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Contemplating today's Gospel

Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)

Monday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
View 1st Reading and Psalm
1st Reading (Wis 1:1-7): Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the Lord in goodness, and seek him in integrity of heart; because he is found by those who test him not, and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him. For perverse counsels separate a man from God, and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy; because into a soul that plots evil, wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin. For the holy Spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels; and when injustice occurs it is rebuked. For wisdom is a kindly spirit, yet she acquits not the blasphemer of his guilty lips; because God is the witness of his inmost self and the sure observer of his heart and the listener to his tongue. For the Spirit of the Lord fills the world, is all-embracing, and knows what man says.
Responsorial Psalm: 138
R/. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O Lord, you have probed me and you know me; you know when I sit and when I stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My journeys and my rest you scrutinize, with all my ways you are familiar.

Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, o Lord, you know the whole of it. Behind me and before, you hem me in and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your spirit? From your presence where can I flee? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.

If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea, even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast.
Versicle before the Gospel (Phil 2:15d.16a): Alleluia. Shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life. Alleluia.
Gospel text (Lk 17:1-6): Jesus said to his disciples, “Scandals are bound to occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.

Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’ you should forgive him.”

And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

“And if he wrongs you seven times in one day… you should forgive him”

Fr. Pedro-José YNARAJA i Díaz (El Montanyà, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, the Gospel presents us with three important themes. First, our attitude toward children. While other passages have praised the virtues of childhood, this one warns us about the harm that can be done to them.

To ‘scandalize’ does not mean to shock or surprise as we might assume. The Greek word used by the evangelist is ‘skandalon’, which means an object that causes someone to stumble or slip—like a stumbling block or a hidden obstacle. Children must be shown great respect, and woe to anyone who leads them into sin in any way (cf. Lk 17:1). Jesus warns of severe punishment for such a person, using a vivid and dramatic image. In the Holy Land, you can still see ancient millstones that resemble massive weights. Throwing the one who leads others astray into the sea with such a stone around their neck expresses a terrible judgment. Jesus uses language that borders on dark humor. Woe to us if we harm children or lead them into sin! And there are many ways to harm them: lying, fostering selfish ambition, pursuing success unjustly, or catering to their vanity.

Secondly, forgiveness. Jesus asks us to forgive as many times as needed, even if it’s repeatedly on the same day, as long as the other person is repentant, even if it pains our soul: 'If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him' (Lk 17:3). The measure of charity is the capacity to forgive.

Third, faith. More than a wealth of understanding (in a merely human sense), faith is a 'state of mind,' the fruit of experiencing God, and the ability to act with trust in Him. “Faith is the beginning of true life,” says St. Ignatius of Antioch. Those who act with faith can achieve amazing things, as the Lord says: “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you” (Lk 17:6).

Thoughts on Today's Gospel

  • “To practice fraternal correction — which is so deeply rooted in the Gospel — is a proof of supernatural trust and affection. Be thankful for it when you receive it, and don’t neglect to practice it with those around you.” (Saint Josemaria)

  • “Faith trusting in Christ, welcoming him, letting him transform us, following him to the very end makes humanly impossible things possible in every situation.” (Benedict XVI)

  • “Anyone who uses the power at his disposal in such a way that it leads others to do wrong becomes guilty of scandal and responsible for the evil that he has directly or indirectly encouraged. ‘Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!’” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2287)