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Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B, July 2, 2006

First reading, Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24

The Literary, Historical Setting: In the first century B.C.E., Jews were living in many places around the Mediterranean, and elsewhere, outside the original Promised Land. Many were in Alexandria, Egypt, a cosmopolitan city famous for two great libraries and a university. Many Jews there had "assimilated" into the dominant pagan culture. They and native pagans sometimes ridiculed practicing Jews. So a learned, faithful Jewish sage wrote a book of Wisdom, to bolster the faith of his friends.

Just as they do today, non-believers there were asking the faithful questions like "If your god is so good, how can he permit the deaths of innocent people? How can your god allow all the suffering in the world?" Today's lectionary selection samples the answer proposed by the Book of Wisdom. (The lectionary omits substantial passages of Wisdom, chapter 1 and chapter 2. Those verses are an interesting caricature of the nonbelievers

The Lector's Proclamation: To prepare to read this to the congregation, you might imagine yourself in college again. The scene is a late-night bull-session in your dorm room. You're in a discussion with a sophomore who has had enough philosophy and history courses to convince him to be an atheist. You still believe in God, pretty much, anyway, but you have all the questions that a college student is supposed to have. Your buddy demands, "If your god is all-powerful and all-good, how can he permit the AIDS epidemic [or the Holocaust, or ghetto poverty, ...]. Your response is "God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living..." In other words, read this passage to the congregation as if you were defending the goodness of God against an atheist's criticism.

(This writer doesn't find the Wisdom writer's arguments very satisfying. What's wrong with them and what might be a more acceptable modern response to the "how can God allow ..." question are beyond the scope of this essay. But they're within the scope of one of the books I plan to write when I retire. Please stand by.)

Second Reading, 2 Corinthians 8: 7, 9, 13-15

Then Paul appeals to the example of Jesus, who, indescribably rich as Son of God, emptied himself in assuming human life and death, for our sake. This is a fine example of Paul's frequent blending of profound theology with very practical considerations of the Christian life.

Your Proclamation: Since the congregation won't know the context, offer this preparatory remark before "A Reading from the Second Letter ..."

  In this reading, Paul is asking the Christians in Corinth to contribute to a collection for relief of a congregation in another city. The "gracious act" in which he wants them to excel is the act of charitable giving.  

• You Corinthians have excelled in the spiritual gifts, now it's time to excel in charity. In your proclamation, stress "may you excel in this gracious act also."
• Jesus was rich but emptied himself to make you rich, so follow his example. In reciting this sentence, stress again "gracious act."
• Practically, you're not to become impoverished; just let things be balanced among the congregations. This includes a long sentence that you should speak carefully, contrasting "your" and "their."
• A reference to Exodus 16:18 where the wandering Israelites collected varying amounts of manna, but each wound up with exactly enough. In literary terms, the Hebrew Scripture writers like balanced couplets such as this. Say it with rhythm and a flourish indicating that you're pleased to clinch your argument with a Scripture quote..

Several other commentaries on these passages. All are thoughtful, all quite readable, from the scholarly to the popular. Links may be incomplete more than a few weeks before the "due date."
Lutheran pastor and college teacher Dan Nelson posts notes for a study group	Father Roger Karban's syndicated column about these readings, from June, 2000.
The Text This Week; links to homilies, art works, movies and other resources on the week's scripture themes	Saint Louis University's excellent new liturgy site Most welcome here are Reginald Fuller's commentaries.

The Lectionary selections in the frame at the left, if any, are there for your convenience. The publishers of the page in that frame have no connection, except for membership in the one Body of Christ, with the publisher of this page. Likewise the publishers of the pages on the links above.