August 19, 2013

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Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 419

Reading 1JGS 2:11-19

The children of Israel offended the LORD by serving the Baals.
Abandoning the LORD, the God of their fathers,
who led them out of the land of Egypt,
they followed the other gods of the various nations around them,
and by their worship of these gods provoked the LORD.

Although the children of Israel had promised over and over to love and obey God, they continually went back on their promise and abandoned the Lord.  And they had been forewarned by Moses and Joshua of the consequences of this betrayal.

Because they had thus abandoned him and served Baal and the Ashtaroth,
the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel,
and he delivered them over to plunderers who despoiled them.

So, because they worshipped other gods, God forsook them and let the neighboring pagan countries plunder His people.

He allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies round about
whom they were no longer able to withstand.
Whatever they undertook, the LORD turned into disaster for them,
as in his warning he had sworn he would do,
till they were in great distress.
Even when the LORD raised up judges to deliver them
from the power of their despoilers,
they did not listen to their judges,
but abandoned themselves to the worship of other gods.
They were quick to stray from the way their fathers had taken,
and did not follow their example of obedience
to the commandments of the LORD.
Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge
and save them from the power of their enemies
as long as the judge lived;
it was thus the LORD took pity on their distressful cries
of affliction under their oppressors.
But when the judge died,
they would relapse and do worse than their ancestors,
following other gods in service and worship,
relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn conduct.

The cycle repeated itself over and over.  God would send Judges to rescue His people in answer to their cries of distress.  As soon as the Judge had saved them, they would return to their sinful ways and God would permit the neighboring countries to punish them.  They would cry out to God and God would send them help etc. etc.

Responsorial PsalmPS 106:34-35, 36-37, 39-40, 43AB AND 44

R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They did not exterminate the peoples,
as the LORD had commanded them,
But mingled with the nations
and learned their works.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They served their idols,
which became a snare for them.
They sacrificed their sons
and their daughters to demons.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
They became defiled by their works,
and wanton in their crimes.
And the LORD grew angry with his people,
and abhorred his inheritance.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.
Many times did he rescue them,
but they embittered him with their counsels.
Yet he had regard for their affliction
when he heard their cry.
R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

God continually rescues us from our very sins.  And we continually fall back.  But now Christ has established the Sacraments, which provide the helping grace which gives us the strength to overcome temptations and continue to keep the Commandments and please God.

GospelMT 19:16-22

A young man approached Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”

A young man asked Jesus how he could attain heaven.

He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Jesus replied, "Keep the Commandments."

He asked him, “Which ones?”

The young man asked, "which ones?"  Which is a strange question since all the Commandments are important.  And transgressing any Commandment is a sin.

And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

So, Jesus recited for him a summary of the Commandments which he must keep.

The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”

Now, perhaps the young man had something on his conscience.  But he persisted in his question.  He claimed that he kept all the Commandments.  Then asked what he lacked.  Thereby revealing that he knew he was not yet perfect.

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.”

And Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, sell all that you have and give it to the people who need it.  Then you will have a treasure of grace in heaven.  And then pick up your cross and follow me.  And learn to suffer for the Kingdom of God."

When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.

But the Rich Young Man did not want to give up his many earthly treasures.