September 22, 2025
Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 449
Reading 1
In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,
in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,
the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia
to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,
both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:
'All the kingdoms of the earth
the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,
and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,
let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt,
be assisted by the people of that place
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
together with free-will offerings
for the house of God in Jerusalem.'"
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin
and the priests and Levites–
everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so–
prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way,
with silver, gold, goods, and cattle,
and with many precious gifts
besides all their free-will offerings.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm
126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3) The Lord has done marvels for us.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. The Lord has done marvels for us.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus said to the crowd:
"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away."
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092225.cfm
Commentary on
Ezra 1:1-6
We go back to the Old Testament today and begin the first of
just three readings from the Book of Ezra. And, indeed, for the next
three weeks (up to the end of Week 27) we will be having selected readings from
eight books, some historical and some prophetical, of the period after the
Israelites had returned to Jerusalem from their exile in Babylon. This
followed the defeat of the Babylonians by the Persians, who had become the
latest ‘super-power’ in the region.
In order to put the readings in context, we begin with an
extensive extract from an introduction given by the Jerusalem Bible:
“Ezra is part of a second group of historical books which in
large measure reduplicate, but ultimately extend the ‘Deuteronomic’ history
beginning with Joshua and ending with Kings. These are the two Books of
Chronicles, then the Book of Ezra, and the Book of Nehemiah. Originally,
the two books of Chronicles were one book and those of Ezra and Nehemiah were
part of the same collection, the whole being the work of one author, known as
‘the Chronicler’.
The Book of Ezra is a continuation of the Chronicles
story. After the 50 years of Exile, on which he is silent, the author
resumes his history with the edict of the Persian King Cyrus, 538 BC,
permitting the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. The return
begins forthwith, but the work of rebuilding is halted by the hostility of the
Samaritans and does not resume until the reign of King Darius I. The Temple is
finished in 515 BC.
Under King Artaxerxes, the scribe Ezra, representative for
Jewish affairs at the Persian court, arrives in Jerusalem with a new contingent
of returning exiles, bringing with him an official authorisation to impose the
Mosaic Law, now approved by the king. He has to take severe measures
against those Jews already married to foreigners, Ezra 7-10. The story
continues with the Book of Nehemiah…
These books are important for the history of the Jewish
Restoration after the Exile. The first chapters of Ezra complement the
information supplied by prophets Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi [all of whom we
will be looking at during these three weeks].
Taking advantage of the liberal religious policy that the
Achmenids (Persian dynasty) applied in their empire, the Jews return to their
Promised Land, restore the ancient worship, rebuild the Temple and the city
walls, and live as a community governed by men of their own race and regulated
by the Law of Moses. All that the imperial power requires is loyalty, no
great price to pay when that power shows such respect for Jewish customs.
This is an event of great importance—nothing less than the birth of Judaism,
prepared by long meditation in Exile and assisted by the actions of leaders
raised up by God…
The real father of Judaism is Ezra with his three dominant
conceptions: the chosen race, the Temple, the Law. If his reforming
measures seem severe and his isolationism narrow, it is because his zeal was
great and the need to safeguard the infant community urgent. He is the
pattern of all scribes, the great and growing hero of Judaic tradition…”
In today’s reading, which comes from the Book of Ezra’s
opening lines, we see Cyrus, King of Persia, authorising the return of the Jews
to Jerusalem. We are told that it was in the first year of the reign of King
Cyrus of Persia, and in fulfilment of a prophecy of Jeremiah, that Yahweh
inspired the king to issue a solemn proclamation which was displayed throughout
his kingdom.
Cyrus, the founder of the Persian empire, reigned over the
Persians from autumn of 559 until 530 BC. He is one of the great kings of
ancient times, but what is most significant here is that he is depicted as
being merely an instrument of God to serve his people. Isaiah speaks of
him as the Lord’s “shepherd” and his “anointed”. Compared to the Assyrian and
Babylonian rulers, Cyrus was looked on very favourably by the Israelites,
first, for overthrowing the Babylonian rule and, more importantly, allowing
them to return to their homeland.
The “first year” here refers to Cyrus’ rule over Babylon,
which began in March-April (Nisan) 538 BC, after he captured the city in
October of 539 BC, 20 years after he came to the Persian throne.
Jeremiah, writing during the years of exile, had prophesied
a 70-year Babylonian captivity (Jer 25:11-12; 29:10). The first
deportation to Babylon began in 605 BC, in the third year of King Jehoiakim,
and, in 538 BC, approximately 70 years later, the people began their return.
