I
FIRST READING
Queen Esther prays for her people.
Queen Esther seized with mortal anguish, had recourse to the
LORD.
Then she prayed to the LORD, the God of Israel, saying:
"My LORD, our King, you alone are God.
Help me, who am alone and have no help but you,
for I am taking my life in my hand.
"Save us by your power, and help me, who am alone
and have no one but you, O LORD.
"O God, more powerful than all,
hear the voice of those in despair.
Save us from the power of the wicked,
and deliver me from my fear."
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Commentary on Est C:12,14-15, 25, 30
In this prayer from the Book of Esther, we find the queen in great distress, praying for the deliverance of the people of Israel. They are to be put to death by Haman, an evil Persian adviser to the king (to whom she is married). She hopes to go before the king to plead for them. But going into the presence of the king without an invitation from him earns death. She places all of her trust in God’s mercy, confident that he will intervene.
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Luke l:46-48a, 48b-49,50-51,52-53, 54-55
R. (See 50) The Lord has mercy in every generation.
GOSPEL
FIRST READING
But God, who is rich in mercy,
Mary set out
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Luke l:46-48a, 48b-49,50-51,52-53, 54-55
R. (See 50) The Lord has mercy in every generation.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my savior.
For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness;
R. The Lord has mercy in every generation.
Behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.
The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
R. The Lord has mercy in every generation.
The Lord's mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him.
He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.
R. The Lord has mercy in every generation.
He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.
R. The Lord has mercy in every generation.
The Lord has helped Israel his servant,
remembering his mercy,
according to his promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.
R. The Lord has mercy in every generation.
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Commentary on Lk 1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55
The responsorial is the Magnificat, the beautiful Canticle of Mary. Her song of thanksgiving and humility captures the saintliness that has become synonymous with our image of Mary the mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, and the mother of the Church. In her dedication to service, she offers herself to God as vessel of the Messiah. She sets the stage for the humble birth of Jesus.
CCC: Lk 1:46-55 722, 2619, 2675; Lk 1:46-49 2097; Lk 1:48 148, 971, 2676, 2676; Lk 1:49 273, 2599, 2807, 2827; Lk 1:50 2465; Lk 1:54-55 706; Lk 1:55 422
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The mother of Jesus was at the wedding feast with him.
John 2:1-11
There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there. ,
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
"They have no wine."
And Jesus said to her,
"Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servers,
"Do whatever he tells you."
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told them,
"Fill the jars with water."
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
"Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
(although the servers who had drawn the water knew),
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.
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Commentary on Jn 2:1-11
The author gives us the story of Jesus' first revelatory action following his baptism by St. John the Baptist in the Jordan. Jesus and his disciples are invited to a wedding and the wine runs out. Jesus’ mother lets her son know that the time has come for his revelation, even though Jesus does not think so. The Greek in the exchange between Jesus and his mother is ambiguous; some would interpret it, "What concern is that of mine or yours?," but it is more probably to be understood as a Hebrew idiom, "What have I to do with you?," that is, "Leave me alone, do not interfere with me," as in Matthew 8.29, and in many passages of the Old Testament. [1]
Significantly the stone water jars were there for the ceremonial cleansing, the very Hebrew custom John the Baptist used in his call to repentance. The Hebrew custom was symbolic (as was St. John's invitation to be baptized in the Jordan); the Lord would later make baptism efficacious as sins were forgiven. We also note the Hebrew numerology applied to this scene. The number six represents one less than the perfect number seven. It was not yet Jesus’ time. The water became wine, not his blood which was yet to be poured out for the salvation of mankind.
The final statement in this story, “his disciples began to believe in him,” is the only time in the Gospel of St. John where there was any doubt about the Lord’s true identity on their part.
Significantly the stone water jars were there for the ceremonial cleansing, the very Hebrew custom John the Baptist used in his call to repentance. The Hebrew custom was symbolic (as was St. John's invitation to be baptized in the Jordan); the Lord would later make baptism efficacious as sins were forgiven. We also note the Hebrew numerology applied to this scene. The number six represents one less than the perfect number seven. It was not yet Jesus’ time. The water became wine, not his blood which was yet to be poured out for the salvation of mankind.
The final statement in this story, “his disciples began to believe in him,” is the only time in the Gospel of St. John where there was any doubt about the Lord’s true identity on their part.
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II
FIRST READING
God is rich in mercy.
But God, who is rich in mercy,
because of the great love he had for us,
even when we were dead in our transgressions,
brought us to life with Christ — by grace you have been saved —,
raised us up with him,
and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,
that in the ages to come
He might show the immeasurable riches of his grace
in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and this is not from you; it is the gift of God;
it is not from works, so no one may boast.
For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works
that God has prepared in advance,
that we should live in them.
