Reading I: Amos 7:12-15
This reading appears to have
been chosen to go with the mission of the Twelve in the gospel. Amos is sent
to God’s people in Israel (the northern kingdom) as the Twelve were sent to God’s
people in Galilee.
The passage places before us two contrasting conceptions of religionone
represented by Amaziah, priest of Bethel, and the other represented by the prophet
Amos.
Amaziah thought of religion in “civil” terms. It existed to promote
loyalty to the status quothe royal house and patriotism. Bethel was the
king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom, a sort of national cathedral.
Amaziah
thought of his own role as that of a court chaplain, whose job was to
prophesy “smooth things.”
Amos, however, was not a card-carrying member of the prophetic guild (whose members
viewed their duties much as Amaziah did his); he was an outsider whom God had
called to denounce the government for its injustices and inhuman policies.
We
do not get the substance of Amos’ message here, only his basic attitude.
It is
to deliver the word of the Lord, not to take the professional line of the court
chaplains and spokespersons for an uncritical patriotism.
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Responsorial Psalm: 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
In commenting on
this identical selection on the nineteenth Sunday of the
year in series A, we pointed out that the original context
of this psalm is uncertain, but that its theology reminds
one of Second Isaiah and that its plausible context is the
impending return from exile. While suitable for any occasion,
it does not appear to have any particular connection with
today’s readings.
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Reading II: Ephesians 1:3-14 or Ephesians 1:3-10
The opening thanksgiving of Ephesians (which we regard as Deutero-Pauline)
is suggested by Paul’s thanksgiving in 2 Corinthians 1:3ff, and is
today widely thought to be made up from a liturgical hymn.
This liturgical
material runs through verse 14. The shorter version is obtained
simply by lopping off the latter portion, which is printed as
a separate paragraph in the RSV (and NAB). In the Greek both
parts
consist
of a simple sentence.
The contents suggest that these verses were taken from a baptismal hymn. They
speak of (1) the election and predestination of the believer before the creation;
(2) the Christ-event; (3) the gnosis conveyed in Christian experience; (4) the
definition of gnosis as the cosmic scope of salvation history; (5) the distinction
between “we” (Jewish Christians) and “you” (Gentile Christians),
and the sealing of the latter with the Holy Spirit in their initiation.
It may
reasonably be conjectured that the distinction between Jewish and Gentile Christians
has been introduced into the hymn by the author of Ephesians, thus adumbrating
his major theme throughout the letter. That theme is the unity of both parties
in the one Church.
Thus, the hymn would have concluded with a celebration of
the sealing of all the newly baptized. It will be seen that the short form omits
an essential part of the hymn.
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Gospel: Mark 6:7-13
It was claimed by some of the
early form critics that the synoptic missions were creations of the post-Easter
community. If this were so, one would have expected Jesus’ charge to reflect
the Church’s post-Easter Christological kerygma, whereas in point of fact the
terms of their mission in both Mark and Q are exactly those of the earthly Jesus.
Mark
does not specify, as Q does, that they were charged to proclaim, as Jesus did,
the inbreaking of the kingdom of God, but he implies it in (a) the eschatological
haste (no bread, etc.); (b) the warning of possible rejection as Jesus’ message
was rejected; (c) the statement that they preached repentance (see Mark 1:14);
(d) their performance of exorcisms and healings.
“We must regard as authentic
the commission to act like Jesus himself in proclaiming that God’s kingdom has
drawn near and in doing mighty works” (F. Hahn).
It is equally clear that the four forms of the charge (Mark, Q, Matthew, Luke)
tended to expand or reduce the original nucleus in accordance with contemporary
needs and practices. Thus, in Mark, as we have seen, we find that the reference
to proclaiming the kingdom of God has been dropped (Mark knew only a Christological
kerygma in his Church), and the reference to exorcism and healing is extended
to include a specific mention of oil (see Jas 5:14 for this Church practice).
What function does this charge play in Mark? Mark clearly is very interested
in the Twelve. They are sometimes presented in a highly negative way, as blind
and unperceptive to the mystery of Jesus and his mission.
Here, however, they
are presented in a positive light. They are entrusted with the same message and
mission as the Master himself. Clearly, Mark wishes to hold before his Church
this twofold possibility. In Mark’s Church the successors of the apostles are
simultaneously warned and encouraged.
They may misunderstand Jesus and, in the
supreme hour of persecution, fail their Lord, as the disciples forsook him and
fled; or they may become true witnesses to the gospel message, as the disciples
did briefly in Jesus’ earthly lifetime and as they did for good after the risen
One had commissioned them in Galilee (Mark 16:7).
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Reginald H. Fuller
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Copyright © 1984
by The Order of St. Benedict, Inc., Collegeville, Minnesota.
All
rights reserved. Used by permission from The Liturgical
Press, Collegeville, Minnesota 56321 |
Preaching the Lectionary:
The Word of God for the Church Today
Reginald H. Fuller. The Liturgical Press. 1984 (Revised Edition),
pp.
325-326. |
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Thank
you to Liturgical Press who makes this page possible
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For more information about the 3rd edition (2006) of Preaching the Lectionary click picture above. |
Art by Martin Erspamer, O.S.B.
from Religious
Clip Art for the Liturgical Year (A, B, and C).
Used by permission of Liturgy Training Publications. This art may be reproduced only by parishes who purchase the collection
in book or CD-ROM form. For more information go to: http://www.ltp.org/ |
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