14th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (A)

My yoke is easy, and my burden light.

Mt 11:25-30

v. 25. At that time Jesus said in reply, "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of hea-ven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Rather than see in it a “sapiential” language related to Sir 51 or with Prv 8; Si 24 and Wis 6-8, it seems preferable to link it to “apocalyptic” language as found in the book of Daniel. While the wise men were unable to interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar (Dn 2:3-13), the mystery was revealed to Daniel who has invoked the God of heaven (2:18-19.28) and who praised God for giving him wisdom (2:23). He speaks of the kingdom established by God himself (2:44).

In Matthew the little ones are the disciples (Mt 10:42) to whom these things have been revealed (Dn 2:29). The mystery referred to is the kingdom of heaven (Mt 13:11).

v. 26. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

Literally: Yes, O Father, for it is thus pleasing to you. This expression recalls the voice of the Father at the baptism of Jesus (3:17) and Is 42:1 cited in Mt 12:18.

v. 27. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

“All things” refer to the kingdom and its secrets. The words are better situated in the apocalyptic tradition (Dn 2:22.28-29; 7:10-27) rather than within the sapiential tradition (Sir 24. 51) and Hellenistic tradition.

It is one of the three passages (with 21:37 and 24:36) where Jesus affirms in-directly his unique relationship with God, his Father (cf. Mk 14:36; Lk 2:49; 24:46; and Jn 20:17).

v. 30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.

The image of the yoke, already known in the OT (Jer 2:20; 5:5; and Hos 10:11), is commonly understood in Judaism as the law of God, written and oral (Sir 6:24-30; 51:26-27). This yoke is not always felt as heavy and painful. The joy of the yoke was known in Judaism (Sir 51:26-27).

Here, in the same perspective of the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), begun with the announcement of the happiness of the reign of God, Jesus contrasts his liberating interpretation of the law against the legalism of Judaism. He does so because Jesus communicates to men, together with a renewed law, the joy of the Kingdom.

CORPUS CHRISTI (A)

And the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.

Jn 6:51-58

v. 51. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world."

The last section of this discourse is about the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Even if the Johannine style of this passage is generally acknowledged , it is not impossible that these verses may have been added later to the chapter or on the contrary, that John may have added here a very old tradition.

Here “flesh” means every things that belongs to the reality of the human being, with all his possibilities and limitations (1:14; 3:6; 8:15; 1Jn 4:2).

Perhaps John has preserved an independent liturgical tradition that translated literally the Aramaic word “bistra” which Jesus would have used at the Last Supper. John insists on the salvific value of the incarnation.

John has preserved in his own way the traditional formula which expresses the salvific dimension of the death of Jesus. There is a connection between the fact that Jesus is the source of eternal life and the fact of his death. And for this reason he talks about the bread that he shall give (10:11.15; 11:50-52; 15:13; 17:19; 18:14; 1Jn 3:16).

v. 53. Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you."

One finds here that greater portion of the themes developed in the preceding sections and in retrospect, the development of these sections take on a Eucharistic meaning.

v. 54. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.

The literal translation of “eat” is “masticate” and “chew with the teeth”. John uses a vocabulary that is particularly realistic in order to describe participation in the Eucharist. In so doing he puts the readers on guard against the Docetist interpretation of the ministry of Jesus. According to Hebrew custom the food taken at the paschal meal should be chewed carefully.

The Son of man came down from heaven and will go up to heaven and those who believe in him and participate of the sacrament will share in this heavenly life that is in him. The Eucharist is the leaven of the resurrection for those who believe (6:39.40.44; 5:21-29).

v. 55. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

At the Last Supper the bread and wine, the body and blood of Christ, fulfills eminently the purpose of the bread and drink which is to ensure life.

v. 57. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.

To live is to enter into communion with the Son and therefore, with the Father. This exchange, done in mutual knowledge and love, is assured in a stable and definitive way. The Eucharistic banquet is at the present time is a privileged sign of this communion.

TRINITY SUNDAY (A)

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.

