Key:
What these passages tell us about God
What these passages tell us to do
What these passages tell us to avoid
Commentary
Reading 1 DT 4:32-34, 39-40
Moses said to the people:
"Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for youin Egypt before your very eyes?
"Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for youin Egypt before your very eyes?
This is why you must now know, and fix in your heart, that the LORD is God in the heavens above and on earth below, and that there is no other. You must keep his statutes and commandments that I enjoin on you today, that you and your children after you may prosper, and that you may have long life on the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you forever."
Responsorial Psalm PS 33:4-5, 6, 9, 18-19, 20, 22
R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lordthe earth is full.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host. For he spoke, and it was made; he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Upright is the word of the LORD, and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lordthe earth is full.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
By the word of the LORD the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host. For he spoke, and it was made; he commanded, and it stood forth.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for his kindness, to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD, who is our help and our shield.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us who have put our hope in you.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Reading 2ROM 8:14-17
Brothers and sisters:
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!"
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption, through whom we cry, "Abba, Father!"
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
Alleluia RV 1:8
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to God who is, who was, and who is to come.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 28:16-20
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.
Then Jesus approachedand said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
Then Jesus approachedand said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
1. God is all powerful; He uses that power to work unprecedented things (first reading, psalm, gospel).
2. There is no valid/viable alternative to God (first reading).
3. He uses that power for nothing but good. We can trust His unwavering goodness (psalm, gospel). See also the scriptures collected in Wisdom Principles: God’s Ways Give Security.
4. In spite of His awesome, universal, power, God cares about each person who trusts him (psalm). He does so even if that trust is imperfect (gospel).
5. God wants relationship with us so much that he will adopt us as his children if we accept Jesus as Lord (second reading). See ¶ 1 of The Catechism of the Catholic Church.
6. God loves and uses His people in spite of their doubts/imperfect faith. Even devout folks experience these things; we are called to resist them (second reading, gospel). See Fear does not equal Failure and Doubt does not equal Disqualification.
7. How are we to respond to those realities? Today’s readings instruct us to:
A. Meditate on, remember, these things, “fix [them] in your heart” (first reading).
B. Trust God and “put [your] hope in” Him (psalm, gospel).
C. Live according to His word (first reading, psalm, gospel).
D. Allow God to lead you. Be on the alert for the Holy Spirit’s specific promptings and follow them, even if they are not what you would chose to do (second reading).
E. Share these truths with others (gospel).
F. Don’t let cultural differences get in the way of sharing God’s goodness (gospel).
G. Don’t give into/be impeded by fear/doubt.
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