20170926
MARY THE ICON OF DISCIPLESHIP
Readings
at Mass
Liturgical
Colour: Green.
|
First reading
|
|
Ezra 6:7-8,12,14-20 ©
|
King Darius wrote to the satrap of Transeuphrates and his
colleagues: ‘Leave the high commissioner of Judah and the elders of the Jews to
work on this Temple of God; they are to rebuild this Temple of God on its
ancient site. This, I decree, is how you must assist the elders of the Jews in
the reconstruction of this Temple of God: the expenses of these people are to
be paid, promptly and without fail, from the royal revenue – that is, from
the tribute of Transeuphrates. May the God who causes his name to live there
overthrow any king or people who dares to defy this and destroy the Temple of
God in Jerusalem! I, Darius, have issued this decree. Let it be obeyed to the
letter!’
The elders
of the Jews prospered with their building, inspired by Haggai the prophet and
Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished the building in accordance with the order
of the God of Israel and the order of Cyrus and of Darius. This Temple was
finished on the twenty-third day of the month of Adar; it was the sixth year of
the reign of King Darius. The Israelites – the priests, the Levites and
the remainder of the exiles – joyfully dedicated this Temple of God; for
the dedication of this Temple of God they offered one hundred bulls, two
hundred rams, four hundred lambs and, as a sacrifice for sin for the whole of
Israel, twelve he-goats, corresponding to the number of the tribes of Israel.
Then they installed the priests according to their orders in the service of the
Temple of God in Jerusalem, as is written in the Book of Moses.
The exiles
celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. The Levites,
as one man, had purified themselves; all were pure, so they sacrificed the
passover for all the exiles, for their brothers the priests and for themselves.
|
Responsorial Psalm
|
|
Psalm 121(122):1-5 ©
|
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to
God’s house.’
I rejoiced when I heard them say:
‘Let us go to God’s house.’
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to
God’s house.’
Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to
God’s house.’
For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgement
of the house of David.
I rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to
God’s house.’
|
Gospel Acclamation
|
cf.Ps129:5
|
Alleluia, alleluia!
My soul is waiting for the Lord,
I count on his word.
Alleluia!
|
Or
|
Lk11:28
|
Alleluia, alleluia!
Happy are those
who hear the word of God
and keep it.
Alleluia!
|
Gospel
|
Luke 8:19-21 ©
|
The mother and the brothers of Jesus came looking for him, but
they could not get to him because of the crowd. He was told, ‘Your mother and
brothers are standing outside and want to see you.’ But he said in answer, ‘My
mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into
practice.’
MARY THE ICON OF DISCIPLESHIP
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Ezr 6:7-8. 12. 14-20; Ps 122:1-5; Lk 8:19-21 ]
The gospel
text of today must be seen in the context of the earlier episodes in chapter 8
of St Luke’s gospel if we are to draw out its full significance. Right from the
outset, we read that some women accompanied Jesus in His ministry and many
“provided for them out of their resources.” (Lk 8:3)
The women were disciples of Christ. Following this episode, St Luke
inserted the teaching of Jesus on the parable of the Sower. It speaks of
the different reception of the Word of God. Those seeds that fell “in the
good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an
honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.” (Lk 8:15)
And then He taught about how putting a lamp under a jar or under a bed defeats
its purpose. We must put “it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may
see the light.” (Lk 8:16) The concluding words of Jesus were, “Then pay
attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and
from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.” (Lk 8:18)
It is within
the context of the disciples of Jesus “who hear the Word of God and put it into
practice” that St Luke draws our attention to the mother of Jesus. He wrote, “The mother
and the brothers of Jesus came looking for him, but they could not get to him
because of the crowd. He was told, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing
outside and want to see you.’ But he said in answer, ‘My mother and my
brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.’”
In these words, the Lord honoured His mother because she was the perfect disciple
of the Lord. She was Jesus’ mother only because she was first
and foremost a disciple of His. Mary conceived the Lord in her heart
before she conceived Him in the flesh.
She was a
hearer of the Word in the fullest sense of the term. In the gospel, St
Luke portrayed Mary as one who was always pondering over the Word of God.
When the shepherds adored the Infant child, “Mary treasured all these words and
pondered them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19) When Simeon praised the child, “the
child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him.”