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Commentary on Eph 2:4-10
St. Paul places in sharp contrast the mercy and power of God and the weakness of the person. He describes how, only out of his great mercy, God rescued mankind “dead in our transgressions” though his Son, Jesus. The apostle describes the mechanism by which salvation is bestowed: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God.” St. Paul also provides a motive for (though none is needed) for God’s creative act with the statement that the Christian has been “created in Christ Jesus for the good works”
CCC: Eph 2:4-5 654; Eph 2:4 211, 1073; Eph 2:6 1003, 2796
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6 and 8,13 and 17
Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 6 and 8,13 and 17
R. (See 17a) The Lord's kindness is everlasting.
Bless the LORD, my soul;
all my being, bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, my soul;
do not forget all the gifts of God.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting.
Who pardons all your sins,
heals all your ills,
delivers your life from the pit,
surrounds you with love and compassion.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting.
The LORD does righteous deeds,
brings justice to all the oppressed.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on the faithful.
But the LORD'S kindness is forever
toward the faithful from age to age.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting.
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Commentary on Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 6 and 8,13 and 17
Psalm 103 praises God for this compassion and forgiveness. Three of God’s blessings are enumerated: forgiveness, healing, and salvation. It recalls Moses’ mission and the salvation brought through it. They express the love of Christ as well; his mercy is boundless.
CCC: Ps 103 304
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GOSPEL
The Lord has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.
Mary set out
and traveled to the hill country in haste
to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah
and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting,
the infant leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said,
"Most blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
And how does this happen to me,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed are you who believed
that what was spoken to you by the Lord
would be fulfilled."
And Mary said:
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."
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Commentary on Lk 1:39-55
The gospel selection from St. Luke gives us the story of Mary’s journey from Nazareth, over the mountains to Hebron, south of Jerusalem, to visit her cousin St. Elizabeth who was also with child. St. Elizabeth’s greeting gives us substance for the “Hail Mary” and Mary’s response is the great Canticle of Mary which exemplifies her faith and faithfulness, appropriate for the Mother of Jesus who is the Christ.
Mary’s meeting with Elizabeth follows the annunciation by Gabriel that she would carry the Son of God which proclaims the coming of the Lord and the faith of Mary before the nativity event. We note that Elizabeth is first to identify Jesus as Lord as she says ”how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” She not only professes the identity of the infant but foreshadows Mary’s leadership standing, elevating the stature of her much younger cousin with reverence. Elizabeth continues her praise of Mary by establishing that her (Mary’s) faith had allowed her to accept even the incredible role God had offered her.
In response we hear Mary’s humility as she gives us the Magnificat: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” This opening phrase establishes that the Blessed Mother gives herself to God eternally (her eternal self: soul) and completely (the very core of her being: spirit). What follows in her great song is an abject expression of faith in the Father’s omnipotence and her own humility and awe in the face of his request of her – to carry God’s only Son.
CCC: Lk 1:41 523, 717, 2676; Lk 1:43 448, 495, 2677; Lk 1:45 148, 2676; Lk 1:46-55 722, 2619, 2675; Lk 1:46-49 2097; Lk 1:48 148, 971, 2676, 2676; Lk 1:49 273, 2599, 2807, 2827; Lk 1:50 2465; Lk 1:54-55 706; Lk 1:55 422
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Reflection:
As we
look back at the history of the Church from the apostolic era on, we are amazed
at the inspired lives of so many saints.
We especially see in the life of our Blessed Mother, Mary, the elements
of complete dedication to God, calling herself the “handmaid” of the Lord, his
humblest servant.
The mother of Jesus' whole being, soul and spirit, were there only to do his will and see his vision for all his children fulfilled. She saw in the abuses heaped upon her son by the synagogue leaders of his day the great sin possible when misguided leaders were the people responsible for encouraging the people of faith to fulfill God’s will. She watched as they ignored God’s law and persecuted, humiliated, and killed our Lord in the most degrading way. Yet still, in her tremendous dedication to the Father, she expressed his mercy.
Reflection:
 |
| Coronation of the Virgin, by Diego Velázquez 1630'3 |
The mother of Jesus' whole being, soul and spirit, were there only to do his will and see his vision for all his children fulfilled. She saw in the abuses heaped upon her son by the synagogue leaders of his day the great sin possible when misguided leaders were the people responsible for encouraging the people of faith to fulfill God’s will. She watched as they ignored God’s law and persecuted, humiliated, and killed our Lord in the most degrading way. Yet still, in her tremendous dedication to the Father, she expressed his mercy.
For
our part, especially in light of the failure of our leaders in today’s Church,
we must also hang on to our mother’s example.
Her sadness was palpable at many points as she watched human nature
assert itself, overcoming God’s wondrous gifts.
Yet she was the perfect example of mercy. We may find it difficult to emulate her in
our current climate, but we must be faithful, as she was, to her Son’s command
to love God and one another.
Mercy and forgiveness are her most challenging examples for us. We pray today for the strength to follow our Mother of Mercy in her example, and earn some measure of the respect she has gained as Queen of Heaven.
Mercy and forgiveness are her most challenging examples for us. We pray today for the strength to follow our Mother of Mercy in her example, and earn some measure of the respect she has gained as Queen of Heaven.
Pax
[1] Knox Bible footnote on Jn 2:4.
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