June 22, 2013

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Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 370

Reading 12 COR 12:1-10

Brothers and sisters:
I must boast; not that it is profitable,
but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord.

Its as though St. Paul is offering a resume of all the things which qualify him to be an Apostle of the Lord.  In the past two days, he's gone over the things which he has suffered and accomplished.  Now he is recounting the visions and mystical experiences he has received from the Lord.

I know a man in Christ who, fourteen years ago

The assumption is that he is speaking of himself. 

(whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows),
was caught up to the third heaven.

We know that St. John was caught up into the heavens.  He wrote about it in the book of Revelations (i.e. Apocalypse)..  St. Paul, apparently had similar visions.  But did not write about them as St. John did.

And I know that this man
(whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows)
was caught up into Paradise and heard ineffable things,
which no one may utter.

The contents of his vision were mysterious.  Something they share in common with St. John's Revelations.

About this man I will boast,
but about myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses.
Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish,
for I would be telling the truth.

He could boast if he wanted.  But prefers not to.

But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me
than what he sees in me or hears from me
because of the abundance of the revelations.

He has had many revelations but does not want anyone to take them into account, thinking of him more highly because of them.

Therefore, that I might not become too elated,
a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,
to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.
Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.”
I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,
in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.
Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;
for when I am weak, then I am strong.

He was given a devil to punish him, lest he allow the abundance of grace which he received to go to his head and make him to proud.  Thus, he prefers to boast in the power of Our Lord which is shown forth in his weakness.

Responsorial PsalmPS 34:8-9, 10-11, 12-13

R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.
Taste and see how good the LORD is;
blessed the man who takes refuge in him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Come, children, hear me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Which of you desires life,
and takes delight in prosperous days?
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The Psalm teaches many things.  First, God's goodness is so real that we can taste it.  This is especially true for Catholics, because we receive Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

Also, the righteous are protected by God.  God sends His angels to deliver them from suffering.

Finally, the righteous man fears the Lord and obeys His every command.  Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and leads to trust in God and eventually to a deep love of God.   

GospelMT 6:24-34

Jesus said to his disciples:

“No one can serve two masters.

He will either hate one and love the other,

or be devoted to one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and mammon.

Jesus is telling His students that they should not be double minded.  It is impossible to claim to have faith in God and act contrary to what He commands.  St. Paul says:

Romans 6:16

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

We must obey God.  We must follow God and put all other things behind us.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,

what you will eat or drink,

or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds in the sky;

they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns,

yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are not you more important than they?

Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?

Why are you anxious about clothes?

Learn from the way the wild flowers grow.

They do not work or spin.

But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor

was clothed like one of them.

God will provide all that we need.  

If God so clothes the grass of the field,

which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow,

will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?

So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’

or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’

All these things the pagans seek.

Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given you besides.

Put your faith in God and God will provide all that you need.  

Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.

Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”

And don't worry about tomorrow or about your life.  Put all your trouble in God's hands and He will provide a way out.  He will provide all that you need.  

This is one of the more beautiful teachings I ever learned.  There is no reason to begin to worry about things that have not happened.  How often do we say, "tomorrow this will happen and then that!"  And when tomorrow comes, nothing happens at all.  Live in the present.  Live in the presence of God.  Live for today.