(Lk 2:33)
When she found Jesus in temple and Jesus told her, “Did you not
know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:48)
And we read that “But they did not understand what he said to them.” (Lk 2:50)
Hence, “His mother treasured all these things in her heart.” (Lk 2:51b)
This is what
discipleship is all about. We begin by hearing the Word, by receiving the
Word of God with all humility because it is from God. There are many things
in life our finite mind cannot comprehend but because we accept the Word of God
as it really is, as God’s words, the Word of God will take effect in our
lives. (cf 1 Th 2:13) Faith in the Word of God is critical to its
power at work in us. We are invited to accept the Word of God as it
really is. Like Mary, even if we do not agree and we do not understand,
we must keep the Word of God in our hearts. In the meantime, whether we
like it or not, we do whatever the Word of God requires of us in faith and
trust. The Lord will reveal to us through the events and encounters of
our lives. On hindsight and allowing time to unfold, we will see the
truth of God’s word being unfolded against the foolishness and the
impracticability of the world’s so called pragmatic decisions that are
short-sighted, causing untold problems in the future.
But Mary was
not just a hearer of the Word, she was a doer. Her immediate
response to the Word of God was an act of obedience. She was surely aware
of her future; but perhaps not the full implications. She would have
thought through how she would have been embarrassed; the disbelief of her
people with regard to her pregnancy through the overshadowing of the Holy
Spirit; how her fidelity to Joseph would be placed in doubt and most of all,
her life would be at stake.
We too are
called to be like Mary, to respond effectively to the Word of God and to allow
the Word to rest in us. Only those who put the Word of God into practice, as Jesus
said, are those who build their house on rock. “Everyone then who hears
these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his
house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and
beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on
rock.” (Mt 7:24-27) Indeed, we see Mary living out the Word of
God in a life of charity and compassion towards others, whether it was
Elizabeth her cousin, who was pregnant in her old age and needed someone to
look after her; or the Wedding couple who ran short of wine for the
celebration; or simply standing beneath the cross of Jesus in shame whilst
forgiving her Son’s enemies.
In all these
instances, Mary hardly spoke and was always never in the limelight. Mary was contented to
be a silent helper and supporter of the Lord because she did not want any
attention from our Lord to be diverted to her. She knew her task
was to let the light of Christ shine among the peoples. All her life, she
just wanted to draw others to her Son, Jesus. Her words to all who came
to the Lord were simply, “Do whatever He tells you!” (Jn 2:5)
And when the time came to support the disciples of the Lord after His
ascension, Mary gathered with them in prayer, awaiting the descent of the Holy
Spirit. She was truly the mother of Jesus in spirit and as a biological mother,
but also our spiritual mother.
However, most
of all, in doing God’s will, not only do we become God’s adopted children, but
we also become members of God’s family. When we obey His word, we share in a new
kind of relationship which is even stronger than biological ties. Sharing
the same mind and heart brings us closer to each other than just physical or
biological ties. Indeed, our ties with the family of God are dependent on
how much we all share in common. What should bind us together is our common
faith in Christ and obedience to His word. This is what baptism
does for us. It makes us children of God and members of the Christian
family because we share in the common spirit of God. This is why Jesus
said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it
into practice.”
Only then
could we rejoice together as we enter God’s House, as the responsorial psalm
says. “I
rejoiced when I heard them say: ‘Let us go to God’s house.’ And now our feet
are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built as
a city strongly compact. It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of
the Lord. For Israel’s law it is, there to praise the Lord’s
name.” Through worshipping together as one family, hearing His word
in every Eucharistic celebration, we depart to live the Word of God. In
this way, we show forth that we are God’s children.
Indeed, for
those who trust in God and obey His word like Mary, God will work great
wonders. He will bless us mightily and use us for His glory.
This was the case of Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra and Nehemiah who worked on the
reconstruction of the Temple of the Lord. They faced much opposition and
constraints. But God showed His fidelity to the people of Israel.
He used pagan Emperors to work for the good of Israel. He inspired King
Cyrus to decree that the Temple of Jerusalem be rebuilt and that all the
captured treasures of the Temple be returned to them; and that the royal
revenue given by them should be used for the restoration of the Temple.
Although they were pagans, they held reverence for the God of
Israel. When King Darius discovered the decree of King Cyrus, he
said, “Let it be obeyed to the letter!” Indeed, because of the
benevolence of these two pagan kings, the Temple was restored in accordance
with the order of the God of Israel and the order of Cyrus and of
Darius.” The Word of God through the Word of the kings was obeyed and
carried out accordingly. God works wonders for those who trust in His
mighty power.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of
Singapore © All Rights Reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment