23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (year C)

(Lk 14:25-33)

Luke 14:25 As many people were going with him, he turned and said to them,

Luke 14:26 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:28 Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?

Luke 14:29 Otherwise, when he has laid the foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying,

Luke 14:30 'This man has begun to build and has not been able to finish.

Luke 14:31 Or what king, going to war against another king, does not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men those who come against him with twenty thousand?

Luke 14:32 If not, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation to ask for peace.

Luke 14:33 So therefore, whosoever of you will not forsake all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke clarifies Jesus' position with regard to the people who follow him, recounting that "he turned and said". This turning around shows how Jesus precedes these people, like a shepherd guiding his sheep; like a teacher who precedes and guides his disciples who walk with him.

Then Jesus presents the first rule concerning discipleship, which radically cuts short the disciple's family and emotional ties, and is accompanied by a way of discipleship that frames it in a context of suffering. The reason why it is necessary to overcome emotional ties in order to enter the Kingdom of God stems from the fact that the family context can be an impediment.

In order to understand how this can happen, it is necessary to place oneself in the historical context of the early Church: those who wanted to become disciples generally came from Jewish or pagan families, who found it difficult to understand their family member's choice. Then there was the social, civil and religious context in which the new believer and his family found themselves, which was hostile to believers and persecuted them. Hence the need to overcome one's family and emotional ties, and one's carnal origins, in order to embrace the Kingdom of God with determination.

If verse 26 establishes the first rule for discipleship, the overcoming of carnal parental ties, verse 27 establishes the modalities of both access to and conduct of discipleship: "Whoever does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple." It is a discipleship that has the cross as its backdrop. What is said here takes on particular significance precisely because Jesus is moving forward on his journey to Jerusalem, where the mysteries of salvation will be fulfilled, passing through suffering and death on the cross. And it is precisely within this journey towards suffering and death on the cross for salvation that Luke states that "many people were going with him," thus projecting the reader into a discipleship that is moving towards Jerusalem.

At this point, Jesus, through two rhetorical questions, leads the disciple to carefully evaluate the choice to follow him, so as not to find himself in the sad and shameful necessity of having to abandon him. The first question concerns the construction of a tower; the second concerns a war that is about to break out between two kings. Both are, on the one hand, an exhortation to prudence and to carefully weigh one's choice; but, on the other hand, each of them says what following means: it is not so much about building a tower as it is about building a new relationship with oneself, with others and, even more so, with Jesus, who is walking the way of the cross; a following that also promises to be a hard battle with the hostile world. The disciple must also evaluate this last aspect.

After this careful reflection on what following Jesus entails and the need to weigh it up carefully, Jesus introduces the third and final rule, which contains within itself a kind of condemnation: 'So whoever of you does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple'. The choice of poverty in order to follow Jesus is in fact a choice of freedom, which allows one to offer oneself entirely to God, without hesitation or second thoughts. Hence Jesus' exhortation to those who have decided to follow him to free themselves from material possessions. 

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (year C)

(Luke 14:1-7, 14)

Luke 14:1 One Sabbath day, Jesus went to the home of one of the leading Pharisees to eat, and the people were watching him closely.

Luke 14:7 Noticing how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable:

Luke 14:8 "When you are invited to a wedding, do not take the place of honour, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited and he who invited you and him say to you, 'Give him your place'.

Luke 14:9 Then you would be ashamed and would have to take the lowest place.

Luke 14:10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he may say to you, "Friend, move up to the place of honour." Then you will have honour in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.

Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Luke 14:12 Then he said to the one who had invited him, 'When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

Luke 14:13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

Luke 14:14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The passage opens with a verb dear to Luke, with which the evangelist marks the unfolding of the history of salvation, linking it to an event that takes place on a Saturday in the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees: 'Kaì egéneto' (and it came to pass). What is now being recounted, therefore, has to do with the realisation of salvation in the present day of Jesus and in the present day of the Church.

Verse 7 opens with Jesus telling a "parable" about the abusive behaviour of the guests. The story directly involves the diners and places them in a hypothetical wedding banquet where Jesus dictates rules of "good manners" to them. But Jesus' teachings are thought to go far beyond what appears to be simple rules of good social behaviour. The nature of these rules primarily concerns the guests, among whom Jesus is also present, who stands among them as their teacher, and all of whom are inside a house. These are all images that refer to the community of believers. Therefore, these exhortations are addressed to the community, urging believers to behave with helpful humility within their community, on which divine judgement weighs heavily.

The theme of humility shines through the entire New Testament and has its beginning in Jesus himself, who did not come to be served but to serve, and demonstrated this by washing the feet of his disciples shortly before his passion and death, revealing in this gesture the truest and deepest meaning of his death: a service of redemption and salvation for humanity. And it is precisely by virtue of this helpful humility that believers find their true nature in Christ, who, humbling himself in obedience unto death on the cross, paradoxically found his exaltation in this humbling of himself.

In this way, this humble and helpful attitude towards the community of believers takes on such importance that it is subject to eschatological judgement: 'For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted'.

