October 15, 2013

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church


Lectionary: 468
Reading 1 ROM 1:16-25

Brothers and sisters:
I am not ashamed of the Gospel.
It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes:
for Jew first, and then Greek.
For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith;
as it is written, “The one who is righteous by faith will live.”

I think this is another case where the word "faith" means "religion".  Notice how St. Paul is speaking of the Jew and the Greek.  In the Old Testament, the Old Faith, God was faithful to the Jew.   In the New Testament, God remains faithful to the Jew and the Greek.

The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven
against every impiety and wickedness
of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.

God judges the Jew and the Greek, whoever is wicked, God despises.

For what can be known about God is evident to them,
because God made it evident to them.
Ever since the creation of the world,
his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity
have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.

God is made known by what we see in nature.  

As a result, they have no excuse;
for although they knew God
they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks.
Instead, they became vain in their reasoning,
and their senseless minds were darkened.
While claiming to be wise, they became fools
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God
for the likeness of an image of mortal man
or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.

This is a reference to the pagan who worships the things he sees and not the God who made the thing he sees.

Therefore, God handed them over to impurity
through the lusts of their hearts
for the mutual degradation of their bodies.

Pagans were known for having orgies in their rituals.  This was so they would claim no excuse in their judgment.

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie
and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator,
who is blessed forever. Amen.

They rejected God.  And they stand rejected by God.

Responsorial Psalm PS 19:2-3, 4-5

R. (2a) The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.

R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The heavens, the whole world, declare the glory of God.  If you want to be amazed, look in a microscope.  Or in a telescope.  Or just look at a tree and how it grows.  Look at a child.  God created them all.

Gospel LK 11:37-41

After Jesus had spoken,
a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see
that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

We must be careful to wash our souls in the Sacrament of Confession as we are careful to wash our hands before we eat.