"Looking up to heaven, he said the blessing"

DAILY GOSPEL: 02/08/2010

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

Monday of the Eighteenth week in Ordinary Time

Book of Jeremiah 28:1-17.
That same year, in (the beginning of) the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon, said to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and all the people:
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: 'I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Within two years I will restore to this place all the vessels of the temple of the LORD which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took away from this place to Babylon.
And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,' says the LORD. 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'"
The prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people assembled in the house of the LORD,
and said: Amen! thus may the LORD do! May he fulfill the things you have prophesied by bringing the vessels of the house of the LORD and all the exiles back from Babylon to this place!
But now, listen to what I am about to state in your hearing and the hearing of all the people.
From of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied war, woe, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms.
But the prophet who prophesies peace is recognized as truly sent by the LORD only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled.
Thereupon the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, broke it,
and said in the presence of all the people: "Thus says the LORD: 'Even so, within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, from off the neck of all the nations.'" At that, the prophet Jeremiah went away.
Some time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:
Go tell Hananiah this: Thus says the LORD: By breaking a wooden yoke, you forge an iron yoke!
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: A yoke of iron I will place on the necks of all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and they shall serve him; even the beasts of the field I give him.
To the prophet Hananiah the prophet Jeremiah said: Hear this, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, and you have raised false confidence in this people.
For this, says the LORD, I will dispatch you from the face of the earth; this very year you shall die, because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.
That same year, in the seventh month, Hananiah the prophet died.

Psalms 119:29.43.79.80.95.102.
Lead me from the way of deceit; favor me with your teaching.
Do not take the word of truth from my mouth, for in your edicts is my hope.
Let those who fear you turn to me, those who acknowledge your decrees.
May I be wholehearted toward your laws, that I may not be put to shame.
The wicked hope to destroy me, but I pay heed to your decrees.
From your edicts I do not turn, for you have taught them to me.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 14:13-21.
When Jesus heard of it, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."
(Jesus) said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves."
But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here."
Then he said, "Bring them here to me,"
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over --twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children. 

Mt 14,13-21

Commentary of the day 
Saint Hilary (c.315-367), Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Church
Commentary on Saint Matthew's Gospel, 14, 12

"Looking up to heaven, he said the blessing"

After taking the loaves our Lord raised his eyes to heaven to worship Him from whom he himself had his being. He was not obliged to look towards the Father with his fleshly eyes but he wished those present to understand who it was from whom he had received the ability to carry out a gesture of such power. Then he gave the loaves to his disciples. It wasn't through multiplication that those five loaves became many. The fragments followed one another and deceived those breaking them; it was as though they had been cut into pieces beforehand! Matter continues to be produced...

            Therefore, don't be surprised that springs flow on, that there are bunches of grapes on the stock of the vine and that rivers of wine flow from the grapes. The earth's whole resources spread according to an unalterable annual rhythm. A multiplication of loaves such as this reveals the author of the world's doing. As a general rule he sets a limit to such growth since he knows in depth the laws of matter. In the visible creation an invisible work takes place. The mystery of the present deed is the work of the Lord of heavenly mysteries. The power of the One who acts surpasses all nature, and the method used by this Power goes beyond all our understanding of it. All that remains is our wonder before this power.

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Monday, 02 August 2010

St. Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop († 371)

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SAINT EUSEBIUS
Bishop
(† 371)

        St. Eusebius was born of a noble family, in the island of Sardinia, where his father is said to have died in prison for the Faith. The Saint's mother carried him and his sister, both infants, to Rome.

        Eusebius having been ordained, served the Church of Vercelli with such zeal that on the episcopal chair becoming vacant he was unanimously chosen, by both clergy and people, to fill it. The holy bishop saw that the best and first means to labor effectually for the edification and sanctification of his people was to have a zealous clergy.

        He was at the same time very careful to instruct his flock, and inspire them with the maxims of the Gospel. The force of the truth which he preached, together with his example, brought many sinners to a change of life. He courageously fought against the heretics, who had him banished to Scythopolis, end thence to Upper Thebais in Egypt, where he suffered so grievously as to win, in some of the panegyrics in his praise, the title of martyr.

        He died in the latter part of the year 371.

«Alzó la mirada al cielo, pronunció la bendición»

EVANGELIO DEL DÍA: 02/08/2010

¿ Señor, a quién iremos?. Tú tienes palabras de vida eterna. Jn 6, 68

Lunes de la XVIII Semana del Tiempo Ordinario

Libro de Jeremías 28,1-17.
Aquel mismo año, al comienzo del reinado de Sedecías, rey de Judá, el cuarto año, en el quinto mes, Ananías, hijo de Azur, que era un profeta de Gabaón, me habló así en la Casa del Señor, en presencia de los sacerdotes y de todo el pueblo:
"Así habla el Señor de los ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: ¡Yo he quebrado el yugo del rey de Babilonia!
Dentro de dos años, devolveré a este lugar los objetos de la Casa del Señor que Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, sacó de este lugar y se llevó a Babilonia.
Y también a Jeconías, hijo de Joaquím, rey de Judá, y a todos los deportados de Judá que fueron a Babilonia, los haré volver a este lugar -oráculo del Señor- cuando yo quiebre el yugo del rey de Babilonia".
Entonces el profeta Jeremías se dirigió al profeta Ananías, en presencia de los sacerdotes y de todo el pueblo, que estaban de pie en la Casa del Señor,
y el profeta Jeremías dijo: "¡Amén! ¡Que así lo haga el Señor! Que el Señor cumpla tus palabras, las que tú has profetizado, haciendo volver los objetos de la Casa del Señor y a todos los deportados, de Babilonia a este lugar.
Sin embargo, escucha bien esta palabra que yo digo a tus oídos, y a los oídos de todo el pueblo:
Los profetas que nos han precedido desde siempre, a mí y a ti, profetizaron la guerra, el hambre y la peste a numerosos países y contra grandes reinos.
Pero si un profeta profetiza la paz, sólo cuando se cumple la palabra de ese profeta, él es reconocido como profeta verdaderamente enviado por el Señor ".
El profeta Ananías tomó la barra que estaba sobre el cuello de Jeremías y la quebró.
Luego dijo, en presencia de todo el pueblo: "Así habla el Señor: De esta misma manera, dentro de dos años, yo quebraré el yugo de Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, que está encima del cuello de todas las naciones". Y el profeta Jeremías se fue por su camino.
Después que el profeta Ananías quebró la barra que estaba sobre el cuello del profeta Jeremías, la palabra del Señor llegó a Jeremías, en estos términos:
"Ve a decirle a Ananías: Así habla el Señor: Tú has quebrado barras de madera, pero yo pondré en lugar de ellas barras de hierro.
Porque así habla el Señor de los ejércitos, el Dios de Israel: Yo he puesto un yugo de hierro sobre todas estas naciones, para que sirvan a Nabucodonosor, rey de Babilonia, y ellas lo servirán; hasta los animales del campo se los he dado".
El profeta Jeremías dijo al profeta Ananías: "¡Escucha bien, Ananías! El Señor no te ha enviado, y tú has infundido confianza a este pueblo valiéndote de una mentira.
Por eso, así habla el Señor: Yo te enviaré lejos de la superficie del suelo: este año morirás, porque has predicado la rebelión contra el Señor ".
El profeta Ananías murió ese mismo año, en el séptimo mes.

Salmo 119,29.43.79.80.95.102.
Apártame del camino de la mentira, y dame la gracia de conocer tu ley.
No quites de mi boca la palabra verdadera, porque puse mi esperanza en tus juicios.
Que se vuelvan hacia mí tus fieles; los que tienen en cuenta tus prescripciones.
Que mi corazón cumpla íntegramente tus preceptos, para que yo no quede confundido.
Los malvados están al acecho para perderme, pero yo estoy atento a tus prescripciones.
No me separo de tus juicios, porque eres tú el que me enseñas.

