DAILY GOSPEL: 14/12/2010
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
Tuesday of the Third week of Advent
Book of Zephaniah 3:1-2.9-13.
Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted, to the tyrannical city!
She hears no voice, accepts no correction; In the LORD she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
For then I will change and purify the lips of the peoples, That they all may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one accord;
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia and as far as the recesses of the North, they shall bring me offerings.
On that day You need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me; For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, And you shall no longer exalt yourself on my holy mountain.
But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, Who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD;
the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; Nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; They shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.
Psalms 34(33):2-3.6-7.17-18.19.23.
I will bless the LORD at all times; praise shall be always in my mouth.
My soul will glory in the LORD that the poor may hear and be glad.
Look to God that you may be radiant with joy and your faces may not blush for shame.
In my misfortune I called, the LORD heard and saved me from all distress.
The LORD'S face is against evildoers to wipe out their memory from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears and rescues them from all distress.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed.
The LORD redeems loyal servants; no one is condemned whose refuge is God.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 21:28-32.
What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.
Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted, to the tyrannical city!
She hears no voice, accepts no correction; In the LORD she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
For then I will change and purify the lips of the peoples, That they all may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one accord;
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia and as far as the recesses of the North, they shall bring me offerings.
On that day You need not be ashamed of all your deeds, your rebellious actions against me; For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, And you shall no longer exalt yourself on my holy mountain.
But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, Who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD;
the remnant of Israel. They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; Nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; They shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.
Psalms 34(33):2-3.6-7.17-18.19.23.
I will bless the LORD at all times; praise shall be always in my mouth.
My soul will glory in the LORD that the poor may hear and be glad.
Look to God that you may be radiant with joy and your faces may not blush for shame.
In my misfortune I called, the LORD heard and saved me from all distress.
The LORD'S face is against evildoers to wipe out their memory from the earth.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears and rescues them from all distress.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed.
The LORD redeems loyal servants; no one is condemned whose refuge is God.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 21:28-32.
What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him.
Mt 21,28-32
Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157), Cistercian abbot
Sermon 1 pour Saint John Baptist, §4-5 (©Cistercian Father series)
« John testified to the truth...; he was a burning and shining lamp» (Jn 5,33.35)
To me certainly the birth of the world's Lamp brings fresh joy, for it enabled me to recognize the true Light shining in the darkness but not mastered by the darkness... We can wonder at your holiness, O John, most holy among the saints, but we cannot imitate it. It is altogether necessary that, as you hasten to prepare for the Lord a perfect people out of publicans and sinners, you should speak to them more accommodatingly than you live and define the measure of perfection not in accordance with your own rule of life but in accordance with the possibilities of the common run of men.
"Bring forth worthy fruits of repentance, "he says. Our boast, brethren, is that we speak more perfectly than we live; whereas John, though living on a higher level than men can even understand, speaks to them in accordance with what they can take in. "Bring forth worthy fruits of repentance," he says. "l speak to you humanely because of the weakness of your nature. If there is no room in you as yet for the plenitude of all good things, at least be truly sorry for all your evils. If you are unable as yet to bring forth the fruits of perfect justice, let this be your perfection for the moment, to bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.»
"Bring forth worthy fruits of repentance, "he says. Our boast, brethren, is that we speak more perfectly than we live; whereas John, though living on a higher level than men can even understand, speaks to them in accordance with what they can take in. "Bring forth worthy fruits of repentance," he says. "l speak to you humanely because of the weakness of your nature. If there is no room in you as yet for the plenitude of all good things, at least be truly sorry for all your evils. If you are unable as yet to bring forth the fruits of perfect justice, let this be your perfection for the moment, to bring forth worthy fruits of repentance.»
St. John of the Cross, Doctor of the Church (1542-1591)
SAINT JOHN OF THE CROSS
Doctor of the Church
(1542-1591)
Doctor of the Church
(1542-1591)
The father of St. John was discarded by his kindred for marrying a poor orphan, and the Saint, thus born and nurtured in poverty, chose it also for his portion. Unable to learn a trade, he became the servant of the poor in the hospital of Medina, while still pursuing his sacred studies.
In 1563, being then twenty-one, he humbly offered himself as a lay-brother to the Carmelite friars, who, however, knowing his talents, had him ordained priest. He would now have exchanged to the severe Carthusian Order, had not St. Teresa, with the instinct of a Saint, persuaded him to remain and help her in the reform of his own Order. Thus he became the first prior of the Barefooted Carmelites.
His reform, though approved by the general, was rejected by the elder friars, who condemned the Saint as a fugitive and apostate, and cast him into prison, whence he only escaped, after nine months' suffering, at the risk of his life.
Twice again, before his death, he was shamefully persecuted by his brethren, and publicly disgraced. But his complete abandonment by creatures only deepened his interior peace and devout longing for heaven.
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