Sunday's Message: 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year C)

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message.  When I did this series last year, I showed all the readings for that particular Sunday.  However, this year I have decided to focus on just one reading each week.  I would like to pick out the one that really strikes me, particularly in light of The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition translation, which often arouses some spirited debate on this blog.  (I hope it continues to do so!)   On my part, along with providing a particular reading each week, I plan to offer some personal reflections, as well as the occasional question or two for you to ponder. 

I offer you this question, which comes from the Message weekly email, for this week's reflection:
What important work could bear fruit in your life right now if you have more confidence in God's loving care?

Luke 13:1-9

About that time some people came up and told him about the Galileans Pilate had killed while they were at worship, mixing their blood with the blood of the sacrifices on the altar. Jesus responded, “Do you think those murdered Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans? Not at all. Unless you turn to God, you, too, will die. And those eighteen in Jerusalem the other day, the ones crushed and killed when the Tower of Siloam collapsed and fell on them, do you think they were worse citizens than all other Jerusalemites? Not at all. Unless you turn to God, you, too, will die.”

Then he told them a story: “A man had an apple tree planted in his front yard. He came to it expecting to find apples, but there weren’t any. He said to his gardener, ‘What’s going on here? For three years now I’ve come to this tree expecting apples and not one apple have I found. Chop it down! Why waste good ground with it any longer?’  “The gardener said, ‘Let’s give it another year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize, and maybe it will produce next year; if it doesn’t, then chop it down.’”

Sunday's Message: First Sunday of Lent (C)

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message.  When I did this series last year, I showed all the readings for that particular Sunday.  However, this year I have decided to focus on just one reading each week.  I would like to pick out the one that really strikes me, particularly in light of The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition translation, which often arouses some spirited debate on this blog.  (I hope it continues to do so!)   On my part, along with providing a particular reading each week, I plan to offer some personal reflections, as well as the occasional question or two for you to ponder. 

I always pause for a moment when I read in the Bible that God "listened to our voice."  I get the immense sense of awe and wonder that God would even do that!  Then I remember the beauty of Psalm 8 (NABRE), which seems to reflect this reality of God's care and love for his people and creation:

O Lord, our Lord,
    how awesome is your name through all the earth!

I will sing of your majesty above the heavens
    with the mouths of babes and infants.
You have established a bulwark against your foes,
    to silence enemy and avenger.

 When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and stars that you set in place—
What is man that you are mindful of him,
    and a son of man that you care for him?
 Yet you have made him little less than a god,
    crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
    put all things at his feet:
All sheep and oxen,
    even the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
    and whatever swims the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,
    how awesome is your name through all the earth!

How awesome you are O Lord!

Deuteronomy 26:4-10

"The priest will take the basket from you and place it on the Altar of God, your God. And there in the Presence of God, your God, you will recite:

A wandering Aramean was my father,

he went down to Egypt and sojourned there,

he and just a handful of his brothers at first, but soon

they became a great nation, mighty and many.

The Egyptians abused and battered us,

in a cruel and savage slavery.

We cried out to God, the God-of-Our-Fathers:

He listened to our voice, he saw

our destitution, our trouble, our cruel plight.

And God took us out of Egypt

with his strong hand and long arm, terrible and great,

with signs and miracle-wonders.

And he brought us to this place,

gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.

So here I am. I’ve brought the firstfruits

of what I’ve grown on this ground you gave me, O God.

Then place it in the Presence of God, your God. Prostrate yourselves in the Presence of God, your God. And rejoice! Celebrate all the good things that God, your God, has given you and your family; you and the Levite and the foreigner who lives with you."

Sunday's Message: Luke 5:1-11

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message.  When I did this series last year, I showed all the readings for that particular Sunday.  However, this year I have decided to focus on just one reading each week.  I would like to pick out the one that really strikes me, particularly in light of The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition translation, which often arouses some spirited debate on this blog.  (I hope it continues to do so!)   On my part, along with providing a particular reading each week, I plan to offer some personal reflections, as well as the occasional question or two for you to ponder. 

