Texts for Votive Masses
976 Reading I from the Old Testament
1.
Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine,
and being a priest of God Most High,
he blessed Abram with these words:
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
the creator of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who delivered your foes into your hand."
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Gn 14:18-20
The Melchizedek story in this chapter of Genesis drives the interpretation of the entire chapter. Using the lens of this passage, the chapter becomes a testament to the power of God and the irresistible nature of his plan.
Placed against the tapestry of God’s involvement with mankind, Melchizedek, Priest-King of Jerusalem (Salem is likely a reference to the same geographical place) is probably celebrating a covenant meal with Abram following their great victory.
CCC: Gn 14:18 58, 1333, 1544
2.
Moses called all the elders of the children of Israel and said to them,
"Go and procure Iambs for your families,
and slaughter them as Passover victims.
Then take a bunch of hyssop,
and dipping it in the blood that is in the basin,
sprinkle the lintel and the two doorposts with this blood.
But none of you shall go outdoors until morning.
For the LORD will go by, striking down the Egyptians.
Seeing the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts,
the LORD will pass over that door
and not let the destroyer come into your houses to strike you down.
"You shall observe this as a perpetual ordinance
for yourselves and your descendants.
Thus, you must also observe this rite
when you have entered the land which the LORD will give you
as he promised.
When your children ask you,
'What does this rite of yours mean?' you shall reply,
'This is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD,
who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt;
when he struck down the Egyptians, he spared our houses.'"
Then the people bowed down in worship.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ex 12:21-27
This passage from Exodus is part of the establishment of the Feast of Passover for Jewish people. This passage is very similar to Exodus 12:1-14 , however, it omits some rituals and adds some details (e.g. Hyssop, the basin for holding the blood, and the instruction that no one is to leave the house). Seeing this ritual from the Christian tradition, we recall that Jesus offered the Blessing Cup (Matthew 26:27-28; Luke 22:17-18; Mark 14:23-25) with which he at once reaffirmed the Passover ritual and established a new covenant; a new testament of God's love. In his actions we see the blood of the lamb being poured out for the salvation of all God's people.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
The whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
The Israelites said to them,
“Would that we had died at the LORD’s hand in the land of Egypt,
as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!
But you had to lead us into this desert
to make the whole community die of famine!”
Then the LORD said to Moses,
“I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.
Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion;
thus will I test them,
to see whether they follow my instructions or not.
“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites.
Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,
and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread,
so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God.”
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp.
In the morning a dew lay all about the camp,
and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desert
were fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.
On seeing it, the Israelites asked one another, “What is this?”
for they did not know what it was.
But Moses told them,
“This is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ex 16:2-4, 12-15
Having successfully escaped from Egypt and Pharaoh’s army, the Israelites now find themselves in difficult surroundings with little food. God's initial anger at the ungrateful people is turned to mercy. In response to their plight, God feeds them through the auspices of Moses, by providing manna to sustain them. This “bread from heaven” is seen as a gift from God; the manna is said to come down from the sky.(see also Psalm 78:25; Wisdom 16:20). This manna is later compared by Christ to the Eucharist he offers (see John 6: 31ff). This selection is a contraction of a longer dialogue between God, Moses, and the Hebrews being led out of Egypt. Even after the miracle of manna, they are still not satisfied and in later verses they complain about manna as well, asking for meat to eat. Once again, God's initial indignation at the greed of the people gives way to compassion and he sends quail for them to eat. (See also Numbers 11:1-35.)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.
When Moses came to the people
and related all the words and ordinances of the Lord,
they all answered with one voice,
“We will do everything that the Lord has told us.”
Moses then wrote down all the words of the Lord and,
rising early the next day,
he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar
and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then, having sent certain young men of the children of Israel
to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bulls
as peace offerings to the Lord,
Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls;
the other half he splashed on the altar.
Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people,
who answered, “All that the Lord has said, we will heed and do.”
Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying,
“This is the blood of the covenant
that the Lord has made with you
in accordance with all these words of his.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ex 24:3-8
Following the presentation of the precepts of the Law, Moses gets consensus from all of the people whom God has brought out of bondage, the Children of Israel (Jacob), that they will follow the law handed down to them. Moses erects pillars, one for each tribe, and makes a sacrifice to seal the covenant and sprinkles the people with the blood of the (old) covenant sacrifice. "References to this solemn ratification of the covenant with blood is also found in Zechariah 9:11 and Hebrews 9:18-20. Likewise was the New Covenant to be ratified in blood, i.e. Christ's blood (cf Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25)" [12]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.
Moses said to the people:
"Remember how for forty years now the Lord, your God,
has directed all your journeying in the desert,
so as to test you by affliction
and find out whether or not it was your intention
to keep his commandments.
He therefore let you be afflicted with hunger,
and then fed you with manna,
a food unknown to you and your fathers,
in order to show you that not by bread alone does one live,
but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord.
