Daily Retreat 06/05/06

2006 Jun 5 Mon: Boniface, bp, mt M (Ninth Week in Ordinary Time)

2 Pt 1: 2-7/ Ps 90(91): 1-2. 14-15b. 15c-16/ Mk 12: 1-12

From today’s readings: "Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love.... In You, my God, I place my trust.... The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes...."

Understanding More About the Lectionary

Today, as occasionally in the past, in answer to certain questions submitted, the spiritual focus of these virtual retreat reflections is interrupted with the substitution of a somewhat technical explanation of the liturgical lectionary’s overall outline Yesterday’s solemnity of Pentecost signaled the end of the festive Easter season, so a marked shift now appears in the selection of daily scripture readings as the "ordinary time" liturgical season is resumed. This season actually begins right after Epiphany, but is suspended during Lent and Easter - hence, this week is considered the "ninth week in ordinary time."

For all Christians, the Gospels are, without a doubt, the most important and familiar books of Sacred Scripture. But in order to help readers become more familiar with other books of the Bible, since August 2003, when I succeeded Msgr. Van Ommeren as director of these virtual retreat reflections, for the most part, I have focused mainly on the first readings, except on Sundays and other liturgical solemnities.

The Sunday scripture readings are structured in a 3 year cycle, but from Monday to Saturday, the daily readings follow a related, but separate 2 year sequence. Because this daily lectionary cycle has now come full circle, throughout this past Easter season, it seemed appropriate to begin a renewed emphasis on the Gospel readings, and that concentration will continue for the next several months.

Throughout this present week, the daily lectionary will be covering Chapter 12 of the Gospel of St. Mark, which includes some of the final parables and teachings of Christ in Jerusalem, right before His Passion. Needless to say, having just completed the Easter season, it’s a bit of an awkward transition to jump back to that time frame in our Lord’s life. The variability of the date of Easter caused that clumsy coincidence for this year, but starting next Monday, the semi-continuous Gospel "track" of the daily lectionary will switch to Matthew’s Gospel, commencing quite logically in Chapter 5 with the Sermon on the Mount.