Word of the Week

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Repeatedly: Pollakis (Gk.): meaning, “often; oftentimes”, “frequently”, or “time after time”. The base of this word means “many.”

In reference to Christ’s perfectsacrifice, the CCC reminds the faithful that “It is love ‘to the end’ (Jn.13:1) that confers on Christ's sacrifice its value as redemption and reparation, as atonement and satisfaction. He knew and loved us all when he offered his life… No man, not even the holiest, was ever able to take on himself the sins of all men and offer himself as a sacrifice for all” (616). It is by Christ's sacrifice present on the altar and having entered the heavenly sanctuary that makes it possible for all generations of Christians to be united with his offering by the power of his mediation and the gift of the Holy Spirit (CCC, 667, 1368).

The term pollakis can be found 18 times in the New Testament with a very rich background to the Old Testament vision to sacrifice. This Greek term is most frequent in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians and the letter to the Hebrews, 4 in each. This brief teaching and reflection will focus on the letter to the Hebrews.

The thrust of the Letter to the Hebrews places a particular emphasis on the priesthood of Christ and the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant (Hahn, and Minch, 14). One of the very rich themes to the OT was that of the sacrifice of the priest, which became in antiquity, the hallmark of the covenant (family bond) made with God. This sacrifice was cyclic, and was performed ritually to remain in relationship with God. But this is exactly what Christ came to change “once and for all” (Heb.9:26). In the words of the St. Ignatius commentary on the Letter to the Hebrews, “The continuous cycle of high priest offering sacrifices and going in and out of the holy of holies year after year stands in contrast to Christ, who appeared once for all (9:26), died once and for all (7:27, 9:28,) and entered the heavenly sanctuary once and for all (9:12)”.  Christ’s one, and perfect sacrifice, is what we are called to repeatedly participate in, not for our glory, but his. The paradox is thick, what is to take place ‘time after time’ for man to sustain himself in relationship with God is possible because Christ has undone what once was done ‘time after time’—sacrifice!

Furthermore, this Solemnity of All Saints continues to draw our attention to the question of poverty and how we are called to live out our relationship with Christ in an unreserved donation of self. From the widow who gives all she had to “the man of God”  in the OT, to the widow who gives all she has to “men of God” in the NT, all the faithful are to learn from their exemplary gift of self-denial. It is not always how much you give as much as it is the spirit from which you give. We have to ask the questions: do we give out of convenience and excess? Does our giving entail sacrifice? Each widow from today’s reading had just enough for their own survival, yet, they gave what was “just enough” away, trusting that God will provide. Their faith led them to a selfless, whole-hearted response to God. Let us go forth and imitate the faith of those who left for us a heroic example of faith to follow.

 

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.”

--G.K. Chesterton

Primary Texts Consulted

•  Catholic Bible. Suggested trans. Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition.
•  Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd Edition, 1997.
• Hahn, Scott and Minch, Curtis. Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The letters to the Hebrews, RSV, 2nd ed. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2007.

 

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