Evangelio según San Mateo 14,13-21.
Al enterarse de eso, Jesús se alejó en una barca a un lugar desierto para estar a solas. Apenas lo supo la gente, dejó las ciudades y lo siguió a pie.
Cuando desembarcó, Jesús vio una gran muchedumbre y, compadeciéndose de ella, curó a los enfermos.
Al atardecer, los discípulos se acercaron y le dijeron: "Este es un lugar desierto y ya se hace tarde; despide a la multitud para que vaya a las ciudades a comprarse alimentos".
Pero Jesús les dijo: "No es necesario que se vayan, denles de comer ustedes mismos".
Ellos respondieron: "Aquí no tenemos más que cinco panes y dos pescados".
"Tráiganmelos aquí", les dijo.
Y después de ordenar a la multitud que se sentara sobre el pasto, tomó los cinco panes y los dos pescados, y levantando los ojos al cielo, pronunció la bendición, partió los panes, los dio a sus discípulos, y ellos los distribuyeron entre la multitud.
Todos comieron hasta saciarse y con los pedazos que sobraron se llenaron doce canastas.
Los que comieron fueron unos cinco mil hombres, sin contar las mujeres y los niños. 

Mt 14,13-21

Leer el comentario del Evangelio por 
San Hilario (hacia 315-367), obispo de Poitiers y doctor de la Iglesia
Comentario al evangelio de Mateo, 14, 12

«Alzó la mirada al cielo, pronunció la bendición»

     El Señor, después de haber tomado los cinco panes, levantó su mirada al cielo para ensalzar a Aquel de quien él mismo recibe el ser. No estaba obligado a mirar al Padre con sus ojos de carne; quería hacer comprender a los allí presentes de quién había recibido el poder para realizar un acto de tanto poder. Da inmediatamente los panes a sus discípulos. No es por la multiplicación que los cinco panes se han convertido en muchos más. Los pedazos de suceden unos a otros y engañan a los que los rompen; ¡como si hubieran hecho los pedazos con anterioridad! La materia sigue desplegándose...

     No te sorprenda, pues, que las fuentes manen, que haya racimos en las cepas, que los arroyuelos de vino nazcan de los racimos. Todos los recursos de la tierra se propagan según un ritmo anual que no falla. Una tal multiplicación de los panes, revela la acción del autor del universo. Normalmente Él impone un límite al crecimiento porque conoce a fondo las leyes de la materia. En la creación visible se da un trabajo invisible. El misterio de la presente acción es obra del Señor de los misterios celestiales. El poder de Aquel que actúa está por encima de toda la naturaleza, y el método de ese Poder desborda la comprensión del hecho. Queda tan sólo la admiración por ese poder.

