XIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME  – 2020

The liturgy of this Sunday speaks about doing good for love of God. The family in the first reading prepared a comfortable room for the prophet Elisha, the “man of God”, the psalm repeats Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord, and the Gospel says that those who do something good for others will not be left without a reward.

THE BOOK OF KINGS

Ø  The book of Kings can be approach in several ways.

Ø  They contain history and are an important source of information about the Israelite Kingdoms.

Ø  The theological interpretation has two principles: to justify the disintegration of the Davidic empire and the need for the religious unity of the people of God.

Ø  As a counterpart of the stories of kings, we find the stories of women and of many prophets.

Ø  The destiny of Israel is in God’s hand.

Ø  Through prophets, the divine will is made known on earth to kings and  people

Ø  The future consequences of their response to God’s will are spelled out.

FIRST READING  2 Kings  4: 8-11. 14-16a

Ø  According to Wikipedia, the town of Shunem  (Hebrew: שׁוּנֵם‎) was a small village   in the possession of the Tribe of Issachar, near the Jezreel Valley and  South of Mount Gilboa (Joshua 19,18).It may be identified as the modern village of Sulam.

Ø  It seems  that Elisha, disciple of Eliah, went frequently to the town of Shunem and to the house of a good couple. 

Ø  In the Old as well as in the New Testament we find stories about good women who welcomed into their homes men who were passing by their city, as if they were messengers of God.  

Ø  Here the woman and her husband prepare a comfortable place where Elisha could rest. 

Ø  The recompense is huge and surprising; the couple will have a son. They have prayed so much to have a son and the child never came.       

Ø  This is the generosity of God who recompenses the good we do. 

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps  88: 2-3. 16-17. 18-19

R. (2a) For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
The promises of the LORD I will sing forever,
through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness.
For you have said, "My kindness is established forever;"
in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
Blessed the people who know the joyful shout;
in the light of your countenance, O LORD, they walk.
At your name they rejoice all the day,
and through your justice they are exalted.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.
You are the splendor of their strength,
and by your favor our horn is exalted.
For to the LORD belongs our shield,
and the Holy One of Israel, our king.
R. For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

ü  The psalmist  shows feelings of joy, of thanksgiving and of  praise to God. 

ü  He invokes God whose love is eternal, merciful and faithful.   

ü  The psalmist says that the people   

o   Who walks under the light of God and praises him is happy.  

o   He is happy also because God is his shield and his king. 

GOSPEL Mt 10: 37-42

Ø  The Gospel is the continuation of last Sunday’s reading. Only 4 verses are omitted.  

Ø  Verses 37-39 explain the demands, the conditions of the following of Jesus:

o   The first condition is the fidelity to the Lord that

§  Illumines all the other fidelities required for a life as a disciple of Jesus 

§   goes beyond the fidelity   toward our family and any other fidelity 

§  asks us to carry the cross in his following  

§  and finally, accordingly  to what the Gospel says, it teaches us that if we hold on to our life willing to keep it we will lose it, but if we allow the Lord to organize and decide over our life, if we surrender to him, if we put ourselves completely in his hands, we will keep and gain our life.  

Ø  The verses 40-42 speak of the recompense to this fidelity in his following:  

o   When we welcome someone it is Jesus whom we welcome and, in turn we are welcoming  the Father.   

o   The recompense will be according to who we think we are welcoming:  

§  Prophet, just person, disciple   

§  Even the glass of fresh water that we give to a little one (poor, marginalized…) will not be without a recompense.  

Ø  In the responsorial psalm there is phrase that says  My kindness is established forever,
 How true this is!   

LETTER TO THE ROMANS

     In this part of chapter 6 Paul reflect on baptism and in its consequences

     In baptism we were submerged into the death and resurrection of Christ

     However, Paul knows well that sin has not been completely banished either from the world, or from us Christians who have been submerged into the life of Christ.

     Thus he explains baptism as a process of gradual transformation in Christ.

SECOND READING    Rom 6: 3-4. 8-11

Paul speaks here about baptism 

v We have been baptized into Christ Jesus death.   

v And  if we have been baptized into his death,  so too into his resurrection, his new life. 

v We have been given the power to die to sin, to have the strength and the energy to live a life for God far from evil, counting of course on the participation in the life of Christ Jesus. 

ü  Paul ends his reflection saying: consequently, you too must think of yourselves as dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus. 

Maybe it would help us to remember persons, things and events related to our baptism, or to the baptism of our children.

CLARETIAN CORNER

Venerable María Antonia París - This, which at first sight may appear to the Bishops as something of little importance, is the only weapon with which they should defend the Holy Law which they should preach, and understand that without this, all of their works will be fruitless.  I could say great things here about the esteem that a Prelate should have of the example of his Divine Master, as God has taught me, but it seems to bold to me, for I speak with whom I am not worthy to hear, and so it appears to me I will fulfill my obligation simply writing the most essential points that His Divine Majesty has pointed out to me without excluding any, without failing to observe the Lord’s command. 

Therefore, after renewing themselves and their associates, the Bishops should fully devote themselves to distributing the bread of the Divine Word.  From Plan for the Renewal… 15-16 in the book Paris and Claret Two Pens Guided by the Same Spirit.

St. Anthony Mary Claret –

The Bishops are the successors of the Apostles and, thus they have to be with their good example the light of the world.  

They have to practice the good works, in such a way that their example be as a bright light that may shine before others and move them to glorify their heavenly Father   

The Bishops have to be friends of prayer, in imitation of Jesus…   

In the fire that burns in meditation all scoria is taken away, men melt and are molded into the image of Jesus, they are filled with the Holy Spirit, and begin to speak…  

The Bishops have to teach, following the mandate of Jesus to his Apostles…  

The Bishops have to be the salt of the earth through their doctrine… (From  Notes to preserve and restore the beauty of the Church : “Who are the Bishops nn. 1-8”  in Paris and Claret… )

BIBLIOGRAPHY

MUÑOZ, Ma. Hortensia and TUTZO, Regina  Claretian Missionary Sisters. Paris and Claret Two Pens Guided by the Same Spirit. 2010.

SCHÖEL, Luis Alonso, “ of the text and Commentaries” – Biblia del Pregrino 2015

“Letter to the Romans”  in THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE, Revised Edition 2000.