Saturday of the Tenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year A. June 17, 2017
1st Reading: Second Corinthians: 5:14-21
Brothers and sisters: The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. The word of the Lord.
Response: Ps: 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
R/. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Holy Gospel: 5:33-37
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow. But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.” The gospel of the Lord.
SATURDAY REFLECTIONS:
This line comes to us from Jesus within the context of Him teaching us about the morality of taking an oath. The lesson is essentially a presentation of the basic principle of “truthfulness” found in the Eighth Commandment. Jesus is telling us to be honest, to say what we mean and mean what we say. One reason Jesus brings this up, within the context of His teaching about taking oaths, is that there should be no need for a solemn oath regarding our ordinary daily conversations. Sure, there are some oaths that take on solemnity such as Marriage vows or vows and promises solemnly taken by priests and religious.
In fact, in every Sacrament there is some form of solemn promise taken. However, the nature of these promises is more of a public expression of faith than a way of keeping people accountable. The truth is that the Eighth Commandment, which calls us to be people of honesty and integrity, should suffice in all daily activity. We do not need to “swear to God” about this or that. We should not feel a need to convince another that we are telling the truth in one situation or another. Rather, if we are people of honesty and integrity, then our word will suffice and what we say will be true simply because we say it.
Together we pray: Lord, help me to be a person of honesty and integrity. For the times that I have twisted the truth, deceived in subtle ways, and outright lied, I am sorry. Help my “Yes” to always be in accord with Your most holy will and help me to always turn from the ways of error. Jesus, I trust in You that You alone will heal our sick brethren and set them free. May the souls of our faithful departed brethren rest in perfect peace, amen. Have a blessed and fulfilled weekend.