After establishing the golden rule of humility, which is service within the community of believers, on which the threat of divine judgment weighs heavily, Jesus dictates a new rule, addressed to the master of the house; a metaphor, in a way, for that beautiful, wealthy world that revels in itself, exchanging favours: "Spend your money on those who cannot repay you because of their sad condition." This is pure generosity, which expects no reward, but is done solely in the name of Jesus and of the love that must bind every believer and in which the Father's love for all is reflected, regardless of personal circumstances. This is a rule that must characterise the believer's way of life and distinguish him as an authentic disciple of Jesus, on whom he is called to reorient his life. It is a rule that should not be taken as mere good advice, but is made binding by the beatitude with which the exhortation concludes: 'and you will be blessed because they have nothing to repay you. You will be rewarded at the resurrection of the righteous' (v. 14). In other words, the choice of magnanimity towards the needy has its inevitable resonance on the last day, the day of the resurrection of the righteous; and the same is true of selfish behaviour, which, although not explicitly mentioned, nevertheless shines through between the lines.

Luke makes it clear that everything we do here on earth, whether good or bad, has its final outcome. The logic of recompense for what is done here in this life also resonates in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Our salvation is not only at stake here on earth, in this life, but it will be determined by the way we live. A life, therefore, that must be taken extremely seriously, since the eschatological judgement, which is final, already weighs upon it.

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ true God and true Man in the Trinitarian mystery

The prophetic discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (year C)

(Luke 13:22-30)

Luke 13:22 He was passing through towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.

Luke 13:23 Someone asked him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" He answered,

Luke 13:24 'Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to.

Luke 13:25 When the master of the house has risen and closed the door, you will begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, "Lord, open to us." But he will answer, 'I do not know you, nor do I know where you are from.

Luke 13:26 Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.

Luke 13:27 But he will declare, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!

Luke 13:28 There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrown out.

Luke 13:29 People will come from east and west, from north and south, and will sit down at the table in the kingdom of God.

Luke 13:30 And behold, there are some who are last who will be first, and some who are first who will be last.

The question posed by the anonymous character ("someone asked him...") was much debated and concerned the number of people who would be saved in Israel. There were those who argued that all the children of the Covenant would participate in the future world. Others, however, maintained that only a few would be saved.

The answer that follows emphasises two elements: the difficulties for Judaism in accepting the proposal of the Kingdom and, for those who accepted it, the difficulty of remaining faithful, leaving behind the Mosaic cult (v. 24); and the urgency of adhering decisively to Jesus while it is still possible, since divine judgment will come without mercy (v. 25) and it will be useless to try to claim to be Jewish and to have shared something with Jesus if there has not been the most sincere and total adherence to him (vv. 26-27). This will lead to their rejection by the eschatological judge, who will cast them out of the Kingdom, where instead will sit both the Fathers and the Prophets, who had foretold that Kingdom, and the pagans who sincerely accepted his proclamation (vv. 28-29), so that the Jews, who were chosen by God from the beginning of his plan of salvation and destined to become a holy people and a kingdom of priests, will be the last; while the pagans, so despised and rejected by Judaism, but who were able to accept Jesus' proclamation, will precede them in the Kingdom (v. 30).

The passage addresses a very important question: that of the position of Judaism towards Jesus and, associated with this, that of the Judaizers, i.e. those Christians who came from Judaism but had never abandoned it, continuing to combine the new teaching with that of Moses, indeed, affirming that the salvation brought by Jesus was only possible by submitting to the Mosaic Law.

Such a position was unacceptable, as it nullified the message of salvation brought by Jesus, bringing new believers back into the fold of Judaism. The issue is addressed in specific terms in the Gospels only by Luke, both because of his closeness to Paul and because of his own ecclesiological interest and, finally, because, as a missionary like Paul and very close to him, he was able to witness first-hand the deleterious action of the Judaizers. The issue will be addressed passionately by Paul in his Letters. In Romans 9-11, he develops a long reflection on Judaism's rejection of Jesus and attempts to give a [very elaborate] answer that reveals all his suffering.

The message is addressed above all to those who have eaten and drunk at the Lord's table after accepting his message (v. 26). It is a message that speaks of "efforts" and of a "narrow gate" through which many try to enter but cannot, revealing the difficulty for Jews to accept the person of Jesus. Many Jews had tried, but they had not been able to make the definitive choice in favour of Jesus, because they tried to reconcile the two teachings, that of Moses and that of Jesus, not having fully grasped the unique and exclusive newness that He brought.

That "strive" (v. 24) reveals how accepting Jesus was not a simple matter, because it led Jewish Christians to break with their social and religious context, suffering heavy retaliation from the religious authorities; and at the same time, family relationships were compromised, creating deep divisions within the family circle. Perhaps this is why, in addition to the inability to definitively leave the religion of their fathers, deeply rooted in the soul of the pious Jew, they tried to make Jesus and Moses coexist, to soften the blow of joining Jesus.

The consequence of this compromise is expulsion from the Kingdom, which weighs on them like a sentence of condemnation. In fact, there is talk of a master of the house who 'will rise and shut the door'; there is talk of a verdict being passed that qualifies them as 'workers of iniquity'; there is talk of a place 'where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth', an expression that we always find in a judicial context of condemnation. This condemnation is aggravated by the fact that these Judaizers see that a part of Israel, the part faithful to the Fathers and the Prophets, enters while they are thrown out. Similarly, when they see the pagans coming from every corner of the earth, here indicated in its extremities as "east and west and north and south," the same thing will happen.

The passage concludes with the sentence in verse 30: 'there are some who are last who will be first, and some who are first who will be last'. The pagans will precede Israel in the new world and take its place because of their willingness to respond to the call.

