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

Ahab, the king of Israel “did evil in the sight of the Lord more than any of his predecessors” by worshipping false gods, introduced by his wife, Jezebel. Elijah told Ahab the Lord would punish him with a drought lasting many years. In today’s reading a widow gives Elijah the last of her food, and is rewarded with food until the drought ends.

The psalm advises us not to put our trust in princes, but in our God, who is kind and good.

The Letter to the Hebrews continues showing how Jesus Christ is our eternal high priest, “mediator” of the new covenant, which replaced the old covenant. The high priest no longer goes each day into the sanctuary of the Temple, where God dwells on earth, to mediate between man and God. Christ has entered heaven, so he can intercede directly with God on our behalf. Christ died and offered himself as a sacrifice once only, perfectly confirming man’s agreement to the new covenant for ever.

Like the first reading, today’s gospel also involves a widow who gives her all. After last week’s reading about the greatest commandment, the widow exemplifies loving God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength, instead of meaningless ritual.

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

(1 Kings 17: 10-16; Psalm 145(146): 7-10; Hebrews 9: 24-28; Mark 12: 38-44)

Deut 6: 2-6; Psalm 17(18):2-4.47.51; Hebrews 7: 23-28; Mark 12: 28-34

Deuteronomy, the “second law”, the last of the five books of the Pentateuch, was written long after the Israelites settled in Palestine. It summarises, expands and completes the record of the Law given by God to Moses. It was very familiar to Jesus, who quoted from it frequently. Today’s reading ends with the “Schema”: “Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord”, the basic principle of the Mosaic Law, and familiar to all Jews.

The psalm is said to be by King David, giving thanks to the Lord for rescuing him after he had called for help in dire distress. David goes on to imagine God sending earthquakes and raining down lightning bolts and arrows to overwhelm his enemies.

The Letter to the Hebrews continues from last week, explaining that Christ is a priest forever, replacing the priests of the tribe of Levi, each of whom dies and has to be replaced. For our sake Christ sacrificed himself once and for all.

When Jesus is asked in today’s gospel which is the first of all the commandments, the Schema is what he immediately thinks of. There is one God, and we must love him with an undivided heart.

Psalm Response: I love you, Lord, my strength.

Jeremiah 31: 7-9; Psalm 125(126); Hebrews 5: 1-6; Mark 10: 46-52

Jeremiah has promised that Israel will return from their exile in Babylon. This new exodus will be on a smooth path with ample water, not like the first wanderings in the desert. God has redeemed his people, and will make a new unbreakable covenant with Israel, writing his law on people’s hearts, instead of on breakable stone. Jesus made this new covenant at the Last Supper.

The psalm exults in the imagined joy of this restoration, so intense as to seem like dream.

The extended extract from Hebrews read over the last 2 weeks, concludes by showing how Christ’s humanity enables him to understand our weaknesses. As the high priest forever, appointed by God at his baptism, Christ is therefore supremely fitted to mediate between us and God. But Hebrews goes on to say that Christ had to learn the depths of the human condition through his suffering.

Today we hear the last of Jesus’ teachings during his journey up to Jerusalem. Though blind, Bartimeus calls Jesus “Son of David”. He can see who Jesus is more clearly than the disciples following Jesus. He then calls Jesus “Master”, the only person in the first three gospels to do so before the resurrection. Able to see, Bartimeus now follows as a disciple.

Psalm Response: What marvels the Lord worked for us! Indeed we were glad.

(Jeremiah 31: 7-9; Psalm 125(126); Hebrews 5: 1-6; Mark 10: 46-52)

Wisdom 7: 7-11; Psalm 89(90): 12-17; Hebrews 4: 12-13; Mark 10: 17-30

The last of the Old Testament books to be written, the Wisdom of Solomon was written to encourage Jews living in the rational Greek culture of Alexandria. Today’s reading is part of a speech ascribed to Solomon, describing what Wisdom is, and why we should seek her. Solomon prayed and was given wisdom which he sees as “a breath of the power of God”, “a reflection of eternal light”, “an image of God’s goodness”. And so to be desired above all riches.
The psalm, attributed to Moses, compares God’s awesome eternity to the shortness of Moses’ and our lives, asking God for wisdom, so that our work be firmly based. Filling our short lives with God’s love is all we need to be full of joy.
The Letter to the Hebrews has insisted Jesus, a man like other men, is capable of leading into God’s rest those who hear and obey “the living Word of God”, which, like a sword, can unfailingly “judge secret emotions and thoughts”.
Jesus continues to teach on his way to Jerusalem: the rich man appears to have heard the good news, but does not have the wisdom to let go of his riches. How hard it is to do so! We cannot practise this wisdom without God’s help.
Psalm Response: Fill us with your love so that we may rejoice.

