Texts taken from the “On Your Word” Missalette July-August 2023
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
4th week of the psalter
FIRST READING
From the book of the prophet Isaiah (Is 56:1,6-7)
Thus says the Lord: “Observe what is right and practice justice, for my salvation is about to come, and my justice is about to be revealed. The foreigners who join themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep from profaning the sabbath and hold fast to my covenant, I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” – The word of God.
Commentary on the first reading
Israel did not arise to be the only people of God, but to prepare for the coming of the Messiah as the one savior of all peoples, for all ages. It should have done this by observing the Law, but then we know how things went when God became flesh in Christ Jesus. In fact, however, Isaiah’s prophecy remains valid: foreigners who join themselves to the Lord are also filled with joy, and their burnt offerings are accepted. Isaiah is a broad-minded prophet, and so must the holy Church be. There is no longer one particular people, a privileged race, or one category of people preferred over others. For this reason, the Church has always been missionary, and so are we in our small world, populated by many people who no longer believe or who have been led astray by many false teachers and harmful ideologies. Let us note, however, the final wording: God’s house is a “house of prayer for all peoples.” Prayer is the most important means by which we communicate the truth of faith to those who “walk in darkness.” Prayer is our true power.xxx
SECOND READING
From the letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Romans (Rom 11:13-15,29-32)
Brothers and sisters, I am speaking to you Gentiles: since I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry, hoping to make my own people jealous and thus save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable! Just as you once were disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now become disobedient because of the mercy shown to you, so that they too may receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience, that he may have mercy on all! – The word of God.
Commentary on the second reading
The recognition of Jesus’ messiahship by the people of Israel is one of Paul’s real “obsessions.” He loves his people and cannot bear that they rejected the Messiah. Yet the argument is positive: if the Gentiles have welcomed Jesus as savior and now live in the new light of the Holy Spirit, they can make the chosen people jealous by expressing and showing the beauty of life in Christ: mutual love, forgiveness, healings, and miracles. We Christians therefore have an important role toward the Jews: to make known to them the true face of Christ, who does not desire a human kingdom and does not promise worldly success, but heals wounded hearts, defeats the infernal powers of the devil, and gives peace to hearts. If the Jews, seeing this, welcome Jesus as the Messiah and their savior, then the end will come, the resurrection of the dead. Most commentators are convinced that this will mean the end of the world, but even if that were not so, the Jews’ acceptance would still be the fulfillment of the divine mission on earth.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 15:21-28)
At that time, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that district came and cried out, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely tormented by a demon.” But he did not say a word to her. His disciples approached and implored him, “Send her away, because she keeps crying out after us!” He said in reply, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me!” He said in reply, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” “Please, Lord,” she said, “for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters.” Then Jesus said to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour. – The Gospel of the Lord.
Commentary on the Gospel of the day
The Jews considered pagans to be “dogs” and judged their religious practices with a certain contempt, convinced that they were the possessors of the true God. Jesus wanted to change their minds, but it was not easy even with the apostles themselves. The only time Jesus and the Twelve crossed beyond Israel - let us imagine that the apostles were somewhat uncomfortable - he instead revealed the universality of his mission. At first he denied the foreign woman the grace, but he did so deliberately, to “awaken” his disciples; they themselves, in fact, had to insist that Jesus grant her request. In essence, it was the Jews themselves who prayed for the pagan woman to be given grace. As if to say: they are the ones digging their own grave, so that they may finally learn that Jesus is not private property to be jealously guarded, something “belonging to them” that must not be shared, but is the savior of all. They must be convinced by the woman’s faith, a faith they themselves do not even possess, though they think they know the Lord well. Today’s great lesson applies to everyone: whoever invokes the name of Jesus, whoever believes in his power, whoever welcomes him as savior, belongs to him.
