Joseph Kenny OP: Readings Lent Tuesday 5

READINGS: LENT TUESDAY V

Invitatory Psalm & BACK

PSALMS and BACK
ἰδοὺ νῦν καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος, — ἰδοὺ νῦν ἡμέρα σωτηρίας

Even Years: Numbers 14:1-25
1 וַתִּשָּׂא כָּל־הָעֵדָה וַיִּתְּנוּ אֶת־קוֹלָם וַיִּבְכּוּ הָעָם בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא׃
2 וַיִּלֹּנוּ עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַל־אַהֲרֹן כֹּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם כָּל־הָעֵדָה לוּ־מַתְנוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם אוֹ בַּמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לוּ־מָתְנוּ׃
3 וְלָמָה יְהוָה מֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת לִנְפֹּל בַּחֶרֶב נָשֵׁינוּ וְטַפֵּנוּ יִהְיוּ לָבַז הֲלוֹא טוֹב לָנוּ שׁוּב מִצְרָיְמָה׃
4 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו נִתְּנָה רֹאשׁ וְנָשׁוּבָה מִצְרָיְמָה׃
5 וַיִּפֹּל מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם לִפְנֵי כָּל־קְהַל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
6 וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן־נוּן וְכָלֵב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּה מִן־הַתָּרִים אֶת־הָאָרֶץ קָרְעוּ בִּגְדֵיהֶם׃
7 וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל־כָּל־עֲדַת בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר עָבַרְנוּ בָהּ לָתוּר אֹתָהּ טוֹבָה הָאָרֶץ מְאֹד מְאֹד׃
8 אִם־חָפֵץ בָּנוּ יְהוָה וְהֵבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וּנְתָנָהּ לָנוּ אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הִוא זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ׃
9 אַךְ בַּיהוָה אַל־תִּמְרֹדוּ וְאַתֶּם אַל־תִּירְאוּ אֶת־עַם הָאָרֶץ כִּי לַחְמֵנוּ הֵם סָר צִלָּם מֵעֲלֵיהֶם וַיהוָה אִתָּנוּ אַל־תִּירָאֻם׃
10 וַיֹּאמְרוּ כָּל־הָעֵדָה לִרְגּוֹם אֹתָם בָּאֲבָנִים וּכְבוֹד יְהוָה נִרְאָה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד אֶל־כָּל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ פ
11 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה עַד־אָנָה יְנַאֲצֻנִי הָעָם הַזֶּה וְעַד־אָנָה לֹא־יַאֲמִינוּ בִי בְּכֹל הָאֹתוֹת אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי בְּקִרְבּוֹ׃
12 אַכֶּנּוּ בַדֶּבֶר וְאוֹרִשֶׁנּוּ וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אֹתְךָ לְגוֹי־גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ׃
13 וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה אֶל־יְהוָה וְשָׁמְעוּ מִצְרַיִם כִּי־הֶעֱלִיתָ בְכֹחֲךָ אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה מִקִּרְבּוֹ׃
14 וְאָמְרוּ אֶל־יוֹשֵׁב הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת שָׁמְעוּ כִּי־אַתָּה יְהוָה בְּקֶרֶב הָעָם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר־עַיִן בְּעַיִן נִרְאָה אַתָּה יְהוָה וַעֲנָנְךָ עֹמֵד עֲלֵהֶם וּבְעַמֻּד עָנָן אַתָּה הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם וּבְעַמּוּד אֵשׁ לָיְלָה׃
15 וְהֵמַתָּה אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד וְאָמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמְעוּ אֶת־שִׁמְעֲךָ לֵאמֹר׃
16 מִבִּלְתִּי יְכֹלֶת יְהוָה לְהָבִיא אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּע לָהֶם וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם בַּמִּדְבָּר׃
17 וְעַתָּה יִגְדַּל־נָא כֹּחַ אֲדֹנָי כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ לֵאמֹר׃
18 יְהוָה אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב־חֶסֶד נֹשֵׂא עָוֹן וָפָשַׁע וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה פֹּקֵד עֲוֹן אָבוֹת עַל־בָּנִים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִים׃
19 סְלַח־נָא לַעֲוֹן הָעָם הַזֶּה כְּגֹדֶל חַסְדֶּךָ וְכַאֲשֶׁר נָשָׂאתָה לָעָם הַזֶּה מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד־הֵנָּה׃
20 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ׃
21 וְאוּלָם חַי־אָנִי וְיִמָּלֵא כְבוֹד־יְהוָה אֶת־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ׃
22 כִּי כָל־הָאֲנָשִׁים הָרֹאִים אֶת־כְּבֹדִי וְאֶת־אֹתֹתַי אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂיתִי בְמִצְרַיִם וּבַמִּדְבָּר וַיְנַסּוּ אֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי׃
