May 27, 2009

Acts 20:28-38
28Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock the Holy Spirit has placed into your care. Shepherd the Church of the Lord that he has won at the price of his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, ruthless wolves will come among you and not spare the flock. 30And from among you, some will arise corrupting the truth and inducing the disciples to follow them.
31Be on the watch, therefore, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease to warn everyone even with tears. 32Now I commend you to God and to his grace-filled word, which is able to make you grow and gain the inheritance that you shall share with all the saints.
33I have not looked for anyone’s silver, gold or clothing. 34You yourselves know that these hands of mine have provided for both my needs and the needs of those who were with me. 35In every way I have shown you that by so working hard one must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘Happiness lies more in giving than in receiving.’”
36After this discourse, Paul knelt down with them and prayed. 37Then they all began to weep and threw their arms around him and kissed him. 38They were deeply distressed because he had said that they would never see him again. And they went with him even to the ship.


Commentaries: Paul returns to Palestine. He had a presentiment or he knew by a revelation of the Holy Spirit that another phase of his life was about to begin: the years of prison and trials. So he wished to say goodbye to all the leaders of the Church in the Roman province of Asia. He did not know all of them well, since the evangelization of this province had been the work of his team of assistants (20:4). These leaders are called elders in verse 17 and inspectors (or “episcopes,” from which we have bishops) in verse 28. See on this subject the commentary on Phil 1:1.
Paul gives his own example and develops the obligations of “pastors” in the Church (v. 28). He then invites them not to enclose themselves in the role of president or administrator of the community: they must prepare it for difficult times. Let them compare themselves with Paul and ponder on the sacrifices that the apostolic task demands of him. Is it good for them to rely on another – an apostle of course – when they are confronted with difficulties?
In verses 28-30, we have the warning of divisions and heresies in the Church: the same message will reappear in the Pastoral Letters (2 Tim 3:1-9). We are used to seeing Christians divided. For Paul, it was unthinkable. When he speaks of “the Churches of Christ” (Rom 16:4, 16; 1 Cor 4:17; 11:16), he is only thinking of the local communities who communicate among themselves and all accept without discussion the same faith and tradition of the apostles. Paul alludes to what awaits him: all that we can do is to follow Christ, who has acquired his Church by his own blood. Only in heaven will a leader of the Church find rest and retirement (20:32).
In verses 33-35 Paul takes up the resignation discourse of Samuel (1 S 12:3). How quickly can a person be self-serving and look after self in any apostolic work.
The text also mentions the “bishops” (that word means inspectors). We do not know if they are the elders themselves, or only some of them, those with greater responsibility.



Psalms 68:29-36
29Summon your power, O God, with the strength you have wielded for us.
30To your temple in Jerusalem, kings will come with gifts.
31Rebuke the beast that dwell in the reeds, and the herd of bulls. Humble them; let them bring gold and silver. Scatter the nations who delight in war.
32Let wealth come from Egypt; let Ethiopia extend its hands to God.
33Sing to God, O kingdoms of the world; sing praises to the Lord, 34to him who rides the ancient heavens and speaks in the voice of thunder.
35Proclaim the might of God; he is great in Israel, powerful in heavens.
36Awesome in his sanctuary is the God of Israel. He gives his people power and strength.
Blessed be God!


Commentaries: We have here a very ancient psalm, fairly picturesque, although in certain places the text may be obscure, having been badly preserved.
This psalm was sung in processions going up to Jerusalem. The faithful knew God was with them and the procession was like the entry of the triumphant God into his Temple.
This explains the images we find in this psalm. The Lord God has come from Sinai to the Holy Land, mounted on the clouds, or on the cherubim. He has been at the side of his people, and his miracles in the desert startled nature (vv.9-10). The enemy kings are defeated: this is a reference to the victory of Deborah at the torrent of Kishon (Jdg 4). The psalmist then remembers the choice of God’s mountain, Jerusalem (vv. 16-17). This choice causes jealousy in the great mountains.
All ends with a vision of the future full of hope. God who rides on the clouds will manifest himself to all the nations. In the liturgy, this psalm is used for the Ascension of the Lord.


Jn 17:11-19
11I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world whereas I am going to you. Holy Father, keep them in your Name (that you have given me,) so that they may be one, just as we are.
12When I was with them, I kept them safe in your Name, and not one was lost except the one who was already lost, and in this the Scripture was fulfilled. 13But now I am coming to you and I leave these my words in the world that my joy may be complete in them.
14I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world; just as I am not of the world. 15I do not ask you to remove them from the world but to keep them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world; 17consecrate them in the truth – your word is truth.
18I have sent them into the world as you sent me into the world, 19and for their sake, I go to the sacrifice by which I am consecrated, so that they too may be consecrated in truth.