6 juin 2024 – jeudi de la 9^ème semaine paire

2 Tm 2, 8-15 ; Mc 12,28b-34 

H O M É L I E

          Le contexte de cet enseignement de Jésus sur le plus grand des commandements est très simple. Jésus vient d'avoir des discussions, surtout avec les Sadducéens, sur la résurrection des morts. C'est alors que s'approche de lui l'un des scribes, qui lui demande: "Quel est le premier de tous les commandements?". Ce scribe semble avoir été un homme sincère. Il ne s'approche pas de Jésus pour le mettre à l’épreuve; mais il est disposé à accueillir sa parole. Il veut apprendre. Jésus le prend au sérieux et lui répond alors sans hésiter, citant le beau texte du Deutéronome que les Juifs pieux utilisent encore aujourd'hui comme prière: Shema Isarël, Écoute, Israël.

6 June 2024 - Thursday of the 9th even-numbered week

2 Tim 2:8-15; Mk 12:28b-34

Homily

          The context of Jesus' teaching on the greatest of the commandments is very simple. Jesus had just had discussions, especially with the Sadducees, about the resurrection of the dead. Then one of the scribes came up to him and asked, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments? This scribe seems to have been a sincere man. He did not approach Jesus to put him to the test, but was willing to accept his word. He wants to learn. Jesus took him seriously and answered him without hesitation, quoting the beautiful text from Deuteronomy that pious Jews still use today as a prayer: Shema Isarël, Hear, O Israel.

5 juin 2024 – mercredi de la 9^ème semaine paire

2Tm 1, 1-3.6-12 ; Mc 12, 18-27 

H O M É L I E

Les Sadducéens de cet Évangile ne sont pas vraiment intéressés à apprendre quelque chose de Jésus. Ils désirent simplement lui tendre un piège. Puisqu’ils ne croient pas à la résurrection, ils veulent montrer comment une telle croyance conduit à des conséquences ridicules. La réponse de Jésus est plutôt mystérieuse. En réalité, il semble qu’il veuille simplement leur montrer que c’est leur approche qui est ridicule. Ils essayent en effet d’ « imaginer » ce qu’est la vie après la mort ; et cela est impossible, car on ne peut « imaginer » quelque chose qu’en utilisant des « images » tirées de notre vie actuelle, qui est limitée. Or, la vie après la mort est au-delà de toutes ces images et de toutes ces limites. Ce ne sera pas une nouvelle vie ; ce sera la même vie, mais libérée de toutes les limites de l’existence présente.

5 June 2024 - Wednesday of the 9th even-numbered week

2 Tim 1:1-3, 6-12; Mk 12:18-27

Homily

The Sadducees in this Gospel are not really interested in learning anything from Jesus. They simply want to set a trap for him. Since they do not believe in the resurrection, they want to show how such a belief leads to ridiculous consequences. Jesus' response is rather mysterious. In fact, it seems that he simply wants to show them that it is their approach that is ridiculous. They are trying to ‘imagine’ what life is like after death; and this is impossible, because we can only ‘imagine’ something using ‘images’ drawn from our present, limited life. But life after death is beyond all these images and all these limits. It will not be a new life; it will be the same life, but freed from all the limitations of present existence.

4 June 2024 - Tuesday of the 9th even-numbered week

2 Pet 3:12-15a.17-18; Mk 12:13-17

Homily

          The most historically attested fact - even outside the Sacred Books - about Jesus of Nazareth is that he was tried and executed by the Roman authorities on a charge of high treason. When the Pharisees, Scribes and Priests took Jesus to Pontius Pilate to have him condemned to death and executed by the Roman authorities, they used the following accusation against him: ‘We found this man stirring up trouble in our nation: he prevents us from paying tribute to Caesar...’. (Luke 23:2). It is therefore important to analyse carefully the event reported in the Gospel account we have just read, since it was the event that was used by the Jewish authorities to have him executed as a political agitator.

June 3^rd, 2024 – Monday of the 9^th week "B"

Ugandan Martyrs

2 P 1, 1-7;Mc 12,1-12

H O M I L Y

          The first reading contains one of the most powerful texts of the New Testament concerning our call to holiness. Peter actually says that we are called to partake in the divine nature.   This sharing in divine nature is not, however, something that is given once for all. Although it is a pure gift, it has to be assumed through a gradual transformation that goes from faith to love, passing through discernment, virtue, self-control, piety, and care for our brothers. This partaking of the divine nature is what Paul calls "to be transformed into the likeness of Christ".