EVANGELIO DEL DÍA

miércoles, 21 de abril de 2010

"The true bread from heaven": from the second century; one of the first descriptions of the Eucharist outside the New Testament.

"The true bread from heaven": from the second century; one of the first descriptions of the Eucharist outside the New Testament.

DAILY GOSPEL: 20/04/2010
�Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.� John 6,68


Tuesday of the Third week of Easter

Acts of the Apostles 7:51-60.8:1.
Stephen said to the people, the elders, and the scribes: �You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the Holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors.
Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become.
You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it."
When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him.
But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,
and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together.
They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them"; and when he said this, he fell asleep.
Now Saul was consenting to his execution.On that day, there broke out a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Psalms 31(30):3-4.6.7.8.17.21.
Incline your ear to me; make haste to rescue me! Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to save me.
You are my rock and my fortress; for your name's sake lead and guide me.
Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, LORD, faithful God.
You hate those who serve worthless idols, but I trust in the LORD.
I will rejoice and be glad in your love, once you have seen my misery, observed my distress.
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your kindness.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from scheming enemies. You keep them in your abode, safe from plotting tongues.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6:30-35.
The crowd said to Jesus: �What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?
Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
So Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always."
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
Jn 6,30-35
Commentary of the day
Saint Justin (c.100-160), philosopher and martyr
First Apology, 67.66 ; PG 6, 427-431 (trans. Herbert Musurillo)
"The true bread from heaven": from the second century; one of the first descriptions of the Eucharist outside the New Testament.
And so on the day called Sunday there is an assembly in one place of all who live in the cities or in the country; the memorials of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as time allows. After the reader has finished, the presiding officer verbally instructs and exhorts us to imitate these shining examples. Then we all rise and pray together. Next, as I said before, when we finish the prayer, bread, wine, and water are brought up. The presiding officer once again offers up prayers of thanksgiving according to his strength, and then the people cry out "amen" (meaning, in Hebrew, 'May it be so').

And this food we call the Eucharist, and no one is allowed to partake of it unless he believes our doctrine is true and has been washed in the laver for regeneration and the forgiveness of sins, and so lives as Christ has taught. For we do not partake of this as ordinary food and drink; but just as the Word of God incarnate, Jesus Christ our Savior, took on flesh and blood for our salvation, so too the food over which the thanksgiving prayer has been pronounced through the word which came from him, and by which our flesh and blood are changed and nourished-this food we have been taught is the very flesh and blood of Jesus. For the apostles in the memorials which they wrote, called the Gospels, declared that Jesus ordered them to act in this way. Jesus, taking bread, gave thanks and said, "Do this in commemoration of me: this is my body.� And likewise, taking up the cup, he gave thanks and said, �This is my blood� and gave it to them alone (Mt 26,26f;1Co 11,23f.)... We all hold this common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, on which God made the world, changing darkness and matter, and on which Christ Jesus our Savior rose from the dead.



Tuesday, 20 April 2010

St. Marcellinus, Bishop (4th century)



SAINT MARCELLINUS
Bishop
(4th century)
St. Marcellinus was born in Africa, of a noble family; accompanied by Vincent and Domninus, he went over into Gaul, and there preached the Gospel, with great success, in the neighborhood of the Alps.
He afterwards settled at Embrun, where he built a chapel in which he passed his nights in prayer, after laboring all the day in the exercise of his sacred calling. By his pious example as well as by his earnest words, he converted many of the heathens among whom he lived.
He was afterwards made bishop of the people whom he had won over to Christ, but the date of his consecration is not positively known. Burning with zeal for the glory of God, he sent Vincent and Domninus to preach the faith in those parts which he could not visit in person.
He died at Embrun about the year 374, and was there interred. St. Gregory of Tours, who speaks of Marcellinus in terms of highest praise, mentions many miracles as happening at his tomb.


Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

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