Jn 3:16-18

v. 18. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not be-lieve has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

For Judaism and many New Testament texts the final judgment is awaited as the end of history. For John instead, judgment has taken place when a man finds himself before Christ and in a particular way, before the cross (16:11) and rejects that revelation (3:19-21)

Faith in the name of the Son consists in acknowledging and in invoking with trust the power of the person of the Son. The name manifests the person (2:23; 3:18; 1 Jn 3:23; and 5:13). Faith is adherence to Christ acknowledged as Son of God and as revealer.

PENTECOST

And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Acts 2:1-11

v. 1. When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.

The Jewish feast of Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after Passover. It com-memorates the covenant of Sinai between God and Israel. Crowds of Jews from many countries congregated in Jerusalem. This was the scene for the first outpouring of the Spirit from Jesus (2:33). This gift manifested itself with a kind of outburst of many languages.

In Luke the preaching of Jesus began at Nazareth (Lk 4:16-30). Here the apostolic preaching began in Jerusalem (1:8).

v. 2. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.

This is probably the same place as 1:13-14. There the apostolic group gathered and prayed.

v. 3. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.

The tongues of fire evokes the same source of power which grants the gift of speaking in languages and of expressing oneself with a new language.

v. 4. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

The phenomenon which is produced certainly evokes “glossolalia” o “speaking in tongues”. The apostles express themselves in the manner of the ancient prophets (Nm 11:25-29; 1 Sam 10:5-6; and 1 Kgs 22:10).

In any case Christians seized by the Spirit in the early Church (10:46; 19:6; and 1Cor 12-14) spoke in a state of frenzy (2:13). But speaking in other languages is meant to make themselves understood in the language of other peoples. This point is very important to the author of Acts. The gift of the Spirit re-establishes here the unity of language which was lost at the tower of Babel (Gn 11:1-9) and prefigures the universal dimension of the mission of the apostles (1:8).

v. 5. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.

These are not only the pilgrims going to Jerusalem for the Pentecost but also Jews coming from all parts of the world who had come to stay permanently in Jerusalem.

v. 10. Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome….

These nations enumerated more or less from east to west with Judea as center probably represents the whole of the inhabited world.

v. 11. “…both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God."

Converts. Here and in 6:5 this term designates those men who, wirhtout being Hebrew by birth, were joined to the chosen people not only through the observance of the Law but have also accepted circumcision.

ASCENSION

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.

Mt 28:16-20

v. 16. The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them.

Matthew does not identify the mountain just as he does not identify the mountain of the transfiguration (17:1) and the mountain of the third temptation (4:8)

v. 17. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.

The mention of doubt is surprising, especially after stating that the disciples worshipped Jesus. It does not correspond to the recognition of the Lord, as often happens in the classic scheme of the stories of the apparitions (Lk 24:11.37-44; Jn 20:25-27 and Mk 16:11.13-14).

Some critics instead see in it a clarification added to a tradition which presented the encounter of the living Lord with his disciples in the form of an epiphany, simila to the eschatological announcement of Dn 7:14.

One can also translate as follows: They who have doubted (not Jesus but the words of the women).

v. 18. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

He who on the mountain of the temptation has refused to receive from the devil dominion over the kingdoms of the earth (4:9-10), proclaims that he has reveived it from God (Dn 7:14); nay more, he received dominion over heaven and earth, in conformity with the belief of the primitive church (Acts 13:33; Rom 1:4; Phil 2:5-11; and 1Tim 3:16).

v. 19. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name

of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit…

These nations are not only the pagans but also the Jews (24:9.14; and 25:32). In contrast to his way of acting during his public life (10:5-6.23; and 15:24), Jesus now fulfills the prophecy of Is 42:6; 45:18-20; and 49:6.

“In the name of…” means that a personal relationship is established with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is an indication that the Trinity was already known in the early church (1Cor 12:3-5; and 2Cor 13:13). The baptismal formula was probably derived from the practice of the early church (Didache).

v. 20. “…teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

With these words the Risen Christ takes up and fulfills the figure and the promise of the divine presence in the OT (Ex 3:12; Jer 1:8; Is 41:10 and 43:5; Mt 1:23). He does not only guarantee particular gifts (Lk 24:48 and Jn 20:22), or an enduring presence (Mt 18:20) but an effective assistance all days, even during persecution. In this sense the presence of Jesus is similar to that of the Paraclete of John (Jn 14:16; and16:7-11).