2, Scripture Readings – Summaries of the readings of each Sunday Mass (by Chris Oliver)

Sir/Eccle’us 35:12-14,16-19 Ps 33(34) 2 Tim 4:6-8,16-18 Lk 18:9-14

Sirach was a Jerusalem sage writing about 180 BC. His wise maxims are much used by the Church. God does not approve “the gifts of the godless, nor for their many sacrifices does he forgive their sins”. God is just, “he hears the cry of the oppressed”. God’s justice will be seen, he will wreak “vengeance upon the proud”.

The psalm urges us to praise the Lord, especially for his rescue of us. We should therefore keep his commendments.

Paul tells Timothy to expect a time to come “when people will not tolerate sound doctrine” “and will stop listening to the truth”. In every age Christians have experienced this happening. Paul is facing death alone. But God has not deserted him, enabling him to speak out at his trial, sending the gospel message to yet more Gentiles, even at this late hour.

In Luke’s gospel Jesus continues his teachings on prayer. After last week’s parable about the persistent widow comes this strong condemnation of insincere prayer. We should not imagine that the Pharisee was bad: he is a good man, conscientiously observing his religion. Yet Jesus says the tax collector went home justified “rather than” the Pharisee. Not “more than”! Why? Because the tax collector was humble enough to admit his need of God and of his mercy.

Psalm Response: This poor man called; the Lord heard him.

(Sir/Eccle’us 35:12-14,16-19 Ps 33(34) 2 Tim 4:6-8,16-18 Lk 18:9-14)

During the Exodus, after escaping from Egypt across the Red Sea, the Israelites frequently grumbled about God, who responded by giving them water, quail and manna. Then they were challenged by the Amelekites living between Palestine and Sinai. Moses needed a lot of human help to keep his arms up! But his persistence showed complete faith in God. They continued to quarrel and test the Lord, but he showed yet again that he will always look after them.

The Psalmist, full of confidence in the Lord, assures his companion he too may have total confidence in God.

Paul emphasises that Timothy, like Moses, must “be persistent” in proclaiming the word “whether it is convenient or inconvenient”. He describes the uses of scripture: “for teaching, for refuting error, for guidance and for teaching people to be holy”. For Paul, writing before the Gospels were written, “scripture” meant what we now call the Old Testament. So we need to persist in trying to understand the Jewish Scriptures.

Just before Jesus enters Jerusalem Luke gives us two parables about prayer. Today we hear how the persistent widow gets justice. Jesus assures us: God will “see justice done to his chosen who cry out to him day and night even when he delays to help them”.

Psalm Response: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

(Ex 17:8-13 Ps 120(121) 2 Tim 3:14-4:2 Lk 18:1-8)

Hab 1:2-3,2:2-4 Ps 94(95) 2 Tim 1:6-8,13-14 Lk 17:5-10

Habbakuk appears to have prophesied while Judah was being threatened by Babylon, who destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC. Habbakuk expresses the ever-present frustration of mankind that evil people always seem to triumph. Since God is good and just, why doesn’t He intervene to help those who worship Him? Instead of punishing his erring people by a nation even more wicked? God’s answer here is that “the upright man will live by his faithfulness”. So Habbakuk agrees to “quietly wait” for the invaders to be punished.

The Psalm invites us to praise and worship the Lord daily, for he is our king and shepherd. We must not lose faith in God, as did the Israelites in their desert journey.

In the first of four readings from Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he is urged to “bear the hardships” relying on God’s power, using and developing his skills to testify to the good news. You should “guard the rich truth that has been entrusted to you” the truth that Jesus, “has abolished death”.

In Luke’s Gospel Jesus continues to teach on his way to Jerusalem. We must have confidence in God’s plan, carrying out the tasks God has given us. We must not expect God to put this world to rights in our lifetime.

Psalm Response: O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.

Amos 6:1, 4-7, Ps 145:6-10,1 Tim 6:11-16, Lk 16:19-31

Amos warns both the northern kingdom, Israel, ie Samaria, and the southern kingdom, Judea, with its capital Zion or Jerusalem, that the idle rich in both kingdoms will be the first to go into exile. 40 years later, in 721 BC, Samaria was conquered, and later Judea followed into exile.

The Psalm, echoed by Mary in Luke’s Magnificat, confirms that God’s justice will prevail: the hungry will be fed, the blind given sight, but the wicked will lose out.

Instructing Timothy how to organise the early Christian church, Paul also insists the rich should use their wealth for good deeds. Christians should ideally aspire to show the Christian virtues as examples to all, and so witness to the truth, until our Lord Jesus Christ returns to appear in glory as King of kings. And Paul insists that only God “has immortality”: we do not simply have souls that live on after death – our creed says we believe in “the resurrection of the body”, a gift from God in which our whole person, body and soul, lives for ever.

The Gospel graphically illustrates the dangers of riches: the rich man, who is not named, asks that the poor man – who is named – Lazarus – be sent to relieve his torments in hell. Abraham tells him the rich should listen to the prophets.

Psalm Response: My soul, give praise to the Lord.

(Amos 6:1, 4-7, Ps 145:6-10,1 Tim 6:11-16, Lk 16:19-31)

Amos 8:4-7 Ps 112(113):1-8 1 Tim 2:1-8 Lk 16:1-13

Amos was a shepherd from Judah who around 760 BC prophesied doom to the northern kingdom Israel, largely because of its social injustice. Israel under Jeroboam was very prosperous, but when it was overrun by Assyria 40 years later the prophet’s warnings were remembered. It was not just the ways the rich cheated the poor – inflating the currency and giving short measure. Worse was their belief that sacrifices and fasting would absolve them from God’s blame: sacrifice without justice is meaningless.

