19th sunday c

Welcome to our Bible
Study
19th
Sunday in Ordinary Time C
7 August 2016
In preparation for this Sunday’s liturgy
In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing
Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

1st
reading: Wisdom 18,6-9
 6 The night of the passover was known beforehand to
our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in
which they put their faith, they might have courage. 7
Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the
destruction of their foes. 8 For when you punished our
adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had
summoned. 9 For in secret the holy children of the
good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with
one accord the divine institution, that your holy ones
should share alike the same good things and dangers,
having previously sung the praises of the fathers.

1st
 6 The night of the passover was known beforehand to
our fathers, that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in
which they put their faith, they might have courage. 7
Your people awaited the salvation of the just and the
destruction of their foes. 8 For when you punished our
adversaries, in this you glorified us whom you had
summoned. 9 For in secret the holy children of the
good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with
one accord the divine institution, that your holy ones
should share alike the same good things and dangers,
having previously sung the praises of the fathers.
The focus is on salvation/liberation.

1st
 6 The night of the
passover was known
beforehand to our fathers,
that, with sure knowledge
of the oaths in which they
put their faith, they might
have courage. 7 Your
people awaited the
salvation of the just and
the destruction of their
foes. 8 For when you
punished our adversaries,
in this you glorified us
whom you had
summoned. 9 For in
secret the holy children of
the good were offering
sacrifice and putting into
effect with one accord the
divine institution, that your
holy ones should share
alike the same good
things and dangers,
having previously sung the
praises of the fathers.
Commentary
 The reading is about the salvation or
liberation of Israel.
 The context from which we can
understand the text is the passover
night, v.6, an exodus event.
 It is even anticipated by the patriarchs
of Israel (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and 12
tribes).
 The Israelites are poised to leave /
escape from Egypt.
 Leaving Egypt means the salvation of
Israel and the destruction of her
enemies. v.7
 Leaving Egypt is punishment for
Israel’s enemies, glorification of the
Israelites. v.8
 V.9 indicates that the Israelites have
been offering sacrifices and doing the
will of God in secret.

Reflections on the 1st
reading
 God is concerned about our salvation and liberation.
 He will do everything to save and free us from anything
that enslaves us .
 The story of the Israelites going out of Egypt must also
be our story.
 Our journey should also be a story of our own salvation
and liberation.
 Think of the instances when you definitely said no to
immoral relationships, addictions, and questionable
transactions.
 When you have not done it yet, you are still far from
heaven.

Resp. Ps 33:1,12, 18-19, 20,22
 R. (12b) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his
own.
 1 Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
12 Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
 18 See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
19 To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
 20 Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
22 May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.

Resp. Ps 33:1,12, 18-19, 20,22
 R. (12b) Blessed the people the
Lord has chosen to be his
own.
 1 Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
12 Blessed the nation whose
God is the LORD, the people he
has chosen for his own
inheritance.
 18 See, the eyes of the LORD
are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his
kindness,
19 To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of
famine.
 20 Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield.
22 May your kindness, O LORD,
be upon us who have put our
hope in you.
Commentary
 The response definitely and originally
refers to the Israelites, the chosen
people of God.
 In v.1, the psalmist exhorts us, if we
are just and righteous, to praise God.
 V.12 repeats the idea of the
response (v.12b)
 V.18 affirms God’s gracious gaze on
those who fear and hope in him.
 V.19 talks about God saving them
from death, even if there is famine.
 V.20 shows the just people’s attitude
towards God.
 V.22 is the prayer for God’s
graciousness of those who hope in
him.

Reflections on the Psalm
 If we want that God will graciously deal with us, we
have to be just and righteous.
 We also have to put our confidence in him.
 In this way, we can properly render him praise and
glory.
 Like the psalmist who recognizes himself as part of the
lucky chosen people, we, Christians, must believe that
we are also chosen by God through our baptism.
 God will also have mercy on us.
 Are we also just and righteous? Do we trust in the
Lord?

2nd
reading: Hebrews 11,1-2.8-19
1 Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence
of things not seen.
 V.1 gives a simple definition of what faith is. It is more of
an end-product (a realization, actualization of hope). It
also proves true the things that are intangible (those of
heaven).
2 Because of it the ancients were well attested.
 The ancients here are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the
forefathers / ancestors of the Israelites. They are made
famous / remembered because of their faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to
a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went
out, not knowing where he was to go.
 This refers to Gen 12 when God asks him to leave his
home in Haran (Mesopotamia) to go to Canaan (now
Palestine). A display of total trust in God.

