DAILY GOSPEL: 24/09/2010
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
Friday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-11.
There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about.
He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.
Psalms 144(143):1-2.3-4.
Of David. Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war;
My safe guard and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, My shield, in whom I trust, who subdues peoples under me.
LORD, what are mortals that you notice them; human beings, that you take thought of them?
They are but a breath; their days are like a passing shadow.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9:18-22.
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, 'One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'"
Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "The Messiah of God."
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."
There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every thing under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
What advantage has the worker from his toil?
I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about.
He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.
Psalms 144(143):1-2.3-4.
Of David. Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war;
My safe guard and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, My shield, in whom I trust, who subdues peoples under me.
LORD, what are mortals that you notice them; human beings, that you take thought of them?
They are but a breath; their days are like a passing shadow.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9:18-22.
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?"
They said in reply, "John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, 'One of the ancient prophets has arisen.'"
Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter said in reply, "The Messiah of God."
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised."
Lc 9,18-22
Theodoret of Cyrus (393-460), Bishop
Treatise on the Incarnation, 26-27 ; PG 75,1465
"The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected... and be killed and on the third day be raised."
Jesus made his way of his own free will towards the sufferings Scripture had foretold. He had frequently predicted them to his disciples and had even severely rebuked Peter, who had received their discovery with indignation (Mt 16,23). Finally, he showed how they were the cause of the world's salvation. This was why, to the men coming to arrest him, he referred to himself as: «I am he whom you are seeking» (cf. Jn 18,5.8)... He was struck, covered with spittle, mocked, tortured, scourged and, in the end crucified. He allowed two outlaws, one at his right and one at his left, to share his suffering. Classed alongside murderers and criminals he took vinegar and gall, fruits of a bitter vine. He was struck in mockery by a reed, pierced by a lance in his side and, in the end, laid in a tomb.
All this he suffered while working our salvation... By his thorns he brought an end to the punishment laid on Adam, since the latter, having sinned, received this sentence: «Cursed be the ground because of you! Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you» (Gn 3,17-18). With the gall he took to himself all that is bitter and painful in mortal life and sorrowful to men. With the vinegar he accepted human nature's decline and bestowed on it its restoration to a higher state. By the purple he symbolized his royalty; with the reed he indicated how weak and feeble the devil's power is. Being slapped, he made known our enfranchisement [just as we do in the case of a slave]. He bore with the abuse, punishment and beating due to us.
He was struck in the side, making him more like Adam. But, far from bringing forth the woman who, by her straying, gave birth to death, he made a spring of life to gush out (Gn 2,21; Jn 19,34). And this gives life to the world by means of a twofold stream: the first renews and re-clothes us in the garment of immortality in the baptistery; and following this birth, the second feeds us at God's table just as one suckles a newborn child.
All this he suffered while working our salvation... By his thorns he brought an end to the punishment laid on Adam, since the latter, having sinned, received this sentence: «Cursed be the ground because of you! Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you» (Gn 3,17-18). With the gall he took to himself all that is bitter and painful in mortal life and sorrowful to men. With the vinegar he accepted human nature's decline and bestowed on it its restoration to a higher state. By the purple he symbolized his royalty; with the reed he indicated how weak and feeble the devil's power is. Being slapped, he made known our enfranchisement [just as we do in the case of a slave]. He bore with the abuse, punishment and beating due to us.
He was struck in the side, making him more like Adam. But, far from bringing forth the woman who, by her straying, gave birth to death, he made a spring of life to gush out (Gn 2,21; Jn 19,34). And this gives life to the world by means of a twofold stream: the first renews and re-clothes us in the garment of immortality in the baptistery; and following this birth, the second feeds us at God's table just as one suckles a newborn child.
Our Lady of Mercy
OUR LADY OF MERCY
St. Peter, of the noble family of Nolasco, was born in Languedoc, about 1189. At the age of twenty-five he took a vow of chastity, and made over his vast estates to the Church. Some time after, he conceived the idea of establishing an order for the redemption of captives. The divine will was soon manifested. The Blessed Virgin appeared on the same night to Peter, to Raymund of Pennafort, his confessor, and to James, King of Arragon, his ward, and bade them prosecute without fear their holy designs. After great opposition, the Order was solemnly established, and approved by Gregory IX., under the name of Our Lady of Mercy.
By the grace of God, and under the protection of His Virgin Mother, the Order spread rapidly, its growth being increased by the charity and piety of its members, who devoted themselves not only to collecting alms for the ransom of the Christians, but even gave themselves up to voluntary slavery to aid the good work.
It is to return thanks to God and the Blessed Virgin that a feast was instituted which was observed in the Order of Mercy, then in Spain and France, and at last extended to the whole Church by Innocent XII., and the 24th September named as the day on which it is to be observed.
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