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ true God and true Man in the mystery of the Trinity

The prophetic discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants Compared – In Defence of the Faith

 The Church and Israel According to St. Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

(Lk 12:49-53)

Luke 12:49 I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already burning!

Luke 12:50 I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!

Luke 12:51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.

Luke 12:52 From now on, in a house of five people

Luke 12:53 three will be divided in the house, two against one and one against two; father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

Verse 49 is divided into two parts: on the one hand, the coming of Jesus brings fire with it; on the other, Jesus expresses his desire that this fire should already be lit. In biblical language, fire is associated with the very being of God and his actions, and expresses the judgement of condemnation carried out by God himself. In the New Testament, fire reproduces meanings and images borrowed from the Old Testament, but also takes on new aspects with reference to eschatological contexts, marked by the action of the Holy Spirit.

Faced with such a varied meaning of the term 'fire', how can we interpret the meaning that Luke attributes to this noun in such a way that it fits in with the rest of the passage? Two elements help us to understand its meaning: this fire placed on earth, meaning the space-time dimension inhabited by man, was brought by Jesus, who is the manifestation and revelation of the Father. It is God's action among men; it is Jesus who, through exorcisms, declares that he has come to destroy the kingdom of Satan and to re-establish the Kingdom of God among men, and he does all this with the power of God that is his own. Perhaps this is precisely what Luke meant by the fire that Jesus came to bring to earth. Hence Jesus' desire: "How I wish it were already burning!", that is, already affirmed. A desire that goes beyond his time and projects itself into the post-Easter time of the Church, characterised by this fire which is the Holy Spirit, whose regenerating power works in the Word.

But between Jesus' today and the time of the Church there is the passion and death of Jesus, signified by the baptism with which Jesus must be baptised. A passion and death that take on an eschatological meaning, inasmuch as the death of Jesus is unique, unrepeatable and definitive, and is decisive for man who, despite himself, is directly involved in it.

In fact, God's judgment was passed on Jesus' death, thus becoming decisive for human beings: accepting it and living it in one's own life becomes a promise of resurrection for the believer. Otherwise, the death of Jesus becomes an element of condemnation. In this sense, it is significant how the assembly responds to the celebrant's announcement: 'We proclaim your death, O Lord, and we proclaim your resurrection, we await your coming'.

The believer, therefore, is called to proclaim in the daily life of his or her own life the death of Jesus, which is death to the old man; but which at the same time becomes a proclamation of the resurrection of Jesus, the proclamation that in this death-resurrection new times have been inaugurated, which prelude the definitive ones. And all this, the proclamation of death and the proclamation of new life, takes place in anticipation of his coming.

Having defined the meaning of the mission of the historical Jesus (vv. 49-50), Luke goes on to examine its repercussions and consequences for the Church, in particular the divisions and upheavals within the family circle. Certainly, the announcement that Jesus has come to bring the Fire of God to a land deeply marked by sin and which reasons in terms antithetical to those of God is not very reassuring and certainly does not promise an idyllic world for believers. And so here is the announcement, which is articulated on three levels:

 The statement of principle: Jesus did not come to bring peace, but division. The tone is clearly eschatological and closely recalls the community of Qumran, which had elaborated in detail the 'rule of war' of the children of light against the children of darkness, preparing its followers for the final battle in a climate of intense eschatological tension.

This war will be waged within the family. "From now on, in a house of five people, three will be divided against two and two against three." That "from now on" refers to the time of the Church. It is from this moment that the war begins, which has now shifted from against Jesus to against the Church. Luke speaks here of five members of the family, probably a typical family, in which "three against two and two against three" fight each other.

 The adversaries within the family are father and son, mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. It is a very close family relationship, but precisely because of this intimate and profound union and communion of relationships, it highlights even more how deeply this war disrupts not only the family structure but also the social structure. Note how the conflicts occur between people of the same sex: father and son, mother and daughter, daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. It is almost as if the upheaval is not only confined to the close family circle, but also to the very identity of the person, which is their sexual identity. 

In this description of family breakdown, a prelude to social breakdown or perhaps a reflection of it, there is a progression that, starting from the general statement in verse 51, penetrates ever deeper, passing through verse 52 and finally reaching verse 53, within the intimacy of the family and the very sexual identity and family roles of its members, as if to say that nothing will escape this war, which will overwhelm even the most intimate and dearest relationships of man and in which everything will be questioned and overturned. A disruption, therefore, from which no one is spared, removing all security and identity.

This text by Luke seems to have been written yesterday, not two thousand years ago, so well does it fit today's family and social situation.

Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All Generations Will Call Me Blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in Comparison – In Defence of the Faith

 The Church and Israel According to St. Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year C (Luke 12:32-48)

Luke 12:32 Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom.

Luke 12:33 Sell what you have and give it to the poor. Make yourselves purses that do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.

Luke 12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Luke 12:35 Be ready, with your loins girded and your lamps lit;

Luke 12:36 be like men who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately.

Luke 12:37 Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will gird himself and have them sit at table, and he will come and serve them.

Luke 12:38 And if he comes in the second watch, or before dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those servants.

