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Commentary on 1 Timothy 4:12-16

Having given Timothy instructions on the qualities needed for ‘bishops’ and ‘deacons’, Paul goes on with some advice for Timothy himself. First, Paul tells him not to allow anyone to look down on him or ignore him because of his relative youth. It is believed that Timothy was in his mid-30s or even younger. Perhaps, for this reason, his leadership was called in question by older, or even younger, members of the community. In those days, positions of community leadership would normally not be held by someone so young.

We have seen that, in general, the leaders of the churches were called ‘elders’, because they were ‘senior citizens’. It was believed that wisdom and experience went with age. But there could be exceptions. One outstanding example was the Macedonian Alexander, who, even as a very young man, had a mesmeric influence on his troops.

Timothy is to counter this possible disadvantage, not by exerting his authority or throwing his weight about, but by the way he speaks and behaves. He will have the greatest influence by his display of love for all, the evident depth of his Christian faith, and his “purity” which includes not only sexual propriety, but integrity in general. He is to be a totally transparent person. It is a recipe for any Christian leader today.

While he waits for Paul’s arrival, he is to devote himself to reading to the people, presumably from the Old Testament and from the Christian tradition that had been gathered by that time. Depending on the date when the Letter was actually written, the Gospels may not yet have been put together. If a later date is accepted, then Matthew, Mark and Luke could have been in circulation.

Paul also reminds Timothy that he has been given by the community a solemn mandate and a charism to carry out his mission of church leadership:

Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.

The “laying on of hands” could be the rite for transmitting a grace or charism. It could be the gesture used when blessing, or healing, or imparting the Holy Spirit to the newly baptised. It could also be the rite for consecrating a person for a particular ministry, as in this passage and later in the same letter (1 Tim 5:22). With this laying on of hands, Timothy is endowed with a special grace and authority to carry out his special ministry. (Notice he was given his ministry by the ‘lay’ elders of his community who laid hands on him. Ultimate authority is in the community.)

The gift is also given “through prophecy”. The ‘prophet’ was a person highly esteemed in the Christian communities of Paul’s time. In Paul’s list of charisms in the First Letter to the Corinthians, ‘prophets’ are listed immediately behind ‘apostles’ in importance, ahead of teachers, healers and administrators (see 1 Cor 12:28). The prophet did not just foretell the future. He or she was one who could communicate a special message of encouragement or warning from God to the community. It is likely that Timothy’s being chosen for his special ministry was the result of such a prophetic utterance. Since the day on which he received the imposition of hands, Timothy has had a permanent charism (‘grace-gift’) that consecrates him to his ministry.

If Timothy conscientiously follows the instructions of Paul, then everyone will see how well he does. And he will bring about the salvation both of those who listen to him and his own. Salvation is both an event and an ongoing process. We are saved at the time we say ‘Yes’ to Christ’s call, but are still being saved in the sense of continually being made more conformed to Christ’s image (1 Cor 1:18). In Baptism we become incorporated into the Body of Christ and experience his redeeming love, but it is at the same time only the beginning of a long journey of an ever-deepening experiencing and living out of that love. As they say, not to go forward is to go back.

The advice Paul gives to Timothy can be applied in large measure to all of us. We should not judge others or allow ourselves to be judged merely on the matter of age, whether we are young or old, or on any other prejudicial stereotype for that matter—being a woman, disabled, member of a religious or ethnic minority, our sexual orientation or anything else.

Second, the quality of our Christianity is ultimately judged by the way we externally live our Christian calling, not just by what we say or the authority labels we attach to ourselves. As Jesus said about the Pharisees:

…do whatever they teach you and follow it, but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.
(Matt 23:3)

What people can see should also clearly reflect what is inside. We cannot, in any case, live a false life for very long. As the Gospel reminds us, a rotten tree cannot bear good fruit.

Third, we too need to recognise and reflect on the unique gifts we have been given by which we are called to serve the community.

Lastly, the quality of our external Christian witness depends a great deal on an interior life enriched by reading, reflection and especially regular prayer. We cannot enrich others with something we do not have. That, in a nutshell, is Paul’s advice to Timothy—and to each one of us.

