XXII
SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – CYCLE B 2015
The theme for the XXII Sunday in Ordinary time is the law given
by our God and Father, the law of life and liberty, which requires from us to
abide it in freedom, which is the only way to live in the law of love.
The thee readings
speak to us about this same theme. It is not enough to hear and to know
intellectually, we need to live bent toward the vulnerability of our sisters
and brothers.
THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY
Ø
In he Hebrew Bible this book is called “These
are the words” and in the Greek translation it has been given the name of
Deuteronomy: deuterons (second) nomos (law).
Ø
We find it after the Book of Numbers and it is
the fifth book of the Pentateuch (5 books) which is the name we give to the 5
first books of the Bible. Our Jewish brothers call it the Torah or the Law.
Ø
“these words” are the words of Moses to the
people before the entrance into the promised land, words written in different
literary styles, especially in legal vocabulary.
Ø
The book is organized in 4 speeches pronounced
by Moses, who is introduced to us as leader, prophet and legislator.
Ø
The biblical tradition likes to have important characters say the
teachings the author wants to convey in his work, these characters are not necessarily
the authors of these teachings. This is the case of the Book of
Deuteronomy.
Ø
The reformation found in the Book of
Deuteronomy
o Centralization
of worship which brings the
o
Centralization
of justice and of
o Other
religious and social measures.
FIRST READING : Dt 4:1-2.6-8
«
In the previous chapters Moses makes a synthesis
of the history of the people up to the moment they find themselves in.
«
In truth it is not Moses who makes either the synthesis or the speech, but the authors
of the book.
«
Israel is asked to listen to the commandments
and decrees which Moses teaches them in the name of God
«
On fulfilling the precepts and decrees they will
be able to enter and live in the land that God promised their fathers.
«
Israel cannot take from or add to the law that Moses has taught them in the name of
God.
o Nothing
can be taken from the Law because God is the LAW, which he has given them for
their wellbeing, only God knows what is good for us.
o Nothing
can be added to the law, because whatever we add is the fruit of our pride
which inclines us to be willing “to be like gods.”
o The
Law is God’s and not ours. We cannot do it either easier or more difficult.
«
Our wisdom and prudence is found in acting
according to the precepts of God.
«
The author of this part of the book makes a
question: what people what nation is there that has gods so close to it as the
Lord, our God, is to us?
Yes,
anyone who follows the law which God has put in the heart of every human being,
realizes that he or she is very close to God who guides and protects him or
her.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Ps 15
The psalmist asks himself LORD WHO CAN ABIDE IN YOUR TENT?
That is, who can be near you abiding in
your home, living with you.
And he answers to his question mentioning a list of behaviors who respond to what God
has prescribed in his Law. This means that who abides in God and God in
him/her is the one who lives his/her life according to the will of God
manifested in the Law.
THE ONE WHO DOES JUSTICE WILL
LIVE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD
Whoever
walks blamelessly and does justice
Who
thinks the truth in his heart
And
slanders not with his tongue
Who
harms not his fellow man
Nor
takes a reproach against his neighbor
By whom
the reprobate is despised
While
he honors those who fear the Lord.
Who
lends not his money at usury
And
accepts no bribe against the innocent
Whoever
does these things
Shall
never be disturbed.
GOSPEL OF MARK 7:1-8.14-15.21-23
ü
In this reading we witness a discussion between
the Teachers of the Law and Jesus.
ü
The Teachers of the law are scandalized, angry,
worried because the disciples eat without having previously washed their hand. In
truth they are questioning the behavior of Jesus, but they only mention his
disciples.
ü
Jesus answers with vehemence quoting Isaiah
29:13.
ü
Jesus attacks the worship that man/woman have
invented ignoring what God has said.
ü
We may discover this same passion against the
worship invented to falsely quiet our hears, not worshiping our Father in Is
1:10-20.
ü
We follow very carefully the liturgical laws
which we have invented ourselves; but at the same time we forget about the law
about acting moved by the fraternal love, in justice and respect for our
brothers and sisters who suffer, are exploited, humiliated.
ü
We recite prayers, which is a good thing, but at
the same time we do not question the many discriminations that we have inside
our heart, the pride and self-contentment when we judge ourselves better than
the rest, because we are in the church, how we forget those whom we do not like
or who are difficult for us.
ü
And Jesus invites us day after day to be like
Him, to act like Him who gave his life for his friends and also for his
enemies, for all. Jesus loves all of us, those I like and those I do not
like.
ü
To live as Jesus invites us to, we need to allow
him to free us in order to be really free, only then we will be able to live
according to the commandments.
LETTER
FROM JAMES
§ The
seven letters which are not from Paul: James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1,2,3 John and
Judas.
§ Apparently
there is no specific reason to call them with this name apart from considering
them universal letters addressed to the Church.
§ In
the New Testament we find several characters called James:
o
James the son of Zebedee and brother of
John (Mk 1:17; 3,17; Hch 1:22)
o
James the son of Alpheus (Mk 3:18;
Hch 1:13
o
James the brother of the Lord (Gal
1:19; 2:9)
§ This
letter can only be attributed to the “brother of the Lord” who had
a leading role in the community of Jerusalem.
SECOND READING
Jas 1:17-18;21-27
o
James reminds all those who have been baptized,
that all we have, has been given by God
the giver of all that is good.
o
God who has chosen us as the first fruits of his
creatures.
o
He invites us also to accept with docility, that
is with pleasure and thanksgiving, the word which the same God has sowed in us.
Word which is the Gospel of Jesus.
o
The Word is not only to be heard, it is to be
put into action, this means according to love (to visit the orphans, the widows
in their tribulations…) We may do a list of all those who wait for our love, in
our society, in our faith community, in our family, at our work.
o
God does not need our plans, our programs, our
courses, etc. etc, we are the ones who need them. God needs that I love every
human being and this will lead me to do good to everyone, according to what
every person needs from me.
At sea as well as in land, in the cities as
well as in the desert the missionary of Christ must not be careless of self. If
he cannot do all his readings, at least he should read two chapters of “The
Imitation of Christ”, one in the morning
and one in the evening, don’t ever abandon this faithful friend and always he
be his adviser.
Do not kill
the spirit of the holy prayer no matter the many things he has to do.
Jesus Christ
our Lord and most perfect Master during the day did mission work and at night
he prayed. María Antonia París, Foundress of the Claetian Missionary
Sisters. The
Apostolic Missionary 2.18-20
I had
observed that the holy virtue of poverty not only edified people and upset the
idol of mammon but also helped me greatly to grow in humility and advance in
perfection. I can sum up what I learned by experience in the following
comparison: The virtues are like the strings on a harp. Poverty is the shortest
and thinnest chord and hence gives the highest sound. The shorter we are in
life's conveniences, the higher we reach on the scale of perfection. Thus we
see that Jesus spent 40 days and nights without anything to eat. He and his
Apostles ate barley loaves, and they even ran out of these at times. Once the
Apostles were so short of food that they took ears of grain and rubbed them in
their hands to kill their hunger with the grains. They were even criticized for
this by the Pharisees because they did it on a sabbath Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Founder
of the Claretian Missionary Sisters. Autobiography 370.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CLARET,
Antonio María . Autobiografía.
DESCLÉES
DE BROUWER. Biblia de Jerusalén, nueva edición totalmente renovada
PARIS,
María Antonia. “El Misionero Apostólico”.
RAVASSI,
Gianfranco. Según las Escrituras. Año B. Bogotá Colombia 2005
SAGRADA
BIBLIA, versión oficial de la Conferencia Episcopal Española. Madrid 2011
.