Verse 32 opens with an exhortation to "Do not be afraid." Whenever this expression appears, it opens up an announcement that foreshadows God's intervention in human history, making us participants in his saving action. This time is no exception, as God opens the believer to a new perspective, of which he is already a part in some way: that of his Kingdom. The believer, therefore, already belongs to God's dimension, even if not yet in full and definitive terms. But this is the perspective in which he moves and towards which he is journeying and by which he is defined. For it is "pleased" with the Father "to give you his kingdom." That word "pleased" encapsulates the meaning of an eternal plan reserved for those who believe. The verse therefore presents itself as a reassurance that urges the believer not to fear, since he is now part of a divine plan that sees him as heir and participant in the very life of God, whereby his whole life acquires a new meaning.

Set within the reassurances and spiritual perspectives of verse 32, verses 33-34 indicate the main way to become worthy heirs of the Kingdom: to sell and give away one's material possessions, thus creating a spiritual treasure. The goods sold, therefore, become a means of spiritual enrichment. To understand this, it is necessary to consider that almsgiving was conceived even before the alienation of one's material possessions, as a sincere gift of oneself to another. The quality of almsgiving, therefore, finds its value in the heart of the giver: it is rooted in sincerity of heart and becomes a gift to others, enriching them spiritually, even before materially, because in that almsgiving the believer gives, even before a material good, himself; and precisely for this reason it becomes a source of spiritual treasure for him.

Verse 35 introduces a new theme, depicting the living conditions of the servant, who rolls up his robe, which could reach his knees or ankles, fastening the ends at his hips with a belt, so that he can move more freely, avoiding it getting twisted around his legs and causing him to stumble. He is presented with a lighted lamp: "Be ready, with your belts around your loins and your lamps lit." The girded loins indicate the servant's state of service and readiness, while the lamp indicates that this service continues throughout the night, highlighting the servant's constant vigilance. It is therefore a service that knows no rest, a vigil dedicated to service. A service that is illuminated by the lamp, which in some way metaphorises the Word of God, which gives substance to the believer's service, illuminating it and keeping it awake. Girded loins and a burning lamp are two emblematic images that indicate the state of constant, uninterrupted and diligent service of this servant.

Luke literally says, 'Let your loins be girded'. The Greek verb used is estōsan, which conveys the sense of firmness and solidity, of standing firm in one's position. It is therefore an image that outlines the attitude of the true disciple, who qualifies himself by being at the service of God, always and with determination.

Verse 36, in fact, begins with a conjunction, "kai" (= and), which links it to the previous one and draws its consequences: from the description of clothing, we move on to the exhortation to the disciples to behave accordingly: that of waiting, which implies a "tending towards", a keeping oneself in tension towards something or someone; orienting one's life towards someone or something in such a way that this tension and this existential orientation 'towards...' characterises the life of the disciple. The object of this waiting is the master returning from the wedding. This clarification has no metaphorical or symbolic meaning here, but refers to the uncertain time of the wedding itself. By speaking of a wedding without any further clarification, Luke refers to the set of ceremonies and celebrations, accompanied by long festivities, which culminated in the wedding banquet. By specifying that the master had gone to the wedding and that the servants were waiting for his return, Luke meant that the time of the master's return was unknown. Hence the need for those servants to watch at all times so as to be ready to welcome their master's return.

Verses 37-38 define the state of bliss of the watchful servants. The verses present a gradual and growing recognition by the master of those servants who were able to wait vigilantly for his return and showed themselves ready to welcome him. Twice they are called 'blessed', that is, participants in the bliss of their master, thus entering in some way into sharing his same life, which by definition is bliss. This participation and sharing are realised when the master seats them at his own table and, reversing the roles of master and servants, serves them himself, a sign that those servants have become part of their master's life and share it.

Finally, there is an increasingly rewarding crescendo depending on whether the master returns during the day, immediately seating them at the table and serving them, or during the night, giving up his rest. These servants were able to put aside their natural and legitimate needs to place themselves at the total service of their master, demonstrating how their loyalty and attention were always present, even in the most demanding and difficult moments. This is why Luke ends this exaltation of the servants with an exclamation that further emphasises their blessedness: 'Blessed are they!'.

Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – Exegetical Commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, true God and true Man in the mystery of the Trinity

The prophetic discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

(Qo 1:2; 2:21-23)

Ecclesiastes 1:2 Vanity of vanities, says Qohelet,

vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:21 For what does the wise man find after all his labour and after all the toil of his heart in which he has toiled at his work in this life? Even this is vanity and a great misfortune.

Ecclesiastes 2:22 What profit has a man from all his labour and from the striving of his heart with which he toils under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2:23 All his days are full of pain and sorrow; even at night his heart is not at rest. This too is meaningless!

The Hebrew word Qohelet comes from the verb qahal. A Jewish commentary explains that Qohelet was so named because it refers to 1 Kings 8:1, where qahal is the assembly to which Solomon preaches. Thus, Qohelet is the Preacher. The corresponding term Ecclesiastes derives from the Greek "ekklesia", which means "church" or "assembly". Qohelet is the master preacher, who offers a reflection on human life.

Qohelet begins his reflection with a powerful truth. He states that everything is vanity. The word 'vanity' (Hebrew: 'hevel') is the first word in Qohelet's discourse and is also the key word of the entire book. The primary meaning of the word is 'vapour/breath', and, figuratively, the term is used to describe something that has no substance, something that is, but immediately afterwards is not, something evanescent, empty, fleeting. Today we would say 'a rip-off'. For Qohelet, all life is an immense void, a fog, a breath, an illusion, an absurdity, a rip-off.