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Robert Bellarmine was born on 4 October, 1542, at Montepulciano in Tuscany, Italy, to a noble, but impoverished family and was a nephew of Pope Marcellus II. As a boy he knew Virgil by heart and became adept at writing Latin verse. One of his hymns, on Mary Magdalene, is in the Breviary. He could play the violin and was good at debating. In 1560, at the age of 18, he entered the Jesuits and made his studies in Rome, Padua and Louvain. During his time of formation, he also taught Latin and Greek in Florence and Piedmont for a number of years. He was ordained priest at Ghent in 1570.

He then went to Louvain and began a long career in the teaching of theology. He lectured on the Summa Theologica of St Thomas Aquinas, while attacking the opinions of Baius on grace and free will. He also authored a book on Hebrew grammar. After seven years there his health deteriorated under the pressure of his studies and his ascetical life. He returned to his native Italy to restore it. He was kept in Rome by Pope Gregory XIII to lecture on polemical theology, dealing with the controversial issues of the day, in the newly opened and Jesuit-run Roman College. These lectures would become the basis of his Disputationes de controversiis christianae fidei (Disputation on the Controversies of Christian Faith). This was a comprehensive presentation of Catholic teaching. It showed such erudition in Scripture, on the Fathers and Protestant theology that it was believed to be the work of several scholars. It met with immediate acclaim, but was banned in England by the government.

Robert was also involved in a revision of the Vulgate (the Latin translation of the Bible) and the production of a famous catechism which would still be in use 300 years later. Following the death of Henry III of France, Pope Sixtus V sent a legate to Paris to negotiate with the League, and chose Bellarmine as his theologian. Bellarmine was in the city during its siege by Henry of Navarre who would become king.

In the latter part of his life, one appointment followed another. In 1592, he was made Rector of the Jesuits’ Roman College. Two years later he became the Provincial of the Jesuit Province of Naples.

In 1597, Pope Clement VIII made him his theological adviser, and two years after that named him to the College of Cardinals (as a Cardinal-Priest). These honours did nothing to change his austere lifestyle. He lived on a diet of bread and garlic and was known to have used the curtains of his apartment to clothe the poor.

In 1602, he was made Archbishop of Capua and immediately was deeply involved in pastoral and welfare work. But he resigned his see after only three years when he was called back to Rome in 1605 by Pope Paul V to become Prefect of the Vatican Library, as well as being active in several Vatican Congregations.

His reservations about the temporal power of the Papacy are said to have put him out of favour with Pope Sixtus V and even to have delayed his canonisation. He was, however, vindicated by later theologians. In the famous controversy on the relationship of the sun to the earth, Bellarmine showed himself sympathetic to Galileo’s case, but had urged the scientist to proceed more cautiously and to distinguish hypothesis from truth.

In his old age he was allowed to return to his old home, Montepulciano, as its bishop for four years, after which he retired to the Jesuit college of St Andrew in Rome. He received some votes in the conclaves which elected Popes Leo XI, Paul V, and Gregory XV, but only in the second case had he any prospect of election. During his retirement, he wrote several short books intended to help ordinary people in their spiritual life: The Mind’s Ascent to God (1614), The Art of Dying Well (1619), and The Seven Words on the Cross.

He died in Rome on 17 September, 1621, at the age of 79. Though physically a small man, he was a giant in intellectual ability and personal warmth. He prayed every day for the Protestant theologians with whom he disagreed, and never (as was often the case on both sides) made abusive attacks on them.

He was canonised in 1930 and named a Doctor of the Church in 1931. Considered the outstanding theologian of his age, he is remembered for his dedication to the truth, charity in disputation, and austerity of life. As one person commented:

“The man wore only one Cardinal’s outfit. Despite his friends’ best efforts to get him some new clothes, his patches had patches.”

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Commentary on Luke 7:31-35

Today’s passage follows immediately after the scene (not in our Mass readings) where Jesus answers the query from John the Baptist, now languishing in prison, about whether Jesus is truly the Messiah. Jesus uses the occasion to speak words of high praise for John:

I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John, yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. (Luke 7:28)

Jesus now criticises the cynicism and self-contradictory attitudes of those who reject both him and John. They have simply closed their ears and want to hear nothing and learn nothing. He compares them to children in a city square calling to their playmates:

We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.