Reflecting on this passage from Luke this week, I can't help but think of how often the Lord has worked miracles in my life.  Sure, for many, these moments of God's grace won't seem as majestic as the great catch of fish depicted in Luke 5, but for me, at least, I know that his hand has been directing and leading me throughout my life.  Growth in my own daily prayer life, including quiet contemplative prayer, has helped me to see and reflect on these moments.  For at least half my life, I would not have recognized them.  I would have, in various ways, been like Simon at the beginning of this passage, who says he hasn't even caught "a minnow."  I would have, in no way, been able to state with any certainty God's presence or hand in my life, in any real or tangible way. However, at some point roughly sixteen years ago, through God's grace and my own willingness to open myself up to him, slowly I began to "let out my nets" to the presence of God.  Now although there have been moments of great joy (and times on my knees) since then, I can honestly say that my view of God is much bigger than I had ever known or expected.  And how great a God He is!

Luke 5:1-11

"Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the Word of God. He noticed two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing their nets. He climbed into the boat that was Simon’s and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit, he taught the crowd.  When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, “Push out into deep water and let your nets out for a catch.”  Simon said, “Master, we’ve been fishing hard all night and haven’t caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I’ll let out the nets.” It was no sooner said than done—a huge haul of fish, straining the nets past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.

Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. “Master, leave. I’m a sinner and can’t handle this holiness. Leave me to myself.” When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone with him. It was the same with James and John, Zebedee’s sons, coworkers with Simon.  Jesus said to Simon, “There is nothing to fear. From now on you’ll be fishing for men and women.” They pulled their boats up on the beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him."

Sunday's Message: Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message.  When I did this series last year, I showed all the readings for that particular Sunday.  However, this year I have decided to focus on just one reading each week.  I would like to pick out the one that really strikes me, particularly in light of The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition translation, which often arouses some spirited debate on this blog.  (I hope it continues to do so!)   On my part, along with providing a particular reading each week, I plan to offer some personal reflections, as well as the occasional question or two for you to ponder. 

This week I picked the first reading from Jeremiah, which is, of course, quite famous.  In reflecting on this passage, I couldn't help but think of times in my life when I failed to act like a prophet.  Sure, I wasn't being called to publicly rebuke a president or governor or some other elected official, but there certainly have been times when I could have spoken to family member or friend who needed to hear a gentle word from the Lord.  Perhaps it is time we again take seriously our baptismal dignity as not only a king and priest, but also a prophet.  We, of course, must do so with great discernment and gentleness.   Yet this role as prophet is something we have been called to participate in, even before we saw "the light of day."

Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19

This is what God said:

“Before I shaped you in the womb,

I knew all about you.

Before you saw the light of day,

I had holy plans for you:

A prophet to the nations—

that’s what I had in mind for you.”

“But you—up on your feet and get dressed for work!

Stand up and say your piece. Say exactly what I tell you to say.

Don’t pull your punches

or I’ll pull you out of the lineup.

“Stand at attention while I prepare you for your work.

I’m making you as impregnable as a castle,

Immovable as a steel post,

solid as a concrete block wall.

You’re a one-man defense system

against this culture,

Against Judah’s kings and princes,

against the priests and local leaders.

They’ll fight you, but they won’t

even scratch you.

I’ll back you up every inch of the way.”

God’s Decree.

Sunday's Message: Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message.  When I did this series last year, I showed all the readings for that particular Sunday.  However, this year I have decided to focus on just one reading each week.  I would like to pick out the one that really strikes me, particularly in light of The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition translation, which often arouses some spirited debate on this blog.  (I hope it continues to do so!)   On my part, along with providing a particular reading each week, I plan to offer some personal reflections, as well as the occasional question or two for you to ponder. 

The Gospel reading this week seems perfect for the Jubilee Year of Mercy.  We see Jesus proclaiming the fulfilment of the prophet Isaiah's words, as found in chapter 61 of Isaiah.  How often I have read those words of "pardon" and "recovery" and "good news" yet never allowed them to be planted deep into my soul.  This is the type of passage which I need to constantly remind myself isn't simply meant for a people far off, both in location and history.  No, these are words meant for me as well.  Perhaps this would be a good week to consider how our Lord has brought healing into your life or has shown undeserved mercy towards you.  I know that I will be.  For He is not in some distant place, but right here, right now in "this place."

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

So many others have tried their hand at putting together a story of the wonderful harvest of Scripture and history that took place among us, using reports handed down by the original eyewitnesses who served this Word with their very lives. Since I have investigated all the reports in close detail, starting from the story’s beginning, I decided to write it all out for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught.

Jesus returned to Galilee powerful in the Spirit. News that he was back spread through the countryside. He taught in their meeting places to everyone’s acclaim and pleasure.