"Do not forget the Lord, your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
that place of slavery;
who guided you through the vast and terrible desert
with its saraph serpents and scorpions,
its parched and waterless ground;
who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock
and fed you in the desert with manna,
a food unknown to your fathers."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Dt 8:2-3, 14b-16a
This reading is taken from the second address of Moses to the Hebrews. This section of the address can be called “an appeal to remembrance” since Moses is recounting all that God had done for them since they were led out of Egypt. The focus of these verses is on the feeding of the people with manna (see Exodus 16; 4-16). Jesus also quoted this passage “…not by bread alone does one live” (see Matthew 4:4). Beyond manna, Moses also recalls the saraph staff (see Numbers 21; 5-9), and water drawn from the rock at Horeb (see Exodus 17; 2-6).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.
Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert,
until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it.
He prayed for death saying:
“This is enough, O LORD!
Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree,
but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat.
Elijah looked and there at his head was a hearth cake
and a jug of water.
After he ate and drank, he lay down again,
but the angel of the LORD came back a second time,
touched him, and ordered,
“Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!”
He got up, ate, and drank;
then strengthened by that food,
he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Kgs 19:4-8
This episode from the tale of Elijah finds the prophet fleeing from Jezebel who was the ruler of Beer-sheba. Elijah, in order to demonstrate the superiority of God over the false god Baal had defeated and slain the priests of Baal and was under sentence of death (see 1 Kings 19:2). He flees into the desert believing he had failed God and, in frustration, gives up, asking God to take his life.
Exhausted he falls asleep under the broom tree (really more of a desert shrub than a tree but often used by Bedouins for protection from the wind). The Lord sends a messenger to him and commands him to eat the bread he offered and drink the water he provided. The messenger then leads Elijah to “the mountain of God, Horeb.” There is great symbolism in leading Elijah to that place. It is considered to be the same mountain upon which Moses received the Law (referred to by a different name as Mount Sinai). His forty days and forty night journey represents a spiritual journey as well as distance.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.
Wisdom has built her house,
she has set up her seven columns;
she has dressed her meat, mixed her wine,
yes, she has spread her table.
She has sent out her maidens; she calls
from the heights out over the city:
“Let whoever is simple turn in here;
To the one who lacks understanding, she says,
Come, eat of my food,
and drink of the wine I have mixed!
Forsake foolishness that you may live;
advance in the way of understanding.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Prv 9:1-6
This part of Proverbs begins a section loosely entitled “Invitations of Wisdom and Folly”[1]. In this reading we see Wisdom personified as a woman (also in Proverbs 1:20ff, less regal than Proverbs 8). The seven columns are probably Hebrew numerology symbolizing perfection rather than a reference to a specific building type or physical structure used. The food she offers is rich and sustaining (juxtaposed against the later offerings of folly. “Unstable and senseless folly furnishes the stolen bread and water of deceit and vice which bring death to her guests.”) [2]
There is a reference in the second half of the reading to the Israelites the eschatological banquet promised by Yahweh (in Isaiah 25:6; 55:1-5). For Christians there is a clear Eucharistic reference.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
977 Reading I from the New Testament
During the Season of Easter
First Option
They devoted themselves
to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life,
to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
Awe came upon everyone,
and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
All who believed were together and had all things in common;
they would sell their property and possessions
and divide them among all according to each one’s need.
Every day they devoted themselves
to meeting together in the temple area
and to breaking bread in their homes.
They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart,
praising God and enjoying favor with all the people.
And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 2:42-47
This selection is the conclusion of St. Luke’s Pentecostal narrative. The Holy Spirit has descended upon the people, and St. Peter has offered his speech declaring Christ risen and explaining the messianic significance of that event. The people have reacted favorably to his words and we find many have been reached. The description of the early Christian Community in Jerusalem, the first of three summary passages (along with Acts 4:32-37 and Acts 5:12-16), reflects an idyllic communal life style that is focused on the teaching of the twelve Apostles and the Eucharistic liturgy. We note the reference to the continued attendance at the temple indicating that there was no thought of separating the Christian faithful from Judaism.
CCC: Acts 2:42-46 2178; Acts 2:42 3, 857, 949, 1329, 1342, 2624; Acts 2:46 584,1329,1342; Acts 2:47 2640
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second Option
Peter proceeded to speak and said:
“You know what has happened all over Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism
that John preached,
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and power.
He went about doing good
and healing all those oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses of all that he did
both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree.
This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible,
not to all the people, but to us,
the witnesses chosen by God in advance,
who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.
He commissioned us to preach to the people
and testify that he is the one appointed by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
To him all the prophets bear witness,
that everyone who believes in him
will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 10:34a, 37-43
This is part of Peter’s speech to the Cornelius and his family (Gentiles). Peter (according to St. Luke) assumes the people know what has happened – namely that Jesus who was thought to be the Messiah, had proven that fact in the resurrection. Now he reminds them, before the creed was written, that Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead.
He goes further, explaining that his apostles are also called to spread that word through preaching. To take what they have been given, the Good News of Christ and him crucified, into the world. This call, St. Peter explains, is so all peoples might come to know and understand that God has fulfilled the promise he made through the prophets by providing a sacrifice of atonement, his Only Begotten Son, Jesus and that belief in him will lead to reconciliation to the Father through the forgiveness of sins.
CCC: Acts 10:38 438, 453, 486, 1289; Acts 10:39 597; Acts 10:41 659, 995; Acts 10:42 679
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Third Option
[Grace to you and peace] from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his Blood,
who has made us into a Kingdom, priests for his God and Father,
to him be glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
Behold, he is coming amid the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him.
