The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jeremiah 17:5-8; Psalm 1; 1Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17, 20-26

In our first reading today from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah we are reminded that we must always place our trust in God. While in life we have to trust in our fellow men and women – and this is a good thing – ultimately, we must place our trust first and foremost in God because there is only so much our fellow men and women can do for us while God can give us eternal life. This theme is continued in the Psalm. In the gospel, we have St Luke’s account of the Beatitudes – Christ’s great blueprint for living as recounted by Luke. In all that is done or suffered, it is God who grants the reward, not man. All of this comes to pass because Christ has been raised from the dead.

In the second reading from the first letter to the Christians at Corinth, we are reminded that Christ’s resurrection doesn’t simply have an impact in this life but in eternal life. So too, trusting in man can only be for this life while trusting in God and living according to the Beatitudes and the gospel precepts brings eternal life to all.

Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Genesis 4:1-5, 25; Psalm 49; Mark 8:11-13

In today’s reading from the Book of Genesis we see Adam and Eve now exiled from the Garden of Eden. They start a family and Eve gives birth to Cain and Abel – the former tilled the land while the latter became a shepherd. We are told that Abel prospered more than Cain and that this ultimately led to Cain slaying his younger brother. God punishes Cain for his sin but promises to punish even more those who might take Cain’s life. At the end of the reading, Eve gives birth to her third son – Seth. In the Gospel, Jesus is again in conflict with the Pharisees because they, after all that they had seen, still demanded a sign from Christ if they were to believe. If we are waiting for a sign before we believe then we will never have faith. We are reminded to always keep watch over ourselves and never allow envy or resentment to rule our actions because God sees all.

Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10; Psalm 28; Mark 8:14-21

The first reading from the Book of Genesis tells us of God’s disappointment with man and woman who had drifted further and further from him and so he resolves to wipe them from the earth by means of a great flood. Only Noah and his family would be left to repopulate the earth. In the Gospel Jesus warns his disciples not to be taken in by the sweet words of Herod and the Pharisees who no longer faithfully worship God but order the people for their own ends. The two readings remind us that our faith must be pure and must be based on God’s word. If we live according to his word then we will know what the right way to act is and we will act accordingly if we believe.

Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22; Psalm 115; Mark 8:22-26

In the first reading we read of the end of the Flood and of Noah’s sacrifice of thanksgiving to God. The Psalm continues the theme of thanksgiving. In the Gospel we see Jesus cure a blind man who gradually begins to see and this reminds us that faith grows over time and in time we accept the Lord more and more. We are reminded to give thanks to God for all that we have received in life no matter how trivial it may seem but also remembering to thank him for the gift of life itself. Faith grows over time but we must work at it all the time.

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Genesis 9:1-13; Psalm 101; Mark 8:27-33

God makes a covenant with Noah in our first reading from Genesis and uses the words he used in forging the original covenant with Adam and Eve. He sets the rainbow in the sky as a reminder of that covenant, though few people make that connection anymore. In the Gospel from St Mark, Christ tells the disciples that he is to suffer grievously which upsets Peter who tries to prevent the Lord from going to Jerusalem. He is admonished for this by Christ even though – moments before – he made his great profession of faith with the words ‘You are the Christ.’ Christ is the eternal covenant which surpasses all covenants and is eternal. We are called on to have faith in him as did St Peter and to say with him every day – “You are the Christ.”

Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Genesis 11:1-9; Psalm 32; Mark 8:34-9:1

In our final reading from the Book of Genesis we see how the people have strayed from the covenant and in their pride are trying to be as powerful as God by building a tower which would reach up to heaven. In their arrogance, God destroys the tower and confuses the people by giving them different languages so that they could no longer understand each other. Jesus warns us in the Gospel of the futility of trying to win this world when in fact we should be striving to secure our place in heaven. Only those who follow Jesus truthfully and with a sure heart will enter the kingdom and their true inheritance.

The Feast of the Chair of St Peter

This feast has been observed in Rome since the fourth century. It celebrates the unity of the Church under the papacy and the readings recall Christ’s choice of Peter as the rock on which he would build the Church.

Readings

1Peter 5:1-4; Psalm 22; Matthew 16:13-19

In his first letter, St Peter tells us how he himself exercised his authority through a pastoral letter to those who were responsible for looking after the faithful. In the passage Peter speaks of his being a witness to the sufferings of Christ – reminding his readers that he was present with the Lord and knew the human Christ. This letter also tells us how he implores all elders to be true shepherds to those entrusted to them by the Lord and to be perfect examples of living witnesses to the Gospel. As Peter was the chief shepherd of the flock after Christ, the Psalm for today reminds us that the Lord is the true Shepherd. The gospel passage from St Matthew shows Peter being appointed as leader of Christ’s Church following his great proclamation of faith in Christ. While he was leader of the fledgling group he is also a powerful symbol of unity for the Church which continues right down to this day.