This comparison Jesus applies to John the Baptist and himself. John led an austere life in the desert eating, as we are told elsewhere, only locusts and wild honey. They said he was mad and rejected him. Jesus came leading a highly convivial life, mixing with all kinds of people. They called him a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and other sinful people. He even invited a tax collector to be one of his twelve Apostles!

It was a no-win situation. When people are like that there is really nothing that can be done. Jesus concludes with the enigmatic statement:

…wisdom is vindicated by all her children.

Both John and Jesus could be described as children of Wisdom, whose origin is God himself. Those who can see the hand of God in the lives of John and Jesus are also children of Wisdom. Those who adamantly refuse to see God are not.

It is important for us not to fall into such a trap. God speaks to us in so many ways and through so many people and situations. It is very easy to find ourselves excluding, a priori, the people or situations by which God is trying to reach us.

We cannot expect God to speak to us only in ways which we find congenial. He may speak to us through a saint or a sinner, through a conservative or a liberal, through a straight or gay person, or through a man or a woman or a young child. Perhaps he speaks through an old person or a young person, or through an educated or an illiterate person, or through someone we know or someone we don’t. We have at all times to be ready to listen with an unprejudiced mind and heart.

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Commentary on 1 Timothy 3:14-16

The first part of today’s reading is an immediate follow-up on yesterday’s about the qualities required of bishops (episkopoi) and deacons (diakonoi).

Paul is writing to Timothy from Rome in the hope of being able to pay him a personal visit in the near future. But in case his visit is “delayed” (because he may actually be in prison), he is sending the present letter in order to instruct him on his responsibility of setting high standards of conduct in the Church of Ephesus and its nearby towns:

I am writing these instructions to you so that, if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

The care he must exercise over this community is required by the profound nature of Christianity, as:

…the mystery of godliness is great.

A full understanding of our Christian faith and of the Church requires a great deal of prayer and reflection. And, unless there is a deep understanding of what it is about, one cannot expect Christians to behave in a desirable manner.

Then, using what seems to be part of a liturgical hymn from the Ephesian church, Paul expresses that “mystery” at the heart of Christian belief. It consists of six brief statements grouped in pairs:

He was revealed in flesh,
vindicated in spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed among gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.

It centres on Christ, pre-existent (from all eternity the Word was with God), but through the Incarnation, appearing in human flesh. He was justified in the Spirit, which came down on him during his baptism in the Jordan:

And a voice from the heavens said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:17)

Thus the mission of Jesus is fully endorsed, as will happen again at the Transfiguration.

The holiness and divinity of Christ were also proved by his rising in glory. The Holy Spirit enables Jesus to drive out demons (see Matt 12:28) and perform wonderful signs. Most importantly, the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead and thereby vindicated him, proving that he was indeed the Son of God. The mystery of his Person was revealed to the angels (at his resurrection and ascension), and proclaimed to the Gentiles (by people like the Apostles and Paul and Timothy).

The response of the Gentiles results in people believing in Jesus throughout the world. As Paul wrote, ‘world’ refers to the Mediterranean region, the world in which he lived, but of course, it has since become a reality far beyond his wildest imagining. Finally, through his resurrection and ascension Christ has been taken up in glory, sitting at the right hand of the Father.

It is important for us to realise how deep is the mystery of our Christian faith centred on the Trinity and the Incarnation. It is inevitable that people, including bishops and priests, have different understandings of that faith, even after much study. Such differences should lead to a readiness to listen to others rather than lock ourselves into our own understanding. And let us remember what Jesus said was the only true sign of our belonging to him:

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:35)

Because, wherever there is love, God is also there. That, of course, does not excuse us (depending on our abilities) from trying to have the best understanding possible of the meaning of our faith.

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Nothing certain is known of Cornelius’ early life. After Rome had been without a bishop for about a year because of the persecution of the Emperor Decius, Cornelius, a member of the Cornelia family, was elected Bishop of Rome in 251 by the clergy and people. The principal difficulty he had to face was not persecution, but divisions in the Christian community arising out of the reconciling of those who had lapsed by, for instance, denying their faith. A priest, Novatian, was against the bishop’s policy of forgiveness. He claimed that the Church had no power to pardon those who had lapsed during time of persecution. The same applied to cases of murder, adultery and even in the cases of those who had entered a second marriage (also seen as a form of adultery). Novatian then set himself up as a rival pope.

