Readings
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March 23, 2013
March 16, 2013
5th Sunday of Lent - C
Commentary
A Life-giving Relationship
The gift of being children of
God is one of the themes that connects the Gospel readings we hear on Sundays
in Lent during the Cycle C year.
We have the figure of Jesus as
the ideal Son of God, who overcomes temptations (First Sunday) and is approved
by the Father during the Transfiguration, “This is my chosen Son” (Second
Sunday).
For the Third Sunday, the
Gospel reading teaches us about God’s patience (the parable of the fig tree).
On the Fourth Sunday, we learn
that God always loves us as children, though so often we may not live or see
ourselves as such. Remember the younger
son wants to be a slave, while the older son sees himself as a slave? The father, on the contrary, always sees and
treats each of them as “my son.”
And for this Fifth Sunday, we
witness Jesus reaches out to a sinner with dignity.
There is a great contrast in
the ways the woman is treated.
The scribes and the Pharisees
use her as a trap “to test [Jesus] so that they can have some charge to bring against
him.”
She “was caught in the very act of committing
adultery.” From there, she probably was
dragged out, and “made [to] stand in the middle.”
They never speak to her.
With Jesus, she is a
person. “He speaks to her as a woman. He addresses her as ‘you.’” [1] In fact, this
is the first time in the story that anybody speaks to her. [2]
With that, she recognizes Jesus
as “Lord” (kyrie) [3] (though it is
translated here simply as “sir”).
Once the relationship is established,
a path to new life is opened for her. “Neither do
I condemn you. Go, and from now on do
not sin anymore.”
Not only is her physical life
not taken away, she is now offered “[a new] life in a right relationship with
God.” [4] Moreover, she has the freedom to choose
it.
She, a sinner, has been given
the life and dignity of the children of God.
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[1] Francis J.
Moloney, The Gospel of the Lord, Reflections on the Gospel Readings
Year C. Collegeville, MN. Liturgical Press, 1991; p. 81.[2], [3] and [4] Francis J. Moloney, SDB., The Gospel of John. Sacra Pagina Series, Collegeville, MN. Liturgical Press, 1998; p. 261 – 262.
5th Sunday of Lent - C (March 17, 2013)
March 8, 2013
4th Sunday of Lent
Commentary
Luke 15: 1-3, 11-32
Treat me as …
1. “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
2. I no longer deserve to be called your son;
3. treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”
But the Father does not even give him the time to finish all three parts.
The son acknowledges that he has sinned, and “no longer deserve to be called your son.” He still addresses the “father,” but he knows enough to ask that he be treated as “one of the hired workers.”
But the father does not even let him get there. The son’s actual words end in the place that the father always keeps him, a “son.”
Similarly, the older son considers himself a slave when he angrily describes his life with the father in these words, “All these years I served you.” In fact, a closer translation would read, “All these years I have slaved for you.” [1] Moreover, he does not even address the man “Father” as his brother did. [2]
Yet, in his very first words to the angry older son, the father calls him, “My son.”
Do I see myself as God always sees and treats me, “my child”?
------------------
[1] New Jerusalem Bible translation
[2] Brown, Raymond E.; Fitzmyer, Joseph A.; Murphy, Roland E., ed. The Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1968; p. 148.
[2] Brown, Raymond E.; Fitzmyer, Joseph A.; Murphy, Roland E., ed. The Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1968; p. 148.
4th Sunday of Lent - C (March 10, 2013)
March 2, 2013
3rd Sunday of Lent - C
Commentary
Why Not Me?
Why me? Why did this happen to me? What did I do?
Those are the questions we often ask when things go wrong.
However, the question we should ask is rather, "why not me?"
In responding to the people's question for an explanation of tragedies, Jesus challenges them to realize that they are by no means less sinful than those who have suffered the tragedies.
And in doing that, as well as with the parable of the fig tree, Jesus draws our attention to God's patience and mercy. And he challenges us to make good use of the opportunities we have to change.
Let's ask ourselves that question today, "Why not me?" and make an effort to respond to God's mercy and patience.
February 28, 2013
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