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Friday – Twenty-eighth Week – OT1
Readings: Rom 4:1-8; Lk 12:1-7.
Reading 1 (Rom 4:1-8): Brothers and sisters:
What can we say that Abraham found,
our ancestor according to the flesh?
Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works,
he has reason to boast;
but this was not so in the sight of God.
For what does the Scripture say?
Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.
A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due.
But when one does not work,
yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly,
his faith is credited as righteousness.
So also David declares the blessedness of the person
to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven
and whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.
Gospel (Lk 12:1-7): At that time:
So many people were crowding together
that they were trampling one another underfoot.
Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,
“Beware of the leaven’that is, the hypocrisy’of the Pharisees.
“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness
will be heard in the light,
and what you have whispered behind closed doors
will be proclaimed on the housetops.
I tell you, my friends,
do not be afraid of those who kill the body
but after that can do no more.
I shall show you whom to fear.
Be afraid of the one who after killing
has the power to cast into Gehenna;
yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.
Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?
Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.
Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.
Do not be afraid.
I. THEME: People are justified by their faith in Christ.
Many people are so arrogant when they said that what they are having is completely their effort. They ignored God’s grace, their parents’ sacrifice, and many contributions of generations before them. Same thing happens in religion, many people believed they can be good and saved by their own effort.
Today readings center on God’s grace and human faith on Him. In the first reading, St. Paul used Scripture and his experience to demonstrate that one becomes righteous is completely by his faith in Christ; not by keeping the Law nor having good deeds. In the Gospel, Jesus adviced his disciples to put their trust in God in deeds by living a truthful life, not fearing of any power except God’s power, and believing firmly in God’s providence.
II. ANALYSIS:
1/ Reading I: Faith makes people to become righteous.
1.1/ Abraham became righteous by believing in God: The Jewish people are very proud of their grandfather Abraham because he was considered God’s faithful friend. What St. Paul wanted to argue with the Jews in today reading is the reason why Abraham was reckoned as a righteous person.
(1) The Jews’ position: They said the reason was what Abraham had done, such as: his faithful keeping of the Law (but the Law was not given until 500 years later); his decision to leave his ancestral land to come to a land which God will lead him to; or his ready to sacrifice Isaac, his only son during old ages.
(2) St. Paul’s position: He said the reason simply was his complete faith in God. Paul explained: “What can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh? Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness” (Gen 15:6).
1.2/ People become righteous because of God’s love: St. Paul based on Scripture and his experience to show that people were justified completely by God’s love; not by human works.
(1) Abraham’s case: Abraham did not know God and His law (is revealed 500 years later) when he was still living with his father at Urs. God called him and revealed to him His plan, that is, to make him to become the father of all nations. This is completely God’s will, and Abraham believed and responded to His call. St. Paul reasoned: “A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due. But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.”
(2) David’s case: The king was no worthy of God after he committed adultery with Bathsheba and used his trick plan to kill Uriah, her husband (cf. 2 Kgs 11). King David clearly knew his sins and thought he was deserved to die; but the king was forgiven because God had mercy on him. St. Paul illustrated David’s case to show that God forgave David when he was still the sinner: “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record” (Psa 32:1-2).
2/ Gospel: Faith must be expressed in deeds.
People become righteous when they were still sinners; but once they become righteous, they must be renewed in order to live a better life than before. Many people think good works, to St. Paul are unnecessary; but to say such thing is to misunderstand Paul and Jesus’ teachings.
2.1/ Let express the faith in God by living according to the truth: Although the scribes are those who knew God and declared their faith in Him; but their hypocrisy did not express their knowledge and faith on Him. If they knew God knows everything, why did they hide their hypocrisy from Him?
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of the leaven, that is, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.” Such a hypocrisy is to deceive God, others, and themselves. How can they reach the eternal life?
2.2/ Let believe and fear God: Human nature is to yearn for life and to fear death; but if people understand what will happen after death, they will be more ready to accept death. Jesus taught his disciples: “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.”
Therefore, if one must accept death to be a witness for God, one must do because he will receive back his life in God’s kingdom. The martyrs are also weak people like us; but their faith together with God’s grace, made them courageous to accept death to witness for God.
2.3/ Let firmly believe in God’s providence: Beside death, people are also worry about lacking necessary things for life and all kind of diseases. Jesus taught his disciples not to be worry but to trust completely in God’s providence for them: “Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid.”
III. APPLICATION IN LIFE:
– We are justified by our faith in Christ who was died for our sins. Once we become righteous, we need to express our faith in God by good deeds to benefit ourselves and to make contribution in proclaiming of the Good News.
– We need to study to understand God’s providence and His plan of salvation. There are many things happened in life which are in God’s providence but out of human control, such as: diseases, old age, death… Even if we are worry about them, we cannot escape them. It is better for us to put completely trust in God’s love and providence.