The first reading and the gospel will be extensively discussed in this week’s reflection, so no need here for an introductory commentary. But turn your attention to today’s responsorial psalm. As is so often the case, the psalm puts the readings directly into a prayer context. We know that Jesus himself prayed the psalms. They inspired his preaching and even more the actions of his ministry.
Perhaps this is precisely the psalm Jesus prayed over as he brought the light to a land of darkness at the very beginning of his ministry.
For our second reading, all you have to do is change some of the proper names mentioned in Paul’s letter in order to address the letter to today’s Catholic Church, or to the political and social world in which we live. In Paul’s day, as is true today, people divided themselves into camps under titles like “Paul,” “Apollos,” “Cephas,” even “Christ.” It all seems quite ridiculous. Paul resisted that kind of partisanship in the Church because he could see how it weakens the cause of Christ. Something for us to attend to in our own day.
—Walter Modrys SJ
This Sunday’s readings can be found on the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ website.
believe. teach. practice. 