However, Cornelius, with the strong support of Cyprian, whose feast we also celebrate today, insisted that the Church did have the power to forgive apostates and other sinners. And that they could be readmitted to the Eucharistic table after having performed an appropriate period of penance. Some letters of Cornelius to Cyprian, together with Cyprian’s replies, have survived.

A synod of Western bishops in Rome in October of 251 upheld Cornelius, condemned the teachings of Novatian, and excommunicated him and his followers. When persecutions of the Christians started up again in 253 under Emperor Gallus, Cornelius was exiled to Centum Cellae (Civitavecchia, a coastal town, northwest of Rome), where he died a martyr probably of hardships he was forced to endure. But Cyprian called him a martyr and later accounts said that Cornelius had been beheaded. He was buried at Rome in the crypt of Lucina, where his tomb can still be seen with the inscription Cornelius Martyr. A painting of Cyprian was added to the wall of the crypt in the 8th century.

Cyprian (Thasius Cecilianus Cyprianus) was born about the year 200 at Carthage in North Africa. He was of a wealthy and distinguished pagan background. He was either of Punic stock or, as is sometimes claimed, a Berber. In fact, the site of his eventual martyrdom was his own villa.

He became an orator, a teacher of rhetoric, and an advocate in the courts before being converted to Christianity about 245. After his baptism, he gave away a portion of his wealth to the poor of Carthage, as befitted a man of his rank. He gave up all pagan writing and devoted himself exclusively to Scripture and Christian commentaries. He particularly liked Tertullian, whom he regarded as his master. In the early days of his conversion he wrote an Epistola ad Donatum de gratia Dei (Letter to Donatus concerning God’s grace), and three books of Testimoniorum adversus Judaeos that adhere closely to the models of Tertullian, who influenced his style and thinking, and are largely interesting as documents about the history of antisemitism.

A few years after his conversion he was ordained priest, and in 248 was proclaimed Bishop of Carthage by the clergy, the people and with the agreement of neighbouring bishops. However, a small number of people refused to recognise the appointment. And very soon he was facing the persecution of the Emperor Decius. He took refuge in a safer place, but kept in contact with his flock by letter. During the persecution, a number of Christians renounced their faith by sacrificing to idols or bought certificates which falsely claimed they had made the sacrifices.

After a suitable period of penance, Cyprian reconciled these apostates. One of his priests, Novatus, accepted them back without imposing any penance. However, as we saw with Cornelius, Novatian the anti-pope, denied that the Church had the right to absolve them. Cyprian, for his part, insisted on quiet compassion, on the unity of the Church and the need for obedience and loyalty on the part of all. In 251, his policy towards the lapsed was approved by the Council of Carthage.

Another controversial issue was the validity of baptism performed by people not in union with the pope, by heretics and apostates. Contradicting the opinion of Pope Stephen II, Cyprian was against the validity of these baptisms and in this was supported by other North African bishops. The issue was resolved only after the death of Stephen and Cyprian by the Church’s acceptance of the Roman tradition in favour of the validity of such baptisms.

At the end of 256, a new persecution of the Christians under the emperor Valerian broke out, and both Pope Stephen and his successor, Sixtus II, were martyred in Rome. In Africa, Cyprian courageously prepared his people for the expected edict of persecution by his De exhortatione martyrii. He himself was brought before the Roman proconsul Aspasius Paternus on 30 August, 257. He refused to sacrifice to the pagan deities and firmly professed Christ. The consul banished him to remote Churubis. From here he comforted as best he could his flock and exiled clergy. In a vision he saw his approaching fate. After a year he was recalled, but kept a prisoner in his own villa. A new and more stringent imperial edict demanded the execution of all Christian clerics.

On 13 September, 258, Cyprian was imprisoned by orders of a new proconsul, Galerius Maximus. On the following day he was examined for the last time and sentenced to die by the sword. His only answer was “Thanks be to God!” The execution was carried out at once in an open place near the city. A large crowd followed Cyprian on his last journey. He took off his garments without assistance, knelt down, and prayed. After he blindfolded himself, he was beheaded.