23 אִם־יִרְאוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָם וְכָל־מְנַאֲצַי לֹא יִרְאוּהָ׃
24 וְעַבְדִּי כָלֵב עֵקֶב הָיְתָה רוּחַ אַחֶרֶת עִמּוֹ וַיְמַלֵּא אַחֲרָי וַהֲבִיאֹתִיו אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־בָּא שָׁמָּה וְזַרְעוֹ יוֹרִשֶׁנָּה׃
25 וְהָעֲמָלֵקִי וְהַכְּנַעֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב בָּעֵמֶק מָחָר פְּנוּ וּסְעוּ לָכֶם הַמִּדְבָּר דֶּרֶךְ יַם־סוּף׃

1 The whole community then cried out in dismay, and the people wept all that night. 2 All the Israelites muttered at Moses and Aaron, and the whole community said to them, 'Would to God we had died in Egypt, or even that we had died in this desert! 3 Why has Yahweh brought us to this country, for us to perish by the sword and our wives and children to be seized as booty? Should we not do better to go back to Egypt?' 4 And they said to one another, 'Let us appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.'
5 At this, Moses and Aaron threw themselves on their faces in front of the whole assembled community of Israelites, 6 while Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, two of the men who had reconnoitred the country, tore their clothes 7 and addressed the whole community of Israelites as follows, 'The country we went to reconnoitre is a good country, an excellent country. 8 If Yahweh is pleased with us, he will lead us into this country and give it to us. It is a country flowing with milk and honey. 9 But do not rebel against Yahweh or be afraid of the people of the country, for we shall gobble them up. Their protecting shade has deserted them, while we have Yahweh on our side. Do not be afraid of them.'
10 The whole community was talking of stoning them, when the glory of Yahweh appeared to all the Israelites, inside the Tent of Meeting, 11 and Yahweh said to Moses: 'How much longer will these people treat me with contempt? How much longer will they refuse to trust me, in spite of all the signs I have displayed among them? 12 I shall strike them with pestilence and disown them. And of you I shall make a new nation, greater and mightier than they are.'
13 Moses said to Yahweh: 'Suppose the Egyptians hear about this —for by your power you brought these people out of their country— 14 and tell the people living in this country. They have heard that you, Yahweh, are with this people, and that you, Yahweh, show yourself to them face to face; that your cloud stands over them and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you kill this people now as though it were one man, then the nations who have heard about you will say, 16 "Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the country which he had sworn to give them, and so he has slaughtered them in the desert." 17 No, my Lord! Now is the time to assert your power as you promised when you said, earlier, 18 "Yahweh, slow to anger and rich in faithful love, forgiving faults and transgression, and yet letting nothing go unchecked, punishing the parents' guilt in the children to the third and fourth generation." 19 In your most faithful love, please forgive this people's guilt, as you have done from Egypt until now.'
20 Yahweh said, 'I forgive them as you ask. 21 But —as I live, and as the glory of Yahweh fills the whole world— 22 of all these people who have seen my glory and the signs that I worked in Egypt and in the desert, who have put me to the test ten times already and not obeyed my voice, 23 not one shall see the country which I promised to give their ancestors. Not one of those who have treated me contemptuously will see it.
24 However, since my servant Caleb is of another spirit and since he has obeyed me completely, I shall bring him into the country where he has been, and his descendants will own it 25 (the Amalekites and Canaanites occupy the plain). Tomorrow you will turn about and go back into the desert, in the direction of the Sea of Suph.'
