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

Jer 17: 5-8; Psalm 1:1-4.6; 1 Cor 15:12,16-20; Luke 6: 17,20-26

Jeremiah lived through a stormy period about 600 BC, before and during the exile. He suffered much through sieges and imprisonments. The despair he felt at the sins of his people against God’s covenant may have led him to doubt. But Jeremiah never lost hope that God is merciful, and that his new covenant would save his people. In spite of temptations and disappointments, we must trust in the Lord.

The psalm praises those who do not gradually accommodate themselves to secular behaviour around us, but who “delight in the law of the Lord” and so achieve true happiness.

Paul had reminded the Corinthians of the centrality of the resurrection to our faith. Now he explains: without Christ’s resurrection from the dead, there is no resurrection of the body for us. Therefore no bodily life after our death – this life is all we have. He compares the resurrection of the dead to sowing a seed: the body which dies “is not the body which is to be”, which will be energised by the Spirit. “What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable”.

In Luke’s gospel Jesus had chosen the twelve from his disciples. Now he proclaims God’s justice is coming, showing the way to real happiness.

Psalm Response: Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.

(Jer 17: 5-8; Psalm 1:1-4.6; 1 Cor 15:12,16-20; Luke 6: 17,20-26)

Isaiah 6:1-2a,3-8; Psalm 137(138); 1 Cor 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11

Isaiah’s calling vision in 742 BC is much quoted in the book of Revelation. He sees God enthroned, with Seraphs who had two wings covering their faces, two covering their body, and with two they flew. They praised God for his total otherness, and their “Holy, Holy, Holy” is repeated before the central part of every Mass. Isaiah expects to die after seeing God’s face. But he is symbolically purified by a burning ember on his lips, and so is fit to deliver God’s message of doom those who mistreat the poor. Only a remnant will survive.

The Psalmist thanks the Lord for answering his prayer, while calling on all rulers to join in this hymn of thanks for the Lord’s words.

Paul reminds the Corinthians of their roots and especially the gospel he taught them. He uses an existing creedal formula that he himself “had been taught”, namely “that Christ died, was buried; was raised; and appeared”. In rising, Christ has conquered death. The dead will also rise, bodily and spiritually.

After Jesus was rejected in Nazareth he went down to Capernaum, where he taught and healed many people. Today Luke describes Simon Peter recognising Jesus as “Lord”, his title after the Resurrection. Peter and his partners accept Jesus’ call, and follow him, leaving absolutely everything.

Psalm Response: Before the angels I will bless you, O Lord.

In 538 BC King Cyrus of Persia helped the Israelites to return to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. There Ezra and Nehemiah shared the tasks of re-establishing the Jewish state and religion. Nehemiah rebuilt the city’s walls and administration. In today’s reading we hear about Ezra’s formal reading of the Jewish Law, and the people’s joyous celebration of God’s gift of the Law.

The psalm praises God’s moral law – and asks forgiveness for our transgressions.

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians he compares a community to the human body. Every Christian becomes part of Christ’s body by baptism. So all gifts come from the spirit; all gifts are necessary; all contribute to the good of the whole community. All Christians are equally valuable and wanted by God.

Our reading of Luke’s Gospel over the ordinary Sundays of Year C now resumes, to be interrupted only for Eastertide. First we are reminded of Luke’s reason for writing a gospel: he is carefully putting into an orderly sequence what he has heard from eye-witnesses, so that his hearers may “realise the certainty of the teachings” they have received. Today’s reading then continues from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, including his self-proclamation in his home town. Next week we hear his neighbours’ reactions.

Psalm Response: Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life.

Isaiah 62: 1-5; Psalm 95(96): 1-3.7-10; 1 Cor 12: 4-11; John 2: 1-11

Writing after 515 BC, when the Temple had been rebuilt after the exile, third Isaiah heavily criticised idolatry and other excesses in the Temple, and injustices among the people. But he also had this glorious vision of a restored Jerusalem, comparing the Lord’s delight in his people with the bridegroom’s delight in his virgin bride.

The psalm invites all mankind and all creation to praise the Lord, the one true God.

Over these Sundays before Lent we hear from Paul’s letter to his beloved church in Corinth. Paul criticised the Corinthian Christians for misbehaving during the Eucharist: the rich ate and drank too well, while poorer members of the community were left out. The church should have unity in diversity: different gifts are given to different individuals, so that all contribute to the whole.