 9 By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign
country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the
same promise; 10 for he was looking forward to the city
with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.
 Abraham did not have a permanent place. He lived like a
semi-nomad (in tents, near the cities) with his child Isaac
and grandchild Jacob. Isaac and Jacob are sons of
promise. Abraham was looking forward to a most stable
place (Jerusalem).
11 By faith he received power to generate, even though he
was past the normal age-- and Sarah herself was sterile--
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was
trustworthy.
 Abraham, 100 and Sarah, 90, became parents of Isaac.
God cured the sterility of Sarah. God overcame human
limitations. He made even old people give birth.
 12 So it was that there came forth from one man, himself
as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in
the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
 As a result of the miraculous birth of Isaac, Abraham’s
descendants became numerous / countless.

13 All these died in faith.
 The patriarchs died in faith. The explanation is in the
next line.
 They did not receive what had been promised but saw it
and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves
to be strangers and aliens on earth,
 In their lifetime, they did not see God fulfill his promise
of many descendants and land. The children of Israel
became numerous only after about 400 years. They
possessed the land only after the Exodus and the
desert experience in Sinai.
14 for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a
homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land from
which they had come, they would have had opportunity
to return.
 “for those who speak thus” may refer to those still in
exile, not in the promised land. This is totally a different
story. Now, we talk about the exiled people who want to
return to their land. Maybe, it refers better to the exodus
people who are aware of their roots in Canaan.

16 But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for
he has prepared a city for them.
 The author interprets the longing of Abraham’s children.
They desire a heavenly homeland, not the earthly one.
Again the “city” appears. This could refer to Jerusalem, the
heavenly Jerusalem.
17 By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer
his only son, 18 of whom it was said, "Through Isaac
descendants shall bear your name."
 This refers to Gen 22 when God asks Abraham to sacrifice
his son Isaac, the son of promise, on Mt. Moriah
(Jerusalem). God seems to contradict himself. How can his
promise for descendants be fulfilled if he kills his only son?
19 He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the
dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
 This is the interpretation of the author. Sounds
anachronistic. Raising from the dead is a Christian concept
injected into the story of Abraham.

Reflections on the 2nd
reading
 Faith makes everything possible.
 If we have faith like that of Abraham and the patriarchs,
we can move to a better place called the promised land.
 We can sojourn / live in any place. We can reproduce
better. We can be prolific. Our sterilities / barrenness /
sickness can be cured.
 Faith has long lasting effects. Its effects can be felt
century after century.

Gospel reading: Luke 12,32-48
32 Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is
pleased to give you the kingdom.
 Jesus talks to his disciples. He assures them of God’s
kingdom. God is happy to hand them his kingdom.
33 Sell your belongings and give alms.
 In consequence, the disciples should give up their
belongings and be more charitable to the poor.
Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an
inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor
moth destroy.
 Since the disciples belong to the kingdom of God, they must
now change their value system. They should set their minds
on treasures, which cannot be lost or destroyed.
34 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
 The Christian must have proper values, those values that
are taught by Jesus Christ. If the Christian has learned to be
spiritual, his/her heart will be the same.
The focus is on servanthood.
Somebody will read the text in black; the
facilitator reads the text in blue.

35 "Gird your loins and light your lamps 36 and be like
servants who await their master's return from a
wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes
and knocks.
 Christians should be like smart servants, alert, always
ready to welcome and serve their master, whose time of
coming no one knows.
37 Blessed are those servants whom the master (kyrios)
finds vigilant on his arrival.
 Jesus praises the servants, who are vigilant.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline
at table, and proceed to wait on them.
 Jesus will serve them, not vice versa.
38 And should he come in the second or third watch and
find them prepared in this way, blessed are those
servants.
 It repeats what Jesus says in v.37.

 39 Be sure of this: if the master of the house
(oikodespotes) had known the hour when the thief was
coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do
not expect, the Son of Man will come.
 As the master of the house (householder) is always
vigilant, does not take chances, would not allow any
lapses over the security of his house, so the disciples
must be vigilant.

41 Then Peter said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for
everyone?"
 The parable refers to vv.39-40. Peter asks for
clarification.
42 And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and
prudent steward (oikonomos, manager of the household)
whom the master (kyrios) will put in charge of his
servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper
time?
 Jesus indirectly answers Peter with a counter question.
Here Jesus talks about faithful and prudent steward. He
is the one who does his duty, delivering and distributing
the food in due time.
43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds
doing so. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge
of all his property.
 Jesus repeats his commendation to the servants in
vv.37-38. In fact, he will be given more responsibility.
The ideal servant is the one who earns total trust from
his master.

45 But if that servant says to himself, 'My master (kyrios) is
delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants
and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk,
46 then that servant's master will come on an
unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will
punish him severely and assign him a place with the
unfaithful.
 V.45 portrays an irresponsible servant, who does not
take vigil and becomes violent with his fellow servants
and abuses food and drink.
 V. 46 spells out his punishment, by the master who
comes unexpectedly.

