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From: 1 Timothy 4:12-16

Pastoral Advice to Timothy

[12] Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech
and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. [13] Till I come, attend to the public
reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. [14] Do not neglect the gift you
have, which was given you by prophetic utterancewhen the elders laid their
hands upon you. [15] Practise these duties, devote yourself to them, so that
all may see your progress. [16] Take heed to yourself and to your teaching;
hold to that, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

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Commentary:

12-13. A good minister should be a model of virtue. Timothy was obviously very
young for the office he held; the Apostle therefore keeps telling him that he must
give good example because virtues give a person more experience than age does.

“Reading, preaching, teaching”: all three were done at the liturgical assemblies
of the early Christians (and continue to be done during the Liturgy of the Word
at Mass): some texts of Sacred Scripture were read and then the minister gave
a homily which would have included some words of encouragement and some
doctrinal instruction.

14. The gift referred to here is that of the sacrament of Order: it is a permanent
gift (”the gift you have”) from God, bestowed by an external rite consisting of
liturgical prayer and the laying on of hands. This interpretation is derived from
the context: the “gift” (charism) is indelible (Timothy may neglect it but he can
never lose it); therefore, it does not refer to sanctifying grace but to the priestly
“character” or mark which the sacrament imprints along with the grace of the
sacrament itself.

The “prophetic utterances”, which in the New Testament means “public
teachings (cf. note on 1 Tim 1 18-19) or words spoken in God’s name, here
refers to the prayers used in the ordination rite.

The “laying on of hands” is another technical expression. Jesus used this
gesture many times (cf. Mt 9:18-19, 19:15; Mk 6:5; 7:32; 8:23-25; 16:8; Lk 4:40;
13:13); the Apostles used it as a rite for bringing down the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:17;
19:6). Here, as elsewhere in these letters, the laying on of hands is the rite of
priestly ordination (cf. 1 Tim 5:22; 2 Tim 1:6), whereby the mission and powers
of the person performing the rite are passed on, thereby ensuring continuity of
priesthood. In 2 Timothy 1:6, a parallel text, it says “through the laying on of my
hands”; whereas here it says “when the elders laid their hands on you”. The
participles “through” and “when” imply that the action of imposition of hands is
an essential part of the sacrament.

The Church has preserved intact the essential elements of the sacrament of
Order—the laying on of hands and the consecrating words of the bishop (cf.
Paul VI, Apost. Const. “Pontificalis Romani Recognitio”, 18 July 1968).

15-16. As well as being mindful of his grace of ordination, the Christian minister
must remain true to his obligations: “Take heed to yourself”. Although the calling
to Church office does not demand exceptional qualities in the candidate, he still
needs to be exemplary and to put special effort into developing virtues or else his
ministry will not be nearly as productive as it might be. “Apostolic soul: first of all,
yourself. Our Lord has said, through St Matthew: ‘When the day of Judgment
comes, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, work
many miracles in your name? Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never
known you; away from me, you evil men.’ God forbid—says St Paul—that I, who
have preached to others should myself be rejected” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Way”,
930).

“Hold to that”, literally “hold to these things”: probably a reference to the various
points made in this chapter and perhaps also to things the Apostle had at different
times told Timothy to keep an eye on. Perseverance is necessary for the minister
himself and for the good of the people to whom he ministers.

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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: Luke 7:36-50

The Woman Who was a Sinner

[36] 0ne of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the
Pharisee’s house, and sat at table. [37] And behold, a woman of the city,
who was a sinner, when she learned that he was sitting at table in the
Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, [38] and standing
behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears;
and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed
them with the ointment. [39] Now when the Pharisee who had invited him
saw it, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known
who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
[40] And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to
you.” And he answered, “What is it, Teacher?” [41] “A certain creditor had
two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. [42] When
they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him
more?” [43] Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more.”
And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” [44] Then turning toward the
woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house,
you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears
and wiped them with her hair. [45] You gave me no kiss, but from the time
I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. [46] You did not anoint my
head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore I
tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven little, for she loved much;
but he who is forgiven, loves little.” [48] And he said to her, “Your sins are
forgiven.” [49] Then those who were at table with him began to say among
themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” [50] And he said to the
woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

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Commentary:

36-40. This woman, moved no doubt by grace, was attracted by Christ’s
preaching and by what people were saying about him.

