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

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)

Qoheleth the Preacher struggles with the contradictions of life and the vanity of created things which give no lasting satisfaction. Good people suffer, sinners enjoy life and prosper. With no idea of life after death, the Preacher’s only solution is to trust that God will make it right eventually.

The Psalm contrasts the shortness of our lives with God’s eternity, seeing suffering and death as punishment for sin. But also prays that God will grant some happiness before death.

This final extract from Colossians hints at Paul’s very detailed moral teaching. The Christian’s life is now “hidden with Christ”, but when Christ is revealed “you too will be revealed in all your glory”. Paul then spells out how we should live our lives focussed on Christ. So that we will grow in knowledge and maturity towards the images of our creator that God intended us to be. We must put away sins of both sex and speech, which damage individuals and the Christian community.

Luke’s Gospel answers the Preacher’s problem in the first reading: good actions in this life are rewarded after death, and evil will be punished. The rich man’s approach was sensible in capitalist terms, and not immoral. But Luke insists that we must help the poor while we can!

Psalm Response: O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.

(Eccles 1:2,2:21-23, Ps 89(90):3-17, Col 3:1-5,9-11, Lk 12:13-21)

After promising Abraham a son next year, God hesitates before revealing his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham urges God to be just to the threatened towns, where his nephew Lot lives. Later Lot defends his angelic guests from the depraved demands of the men of Sodom, and escapes before Sodom is destroyed.

The psalm expresses heartfelt thanks to the Lord for his justice and love, confident in his continual help.

Paul urges the Colossians, whom he has never visited, to be confident in their understanding of “God’s mystery”, Christ. As Gentiles they were seen as sinners, outside the Jewish Law. But now the Law is overridden, so, “buried in Christ”, they should follow only Christ. For Paul, the list of our debts, owed to God for failing to carry out our duties under the covenant, is graphically nailed to the Cross and so destroyed.

Luke’s version of the Our Father is shorter and more abrupt than Matthew’s. Both versions look to the end days, especially “Do not put us to the test”. “Daily bread” may refer to the Eucharist. Or it may mean “tomorrow’s bread” – the heavenly banquet, like the double portion of manna collected in the desert before the Sabbath. God promises to respond to all our requests, as he did to Abraham.

Psalm Response: On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.

(Gen 18:20-32, Ps 137(138):1-8, Col 2:12-14, Lk 11:1-13)

Is 66:10-14; Ps 65(66):1-20; Gal 6:14-18; Lk 10:1-12,17-20

Third Isaiah wrote this beautiful imagery of a compassionate God to encourage the Jews returning from exile in Babylon to rebuild the Temple. The Lord sends his peace to Jerusalem through which he will give peace and nourishment to those who recognise the new creation coming with Jesus’ resurrection.

The psalm praises God’s power as revealed throughout history but especially during the Exodus.

This fond farewell concludes our readings from Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Human distinctions and marks on our flesh like circumcision no longer signify. We have become a new Spirit-filled creation, the “Israel of God” – God’s chosen family to carry God’s message to the world. The new Mass translation, “and with your spirit”, picks up Paul’s final phrase. God’s grace is to be deep and personal, affecting our whole lives.

In the reading from Luke’s gospel last week, Jesus “set himself to travel to Jerusalem”. For the rest of Ordinary Time, the “ordinally numbered weeks”, all our gospel readings are from his journey, as Jesus consciously focussed on his coming suffering in Jerusalem. Today we hear of Jesus sending 70 disciples on mission ahead of him, like the 70 elders chosen by Moses to lead the Exodus. But Jesus’ disciples are offering Israel a last chance to change her mind about Jesus.

Psalm response: Cry out with joy to God, all the earth.

Chris

This is the last chapter in Acts about the Jerusalem church before Paul’s missionary journeys. Peter’s third arrest is this time by Herod who is the grandson of the Herod when Jesus was born. The story of Peter being freed from prison is so lovingly told that the parallels with Jesus’ arrest may be missed. Like Jesus, Peter was arrested during the Passover, and was also taken for a ghost, here by the maid, Rhoda, who shuts the door in his face. The angel who proclaimed Jesus to be risen, and who frees Peter, goes on to strike Herod dead.

The psalm thanks the Lord for help in difficult times, urging us to glorify the Lord, who is always ready to give comfort.

A rather lonely Paul, abandoned in prison, writes these encouraging words to Timothy, whom Paul has commissioned to take over his ministry. Paul urges him to keep on preaching the true Christian message in its entirety. But Timothy will therefore suffer and need always to rely on the Lord’s strength.

Today’s gospel is Matthew’s version of Jesus asking who people say he is. It is similar to Luke’s version. But Matthew inserts the well-known commissioning of Peter to be the rock of the Church, the only reference in all the gospels to the whole Church.

Psalm Response: From all my terrors the Lord set me free.