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Eighth Sunday
CHAPTER XI
after Pentecost,
Sources of the liturgy : Introit, Ps. XLVII, 10-11 and 2. Epistle,
Romans, vin, 12-17. Gradual, Ps. xxx, 3 and 2. Alleluia,
Ps. XLVII, 2. Gospel, St. Luke, xvi, 1-9. Offertory, Ps.
xvii, 28-32. Communion, Ps. xxxm, 9.
The ANTIPHON AND THE LESSONS of the Office on this
Sunday recall the BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE by the
wisest of kings in honour of Him who is uncreated wis
dom. It would seem from this that the Church wishes
us to pay one last tribute of reverence to this grand
monument of the old Covenant, the destruction of
which she will shortly bring before us by relating to
us the prophecy of our Lord concerning it. The whole
of the Mass of this eighth Sunday shows us the DOWN
FALL AND REJECTION of the ancient SYNAGOGUE and
on the other hand the strength and TRIUMPH OF THE
CHURCH which has replaced it ; finally we find in it
the rule of conduct which every Christian soul should
draw from this two-fold event. In the Gospel the
parable of the unjust steward ILLUSTRATES THE REJEC
TION OF THE ANCIENT SYNAGOGUE. Charged with the
administration of all his master s estates, this steward
by his bad management soon received a threat of
dismissal from his post. The Master spoken of in this
parable is God Himself, and the unjust steward repre
sents the Synagogue, that is, the assembly of priests
and doctors of the law at the time of our Lord s appear
ance on earth. To this Synagogue our Lord, had,