The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to live with an integrity that seeks to relate with our community in a manner deeper than the “letter of the Law”.
The reading from the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians urges Integrity in the Ministry.
* [3:14b–16] The parallelism in these verses makes it necessary to interpret corresponding parts in relation to one another. To this present day: this signals the shift of Paul’s attention to his contemporaries; his argument is typological, as in 1 Cor 10. The Israelites of Moses’ time typify the Jews of Paul’s time, and perhaps also Christians of Jewish origin or mentality who may not recognize the temporary character of Moses’ glory. When they read the old covenant: the lasting dullness prevents proper appraisal of Moses’ person and covenant. When his writings are read in the synagogue, a veil still impedes their understanding. Through Christ: i.e., in the new covenant. Whenever a person turns to the Lord: Moses in Exodus appeared before God without the veil and gazed on his face unprotected. Paul applies that passage to converts to Christianity: when they turn to the Lord fully and authentically, the impediment to their understanding is removed. (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 3, n.d.)
* [4:1–2] A ministry of this sort generates confidence and forthrightness; cf. 2 Cor 1:12–14; 2:17.
* [4:3–4] Though our gospel is veiled: the final application of the image. Paul has been reproached either for obscurity in his preaching or for his manner of presenting the gospel. But he confidently asserts that there is no veil over his gospel. If some fail to perceive its light, that is because of unbelief. The veil lies over their eyes (2 Cor 3:14), a blindness induced by Satan, and a sign that they are headed for destruction (cf. 2 Cor 2:15).
* [4:5] We do not preach ourselves: the light seen in his gospel is the glory of Christ (2 Cor 4:4). Far from preaching himself, the preacher should be a transparent medium through whom Jesus is perceived (cf. 2 Cor 4:10–11). Your slaves: Paul draws attention away from individuals as such and toward their role in relation to God, Christ, and the community; cf. 1 Cor 3:5; 2 Cor 4:1.
* [4:6] Autobiographical allusion to the episode at Damascus clarifies the origin and nature of Paul’s service; cf. Acts 9:1–19; 22:3–16; 26:2–18. “Let light shine out of darkness”: Paul seems to be thinking of Gn 1:3 and presenting his apostolic ministry as a new creation. There may also be an allusion to Is 9:1 suggesting his prophetic calling as servant of the Lord and light to the nations; cf. Is 42:6, 16; 49:6; 60:1–2, and the use of light imagery in Acts 26:13–23. To bring to light the knowledge: Paul’s role in the process of revelation, expressed at the beginning under the image of the odor and aroma (2 Cor 2:14–15), is restated now, at the end of this first moment of the development, in the imagery of light and glory (2 Cor 4:3–6). (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 4, n.d.)
Psalm 85 is a national lament reminding God of past favors.
* [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, n.d.)
The Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus Teaching About Anger in the Sermon on the Mount.
* [5:22–26] Reconciliation with an offended brother is urged in the admonition of Mt 5:23–24 and the parable of Mt 5:25–26 (//Lk 12:58–59). The severity of the judge in the parable is a warning of the fate of unrepentant sinners in the coming judgment by God.
* [5:22] Anger is the motive behind murder, as the insulting epithets are steps that may lead to it. They, as well as the deed, are all forbidden. Raqa: an Aramaic word rēqā’ or rēqâ probably meaning “imbecile,” “blockhead,” a term of abuse. The ascending order of punishment, judgment (by a local council?), trial before the Sanhedrin, condemnation to Gehenna, points to a higher degree of seriousness in each of the offenses. Sanhedrin: the highest judicial body of Judaism. Gehenna: in Hebrew gê-hinnōm, “Valley of Hinnom,” or gê ben-hinnōm, “Valley of the son of Hinnom,” southwest of Jerusalem, the center of an idolatrous cult during the monarchy in which children were offered in sacrifice (see 2 Kgs 23:10; Jer 7:31). In Jos 18:16 (Septuagint, Codex Vaticanus) the Hebrew is transliterated into Greek as gaienna, which appears in the New Testament as geenna. The concept of punishment of sinners by fire either after death or after the final judgment is found in Jewish apocalyptic literature (e.g., Enoch 90:26) but the name geenna is first given to the place of punishment in the New Testament. (Matthew, CHAPTER 5, n.d.)