The body was interred by Christians near the place of execution, and over both his tomb and place of execution, churches were erected. They were later destroyed by the Vandals. Charlemagne is said to have had the bones transferred to France and Lyons, Arles, Venice, Compiègne, and Roenay in Flanders all boast possession of the martyr’s relics.

Contemporary writings indicate a devoted and pastoral bishop who was deeply respected. His thoughts are best revealed in his writings. Among the most important are his De Catholicae Ecclesiae Unitate (On the Unity of the Universal Church), De Lapsis (On the Apostates), De Habitu Virginum (On the Dress of Virgins) as well as sermons and letters.

Cornelius and Cyprian are linked together in the Catholic liturgy and are mentioned in the First Eucharistic Prayer.

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Commentary on Luke 7:11-17

This story is only found in Luke’s Gospel. It is one of only three stories in the Gospel where Jesus is described as bringing a dead person to life. The most dramatic is the story of Lazarus told in John’s Gospel. There is the also the story of the synagogue leader’s daughter (Luke 6:40-56; Mark 5:21-43; Matt 9:18-26), although it is not categorically certain that she had actually died. She might have been in a coma or catatonic state.

In the thinking of the time, today’s scene is particularly sad. A woman, who has already lost her husband, has now lost her only son—her only means of support. She is on the way to bury him.

The lot of the widow in those days—often a relatively young woman—was particularly difficult in a society where the married woman was no longer the responsibility of her own family, and who, after the death of husband and children, was no longer the responsibility of her husband’s family either. She was largely left to her own devices in a society where social welfare of any kind was unknown.

Jesus himself is deeply moved at her plight. At this point, for the first time, Luke refers to Jesus as “Lord”, a title reserved for God himself. He approaches the litter (not a coffin as we know it) carrying the dead man and touches it, causing the bearers to stop. He then says:

Young man, I say to you, rise!

As in other similar stories, the word used for “rise” is the same as that used when describing the resurrection of Jesus, for he:

…came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
(John 10:10)

The reaction of the people around is one of awe and admiration:

Fear seized all of them, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”

They had no doubts about the origin of what they had seen taking place; it was the work of God. Not surprisingly, the story spread like wildfire all through Judea and beyond. The episode prepares the way for Jesus’ response to the disciples of John the Baptist a little later (not included in our Mass readings during this time).

This story should help us to look at our own situation and see, first of all, how alive we really are. Let us look around and see how many people need to be lifted up and helped to find new life. Maybe we can do something for them.

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Commentary on 1 Timothy 3:1-13

When Paul wrote this Letter to Timothy, the early Church was still developing the leadership and pastoral structures with which we are now familiar. Paul today has advice for “bishops” and “deacons” and lays down the criteria on which they are to be chosen. The actual structure of ‘bishop’, ‘priest’ and ‘deacon’ as we know it now had not yet taken form.

The Jerusalem Bible has a useful overview of the situation:

“The word episkopos (‘overseer’, ‘supervisor’ or ‘president’) had not yet acquired the same meaning as ‘bishop’ and seems sometimes to overlap with the presbuteros (‘elder’). In the earliest days each Christian community was governed by a body of elders (‘presbyters’, from which comes the English word ‘priests’), who were prominent and respected people in the community. This was the case both in Jerusalem and in the Diaspora (the communities scattered through East Asia and to the west) and it merely continued both the ancient practice of the Old Testament and the more recent practice of the Jews.”

These episkopoi who are not yet ‘bishops’ in our modern sense and who are mentioned in connection with the diakonoi (servants, attendants, assistants, deputies, ministers, ‘deacons’) seem, in some passages, to be identical with the elders. The Greek word episkopos (taken over from the pagan world probably as an equivalent for a semitic title) indicated the duty of an administrative officer, while presbuteros indicated the status or dignity of the same officer. The episkopoi in the college of presbyters may have taken turns to carry out their official duties of administration and leadership.

It is quite certain that Christian presbuteroi or episkopoi were not merely concerned with the practical side of organising things: they had to both teach and govern. They were appointed by the Apostles or their representatives by the imposition of hands; their powers derived from God and were charismatic. The word episkopos eventually replaced analogous titles like proistamenos (official), poimen (pastor or shepherd), hegoumenos (guide or leader).