After the Baptism of Jesus, and before resuming our readings from Luke’s gospel, we hear today John’s description of a marriage feast at Cana. A happy family occasion, to which Jesus and his newly chosen disciples were invited. Both Isaiah and Paul saw that the Lord longs to join himself to his church as intimately as possible. Water intended for use in Jewish purification rites is replaced by the fine wine of the heavenly banquet.

Psalm Response: Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

Isaiah 60:1-6; Ps 71(72); Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 ; Matthew 2:1–12)

Third Isaiah was writing just after the Israelites had returned from exile in Babylon. After God promises to punish those who fail to keep his covenant, he offers participation in the future messianic salvation to all who believe in the Lord and keep his commandments. Isaiah visualises the new Jerusalem, illuminated by God, to which all peoples will stream, and a time when their offerings will be acceptable.

The psalm prays that the king’s reign will be just, long, prosperous and glorious, with support for the poor.

Paul sees the Church, Christ’s body, as the new Jerusalem, part of God’s plan for the whole of creation. Paul joyfully tells the Ephesians that God’s plan was always to take the gospel message to all: Gentiles as well as Jews are to share equally in the inheritance promised by God.

In Luke’s Gospel an angel announced Jesus’ birth to poor Jewish shepherds, excluded from Temple worship by their occupation. Today Matthew describes Gentile scholars travelling from afar to bring kingly offerings to the new-born child. God’s plan is already becoming known beyond Israel. But the scholars needed the Jewish scriptures to help find Jesus. We too need the Old Testament to help us understand God’s plan and what he has done in Jesus for our salvation.

Psalm Response: All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

Micah 5: 1-4; Ps 79(80); Hebrews 10: 5-10; Luke 1: 39-44

Micah was prophesying in Judea around 720 BC. The rich were defrauding the poor, and prophets even misleading the people by assuring them that all was well. Which is what people wanted to hear. No, said Micah: “Zion would be plowed like a field” – utterly destroyed, as happened in the exile in 586 BC. But a remnant would survive, and a ruler would come from Bethlehem, David’s birthplace. When “she who is to give birth gives birth”, the mother of the Immanuel, then the remnant will come back to the Lord.

The Psalm pleads that the Lord’s help come soon, as Israel is being hard pressed by its enemies.

Hebrews continues to explain the differences between Christ’s sacrifice and animal and food sacrifices offered in the Temple: these had to be repeated again and again, because they did not bring forgiveness of sin. Only Christ’s sacrifice could remit sins: it is the fulfilment of God’s will, rather than the holocausts he does not want. Jesus is seen as explicitly offering himself, so that not only are our sins forgiven but we may be made holy.

The Gospel begins the Christmas story with Mary’s visit to Elizabeth, soon to give birth to the last of the Old Testament prophets.

Psalm Response: God of hosts, bring us back; let your face shine on us and we shall be saved.

(Micah 5: 1-4; Ps 79(80); Hebrews 10: 5-10; Luke 1: 39-44)

Jeremiah 33:14-16; Ps 24(25); 1 Thess 3:12 – 4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

A few weeks ago we heard Jeremiah promising the deliverance of his people. This week he describes how this hope will be realised, even though Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed. A descendant of David will bring honesty, integrity and security to Israel.

Jeremiah’s complex writings changed Jewish expectations from a single Day of Judgement to a gradual process: an initial time of suffering, then an in-between period. This was identified by early Christians as now, after Christ’s death had inaugurated the New Covenant, while we await the promised completion in Christ’s second coming.

These rather mild verses from the psalm fail to show its directness: “In your kindness, recall me – You”.

The earliest New Testament writing, Paul wrote this first letter to the Thessalonians from Corinth, probably in 51 AD, where Timothy had brought news of the Thessalonian church’s progress. Paul prays that the Lord should increase their love for one another, exhorting them to show this love by leading moral lives.

We are starting the year of Luke, but the gospel for the beginning of Advent is from the end of Jesus’ ministry, where he warns us to be ready for the end times. Every one of us faces an end time, and we must live our lives as if it comes today.

Psalm Response: To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

(Jeremiah 33:14-16; Ps 24(25); 1 Thess 3:12 – 4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36)

Chris