25th Sunday of the Year (B)

(Edited) Sunday reflections (from) liturgical years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

September 20, 2015
Liturgical readings
Wisdom 2:12, 17-20
Psalm 54
James 3:16 - 4:3
Mark 9:30-37

"Christ put His arms around a little child."

World history records kingdoms built on the power of military force. This is the order in history by which peoples or nations dominate others and the areas around them. Christ, however, points to a kingdom built not on military force but towards a supernatural order: one that is ordered according to His Father's love for all who are obedient to His will. He points (as this Sunday gospel states) to a little child - one model of humility and obedience who can signify this kingdom. Since His disciples were arguing about who was the most important among themselves, Christ settled the dispute by presenting a little child to His followers, and made them understand, that a "child" in God's kingdom knows that the most important Person of all is the Father. The Father is the One who provides and cares for all His children.

And since the disciples of Jesus still understood that the Christ, the Messiah, was to be a political figure who would redeem the people Israel from their bondage to Rome, they misunderstood the mission of Jesus. It is a mission not to be completed through military force, but would include the event of Christ's passion, death and resurrection. Because of this mentality, they were overwhelmed by the tragic events Christ had to go through in Golgotha. They had become fearful - fleeing and seeking refuge in the Cenacle for fear of the Jews. Only when their Master and Lord rose again from the dead did they find comfort and courage again - with a peace that only a Father in Heaven can give. In all His resurrection appearances, Jesus greeted all His followers with "Peace". It was this gift of peace that healed the wounds of violence that entered the soul of the apostolic community. They would then receive greater courage to preach this gift of peace after the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Relating to God as Father is part of every Catholic's profession of faith. And Christ made all His apostles and followers understand that in Him they also see the Father. This faith in God as Father and the piety which developed in the history of Catholic devotions is seen in the life and example of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and St. Gabriel Possenti, a Passionist. For those who have read St. Therese's autobiography, it is easy to understand why the example of her life embodies what Christ Jesus says in this Sunday's gospel. In her autobiography, she tells the story of how she grew in the context of a family devoted to God with respect for sisters and parents, especially her father. The Church thus preaches that God entered the history of mankind and the world in the context of family. The Church upholds this value of family as a living and vibrant seed for vocations that can bring the message of Christ to all cultures in the world.

St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

St. Matthew, originally called Levi, was probably born in Galilee - the son of Alphaeus. He became a publican tax collector - a social status that was considered low by Jewish religious society and is associated with sinners. When he was in his post as tax collector one day, Jesus called him and he immediately responded and soon became one of the apostles of Jesus (Mt 9:9-13; 10:3).

Matthew is the author of the first gospel, which was written at about the same time as the gospel of Luke was written - ca. 70-80 A.D. The gospel was originally in Aramaic, a Hebrew tongue known to be the native language of Jesus of Nazareth. Although what we have is the Greek translation of the gospel, many passages in the gospel reveal without question that the author is a Jewish Christian of Palestinian origin who was writing to Jewish Christians.

According to tradition, St. Matthew preached in Judea first and then went to the East where he suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia. This is in the records of the Roman martyrology. Legends say he may also have been martyred in Persia.

Art often represents the gospel of Matthew with a human face. The reason behind is because Matthew starts his gospel with the human genealogy of Jesus. Mark is represented by a lion [since the gospel starts with John the Baptist in the wilderness]; Luke is represented by an ox [signifying an animal of sacrifice]; and John is represented by an eagle [signifying the high and lofty beginning of the gospel through the prologue].

The gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as a "new Moses" who often preaches and teaches from a mountain [cf. Sermon on the Mount]. Bible scholars teach that just as Moses went up the mountain of Sinai to help seal the covenant of God with His people Israel, so does Jesus who seals the new covenant, not with the blood of animals, as was the tradition of the Jews in the Old Testament, but with His own blood on the cross at Calvary.

The Church celebrates the feast of St. Matthew, the great apostle and evangelist, on September 21

Memorial of Saints (September 21)

Obligatory and Optional Memorials of Saints

• Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist;
• Maura of Troyes, virgin;
• Michael of Chernigov and Theodore, martyrs

St. Matthew is the author of the first gospel, which was written at about the same time as the gospel of Luke was written - ca. 70-80 A.D. The gospel was originally in Aramaic, a Hebrew tongue known to be the native language of Jesus of Nazareth. More details on St. Matthew as Apostle