From: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11 (USCCB Usage)
Charity and Good Use of Time
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Commentary:
9-10. “The greatest commandment of the law is to love God with one’s whole
heart and one’s neighbor as oneself (cf. Mt 22:37-40). Christ has made this love
of neighbor his personal commandment and has enriched it with a new meaning
when he willed himself, along with his brothers, to be the object of this charity,
saying, ‘When you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’
(Mt. 25:40). In assuming human nature he has united to himself all mankind in a
supernatural solidarity which makes of it one single family. He has made charity
the distinguishing mark of his disciples, in the words: ‘By this all men will know
that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another’ (Jn 13:35). In the early
days the Church linked the ‘agape’ to the eucharistic supper, and by so doing
showed itself as one body around Christ united by the bond of charity. So too, in
all ages, love is its characteristic mark” (Vatican II, “Apostolicam Actuositatem”,
8). Love for the other members of the Church is fraternal love, a love which bro-
thers and sisters should have for one another, for the Church is one large family.
The Thessalonians practised this love not only among themselves but also with
the other believers living in Macedonia; fraternal charity is absolutely necessary
for the unity of Christians.
“No tongue can tell the heights to which love uplifts us”, St Clement of Rome
teaches. “Love unites us to God; love casts a veil over innumerable sins; there
are no limits to love’s endurance, no end to its patience. There is nothing base,
nothing proud, about love [...] It was in love that all God’s chosen ones were
made perfect. Without love nothing is pleasing to God” (”Letter to the Corin-
thians”, 1, 49).
11-12. Everyone has certain obligations connected with his position in life which
he should conscientiously fulfill. They include, particularly, duties to do with work
and family, and they provide us with an opportunity for conversation with God. St
John Chrysostom teaches, for example: “A woman working in the kitchen or do-
ing some sewing can always raise her thoughts to heaven and fervently invoke
the Lord. If someone is on the way to market or is traveling alone, he can easily
pray attentively. Someone else who is in his wine-cellar, engaged in stitching
wine skins, is free enough to raise his heart to the Master” (”Fifth Homily on An-
na”, 4, 6).
Work is something of immense human and supernatural value, for it is a means
readily at hand for personal sanctification and cooperation with others. It would
be unworthy of a Christian to live an idle life and expect to be supported by the
charity of others. St Paul counsels everyone who can to look after his family and
“be dependent on nobody”. And so we find the following in one of the very earli-
est Christian documents: “If someone wants to settle down among you, and is
a skilled worker, let him find employment and earn his bread. If he knows no
trade, use your discretion to make sure that he does not live in idleness on the
strength of being a Christian. If he does not want to work, he is only trying to ex-
ploit Christ. Be on your guard against people of that sort” (”Didache”, 12). So, a
person cannot be regarded as a good Christian if he does not try to work well, for
“our professional vocation is an essential and inseparable part of our condition as
Christians. Our Lord wants you to be holy in the place where you are, in the job
you have chosen” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 60).
In addition to promoting personal sanctification and cooperation with others, work
gives the Christian a share in Christ’s work of Redemption. “Sweat and toil, which
work necessarily involves in the present condition of the human race, present the
Christian and everyone who is called to follow Christ with the possibility of sha-
ring lovingly in the work that Christ came to do (cf. Jn 17:4). This work of salva-
tion came about through suffering and death on a Cross. By enduring the toil of
work in union with Christ crucified for us, man in a way collaborates with the Son
of God for the redemption of humanity. He shows himself a true disciple of Christ
by carrying the cross in his turn every day (cf. Lk 9:23) in the activity that he is
called upon to perform” (Bl. John Paul , “Laborem Exercens”, 27).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States
From: Mark 6:17-29
John the Baptist Beheaded
[24] And she went out, and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said,
“The head of John the Baptizer.” [25] And she came in immediately with haste
to the king, and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John
the Baptizer on a platter.” [26] And the King was exceedingly sorry; but because
of his oath and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. [27] And im-
mediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head.
He went and beheaded him in the prison, [28] and brought his head on a platter,
and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. [29] When his disciples
heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
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Commentary:
16-29. It is interesting that the extensive account of the death of John the Baptist
is inserted here in the Gospel narrative. The reason is St. John the Baptist’s spe-
cial relevance in the history of salvation: he is the Precursor, entrusted with the
task of preparing the way for the Messiah. Besides, John the Baptist had a great
reputation among the people: they believed him to be a prophet (Mark 11:32);
some even thought he was the Messiah (Luke 3:15; John 1:20); and they flocked
to him from many places (Mark 1:5). Jesus Himself said: “Among those born of
women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).
Later, the Apostle St. John will speak of him in the Gospel: “There was a man
sent from God, whose name was John” (John 1:6); but the sacred text points out
that, despite this, he was not the light, but rather the witness to the light (John 1:
6-8). More correctly, he was the lamp carrying the light (John 5:35). We are told
here that he was a righteous man and preached to everyone what had to be
preached: he had a word for people at large, for publicans, for soldiers (Luke 3:10-
14); for Pharisees and Sadducees (Matthew 3:7-12); for King Herod himself (Mark
6:18-20). This humble, upright and austere man paid with his life for the witness
he bore to Jesus the Messiah (John 1:29 and 36-37).
26. Oaths and promises immoral in content should never be made, and, if made,
should never be kept. This is the teaching of the Church, which is summed up
in the “St. Pius X Catechism”, 383, in the following way: “Are we obliged to keep
oaths we have sworn to do unjust and unlawful things? Not only are we not ob-
liged: we sin by making such oaths, for they are prohibited by the Law of God or
of the Church.”
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.