All the peoples of the earth will lament him.
Yes. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God,
“the one who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rv 1:5-8
This vision of St. John of the return of Jesus as King is very straight forward. One of the more significant verses is; "I am the Alpha and the Omega, “says the Lord God, " the one who is and who was and who is to come, the almighty." The Alpha and Omega are first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, these words are used again later in Revelation (Revelation 22:13) and were predicted by Isaiah (Isaiah 41:4), a clear reference to Christ’s Kingship.
CCC: Rev 1:6 1546, 2855; Rev 1:8 2854
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fourth Option
#977 Votive Mass (The Most Holy Eucharist, During the Easter Season, Fourth Option)*
*Note: In the Lectionary, this passage is Revelation 7:9-17.
I, John, had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb."
All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:
"Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
"Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"
I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows."
He said to me,
"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.
["For this reason they stand before God's throne
and worship him day and night in his temple.
The One who sits on the throne will shelter them.
They will not hunger or thirst anymore,
nor will the sun or any heat strike them.
For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne
will shepherd them
and lead them to springs of life-giving water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rv 7:9-17
St. John’s vision of the heavenly kingdom unfolds in this passage with an image of those who have gone from this life to the next and now stand before the throne of God. They praise God without ceasing, giving thanks for salvation which comes from the Lamb of God, the Christ. The palm branches recall the Saviors triumphant entry into Jerusalem, here signifying his lordship over the New Jerusalem – God’s Heavenly Kingdom.
“…these wearing white robes” is a reference to martyrs who have given their lives for Christ during the great persecutions of Christians. These, St. John recounts, have received what is known as the “Baptism of Blood”. The Lord “…lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
[The longer selection concludes with a series of images from the Old Testament. Christians will no longer know suffering (see Isaiah 49:10; Psalm 121:6; John 4:14; John 7:37) and the will be shepherded by the Lamb (Psalm 23; Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 24:33; John 10:11-16).[3]]
CCC: Rv 7:9 775, 1138; Rv 7:10-12 2642
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
978 Responsorial Psalm
Note: The biblical citation of these verses in the lectionary varies though the text is identical.
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar songs in the
entire psalter. “God's loving care for the psalmist is portrayed under the
figures of a shepherd for the flock (Psalm 23:1-4) and a host's
generosity toward a guest (Psalm 23:5-6). The imagery of both sections is drawn from traditions of
the exodus (Isaiah 40:11; 49:10; Jeremiah 31:10).” [4] While the
theme of shepherd is mentioned in the first strophe, the psalm really speaks to
the peace given to those who follow the Lord and place their trust in Him, even
into the “dark valley.”
The
reference in the third strophe above: “'You spread the table before me in
the sight of my foes' occurs in an exodus context in Psalm 78:19. As my enemies watch: my enemies see that I am God's
friend and guest. Oil: a perfumed ointment made from olive oil, used especially
at banquets (Psalm 104:15; Matthew 26:7; Luke 7:37, 46; John 12:2).”[4]
CCC: Ps 23:5 1293
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.
R. (9) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia
Fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11
Psalm 34 is a song of thanksgiving and a favorite for celebrating the heroic virtue of the saints. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Psalm 34:5, 7), can teach the "poor," those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone. This psalm, in the words of one being unjustly persecuted, echoes hope for deliverance and freedom. The promise of salvation for those who follow the Lord gives hope to the poor and down trodden.
CCC: Ps 34:3 716; Ps 34:8 336
CCC: Ps 34:3 716; Ps 34:8 336
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
R. (8a and 9a) Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have waited, waited for the LORD,
and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.
And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Sacrifice or offering you wished not,
but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not;
then said I, "Behold I come."
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
and your law is within my heart!"
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.
R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 40:2 and 4. 7-8a. 8b-9, 10
While Psalm 40 is a song of thanksgiving, it is also combined with a lament. The initial waiting is satisfied by favor shown by God to one who is faithful in service to Him. Praise and thanksgiving are given to God whose justice is applied to all.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.
R. (241)) The l.ord gave them bread from heaven.
What we have heard and know,
and what our fathers have declared to us,
We will not hide from their sons;
that they should put their hope in God,
And not forget the deeds of God.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Yet he commanded the skies above;
the doors of heaven he opened.
He rained manna upon them for food;
and gave them heavenly bread.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Man ate the bread of angels,
food he sent them in abundance.
And he brought them to his holy land,
to the mountains his right hand had won.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 78:3 and 4a and 7ab, 23-24, 25 and 54
Psalm 78 is a historical recital recounting the encounter of the Israelites with God; their rejection of His gifts and the punishments for these rejections. In this selection the journey of the Jews fleeing Egypt into the wilderness and the anger at God for leading them on without food is recalled. God answered their plea with manna (Exodus 16:1ff); a gift of mercy and salvation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.
R. Christ the Lord, a priest for ever in the line of Melchizedek, offered bread and wine.
or:
R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool."
R. Christ the Lord, a priest for ever in the line of Melchizedek, offered bread and wine.
or:
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
"Rule in the midst of your enemies."
R. Christ the Lord, a priest for ever in the line of Melchizedek, offered bread and wine.
or:
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
"Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you."
