DAILY GOSPEL: 22/09/2010
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Proverbs 30:5-9.
Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver.
Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die:
Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; (provide me only with the food I need;)
Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God.
Psalms 119:29.72.89.101.104.163.
Lead me from the way of deceit; favor me with your teaching.
Teaching from your lips is more precious to me than heaps of silver and gold.
Your word, LORD, stands forever; it is firm as the heavens.
I keep my steps from every evil path, that I may obey your word.
Through your precepts I gain insight; therefore I hate all false ways.
Falsehood I hate and abhor; your teaching I love.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9:1-6.
He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (the sick).
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."
Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.
Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver.
Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die:
Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; (provide me only with the food I need;)
Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God.
Psalms 119:29.72.89.101.104.163.
Lead me from the way of deceit; favor me with your teaching.
Teaching from your lips is more precious to me than heaps of silver and gold.
Your word, LORD, stands forever; it is firm as the heavens.
I keep my steps from every evil path, that I may obey your word.
Through your precepts I gain insight; therefore I hate all false ways.
Falsehood I hate and abhor; your teaching I love.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9:1-6.
He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (the sick).
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."
Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.
Lc 9,1-6
Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
4th Homily on 1 Corinthians; PG 61, 34-36 (trans. Mary Hallies)
«Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings you have fashioned praise» (Ps 8,3)
It was through unlearned men that the Cross brought conviction, and drew the world to itself. It spoke to men, not of chance things, but of God, and of piety in the truth, of the Gospel polity, of future judgment, and it made uncouth and illiterate men philosophers. This is how «the foolishness of God is wiser than man, and His weakness stronger,» (1Cor. 1,25).
How is it stronger? It is stronger in that it spread over the whole earth and seized all men by force, and whereas thousands and thousands did their utmost to stamp out the name of the Crucified One, just the contrary came to pass. For this name took root and was propagated all the more, whereas its enemies were destroyed and consumed, and living men fighting a dead One, gained not a stroke... For publicans and fishermen set up those very things by the goodness of God which philosophers, and orators, and despots, and the whole world vainly striving with all its might could not even devise... This was in Paul's mind when he said: «the weakness of God is stronger than all men put together.» How, otherwise, was it that twelve unlettered men attempted things of this importance?
How is it stronger? It is stronger in that it spread over the whole earth and seized all men by force, and whereas thousands and thousands did their utmost to stamp out the name of the Crucified One, just the contrary came to pass. For this name took root and was propagated all the more, whereas its enemies were destroyed and consumed, and living men fighting a dead One, gained not a stroke... For publicans and fishermen set up those very things by the goodness of God which philosophers, and orators, and despots, and the whole world vainly striving with all its might could not even devise... This was in Paul's mind when he said: «the weakness of God is stronger than all men put together.» How, otherwise, was it that twelve unlettered men attempted things of this importance?
The Theban Legion, Martyrs (c.287)
THE THEBAN LEGION
Martyrs
(c. 287)
The Theban legion numbered more than six thousand men. They marched from the East into Gaul, and proved their loyalty at once to their Emperor and to their God. They were encamped near the Lake of Geneva, under the Emperor Maximian, when they got orders to turn their swords against the Christian population, and refused to obey. In his fury Maximian ordered them to be decimated. The order was executed once and again, but they endured this without a murmur or an effort to defend themselves.
St. Maurice, the chief captain in this legion of martyrs, encouraged the rest to persevere and follow their comrades to heaven. "Know, O Emperor," he said, "that we are your soldiers, but we are servants also of the true God. In all things lawful we will most readily obey, but we cannot stain our hands in this innocent blood. We have seen our comrades slain, and we rejoice at their honor. We have arms, but we resist not, for we had rather die without shame than live by sin."
As the massacre began, these generous soldiers flung down their arms, offered their necks to the sword, and suffered themselves to be butchered in silence.
St. Maurice, the chief captain in this legion of martyrs, encouraged the rest to persevere and follow their comrades to heaven. "Know, O Emperor," he said, "that we are your soldiers, but we are servants also of the true God. In all things lawful we will most readily obey, but we cannot stain our hands in this innocent blood. We have seen our comrades slain, and we rejoice at their honor. We have arms, but we resist not, for we had rather die without shame than live by sin."
As the massacre began, these generous soldiers flung down their arms, offered their necks to the sword, and suffered themselves to be butchered in silence.
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