Odd Years: Hebrews 11:17-31
      πίστει προσενήνοχεν Ἀβραὰμ τὸν Ἰσαὰκ πειραζόμενος,
      καὶ τὸν μονογενῆ προσέφερεν ὁ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀναδεξάμενος,
      πρὸς ὃν ἐλαλήθη ὅτι ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα,
      λογισάμενος ὅτι καὶ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγείρειν δυνατὸς ὁ θεός:
      ὅθεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐν παραβολῇ ἐκομίσατο.
      πίστει καὶ περὶ μελλόντων εὐλόγησεν Ἰσαὰκ τὸν Ἰακὼβ καὶ τὸν Ἠσαῦ.
      πίστει Ἰακὼβ ἀποθνῄσκων ἕκαστον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰωσὴφ εὐλόγησεν,
      καὶ προσεκύνησεν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου αὐτοῦ.
      πίστει Ἰωσὴφ τελευτῶν περὶ τῆς ἐξόδου τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐμνημόνευσεν,
      καὶ περὶ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ ἐνετείλατο.
            πίστει Μωϋσῆς γεννηθεὶς ἐκρύβη τρίμηνον ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων αὐτοῦ,
            διότι εἶδον ἀστεῖον τὸ παιδίον, καὶ οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν τὸ διάταγμα τοῦ βασιλέως.
            πίστει Μωϋσῆς μέγας γενόμενος ἠρνήσατο λέγεσθαι υἱὸς θυγατρὸς Φαραώ,
            μᾶλλον ἑλόμενος συγκακουχεῖσθαι τῷ λαῷ τοῦ θεοῦ
            ἢ πρόσκαιρον ἔχειν ἁμαρτίας ἀπόλαυσιν,
            μείζονα πλοῦτον ἡγησάμενος τῶν Αἰγύπτου θησαυρῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ,
            ἀπέβλεπεν γὰρ εἰς τὴν μισθαποδοσίαν.
                  πίστει κατέλιπεν Αἴγυπτον,
                  μὴ φοβηθεὶς τὸν θυμὸν τοῦ βασιλέως,
                  τὸν γὰρ ἀόρατον ὡς ὁρῶν ἐκαρτέρησεν.
                  πίστει πεποίηκεν τὸ πάσχα καὶ τὴν πρόσχυσιν τοῦ αἵματος,
                  ἵνα μὴ ὁ ὀλοθρεύων τὰ πρωτότοκα θίγῃ αὐτῶν.
                  πίστει διέβησαν τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν ὡς διὰ ξηρᾶς γῆς,
                  ἧς πεῖραν λαβόντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι κατεπόθησαν.
                  πίστει τὰ τείχη Ἰεριχὼ ἔπεσαν κυκλωθέντα ἐπὶ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας.
                  πίστει Ῥαὰβ ἡ πόρνη οὐ συναπώλετο τοῖς ἀπειθήσασιν,
                  δεξαμένη τοὺς κατασκόπους μετ' εἰρήνης.
17 It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though he had yet to receive what had been promised, 18 and he had been told: Isaac is the one through whom your name will be carried on. 19 He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead. 20 It was by faith that this same Isaac gave his blessing to Jacob and Esau for the still distant future. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, bowed in reverence, as he leant on his staff. 22 It was by faith that, when he was about to die, Joseph mentioned the Exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his own remains. 23 It was by faith that Moses, when he was born, was kept hidden by his parents for three months; because they saw that he was a fine child; they were not afraid of the royal edict. 24 It was by faith that, when he was grown up, Moses refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter 25 and chose to be ill-treated in company with God's people rather than to enjoy the transitory pleasures of sin. 26 He considered that the humiliations offered to the Anointed were something more precious than all the treasures of Egypt, because he had his eyes fixed on the reward. 27 It was by faith that he left Egypt without fear of the king's anger; he held to his purpose like someone who could see the Invisible. 28 It was by faith that he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood to prevent the Destroyer from touching any of their first-born sons. 29 It was by faith they crossed the Red Sea as easily as dry land, while the Egyptians, trying to do the same, were drowned. 30 It was through faith that the walls of Jericho fell down when the people had marched round them for seven days. 31 It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies and so was not killed with the unbelievers.

