gentiles which would be one,
not according to the flesh, but in the Spirit, and this race would be the new peo-
ple of God. For those who believe in Christ, who are reborn, not from a corruptible
seed, but from an incorruptible one through the word of the living God (cf. 1 Pet 1:
23), not from flesh, but from water and the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 3:5-6), are finally es-
tablished as a 'chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation...who in times past
were not a people, but now are the people of God' (1 Pet 2:9-10)" ("Lumen Gen-
tium", 9).

2:11-3:12. After outlining the fact that their vocation requires Christians to be holy,
the Apostle goes on to describe how their conduct will attract Gentiles to the faith
(2:11-12)--exemplary behavior in social and civic life, obeying lawful authority (vv.
13-17); obedience of servants to masters (vv. 18-25); and mutual respect between
husband and wife (3:1-7). Finally, he encourages all to practise fraternal charity
(3:8-12).

11-12. The letter contains many appeals to Christians to stay true to the faith e-
ven when pagans criticize them (2:12), cause them to suffer (3:13-15), or insult
them or following Christ (4:14). Some authors, reading these remarks referring
to state persecution unleashed by Roman emperors--especially Domitian (d. 96)
and Trajan (d. 117)--give the letter a much later date, even second-century date;
but all the information available to us favors a much earlier date, around the year
64 (cf. Introduction). St Peter seems to be referring rather to the trials the faithful
met at the hands of their fellow-citizens. At that time Christians often encountered
misunderstanding, rejection and discrimination, and even the loss of property (cf.,
e.g., Acts 19:23-31; 2 Thess 2:14).

This context explains why the Apostle encourages these recent converts (he once
again reminds them they are wayfarers: cf. 1:1, 17) to lead exemplary lives, so that
those among whom they live, although they may initially misinterpret their conduct,
will end up glorifying God: "Let your light so shine before men, that they see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Mt 5:16). Good exam-
ple is enormously effective in drawing souls closer to God. St John Chrysostom ex-
horted his flock in this way: "There would be no need for preaching if our life were
a beacon of virtues--no call for words if we had deeds to show. There would be no
pagans if we were truly Christians--if we kept Jesus Christ's commandments, if we
put up with unjust treatment and deception, if we blessed those who cursed us, if
we returned good for evil. No one would be such a monster not to embrace the
true religion immediately if we really lived like that" ("Hom. on 1 Tim", 10).

In addition to being mindful of exterior difficulties, St Peter does not forget that the
greatest danger lies in personal evil inclinations which "wage against your soul" (v.
11). Constant effort is called for if one is to control one's passions and overcome
temptation (cf., e.g., Mt 10:38-39; 1 Cor 9:24-27; 1 Tim 6:12): "There are people
who want to be humble," St Gregory the Great teaches, "but without being des-
pised; who want to be content with their lot, provided they have all they need; to
be chaste, but without mortifying their body; to be patient, provided no one offends
them. When they try to acquire virtues but avoid the efforts which virtues involve,
it is as if, with no experience of combat on the battlefield, they want to win the
war without moving from the city" ("Moralia", 7, 28).

"The day of visitation": this may refer to the time when the Lord will come in glory
at the end of the world; but from the context it seems, rather, to refer to his co-
ming to the hearts of the Gentiles through the grace of conversion (cf. Lk. 19:44).


Gospel Reading: Mark 10:46-52

The Blind Man of Jericho
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[46] And they (Jesus and His disciples) came to Jericho; and as He was leaving
Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the
son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. [47] And when he heard that it was
Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mer-
cy on me!: [48] And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but he cried out
all he more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" [49] And Jesus stopped and said,
"Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, He is
calling you." [50] And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus.
[51] And Jesus said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" And the blind
man said to Him, "Master, let me receive my sight." [52] And Jesus said to him,
"Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his
sight and followed him on the way.

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Commentary:

46-52. "Hearing the commotion the crowd was making, the blind man asks, 'What
is happening?' They told him, 'It is Jesus of Nazareth.' At this his soul was so
fired with faith in Christ that he cried out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!'

"Don't you feel the same urge to cry out? You who are also waiting at the side of
the way, of this highway of life that is so very short? You who need more light, you
who need more grace to make up your mind to seek holiness? Don't you feel an
urgent need to cry out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me'? What a beautiful
aspiration for you to repeat again and again!...

