Saturday, September 9, 2006
22nd Week in Ordinary Time
Peter Claver


THE LAW HAS TO SERVE PEOPLE

1 Cor 4:6-15; Psalm 145:17-18,19-20,21; Luke 6:1-5


Daily Gospel

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
Jesus your Son came not to abolish the law
but to fill it with the dimensions of love.
Do not allow commandments and rules
to stand between you and us nor between people,
but let them lead us gently,
as good educators, to you and to our neighbor
and teach us to go beyond the law
in generosity and serving love.
Make us free with the freedom brought us
by your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

Introduction to the First Reading
       Paul criticizes his Corinthians in an ironic way for their pretenses, but he says he does so because he loves them. What do they have that they have not received?

First Reading: 1 Cor 4:6-15

Brothers and sisters:
Learn from myself and Apollos not to go beyond what
written, so that none of you will be inflated with pride in favor
of one person over against another. Who confers distinction
upon you? What do you possess that you have not received?
But if you have received it, why are you boasting as if you
not receive it? You are already satisfied; you have already grown
rich; you have become kings without us! Indeed, I wish that
you had become kings, so that we also might become kings
with you.

For as I see it, God has exhibited us Apostles as the last of
all, like people sentenced to death, since we have become a
spectacle to the world, to angels and men alike. We are fools
on Christ’s account, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak,
but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clad
and roughly treated, we wander about homeless and we toil,
working with our own hands. When ridiculed, we bless; when
persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we respond gently.
We have become like the world’s rubbish, the scum of all, to
this very moment.

I am writing you this not to shame you, but to admonish
you as my beloved children. Even if you should have countless
guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became
your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:17-18,19-20,21

R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

He fulfills the desire of those who fear him,
he hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD keeps all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD,
and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Introduction to Gospel Reading
      A frequent sign of their own insecurity is that people seek security in laws and traditions. The more they insist on these, the more they try to bend people to these, the greater their insecurity. Laws are supposed to be in the service of the community, not vice versa. They may never become a block or a screen between people. They are not absolutes but servants of people.

Gospel Reading: Luke 6:1-5

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the corn fields and his disciples began to pick heads of grain crushing them in their hands for food. Some of the Pharisees asked them, "Why do you do what is forbidden on the Sabbath?" Then Jesus spoke, "Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry?" He entered the house of God, took and ate the bread of the offering and even gave some to his men, though only priests are allowed to eat that bread." And Jesus added, "The Son of Man is Lord and rules over the Sabbath."

Commentary

We are not to take sides and divide the community. Our leaders are to stand behind the community, following at the end, falling in behind Jesus, bearing their crosses and trials, encouraging those they have taught the Gospel to, to live as fools for Christ. Are we known as Christ's or do we belong to one faction or other, forgetting the Word of God among us? Like the Pharisees at the time of Jesus, are we nitpicking about inconsequential issues while ignoring hunger, true justice and worship of God? We are called to remember that our Lord is Jesus, the Son of Man, master who was crucified for standing for the Truth.

General Intercessions

- That Christians may regard the commandments as doors to freedom from sin and evil and ways to serve God and people, we pray:

- That lawmakers everywhere make laws that are humane and serve the good of all in the community, we pray:

- That we may seek security in love of God and the service of people, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

God our Father,
in these signs, your gifts to us
and the fruit of our work,
we make ourselves available to you.
Do not allow us to seek false security
in observing the letter of the law
but help us to seek the insecurity and risk
of committing ourselves to you and people,
as Jesus did, your Son,
who lives with you and with us
now, and we hope and pray, for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
in this eucharist we have celebrated
the memorial of your Son's death and rising.
He followed the law of the heart
and made love the heart of all laws.
Let the bread of life of your Son
make our love inventive and creative
in the service of people
and help us to follow the directives
of our hearts and consciences,
in the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.

Blessing

Christ has made us free. Let us not give up that freedom by slavishly sticking to practices and traditions that do not reflect the gospel. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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