R. Christ the Lord, a priest for ever in the line of Melchizedek, offered bread and wine.
or:
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
"You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."
R. Christ the Lord, a priest for ever in the line of Melchizedek, offered bread and wine.
or:
R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4
We are given the reference point used in Hebrews 5:1-10. The psalmist, David, reflects upon the call to service of the people. The final verse specifically mentions the High Priest Melchizedek. Melchizedek was the ancient king of Salem (Jerusalem) who blessed Abraham (Genesis 14:18-20). Like other kings of the time, he also performed priestly functions.
Psalm 110 thanks God for earthly authority, recognizing that it is only through the Lord's strength that authority is exercised. The psalmist uses Melchizedek as an arch-example. He was a secular king in the time of Abraham who ruled on the spiritual side as well. Though he was not of the Hebrew race, he was nonetheless chosen by God to be priest, not of the line of Aaron. Since the ancient text refers neither to his lineage nor his death, his office is seen as eternal, “You are a priest forever.”
6.
R. (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:16) Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18
This psalm of thanksgiving gives us the image of the “Cup of Blessing” used in the Passover celebration. It is this cup that the Lord first blessed and used as our communion cup. The psalm rejoices in God’s saving works in releasing the people from their bondage.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.
R. (See 16) You open your hand to feed us, Lord; you answer all our needs.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. You open your hand to feed us, Lord; you answer all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. You open your hand to feed us, Lord; you answer all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. You open your hand to feed us, Lord; you answer all our needs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
Psalm 145 is a hymn of praise. These strophes call on the faithful to give thanks to God for opening the gates of his Heavenly Kingdom. The second strophe is a clear reference to the ancient promise in 2 Kings 4:42-44 and the future promise of God feeding the poor in John 6:1-15. They continue praising God for his justice and his creating hand.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.
R. (see 16) You open your hand to feed us, Lord; you answer all our needs.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. You open your hand to feed us, Lord; you answer all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you;
and you give them their food in due season;
You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. You open your hand to feed us, Lord; you answer all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. You open your hand to feed us, Lord; you answer all our needs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 147:10-11, 15-16, 17-18
Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise and one of the closing books of the Psalter. These strophes are from the third section (each section offering praise for a different gift from God to his special people). This selection for the Christian recalls the heavenly food left for us in the most Holy Eucharistic sacrifice. In Christ, God opens his hand and feeds us. For this we give eternal praise to his great mercy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
979 Reading II from the New Testament
1.
Brothers and sisters:
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 10:16-17
Although this is part of a comparison being brought between Christ’s sacrifice and idolatry, what is given here expresses the unity forged through the Eucharist, the only true sacrifice. The Blood of Christ and the Body of Christ shared in communion unites us spiritually and physically and we become that living Body of Christ on earth, the Church, through Jesus.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.
Brothers and sisters:
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
took bread, and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
"This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 11:23-26
St. Paul gives us the earliest written account of the institution of the Lord’s Supper. This account is used by many Protestant denominations to define their understanding of this event as symbolic rather than efficacious, that is, they believe the Lord’s actions did not transubstantiate the bread and wine, but that the action was simply a “remembrance”. The Church looks at the whole body of scripture, especially St. John’s Gospel and understands the Sacrament as the gift of Christ’s Body and Blood.
CCC: 1 Cor 11:23-26 1339; 1 Cor 11:23 610, 1366; 1 Cor 11:24-25 1356; 1 Cor 11:24 1328, 1329; 1 Cor 11:25 611, 613; 1 Cor 11:26 671, 1076, 1130, 1344, 1393, 2772, 2776
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came as high priest
of the good things that have come to be,
passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle
not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation,
he entered once for all into the sanctuary,
not with the blood of goats and calves
but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
For if the blood of goats and bulls
and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes
can sanctify those who are defiled
so that their flesh is cleansed,
how much more will the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God,
cleanse our consciences from dead works
to worship the living God.
For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant:
since a death has taken place for deliverance
from transgressions under the first covenant,
those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Heb 9:11-15
The author of the Letter to the Hebrews contrasts the tradition of Jewish animal sacrifice or sin offering with what Jesus has done for us. He describes, in detail, how Christ becomes the sacrifice that seals the new covenant. Using this specific Mosaic Law and imagery, he explains how the Lord came as the ultimate offering for our salvation.
"Do you want to know how effective the blood of Christ is? Let us go back to the symbols which foretold it and remind ourselves of the ancient accounts of (the Jews in) Egypt. Moses told them to kill a year-old lamb and put its blood on the two doorposts and the lintel of each house [...]. Would you like an additional way to appreciate the power of Christ's blood? See where it flowed from, what its source is. It began to flow from the very Cross and its source was the Lord's side. For, as the Gospel says, when our Lord was already dead, one of the soldiers went up to him with a lance and pierced his side and at once there came out water and blood--water, the symbol of Baptism; blood, the symbol of the Eucharist. The soldier pierced his side, he opened a breach in the wall of the holy temple, and there I discover the hidden treasure and I rejoice at the treasure I have found" (Chrysostom, "Baptismal Catechesis", III, 13-19). [14]
CCC: Heb 9:11-28 1476, 1564; Heb 9:11 586, 662; Heb 9:12 1085; Heb 9:13-14 2100; Heb 9:14 614; Heb 9:15 522, 579, 580, 592
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.
