Interesting Take on Sunday's readings & the Pope

While checking out some of the different news sites that I like to look at I came across a link titled Today's ironic readings. Naturally it caught my attention. So, I clicked on the link. It was a connection to a blog by Mark Mallett, a Catholic musician. He had titled his entry for 23 Sept Today's Readings: On the Mark. In it he reflects on the readings for Sunday 24 Sept 2006, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B.

In it he looks at the 3 readings as well as the repsonsorial psalm from the Mass & as he notes: "TODAY’S Sunday Mass readings remarkably call to mind Pope Benedict XVI and the events of this past week."

I agree that they are remarkably right on the mark (& so is Mark on the mark in his take, pun intended) about the situation with Papa Benedetto & the outcry about what he said in his address at the University of Regensburg. But, I suspect that it is much more that what the world would call mere coincidence. Rather, I suspect that the Holy Spirit is behind this "coincidence". Over the years I have seen too many times when the readings were just right for a certain time & place. This is not to say that God's Word doesn't always have a "now" application at the time they are read at Mass. But, God knows the whole of what we call the future. & He knew that at some times there would be a need to especially hear certain readings from His Word. So, I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit inspired those planning the Lectionary back in the lates 60s so that these readings would fall on this date in 2006. It is a sign of how much God loves us. & a sign that He is ultimately in charge despite what we may want to think.

Here is link to the whole entry:

http://www.markmallett.com/blog/?m=20060924