Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jan 16 2025

Scripture Study for

Cyrus was the Persian ruler who permitted the Israelites to return from captivity in Babylon. He is called God’s anointed, a title ascribed to Israelite kings, and particularly Davidic kings. Cyrus the foreigner is the agent of the release of the Israelites, but their release is for the sake of the enlightenment of the foreign nations. It is not by accident that Cyrus plays this role. God has specially chosen him. This call occurred even though Cyrus did not know the God of Israel. God works through people without their even knowing that it is really God who is directing the events of history.

Paul writes in his own name and in the names of two missionary companions, Silvanus and Timothy. Apparently they were the three men who founded the church in Thessalonica and now they are writing back to their own converts. Paul speaks for all three men when he tells the Thessalonians how grateful the missionaries are for their fidelity to the gospel that was preached to them. The converts are remarkable for their show of faith, love, and hope. Theirs is an active faith, one that produces fruits. Probably the most significant expression of faith is the love that they show to others.

The Pharisees hoped to set a trap to ensnare Jesus. They ask him to interpret a point of law: Should the Jews pay taxes to Rome? If Jesus answers no, he can be accused of political insubordination of the type that might incite others to respond in kind. If he says yes, he will appear to have relinquished Israel’s boast of being a people bound only to God. He says neither yes nor no, but directs them to “give back” or “repay” what is owed to both Caesar and God. Jesus’ response suggests that one can indeed be loyal to both a religious tradition and a secular power. It may be very difficult at times, especially when their claims seem to conflict, but it is possible.

Jan 12 2025

Walking on the Edge

In the Bible, Cyrus of Persia is credited with ending the Babylonian exile. Yet Isaiah is careful to note that Cyrus, unknowingly, is an agent of the God of Israel, who is using him to defeat Babylon and restore the Chosen People to their land. This is why Cyrus is called here the Lord’s “anointed” (Messiah). Cyrus might be expected to believe that one of his own national gods was responsible for assuring his victories, but this is not the case. In fact, God insists, there are no other gods. The larger implication is that the sovereign reach of God extends well beyond Israel to include all of earth’s rulers, most of whom do not even know this God (yet).

When Paul left Thessalonica his companions Timothy and Silvanus stayed behind, joining him later in Corinth with a report of conditions in the northern city. The good report prompts Paul’s thanksgiving. Throughout the letter Paul will attend to the question of Christ’s return, a theme signaled here by the reference to “endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The basis for their faith, love, and hope is the gospel, whose truth was made evident in power. Evidently the Thessalonians had experienced something that allowed them to believe the gospel was more than just another philosophy or religious system. The truth of the gospel was made evident to them, in some way, by its fruits.

The trap set for Jesus places him in a bind. If he refuses to pay the Roman tax, he’s a rebel. If he pays the tax too eagerly, some would consider him a traitor to his people. Jesus cleverly avoids the trap by contrasting the image of Caesar with the image of God. The coin is stamped with the image of Caesar; humans are stamped with the image of God (Genesis 1:27; 9:6). The coin belongs to Caesar, so it’s just a piece of metal; if he wants his coin back, give it to him. Jesus is far more concerned about making sure that God gets back what belongs to God; that is what Jesus’ mission is about.

Jan 12 2025

Scripture Study for

Jan 06 2025

Praying for Justice

Possibly this parable about the widow and the unjust judge was based on a real incident. Since Luke presents Jesus as having loyal women friends who traveled with him, this story might have come from one of them. It has a nice touch of humor when the judge admits he finally gave her justice out of fear she would bop him on the head.

Earlier in this Gospel, Jesus told another parable about being persistent in prayer (11:5–8), but here persistence is connected with a particular end: to persist in praying for justice. If a powerless widow’s persistence moves even an unjust judge to justice, how much more will the Father of Justice listen to the prayers of his children? Jesus’ words were held up to Luke’s community who lived in a hostile environment, encouraging them not to lose faith that God keeps all promises. Their fulfillment had already begun in Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Presumably, our first reading was chosen to present a weary Moses as one persisting in prayer with the help of Aaron and Hur. That this prayer results in Joshua’s successfully “mowing down” the Amalekites may not particularly inspire. More helpful is Paul’s advice to turn to scripture “for training in righteousness (justice),” especially keeping the psalms in mind. Today’s responsorial psalm reminds us that “our help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” So persist in praying for justice; let not your hearts grow weary.

Consider/Discuss

What areas of injustice do you see in our world?
Do you pray that God’s justice—understood as the grace to be in right relationship with God, others, oneself, and our world—come more fully into our lives and our world?

Responding to the Word

O God of justice, we ask that you send the Spirit to give us a greater dedication to bringing your justice into the world. Let our hearts not grow weary asking for this gift of the Holy Spirit. Strengthen our faith in the power of your grace to transform our lives.

Jan 06 2025

Scripture Study for

Many people have been troubled by the thought that God actually directed aggressive military behavior. However, since the Israelites believed that they were God’s special people, they also looked upon their enemies as God’s enemies. In fighting their own battles they would be fighting God’s battles. The support that Moses gets from Aaron and Hur is probably symbolic. Though Joshua and his selected companions ultimately put the Amalekites to the sword, it was really the prayer of Moses that wins the battle. However, Joshua’s involvement in this victory established him as a trustworthy leader for the future.

Paul expounds on the excellence of the sacred scriptures (holy writings) and their usefulness in the lives of Christians. Timothy is reminded of those teachers from whom he learned the message of the scriptures, namely his mother, Eunice; his grandmother Lois; and more recently, Paul himself. Loyalty to his teachers is one reason for Timothy’s own faithfulness to the teaching of the scriptures. Paul believed that all scripture was inspired by God and that it played a very important role in the lives of believers. Having expounded on the glories of the sacred scriptures, he solemnly charges Timothy to remain faithful to his ministerial responsibilities.

Jesus draws a very sharp contrast between a judge and a widow who comes to that judge for justice. The judge is described as fearing neither God nor human beings. By his own admission, he is devoid of such devotion. On the other hand, the woman is a widow, a member of one of the most oppressed classes in Israelite society. Though vulnerable, she is bold, a real match for the judge. He will not give in; she will not give up. The persistence of the woman becomes the model Jesus uses to describe the resoluteness required of God’s chosen ones. Like the woman, they do not know when God will respond to their pleas, and so they must persist.