According to Gianfranco Ravasi, in his commentary on Qohelet, the expression 'vanity of vanities' is somewhat the antithesis of the Song of Songs. In both cases, the nouns that form the phrase are presented in their superlative form, but while Qohelet speaks of a 'void of voids', the Song of Songs 'is instead the superlative song of love'. Just as the Song of Songs is the superlative of the joy given by love, so vanity of vanities is the superlative of the frustration given by the emptiness of life.

'Hevel' is also the Hebrew name of another biblical character, Abel, the second son of Adam. Abel is a fleeting vapour that will disappear without a trace. Hevel has been translated as 'vanity' to convey the idea of emptiness.

As a noun, hevel is used in reference to idols, precisely to describe them as meaningless, useless, ineffective. Compared to the God of Israel, who throughout history has intervened on behalf of his people, other deities are described as hevel, having the same consistency as vapour.

By repeating 'vanity' several times, Qohelet wants the listener to stop their mind and focus only on this thought. If the listener reflects as he has reflected, they will see that this is how things are. Vanity is human life; it is empty, lacking in vital content. Things exist, but what gives them value is missing. Qohelet begins to meditate, questions himself, loses his certainties. What am I looking for? What am I fighting for? Vanity! What am I toiling for? Vanity!

In Jewish tradition, the book of Ecclesiastes is read at Sukkot, during the Feast of Tabernacles, the feast that commemorates the transience of life, when the Israelites lived in huts in the desert.

For example, when the fruit of honest and intelligent labour falls into the hands of the lazy and idle (v. 21), what is the point of all this toil? It is as if Qohelet senses a great injustice in what happens at the moment of death. One works wisely and successfully, and at the moment of death must leave his share to another who has not worked for it at all. Not only is this an injustice, it is also a great evil. It is vanity. An honest and industrious existence, which spares itself no effort or pain, which always thinks for the best, allowing little rest, must it then end in bitterness, that all has been perfectly vain and useless?

What does Qohelet, or rather, the Word of God, want to teach us? First of all, it reveals the consequences of death. Death strips man of everything that is material. The soul will appear 'naked' before God. If leaving the fruits of one's labour to others is wrong, how can we transform our efforts into something eternal or something that we can take with us? Everything that is material belongs to the earth and must be left to the earth. The soul takes with it only what is spiritual, both good and bad. This is precisely wisdom: transforming the fruit of one's labour into spiritual reality. The Word of God points to this path in charity. Those who make their lives an act of charity lose nothing, take everything with them, and gain eternal reward.Man's life on earth is full of pain and suffering. His heart does not rest even at night. If he then has to leave the earth empty-handed, it is absolute emptiness. This is why it is necessary to find a solution to transform vanity into fulfilment. If this solution is not found, life remains empty. No man should live an empty life. He needs fulfilment. However, there is only one way. The transformation of matter into spirit, into virtue, into love, gives true fulfilment to life. 

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, true God and true Man in the mystery of the Trinity

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St. Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

Gen 18:20-32

Genesis 18:20 Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grave.

Genesis 18:21 I will go down to see whether they have done all the evil that has been brought before me; if so, I will know.'

Genesis 18:22 The men left there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham stood before the Lord.

Genesis 18:23 Then Abraham drew near and said, 'Will you really destroy the righteous along with the wicked?

Genesis 18:24 Perhaps there are fifty righteous people in the city; will you really destroy them? Will you not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people who are in it?

Genesis 18:25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put to death the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be treated like the wicked. Far be that from you! Shall not the judge of all the earth do justice?”

Genesis 18:26 The Lord replied, 'If I find fifty righteous people in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.

Genesis 18:27 Abraham replied, 'I dare to speak to my Lord, though I am dust and ashes...

Genesis 18:28 Perhaps there will be five less than fifty righteous people; will you destroy the whole city for those five? He replied, 'I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.

Genesis 18:29 Abraham spoke to him again and said, "Perhaps there will be forty there." He replied, "I will not do it, for the sake of the forty."

Genesis 18:30 He said, "Let not my lord be angry, and I will speak again. Perhaps there will be thirty found there." He said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there."

Genesis 18:31 He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty who are there."

Genesis 18:32 He replied, "Let not my Lord be angry, and I will not speak again. Perhaps there will be ten found there." He said, "I will not destroy it for the sake of those ten."

The evil that is done cries out to the Lord. We can define the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah as the ultimate abyss into which human nature can fall. The text of Genesis presents God who wants to make sure that things are really as the cry that has reached him says.

"Then the Lord said, 'The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin is so grave. These words emphasise the reason for the imminent destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. For God, the sinfulness of those cities had reached a level that required judgement. The "cry" mentioned here symbolises the cry of injustice and immorality that has reached the Lord's ears.

The focus on the sins of the cities reveals the principle that moral corruption and injustice clash with divine punishment. This implies that God's judgment is not arbitrary, but is a response to the cumulative effect of wickedness and decay in society.

The practical application of verse 20 goes beyond the historical and theological context and concerns the concept of divine justice and human moral responsibility. It reminds us that actions have consequences and that there is a divine moral order that holds individuals and societies accountable for their behaviour.

Furthermore, it encourages reflection on personal and community ethics. It is an invitation to self-examination and repentance, and urges individuals and communities to address moral failures and injustices before they reach a point of no return. It also emphasises the importance of promoting justice and righteousness in one's own environment. Just as the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was heard by God, so too is the ethical climate of our communities observed and evaluated.