Even Years: Origen, Commentary on Romans, 4:1-,11 (PG 14, 997-999—no Greek)
Adhuc enim Christus, cum essemus infirmi, secundum tempus pro impiis mortuus est. Vix enim pro iusto quis moritur. Nam pro bono forsitan quis audeat mori. Plenius volens virtutes charitatis ostendere quam diffusam in cordibus nostris dixerat per Spiritum sanctum, quibus hoc causis intelligere deberemus exposuit, edocens nos quod Christus non pro piis, sed pro impiis mortuus est. Impii namque eramus antequam converteremur ad Deum, et Christus utique mortem pro nobis antequam crederemus excepit: quod procul dubio non fecisset, nisi nimiam erga nos habuisset et abundantissimam charitatem vel ipse Dominus noster Iesus Christus moriendo pro impiis, vel Deus Pater Unigenitum suum pro impiorum redemptione tradendo. While we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. Few people would die for a righteous man, though perhaps for a good man one might have the courage to die. Saint Paul has just told us that the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Now in his desire to demonstrate the power of that love more fully, he gives us the convincing proof that it was not for good men but for sinners that Christ died. It is indeed true that we were sinners before we turned to God, and that our Lord Jesus Christ laid down his life for us before we believed in him. This he surely could not have done without an immense love for us, either the love he himself showed by dying for sinners, or the love God the Father showed by giving his only Son for our redemption.
Cum enim vix aliquis pro iusto moriatur, et dubitet unusquisque mortem subire, etiam si mortis iusta sit causa, quantus est hic, et charitas eius erga nos quanta pensanda est, qui secundum illud tempus quo passus est, pro impiis et iniustis mortem perpeti non refugit? In quo utique summae illius divinae bonitatis indicium est. Nisi enim esset hic ex illa veniens substantia, et illius Patris Filius, de quo dictum est, quia nemo bonus, nisi unus Deus Pater, tantam utique erga nos bonitatem non potuisset ostendere. Unde quia ex hoc tantae bonitatis indicio ipse esse hic agnoscitur bonus, pro hoc bono forsitan quis et audeat mori. Few people would give their lives even for a righteous man, and all of us face death with reluctance, even in a just cause. How great a Saviour we have then, and how deeply we ought to ponder his love for us! It is a clear proof of his divine goodness that when the appointed time came, he did not hesitate to suffer and die for the ungodly and the unjust. In the Gospel it is said that no one is good but God the Father; and so unless our Saviour had been his Son, sharing in the Father's very substance, he could not have shown such great goodness toward us. By this proof, therefore, we can recognize in him that good man for whom someone might have the courage to die.
Cum enim cognoverit unusquisque tantam erga se bonitatem Christi, charitatemque eius habuerit in corde diffusam, non solum mori pro hoc bono, sed et audacter mori desiderabit. Quod rebus ipsis et operibus saepe videmus impleri, cum hi in quorum cordibus abundanter diffusa est charitas Christi, sponte etiam et cum omni audacia semetipsos persecutoribus offerunt, et nomen Christi, audiente mundo, coram angelis et hominibus confitentur, ut non solum iniuriam pati pro nomine eius, sed et mortem pro hoc bono subire audeant, quam vix pro iusto quis perfert. Est enim amor vitae huius tantus, ut etiam cum iusta causa mortis advenerit, vix unusquisque mortem patienter accipiat Sola ergo mors est pro Deo, quae cum omni audacia suscipitur: omnis autem reliqua mors vix toleranter subitur etiam si iusta sit, et humanae conditionis lege descendat. Once people have understood the extent of Christ's goodness toward them and his love has been poured into their hearts, they will long not only to die for this good man Christ, but to die voluntarily. In fact we often see this happen, when Christians whose hearts are overflowing with the love of Christ present themselves before their persecutors of their own free will and with the utmost courage, confessing the name of Christ in the presence of angels and men for the whole world to hear. Not only do they have the courage to suffer injustice for the name of this good man, but for his sake they are even ready to give their lives. Few would do this even for a righteous man, since our love of this mortal life is so great that even in a just cause hardly anyone can bear to die. Only for God's sake will people have the courage to submit to death of their own free will. For any other reason they can scarcely endure it, even in the cause of justice and in obedience to the laws of nature.
