IV. FOR THE CONFERRAL OF MINISTRIES
1. Institution of Readers
780 Reading from the Old Testament
First Option
Moses said to the people:
"Hear, Israel, and be careful to observe these commandments,
that you may grow and prosper the more,
in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers,
to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.
"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!
Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God,
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your strength.
Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.
Drill them into your children.
Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest.
Bind them at your wrist as a sign
and let them be as a pendant on your forehead.
Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates."
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Commentary on Dt 6:3-9
The tale of Moses leading the children of Israel (Jacob) presents an important event. Moses begins in this passage giving the tribes the Shema Yisrael, arguably the most important of all Jewish prayers. It embodies the whole of Mosaic Law and is quoted by Christ as “the greatest and the first commandment,” summarizing the whole law of God.
His injunction to “Take to heart these words” gives rise to a number of Hebrew traditions including the use of phylacteries (“…as a pendant on your forehead”).
CCC: Dt 6:4-5 201, 459, 2093; Dt 6:4 228, 2083; Dt 6:5 368, 2055, 2133
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Second Option
Moses said to the people:
“If only you would heed the voice of the Lord, your God,
and keep his commandments and statutes
that are written in this book of the law,
when you return to the Lord, your God,
with all your heart and all your soul.
“For this command that I enjoin on you today
is not too mysterious and remote for you.
It is not up in the sky, that you should say,
‘Who will go up in the sky to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?’
Nor is it across the sea, that you should say,
‘Who will cross the sea to get it for us
and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?’
No, it is something very near to you,
already in your mouths and in your hearts;
you have only to carry it out.”
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Commentary on Dt 30:10-14
This section of the book of Deuteronomy is part of Moses’ last discourse. In this passage he is referring to Mosaic Law which has been chronicled earlier in the book. The gist of his challenge to the people is that the Law, which in turn is an integral part of fulfilling the covenant with God, also established earlier in the book, is not difficult to keep. It is, in most cases, something they are already doing (“already in your mouths and in your hearts”).
"St. Paul, in his Letter to the Romans (Romans 10:6-8), uses this passage, applying it not to knowledge of the Law but to 'the word of faith' that is preached by the apostles: it is now that word (as previously it was the Law) that makes manifest the precepts and commandments of God and (like the Law in its time, too) it should be constantly on our lips and in our heart. Theodoret of Cyprus (commenting on the Greek Septuagint version, which adds in v. 14 'and in your hands') says: The mouth stands for meditation on the divine words; the heart, readiness of spirit; the hands for doing what is commanded' ('Quaestiones in Octateuchum', 38)."[6]
"St. Paul, in his Letter to the Romans (Romans 10:6-8), uses this passage, applying it not to knowledge of the Law but to 'the word of faith' that is preached by the apostles: it is now that word (as previously it was the Law) that makes manifest the precepts and commandments of God and (like the Law in its time, too) it should be constantly on our lips and in our heart. Theodoret of Cyprus (commenting on the Greek Septuagint version, which adds in v. 14 'and in your hands') says: The mouth stands for meditation on the divine words; the heart, readiness of spirit; the hands for doing what is commanded' ('Quaestiones in Octateuchum', 38)."[6]
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Third Option
Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly,
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —;
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
"Amen, amen!"
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
"Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep"—
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!"
which consisted of men, women,
and those children old enough to understand.
Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate,
he read out of the book from daybreak till midday,
in the presence of the men, the women,
and those children old enough to understand;
and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform
that had been made for the occasion.
He opened the scroll
so that all the people might see it
— for he was standing higher up than any of the people —;
and, as he opened it, all the people rose.
Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God,
and all the people, their hands raised high, answered,
"Amen, amen!"
Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD,
their faces to the ground.
Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God,
interpreting it so that all could understand what was read.
Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest-scribe
and the Levites who were instructing the people
said to all the people:
"Today is holy to the LORD your God.
Do not be sad, and do not weep"—
for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law.