Brothers and sisters:
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.
No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled Blood that speaks more eloquently
than that of Abel.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Heb 12:18-19, 21-24
The author speaking to the Hebrews launches a final appeal to compare the covenant of Moses with the New Covenant in Christ. The Mosaic Covenant, argues the author, is based in fear of God while the New Covenant grants direct access to God the heavenly father. In the second section a comparison is drawn between the Jews waiting at Mount Sinai for Moses and the faithful Christians at the end times gathering at the Heavenly Throne, the New Jerusalem, with all the angels and saints.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.
Beloved:
If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially
according to each one’s works,
conduct yourselves with reverence during the time of your sojourning,
realizing that you were ransomed from your futile conduct,
handed on by your ancestors,
not with perishable things like silver or gold
but with the precious blood of Christ
as of a spotless unblemished lamb.
He was known before the foundation of the world
but revealed in the final time for you,
who through him believe in God
who raised him from the dead and gave him glory,
so that your faith and hope are in God.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Pt 1:17-21
This selection is concerned primarily with the call of God's people to holiness and to mutual love. St. Peter encourages them to act in accord with their call, and through those actions accept their redemption through the blood of Christ.
At the beginning of the passage, St. Peter cautions the faithful: “If you invoke as Father him who judges impartially […] conduct yourselves with reverence.” “Refers to addressing God as ‘Abba’ or ‘Father’ in prayer (Matthew 6:9; Romans 8:15; CCC 2780-82).” – “impartially: i.e. with absolute fairness. Because God exercises perfect justice, he cannot be bribed to show favoritism toward some and not others (Deuteronomy 10:17) according to his deeds.”[5]
The “unblemished lamb” is a clear reference to the Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) whose blood caused death to pass by (Exodus 12:1-14), the expression of God’s salvation.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.
Beloved:
Whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Jn 5:4-8
St. John reminds the faithful that all who accept God's adoption in Baptism, share also in his victory over the world; a victory won by his death - victory over death itself. Therefore, our faith in Christ makes us co-victors over the world in which death still reigns over the unbelieving. "Sharing in the victory Jesus won (especially over death, which we all go through) requires a living faith, which Hebrews links with hope for what we cannot see, namely, the victory over death. Unbelievers don't have that faith, and so lack that hope."[6]
The passage next takes up the essence of the savior; true God and true Man. Water, the symbol of the new life of baptism is coupled with blood, flowing from the Lord's side as he hung upon the victorious Cross, poured into the chalice of life, the Precious Blood, that gives us life in him. Therefore, in heaven there are three who testify to the truth - The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. On earth the three who testify are the Spirit, Water, and Blood. One God in heaven, true God and true man on earth.
"The three witnesses become one in Baptism, for if you eliminate one of them, the sacrament ceases to be. Without the Cross of Christ, water is simply a natural element. Without water, there is no mystery of regeneration. And unless one is baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, there is neither remission of sins nor reception of spiritual grace (St. Ambrose, On the Mysteries 4, 30)."[7]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
981 Gospel
1.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,
when they sacrificed the Passover lamb,
Jesus' disciples said to him,
"Where do you want us to go
and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
He sent two of his disciples and said to them,
"Go into the city and a man will meet you,
carrying a jar of water.
Follow him.
Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house,
'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"'
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready.
Make the preparations for us there."
The disciples then went off, entered the city,
and found it just as he had told them;
and they prepared the Passover.
While they were eating,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, gave it to them, and said,
"Take it; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them,
and they all drank from it.
He said to them,
"This is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you,
I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine
until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Then, after singing a hymn,
they went out to the Mount of Olives.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 14:12-16, 22-26
This selection is part of the Passion narrative from St. Mark’s Gospel. The disciples prepare to celebrate the Passover and follow Jesus’ instructions. It is likely that the “man carrying a water jar” was a prearranged signal, for only women carried water jars, however; the Greek version says it is a person, not necessarily a man.
This passage skips over a section of narrative and describes the institution of the Eucharistic meal. “The actions and words of Jesus express within the framework of the Passover meal and the transition to a new covenant the sacrifice of himself through the offering of his body and blood in anticipation of his passion and death. His blood of the covenant both alludes to the ancient rite of Exodus 24:4-8 and indicates the new community that the sacrifice of Jesus will bring into being (Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25).”[8] The Passover meal concludes with a hymn of praise (Psalms 114-118).
CCC: Mk 14:12-25 1339; Mk 14:18-20 474; Mk 14:22 1328; Mk 14:25 1335, 1403; Mk 14:26-30 474
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.
The soldiers led Jesus away inside the palace,
that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
They clothed him in purple and,
weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
They began to salute him with, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
and kept striking his licad with a reed and spitting upon him.
They knelt before him in homage.