Verse 20 has remarkable relevance in today's context. It is a powerful reminder of the consequences of collective moral failure and the importance of ethical conduct. In a world facing numerous moral and social challenges, this verse draws attention to the need for personal and social repentance. It calls individuals and communities to reflect on their actions and the values of society, encouraging a move towards righteousness and fairness. Furthermore, the story of Sodom and Gomorrah stimulates discussion on issues such as corruption, injustice, and the role of the faith community in addressing moral issues. It challenges contemporary readers to consider whether their actions and social structures align with divine principles of justice and compassion.

It is a profound verse that encapsulates the reasons behind God's judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah. It highlights the importance of moral behaviour and the principle of divine retribution in response to serious transgressions. The 'cry' of Sodom and Gomorrah is a moral cry that transcends human perception and calls for divine intervention. The "very grave" nature of their sin highlights the intensity of their moral corruption and serves as a warning to all societies about the dangers of unchecked wickedness.

In practical terms, lessons must be learned about the importance of living according to divine standards and maintaining social justice by upholding integrity, compassion, and righteousness in personal and community life. The profound connection between human behaviour and divine judgement challenges believers to live lives that reflect justice and moral integrity.

After that, intercessory prayer arises biblically with this account of Abraham's life. The request for forgiveness of the wicked on behalf of the righteous also arises. This is the heart of our Christology. This is the heart of the Gospel. God cannot cause the wicked and the righteous to die together because of the wicked. But God can cause the wicked and the righteous to live together because of the righteous. 

Those who love the Lord and have faith in Him cannot accept a summary justice that unites the wicked and the righteous in a single condemnation.

At the heart of this discussion is a specific question: before God, does the wickedness of the many carry more weight than the goodness of the few? God is ready to give more importance to the good, even if it is in the minority, because His love precedes His justice. 

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, True God and True Man in the Trinitarian Mystery

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St. Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

Psalm 14

Psalms 14:1 Psalm. Of David.

Lord, who shall dwell in your tent?

Who will dwell on your holy mountain?

Psalms 14:2 The one who walks without fault,

who acts justly and speaks truthfully,

Psalms 14:3 who does not take up a false charge against his neighbour,

does no wrong to his neighbour

or take up a reproach against his neighbour.

Psalms 14:4 The wicked are despised in his sight,

but honours those who fear the Lord.

Even if he swears to his own hurt, he does not change;

Psalms 14:5 He does not lend money at interest,

and does not accept gifts against the innocent.

He who walks in this way

will remain steadfast forever.

The psalm is by David. Through him, the Holy Spirit expressed these words. This psalm lists eleven actions that make a man righteous. Some of these actions, such as the prohibition of lending at interest or corruption in court, are provided for in the Torah, but others are not, demonstrating that David is a prophet who goes beyond the line of justice drawn by the Torah. From a cultic point of view, it is a liturgical psalm, a true 'penitential act' because the pilgrim had to have a purified soul in order to enter the temple. It is a gesture that is also performed at the beginning of Mass ('I confess to almighty God...') which precedes the actual celebration of the rite.

To enter the temple, the Torah required external purity, which was linked to the observance of certain practices. The psalmist goes further: God demands inner purity. God is interested in the heart of man, the purity of the heart. David manifests that law written in the hearts that will be fulfilled by Jesus. The psalm expresses the journey towards God, the arrival at the tent of the Lord, and the dwelling there. The pilgrim goes to the temple, but in the end he also dwells there, not in the sense of living in the temple but in the sense of meeting the Lord and having communion with Him. This is what we experience in the Eucharist.

The psalmist's questions - Who will dwell in your tent? Who will live on your holy mountain? - are questions about the future of man. Man does not live only in the present or in the historical future. He also lives for an eternal future, after his death. This future can be lived on the mountain of life that belongs to the Lord, or in the valley of perdition and death without the Lord. Who will dwell with the Lord for eternity? Who will dwell forever in his house? This question must be answered. The Psalm gives a very clear answer.

To live eternally with God, certain laws must be observed: walk blamelessly, practise justice, speak truth (v. 2). The first requirement ("He who walks blamelessly") conditions all the others. The Hebrew word 'tāmîm' means 'righteously'. Walk blamelessly (i.e. righteously) and practise justice... those who keep God's word and live in obedience to his commandments. Speak truth... those who are righteous, because only the righteous have God, who is truth, in their hearts. If man puts God in his heart, he will always speak the truth. But if God is not in the heart, or if one even thinks that he does not exist, what truth can one utter with one's mouth if it is absent from the heart? 

To ascend and dwell on the mountain of the Lord, one must always have a pure, holy tongue (v. 3). Never should it be used to spread slander, falsehoods or defamation. No harm should be done to one's neighbour, either physical or spiritual. No insults should be hurled at one's neighbour. One's neighbour must be helped, never trampled on, never insulted. One must live in peaceful brotherhood with one's neighbour.

Those who wish to ascend the mountain of the Lord must have no connection with the wicked (v. 4). The wicked must be considered despicable in their eyes. There must be no communion with them. Rather, those who fear the Lord must always be honoured. Those who wish to dwell with God must stay away from the ungodly and associate with those who fear the Lord.