Cyrus then makes a solemn proclamation authorising the
Hebrews to return to their homeland.
In the proclamation Cyrus declares that Yahweh:
The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the
kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem,
which is in Judah.
This oral proclamation of Cyrus’ decree was written in
Hebrew, the language of the Israelite captives.
“God of heaven” is a phrase which occurs 22 times in the Old
Testament, 17 of which are in Ezra, Nehemiah and Daniel. Notice, too, the
strong emphasis on Jerusalem and the Temple with nothing else mentioned about
the homeland. We find this in both Ezra and Nehemiah. The
restoration of the Temple and the Law was synonymous with national restoration.
Unlike the preceding imperial regimes, the Persian kings
were on the whole extremely sympathetic towards the religions of their
subjected peoples; they reinstated and actively supported them while keeping a
measure of control. Their attitude towards the Jewish religion was no
exception. It is possible that Judaism further benefited because of the
Persians’ special devotion to ‘the god of heaven’. Yahweh, who in the official
documents is always referred to as ‘the God of heaven’ may have been thought of
as the supreme god acknowledged by the Persian kings. In a sense, not unlike
Jews, Christians and Muslims were acknowledging the one and the same God.
He then addresses each Israelite:
Let any of those among you who are of his people—may
their God be with them!—go up to Jerusalem in Judah and rebuild the house of
the Lord, the God of Israel; he is the God who is in Jerusalem.
“May God be with him”—Cyrus instituted the policy of
placating the gods of his subject peoples instead of carrying off their cult
images as the Assyrians and the Babylonians had done earlier. We should
note too that his generosity to the Jews was paralleled by his benevolence to
the conquered Babylonians.
The phrase, “those among you who are of his people”, seems
to exclude exiles from the Northern Kingdom; those going back to Jerusalem all
belong to the Southern Kingdom (Judah).
Furthermore, Cyrus continues, let each Hebrew survivor:
…in whatever place they reside be assisted by the people
of their place with silver and gold, with goods, and with livestock, besides
freewill offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.
These voluntary offerings would be vital in the restoration
of the ruined Temple and its services and they included, by order of the king,
the restoration of Temple treasures looted by Nebuchadnezzar.
This edict appears in the form of a proclamation, in Hebrew,
by public heralds to the exiled Jews and was no doubt drawn up by Jews employed
in the Persian chancellery.
Then the heads of all the families from the tribes of Judah
and Benjamin, with the priests and Levites, and “everyone whose spirit God had
stirred”, made preparations to go and rebuild the Temple. ‘Families’ here
means extended families, more like the whole clan whose authority figure was
the patriarch, as ‘family head’. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin were
the main tribes from the Kingdom of Judah, the Southern Kingdom, in which
Jerusalem was situated.
And finally, in conformity with the king’s decree, all the
Israelites’ neighbours rallied round with all kinds of material help and gifts,
as well as with voluntary donations.
Cyrus and his successors represent a period of enlightened
tolerance when people like the Jews and other religions were able to maintain
or restore their religious practices and traditions.
While, on the one hand, we should not see God as a kind of
puppet master who manipulates people at will, we also need to realise that all
of us are called to carry out God’s plan for the world and that there is no way
we can frustrate that plan.
We will pray today for a clear picture of God’s will in our
lives and the strength to accept it and carry it out. Our own greatest
benefit is in making God’s will ours.
We might also remember today all peoples who are prevented
from the practice of their religion in peace with their neighbours and, even
more, people who have had to flee their homeland because of religious
persecution.
Comments Off
Commentary on
Luke 8:16-18
The message today seems clear enough. The gospel message is
not meant to be kept hidden. We are not a ‘mystery religion’ in the sense that
the gospel is only for initiates. It is a message that is to be proclaimed from
the housetops. If what we believe and say is true, it will prevail.
We understand Jesus to be the Light of the world, and his
followers are also to be like lamps shining out for all the world to see. An
invisible Christian is a contradiction in terms, yet there are strong
tendencies for us to keep our religion to ourselves and not foist it on others.
However, forcing others to believe is not the message being
given, even if it were possible. Inviting people to ‘come and see’, to hear the
message and have a personal experience of living it, is something else. We also
believe that the gospel message offers a way of life that brings great
happiness into the lives of individuals and, in fact, to whole societies if it
is really followed. So, part of our communicating the message is as much through
our lifestyle (“See…it works!”) as through what we say.