And when they had mocked him,
they stripped him of the purple cloak,
dressed him in his own clothes,
and led him out to crucify him.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 15:16-20
St. Mark describes the mocking of Jesus by the guards of the Praetorium (Fortress of Antonia). Pilate, after having him scourged, has given in to the apparent will of the crowd and placed Jesus in the custody of the paid guards guard. The soldiers jeer at Jesus as a "pretend king," placing upon him the purple cloak and the crown of thorns. This image of suffering and pain has become a symbol of all human pain and humiliation under the title "Ecce Homo." "But, as St. Jerome teaches, 'his ignominy has blotted out ours, his bonds have set us free, his crown of thorns has won for us the crown of the kingdom, his wounds have cured us.' (comm. in Marcum, in loc.)"[9]
Mk 16:15-16 977, 1223; Mk 16:15 888; Mk 16:16 161, 183, 1253, 1256, 1257; Mk 16:17-18 670, 1507; Mk 16:17 434, 1673; Mk 16:18 699; Mk 16:19 659, 659; Mk 16:20 2, 156, 670
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.
Jesus spoke to the crowds about the kingdom of God,
and he healed those who needed to be cured.
As the day was drawing to a close,
the Twelve approached him and said,
"Dismiss the crowd
so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms
and find lodging and provisions;
for we are in a deserted place here."
He said to them, "Give them some food yourselves."
They replied, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have,
unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people."
Now the men there numbered about five thousand.
Then he said to his disciples,
"Have them sit down in groups of about fifty."
They did so and made them all sit down.
Then taking the five loaves and the two fish,
and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing over them, broke them,
and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And when the leftover fragments were picked up,
they filled twelve wicker baskets.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 9:11b-17
The story of “Feeding the Multitude” from St. Luke’s Gospel serves as the image for the Eucharist. The clear statement “Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them,” is a reference to the institution of the Eucharistic (see Luke 22:19, cf Mark 14:22)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.
Jesus went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he said to them,
“Pray that you may not undergo the test.”
After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done.”
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 22:39-44
Jesus takes his disciples “as was his custom” to the garden. Only in St. Luke’s Gospel do we understand that he frequently uses this place to pray. The owner must have been a friend to allow this access. Jesus moves away from the disciples for private prayer. The imminent sense of his trials causes him to go into intense prayer. Only in this situation do we find Jesus explicitly kneeling in prayer, completely humble before his Father. He shows his human frailty in the fear of what is to come. At the same time he demonstrates his complete obedience in the prayer he offers. In a singular gift of loving grace, God’s messenger, an angle appeared to him, offering God’s consolation. We note that another time when angles were present in Jesus’ life was during his temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:11 and Mark 1:13). His prayer, we are told, was so intense that “…his sweat became like drops of blood”, so great was the passion he endured for our salvation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus' disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
He asked them,
"What are you discussing as you walk along?"
They stopped, looking downcast.
One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,
"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things
that have taken place there in these days?"
And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"
They said to him,
"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this,
it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:
they were at the tomb early in the morning
and did not find his body;
they came back and reported
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels
who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb
and found things just as the women had described,
but him they did not see."
And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!
How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!
Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things
and enter into his glory?"
Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,
he interpreted to them what referred to him
in all the Scriptures.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 24:13-35
This story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus is found only in Luke’s Gospel. It is the first appearance of the Lord following his resurrection in Luke. There is a mention in Mark (Mark 16;12) that is vague but probably refers to this event. The actual location of Emmaus is not known, but it is estimated that it was between seven and eighteen miles from Jerusalem. The focus of the story is the unrecognized Jesus (similar: in John 20:11-18, Mary Magdalene thought he was a gardener).
It appears these disciples thought the unknown stranger joining them was "ignorant of events." They begin to explain their understanding of events. Here one of the travelers is named "Clopas." This is likely to be Luke's source for the event and it was probably his wife who stood by the cross in St. John's Gospel. (John 19:25) [13] It is clear from the disciples' dialogue that they do not understand the true mission of the Lord, nor that he was the long-awaited Messiah whose mission is the redemption of mankind.
"In the course of their conversation with Jesus, the disciples' mood changes from sadness to joy; they begin to hope again, and feel the need to share their joy with others, thus becoming heralds and witnesses of the risen Christ."[10]
Jesus interprets scripture and then he is recognized in the breaking of the bread (the Eucharistic reference). Luke uses the exact phrase used at the feeding of the five thousand (Luke 9:12): "he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them." Their reaction in recognizing him mirrors St. Peter's reaction immediately following as he confesses the Lord to be "The Messiah of God." (Luke 9:20)
CCC: Lk 24:13-49 1094; Lk 24:13-35 1329, 1347; Lk 24:15 645, 659; Lk 24:17 643; Lk 24:21 439; Lk 24:22-23 640; Lk 24:25-27 112, 601; Lk 24:26-27 572, 652; Lk 24:26 555, 710; Lk 24:27 555, 2625; Lk 24:30 645, 1166; Lk 24:31 659; Lk 24:34 552, 641
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OR Short Form
That very day, the first day of the week,
two of Jesus' disciples were going
to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,
and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.
And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,
Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,
but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.
As they approached the village to which they were going,
he gave the impression that he was going on farther.
But they urged him, "Stay with us,
for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."
So he went in to stay with them.
And it happened that, while he was with them at table,
he took bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them.
With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
but he vanished from their sight.
