September 11, 2004 - Saturday, 23rd Week in Ordinary Time

BUILT ON ROCK

Readings:
1 Cor 10:14-22; Ps 116:12–13, 17–18; Lk 6:43-49

Opening Prayer

Lord our God,
let the word of your Son sink into our hearts
so deeply and so firmly
that all of our life is marked by it.
Let no trial or doubt or fad or fear
be powerful enough to shake that faith;
for in you we trust
and on you we rely
on account of him who is the living proof
that you love us and want us to be happy,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction:
       Though Christians can eat the meat that had been used in pagan offerings, they can never take part in the sacred meals of sacrifices offered to idols, for that would be tantamount to communion with the false god. They should remember that the Christian sacrifice signifies that they are in union with Christ, who makes us one when we eat his body and drink the cup of his sacrifice.

First Reading: 1 Cor 10:14 – 22

We, though many, are one Body,
for we all partake of the one bread.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
My beloved ones, avoid idolatry. I am speaking as to sensible
people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of
blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the Blood of
Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the
Body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though
many, are one Body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
Look at Israel according to the flesh; are not those who eat
the sacrifices participants in the altar? So what am I saying?
That meat sacrificed to idols is anything? Or that an idol is
anything? No, I mean that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to
demons, not to God, and I do not want you to become participants
with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and
also the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the
Lord and of the table of demons. Or are we provoking the
Lord to jealous anger? Are we stronger than him?

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 116:12–13, 17–18

R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

Gospel Introduction:
       Luke makes two main points today. Christians will be recognized for what they are worth by their Christian living. The faith that is in their hearts overflows in their deeds. God's word has sunk in into their hearts and only goodness in accordance with the gospel will have to come from them. In such people faith is solid; it is built on rock, it does not waver. The rains and the storm of trials cannot blow that faith apart.

Gospel Reading: Lk 6:43-49

Jesus said to the crowd, "No healthy tree bears bad fruit, no poor tree bears good fruit. And each tree is known by the fruit it bears: you don't gather figs from thorns, or grapes from brambles. Similarly the good person draws good things from the good stored in the heart, and an evil person draws evil things from the evil stored in the heart. For the mouth speaks from the fullness of the heart.

"Why do you call me: 'Lord! Lord!' and not do what I say? I will show you what the one who comes to me and listens to my words and acts accordingly, is like. That one is like the builder who dug deep and laid the foundations of his house on rock. The river overflowed and the stream dashed against the house, but could not carry it off because the house had been well built.

"But the one who listens and does not act, is like a man who built his house on the ground without a foundation. The flood burst against it, and the house fell at once: and what a terrible disaster that was!"

Commentary

TREES don't tell lies; only human beings tell lies. There is a scientist who has been working for many years at teaching a chimpanzee to use language. One day he knew he had made a breakthrough: the chimp told a lie! (He tried to blame someone else for breaking a mug.) That lie showed that the chimp now had a sense of being a separate self; he had stepped aside from the truth; he had an ego, like us. The ego is the fundamental lie. We are the only creatures on this earth who tell lies: we and one chimp! We settle our very identity on a lie. That is why it is so hard-even for the world's greatest teachers-to dispel it: it's not just a puff of nothing; it's the self-assertion of intelligent beings.

Jesus faced this fundamental lie in his adversaries, "You are from your father the devil. He does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me" (Jn 8:44-45). I have to imagine these words addressed directly to myself.

But the truth emerges eventually. "The work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it," wrote St. Paul (1Cor 3:13). One day we will be completely truthful. Perhaps that is the attraction that trees have-and nature generally: those are being that are already true to the core. Sit under a tree for an hour, and it will become harder to tell a lie afterwards!

Intentions

- That we may not just hear and know the word of God but live by it consistently and enthusiastically, we pray:

- That the Lord may be our rock in whom we put our trust and on whom we build our lives, we pray:

- That our friendships may be firm and reliable, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
you offer us the bread and the cup
of your Son Jesus Christ.
We are eager to share his food
that unites us, in all our diversity,
in one community of service and love.
We are also willing to drink his cup,
even when it is at times a cup of suffering.
Accept our offering
on account of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord God, our Father,
your Son has been here with us
and this is enough for us
to keep our faith and hope alive
and make it as solid as rock.
Let this faith bring forth
fruits of goodness that come from the heart:
compassion with those who grieve,
justice, kindness and service.
Keep us all in your love
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

Scripture often calls God our Rock. Our faith becomes rock-solid when it is built on him and also when it shows what we are in what we do. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

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