Jesus says today:
So pay attention to how you listen…
It is not just listening, but a hearing which understands,
accepts, assimilates and puts into practice. What is heard and assimilated has to
be passed on. Otherwise it dies, because:
…for to those who have, more will be given, and from
those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.
To be a Christian is not to reach a certain level and stay
there. It essentially means constant growth and development—to stay still or to
stagnate is to go backwards.
Comments Off
https://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/o1252g/
Monday,
September 22, 2025
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Father, guide us, as you guide creation
according to your law of love. May we love one another and come to perfection
in the eternal life prepared for us.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Gospel Reading - Luke 8: 16-18
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘No
one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, it is
put on a lampstand so that people may see the light when they come in. For
nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be made
known and brought to light.
So take care how you listen; anyone who has, will be given
more; anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has.’
Reflection
Today’s Gospel presents three brief phrases pronounced by
Jesus. They are phrases scattered in different places which Luke collected here
after the parable of the seed (Lk 8: 4-8) and of his explanation to the
disciples (Lk 8: 9-15). This literary context, in which Luke places the three
phrases, helps us to understand how he wants people to understand these phrases
of Jesus.
•
Luke 8: 16: The lamp which gives light. “No one
lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed; no, it is put
on a lampstand so that people may see the light when they come in. This phrase
of Jesus is a brief parable. Jesus does not explain, because all know what he
is speaking about. This belonged to everyday life. At that time, there was no
electric light. Just imagine this! The family meets at home. The sun begins to
set. A person gets up, lights the lamp, covers it with a vase or places it
under the bed. What will the others say? All will scream out: “But are you
crazy... place the lamp on the table!” In a Biblical meeting somebody made the
following comment: The Word of God is a lamp which is necessary to light in the
darkness of the night. If it remains closed in the Book of the Bible, it will
be like the lamp under a vase. But when it is placed on the table it gives
light to the whole house, when it is read in community and is connected to
life.
•
In the context in which Luke places this phrase,
he is referring to the explanation which Jesus gave about the parable of the
seeds (Lk 8: 9-15). It is as if he would say: the things which you have just
heard you should not keep them only for yourselves, but you should share them
with others. A Christian should not be afraid to give witness and spread the
Good News. Humility is important, but the humility which hides the gifts of God
given to edify the community is false (1Cor 12: 4-26; Rom 12: 3-8).
•
Luke 8: 17: That which is hidden will be
manifested. “There is nothing hidden which will not be manifested, nothing
secret which will not be known and brought to light.” In the context in which
Luke places this second phrase of Jesus, it also refers to the teachings given
by Jesus particularly to the disciples (Lk 8: 9-10). The disciples cannot keep
these only for themselves, but they should diffuse them, because they form part
of the Good News which Jesus has brought.
•
Luke 8: 18: Attention to preconceptions. “So
take care how you listen, anyone who has will be given more, anyone who has
not, will be deprived even of what he thinks he has.” At that time, there were
many preconceptions on the
Messiah which prevented people from understanding, in a
correct way, the Good News of the Kingdom which Jesus announced. “For this
reason, this warning of Jesus concerning preconceptions is quite actual. Jesus
asks the disciples to be aware of the preconceptions with which they listen to
the teaching that he presents. With this phrase of Jesus, Luke is saying to the
communities and to all of us: “Be attentive to the ideas with which you look at
Jesus!” Because if the color of the eyes is green, everything will seem to be
green. If it were blue, everything would be blue! If the idea that I have when
I look at Jesus is mistaken, erroneous, everything which I receive and teach
about Jesus will be threatened by error! If I think that the Messiah has to be
a glorious King, I will not want to hear anything which Jesus teaches about the
Cross, about suffering, persecution and about commitment, and to lose even what
I thought I possessed. Joining this third phrase to the first one, I can
conclude what follows: anyone who keeps for himself what he receives and does
not distribute it to others, loses what he has, because it becomes corrupt.
Personal Questions
•
Have you had any experience of preconceptions
which have prevented you from perceiving and appreciating in their just value,
the good things that persons have?
•
Have you perceived the preconceptions which are
behind certain stories, accounts and parables which certain persons tell us?
Concluding Prayer
How blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the Law of Yahweh! Blessed are those who observe his instructions,
who seek him with all their hearts. (Ps 119: 1-2)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét