Fr. Roger J. Landry
Overbrook Academy, Greenville, RI
Day of Recollection for the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi
Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time, Year II
Votive Mass for Christian Unity
January 18, 2020
1 Sam 9:1-4.17-19.10:1, Ps 21, Mk 2:13-17
To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:
The following points were attempted in the homily:
- In this Day of Recollection focused on Letting the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col 3:16) in anticipation of the first Sunday of the Word of God (January 26), we see two different reactions to God’s word in the readings. The reactions are surprising. Levi, or Matthew, despite being a notorious public sinner as a tax-collector, leaves all his money on the table to follow Jesus as soon as Jesus calls him. He was one who was not living by the Word of God who replied promptly and whole-heartedly. On the other hand, we see the Scribes who were also Pharisees — Scribes knew the law inside out and Pharisees were committed to living it in all of its details — who objected to Jesus’ eating with and overall ministry with tax collectors and sinners, as if he were violating God’s word. In St. Matthew’s own account of this scene, Jesus calls them out for their failure to understand and live the deeper meaning of God’s word, saying more fully than Mark’s account, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Mt 9:12-13). Despite their commitment to the Word of God, they were missing one of its deep meanings?
- Why? We can learn something from the Venerable Bede’s commentary on this scene from which Pope Francis drew his papal motto Miserando atque Eligendo. St. Bede said that the Lord chose Matthew and the same him he was extending to him his mercy. To hear and heed Christ’s call, we need to need a Savior, we need to be sick in need of a divine physician, we need to be humble enough to recognize our desperate need for mercy. The Scribes and the Pharisees did not think they were sinners in need of a Lamb to take away their sins. That’s one of the reasons why, even though they need the words of God, they couldn’t recognize the Word when at last he came.
- We see a similar deafness play out in the story of Saul. Today we see him seeking out the “seer,” or Prophet Samuel, to consult him about God’s will. At the beginning he sought God. But as we’ll see over the course of time, he begins to grow hard of hearing, seeking his own will rather than God’s, doing evil rather than good, and eventually becomes superstitious, seeking the help of a necromancer. When he sins, rather than turn back to God, he hardens. That’s the essential difference between him and David. When David sinned and Nathan pointed it out, he converted. Saul sought to destroy.
- One area in which we all need to focus on whether we’re hearing and heeding God’s call is with regard to praying for Christian unity. Today the Church begins the Octave of Prayer for Christian unity. We make our own Jesus’ prayer from Holy Thursday praying that we might be one, just as the Father and He are one in the Holy Spirit. We commit ourselves to that communion, starting in our own situations with those we live and work with, the fellow Catholics with whom we worship, and then stretching to union within the Church and with our separated brothers and sisters. The Lord wants mercy. The Lord wants loving communion. Those of us seeking to follow him and do his will will earnestly and perseveringly pray and work to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in making our communion resemble God.
- St. Matthew was present at the first Mass when Jesus turned bread and wine into Himself. The same Holy Spirit who overshadows the priest and the altar to bring about that miraculous change also seeks to transform us into “one Body, one Spirit, in Christ.” Jesus continues to come to be with sinners, seeking to change us to be saints. May we follow him as promptly and as fully as St. Matthew did!
The readings for today’s Mass were:
Reading 1 1 SM 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1
There was a stalwart man from Benjamin named Kish,
who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror,
son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite.
He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man.
There was no other child of Israel more handsome than Saul;
he stood head and shoulders above the people.
who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror,
son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite.
He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man.
There was no other child of Israel more handsome than Saul;
he stood head and shoulders above the people.
Now the asses of Saul’s father, Kish, had wandered off.
Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you
and go out and hunt for the asses.”
Accordingly they went through the hill country of Ephraim,
and through the land of Shalishah.
Not finding them there,
they continued through the land of Shaalim without success.
They also went through the land of Benjamin,
but they failed to find the animals.
Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you
and go out and hunt for the asses.”
Accordingly they went through the hill country of Ephraim,
and through the land of Shalishah.
Not finding them there,
they continued through the land of Shaalim without success.
They also went through the land of Benjamin,
but they failed to find the animals.
When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him,
“This is the man of whom I told you; he is to govern my people.”
“This is the man of whom I told you; he is to govern my people.”
Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said,
“Please tell me where the seer lives.”
Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer.
Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today.
In the morning, before dismissing you,
I will tell you whatever you wish.”
“Please tell me where the seer lives.”
Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer.
Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today.
In the morning, before dismissing you,
I will tell you whatever you wish.”
Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head;
he also kissed him, saying:
“The LORD anoints you commander over his heritage.
You are to govern the LORD’s people Israel,
and to save them from the grasp of their enemies roundabout.“This will be the sign for you
that the LORD has anointed you commander over his heritage.”
he also kissed him, saying:
“The LORD anoints you commander over his heritage.
You are to govern the LORD’s people Israel,
and to save them from the grasp of their enemies roundabout.“This will be the sign for you
that the LORD has anointed you commander over his heritage.”
Responsorial Psalm PS 21:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
R. (2a) Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
O LORD, in your strength the king is glad;
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you refused not the wish of his lips.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
For you welcomed him with goodly blessings,
you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of you: you gave him
length of days forever and ever.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
For you made him a blessing forever;
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
O LORD, in your strength the king is glad;
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you refused not the wish of his lips.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
For you welcomed him with goodly blessings,
you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of you: you gave him
length of days forever and ever.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
For you made him a blessing forever;
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.
R. Lord, in your strength the king is glad.
Alleluia LK 4:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MK 2:13-17
Jesus went out along the sea.
All the crowd came to him and he taught them.
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples,
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
All the crowd came to him and he taught them.
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples,
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
