|
TENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Saturday
Year II
Readings
First Reading
1 Kgs 19:19–21
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 16:1b–2a and 5, 7–8, 9–10
Gospel
Mt 5:33–37
Meditation on Today’s Readings Taken from
the Vatican
II Sunday and Weekday Missal
Written by Celia Sirois
In this Gospel, Jesus may seem to be abolishing
the commandment against swearing; in fact, he is challenging his
hearers to a radical and rigorous living of it. This is what it
means to “fulfill” the law, that is, to bring it to
its fullest expression. Some have argued that Jesus is presenting
an ideal beyond the reach of all but the most heroic. But that misses
the point. According to Joachim Jeremias, the Sermon on the Mount
in Matthew was a catechism for newly baptized Christians. Therefore,
he says, “it was preceded by conversion, by a being overpowered
by the Good News.”—* The rigorous,
radical way of life that Jesus outlined is intended for those who
are already, in Paul’s words, “in Christ…a new creation.”
Thus reconciled with God, they are able to live a new life.
The brief episode from 1 Kings describes
the call of Elisha. He is quite literally “overpowered”
by Elijah and compelled to leave everything and follow him. In the
same way, the love of Christ impels us to live no longer for ourselves,
but for him.
The copyright for the Sunday
Missal Introductions is:
Copyright (c) 2001, Daughters of St. Paul
The copyright for the Weekday
Missal Introduction is:
Copyright (c) 2002, Daughters of St. Paul |
