ThirtyFirst Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 2023

Title

Serving an Audience of One and He is Love

Outline

I heard a man arguing that Western society is breaking down into a type of feudalism

In some ways that is already true: people with power and influence seek to enhance their good with minimal concerns for the “serfs” they influence and outward, but also minimal, allegiance to the greater “lords” above them. Families may run this way, businesses (in many levels), governing authorities, and even churches.

The problem is that God who knows, sees, and controls all in love, i.e. seeking the good of the other, will not put up with this self-centeredness but calls for genuine love and obedience.

Malachi shows how this works:

A person has vowed a good quality sacrifice to get some benefit from God, but when it comes to offering it, he substitutes a defective one, thinking no one will notice once it is slaughtered. This is not honoring the all seeing God, but trying to hoodwink him. We know this one: “Lord, I give myself to you.” But then we try to limit our “giving” to a couple of hours on Sunday morning and perhaps a quick prayer each day.

The priest, the instructor in the Torah, bends or explains away the Torah, for the sake of his own benefit and his influence over others. Watch this in the political life on both sides of the spectrum, where blatant evil is explained away, sometimes to the politician and sometimes on behalf of the politician. This can also happen with business leaders and others as well - the “priest” benefits in status and money from “approving” the leader.

The end of the chapter is moving into divorce, a breaking of faith in a covenant before God with the “wife of one’s youth” (we would add, or husband) as if God does not notice. Indeed, his judgment is built into the principles governing emotional systems.

Jesus applies the issue to other religious leaders

They want their vestments and ceremonial all correct and nice but the reason is to appear pious, i.e. their status. They may even think that they fool God, but the big thing is the power and status that the right title gives. There have been bishops and popes like this in the Catholic Church, and of course in other Churches as well. Interestingly they teach accurately, so Jesus says to obey their teaching. But realize that they will not help you in your practice nor actually practice themselves.

There is no humility there, no service of others there, and those are the marks of Jesus, who is the audience of one before whom they should serve.

Paul lays it out clearly:

He taught the word of God too, but he also lived it. “although we were able to impose our weight as apostles of Christ, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. . . . We were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us.” Here was truth, but here was also love, the self-sacrificial love of Jesus that seeks the good of the other out of seeking the good of Jesus. All is “coram deo.”

Sisters/Brothers and Sisters, this is a help and a caution to us

First, it helps us spot those who are building their own fiefdoms and setting themselves up as lord or lady, whether in the church or in society at any level. Recognize that while they may occupy a position from which they may disseminate true instruction, they are not fooling God, they are not under God, there is neither the humility nor the concern for self-sacrificial service of Jesus or Paul. They are not acting coram deo. Do not copy such or give them honor, at least in your heart.

Second, realize that your or I can fall into the same trap, seeming to obey God while cutting corners or making compromises, doing things for the benefit of our own status, honor, or power rather than out of the love of God and then true love for our neighbor, teaching things to children or adults that we are not able or willing to live.

Both Malachi and Jesus talk about God’s judgment falling on such, sooner or later; we should rather want to be like “all the saints” who were the genuine article and ended up in the presence of God, which should be our goal in life.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 11-5-2023: Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Malachi 1:14b–2:2b, 2:8–10

14 Cursed is the cheat who has in his flock an intact male,

and vows it, but sacrifices to the LORD a defective one instead;

For a great king am I, says the LORD of hosts,

and my name is feared among the nations.

CHAPTER 2

1 And now, priests, this commandment is for you:

If you do not listen,

2 And if you do not take to heart

giving honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts,

I will send a curse upon you

and your blessing I will curse.

In fact, I have already cursed it,

because you do not take it to heart.

8 But you have turned aside from the way,

and have caused many to stumble by your instruction;

You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,

says the LORD of hosts.

9 I, therefore, have made you contemptible

and base before all the people,

For you do not keep my ways,

but show partiality in your instruction.

10  Have we not all one father?

Has not one God created us?

Why, then, do we break faith with each other,

profaning the covenant of our ancestors?

Catholic Daily Readings 11-5-2023: Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Text

PSALM

Psalm 131:1–3

1 A song of ascents. Of David.

LORD, my heart is not proud;

nor are my eyes haughty.

I do not busy myself with great matters,

with things too sublime for me.

2 Rather, I have stilled my soul,

Like a weaned child to its mother,

weaned is my soul.

3 Israel, hope in the LORD,

now and forever.

Catholic Daily Readings 11-5-2023: Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

1 Thessalonians 2:7b–9, 13

7 although we were able to impose our weight as apostles of Christ. Rather, we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children. 8 With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well, so dearly beloved had you become to us. 9 You recall, brothers, our toil and drudgery. Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

13 And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly, that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.

Catholic Daily Readings 11-5-2023: Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 23:9b, 10b

9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.

10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah.

GOSPEL

Matthew 23:1–12

1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens [hard to carry] and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them. 5  All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6  They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, 7 greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ 8 As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. 10 Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you must be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 11-5-2023: Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2023 | ORDINARY TIME

THIRTY-FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Malachi 1:14b–2:2b, 2:8–10

Response Text

Psalm Psalm 131:1–3

Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 2:7b–9, 13

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 23:9b, 10b

Gospel Matthew 23:1–12

GREEN