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‘… Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.’ For they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.'”
Mass Readings 1.26.15 – 2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5 – Psalm 96:1-2A, 2B-3, 7-8A, 10 – Mark 3:22-30 – Find a Mass: MassTimes.org – Find a Mass: TheCatholicDirectory.com – Readings excerpts and brief annotations follow below.
GOSPEL
When Jesus drives out demons, the scribes react by accusing Him of being tied to the fallen angels themselves.
Jesus responds that the devil would already have fallen if his house was divided against itself.
If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.
However, those attempting to malign Jesus’ Power run into another problem. They are blaspheming the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the Son of God, and acts with Power because He is God, and He acts through the Holy Spirit. So by maligning the Spirit by which Jesus acts, saying He acts through an unclean spirit, the detractors are blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.
Jesus explains that blaspheming against the Holy Spirit is an unpardonable sin.
‘… Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.’ For they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’
We recall that the Holy Spirit is the Mutual Love of the Father for the Son, and the Son of God for God the Father. So a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, in addition to being a blasphemy against the ineffable Creative Power of God, is an insult against the beautiful Love of God, including that special relationship between God the Father and God the Son.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Proclaim God’s Marvelous Deeds to all the nations.
FIRST READING
FIRST READING: 2 Timothy 1:1-8
Saint Paul exhorts Timothy to recall and stir up the spirit of power, love and discipline granted by God and to bear his share of hardship for the Gospel accordingly.
… I remind you to stir into flame the Gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.
Recall that the imposition of hands Paul mentions undoubtedly refers to the laying on of hands in ordination. Sacraments have a spiritual and physical component, and ordination includes a laying on of hands.
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Saint Paul greets Titus, recalling that religious truth includes a focus on hope for Eternal Life, promised by God since before time began.
Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ for the sake of the Faith of God’s chosen ones and the recognition of religious truth, in the hope of Eternal Life that God, who does not lie, promised before time began ….
Paul left Titus in Crete to continue work remaining to be done, and to appoint presbyters in every town, which the NABRV editors explain is a term essentially meaning bishop – in the Greek, presbyteros and episkopos.
For this reason I left you in Crete so that you might set right what remains to be done and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you.