He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks,
and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared;
for today is holy to our LORD.
Do not be saddened this day,
for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength!"
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Commentary on Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10
This selection deals with Ezra, whose book precedes Nehemiah in the current canon of the Bible. Both prophets were active at the time of the restoration of Jerusalem. That is the time following the Babylonian exile during which the Jewish people were returned to their historical land and the nation of Israel was reestablished.
In this passage we hear Ezra, who of the two was more responsible for reintroducing the Law of Moses as the constitution of the reformed state, proclaiming the law. Then comes Nehemiah, the administrator, telling the people who were overcome with emotion at hearing God’s word once more, that it is a time for rejoicing because they are once more united under God’s law.
In this passage we hear Ezra, who of the two was more responsible for reintroducing the Law of Moses as the constitution of the reformed state, proclaiming the law. Then comes Nehemiah, the administrator, telling the people who were overcome with emotion at hearing God’s word once more, that it is a time for rejoicing because they are once more united under God’s law.
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Fourth Option
Thus says the LORD:
Just as from the heavens
the rain and snow come down
And do not return there
till they have watered the earth,
making it fertile and fruitful,
Giving seed to the one who sows
and bread to the one who eats,
So shall my word be
that goes forth from my mouth;
It shall not return to me void,
but shall do my will,
achieving the end for which I sent it.
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Commentary on Is 55:10-11
“The Word comes from God, but it can be heard only when it is soaked up in human life and spoken with human accents. Deutero-Isaiah [Deutero-Isaiah refers to the second half of the book, written during the Babylonian exile] explains world history, particularly the sacred history of Israel, through the deep, omnipotent presence of the Word (cf. Wisdom 8:1; 2 Corinthians 9:10). M.-E. Boismard attributes to this text the immediate origin of the Johannine theology of the Word (St. John's Prologue [Westminster, 1957] 100). We hear its echo in John's doctrine of the Eucharist-the Word come down from heaven and received as bread (John 6:32, 35).”[1]
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781 Reading from the New Testament
1.
When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.
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Commentary on 1 Cor 2:1-5
The apostle goes into an explanation of his axiomatic expression “…the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1:25) The difficulty he has in proclaiming his gospel in Athens using Hellenistic rhetoric (Acts 17:16-34) caused him to proclaim Christ to the Corinthians in an unvarnished way: “Christ and him crucified.” Coming to them in humility, he provides an example and faith based not upon logic, but upon the spirit that goes beyond human wisdom. He offers this same “kenosis” in Philippians 2:6-11.
"God continues to act through the Christian message, which ‘is unique. It cannot be replaced. It does not permit either indifference, syncretism or accommodation. It is a question of people's salvation. It is the beauty of the Revelation that it represents. It brings with it a wisdom that is not of this world. It is able to stir up by itself faith ̶ faith that rests on the power of God (cf. 1 Cor 2:5). It is truth. It merits having the apostle consecrate to it all his time and all his energies, and to sacrifice for it, if necessary, his own life’ (Paul VI ‘Evangelic Nuntiandi’, 5).” [4]
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2.
Beloved:
Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,
because you know from whom you learned it,
and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,
which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is inspired by God
and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction,
and for training in righteousness,
so that one who belongs to God may be competent,
equipped for every good work.
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Commentary on 2 Tm 3:14-17
St. Paul, in his instructions to St. Timothy tells him that sacred Scripture provides wisdom because it is inspired by God (Here he is speaking of the Hebrew Canon since the first Christian Canon has not yet been codified. However, Dei Verbum from Dogmatic Constitution On Divine Revelation quotes this passage as the Church’s view on that body of Holy Scripture as well.)
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3.
Beloved:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,
who will judge the living and the dead,
and by his appearing and his kingly power:
proclaim the word;
be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;
convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but,
following their own desires and insatiable curiosity,
will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth
and will be diverted to myths.
But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances;
put up with hardship;
perform the work of an evangelist;
fulfill your ministry.