Another necessary thing that must be done: one must keep one's oaths. One must always keep one's word, even if it is to one's detriment, even if it is against one's own interests. The righteous must always be righteous. Since they must dwell in the kingdom of light, theirs must be a path of light. How far removed is the conception of many Christians today from that of the psalmist. It is as if we had destroyed in a few years a heritage of truth built up over millennia.

Usury is a sin severely condemned by the Church, which has always been opposed to usurers, so much so that in the Middle Ages this type of lending was practised only by Jews. Verse 5 seems to have been written today. There is no place for usurers on the holy mountain of the Lord. They have fed, like thirsty vampires, on the blood of their fellow men, and there can be no place for them with God because there was no place in their hearts for the needy.

Nor shall those who take bribes against the innocent ascend the holy mountain of God. Those who condemn the innocent, whatever their motive, should know that there is no place for them on God's mountain. The problem of corruption in the judiciary was also topical in the Bible. Judges who received compensation ruled in favour of the strong and against the weak. The righteous, on the other hand, embrace the cause of the innocent without monetary incentives. If Christians had the courage to proclaim these ancient truths, the world would breathe a different light. Unfortunately, Christians preach salvation at a low price, indeed at no price, even at the price of sin, and the world is plunging into chaos for lack of truth and morality.

The psalm, with all its very concrete requests, highlights that liturgy and life, prayer and existence, must never be separated. A Christian who limits himself to going to Mass on Sundays is not a good Christian, because the practice of worship cannot be separated from works. There would be a huge divide between his prayer (liturgy) and his life (existence).

The content of the psalm leads us not to have a magical view of liturgy and prayer; the psalmist wants to instil the concept that liturgy-prayer without consistency in life is empty. The acts indicated in these verses are not to be performed upon entering the temple; rather, they are behaviours that must characterise the life of the believer. Furthermore, our faith cannot be an intimate one [me and my God] because our relationship with God is valid precisely because others exist. If we do not live in a community, we cannot even love the Lord.

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, true God and true Man in the mystery of the Trinity

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St. Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

Psalm 18

Psalms 18:1 To the choir director. A psalm of David.

Psalms 18:2 The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the work of his hands proclaims the firmament.

Psalms 18:3 Day to day pours forth speech

and night to night conveys its message.

Psalms 18:4 There is no speech, nor are there words

whose voice is not heard.

Psalms 18:5 Their voice goes out into all the earth

and their words to the ends of the world.

Psalms 18:6 He has set a tent for the sun

which comes forth as a bridegroom from his chamber,

and rejoices like a young man running his course.

Psalms 18:7 He rises from one end of the heavens

and his way reaches to the ends of the earth;

nothing is hidden from his heat.

This psalm has been divided by the liturgy into 18 A and 18 B. The first part of the psalm (vv. 2-7) is a song to the Creator of the universe. In the second part (vv. 8-15), there is a hymn to the Torah, that is, to the divine law, to the word of the Lord. The two parts of the psalm deal with how man can attain knowledge of God; first by deduction, observing the visible heavens, and then through the teaching of the Torah, the Word of God. These are respectively the material and spiritual spheres. The unity between the two parts is achieved through the symbolism of the sun: without the physical light of the sun and the spiritual light of the Word of God, there would be no life on earth. God reveals himself to all by illuminating the universe with the splendour of the sun and enlightens the faithful with the radiance of his Word contained in his revealed law. It is significant, in fact, that the law, in the second part of the Psalm, is outlined with solar attributes: As the sun gives physical light to the earth (vv. 6-7), so the law is the lamp that gives spiritual light to man (vv. 8-9).

The order, beauty and harmony of the universe proclaim the glory of God. The firmament proclaims itself to be the work of God's hands. The existence of the heavens is a song to the glory of God. Those who look at the firmament cannot but confess that it is the work of the Lord's hands. The majesty of creation provides proof of a Creator God even more majestic than creation itself. Those who do not see the infinite beauty of their Creator in the beauty of creation are fools. But those who are not fools raise a great hymn of praise to the Creator.

The day that passes on conveys the news that there is a Creator to the day that comes, entrusting it to it so that it may pass it on in turn. Even the night that passes on conveys the news to the night that comes, so that it too may proclaim this truth and pass it on in turn to the night that follows it. No day wants the other day to forget its Lord, and so no night wants the other night to stop telling of God's wonders. The truth of God must remain stable forever.

Day and night silently pass on the news to each other. No one hears them speak. They pass on the news naturally, by the fact of succeeding each other, of being. It is enough for the night to rise and the starry sky to shine in all its splendour, and immediately the hymn of praise to its Creator and Lord begins. It is enough for the day to dawn and the contemplation of God's works becomes a song of praise and blessing to its Author. This truth should also apply to man. All it takes is for a man to come into the world for a hymn of thanksgiving to be sung to his Maker and God. There is no greater miracle in nature than the birth of a new human life. Yet man is the only being who does not pass on this news.

There is no place on earth where day and night do not sing the glory of the Lord. From every corner of the universe, the extraordinary greatness of God appears. From every corner of the universe, the hymn of glory and blessing rises to God. The message of creation concerning the glory of God reaches all nations and is understandable to all.