(Wisdom 7: 7-11; Psalm 89(90): 12-17; Hebrews 4: 12-13; Mark 10: 17-30)

Chris

Gen 2:18-24; Ps 127(128); Heb 2:9-11; Mk 10:2-16

In this second version of creation, since God has created man as social being like himself, he now creates woman, to support and join with him.

The psalm celebrates the blessings of children and family life.

Readings from the Letter to the Hebrews will take us up to the end of Ordinary Time. The most Jewish of the New Testament books, it has a rich theology of Christ’s priesthood. Jesus is greater than the angels as God, but lower than the angels as man. Christ’s priestly sacrifice, as man and as God’s Son, renews once and for ever the covenant God has made with man.

As intermediaries, priests offer prayers and sacrifices to God on our behalf. Not seeking to change God’s mind. Relationships are confirmed with celebratory meals and things of value sacrificed by making them unusable. A wedding feast confirms our witness and support for the vows made by the married couple.

In Mark’s Gospel Jesus continues teaching during his journey to Jerusalem. He insists on the full meaning of the Law, which Mark updates, applying it also to a Gentile woman divorcing her husband. The union of a man and a woman in a marriage made by God cannot be unmade. Children help us to recognise our utter dependence on God.

Psalm Response: May the Lord bless us all the days of our life.

(Gen 2:18-24; Ps 127(128); Heb 2:9-11; Mk 10:2-16)

Numbers 11: 25-29; Psalm 18(19); James 5:1-6; Mark 9: 38-48

The Book of Numbers mainly describes Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness from Mount Sinai towards the Promised Land. The people frequently murmured complaints against Moses, who found the burden of leadership too much to bear. Bored with the daily diet of manna, the people complain, so God gives them heaps of quail, but then punishes them for their greed. God gives some of his spirit to seventy elders to share Moses’ burden, but even if the whole people became prophets Moses must continue alone as leader.

The psalm rejoices in the way both the heavens and God’s commandments reveal the glory of the Lord, while reminding us that we need cleansing from even our “hidden faults”.

Our last reading from the letter of James reminds those who are well off that life is short and their sins will be punished. We should patiently share the earth’s fruits until the Lord’s coming.

In Mark’s Gospel we hear Jesus’ last teachings before he starts his final journey to Jerusalem. Like Moses, Jesus confirms that people may work in God’s name even if they have not been formally appointed. God’s work is not limited to formal organisations. Above all, we should keep our mind on God’s kingdom, not be tempted away from it by the pleasures of this world.

Psalm Response: The precepts of the Lord gladden the heart.

(Numbers 11: 25-29; Psalm 18(19); James 5:1-6; Mark 9: 38-48)

Wisdom 2:12,17-20; ; Psalm 53(54); ; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mark 9: 30-37

Wisdom was the last book of the Old Testament to be written, probably in Alexandria about 50 BC. Written in Greek, it is not in the Hebrew Scriptures and is therefore treated as apocryphal in non-Catholic bibles. The wicked are blinded by their thoughts: “haphazard were we born”, they thought, and we leave no trace when we die, “because noone returns.” So “let us enjoy the good things that exist” and “oppress the righteous”, simply because “he annoys us”. But Wisdom responds: “God formed man to be imperishable; in the image of his own nature”.

The psalm implores God’s help against our enemies, confident that he will help.

James’ letter continues emphasising we must show our faith in good works, for which we need “wisdom from above”. We must “show works in the meekness of wisdom”, not in “jealousy and selfish ambition”. “Friendship with the world is enmity with God”.