47 That servant who knew his master's will but did not make
preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten
severely;
 V.47 continues to enumerate the guilt of the unfaithful
servant (no preparations, actions do not conform to his
master’s will, did not represent him) in spite of knowing or
being informed of his duties. His punishment is also
spelled out here: to be beaten severely.
48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master's will but
acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be
beaten only lightly.
 This verse indicates another servant who does not know
anything about the master’s will. There will be a little
consideration for him in terms of punishment.
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and
still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with
more.
 This saying is the logic of Jesus. More responsibility to
those who are responsible. God will entrust them with
more responsibilities..

Reflections on the gospel reading
 To be a servant, one needs to be responsible.
 He/she should represent the thinking and the ideas of
his master.
 The servant works hard even if the master is not
around.
 His/her behavior is the same as when the master is
present. (Hindi pakitang tao, not dishonest)
 Sign of being a faithful and prudent servant is: more
responsibilities are given to him/her.
 A sign of being unfaithful and imprudent servant:
responsibilities are taken away from him/her.
 Are you entrusted with bigger responsibilities?

Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm
 The first reading reflects on the salvation / liberation of
the Israelite people (God’s servants).
 The psalm recognizes God’s gracious dealing with his
people, who are just and righteous.
 The second reading talks about the faith of Abraham
(God’s servant).
 The gospel reading talks about faithful and prudent
servants.
Our preachings and sharing must be focused on servanthood.

How to develop your sharing/homily
 Begin by talking about servants, katulong, domestic
helpers.
 Filipinos are famous for being domestic helpers here
and abroad.
 Experiences are both positive and negative: high salary,
better working conditions, if the DH has a good
employer. If not, salary withheld, passport taken away,
sexually abused, humiliated. Others come home inside
a box.
 Two kinds of domestic helpers: one is responsible and
is trusted, the other is irresponsible and distrusted.
 Similarly situated are the employees or workers.

 The gospel reading speaks of a true servanthood.
 We, Christians, are all servants. Our master is God. We
serve in his vineyard, in his kingdom.
 God asks us to be responsible servants. We must keep
busy, fulfilling our duties and obligations. There should
be no time to fool around.
 As trusted servants, we must do the will of our Master:
to give food on time. We don’t allow hunger to step into
our house.
 As servants, we must have the following characteristics:
faithful, prudent, hard working, focused on the affairs of
God, vigilant, pro-active (does not allow thieves to come
in).

 The first reading does not talk about
servanthood, but the liberation and salvation to
his people (his servants).
 God wants that his servants are liberated and
free from oppression.
 The servants of God serve God even in secret,
when there is persecution.
 Our service to God must be non-stop.
 We must see to it that we ourselves are
liberated from sin.

 The second reading describes how Abraham
responded to God in faith.
 In faith, Abraham obeyed God who ordered him
to go somewhere.
 Because of faith, God’s promises to Abraham
became a reality.
 To be a servant of God, we must have faith.
 We cannot go anywhere if we have no faith.
 We cannot even find meaning in whatever
happens to us.

 In the government and private offices, many workers /
employees work only when the boss is around.
 When the boss is absent, they play solitaire or
computer games. They open their Facebook account,
chat, etc.
 They engage in ‘tsismis’ and long coffee breaks.
 Sometimes, even when the boss is around, they
flagrantly / shamelessly continue doing their own thing,
violating work ethics.
 They also use the resources of their master (of the
company) for the benefit of their relatives, organizations
or for their own churches. They steal / pilfer office
supplies. (Graft and corruption!)
 They spend much time and energy with a little output.

 The church is not spared of irresponsible leaders,
servant-leaders or ministers.
 They spend much time within the church premises or in
the convent chatting and sour graping.
 They come late for meetings and for formation
conferences.
 Do they have qualities demanded / implied by the
readings?
 Liberated / saved / with faith / trusting in the Lord / responsible
and prudent.
 Far be it from the parishes and churches, leaders who
squander their positions doing nothing for the poor, for
the church and for God’s kingdom.

 The eucharist is a meal of honest, true and responsible
servants.
 In the eucharist, Jesus is our servant and host. He waits
us to graciously respond to his invitation.
 Jesus consoles us, strengthens us in our difficulties and
shortcomings as servants.
 In the eucharist, he supports us to become good and
faithful servants.

Our Context of Sin and Grace
 Dishonest servants
 Works only when the
employer is around
(shameless worker)
 15/30 quincena,
ghost employees
 Abusive
supervisors /
caretakers
 Sexual harrassment
 Loyal and faithful
servant
 Responsible
 Disponible
 Serviceable
 Available
 Just and righteous
(matino)

Suggested Song
 We are made for Service
 Follow Christ
 Make Me a Servant
 Theme of Life
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NiqOkXYY0A

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