For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

Alleluia Ping

Please FReepmail me to get on/off the Alleluia Ping List.

From: 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-23

St Paul Does Not Exercise This Right

[16] For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For neces-
sity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! [17] For if I do this
of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a
commission. [18] What then is my reward? Just this: that in my preaching I may
make the gospel free of charge, not making full use of my right in the gospel.

[19] For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I
might win the more. [22b] I have become all things to all men, that I might by all
means save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in
its blessings.

The Need for Asceticism

[24] Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives
the prize? So run that you may obtain it. [25] Every athlete exercises self-control
in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
[26] Well, I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air, but I pom-
mel my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be dis-
qualified.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

15-18. As he already said in v. 12, St Paul makes it clear that he has not exer-
cised so far, nor does he envisage doing so, his right to be supported by the
faithful. Conscious that his God-given calling obliges him to preach the Gospel,
he prefers to carry out that mission without receiving anything in exchange. His
attitude shows both his greatness and his humility: he faces every kind of suf-
fering, privation and danger for the sake of the Gospel (cf. 2 Cor 11:23-33), and
yet he considers that he is doing no more than his duty. His policy recalls our
Lord’s teaching: “When you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are
unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty”’ (Lk 17:10; cf. Mt 10:
8).

To keep to this self-imposed policy, St Paul had to add to all his work of evan-
gelization the additional effort to earn his own living. In the Acts of the Apostles,
for example, we learn of his manual work in Corinth (18:3) and Ephesus (20:34);
and he himself tells the Thessalonians that “we worked night and day, that we
would not burden any of you, while we preached to you the gospel of God” (1
Thess 2:9; 2 Thess 3:9). Only in the case of the Philippians for whom he had
very particular affection, did he allow any exception to this rule (cf. Phil 4:15-16).
However, at no time did he feel that others were doing wrong in acting differently,
“for the Lord had disposed that those who proclaim the Gospel be supported by
it [...]. But he [Paul] went further and chose not even to take what was his due”
(St Augustine, “Sermon” 46, 4).

16. The Church has often used these words of St Paul to remind the faithful that
our Lord has called them to the apostolate through the sacraments of Baptism
and Confirmation. The Second Vatican Council explains what this apostolate in-
volves: “The witness of life, however, is not the sole element in the apostolate;
the true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word,
either to unbelievers to draw them towards the faith, or to the faithful to instruct
them, strengthen them, incite them to a more fervent life; ‘for Christ’s love urges
us on’ (2 Cor 5:14), and in the hearts of all should the Apostle’s words find echo:
‘Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel’ (1 Cor 9:16)” (”Apostolicam Actuosi-
tatem”, 6).

St John Chrysostom anticipates the kinds of excuse people might offer to avoid
this duty: “There is nothing colder than a Christian who is not concerned about
the salvation of others [...]. Do not say, I cannot help others: for, if you are truly
a Christian it is impossible not to. Natural objects have properties that cannot be
denied; the same is true of what I have just said, because it is the nature of a
Christian to act in that way. Do not offend God by deception. If you said that the
sun cannot shine, you would be committing an offense against God and making
a liar of him. It is easier for the sinner to shine or give warmth than for a Christian
to cease to give light: it is easier for that to happen than for light to become dark-
ness. Do not say that that is impossible: what is impossible is the contrary [...].
If we behave in the correct way, everything else will follow as a natural conse-
quence. The light of Christians cannot be hidden, a lamp shining so brightly can-
not be hidden” (”Hom. on Acts”, 20).

19-23. Because he is one with Christ (cf. Gal 2:20), who “came not to be served
but to serve, and to give us his life as a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28), the Apostle
makes himself “all things to all men”, so generous is he and so eager to save as
many souls as possible, at the cost of whatever sacrifice and humiliation might
be involved. “A Christian has to be ready to share his life with everyone at all
times, giving to everyone the chance to come nearer to Christ Jesus. He has to
sacrifice his own desires willingly for the sake of others, without separating peo-
ple into watertight compartments, without pigeonholing them or putting tags on
them as though they were merchandise or insect specimens. A Christian cannot
afford to separate himself from others, because, if he did that, his life would be
miserably selfish. He must become ‘all things to all men, in order to save all men’
(1 Cor 9:22)” (St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 124).

Obviously this concern for others should not lead to diluting the truths of faith.
Referring to this point, Pope Paul VI wrote: “The apostle’s art is a risky one. The
desire to come together as brothers must not lead to a watering down or subtrac-
ting from the truth. Our dialogue must not weaken our attachment to our faith. In
our apostolate we cannot make vague compromises about the principles of faith
and action on which our profession of Christianity is based. An immoderate de-
sire to make peace and sink differences at all costs is, fundamentally, a kind of
skepticism about the power and content of the Word of God which we desire to
preach. Only one who is completely faithful to the teaching of Christ can be an
apostle. And only he who lives his Christian life to the full can remain uncontami-
nated by the errors with which he comes into contact” (”Ecclesiam Suam”, 33).

24-27. These similes taken from athletics would have been appropriate for the
Corinthians, for their city hosted the biennial Isthmus games. Often, when spea-
king about the Christian life, the Apostle uses metaphors taken from sport-races
(cf. Gal 5:7; Phil 3:12-14; 2 Tim 4:7), combats (1 Tim 6:12; 2 Tim 4:7) and laurel
crowns (2 Tim 4:8).

