From: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (USCCB usage is ferial rather than proper)
St. Paul’s Preaching in Corinth
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
1-3. The Apostle had come to Corinth from Athens, as we know from the Acts
of the Apostles (17:16-34); in that city he had not made many converts, despite
his brilliant discourse in the Areopagus. This fact, and the moral corruption of
Corinthian society, may explain his arriving “in much fear and trembling” (v. 3);
he must have felt that he had a difficult task ahead of him. As it turned out, he
must have met many difficulties: our Lord appeared to him at night in a vision to
comfort and encourage him: “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent;
for I am with you” (Acts 18:9-10). St Paul, therefore, putting no reliance on care-
fully argued speeches, proclaims Christ crucified, to make sure that faith is
grounded on God alone.
St Paul sums up his entire message here “Jesus Christ and him crucified”. The
Church, on whom it devolves to continue the mission of the Apostles, does no-
thing but make Jesus Christ known: “Our spirit is set in one direction,” Bl. John
Paul II reminds us; “the only direction for our intellect, will and heart is towards
Christ our Redeemer, towards Christ, the Redeemer of man. We wish to look
towards him because there is salvation in no one else but him, the Son of God
— repeating what Peter said, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of
eternal life’ (Jn 6:68) [...]. The Church lives his mystery, draws unwearyingly from
it and continually seeks ways of bringing this mystery of her Master and Lord to
mankind — to the peoples, the nations, the succeeding generations, and every in-
dividual human being—as if she were ever repeating, as the Apostle did, ‘For I de-
cided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified’ (1 Cor
2:2). The Church stays within the sphere of the mystery of the Redemption,
which has become the fundamental principle of her life and mission” (”Redemp-
tor Hominis”, 7).
Every Christian, for his part, should try to see that those around him “desire to
know Jesus Christ and him crucified and that they be firmly convinced and with
the most heartfelt piety and devotion believe that no other name under heaven
has been given to men by which we may be saved (cf. Acts 4:12), since he is
the expiation for our sins (cf. 1 Jn 2:2)” (”St Pius V Catechism”, Introduction,
10).
4-5. Just as Paul’s preaching did not rely on eloquence, so too faith must not be
based on human wisdom (cf. note on 1 Cor 1:20-25). He says that he based his
message on “demonstration of the Spirit and power” — probably a reference to
the powerful action of divine grace on those who listened to his preaching, with
grace manifesting itself in conversions and extraordinary charisms. This power
of God explains how they came to believe.
God continues to act through the Christian message, which “is unique. It cannot
be replaced. It does not permit either indifference, syncretism or accommodation.
It is a question of people’s salvation. It is the beauty of the Revelation that it re-
presents. It brings with it a wisdom that is not of this world. It is able to stir up by
itself faith—faith that rests on the power of God (cf. 1 Cor 2:5). It is truth. It merits
having the apostle consecrate to it all his time and all his energies, and to sacri-
fice for it, if necessary, his own life” (Paul VI “Evangelic Nuntiandi”, 5).
*********************************************************************************************
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.
*********************************************************************************************
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.”
*********************************************************************************************
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.