"Whose image is this?"

DAILY GOSPEL: 01/06/2010

«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68

Tuesday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time

second Letter of Peter 3:12-15.17-18.
Waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire.
But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.
And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you,
Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability.
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. (Amen.)

Psalms 90:2.3-4.10.14.16.
Before the mountains were born, the earth and the world brought forth, from eternity to eternity you are God.
But humans you return to dust, saying, "Return, you mortals!"
A thousand years in your eyes are merely a yesterday. Before a watch passes in the night,
Seventy is the sum of our years, or eighty, if we are strong; Most of them are sorrow and toil; they pass quickly, we are all but gone.
Fill us at daybreak with your love, that all our days we may sing for joy.
Show your deeds to your servants, your glory to their children.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12:13-17.
They sent some Pharisees and Herodians to him to ensnare him in his speech.
They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion. You do not regard a person's status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?"
Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at."
They brought one to him and he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They replied to him, "Caesar's."
So Jesus said to them, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.' They were utterly amazed at him.

Mc 12,13-17

Commentary of the day 
Saint Columbanus (563-615), monk, founder of monasteries
Instruction 11, 1-4 : PL 80, 250-252

"Whose image is this?"

Moses wrote in the Law that: «God created man in his image and likeness» (Gn 1,26). I would ask you to reflect on the importance of this saying. God, who is almighty, invisible, incomprehensible and without compare, when he fashioned man of clay, ennobled him by the image of his own greatness. What is there in common between man and God, clay and spirit? For «God is spirit» (Jn 4,24). Therefore is represents a great sign of his esteem for man that God should have rewarded him with the image of his eternity and the likeness of his own life. The greatness of man lies in his likeness to God, so long as he preserves it...

       So long as a soul makes good use of the virtues sown in it, it remains like God. All the virtues God placed in us at our creation he has taught us to repay to him. In the first place he requires us to love God with all our heart (Dt 6,5) since, from the beginning, even before we existed, «he loved us first» (1Jn 4,10). To love God, then, is to restore his image within us. Now, he loves God who keeps his commandments...

       Therefore it is for us to reflect to our God, to our Father, the unsullied image of his own holiness since he is holy and has said: «Be holy as I am holy» (Lv 11,45); with love since he is love and John has said: «God is love» (1Jn 4,8); with kindness and in truth since God is good and true. Let us not become depicters of a false image... And lest we insinuate the image of pride within ourselves let us allow Christ to paint his image within us.

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 St. Justin, Martyr (+ c. 165) - Memorial SAINT JUSTIN Martyr (+ c. 165)         St. Justin was born of heathen parents at. Neapolis in Samaria, about the year 103. He was well educated, and gave himself to the study of philosophy, but always with one object, that he might learn the knowledge of God. He sought this knowledge among the contending schools of philosophy, but always in vain, till at last God himself appeased the thirst which He had created.         One day, while Justin was walking by the seashore, meditating on the thought of God, an old man met him and questioned him on the subject of his doubts; and when he had made Justin confess that the philosophers taught nothing certain about God, he told him of the writings of the inspired prophets and of Jesus Christ whom they announced, and bade him seek light and understanding through prayer.         The Scriptures and the constancy of the Christian martyrs led Justin from the darkness of human reason to the light of faith. In his zeal for the Faith he travelled to Greece, Egypt, and Italy, gaining many to Christ.         At Rome he sealed his testimony with his blood, surrounded by his disciples. "Do you think," the prefect said to Justin, "that by dying you will enter heaven, and be rewarded by God?" "I do not think," was the Saint's answer; "I know."         Then, as now, there were many religious opinions, but only one certain-the certainty of the Catholic faith. This certainty should be the measure of our confidence and our zeal.