The onlineministries.creighton.edu site is not available at publication time. Creighton University
Don Schwager quotes “Taming the Tongue,” by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD).
"What are we to do? Whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire. But no human being can tame the tongue. Will everyone therefore go to the hell of fire? By no means. Lord, you have become our refuge from generation to generation (Psalm 90:1). Your wrath is just. You send no one to hell unjustly. Where shall I go from your spirit? or where shall I flee from your presence (Psalm 139:7), unless to you? Thus let us understand, my dearly beloved, that if no human being can tame the tongue, we must take refuge in God, who will tame it. Does your own human nature prevent you from taming your tongue? No human being can tame the tongue (James 3:8). Consider this analogy from the animals that we tame. A horse does not tame itself; a camel does not tame itself; an elephant does not tame itself; a snake does not tame itself; a lion does not tame itself. So too a man does not tame himself. In order to tame a horse, an ox, a camel, an elephant, a lion and a snake, a human being is required. Therefore God should be required in order for a human being to be tamed. (excerpt from Sermon 55:2) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Corinthians 3:15–4:1, 3-6 comments that God has revealed his glory “on the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). That’s where God wants us to fix our gaze: on the face of the One who came to save us. He wants us to look into Jesus’ eyes and see the love that moved him to bring healing, deliverance, and mercy to the people he encountered. He wants us to see the “glory” of someone who, though he had been mocked, beaten, crowned with thorns, and crucified, still prayed, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34). It’s the face of One who, even after he rose from the dead, still bore the marks of his crucifixion—wounds that he bore for each one of us.
This is the glory that Paul urges us to contemplate. So find a crucifix or an icon or a holy card, and dare to look at the Lord. Spend some time keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus. As you do, you will see love incarnate. And that vision will transform you “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18).
“Jesus, show me your glory!” (Meditation on 2 Corinthians 3:15–4:1, 3-6, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that the passage from 2 Corinthians speaks about the veil covering Moses face. His face is shown with great light and we cannot see God face to face. We are not veiled anymore and those who reject Paul’s message are contrasted with those who accept that are transformed. The Gospel of Matthew in The Sermon on the Mount presents Jesus' declaration that we need to be more righteous than the scribes and Pharisees who built a fence around the Law and were very scrupulous. Jesus extends the spiritual sense of the law to anger that can “kill” a person in many ways. Friar Jude reminds us that purgatory is not a prison but it is a time of purification of the damage of sin in our hearts.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Author Jim Wilhoit and Author Evan Howard who highlight how our experiences and contexts shape how we read and interpret the Bible. Father Ernesto Cardenal reflected on the Gospels each week with communities of campesinos [2] living in poverty. Commenting on the Beatitude “Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Luke 6:20), Cardenal shares their conversation:
ÓSCAR: “Ernesto, I also think that the poor person can practice love more sincerely, without being afraid, and fight for it, without being afraid of the word of God. But the rich person can’t because it doesn’t suit him. Even though he may know what’s good, he doesn’t practice it, because he is always ready to [exploit] people…. God sees the poor person’s sincerity and promises him the kingdom of God.”…
ALEJANDRO: “What we see here is that there are two things. One is the kingdom of God, which is the kingdom of love, of equality, where we must all be like brothers and sisters; and the other thing is the system we have, which isn’t brand new, it’s centuries old, the system of rich and poor, where business is business. And so we see that they’re very different things. Then we have to change society so that the kingdom of God can exist. And we’re sure that the kingdom will have to be established with the poor, right?” (Rohr, n.d.)
We seek the guidance of the Spirit as we struggle with the application of Law to our mission to bring Jesus' gift of “fullness of life” to people excluded from our communities.
References
Matthew, CHAPTER 5. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?20
Meditation on 2 Corinthians 3:15–4:1, 3-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/06/12/1304760/
Psalms, PSALM 85. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/85?9
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Reading with Others. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/reading-with-others/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Be Reconciled to Your Brother. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jun12
2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 3. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/3
2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 4. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved June 12, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/4
No comments:
Post a Comment