In the sky there is something extraordinarily beautiful, great and luminous. God has set the sun in the sky (v. 6). It is as if the sun were at the centre of God's works. It is as if it were the most excellent work. Its light and warmth reflect God's power. The sun is also compared to a bridegroom coming out of his chamber. It is the image of the bridegroom who loves his bride and is loved by her. The sun rises to give joy and warmth to the whole earth. It rises to awaken it from its night-time slumber. It rises to bring it back to life. The sun is the material life of the earth. That is why it is a symbol of God. The sun rises and completes its cycle to give life to the whole earth. So is God. He rises and comes to bring his light of truth to all men.

The sun passes and the earth is warmed. God is the eternal light that gives life and warmth. But above all, he gives the life of truth to every man. The sun is a symbol of God, but above all it is a symbol of the Word of God. It is the Word of God that is the true light that enlightens every man. Just as plants and animals and even human beings draw their life from the warmth of the sun, so the Word of God must generate life in every human being. It is enough to listen to it, to live it. It is enough to let ourselves be warmed by its light and life will blossom within us. Nothing else needs to be done. It is enough just to live it, to absorb it. The light of the sun is absorbed. The light of the Word of God must also be absorbed. 

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, true God and true Man in the mystery of the Trinity

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St. Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)

(Gal 6:14-18)

Galatians 6:14 As for me, may I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, as I have been to the world.

While others can boast because they are good, because they have many disciples, because they observe the law, because they are circumcised, Paul says: I would like to boast of one thing, the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is Paul's spiritual programme. Every action, every gesture must serve only to fulfil his fundamental choice: the choice to be crucified with Christ and to crucify the world in Christ. A crucified man is a cursed man, but a man crucified in Christ is blessed and chosen by heaven. From Christ onwards, the cross, a sign of death, will be carried as a sign of life and glory. Whoever looks to the One who was pierced will be saved.

The cross is the opposite of pride; it is ignominy. It is like saying, 'I boast of the worst thing there is, because the cross is the worst thing there is.' Paul boasts of the cross because in the cross he understood the essence of God; he understood that on the cross the Lord Jesus loved us. This is the boast of the Christian: to understand the mystery of the cross and to understand the mystery of God's love. Those who understand this love say: I am crucified for the world; but what does it mean that I am crucified for the world? The world for me died through the cross; it no longer has its charm, it no longer has its appeal, because I no longer live for myself, for my selfishness, for my old self; I live for this love that He gives me freely, so I am dead to myself, I live for Him; it is no longer I who live, Christ lives in me; the life I live in the flesh, I live in the love of the Lord who loved me and gave himself for me.

Those who choose the cross give themselves fully to the Lord, and this gift is not expressed in doing this or that, but in making themselves available to the Lord, in listening to His will. Choosing the cross means renouncing one's own plans, ideas, thoughts and views, so that the Spirit can guide our lives where and when He wants. Thus, to crucify the world means that we deny it, condemn it, reject it, bury it so that it no longer reigns over us, so that it does not invade our lives, so that it does not tempt us and make us abandon Christ, the only source of life and blessing.

This world is the world of the flesh, of sin and death, which stands in contrast to the new creation in Christ. We crucify the world by removing from our hearts its thoughts, its ideas, every influence and every feeling that contrasts with the will of God expressed and manifested in the word of Christ. The world is crucified by openly condemning its works, its opposition to God, its satanic will to oppose everything that is a moral reference point in human conduct. Today we condemn the world... but do we crucify it? The answer is no. We do not crucify it because we have conformed to its thinking, which is the thinking of Satan and not of Christ.

In this, the Church must acknowledge many failures among her children. They live by rituals but not by faith; by functions but not by the Word; by traditions but not by holiness; they live by outward appearances and formalities but not by listening to the Word of Christ. The world does not crucify itself unless it lives by faith, by the Word, by listening, by holiness, by great interiority, by the constant motion of the Holy Spirit.

"The world has been crucified to me, as I to the world." Paul is crucified, that is, dead to this old world of evil, which is unable to separate him from Christ, and he himself has been crucified to the world, since the world can take nothing from him except the testimony of the cross of Christ. This is the profound experience that Paul offers to everyone, and this is what he boasts about, this is what it is right to boast about, and may heaven grant that we may all boast about this.

If the disciple of Jesus does not crucify the world, he will not be crucified by the world. The two crucifixions are the cause of each other. The disciple of Jesus crucifies the world, the world crucifies the disciple of Jesus. First, the disciple of Jesus must choose to follow Christ faithfully, and it is in this choice that the world is crucified, but it is also in the realisation of this choice that the world crucifies the Christian. Everything therefore depends on the disciple of Jesus, and if the world does not crucify us, it is a sign that we have not crucified the world.

Therefore, it is very easy to know whether we are of Christ or not. We need only observe how the world treats us. If the world crucifies us, it is a clear sign that we have crucified the world. When the world no longer crucifies us, it is clear that we have slowed down our journey in faith, or even strayed from the right path and immersed ourselves (too) in the thoughts and logic of the world.

In this verse, Paul summarises the profound experience of Christian life and the core of the entire Letter to the Galatians, namely the meaning of the cross as a source of pride, as glory, as a revelation of God and as a radical change of life: the old man dies and the new man is born, whose measure is the love of God and no longer his own selfishness and desires.

 Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books 

- Apocalypse – exegetical commentary 

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers – Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ, true God and true man in the mystery of the Trinity

The Prophetic Discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

 Catholics and Protestants in comparison – In defence of the faith

 The Church and Israel according to St. Paul – Romans 9-11

(Available on Amazon)