Then they said to each other,
"Were not our hearts burning within us
while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"
So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem
where they found gathered together
the eleven and those with them who were saying,
"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"
Then the two recounted
what had taken place on the way
and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 24:13-16, 28-35
This story of the disciples of the road to Emmaus is only found in Luke’s Gospel. This shorter for omits the exchange between Jesus and the disciples on the road. This omission focuses the passage more keenly on the recognition of the Lord in the breaking of the bread (Eucharist).
CCC: Lk 24:13-49 1094; Lk 24:13-35 1329, 1347; Lk 24:15 645, 659; Lk 24:30 645, 1166; Lk 24:31 659; Lk 24:34 552, 641
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.
Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee.
A large crowd followed him,
because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick.
Jesus went up on the mountain,
and there he sat down with his disciples.
The Jewish feast of Passover was near.
When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him,
he said to Philip, "Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?"
He said this to test him,
because he himself knew what he was going to do.
Philip answered him,
"Two hundred days' wages worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little."
One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him,
"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish;
but what good are these for so many?"
Jesus said, "Have the people recline."
Now there was a great deal of grass in that place.
So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks,
and distributed them to those who were reclining,
and also as much of the fish as they wanted.
When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples,
"Gather the fragments left over,
so that nothing will be wasted."
So they collected them,
and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments
from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.
When the people saw the sign he had done, they said,
"This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world."
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off
to make him king,
he withdrew again to the mountain alone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 6:1-15
This selection from St. John is the fourth sign from his Gospel, the multiplication of the loaves. It is the only miracle story carried in all four Gospels, and closely follows the synoptic Gospels (Mark 6:34-44, Luke 9:10-17, Matthew 14:13-21 and Matthew 15:32-39) in most details.
We see in this passage the strong reference to the Eucharist as well as a demonstration of God’s great love and mercy. More subtle is the reference to feeding the poor. Barley loaves were traditionally the fare of the poor. It is also interesting to note that, in the Jerusalem translation, the Lord “escaped” into the hills at the end of the story. This implied that the people were immediately aware of the great sign he had facilitated.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7.
When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there,
they themselves got into boats
and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
And when they found him across the sea they said to him,
“Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Jesus answered them and said,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
you are looking for me not because you saw signs
but because you ate the loaves and were filled.
Do not work for food that perishes
but for the food that endures for eternal life,
which the Son of Man will give you.
For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”
So they said to him,
“What can we do to accomplish the works of God?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.”
So they said to him,
“What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you?
What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:
He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”
So Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven;
my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world.”
So they said to him,
“Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 6:24-35
This dialogue with the people begins St. John’s great discourse on the bread of life. In this selection Jesus begins by telling the crowd, which had just been witness to the feeding of the multitude with the barley loaves, that they should focus on spiritual food rather than filling their stomachs. His reference here is that through their belief in him as the Son of God, they are doing God’s will.
The people misunderstand and think Jesus is asking for faith in order to perform a sign (see also Mark 8:11, Matthew 16:1, and Luke 11:16) The Jews in dialogue with Jesus refer to the favor shown by God, as in the desert following the exodus, God showered Manna upon the people. They quote Nehemiah 9:15, again seeking physical bread when Jesus is offering the spiritual. In this selection St. John provides the most solemn of statements by Jesus which are unambiguous statements about his real presence in the Eucharist: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” In this offer, Jesus provides sustenance for the spirit while physical bread only supports the mortal body.
CCC: Jn 6 1338; Jn 6:26-58 2835; Jn 6:27 698, 728, 1296; Jn 6:32 1094; Jn 6:33 423
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8.
The Jews murmured about Jesus because he said,
“I am the bread that came down from heaven, ”
and they said,
“Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?
Do we not know his father and mother?
Then how can he say,
‘I have come down from heaven’?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Stop murmuring among yourselves.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give is my flesh
for the life of the world.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 6:41-51
St. John’s “Bread of Life” discourse continues in response to the protest of the crowd. We hear Jesus telling the crowd that no one comes to God unless it is willed by the Father (who sent me). Then Jesus says the remarkable; “…and I will raise him on the last day.” This is a clear statement that the Lord has been given the authority to judge the living and the dead in the Eschaton (the last day).
The Lord makes reference to Isaiah 54:13 (“They shall all be taught by God.”), interpreting that passage as it relates to him as the “teacher” sent by God. He now launches into the answer to the earlier request "Sir, give us this bread always." (John 6:34) saying “I am the bread of life”. He follows this reiteration of his identity by recalling God’s salvation of the Hebrew people who were fleeing Egypt and starving in the desert but were rescued by God’s gift of manna (Exodus 16:1ff). Then going further, he tells the crowd that they must eat (John uses the graphic word gnaw) the bread of life to have eternal life and that the bread he gives them is his life for the salvation of all mankind.
CCC: Jn 6 1338; Jn 6 1338; Jn 6:44 259, 591, 1001, 1428; Jn 6:46 151; Jn 6:51 728, 1355, 1406, 2837
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9.
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
"I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world."
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
Jesus said to them,
"Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 6:51-58
The “Bread of Life” discourse continues and the Lord escalates his language. The people who had come to him because they had been fed with the five barley loaves just cannot make the leap from bread made from wheat or barley to the Bread of Life offered as true food and drink for the spirit. Even when he uses manna as an example of real food they still do not see that the Son of God offers them his resurrected body as their meal and they are repulsed – especially because of the language he uses (Jesus uses the word gnaw, not just eat, in the original texts.).