He came to Nazareth where he had been reared. As he always did on the Sabbath, he went to the meeting place. When he stood up to read, he was handed the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

God’s Spirit is on me;

he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor,

Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and

recovery of sight to the blind,

To set the burdened and battered free,

to announce, “This is God’s year to act!”

He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the assistant, and sat down. Every eye in the place was on him, intent. Then he started in, “You’ve just heard Scripture make history. It came true just now in this place.”

Sunday's Message: Psalm 96

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message.  When I did this series last year, I showed all the readings for that particular Sunday.  However, this year I have decided to focus on just one reading each week.  I would like to pick out the one that really strikes me, particularly in light of The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition translation, which often arouses some spirited debate on this blog.  (I hope it continues to do so!)   On my part, along with providing a particular reading each week, I plan to offer some personal reflections, as well as the occasional question or two for you to ponder. 

I decided to look at the responsorial Psalm for today's Mass, which often does not get commented on during the homily.  As I was thinking about this psalm during the week, a couple of thoughts came to mind.  I have such an on-again, off-again relationship with the Psalms in the context of my daily prayer life.  I have mentioned on this blog before some of my daily prayer practices, for example the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The truth is that there are times during the year when I use it, as well as the full Liturgy of the Hours, while at other times I simply don't.  This often is an issue of simply being consistent with a particular devotion, which for some reason is a difficulty for me.   I have noticed that there are times when I feel like I am just "saying" the prayers/psalms instead of actually slowly praying them.  Of course, this is one of the main reasons to pray some form of the breviary, since one of its main goals is to slow down and ponder the psalms.  I also think state of life has something to do with this, particularly with two jobs and a growing family. Perhaps some of you have experienced this?  

However, when I sit down with a psalm like Psalm 96, and yes even in The Message translation, I am reminded of God's goodness and what my response should be to Him.  How often am I willing to sing with joy at Mass for all that the Lord has done for me?  How often am I willing to "get out the message" to those I meet each day, particularly the lost?  Perhaps one of the reasons to remain faithful to a daily prayer life with the Psalms is in order to be reminded of His goodness and how He waits upon my response.  

Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8, 9-10

Sing God a brand-new song!

Earth and everyone in it, sing!

Sing to God—worship God!

Shout the news of his victory from sea to sea,

Take the news of his glory to the lost,

News of his wonders to one and all!

Bravo, God, Bravo!

Everyone join in the great shout: Encore!

In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might.

Bring gifts and celebrate,

Bow before the beauty of God, Then to your knees—everyone worship!

Get out the message—God Rules!

He put the world on a firm foundation;

He treats everyone fair and square.

Sunday Message: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message.  When I did this series last year, I showed all the readings for that particular Sunday.  However, this year I have decided to focus on just one reading each week.  I would like to pick out the one that really strikes me, particularly in light of The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition translation, which often arouses some spirited debate on this blog.  (I hope it continues to do so!)   On my part, along with providing a particular reading each week, I plan to offer some personal reflections, as well as the occasional question or two for you to ponder. 

There are a two options for the first reading for the Baptism of the Lord, both coming from Isaiah. I chose the selection from Isaiah 40.  I have always taken great consolation in the opening lines of Isaiah 40, often refered to as the beginning of second-Isaiah or the Book of Consolation.  The previous 39 chapters, though containing the majestic vision of God enthroned in heaven as well as the promise of the Emmanuel prophecies, reflects the dire situation in Israel and Judah during those centuries leading to the Babylonian Exile.  We see this with the prophet's continual call to repentence and covenant renewal which occupy many of the oracles found in the first 39 chapters. 

Yet, there is a change once we begin chapter 40.  Some suggest that this portion of Isaiah was composed during the exile, decades after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.  It was a time when comfort was needed, which is exactly what God was prepared to offer to His people.  It is a reminder, at least to me, that God never gives up on us.  God is with us (Emmanuel), even when we choose to ignore his approaches and calls to return to Him.  He is particularly with us in times of difficulty and hardship.  Sometimes when life is difficult, it becomes increasingly hard to rely and look upon God.  I know that I have a tendancy to look in on myself, instead of taking my burdens and difficulties to the Lord.  This passage always reminds me that our God is a God of comfort and restoration.  He is the one who will care for me and gather me into his arms.  Sometimes all I simply need to do is "Look" not at myself, but at "Your God!"

Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11

“Comfort, oh comfort my people,”

says your God.

“Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem,

but also make it very clear

That she has served her sentence,

that her sin is taken care of—forgiven!

She’s been punished enough and more than enough,

and now it’s over and done with.”

Thunder in the desert!

“Prepare for God’s arrival!

Make the road straight and smooth,

a highway fit for our God.

Fill in the valleys,

level off the hills,

Smooth out the ruts,

clear out the rocks.

Then God’s bright glory will shine

and everyone will see it.

Yes. Just as God has said.”

Climb a high mountain, Zion.

You’re the preacher of good news.

Raise your voice. Make it good and loud, Jerusalem.

You’re the preacher of good news.

Speak loud and clear. Don’t be timid!

Tell the cities of Judah,

“Look! Your God!”

Look at him! God, the Master, comes in power,

ready to go into action.

He is going to pay back his enemies

and reward those who have loved him.

Like a shepherd, he will care for his flock,

gathering the lambs in his arms,

Hugging them as he carries them,

leading the nursing ewes to good pasture.

Knox vs. The Message: Numbers 11:25-29

It has been a few months, but I have decided to resurrect the old "Knox vs. The Message" Sunday post.  If you like it, I may continue with it into the future.  Each week I will pick one of the Sunday readings to compare between the two translations.  While done in different ways, I think both Knox and Peterson desired to make the Bible more accessible to the average reader.  Let's see if they were successful.

Knox:
And when the Lord came down, hidden in the cloud, to converse with him, he took some of the spirit which rested upon Moses and gave it to the seventy elders instead; whereupon they received a gift of prophecy which never left them. This same spirit rested even upon two men, Eldad and Medad, who were still in the camp; their names were enrolled among the rest; but they had never gone out to the tabernacle. There in the camp they fell a-prophesying, and a messenger ran to bring Moses tidings of it. At this, Josue the son of Nun, that was Moses’ favourite servant, cried out, My lord Moses, bid them keep silence. What, said he, so jealous for my honour? For myself, I would have the whole people prophesy, with the spirit of the Lord resting on them too.

The Message:

God came down in a cloud and spoke to Moses and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy leaders. When the Spirit rested on them they prophesied. But they didn’t continue; it was a onetime event. Meanwhile two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed in the camp. They were listed as leaders but they didn’t leave camp to go to the Tent. Still, the Spirit also rested on them and they prophesied in the camp. A young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!” Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ right-hand man since his youth, said, “Moses, master! Stop them!” But Moses said, “Are you jealous for me? Would that all God’s people were prophets. Would that God would put his Spirit on all of them.”

Sunday's Message: 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time (B)

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message. Here, I will reproduce the readings for Mass from The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition. (I want to thank Greg Pierce at ACTA for giving me permission to do this weekly post.) While this is not an "official" Catholic edition, one of my hopes for doing this new series is to have a lively discussion on the renderings, compared to the more formal ones we are use to reading and hearing at Mass. Is there a place for a translation like this? Could this be a good Bible to give to a Catholic "seeker" or young adult? I have used it while teaching my high school theology classes, along with the NRSV and NABRE, and have had positive results. 

I would like to also propose a question or offer an encouragement each week to reflect upon, particularly in light of the rendering found here in The Message: I am always taken by the thought of Jesus gathering the little child to him and embracing him.  So often, I decide to stay at the margins with Jesus, perhaps being too afraid to allow him to gather me to him.  So, let us consider this week what areas of your life need to be given to the Lord and how might you approach him more often with greater trust? 

Wisdom 2:12,17-20

“Let’s give the just the run-around; they’re no good to us. They’re always underfoot, always better-than-thou when it comes to observance of God’s word. What they accuse us of amounts to nothing more than a few white lies do.”

And, “Let’s see if the words of the just are true; they have to die just as we do."

And, “If they claim they’re true children of God, let’s put them to the test; let’s see if God will take up their cause and prevent them from getting hurt.”

And, “Let’s interrogate them endlessly and torment them mercilessly; then we’ll see how faithful they really are; let’s stretch their piety to the breaking point.”

And, “Let’s condemn them to a really messy death and see if, as their very words always promise, God comes to save them.”

Psalm 54

Outlaws are out to get me,

hit men are trying to kill me.

Nothing will stop them;

God means nothing to them.

Oh, look! God’s right here helping!

God’s on my side,

Evil is looping back on my enemies.

