A Reading from the Book of Proverbs (1:20-33)
Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice. At the busiest corner she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? Give heed to my reproof; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused, have stretched out my hand and no one heeded, and because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when panic strikes you, when panic strikes you like a storm, and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel, and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way and be sated with their own devices. For waywardness kills the simple, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but those who listen to me will be secure and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.”
> Speech of personified “wisdom,” or someone close to God.
> In Hebrew this is a female.
> Simple ones are the ones who live without wisdom of the Torah or have rejected the Torah.
> They will not receive any help from God and calamity will befall them.
> The Book of Wisdom is in the Apocryphal.
Psalm
Wisdom 7:26-81
Wisdom is a reflection of eternal light, *
a flawless mirror of God’s activity,
an image of divine goodness.
Though wisdom is only one, *
she can accomplish everything;
remaining self-contained, *
she transforms all around her.
In every generation *
Wisdom enlightens holy souls,
making them friends of God, *
making them prophets.
For God loves nothing so much *
as the person who lives with Wisdom.
She is more radiant than the sun, *
and outshines every constellation.
She excels daylight by far, for day is eclipsed by night; *
but evil does not overshadow Wisdom.
She spans the earth from pole to pole *
and orders all things well.
> Poem that praises lady Wisdom
> Ties in with the reading from Proverbs.
> Surprising that Wisdom is a female in the patriarchal Jewish society.
A Reading from the Letter of James (3:1-12)
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
> First reading – watch your tongue – proper speech.
> Second reading – faith without works is dead.
> Third reading – caring for those in need.
> Image of a small thing controlling a large thing: rudder – ship.
> The tongue is that small thing, which has yet to be controlled.
> From the same mouth comes both blessings and cursings.
> This does not happen in the natural world.
> Just look at the power of speech today – example: riots in the Middle East.
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark (8:27-38)
Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?” And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
> First half of the mystery story: “Who is this man, Jesus?”
> Second half: “What kind of Messiah is he?”
> Jesus was a suffering Messiah.
> Up until now the chief opponents of Jesus were the Pharisees.
> Now it is the Elders, Chief Priests, and Scribes.
> The events took place at what is now Caesarea-Phillipi
> Some thought Jesus was John the Baptist resurrected.
> Finally, Peter answers “You are the Messiah!”
> What kind of man? The Son of Man (i.e. ordinary person) must undergo suffering.
> Jesus indicates that this is God’s plan for him.
> “Three days” means a short period of time.
> Peter tries to clarify this for Jesus, acting as the teacher.
> Jesus reaffirms he is the teacher – the pupils always walked behind the teacher.
> Life is the essence of who we are and that is what must be sacrificed.
> This is the fulcrum of the Gospel and sets the stage for Jesus final days on earth.
