Readings for August 9,2020 annotated, lectionary 115

Readings for August 9,2020 annotated, lectionary 115

This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations, other relevant scriptures, or meditations on similar principles. Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. Text in red describes what God wants us to avoid. Commentary is in blue.

Reading 1 

1 Kings 19:3-4, 10, 14

At the mountain of God, Horeb, Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter.

Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.”

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind. 

After the wind there was an earthquake—but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 

After the earthquake there was fire— but the LORD was not in the fire.

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.  When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

This reading is from a larger context: Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal, his ending a drought, evil leaders’ hostile response to Elijah’s actions, and Elijah’s fleeing those leaders. See  1 Kings 18 & 19. That broader context helps us see several parallels between this reading and today’s gospel.

There is a factual/sequential/chronological parallel between this reading and today’s gospel:

-      In both, faithful servants of God first experience/are part of mighty acts of God. See 1 Kings 18,  Matthew 14:13-21.

-      In both, those servants experience difficulty shortly after those mighty acts of God.  See 1 Kings 19:1-2, Matthew 14:24.

-      In both, God comes to them in the midst of their difficulties. 

Another parallel is that in both this reading and today’s gospel the otherwise faithful servants have a temporary lapse of faith. See 1 Kings 19:3-4, 10, 14,  Matthew 14:29-32.

A third parallel is that God does not abandon or punish the servants for their lapse, but instead keeps using them. See1 Kings 19:15-21,  Mathew 14:34-36. We see that patience and grace throughout the gospels and scripture generally. See  Fear does not equal Failure and Doubt does not equal Disqualification and Wisdom Principles—God Loves and Calls Us to Him, In Spite of our Sin.

Responsorial Psalm 

PS 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14 

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land.

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him, and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2 

Romans 9:1-5

I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie; my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart.  For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.  They are Israelites; theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; theirs the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Alleluia 

Psalm 130:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 

Matthew 14:22-33

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.  

We know from Mathew 14:34-36 that Jesus had a reason for getting the disciples to move on; He wanted to minister to another set of folks.

Jesus requires us to keep moving forward in His service; He wants more than our simply reveling in/savoring His blessings.

After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.  When it was evening he was there alone. 

Jesus is practicing here what he preached in Matthew 6:5-6. 

Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.  

.

Those who serve Jesus will have to deal with hard things. Jesus and scripture are frank about that. See  Matthew 16:33,  Sirach 2:1.

During the fourth watch of the night, he came toward themwalking on the sea.  When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.  “It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

Jesus comes to us in the midst of the difficulties that we encounter in His service.

Jesus does not want us to be afraid, but instead to focus on Him. See Matthew 6:25-34,  John 14:1 & 27,  Matthew 16:33.

Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 

He said, “Come.”

Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus stretched out his handand caught Peter, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

This illustrates why God does not want us to be afraid: it hinders our ability to utilize the helps/powers/gifts He gives us.

After they got into the boat, the wind died down.  Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying, “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

Additional materials on today’s gospel are set out in Readings for August 3, 2020 annotated, lectionary 407/408. 

Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.”
your kindness

your salvation.
he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him

dwelling in our land

your kindness

your salvation.

your kindness

your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits
Justice shall walk before him

your kindness

your salvation.

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat and precede him to the other side

he went up on the mountain by himself to pray

he was there alone. 

he came toward them

Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 

he cried out, “Lord, save me!”  Immediately Jesus stretched out his handcaught Peter

After they got into the boat, the wind died down

Truly, you are the Son of God

hear what God proclaims

fear him

wait for the Lord

waits for his word.Take courage

he cried out, “Lord, save me

did him homage

do not be afraid

-->But when he saw how strong the wind was he became fright

Readings for August 7, 2020 annotated, lectionary 411

This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations of today’s readings.  The other, italicized, hyperlinks will take you to explanations of the original Greek words. Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. Text in red tells us something God wants us to avoid. Commentary is in blue.

Nahum 2:1; 3:1-3, 6-7

See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news,
announcing peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah, fulfill your vows! For nevermore shall you be invaded by the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed.

The LORD will restore the vine of Jacob, the pride of Israel, though ravagers have ravaged them and ruined the tendrils. 

Woe to the bloody city, all lies, full of plunder, whose looting never stops! The crack of the whip, the rumbling sounds of wheels; horses a-gallop, chariots bounding, cavalry charging, the flame of the sword, the flash of the spear, the many slain, the heaping corpses, the endless bodies to stumble upon!

I will cast filth upon you, disgrace you and put you to shame; till everyone who sees you runs from you, saying, “Nineveh is destroyed; who can pity her? Where can one find any to console her?”

Deuteronomy 32:35-36, 39, 41

R. (39c) It is I who deal death and give life.
Close at hand is the day of their disaster, and their doom is rushing upon them!
Surely, the LORD shall do justice for his people; on his servants he shall have pity.

R. It is I who deal death and give life.
“Learn then that I, I alone, am God, and there is no god besides me.
It is I who bring both death and life, I who inflict wounds and heal them.”

R. It is I who deal death and give life.
I will sharpen my flashing sword, and my hand shall lay hold of my quiver,
“With vengeance I will repay my foes and requite those who hate me.”
R. It is I who deal death and give life.

Matthew 5:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Matthew 16:24-28

Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 

deny= ἀπαρνέομαι = aparneomai

to deny utterly, to abjure, to affirm that one has no connection with a person; to affirm that one has no acquaintance or connection with someone; to forget one's self, lose sight of one's self and one's own interests; disown, abstain.

follow= ἀκολουθέω = akoloutheō

to be a follower, or companion, one going in the same way, to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him; to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple; to cleave steadfastly to one, conform wholly to his example, in living and if need be in dying also.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

save= σῴζω = sōzō

To heal, make whole; to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction; to preserve one who is in danger of destruction, to save or rescue; preserve

loses= ἀπόλλυμι = apollymi

to destroy, destroy utterly, kill; to lose utterly; to perish; the completion of the process of destruction; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to; render useless; to be blotted out, to vanish away

find= εὑρίσκω = heyriskō

to find, either with previous search or without; to find out by enquiry, or to learn, discover; to find for oneself, to procure, get, obtain, with the suggestion of accomplishing the end which had been in view; to come upon, hit upon, to meet with; get, obtain, perceive, see

What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay each according to his conduct.

Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”

The idea seems to be to surrender ourselves to Christ, to allow him (rather than our own will/inclinations) to drive our thoughts and actions.

Further, that surrender must be complete. It is not enough to simply try to live a better version of ourselves (with or without Christ’s input); we must let Christ rebuild us.

-     This sounds like what I understand military boot camp to be about—tearing down the recruit’s old self and remaking him into what the military wants him to be.

The absolute need for absolute surrender to Christ is underscored by today’s first reading and psalm. They underscore that nothing that stands against God will survive, but that God blesses those who cleave to Him

The LORD will restore

It is I who deal death and give life.

the LORD shall do justice for his people

on his servants he shall have pity.

It is I who deal death and give life.
I alone, am God

there is no god besides me.
It is I who bring both death and life

I who inflict wounds and heal them.

It is I who deal death and give life.
I will repay my foes

requite those who hate me.”
It is I who deal death and give life.

deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 

whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

my foes

hate me

wishes to save his life

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