A Christian’s life on earth must needs involve interior striving; he should approach
this with in a competitive, sportive spirit, facing up to any sacrifices that prove ne-
cessary, and not letting obstacles, failures or personal limitation get him down:
“We should not be surprised to find, in our body and soul, the needle of pride,
sensuality, envy, laziness and the desire to dominate others. This is a fact of life,
proven by our personal experience. It is the point of departure and the normal con-
text for winning in this intimate sport, this race toward our Father’s house. St Paul
says: “I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air; but I pommel
my body and subdue it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disquali-
fied’ (1 Cor 9:26) [...]. In this adventure of love we should not be depressed by our
falls, not even by serious falls, if we go to God in the sacrament of Penance con-
trite and resolved to improve. A Christian is not a neurotic collector of good beha-
vior reports. Jesus Christ our Lord was moved as much by Peter’s repentance af-
ter his fall as by John’s innocence and faithfulness. Jesus understands our weak-
ness and draws us to himself on an inclined plane. He wants us to make an ef-
fort to climb a little each day” (”Christ Is Passing By”, 75).

27. While we are in this present life, our perseverance can never be taken for
granted: “Let no one feel assured of this gift with an absolute certainty, although
all ought to have most secure hope in the help of God. For unless we are unfaith-
ful to his grace, God will bring the good work to perfection, just as he began it,
working both the will, and the performance (cf. Phil 2:13)” (Council of Trent, “De
Iustificatione”, chap. 13). Therefore, the Apostle points out, the ascetical effort
which every person must keep on making in this life includes physical mortifica-
tion and self-control. Helped by God’s grace and confident of his mercy, a Chris-
tian who makes this effort will be able to say as St Paul did at the end of his life,
“there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous
judge, will award to me on that day” (2 Tim 4:8).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Luke 6:39-42

Integrity

[39] He (Jesus) told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they
not both fall into a pit? [40] A disciple is not above his teacher, but every one when
he is fully taught will be like his teacher. [41] Why do you see the speck that is in
your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your eye? [42] Or how can
you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’
when you yourself do not see the log that is in your eye? You hypocrite, first take
the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck
that is in your brother’s eye.”

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

[None for Luke 6:39-42. Below is a commentary on a similar theme from Matthew
7:1-5:]

1. Jesus is condemning any rash judgments we make maliciously or carelessly
about our brothers’ behavior or feelings or motives. “Think badly and you will not
be far wrong” is completely at odds with Jesus’ teaching.

In speaking of Christian charity St. Paul lists its main features: “Love is patient
and kind [...]. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5, 7). Therefore, “Never think badly of anyone, not
even if the words or conduct of the person in question give you good grounds for
doing so” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 442).

“Let us be slow to judge. Each one sees things from his own point of view, as his
mind, with all its limitations, tells him, and through eyes that are often dimmed
and clouded by passion” (”ibid”., 451).

1-2. As elsewhere, the verbs in the passive voice (”you will be judged”, “the mea-
sure you will be given”) have God as their subject, even though He is not explicit-
ly mentioned: “Do not judge others, that you be not judged by God”. Clearly the
judgment referred to here is always a condemnatory judgment; therefore, if we do
not want to be condemned by God, we should never condemn our neighbor. “God
measures out according as we measure out and forgives as we forgive, and comes
to our rescue with the same tenderness as He sees us having towards others”
(Fray Luis de Leon, “Exposicion Del Libro De Job”, chapter 29).

3-5. A person whose sight is distorted sees things as deformed, even though in
fact they are not deformed. St. Augustine gives this advice: “Try to acquire those
virtues which you think your brothers lack, and you will no longer see their defects,
because you will not have them yourselves” (”Enarrationes In Psalmos”, 30, 2, 7).
In this connection, the saying, “A thief thinks that everyone else is a thief” is in
line with this teaching of Jesus.

Besides: “To criticize, to destroy, is not difficult; any unskilled laborer knows how
to drive his pick into the noble and finely-hewn stone of a cathedral. To construct
that is what requires the skill of a master” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 456).

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading

1 Corinthians 9:16-19,22-27 ©

I do not boast of preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me; I should be punished if I did not preach it! If I had chosen this work myself, I might have been paid for it, but as I have not, it is a responsibility which has been put into my hands. Do you know what my reward is? It is this in my preaching, to be able to offer the Good News free, and not insist on the rights which the gospel gives me.

So though I am not a slave of any man I have made myself the slave of everyone so as to win as many as I could. For the weak I made myself weak. I made myself all things to all men in order to save some at any cost; and I still do this, for the sake of the gospel, to have a share in its blessings.

All the runners at the stadium are trying to win, but only one of them gets the prize. You must run in the same way, meaning to win. All the fighters at the games go into strict training; they do this just to win a wreath that will wither away, but we do it for a wreath that will never wither. That is how I run, intent on winning; that is how I fight, not beating the air. I treat my body hard and make it obey me, for, having been an announcer myself, I should not want to be disqualified.

Psalm

Psalm 83:3-6,12 ©