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Commentary on 2 Tm 4:1-5
The Apostle begins this chapter with a solemn injunction to St. Timothy; “…perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. “ He emphasizes the need to “proclaim the word” persistently and in spite of the barriers he will encounter. St. Paul warns that the task will be difficult and that false teachers will arise with competing doctrines and “myths”
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4.
Brothers and sisters:
Indeed the word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.
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Commentary on Heb 4:12-13
The author of Hebrews addresses the “living” word of God, the Logos. It is, says the author, unambiguous striking at the heart of faith, directing all and judging all by its statues. All creation is within its jurisdiction all will be placed against that same bar of justice on the last day.
"In the sacred books the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks to them. And such is the force and power of the Word of God that it serves the Church as her support and vigor, and the children of the Church as strength for their faith, food for the soul, and a pure and lasting fount of spiritual life"[5]
CCC: Heb 4:13 302
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5.
Beloved:
What was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon
and touched with our hands
concerns the Word of life
for the life was made visible;
we have seen it and testify to it
and proclaim to you the eternal life
that was with the Father and was made visible to us
what we have seen and heard
we proclaim now to you,
so that you too may have fellowship with us;
for our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 1:1-4
The introduction of the First Letter of John describes the author as not only a believer in Jesus, but also an eyewitness and contemporary of the Lord. He describes the unifying force of faith in the Father, and his joy in passing on the great news of the Savior.
This testimony about Christ is designed to lead to fellowship and complete joy. Fellowship (the Greek word is "koinonia") with the Apostles means having the same faith as those who lived with Jesus: "They saw our Lord in the body," St Augustine reminds us: "and they heard words from his lips and have proclaimed them to us; we also have heard them, but we have not seen him [...]. They saw him, we do not see him, and yet we have fellowship with them, because we have the same faith" ("In Epist. Ioann. ad Parthos", 1, 3). [2]
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782 Responsorial Psalm
First Option
R. (John 6:63c) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
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Commentary on Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Psalm 19 is a hymn of praise. In this passage we give praise for God’s gift of the Law which guides us in our daily lives. The hymn also extols the virtues of obedience and steadfastness to the Law and its precepts. The passage also reflects the idea that following God’s statutes leads to peace and prosperity.
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Second Option
R. (12b) Lord, teach me your statutes.
How shall a young man be faultless in bis way?
By keeping to your words.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Within my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
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Commentary on Ps 119:9, 10, 11, 12
An acrostic poem; each of the eight verses of the first strophe (aleph) begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet; each verse of the second strophe (beth) begins with the second letter; and so on for all 22 letters of the alphabet.
The entire work is in praise of the Law, and the joys to be found in keeping it. It is not "legalism" but a love and desire for the word of God in Israel's Law, which is the expression of the Lord's revelation of himself and his will for man.
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Third Option
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
He spreads snow like wool;
frost he strews like ashes.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He scatters his hail like crumbs;
before his cold the waters freeze.
He sends his word and melts them;
he lets his breeze blow and the waters run.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
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Commentary on Ps 147:15-16, 17-18, 19-20
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 section focuses of the gift of the Promised Land with Jerusalem as it’s spiritual center.
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784 Gospel
1.
Jesus said to his disciples:
"You ure the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.
I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.
Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away,
not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter
will pass from the law,
until all things have taken place.
Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments
and teaches others to do so
will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.
But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments
will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven."
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Commentary on Mt 5:14-19
In this selection from the Gospel of Matthew Jesus uses allegory to push the Word of God into the world. He uses the allegory, light, to provide direction. The light of faith will be seen by all because it is reflected in the actions of those who believe. That light serves to guide others to God where they may otherwise become lost in darkness and wander in to paths of desolation. That light that pours from the disciples will be seen as a gift not from them but from the Father and the Father will be glorified because of the light.
