Thursday, June 12, 2025

 

Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(II Corinthians 3:15-4.1.3-6; Matthew 5:20-26)

Today’s first reading challenges understanding.  It is not an integral piece from Paul’s letter.  It also uses a difficult metaphor.   In the passage Paul tries to explain to the Corinthians why Jews have rejected the Gospel while he urges them to embrace it.

The tricky image that Paul uses is a veil.  He takes it from the Book of Exodus where Moses used a veil to cover his face after seeing the glory of the Lord on Mount Sinai.  Paul claims that the Jews are still prevented from seeing the reflection of the Lord’s glory, which has become the Gospel.  Paul has revealed this to them by his preaching.

What keeps people today from embracing the Gospel?  What is the contemporary veil?  Different people probably are blinded by different veils, but scientism is prevalent among many.  People won’t accept anything as certain that is not subject to empirical proof.  However, just as we are sure that parents love their children, we know that our Creator loves us.