Focus on God, Not Humans or Circumstances (Readings for Feb. 17, 2019, annotated)

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

What these passages tell us not to do

Commentary

Reading 1 JER 17:5-8

Thus says the LORD:

Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the LORD. He is like a barren bush in the desert that enjoys no change of season, but stands in a lava waste, a salt and empty earth.

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD. He is like a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream: it fears not the heat when it comes; its leaves stay green; in the year of drought it shows no distress, but still bears fruit.

Accord: John 15:1-11;Colossians 2:6-7.   

Responsorial Psalm PS 1:1-2, 3, 4 AND 6 

R. (40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Reading 2 1 COR 15:12, 16-20

Brothers and sisters: If Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Alleluia LK 6:23AB

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Rejoice and be glad; your reward will be great in heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 6:17, 20-26

Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon.

And raising his eyes toward his disciples he said:
“Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”

What these scriptures tell us about God

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose hope is the LORD

the LORD watches over the way of the just

Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

your reward will be great in heaven.

Jesus came down with the twelve and stood on a stretch of level ground with a great crowd

Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. 

your reward will be great in heaven. 

What these scriptures tell us to do

trusts in the LORD

whose hope is the LORD 

stretches out its roots to the stream

fears not the heat when it comes

 still bears fruit.

hope in the Lord.
follows not the counsel of the wicked

delights in the law of the LORD

meditates on his law day and night.
hope in the Lord.
yields its fruit in due season,
hope in the Lord.
hope in the Lord.

Rejoice and be glad

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!

What these scriptures tell us not to do

trusts in human beings

seeks his strength in flesh
heart turns away from the LORD

walks in the way of sinners

sits in the company of the insolent

you have received your consolation
who are filled now

who laugh now

when all speak well of you

Commentary

Accord: John 15:1-11;Colossians 2:6-7.   

God calls & makes a way for us (readings for Feb. 10, 2019 annotated)

Key:

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

Reading 1 IS 6:1-2A, 3-8

In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above. They cried one to the other, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!All the earth is filled with his glory!"At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke.

Then I said, "Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" 

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember that he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it, and said, "See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged."

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?  Who will go for us?" "Here I am," I said; "send me!"

Responsorial Psalm PS 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8

R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart, for you have heard the words of my mouth; in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise; I will worship at your holy temple and give thanks to your name.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Because of your kindness and your truth; for you have made great above all things your name and your promise. When I called, you answered me; you built up strength within me.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD, when they hear the words of your mouth; and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD: "Great is the glory of the LORD."
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Your right hand saves me.The LORD will complete what he has done for me;your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands.
R. In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

Reading 2 1 COR 15:1-11 

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. After that, Christ appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. For I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Alleluia MT 4:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. 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 crowdsfrom the boat. 

After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets."When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them.  They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, 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." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. 

What these scriptures tell us about God

the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne

the train of his garment filling the temple

Seraphim were stationed above.
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!

All the earth is filled with his glory!"

At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke.
your kindness and your truth

When I called, you answered me; 

you built up strength within me.
All the kings of the earthshall give thanks to you

"Great is the glory of the LORD."
Your right hand saves me.

The LORD will complete what he has done
your kindness, O LORD, endures forever

Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures;
he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures

by the grace of God I am what I am

his grace to me has not been ineffective

I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. 

I will make you fishers of men.
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore

he sat down and taught the crowds

After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."

When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. 

What these scriptures tell us to do

"Here I am," I said; "send me!"

sing your praises, Lord.
give thanks 

with all my heart

sing your praise
worship 

give thanks 
sing your praises
sing your praises
sing your praises
sing your praises

hold fast to the word 
Come after me 

pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God

at your command I will lower the nets.

he fell at the knees of Jesus 

Do not be afraid

followed him. 

God has a plan for each of us. We can lovingly execute it (readings for Feb. 3, 2019 annotated)

Key:

What these readings tell us about God

What these readings tell us to do

What these readings tell us not to do

Reading 1 JER 1:4-5, 17-19

The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you.Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; for it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, a pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land: against Judah's kings and princes, against its priests and people. They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm PS 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17

R. (cf. 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.
In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth.On you I depend from birth; from my mother's womb you are my strength.
R. I will sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.
R. I will sing of your salvation.

Reading 2 1 COR 12:31—13:13 
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.It is not jealous, it is not pompous,It is not inflated, it is not rude,it does not seek its own interests,it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things,hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;
if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Alleluia LK 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 4:21-30

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying: "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.  They also asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?"

He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'" And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

What these scriptures tell us about God:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you

before you were born I dedicated you

I appointed you.
it is I this day who have made you a fortified city

They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

In your justice rescue me

my rock of refuge

a stronghold to give me safety

my rock and my fortress

you are my hope

you have taught me from my youth, 

Love is patient

Love is kind.
It is not jealous

It is not pompous
It is not inflated

it is not rude
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered

it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
it rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things
hopes all things

endures all things.
Love never fails. 

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor

to proclaim liberty to captives.
gracious words that came from his mouth. 

Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

What these scriptures tell us to do:

gird your loins

stand up and tell them all that I command you.Be not crushed on their account

sing of your salvation.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge

sing of your salvation.
sing of your salvation.
On you I depend 

you are my strength.sing of your salvation.
My mouth shall declare your justice

proclaim your wondrous deeds.
sing of your salvation.

Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. 

Love is patient

love is kind.rejoices with the truth.bears all things
hopes all things

endures all things.

What these scriptures tell us not to do:

If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal 

And if I have the gift of prophecy, and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing

If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.It is not jealous

it is not pompous,It is not inflated

If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal it is not rude,it does not seek its own interests,it is not quick-tempered

it does not brood over injury,it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
they were all filled with fury.

drove him out of the town