"'Many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.' As people have done to you, when
you sensed that Jesus was passing your way. Your heart beat faster and you too
began to cry out, prompted by an intimate longing. Then your friends, the need to
do the done thing, the easy life, your surroundings, all conspired to tell you: 'Keep
quiet, don't cry out. Who are you to be calling Jesus? Don't bother Him.'

"But poor Bartimaeus would not listen to them. He cried out all the more: 'Son of
David, have mercy on me.' Our Lord, who had heard him right from the beginning,
let him persevere in his prayer. He does the same with you. Jesus hears our cries
from the very first, but he waits. He wants us to be convinced that we need Him.
He wants us to beseech Him, to persist, like the blind man waiting by the road
from Jericho. 'Let us imitate him. Even if God does not immediately give us what
we ask, even if many people try to put us off our prayers, let us still go on praying'
(St. John Chrysostom, "Hom. on St. Matthew", 66).

"'And Jesus stopped, and told them to call Him.' Some of the better people in the
crowd turned to the blind man and said, 'Take heart; rise, He is calling you.' Here
you have the Christian vocation! But God does not call only once. Bear in mind
that our Lord is seeking us at every moment: get up, He tells us, put aside your
indolence, your easy life, your petty selfishness, your silly little problems. Get
up from the ground, where you are lying prostrate and shapeless. Acquire height,
weight and volume, and a supernatural outlook.

"And throwing off his mantle the man sprang up and came to Jesus. He threw off
his mantle! I don't know if you have ever lived through a war, but many years ago
I had occasion to visit a battlefield shortly after an engagement. There strewn all
over the ground, were greatcoats, water bottles, haversacks stuffed with family
souvenirs, letters, photographs of loved ones...which belonged, moreover, not to
the vanquished but to the victors! All these items had become superfluous in the
bid to race forward and leap over the enemy defenses. Just as happened to
Bartimaeus, as he raced towards Christ.

"Never forget that Christ cannot be reached without sacrifice. We have to get rid
of everything that gets in the way--greatcoat, haversack, water bottle. You have
to do the same in this battle for the glory of God, in this struggle of love and peace
by which we are trying to spread Christ's Kingdom. In order to serve the Church,
the Pope and all souls, you must be ready to give up everything superfluous....

"And now begins a dialogue with God, a marvelous dialogue that moves us and
sets our hearts on fire, for you and I are now Bartimaeus. Christ, who is God,
begins to speak and asks, 'Quid tibi vis faciam?' 'What do you want Me to do
for you?' The blind man answers. 'Lord, that I may see.' How utterly logical! How
about yourself, can you really see? Haven't you too experienced at times what
happened to the blind man of Jericho? I can never forget how, when meditating
on this passage many years back, and realizing that Jesus was expecting some-
thing of me, though I myself did not know what it was, I made up my own aspira-
tions: 'Lord, what is it You want! What are You asking of me'? I had a feeling that
He wanted me to take on something new and the cry, 'Rabboni, ut videam', 'Mas-
ter, that I may see,' moved me to beseech Christ again and again, 'Lord, what-
ever it is that You wish, let it be done.'

"Pray with me now to our Lord: 'doce me facere voluntatem tuam, quia Deus me-
us es tu" (Psalm 142:10) ('teach me to do Thy will, for You art my God'). In short,
our lips should express a true desire on our part to correspond effectively to our
Creator's promptings, striving to follow out His plans with unshakeable faith, being
fully convinced that He cannot fail us....

"But let us go back to the scene outside Jericho. It is now to you that Christ is
speaking. He asks you, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' 'Master, let me re-
ceive my sight.' Then Jesus answers, 'Go your way. Your faith has made you well.'
And immediately he received his sight and followed Him on His way." Following Je-
sus on His way. You have understood what our Lord was asking to from you and
you have decided to accompany Him on His way. You are trying to walk in His
footsteps, to clothe yourself in Christ's clothing, to be Christ Himself: well, your
faith, your faith in the light our Lord is giving you, must be both operative and full
of sacrifice. Don't fool yourself. Don't think you are going to find new ways. The
faith He demands of us is as I have said. We must keep in step with Him, wor-
king generously and at the same time uprooting and getting rid of everything that
gets in the way" (St. J. Escriva, "Friends of God", 195-198).

　

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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].