These heads of the local community who developed into our priests (presbuteroi) and bishops (episkopoi) were helped by diakonoi (deacons). The transformation of a local assembly ruled by a body of bishops or presbyters, into an assembly ruled by a single bishop set over a number of priests (a stage reached by the time of Ignatius of Antioch, who died, about 107 AD) must have involved an intermediate stage. This would have been when a single episkopos in each community was given the same powers over that local community which had previously been exercised over several communities by the Apostles or their representatives like Timothy or Titus.

The overseers/elders were carefully chosen by the communities, and hands were laid on them to indicate their appointments were blessed by the Holy Spirit. This is the beginning of the sacrament of Holy Orders. Paul himself was not a bishop; he was an Apostle and evangeliser. And it is not certain that Timothy was a bishop; his work seems to have been more similar to that of Paul, an animator and visitor of communities scattered over the whole of the eastern Mediterranean.

In this Letter and in the whole New Testament there is as yet no mention of ‘priests’ as we know them now. As we saw, the word ‘priest’ is a corruption of the Greek word presbuteros or ‘elder’. We see these elders mentioned as leaders of their communities and even presiding at the celebration of the Eucharist. It would not be quite accurate to call them ‘laymen’ as distinct from ‘clergy’, because in the Church at this time neither term would have been used. The distinction between ‘clergy’ and ‘laity’ simply did not exist.

However, there was another type of priest represented by the Greek word hiereus, from which comes our word ‘hier-archy’ (meaning, rule by priests). This was a word applied to temple priests, whether of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem or the many thousands of temples scattered throughout the Greek and Roman world. In the beginning, the Church did not have this type of priest, nor did it want to. And the reason was clear.

For the early Christians, there was only one Priest in this sense and that was Jesus Christ himself. He was both the Priest (hiereus and not presbuteros) and the Victim of the sacrifice made on the cross, a sacrifice which in its infinite value replaced all other sacrifices before and after, a sacrifice that need never again be repeated. This is all beautifully laid out in the Letter to the Hebrews (see Heb 5:1-10).

Our Eucharistic celebration is a representation of that unique sacrifice on the cross, which was sacramentally anticipated at the Last Supper. The one who presides is now called a ‘priest’, of which the Latin translation is sacerdos, the equivalent of hiereus. But it is the bishop who is now regarded as having the fullness of priesthood. These developments took place in the Church over the course of centuries.

In today’s reading, Paul gives Timothy a detailed character-sketch of what the presiding bishop and the deacon should be. Many, but not all, of the requirements are just as valid today.

Regarding the ‘bishop’ or presiding elder, Paul says that to desire to fill this role is a noble thing and that is why he (it was always a man) had to be of impeccable character. He then lists the desired qualifications, of which, first and foremost was:

…a bishop must be above reproach, married only once…

This was to preclude any violation of God’s marriage law, whether through polygamy or marital unfaithfulness. As the bishops were, by definition, chosen from the older men of the community, Paul assumed they already would be married and have children. But an otherwise qualified unmarried man was not necessarily barred. It is also improbable that the standard forbade an bishop to remarry if his wife died. The most likely meaning is simply that a faithful monogamous married life must have been maintained.

The chosen man must also be:

…temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money.

He must also:

…manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

Furthermore, the prospective bishop:

…must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

And finally:

…he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.

It is quite a demanding list of qualities, even by today’s standards, and one that many bishops and priests might find it hard to meet.

Next comes the list of qualifications for a ‘deacon’ (diakonos). The word ‘deacon’ refers to someone who serves the community and in general is seen on a lower level than the presbuteros (priest, elder) or episkopoi (bishop). Authority and ministry in the community is always seen in terms of service rather than control. Jesus himself had said he came to serve and not to be served (Mark 10:45). ‘Minister/ministry’, from the Latin minister/ministerium means one who serves and is the equivalent of the Greek diakonos/diakonia.

The men chosen in Acts 6:1-6 were probably not only the first deacons mentioned in the New Testament, but also the first to be appointed in the Church. Generally, their service was meant to free the leaders to give full attention to prayer and the ministry of the word (see Acts 6:2,4).

As a person with responsibility in the community, the deacon (diakonos), too, has to meet certain standards. Paul says they:

…must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons.