The Psalm urges praise for God at all times and in all places for he who is supreme over all stoops down to raise up the poor.

In our modern liturgies we follow all of Paul’s advice to Timothy: we lift up our hands in the traditional manner to offer prayers of petition, intercession and thanks, and we pray for secular authorities – “so that we may live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet”. We should reject false gods like riches or possessions. There is only one God, and Christ Jesus, our one High Priest, is the only mediator between us and God.

In the Gospel Jesus also warns us not to be seduced into worshipping money. Jesus says though the steward was “dishonest”, his motive was right: to gain friends who would help him later.

Psalm Response: Praise the Lord who raises the poor.

(Amos 8:4-7 Ps 112(113):1-8 1 Tim 2:1-8 Lk 16:1-13)

Sir 3:17-20, 28-29 Ps 67(68):4-11 Heb 12:18-19, 22-24 Lk 14:1, 7-14

Part of Wisdom literature, the Book of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus, was written by Ben Sira about 200 BC. Based on deep experience, it is full of traditional Jewish and worldly wisdom and morals. After describing our duties towards God and our parents, today’s reading emphasises the need for humility in face of God’s greatness and the wisdom that comes from listening carefully. The omitted verses advise us not to seek what is beyond our power nor tasks beyond what has been assigned to us.

This triumphal psalm celebrating God’s goodness was sung as David led the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem.

Our final reading from Hebrews describes the exciting delights of the heavenly city we have now entered, after our baptism. Instead of fearsome Sinai, Zion – the new “Temple Mount” where God resides – is full of angels in tumultuous joyful festival, with believers and saints made perfect being welcomed by Jesus and our God. What a welcome! But God is still judge: as we have been given the privilege of Jesus as covenant-mediator, we have the responsibility of offering thanksgiving to God

In Luke’s gospel we hear about Jesus having dinner with a Pharisee. Two parables illustrate the themes from the first reading of humility and not giving ourselves airs.

Psalm Response: In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor.

<h3>Is 66:18-21   Ps 116(117)   Heb 12:5-7, 11-13   Lk 13:22-30</h3>

After lamenting the disasters God has sent on the Israelites because of their sins, third Isaiah sees hope in God’s renewal of his covenant promise and in the “new heavens and the new earth” which God is creating. Jerusalem will prosper and all nations will be invited to God’s holy mountain Jerusalem. God’s glory will be seen by all, and all nations will worship him.
This shortest of all the psalms calls on all mankind to praise the Lord for his kindness to us and for his faithfulness to his promises.

Hebrews quotes from the Book of Proverbs that a son should expect to be disciplined by his Father. So we should not be discouraged when God disciplines us: rather we should rejoice that God shows in this way that we are his beloved sons. We must persevere, enduring our sufferings, turning away from sin and accepting the works God calls us to do.

Chapter 13 of Luke’s gospel emphasises the need to repent, to change our mind-set about God. After Jesus healed a crippled woman on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler was outraged to be told his understanding of the Sabbath was hypocrisy. But we also have great difficulty in accepting God’s ways. Today’s reading insists that entering the kingdom is difficult.

Palm Response:        Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News.

Jer 38:4-6,8-10 Ps 39(40):2-4,18 Heb 12:1-4 Lk 12:49-53

Writing during the turbulence just before the exile, Jeremiah was caught between the king, Zedekiah, and jealous nobles, who falsely imprisoned him. In 586 BC Judea again revolted against Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Jeremiah told the king he should surrender because Judea would be defeated anyway, as God’s punishment for their infidelity, and resistance would lead to Jerusalem’s destruction. But the nobles said Jeremiah’s advice was undermining morale and threw him into a cistern. Jerusalem did not surrender, and was destroyed, and most survivors were deported to Babylon.

Jeremiah might have used this Psalm to give thanks after being rescued from the well. And to ask God for help in the troubles to come.

Last week we heard part of the discussion in Hebrews about the meaning of faith, “the conviction of things not seen”, giving the example of Abraham. After further examples, Hebrews says yet all these “did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better”. With so many witnesses confident of this unknown reward, we must persevere in our faith, enduring, like Jesus.

The themes of turbulence and suffering continue in today’s reading from Luke’s gospel, which follows the insistence last week that unfaithful servants will be punished. Jesus’ message brings division between believers and non-believers, whose evil deeds are thrown into relief by the gospel.

Psalm Response: Lord, come to my aid!

(Jer 38:4-6,8-10 Ps 39(40):2-4,18 Heb 12:1-4 Lk 12:49-53)

Wis 18:6-9 Ps 32(33):1-22 Heb 11:1-2,8-19 Lk 12:32-48

The Wisdom of Solomon was the last book of the Old Testament to be written. It was written in Greek, not Hebrew, so not in the Septuagint nor therefore in the Protestant Bible. The final chapters meditate on the Exodus, contrasting the woes visited on the Egyptians at the first Passover with the gifts given by God to the Israelites.

The Psalm celebrates God’s faithfulness, power and wisdom, justifying our confidence in him.

The 2nd readings in August from Hebrews describe faith, which gives assurance to our hopes. Abraham is the prime example of a man of faith: he obeyed God’s command to go to a new land; he believed God’s promise that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age; and he passed the supreme test of faith when God asked him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. God’s last minute reprieve for Isaac is seen as a return from the dead.

In Luke’s Gospel, following the parable we heard last week about the rich man building a bigger barn, Jesus assures us that we will be given all the resources we need to meet the Lord’s demands. He then urges us to have faith and to be prepared.

Psalm Response: Happy the people the Lord has chosen as his own.

(Wis 18:6-9 Ps 32(33):1-22 Heb 11:1-2,8-19 Lk 12:32-48)