In the Gospel Jesus uses a quiet moment on the way back from the Transfiguration to tell his disciples again that he will be killed and “after three days he will rise”. But as yet they cannot understand. He then insists that his way is to “be last of all and servant of all”, giving welcome to the least significant, even little children. God’s wisdom is not the world’s wisdom.

Psalm Response: The Lord upholds my life

(Wisdom 2:12,17-20; ; Psalm 53(54); ; James 3:16 – 4:3; Mark 9: 30-37)

Isaiah 50: 5-9; Psalm 114(116); James 2: 14-18; Mark 8: 27-35

Second Isaiah was writing during the exile in Babylon. Israel had lost land, king, and Temple. But Isaiah confidently proclaims hope of returning to Jerusalem: have no fear, whatever ills beset us, God is on our side and will save us.

The Psalm offers an individual’s grateful praise to the Lord: in danger of death he trusted in the Lord who saved him.

James’ letter develops last week’s theme of what faith is: real faith cannot help but be expressed in good works. James insists that you cannot show you have faith without showing the good works it produces. He then gives examples: Abraham, who offered Isaac; and Rahab the prostitute, who protected Joshua’s spies in Jericho. Both were justified by their works of faith. This message challenges us today: is giving money enough?

For the first time in Mark’s Gospel a human being acknowledges Jesus as the Christ. But then Peter immediately gets it wrong and is severely chastised by Jesus: God’s ways are not our ways. Jesus has to suffer the humiliation Isaiah described to show the way we must follow to salvation. The way of the Cross is the only way, and we must imitate Jesus’ faith in his Father and follow his way in faith.

Psalm Response: I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.

(Isaiah 50: 5-9; Psalm 114(116); James 2: 14-18; Mark 8: 27-35)

Isaiah 35: 4-7; Psalm 145(146):7-10; James 2: 1-5; Mark 8: 27-35

First Isaiah preached in Jerusalem before the exile in 587 BC. In God’s presence in the Temple, Isaiah became aware that the great sin is pride: we think we can “do it my way”. The nation’s disasters were their own fault. They must trust in God, especially in face of the constant threats from Assyria. After dire descriptions of the calamities to come, Isaiah paints this encouraging eschatological picture of the kingdom in the end time.

The psalm praises and thanks God for his generosity and kindness, especially to those who put their trust in him.

James continues his theme that faith must be shown in what we do. His mentioning “synagogue” reminds us how Jewish was the Christian community this “brother of the Lord” was writing for. He insists that faith in Jesus is not compatible with treating people differently depending how we see them. We are in no position to judge the worth of others.

In Mark’s Gospel we see God’s kingdom breaking into creation, as Jesus heals first the Syro-phoenician woman’s daughter and then a deaf-mute. Isaiah’s prophecy is being fulfilled. Naturally the disciples cannot help spreading this good news far and wide. But Jesus cautions them not to do so yet, because his work will not be understood until after the Crucifixion.

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

(Isaiah 35: 4-7; Psalm 145(146):7-10; James 2: 1-5; Mark 8: 27-35)

1 Kings 19: 4-8; Psalm 33(34): 2-9; Eph 4:30-5:2; John 6: 41-51

Elijah had defeated the gods of Baal by pouring water over the firewood, and then asking God to accept his sacrifice, thus bringing rain to end the drought he had predicted. The king’s wife, Jezebel, had brought worship of Baal to Israel, so she was very angry, and sought to kill Elijah, who fled in despair. But today we hear how God encourages Elijah to continue his journey to Mount Sinai, and, as during the Exodus, God provides food and water for the journey.

The psalm invites us to praise the Lord, who will help us in time of need.

Our readings from the letter to the Ephesians continue with rules for the new life, teasing out the real meaning of the Ten Commandments. But in loving others we must be prepared to suffer persecution and even death, as Christ did.

Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist in Chapter 6 of John’s Gospel continues. Last week we heard Jesus say “I am the bread of life”. This week Jesus takes it further: just as God fed Elijah, and had fed the Israelites with manna and quails during the Exodus, Jesus feeds us with the “living bread”. Even more: the bread that Jesus gives is his own flesh. Next week we hear reactions to this astounding claim.

Psalm Response: Taste and see that the Lord is good.