Todays Readings: Lectionary: 434

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church


Key

Bold = verse commented upon

Blue = comment

Highlight = direct command

Colossians 1:9-14

9 Therefore, from the day we heard this, we do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding 10 to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God, 11 strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. 13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Psalm 98:2-6

2 The Lord has made his victory known; 
has revealed his triumph in the sight of the nations, 3 He has remembered his mercy and faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
 the victory of our God.

4 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth; 
break into song; sing praise. 5 Sing praise to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and melodious song. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn
shout with joy to the King, the Lord.

Matthew 4:19

Come after me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men.

Luke 5:1-11

1 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. 2 He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

4 After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”

6 When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 9 For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, 10 and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon.

Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”

11 When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

Comments

1.    God takes care of us once we start serving Him. St Paul covers the believers in Colossae with prayer in the first reading. Jesus makes provision for the families Peter, James, and John through the huge catch described in the Gospel reading.

2.    That provision starts once we take the first steps in obedience to God. St. Paul’s prayers came after the Colossians turned from their old ways towards God. The great catch described in the Gospel reading came after Peter maneuvered his boat at Jesus’ request and after he obeyed Jesus’ direction to put out for additional fishing.

3.    Although God provides, we have to work to receive His provision. Peter had to put out again after a long night of work, he had to get his newly cleaned nets dirty again, and he, James, and John had to wrestle that the catch to the shore. Someone else had to do the work necessary to use, sell, preserve that catch after Peter, James, and John left.  We see the same principle in 2 Kings 4:1-7.

4.    God expects us to bear fruit for Him once we have come to Him. Colossians 1:10 and Luke 5:10.

5.    We do not immediately reach full maturity/fruitfulness, but become more mature/fruitful the longer we serve. St. Paul recognized that; that’s why he prayed that the Colossians would “grow[] in the knowledge of God” and for “endurance and patience.” Colossians 1:10, 11. We also see that in the lives of Peter, James, and John; they had their missteps along the way, but eventually became very fruitful. 

6.    We will be scared/uncertain at times as we follow God; He knows that’s inevitable and makes provision for that too. Luke 5:11. For example, praising God bolters our courage. That may be one of the reasons we are told to do that in Psalm 98:4-5. Recalling God’s past faithfulness is another. Psalm 37: 25, 35-36; Sirach 2:16. We just have to take advantage of those provisions.

Today's Readings: Lectionary: 433

Key

Bold = verse commented upon

Blue = comment

Highlight = direct command

General comment

God tells us of His sheer goodness in today’s readings.

They start out with a wish that we receive “grace” and “peace,” two wonderful things.  The Greek word used for “grace” means “good will, loving kindness, favor,” and the Greek word translated as “peace” refers to a “tranquil state of the soul ... fearing nothing from God ... content with its earthly lot.”   Those are very, very good things.

The first reading continues by discussing “the hope” those who follow Jesus develop, and that too is a very good thing. The word translated as “hope” is understood to mean a “joyful and confident expectation.”

The readings continue with God telling us how he came—in the flesh—to “bring glad tidings,” and how He demonstrated His good and benevolent nature by healing the sick. 

Together, these readings bring to mind the wonderful description of Jesus in Wisdom 7:22-23:  He “loves what is good,” is “kind, and a friend of humanity” (Good New Translation).

So how do we respond to this goodness? Today’s readings identify several ways.

One is by letting God know that we are grateful for His abundant, copious, love. The Psalm tells us to “thank [Him] always for what [He has] done.”

Another is by trusting in God’s goodness. The Psalm also tells us to “[t]rust in the mercy of God forever and ever.”

That trust allows us to effectively engage in the third response here—to actively serve Him. Peter’s mother-in-law gives a great example of this. She responded to the way Jesus showed His goodness in her life by “immediately’ beginning to serve Him and her fellow believers (‘the “them” in Luke 4:39). We can be bold to serve because we know we can trust God to empower us to do what needs done.

Finally, we are to respond by reflecting God’s love in our lives.  The first reading commends believers who “love in the Spirit.” The word translated as “love” means "affection, good will" and "benevolence" –a very good description of the great goodness discussed above.

Colossians 1:1-8

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the holy ones and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ in Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father.

We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. Of this you have already heard through the word of truth, the Gospel, that has come to you. Just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing, so also among you, from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth, as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow slave, who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on your behalf and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Psalm 52:10, 11

I, like a green olive tree in the house of God, Trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I will thank you always for what you have done, and proclaim the goodness of your name before your faithful ones.

Luke 4:18

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives.

Luke 4:38-44

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Lectionary: 432

Key:

Bold          =       Verse commented upon

Blue           =       Comment

Highlight   =       Direct command

Overall comment

Jesus has great authority, far more than we comprehend. He moves on His own schedule, independent of what human society thinks or expects. He has authority over all people, and over demons. His unique authority becomes apparent to all who listen to Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:2-3; Luke 4:32, 34-35, & 37

So how do these passages tell us we respond to that authority? Three ways.

First, we are to be aware of Jesus’ authority and how it transcends social norms 1 Thessalonians 5:3. In other words, don’t be distracted from Jesus by the world.  This is not the only place in scripture we see this. The same principle underlies, is illustrated by, or is expressly stated in Genesis 6:6-7:16; Psalm 37; Sirach 2:18; Matthew 6;  and Romans 12:1-2.

Second, we are to wait upon, conform to Jesus’ will and schedule. Because He knows all and operates in perfect love, His will/timing will result in far better things than ours.  Psalm 27:14. See also Proverbs 3:5-8;  Sirach 2; Isaiah 55.

Third, we are to be alert to His direction, bold in following it and encourage each other while we await His return and do what He calls us to.  1 Thessalonians 5:5-6, 9-11; Psalm 27: 1 & 14.

  1 Thessalonians 5:16, 9-11

Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,

but let us stay alert and sober. For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.

Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?

One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life, That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple.

I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.

Luke 7:16

A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.

Luke 4:31-37

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.

In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”

Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”

Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another,

“What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.