Commendat autem suam charitatem Deus in nobis: quoniam si cum adhuc peccatores essemus, Christus pro nobis mortuus est, multo magis nunc ergo iustificati in sanguine ipsius, salvi erimus ab ira per ipsum. Cum dixisset in superioribus, quia Christus secundum tempus adhuc pro impiis mortuus est, nunc ostendere ex hoc vult Dei charitatis erga homines magnitudinem, quia si erga impios et peccatores tanta exstitit, ut pro salute eorum unicum Filium daret, quanto magis erga conversos, et emendatos, et, ut ipse ait, suo sanguine redemptos largior et diffusior erit? ["So it is proof of God's own love for us, that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. How much more can we be sure, therefore, that, now that we have been justified by his death, we shall be saved through him from the retribution of God" (Rom 5:8-9). When he said above (5:6) that "When we were still helpless, at the appointed time, Christ died for the godless," now he wants to show from that the greatness of God's love for men. For, if it was so great twords the wicked and sinners, that he gave his only Son for their salvation, how much larger and wider will it be, as he said, towards the converted and reformed and redeemed by his blood?]

Odd Years: Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 22
(1: Edit. Maurist. t. 5, 116-118)
Dominus autem dixit: ante abraham ego sum. ipse est enim uerbum dei per quod facta sunt omnia. et ipse implens prophetas, in carne se uenturum esse praedixit. ad eius autem incarnationem pertinet passio. neque enim pati potuit illa quae in euangelio scripta sunt, nisi in carne mortali et passibili quam gerebat.
Et ibi utique legimus quemadmodum domino crucifixo hii qui eum crucifixerunt, uestimenta eius diuiserunt sibi, et cum inuenissent in eis tunicam de super textam noluerunt eam conscindere, sed sortem super eam miserunt, ut ad quem perueniret integra perueniret, quia significabatur caritas quae diuidi non potest.
Haec ergo cum in euangelio iam facta narrentur, longe ante multos annos in psalmo cum futura praenuntiarentur, tamquam gesta et transacta narrata sunt. foderunt manus meas et pedes meos, dinumerauerunt omnia ossa mea. ipsi uero considerauerunt et inspexerunt me: diuiserunt sibi, inquit, uestimenta mea et super uestem meam miserunt sortem. omnia tamquam praeterita dicuntur, et futura praedicuntur. sicut ergo in uerbis praeteriti temporis futura facta significantur, sic in figura optantis praenuntiantis mens intellegenda est
Quando dicebatur ecclesia christi futura per totum orbem terrarum, dicebatur a paucis et ridebatur a multis. modo iam impletum est quod tanto ante praedictum est. diffusa est ecclesia per totum orbem terrarum. ante milia annorum promissum est abrahae: in semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes. uenit christus ex semine abrahae, benedictae sunt in christo iam omnes gentes. praedicta sunt scismata et haereses futurae. uidemus illa. praedictae sunt persecutiones. factae sunt a regibus colentibus idola. pro ipsis idolis aduersus nomen christi repleta est terra martyribus. sparsum est semen sanguinis, surrexit seges ecclesiae. nec frustra orauit ecclesia pro inimicis suis. crediderunt et qui persequebantur.
Praedicatum est etiam quia ipsa idola euertenda essent per nomen christi, nam et hoc inuenimus in scripturis. ante paucos annos christiani illa legebant et non uidebant. adhuc futura illa exspectabant et sic abierunt. non illa uiderunt, sed tamen credentes quod futura essent cum fide abierunt ad dominum. nostris temporibus etiam ipsa cernuntur. omnia quae ante praedicta sunt de ecclesia, uidemus inpleta. solus dies iudicii non est uenturus? ipse solus praenuntiatur, et non ueniet? usque adeo sumus duri et lapidei cordis, ut legamus scripturas et uideamus omnia prorsus ad litteram euenisse quae scripta sunt, et de his quae remanent desperemus.
Quantum est enim quod remanet ad ea quae iam nobis exhibita uidemus? tam plura deus ostendit. de residuo nos fraudaturus est? ueniet iudicium redditurum meritis, bona bonis, mala malis. boni simus, et securi iudicem expectemus.

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