CCC: Jn 6 1338; Jn 6:51 728, 1355, 1406, 2837; Jn 6:53-56 2837; Jn 6:53 1384; Jn 6:54 994, 1001, 1406, 1509, 1524; Jn 6:56 787, 1391, 1406; Jn 6:57 1391; Jn 6:58 1509
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10.
Since it was preparation day,
in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,
for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,
the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken
and they be taken down.
So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first
and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.
But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,
they did not break his legs,
but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,
and immediately blood and water flowed out.
An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true;
he knows that he is speaking the truth,
so that you also may come to believe.
For this happened so that the Scripture passage might be fulfilled:
Not a bone of it will be broken.
And again another passage says:
They will look upon him whom they have pierced.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 19:31-37
This passage from St. John’s Gospel concerning the immediate aftermath of Jesus’ death focuses on the meaning these events have in light of the Messianic vision. The evangelist sees these events as further signs, confirming the identity of Christ as the Messiah. The first important note is the relationship between the death of Christ, the Sabbath, and Passover. The Lord’s death on Friday, the day before the Sabbath required that the Jews ask Pilate to have the bodies of the condemned removed. It was against Hebrew Law to have them exposed on the Sabbath.
Breaking the legs of the two thieves was a painful and brutal expedient means of hastening their deaths so they could be removed. We note the special importance placed upon fact that Jesus was already dead. The actions of the soldiers, first in not breaking his legs and then piercing his side with a lance are seen as fulfilling biblical prophecy concerning the Messiah. We also see the special emphasis placed upon the fact that when the soldiers thrust the lance into Jesus’ side water and blood flowed out. While there is medical support for this physical event, the Evangelist intends it to represent the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist, both of which would have been understood by the early Christian community.
The fact that this was especially noted as an eye witness account is the Evangelists way of establishing the importance to these events as the fulfillment of prophecy. St John first quotes the Passover ritual laid out in Exodus 12: 46 and Numbers 9:12 which stipulate that the bones of the Passover sacrifice may not be broken. He then goes on making reference to Zechariah 12: 10, quoting “they shall look on him whom they have thrust through”.
CCC: Jn 19:31 641; Jn 19:34 478, 694, 1225; Jn 19:36 608; Jn 19:37 1432
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.
Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."
They said to him, "We also will come with you."
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?"
They answered him, "No."
So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something."
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught."
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast."
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?"
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 21:1-14
This passage relates the Lord’s third appearance to the disciples. Again he is not at first recognized. In typical Johannine fashion, the first to recognize the Lord was the disciple whom Jesus loved, presumed to be St. John himself. It is significant that they are found at Lake Tiberias. They have done what the Lord asked and returned to Galilee (Matthew 28:10).
Jesus tells them where to cast the net and indeed, they net a great number of fish (153 was probably symbolic of the universal mission of the Church, the total species of fish known at the time, or the sum of numbers from 1-17). Peter is so excited he jumps into the water and swims to shore, discovering Jesus with a fish already cooking and bread, a Eucharistic reference.
When they are joined by the other disciples they were so overawed that they could not even speak. Then the Lord broke the bread.
“The Fathers and Doctors of the Church have often dwelt on the mystical meaning of this episode: the boat is the Church, whose unity is symbolized by the net which is not torn; the sea is the world, Peter in the boat stands for supreme authority of the Church, and the number of fish signifies the number of the elect (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, "Commentary on St. John, in loc.").” [11]
Jesus tells them where to cast the net and indeed, they net a great number of fish (153 was probably symbolic of the universal mission of the Church, the total species of fish known at the time, or the sum of numbers from 1-17). Peter is so excited he jumps into the water and swims to shore, discovering Jesus with a fish already cooking and bread, a Eucharistic reference.
When they are joined by the other disciples they were so overawed that they could not even speak. Then the Lord broke the bread.
“The Fathers and Doctors of the Church have often dwelt on the mystical meaning of this episode: the boat is the Church, whose unity is symbolized by the net which is not torn; the sea is the world, Peter in the boat stands for supreme authority of the Church, and the number of fish signifies the number of the elect (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, "Commentary on St. John, in loc.").” [11]
CCC: Jn 21:4 645, 645, 659; Jn 21:7 448, 645; Jn 21:9 645; Jn 21:12 1166; Jn 21:13-15 645
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Shorter Form Offered
[1] See Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, p.500, 24.[2] See NAB footnote on Proverbs 9:1-6
[3] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc., © 1968, 64:42, pp.478
[4] See NAB footnote on Psalm 23
[5] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. pp.452
[6] Deacon Dennis Walters insight on this passage.
[7] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, © 2010, Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. pp.474
[8] See NAB Footnote on Mark 14: 22-24
[9] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p.313
[10] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 513
[11] The Navarre Bible, “Gospels and Acts”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 705
[12] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968, 3:68, p. 61
[13] The Gospel of Luke by Pablo T. Gadenz © 2018, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids MI, p.395.
[14] The Navarre Bible: “Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p 211
No comments:
Post a Comment