Working to Spread the Good News

Sep 4: Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Today’s readings are all about spreading the Gospel. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians outlines how the Gospel spreads from person to person. In the passage from Luke, Jesus wants to maintain his Messianic Secret for a little while longer.

In both cases, though, it’s not just about talk, but action.

Reading 1

1 Cor 3:1-9

Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now, for you are still of the flesh. While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and walking according to the manner of man? Whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely men?

What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor. For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

The Corinthians are ancient Greeks, and as such, had a special reverence for logic and rhetoric. They were expecting Paul to deliver a colloquy. Instead, he tells them they’re acting like children.

Following this or that preacher (Paul or Apollos) is irrelevant. Because ultimately, our real teacher is Jesus.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21

R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
From his fixed throne he beholds
all who dwell on the earth,
He who fashioned the heart of each,
he who knows all their works.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

***.

Alleluia

Lk 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor
and to proclaim liberty to captives.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

More than any other gospel, writer Luke is concerned with Jesus’ attitude toward the economically and socially poor. Jesus doesn’t forget our Earthly needs while we’re still living this life.

Gospel

Lk 4:38-44

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Simon’s mother-in-law is a wonderful example for all disciples of Christ. Because of her son’s great faith, he brought Jesus to her, and she was healed. But she didn’t leave it at that. No, she immediately began serving.

Service to the poor and needy, the sick and afflicted, is a vital part of the Gospel. A cure would be meaningless if she didn’t continue to do God’s work.

After many miracles, Jesus needs to move on. Not because he doesn’t like staying at Simon’s house; He wants everyone to hear the Gospel.

Jesus did ask the people to keep the secret of his Christhood to themselves, at least for now. The plan wasn’t to be fully revealed until after the Resurrection. We’re long past that, now, so we should not keep our mouths shut about Jesus. We shouldn’t try to prevent Him from “leaving” us. No, we should be spreading Jesus out, so to speak.