Saturday of week 8 in Ordinary Time
Saint Justin, Martyr
Liturgical Colour: Red. Year: B(II)
Readings at Mass
Readings for the feria (Saturday)
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First reading
Jude 1:17,20-25
Use your most holy faith as your foundation
Remember, my dear friends, what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ told you to expect. You must use your most holy faith as your foundation and build on that, praying in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves within the love of God and wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you eternal life. When there are some who have doubts reassure them; when there are some to be saved from the fire, pull them out; but there are others to whom you must be kind with great caution, keeping your distance even from outside clothing which is contaminated by vice.Glory be to him who can keep you from falling and bring you safe to his glorious presence, innocent and happy. To God, the only God, who saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord, be the glory, majesty, authority and power, which he had before time began, now and for ever. Amen.
Commentary:
Upholding Faith Amidst False Teachings: Insights from Jude
The Epistle of Jude addresses the early Christian community, offering guidance on maintaining faith amidst false teachings. Verses 17 and 20-25 specifically encourage believers to recall apostolic teachings, build their faith, show mercy to others, and trust in God's protective power.
Remember the Apostles' Teachings Jude encourages believers to recall the warnings of the apostles about the rise of false teachers. This serves as a reminder to stay true to the foundational teachings of the faith.
Build Yourselves Up in Faith Believers are urged to strengthen their faith through spiritual practices, such as praying in the Holy Spirit. This involves actively nurturing one’s spiritual growth and relationship with God.
Keep in God’s Love and Await Mercy Maintaining oneself in God's love requires living out Christian principles and eagerly anticipating the mercy of Jesus Christ, which leads to eternal life. This is about staying faithful and hopeful.
Show Mercy and Save Others Jude advises showing compassion to those who doubt and actively working to save others from spiritual danger, while also maintaining caution to avoid being influenced by sin.
Trust in God’s Power and Glory The concluding doxology praises God's ability to protect believers from falling and to present them faultless before His presence, highlighting His eternal glory and authority. This reinforces trust in God's sustaining power.
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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 62(63):2-6
For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God.
O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.
For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.
For you my soul is thirsting, O Lord, my God.
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Gospel Acclamation
1P1:25
Alleluia, alleluia!
The word of the Lord remains for ever:
What is this word?
It is the Good News that has been brought to you.
Alleluia!
Or:
cf.Col3:16a,17
Alleluia, alleluia!
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness,
find a home with you;
through him give thanks to God the Father.
Alleluia!
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Gospel
Mark 11:27-33
I will not tell you my authority for acting like this
Jesus and his disciples came to Jerusalem, and as Jesus was walking in the Temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, and they said to him, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? Or who gave you authority to do these things?’ Jesus said to them, ‘I will ask you a question, only one; answer me and I will tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: did it come from heaven, or from man? Answer me that.’ And they argued it out this way among themselves: ‘If we say from heaven, he will say, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?” But dare we say from man?’ – they had the people to fear, for everyone held that John was a real prophet. So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’
Commentary:
Authority Under Scrutiny
In Mark 11:27-33, Jesus faces a challenge to His authority from the religious leaders in the temple courts. This encounter reveals the tension between Jesus and the established religious order, as well as the depth of their scepticism towards His teachings and actions.
- Confrontation in the Temple:The religious leaders question Jesus about the source of His authority, challenging His teachings and actions in the temple.
- Question of Authority:Jesus is asked directly by the religious leaders, prompting Him to address the issue of His divine authority in His ministry.
- Jesus’ Strategic Counter question:Jesus responds with a counter question regarding the authority of John the Baptist, exposing the hypocrisy and dilemma of the religious leaders.
- Dilemma of the Religious Leaders:The leaders are caught in a dilemma, fearing the consequences of their answer due to public opinion and their own lack of genuine faith.
- Jesus’ Wise Response:Jesus refuses to directly answer their question, highlighting their spiritual blindness and reinforcing His divine authority through His strategic dialogue.
Mark 11:27-33 portrays a critical moment where Jesus’ authority is challenged, revealing the depth of scepticism and hypocrisy among the religious leaders. Jesus’ strategic response exposes their lack of genuine faith and reaffirms His divine authority, emphasizing the importance of recognizing true spiritual leadership.
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Saint Peter Chrysologus (c.406-450)
Bishop of Ravenna, Doctor of the Church
Sermon 167 ; CCL 248, 1025 ; PL 52, 636
"John the Baptist came to you..., but you did not believe him" (Mt 21:32)
"John the Baptist proclaimed: 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand'" (Mt 3:2)... O blessed John, who desired that conversion precede judgment, that sinners should not be condemned but rewarded, that the unrighteous should enter the Kingdom and not undergo punishment... When did John preach this nearness of the Kingdom of heaven? The world was still in its infancy...; but for us who are announcing this nearness today, the world is extremely antiquated and worn out. It has lost its strength, lost its faculties, suffering weighs it down..., it cries out its exhaustion, it bears all the symptoms of its end...
We are being towed along by a world that passes away, forgetting the world to come. We are greedy for present things but do not take into account the coming judgment. We will not run to meet the Lord as he comes...
Let us turn back, brethren, let us turn back... By the very fact of his delay, of his still waiting, our Lord proves his desire to see us come back to him, his desire that we should not perish. In his great goodness he continues addressing these words to us: "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked but would rather that they change their ways and live" (Ez 33:11). So let us turn back to him, brethren, not fearing that time is running short. The time that belongs to time's Author cannot be shortened. The proof of it lies in the criminal in the Gospel who, at the moment of dying on the cross, got away with his pardon, grabbed hold of life and, breaking into paradise like a burglar, managed to make his way into the Kingdom (cf. Lk 23:43)!
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