Women too are mentioned at this point, but it is not clear whether Paul is referring to women deacons, as some would hold, or only speaking about the deacon’s wife. Paul in his Letter to the Romans writes:

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae… (Rom 16:1)

However, it is also disputed as to what exactly her status was.

In any case, these women, deaconesses or deacons’ wives, are to be:

…serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things.

Returning then to the deacon, Paul says he, like the ‘bishop’, must:

…be married only once, and let them manage their children and their households well…

Finally, says Paul,

…those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

In more recent times, and especially since the Second Vatican Council, the concept of ministry has been broadened in our Church. It had become largely confined to the bishop and the priest. Now the order of deacon has been enhanced and certainly also includes married deacons. And there does not seem to be any intrinsic objection why women could not also be deacons, but some sadly see this as the thin end of the wedge leading to women priests.

In addition, other ministries have been introduced on a non-clerical level, such as Scripture readers (lectors) and ministers of the Eucharist. Paul speaks of a wide range of ministries by which people could actively contribute to the life and work of the community and this vision is being restored.

It is for every Christian and every parishioner to ask themselves how they can actively and constructively contribute to the service of their community or parish. This is what gives life to a parish and draws people into it. And we need to pray and work for enlightened and practical solutions to the critical shortage of pastoral leadership in so many parts of the Church today.

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Commentary on Hebrews 5:7-9; Luke 2:33-35 or John 19:25-27

There are two choices for today’s Gospel reading. The first is from Luke’s account of the Presentation in the Temple. While they were in the Temple, Mary and Joseph met the holy man Simeon, who had been promised that he would not die before laying eyes on the Messiah. When he meets Mary and Joseph, he recognises the Messiah in the baby she is holding. He then proceeds to make some prophecies about Jesus and, addressing Mary herself, tells her:

…a sword will pierce your own soul, too.

He does not specify what that “sword” might be, but now we can see that it particularly alludes to the suffering and death of Jesus which she witnessed. However, the “sword” can also be applied to the other painful experiences we remember as the Seven Sorrows of Mary.

The alternative Gospel reading is from John’s account of the Crucifixion where he mentions that “his mother” was present as her Son died:

…standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Also standing next to his mother was “the disciple whom he loved”.

Seeing them there, Jesus entrusts the ‘Beloved Disciple’ to the care of his Mother, while telling the Beloved Disciple that Jesus’ Mother is now his also. Some would see in this scene the Mother of Jesus as symbolising the Christian community. There is to be a relationship of mutual support between the community and its dedicated members. The community exists for the well-being of the individual members and each member is committed in turn to the well-being of the community.

The First Reading is from the Letter to the Hebrews and speaks of Jesus’ passionate prayer to his Father that he not have to go through the terrible death of the Cross. And his prayer was heard because of his total submission to his Father. It was precisely through the acceptance of his suffering that he learnt to be totally at one with the will of his Father:

…and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him…

He became a source of salvation for all who unite themselves to him. And who was more united to Jesus than his Mother? It is because of her acceptance of and identification with the sufferings of her Son that we celebrate her memory today.

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Today’s feast is clearly linked with yesterday, when we celebrated the Exaltation of the Cross. Only the Gospel of John records that his mother Mary was present at the Crucifixion:

…standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25)

In the Synoptic Gospels, women are recorded as standing at some distance from the cross, but his mother is not mentioned among them. One can hardly imagine the pain and grief that Mary must have undergone to see her only Son dying in such terrible suffering over a period of several hours. Mary, as the first and greatest disciple of her Son, shared in a very special way in the redeeming death of her Son and Lord.

Devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows flourished in the Middle Ages. From that time comes the well-known hymn, Stabat Mater, which we still recite during the Stations of the Cross:

At the Cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

Since the 14th century, these seven sorrows have been linked to Mary:

1. The Prophecy of Simeon—During the Presentation in the Temple, when Simeon foretold that a sword of sorrow would pierce Mary’s heart (Luke 2:22-37).
2. The Flight into Egypt—When Mary and Joseph took the new-born Jesus to the safety of Egypt to escape the massacre of the children in Bethlehem (Matt 2:13-18).
3. The Loss of the Child Jesus for Three Days—When Jesus was 12 years old, he accompanied his parents to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. After being missing for three days, his distraught parents found Jesus in the Temple in discussion with the teachers of the Law (Luke 2:41-52).
4. Meeting Jesus on the Way to Calvary—A traditional scene, familiar from the Stations of the Cross, where Jesus meets his mother as he carries his Cross on the way to his crucifixion on Calvary (but not mentioned in Scripture).
5. The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus—As the Gospel of John tells us, the Mother of Jesus was present at the foot of the Cross and kept vigil with her Son as he died (John 19:25-27).
6. Jesus Taken Down from the Cross—Again, a traditional scene from the 13th Station of the Cross and also represented in art by the Pieta (though again, there is no scriptural reference for this scene).
7. Jesus Laid in the Tomb—This is recorded in all four Gospels. The burial took place close to the place of crucifixion because of the coming Sabbath day. It must have been a painfully sad moment for the Mother who must have believed this would be the very last time she would lay eyes on her Son (Matt 28:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-50).

By remembering Mary’s sufferings in this way, we realise how close she was to the redeeming work of her Son. As mentioned, she is his first and closest disciple. Especially in Mediterranean countries, statues of Our Lady of Sorrows are traditionally carried in processions on the days leading to Good Friday.

No feast in her honour was included in St Pius V’s Tridentine Calendar in 1570. Approval for the celebration of a feast in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows was first granted to the Servite order in 1667. By inserting the feast into the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, Pope Pius VII extended the celebration to the whole of the Latin Church in 1814. It was assigned to the third Sunday in September. In 1913, Pope Pius X moved it to 15 September, the day after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

Our Lady of Sorrows is traditionally depicted in art dressed in black with seven swords piercing her heart. These seven swords symbolize the chief seven sorrows of her life. Devotion to the Sorrows of Mary inspired the work of art we call the Pieta, the grieving Mother holding her dead Son in her arms after he has been taken down from the Cross.

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(Note:When this feast is celebrated on a weekday, there is a choice of readings before the Gospel. If the feast falls on a Sunday, both readings are read.)

Commentary on Numbers 21:4-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17

The Gospel reading is from John. He compares Jesus’ being lifted up on the Cross to the incident in the Book of Numbers (one of today’s Readings), where a plague of serpents is sent against the Israelites because of their constant complaining against God. When they beg Moses for help, God tells him to put an image of a serpent on a pole. All those who look at the bronze serpent would be healed.

In a much more radical way, Jesus is also lifted up so:

…that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

And this life comes because Jesus’ giving of his life on the Cross is a sign of his Father’s love for each and every one of us. For, as Jesus will tell his disciples at the Last Supper:

No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)

And in today’s reading he also says:

Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.

The word “Exaltation” in the name of today’s feast means a ‘lifting up’, and in the Gospel of John, Jesus says that he, being “lifted up” will draw all peoples to himself. This ‘lifting up’ refers not only to Jesus’ being physically raised on the Cross. In John’s presentation of the Paschal Mystery, Jesus dies on the Cross, passes to new life (Resurrection), returns to the Father (Ascension), and breathes forth the Spirit (Pentecost). Jesus is totally ‘exalted’ on the Cross.

The Second Reading is from the Letter of Paul to the Philippians and contains the famous kenosis hymn about Jesus. Kenosis means an ‘emptying’. Jesus was the Incarnate Son of God and shared the divinity with his Father and the Spirit on an equal level. Yet, in order to bring us salvation and life without end, Jesus:

…emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
assuming human likeness.

He did this in service to us. He adopted our human condition totally and he even went lower than this by submitting to one of the most terrible forms of death, death by crucifixion. And all of this was to help us understand the extent of his Father’s love for each one of us.

Because of this self-giving and self-emptying:

Therefore God exalted him even more highly
and gave him the name
that is above every other name,
so that at the name given to Jesus
every knee should bend,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Hence, the Cross is a much esteemed symbol for Christians everywhere and a way by which they express their faith. We place a cross in our churches and homes, in the classrooms of our schools and in other Christian institutions. Many wear a cross as part of their dress.

We remember Jesus’ words to his followers:

…whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. (Matt 10:38-39)

As we often sing after the Consecration during the Eucharist:

Dying, you destroyed our death; rising you restored our life.