Don’t let up! Finish them off!

I’m ready now to worship, so ready.

I thank you, God—you’re so good.

You got me out of every scrape,

and I saw my enemies get it.

James 3:16-4:3

My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don’t bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don’t bear apples, do they? You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?

Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats.

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.

Mark 9:30-37

Leaving there, they went through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know their whereabouts, for he wanted to teach his disciples. He told them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God. They will murder him. Three days after his murder, he will rise, alive.” They didn’t know what he was talking about, but were afraid to ask him about it.

They came to Capernaum. When he was safe at home, he asked them, “What were you discussing on the road?”

The silence was deafening—they had been arguing with one another over who among them was greatest.

He sat down and summoned the Twelve. “So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.”

He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said, “Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me.”

Sunday's Message: 24th Week in Ordinary Time (B)

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message. Here, I will reproduce the readings for Mass from The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition. (I want to thank Greg Pierce at ACTA for giving me permission to do this weekly post.) While this is not an "official" Catholic edition, one of my hopes for doing this new series is to have a lively discussion on the renderings, compared to the more formal ones we are use to reading and hearing at Mass. Is there a place for a translation like this? Could this be a good Bible to give to a Catholic "seeker" or young adult? I have used it while teaching my high school theology classes, along with the NRSV and NABRE, and have had positive results. 

I would like to also propose a question or offer an encouragement each week to reflect upon, particularly in light of the rendering found here in The Message: How does your faith lead to good works on a daily basis?

Isaiah 50:4-9
The Master, God, has given me

a well-taught tongue,

So I know how to encourage tired people.

He wakes me up in the morning,

Wakes me up, opens my ears

to listen as one ready to take orders.

The Master, God, opened my ears,

and I didn’t go back to sleep,

didn’t pull the covers back over my head.

I followed orders,

stood there and took it while they beat me,

held steady while they pulled out my beard,

Didn’t dodge their insults,

faced them as they spit in my face.

And the Master, God, stays right there and helps me,

so I’m not disgraced.

Therefore I set my face like flint,

confident that I’ll never regret this.

My champion is right here.

Let’s take our stand together!

Who dares bring suit against me?

Let him try!

Look! the Master, God, is right here.

Who would dare call me guilty?

Psalm 116

I love God because he listened to me,

listened as I begged for mercy.

He listened so intently

as I laid out my case before him.

Death stared me in the face,

hell was hard on my heels.

Up against it, I didn’t know which way to turn;

then I called out to God for help:

“Please, God!” I cried out.

“Save my life!”

God is gracious—it is he who makes things right,

our most compassionate God.

God takes the side of the helpless;

when I was at the end of my rope, he saved me.

I said to myself, “Relax and rest.

God has showered you with blessings.

Soul, you’ve been rescued from death;

Eye, you’ve been rescued from tears;

And you, Foot, were kept from stumbling.”

I’m striding in the presence of God,

alive in the land of the living!

James 2:14-18

Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, “Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I’ll handle the works department.”

Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

Mark 8:27-35

Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, “Who do the people say I am?”

“Some say ‘John the Baptizer,’” they said. “Others say ‘Elijah.’ Still others say ‘one of the prophets.’”

He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”

Peter gave the answer: “You are the Christ, the Messiah.”

Jesus warned them to keep it quiet, not to breathe a word of it to anyone. He then began explaining things to them: “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the elders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and after three days rise up alive.” He said this simply and clearly so they couldn’t miss it.

But Peter grabbed him in protest. Turning and seeing his disciples wavering, wondering what to believe, Jesus confronted Peter. “Peter, get out of my way! Satan, get lost! You have no idea how God works.”

Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self.

Sunday's Message: 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (B)

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message. Here, I will reproduce the readings for Mass from The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition. (I want to thank Greg Pierce at ACTA for giving me permission to do this weekly post.) While this is not an "official" Catholic edition, one of my hopes for doing this new series is to have a lively discussion on the renderings, compared to the more formal ones we are use to reading and hearing at Mass. Is there a place for a translation like this? Could this be a good Bible to give to a Catholic "seeker" or young adult? I have used it while teaching my high school theology classes, along with the NRSV and NABRE, and have had positive results. 

I would like to also propose a question or offer an encouragement each week to reflect upon, particularly in light of the rendering found here in The Message: Can you think of a time in your life when Jesus helped to open your eyes to any injustice or suffering around you?

Isaiah 35:4-7

Energize the limp hands,

strengthen the rubbery knees.

Tell fearful souls,

“Courage! Take heart!

God is here, right here,

on his way to put things right

And redress all wrongs.

He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”

Blind eyes will be opened,

deaf ears unstopped,

Lame men and women will leap like deer,

the voiceless break into song.

Springs of water will burst out in the wilderness,

streams flow in the desert.

Hot sands will become a cool oasis,

thirsty ground a splashing fountain.

Psalm 146

God always does what he says—

he defends the wronged,

he feeds the hungry.

God frees prisoners—

he gives sight to the blind,

he lifts up the fallen.

God loves good people, protects strangers,

takes the side of orphans and widows,

but makes short work of the wicked.

God’s in charge—always.

Zion’s God is God for good!

Hallelujah!

James 2:1-5

My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted?

Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God.

Mark 7:31-37

Then he left the region of Tyre, went through Sidon back to Galilee Lake and over to the district of the Ten Towns. Some people brought a man who could neither hear nor speak and asked Jesus to lay a healing hand on him. He took the man off by himself, put his fingers in the man’s ears and some spit on the man’s tongue. Then Jesus looked up in prayer, groaned mightily, and commanded, “Ephphatha!—Open up!” And it happened. The man’s hearing was clear and his speech plain—just like that.

Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they talked it up all the more, beside themselves with excitement. “He’s done it all and done it well. He gives hearing to the deaf, speech to the speechless.”

Sunday's Message: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Welcome back to another edition of Sunday's Message. Here, I will reproduce the readings for Mass from The Message: Catholic/Ecumenical Edition. (I want to thank Greg Pierce at ACTA for giving me permission to do this weekly post.) While this is not an "official" Catholic edition, one of my hopes for doing this new series is to have a lively discussion on the renderings, compared to the more formal ones we are use to reading and hearing at Mass. Is there a place for a translation like this? Could this be a good Bible to give to a Catholic "seeker" or young adult? I have used it while teaching my high school theology classes, along with the NRSV and NABRE, and have had positive results. 

I would like to also propose a question or offer an encouragement each week to reflect upon, particularly in light of the rendering found here in The Message: The second reading from James should challenge us.  I was reflecting on the final verse this week, particularly in light of the coming Year of Mercy.  I honestly think I fail at this quite miserably, pretty much every single day.  So, perhaps, this week would be a good time, at least for me, to reach out to someone in my life who is in need.  Maybe that person I find most difficult to get along with.  That is true religion.

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8

Now listen, Israel, listen carefully to the rules and regulations that I am teaching you to follow so that you may live and enter and take possession of the land that God, the God-of-Your-Fathers, is giving to you. Don’t add a word to what I command you, and don’t remove a word from it. Keep the commands of God, your God, that I am commanding you.

Keep them. Practice them. You’ll become wise and understanding. When people hear and see what’s going on, they’ll say, “What a great nation! So wise, so understanding! We’ve never seen anything like it.”

Yes. What other great nation has gods that are intimate with them the way God, our God, is with us, always ready to listen to us? And what other great nation has rules and regulations as good and fair as this Revelation that I’m setting before you today?

Psalm 15

“Walk straight,

act right,

        tell the truth.

“Don’t hurt your friend,

don’t blame your neighbor;

        despise the despicable.

“Keep your word even when it costs you,

make an honest living,

        never take a bribe.

“You’ll never get

blacklisted

if you live like this.”

James 1: 17-18, 21b-22, 27

Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

Throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear!

Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world.

Mark 7:1-8,14-15, 21-23

The Pharisees, along with some religion scholars who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around him. They noticed that some of his disciples weren’t being careful with ritual washings before meals. The Pharisees—Jews in general, in fact—would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they’d give jugs and pots and pans).

The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, “Why do your disciples flout the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?”

Jesus answered, “Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull’s-eye in fact:

These people make a big show of saying the right thing,

but their heart isn’t in it.

They act like they are worshiping me,

but they don’t mean it.

They just use me as a cover

for teaching whatever suits their fancy,

Ditching God’s command

and taking up the latest fads.”

Jesus called the crowd together again and said, “Listen now, all of you—take this to heart. It’s not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it’s what you vomit—that’s the real pollution.”

When he was back home after being with the crowd, his disciples said, “We don’t get it. Put it in plain language.”

He went on: “It’s what comes out of a person that pollutes: obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution.”