Woman at the Well, Carl Heinrich Bloch, c. 1865 to 1879, Chapel at Frederiksborg Palace, Copenhagen.

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Third Sunday of Lent (Scrutinies)
Exodus 17:3-7
March 7, 2021

The Biblical readings for Sundays are divided into a 3-year cycle. This year we read from Cycle B which will be feature readings from the Gospel of St Mark. This year however we have the great good fortune of welcoming a new Christian, Makiko Habu Dixon, into the Church and our Parish though Baptism this Easter. As you will see in another section of this email or website, part of the preparation for this is a series of ceremonies called scrutinies. These use the readings from Cycle A which we read last year (the Old Testament reading for Cycle B will be read at the 9 AM Mass). This week however we will examine Exodus 17: 3-7 again as recent events may have given us all a new insight into it since we last discussed it on March 15, 2020.

Last month’s snowfall with resultant freezing temperatures and broken pipes in Texas deepened our understanding of water. We can better understand why ancient peoples were terrified by it. Note that the world was destroyed by water in the flood, but everyone needs it to survive. For desert people this could be very difficult, and it was important that they knew where it could be found. Remember the pictures we saw of Texans in modern cities waiting on long lines for potable water. Some people rose to the occasion and showed great generously, others did not; but certainly much was revealed about Texas. Even those of us thousands of miles away are now aware of much once below the surface of the Lone Star State.

Continue reading “3rd Sunday of Lent – The Lord is Among Us” →

Sacrifice of Isaac, Caravaggio, c. 1603, Piasecka-Johnson Collection (Princeton)
(About this Image)

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Second Sunday of Lent
Genesis 22:1–2, 9a, 10–13, 15–18
February 28, 2021

Our reading today from the book of Genesis is usually called the “sacrifice of Isaac.” It is important to the three great monotheistic religions. The Jews call it the Aqedah (the binding) and it is important for liturgy, especially Rosh Hashanah and mysticism. Christians see it as forerunner of the sacrifice of Jesus. For Muslims Isaac is the perfect Muslim as, for them, he willingly submits to being sacrificed. These developments are important, but not as important or as immediately meaningful, as the original intent. We need first however look at two aspects of the story.

This is the dramatic center of the four stages of the relationship between Abraham and God.

Continue reading “Second Sunday of Lent – God’s Power and Love” →

Noah’s Thanksoffering, Joseph Anton Koch, c. 1803

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
First Sunday of Lent
Genesis 9:8–15
February 21, 2021

The story of Noah and the Ark has been the source of so many movies, children’s toys and stories, and memorable New Yorker cartoons that we can forget that it addresses many serious issues. As we look at this in Lent, we should remember that it is the first time that “covenant” is mentioned in the Bible. A covenant then as now is the way that the LORD wishes to express the kind of relationship he wants with us.

Christian and Jewish scholars agree that covenant is the legal means by which kinship is established between another individual or group. This is not a contract, a mere sharing of goods and services, but a sharing of life.  It usually consists of the stipulation of what this sharing will mean, a sacrifice of an animal, and the swearing of oaths of one or both parties. There is often a visible sign of the covenant and a common meal.

Continue reading “1st Sunday of Lent – God’s Radical Invitation” →

Healing of the Lepers at Capernaum, James Tissot, 1886–1894, Brooklyn Museum

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Leviticus 13:1–2, 44–46
February 14, 2021
 

Today’s first reading from Leviticus might seem to have little to teach us other than the primitive nature of ancient medicine. It does reflect this but much more as well. Before looking at the passage itself we need to examine three issues: the role of the tribe of Levi, the nature of holiness and what ailments were considered skin diseases.

Although counted among the twelve tribes of Israel, the tribe of Levi was not given land of its own after the conquest of Canaan. This was not a punishment but a reward for their faithfulness and zeal for the Lord and his Law. They earned this honor when Moses had returned to the Hebrews camp to find the people worshipping a golden calf.

Continue reading “6th Sunday of Ordinary – Appreciating the Power of God’s Love” →

Moses Speaks to the People, James Jacques Joseph Tissot, c. 1896-1902, Jewish Museum of New York

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Deuteronomy 18:15–20
January 31, 2021

People who believe in a God wish to have a connection and indeed be in communication with him or her. Religions differ on how, why, and by whom this is accomplished. These are important questions but as we will see today, they rest on the basic understanding of who God is.

Our Scriptures give us information about the people who were to become the Jews from about 1400 BC. Most of the Old Testament that we have today was compiled in its present form by 400 BC. There was much evolution in thought during this time, but there are key ideas and themes that become more prominent as the people’s relationship with God developed.

Continue reading “4th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Reminded that We Are Part of God’s Plan” →

The Calling of Saint Peter and Saint Andrew, James Tissot, 1886-1894, Brooklyn Museum

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jonah 3:1–5, 10
January 24, 2021

The book of Jonah is difficult to date with great precision, but scholars suggest that it was written sometime between 300 and 250 BC. This would have been after the conquest of Judea by Alexander the Great in 332 BC and the breakup of his empire after his death in 323 BC. Even the most biblically illiterate person knows of it because of the story of Jonah and the whale, but its message is sublime and one that we may need to ponder now.

Continue reading “3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time – Being Exceptional Without Exception” →

The Calling of Samuel, Joshua Reynolds, c. 1776

Fr. Smith’s Commentary on the First Reading
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Samuel 3:3b-10
January 17, 2021

We know that a moment is important in Jewish History when the LORD calls someone to do his will. We have seen the call of prophets and patriarchs. They know that they will be involved with something big and usually wish to opt out. God however knows who he wants, and no excuses are acceptable.

The situation today is the turn from a clan-based leadership structure to a real monarchy. We examined this a few weeks ago. To briefly review, from roughly 1350 to 1050 BC, the Hebrews were a loose coalition of tribes with similar religious beliefs and a shared dietary code. They desired to be as independent as possible but often needed to unite to fight a common enemy. At this time, they would determine a leader – a war chief – who world organize an army and lead it until they won or lost. This leader was called a judge. This system was like the confederations around them.

Some of these however were developing a more centralized administration which allowed them to maintain a professional army placing the Hebrews at a strategic disadvantage. This would need to change but it would only be a change within their tradition if it were instituted by a holy man called by the LORD. That man was Samuel.

Continue reading “A Call that Will Ring People’s Ears” →