When dining, people reclined on low divans leaning on their left arm
with their legs tucked under them, away from the table. A host was
expected to give his guest a kiss of greeting and offer him water for
his feet, and perfumes.

41-50. In this short parable of the two debtors Christ teaches us three
things—his own divinity and his power to forgive sins; the merit the
woman’s love deserves; and the discourtesy implied in Simeon’s
neglecting to receive Jesus in the conventional way. Our Lord was not
interested in these social niceties as such but in the affection which
they expressed; that was why he felt hurt at Simeon’s neglect.

“Jesus notices the omission of the expression of human courtesy and
refinement which the Pharisee failed to show him. Christ is perfectus
Deus, perfectus homo’ (”Athanasian Creed”). He is perfect God, the
second person of the Blessed Trinity, and perfect man. He comes to
save, not to destroy nature. It is from him that we learn that it is
unchristian to treat our fellow men badly, for they are creatures of God,
made in his image and likeness (Gen 1:26)” ([St] J. Escriva, “Friends
of God”, 73).

Moreover, the Pharisee was wrong to think badly of this sinner and of
Jesus: reckoning that Christ did not know anything about her, he
complained inwardly. Our Lord, who could read the secret thoughts of
men (which showed his divinity), intervened to point out to him his
mistake. True righteousness, says St Gregory the Great (cf. “In
Evangelia Homiliae”, 33), is compassionate; whereas false righteousness
is indignant. There are many people like this Pharisee: forgetting that
they themselves were or are poor sinners, when they see other people’s
sin they immediately become indignant, instead of taking pity on them,
or else they rush to judge them or sneer at them. They forget what St
Paul says: “Let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall”
(1 Cor 10:12); “Brethren, if any man is overtaken in any trespass, you
who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness [...]. Bear
one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:1- 2).

We should strive to have charity govern all our judgments. Otherwise,
we will easily be unjust towards others. “Let us be slow to judge. Each
one see things from his own point of view, as his mind, with all its
limitations, tells him, and through eyes that are often dimmed and
clouded by passion.... Of what little worth are the judgments of men!
Don’t judge without sifting your judgment in prayer” ([St] J. Escriva,
“The Way”, 451).

Charity and humility will allow us to see in the sins of others our own
weak and helpless position, and will help our hearts go out to the sorrow
of every sinner who repents, for we too would fall into sins as serious
or more serious if God in his mercy did not stay by our side.

“It was not the ointment that the Lord loved”, St Ambrose comments,
“but the affection; it was the woman’s faith that pleased him, her
humility. And you also, if you desire grace, increase your love; pour
over the body of Jesus Christ your faith in the Resurrection, the
perfume of the holy Church and the ointment of charity towards others”
(”Expositio Evangelii sec. Lucam, in loc.”).

47. Man cannot merit forgiveness for his sins because, since God is
the offended party, they are of infinite gravity. We need the sacrament
of Penance, in which God forgives us by virtue of the infinite merits of
Jesus Christ; there is only one indispensable condition for winning
God’s forgiveness—our love, our repentance. We are pardoned to the
extent that we love; when our heart is full of love there is no longer any
room in it for sin because we have made room for Jesus, and he says
to us as he said to this woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” Repentance
is a sign that we love God. But it was God who first loved us (cf.1 Jn
4:10). When God forgives us he is expressing his love for us. Our love
for God is, then, always a response to his initiative. By forgiving us God
helps us to be more grateful and more loving towards him. “He loves
little”, St Augustine comments, “who has little forgiven. You say that
you have not committed many sins: but why is that the case? [...] The
reason is that God was guiding you [...]. There is no sin that one man
commits, which another may not commit also unless God, man’s maker,
guides him” (”Sermon”, 99, 6). Therefore, we ought to fall ever more
deeply in love with our Lord, not only because he forgives us our sins
but also because he helps us by means of his grace not to commit
them.

50. Jesus declares that it was faith that moved this woman to throw
herself at his feet and show her repentance; her repentance wins his
forgiveness. Similarly, when we approach the sacrament of Penance
we should stir up our faith in the fact that it is “not a human but a divine
dialogue. It is a tribunal of divine justice and especially of mercy, with a
loving judge who ‘has no pleasure in the death of the wicked; I desire
that the wicked turn back from his way and live’ (Ezek 33:11)” ([St] J.
Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 78).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.