The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine the obstacles that restrain our generosity and action to care for others.
The Reading from the Book of Judges describes the Call of Gideon.
* [6:16] I will be with you: narratives telling how the Lord commissions someone for a task depict the person’s reactions of reluctance, confusion, or sense of inadequacy, and the Lord’s reassurance (“I will be with you”), sometimes accompanied by a sign (cf. Ex 3:12; Jer 1:8). Lk 1:28–37 is modeled on this pattern.
* [6:19] Ephah: see note on Is 5:10.
* [6:22] Ancient Israel thought that seeing God face to face meant mortal danger, as Ex 33:20 indicates and as Gideon’s reaction here shows. Compare the reaction of Samson’s parents (13:22–23) when they realize they have been conversing with the Lord.
* [6:24] Yahweh-shalom: a reference to the Lord’s words, “You are safe” (v. 23), lit., “Peace be to you!” (Judges, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 85 proclaims God will be active on their behalf.
* [Psalm 85] A national lament reminding God of past favors and forgiveness (Ps 85:2–4) and begging for forgiveness and grace now (Ps 85:5–8). A speaker represents the people who wait humbly with open hearts (Ps 85:9–10): God will be active on their behalf (Ps 85:11–13). The situation suggests the conditions of Judea during the early postexilic period, the fifth century B.C.; the thoughts are similar to those of postexilic prophets (Hg 1:5–11; 2:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 85 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus declares that riches are an obstacle to entering the kingdom.
* [19:23–24] Riches are an obstacle to entering the kingdom that cannot be overcome by human power. The comparison with the impossibility of a camel’s passing through the eye of a needle should not be mitigated by such suppositions as that the eye of a needle means a low or narrow gate. The kingdom of God: as in Mt 12:28; 21:31, 43 instead of Matthew’s usual kingdom of heaven.
* [19:25–26] See note on Mk 10:23–27.
* [19:28] This saying, directed to the Twelve, is from Q; see Lk 22:29–30. The new age: the Greek word here translated “new age” occurs in the New Testament only here and in Ti 3:5. Literally, it means “rebirth” or “regeneration,” and is used in Titus of spiritual rebirth through baptism. Here it means the “rebirth” effected by the coming of the kingdom. Since that coming has various stages (see notes on Mt 3:2; 4:17), the new age could be taken as referring to the time after the resurrection when the Twelve will govern the true Israel, i.e., the church of Jesus. (For “judge” in the sense of “govern,” cf. Jgs 12:8, 9, 11; 15:20; 16:31; Ps 2:10). But since it is connected here with the time when the Son of Man will be seated on his throne of glory, language that Matthew uses in Mt 25:31 for the time of final judgment, it is more likely that what the Twelve are promised is that they will be joined with Jesus then in judging the people of Israel.
* [19:30] Different interpretations have been given to this saying, which comes from Mk 10:31. In view of Matthew’s associating it with the following parable (Mt 20:1–15) and substantially repeating it (in reverse order) at the end of that parable (Mt 20:16), it may be that his meaning is that all who respond to the call of Jesus, at whatever time (first or last), will be the same in respect to inheriting the benefits of the kingdom, which is the gift of God. (Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)
Barbara Dilly reflects today about the signs that the Lord is with us.
Still, I can’t help but think that trusting in God to deliver is only half of the human story. It is what we want God to deliver that is the problem. Most of us want something other than what God promises to provide us. We want earthly riches, power, and recognition of it all more than we want peace and justice and eternal life. We really think we can enjoy wealth and power more than we can peace and justice. The Gospel story for today reveals that Jesus understood that.
So the other half of the human story is about our desiring to follow Jesus. But that too is not all up to us….Jesus reminds us that it is impossible for our desires to be made perfect without God. For the sake of the name of Jesus we do our best, but we must rely on God to be with us to stay on track. So today, and every day, we can stop to pray at work in gratitude for the Lord’s presence. Just listen for the angel saying, “The Lord is with you, O champion!” Then we can get our priorities straight and get back to work….God’s work. (Dilly, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Who can enter the kingdom of heaven?” by John Chrysostom, 347-407 A.D.
"What then did Christ say? 'How difficult it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.' He was not criticizing money itself but the wills of those who are taken captive by it. If it will be difficult for the rich, how much more so for the avaricious! For if stinginess with one's own wealth is an impediment to gaining the kingdom, think how much fire is amassed for taking someone else's. But why does he say that it is hard for the rich man to enter the kingdom, to the disciples, who were poor and had nothing? He teaches them not to be ashamed of their poverty and, as it were, gives the reason why he did not allow them to possess anything. After saying it is hard, he also shows them that it is impossible, and not simply impossible but even in an exaggerated way impossible. He shows this from the comparison of the camel and the needle: 'It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.' Hence Christ demonstrates that there is a significant reward for the wealthy who can practice self-denial. He also said that this had to be the work of God, that he might show that great grace is needed for anyone who is going to achieve it." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 63.2) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 19:23-30 comments the only reason Jesus spoke so forcefully about money is that he knew how strong a force it exerts on us.
Is there something in your life that, if taken away from you, might make you wince? Is there something that preoccupies your mind and heart so much that it obscures your devotion to the Lord? If so, sit quietly before the Lord and picture yourself placing it into Jesus’ hands. If this isn’t easy, know that he is patient. Just give him as much as you can. He will always meet you in that act of surrender and fill whatever space you have opened up in your heart. St. John of the Cross once said, “To possess everything, desire to possess nothing.” So let Jesus give you “everything”—his very self!
“Jesus, help me to treasure you above everything else!” (Meditation on Matthew 19:23-30, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today. The Judges' reading tells of the call of Gideon to save the people from the Midianites. God promises to be with Gideon through a messenger. The Gospel of Matthew follows the disappointment of the rich young man. The “eye of the needle” was compared to a Jerusalem gate but Friar Jude suggests Jesus was referring to a real camel and a real needle. Friar Jude notes that Jesus' promise to Peter is not the “Gospel of Wealth”.
Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces somatic therapist and healer Prentis Hemphill who explores how curiosity and openness to emotions allows us to access their wisdom.
Feeling and connection bring us into the world and into relationship with one another. Some things seem too big to be felt alone because they are. They require the collective to hold the space for big feeling, for it to move through, and to remind us that we’re not alone…. This is why we meet in the streets. As much as mass protests and direct action are about putting strategic pressure on opposition, they are often a gathering space for our grief and pain because they are too big to feel alone. Protests don’t get reported on this way, as an eruption of collective grief; on the news they are riots, and we begin the cycle of minimizing the feelings that bring people to the streets, and ultimately we miss the message. We need those spaces and others, too, where our grief can swell, where feeling for feeling’s sake can reconstitute us, where our empathy for one another can build. A community, a society, becomes one, remains one, I think, through sharing feeling. (Rohr, n.d.)
We implore the Spirit to enlighten us to the negative consequences of attachments we have to property, power, and privilege that impede our piety, study, and action as followers of Jesus.
References
Dilly, B. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-20-2013
Judges, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/judges/6?11
Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19?23
Meditation on Matthew 19:23-30. (n.d.). The Word Among Us. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/08/19/1358896/
Psalms, PSALM 85 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/85?9
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Feeling for Collective Healing. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/feeling-for-collective-healing/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Who Can Enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 19, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug19
No comments:
Post a Comment