[In the Dioceses of the United States]
651A
From the Common
of Pastors: For Missionaries (#719-724).
 |
| “Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos” artist and date unknown |
Biographical information about Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos [1]
Readings and Commentary: [2]
Reading 1: (Common of Pastors 5. For Missionaries
How
beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
Announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
"Your God is King!"
Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
For they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
All the ends of the earth will behold
the salvation of our God.
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Commentary on Isaiah 52:7-10
At the time of its writing, the Prophet’s intent was to proclaim the joy of the return of the Jews from the Babylonian exile to Judah. He sees the event as salvation for the Hebrew people. God leads them back to the land he gave their fathers.
“These verses form the famous poem of the ‘messenger of peace’ who ‘brings good tidings.’ The ideas of the first oracle of this second part of the book (40:1-11) are repeated here very beautifully. The messenger's feet are praised - a symbol of his speed and surefootedness when crossing the mountains, which is where important news comes from (cf. 40:9). His message (v. 7) is described very significantly as involving ‘peace,’ which in Isaiah means safety in Israel after the hardships of exile; ‘good tidings’ or, more literally, ‘news of goodness and well-being,’ that is, genuine material and spiritual prosperity; and "salvation", which is permanent renewal on all levels. The three words read together mean the highest degree of happiness imaginable. The core of this message is the enthronement of God: ‘Your God reigns,’ similar to 40:9: ‘Behold your God.’” [3]
From a greater distance and depth of understanding, we see him announcing the coming of the Messiah and the salvation that comes to the New Jerusalem through Jesus Christ.
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Responsorial Psalm: (5.
R. (3) Proclaim
God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing
to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce
his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give
to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Say
among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b, 7-8a, 10
“Announce his salvation, day after day.” This song of praise to the Lord invites all humanity to participate in God’s salvation. “This psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Isaiah ch. 40-55, as does Psalm 98. Another version of the psalm is 1 Chronicles 16:23-33.” [4]
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Gospel: (6. For Missionaries
Jesus
appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
"Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mk 16:15-20
The verse just prior to this passage. which is the ending of St. Mark’s Gospel, indicates that the disciples are still not sure what has happened (typical of the image we have of the disciples in St. Mark's Gospel). Jesus comes to them at table, rebuking them for their unbelief. That sets the stage for this commissioning address by the Lord. Once again the disciples, now Apostles, are sent into the world with God’s blessing. This action is important because it supports the universal mission of the Twelve. In response to the Lord's instructions the Apostles went into the world, accompanied by the Holy Spirit ("while the Lord worked with them"). They demonstrated the truth that is Christ risen.
CCC:
Mk 16:15-16 977,
1223; Mk 16:15 888; Mk 16:16 161,
183, 1253, 1256, 1257;
Mk 16:17-18 670,
1507; Mk 16:17 434,
1673; Mk 16:18 699; Mk 16:19 659,
659; Mk 16:20 2,
156, 670
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Reflection:
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos (January 11, 1819 – October 4, 1867) is, as of this writing, still waiting for a second miracle attributed directly to his intercession to be canonized a saint in the Church. In looking at his life of service, we see all of God’s fingerprints that lead us to believe this will happen. Fr. Francis felt called to his vocation at a very young age in German, the country of his birth. He obviously heard the Gospel call to "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” He asked to be sent to the United States to serve German immigrants, insuring they would receive the sacraments and be invited to deeper conversion. As a Receptionist Priest he served with St. John Neumann in Pennsylvania which had a great impact on his service. Of their association he is known to have said: “He has introduced me to the active life” and, “he has guided me as a spiritual director and confessor.”
His selfless service and leadership have placed him on a path to sainthood and his works have had far-reaching impact on countless people, even President Abraham Lincoln (he asked the president not to conscript his seminarians into military service during the American Civil War). What we most notably take away from his life are the virtues of piety coupled with diligent service in the name of Jesus. His example of faith-inspired work should be an example to each of us, as we are all called to be missionary disciples.
We all hear the words of St. Mark - "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” That instruction was given to the Apostles, it is handed down to us and is reinforced by holy men and women, as demonstrated by Fr. Francis.
On his feast day, let us beg his intercession. May we be given the strength and wisdom to hear and answer God’s call, taking the Lord with us wherever we go, bringing the Gospel to every creature.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Blessed Francis
Xavier Seelos” artist and date unknown.
[2] The readings are selected by the author and taken from the
New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were
developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This
republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[3] The Navarre Bible: “Major Prophets”, Scepter Publishers,
Princeton, NJ, © 2002, p. 231.
[4] NAB footnote on Psalm 96.
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