Isa 45:1, 4-6; Ps 95:1. 3-5. 7-10 r.7; 1 Thess 1:1-5; Matt 22:15-21
Isaiah insists that every event, good or bad, is part of God’s plan, including the conquest and exile of Israel by Babylon. And so does the freedom given them about 530 BC by Cyrus, King of Persia, whom God calls his ‘anointed’ or ‘messiah’, because he did God’s work. Thus all men, including Gentiles, though they do not know him, will know that there is only one God, the Lord.
The Psalm therefore calls on all men – and all creation – to worship and praise the one and just God.
For the last Sundays of Ordinary Time we read from Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonika, which he founded about AD 50. Paul later sent Silvanus and Timothy back to support the new community. Written from Corinth, this letter is the earliest Christian writing we have. Centuries before the idea of the Trinity was formally defined, Paul distinguishes clearly between “God our Father”, “our Lord Jesus Christ”, and “the Holy Spirit”.
Over the next three weeks we hear the final three discussions in Matthew’s Gospel between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. They ironically address Jesus as “Teacher”, but he silences them: he does have full authority to interpret the Jewish Scriptures.
Psalm Response: Give the Lord glory and power.
(Isa 45:1, 4-6; Ps 95:1. 3-5. 7-10 r.7; 1 Thess 1:1-5; Matt 22:15-21)