20230926 MARY THE ICON OF DISCIPLESHIP
First reading |
Ezra 6:7-8,12,14-20 © |
Darius king of Persia pays for the rebuilding of the Temple of God
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 © |
'My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God'
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: [Ezra 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. In 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.” This was what Haggai, Zechariah, Ezra and Nehemiah did when they worked on the reconstruction of the Temple of the Lord. They faced much opposition and constraints. But in faith, they brought it to completion.
This was certainly the case even of Kings Cyrus and Darius. They obeyed the Word of the Lord. God 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 were obeyed and carried out accordingly. God works wonders for those who trust in His mighty power. They too should be included among His children and family as well because they heard the Word of God and did it.
Only then can 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. We bring joy to God’s House wherever we are, not just in church but whenever Christians live like brothers and sisters in their families, in the offices and in their communities.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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