In this early encounter between Jesus’ mission and the Law of Moses we are told that Jesus came to “fulfill” the law, to bring it to perfection as the messiah. He supports the rabbinical teaching of the time which separates the 613 individual precepts of the law found in the Pentateuch into “great and small” based upon their seriousness when he refers to breaking the least of the commandments. The passage is continued in almost Mosaic style by saying that those who follow the law will be great in heaven. This draws a distinction from those who would break the law being least in heaven.
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2.
Rising very early before dawn,
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee.
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Commentary on Mk 1:35-39
The Gospel tells us that the Lord then went off to a deserted place to pray and it was only when Simon and his companions came and found him that he continued his mission. We note that Simon wanted Jesus to take advantage of his popularity in Capernaum ('Everyone is looking for you'). But Jesus refuses to encourage more the popular idea that he is the Messiah coming with miracles and power. Rather he clearly states a more humble mission; he came to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God.
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3.
Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
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Commentary on Lk 4:16-21
This selection from St. Luke’s Gospel takes place immediately following the Lord’s Baptism by St. John and trial in the desert. His return to Galilee is also documented in St. Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 4:12-17). Here the Lord begins his public ministry with a straightforward statement of his identity and mission; “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free”. This announcement of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 61:1-2) being fulfilled tells the audience he is the Messiah who came bringing them salvation.
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4.
Jesus said to his disciples:
"These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written about me in the law of Moses
and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled."
Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
And he said to them,
"Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
and rise from the dead on the third day
and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins,
would be preached in his name
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
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Commentary on Lk 24:44-48
This is passage is set within the first appearance of the Risen Christ to the disciples immediately following his appearance on the road to Emmaus. He is with his friends in the locked room. Jesus “opened their minds” so they could see how the Law and Prophets were fulfilled in Him. Then, satisfied that they believe, the Lord brings them to understand the prophetic significance of what had taken place. He continues pointedly by saying; “You are witnesses to these things.” This statement is important since later in St. Luke’s narrative in the Acts of Apostles, their witness becomes the foundation of faith for others.
CCC: Lk 24:44-48 652; Lk 24:44-46 112; Lk 24:44-45 572, 601; Lk 24:44 702, 2625, 2763; Lk 24:45 108; Lk 24:46 627; Lk 24:47-48 730; Lk 24:47 981, 1120, 1122; Lk 24:48-49 1304
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5.
When the feast was already half over,
Jesus went up the the temple area and began to teach.
The Jews were amazed and said,
"How does he know Scripture with having studied?"
Jesus answered them and said,
"My teaching is not my own
but is from the One who sent me.
Whoever chooses to do his will
shall know whether my teaching is from God
or whether I speak on my own.
Whoever speaks on his own seeks his own glory,
but whoever seeks the glory of the one who sent him is truthful,
and there is no wrong in him."
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Commentary on Jn 7:14-18
Jesus leaves Galilee for the last time and goes down to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish feast of Tabernacles. He goes, knowing there is a plot to kill him. In this passage we hear him teaching in the temple precincts. The Feast of Tabernacles lasted 8 days, so the Lord at this writing arrives around the 4th day. The crowd is surprised because Jesus is not known to have attended the rabbinical schools (Mark 1:21; Luke 4:22). Jesus responds saying he is not self-taught but what he teaches is of divine origin. Anyone who seeks the grace and will of the Father will recognize it as such. Yet, those who speak for their own gratification have no authority. The passage provides an excellent foundation for differentiating between biblical exegesis and those who misinterpret scripture to fit their own views.
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[1] Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, Inc.© 1968, 22:49 p. 380.
[2] The Navarre Bible: “Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, p. 388.
[3] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 780-81.
[4] Letters of St. Paul, The Navarre Bible, Four Courts Press, 2003, p. 183
[3] The Navarre Bible: “Pentateuch”, Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003, pp. 780-81.
[4] Letters of St. Paul, The Navarre Bible, Four Courts Press, 2003, p. 183
[5] Dei Verbum, 21
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