lunes 02 Agosto 2010 Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles La ciudad de  Cartago, como muchas otras en la época colonial, segregaba a  los blancos de los indios y mestizos.  A todo  el que no fuera blanco puro se le había prohibido  el acceso a la ciudad, donde una cruz de piedra  señalaba la división y los límites. Estamos en los alrededores del  año 1635, en la sección llamada "Puebla de los Pardos"  y Juana Pereira, una pobre mestiza, se ha levantado al  amanecer para, como todos los días, buscar la leña que  necesita.  Es el 2 de agosto, fiesta de la  Virgen de los Angeles, y la luz del alba que  ilumina el sendero entre los árboles, le permite a la  india descubrir una pequeña imagen de la Virgen, sencillamente tallada  en una piedra oscura, visiblemente colocada sobre una gran roca  en la vereda del camino.   Con gran alegría  Juana Pereira recogió aquel tesoro, sin imaginar que otras cinco  veces más lo volvería a hallar en el mismo sitio,  pues la imagen desaparecía de armarios, cofres, y hasta del  sagrario parroquial, para regresar tenazmente a la roca donde había  sido encontrada.  Entonces todos entendieron que la Virgen quería  tener allí un lugar de oración donde pudiera dar su  amor a los humildes y los pobres. La imagen, tallada en  piedra del lugar, es muy pequeña, pues mide aproximadamente sólo  tres pulgadas de longitud.  Nuestra Señora de los Angeles  lleva cargado a Jesús en el brazo izquierdo, en el  que graciosamente recoge los pliegues del manto que la cubre  desde la cabeza. Su rostro es redondeado y dulce, sus  ojos son rasgados, como achinados, y su boca es delicada.   Su color es plomizo con algunos destellos dorados como  diminutas estrellas repartidas por toda la escultura. La Virgen se presenta  actualmente a la veneración de sus fieles en un hermoso  ostensorio de nobles metales y piedras preciosas, en forma de  resplandor que la rodea totalmente, aumentando visualmente su tamaño.   De la base de esta "custodia" brota una flor de  lis rematada por el ángel que sostiene la imagen de  piedra.  De esta sólo se ven los rostros de  María y el Niño Jesús, pues un manto precioso la  protege a la vez que la embellece. La "Negrita" como la  llama el cariño de los costarricenses, fue coronada solemnemente el  25 de abril de 1926.  Nueve años más tarde,  su Santidad Pío XI elevó el Santuario de la Reina  de los Angeles a la dignidad de Basílica menor. A Cartago  llega un constante peregrinar de devotos que vienen a visitar  a su Madre de los cielos; muchos entran de rodillas,  como acto de humildad y de acción de gracias y  luego van a orar ante la roca donde fue hallada  la bendita imagen. Esta piedra se ha ido gastando por  el roce de tantas manos que la acarician agradecidas mientras  oran, dan gracias y piden alivio a su dolor, sus  sufrimientos o sus necesidades. Debajo de esta piedra brota un  manantial cuyas aguas recogen los que acuden en busca de  la misericordia y la salud.  El agua es signo  del bautismo. No hay otra cosa que mas quiera la  Virgen a que vivamos profundamente las gracias de nuestro bautismo. Oremos Oh Soberana Reina de los Ángeles, Madre amorosísima que te dignaste escoger a nuestra amada Patria para que fuera el trono de tus misericordias, te damos gracias por los innumerables beneficios recibidos de tu intercesión poderosa y te suplicamos que nos protejas en todos los momentos de nuestra vida, sobre todo cuando nos aflijan las preocupaciones; a esa hora, Oh Virgen y Madre de Dios, haz valer tus prerrogativas de Reina y de Madre ante la Santísima Trinidad; socórrenos desde el cielo con amor de Madre y con esplendidez de Reina. Vela por nuestra amada patria, Oh Reina Soberana de los Ángeles y sálvala por amor a Cristo, Nuestro Rey y Señor. AMEN. Nuestra Señora de los Angeles

"Rich in what matters to God"

DAILY GOSPEL: 01/08/2010

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

ighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Book of Ecclesiastes 1:2.2:21-23.
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!
For here is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill, and to another, who has not labored over it, he must leave his property. This also is vanity and a great misfortune.
For what profit comes to a man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun?
All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation; even at night his mind is not at rest. This also is vanity.

Psalms 90(89):3-4.5-6.12-13.14.17.
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,
you have brought them to their end; They disappear like sleep at dawn; they are like grass that dies.
It sprouts green in the morning; by evening it is dry and withered.
Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Relent, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants!
Fill us at daybreak with your love, that all our days we may sing for joy.
May the favor of the Lord our God be ours. Prosper the work of our hands! Prosper the work of our hands!

Letter to the Colossians 3:1-5.9-11.
Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry.
Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices
and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator.
Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12:13-21.
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me."
He replied to him, "Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?"
Then he said to the crowd, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions."
Then he told them a parable. "There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, 'What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?'
And he said, 'This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, "Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!"
But God said to him, 'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?'
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God."

Lc 12,13-21

Commentary of the day 
Saint Basil (c.330-379), monk and Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Doctor of the Church
Homily 6, on riches; PG 31, 261f.

"Rich in what matters to God"

«What shall I do? Where am I to find something to eat, something to wear?» This is what that rich man was saying. His heart aches and anxiety gnaws at him because those things that give pleasure to others oppress the miser. The fact that all his barns are full brings him no happiness. The over-abundance of wealth pouring out of his granary is what grievously disturbs his soul...

            Think, O man, of him who has covered you with his bounty. Reflect on yourself a little. Who are you? What is it that has been entrusted to you? From whom have you received this responsibility? Why have you been chosen rather than a good many others? The God of all goodness has made you his steward; you have charge over your fellow servants: don't imagine that it's all been prepared for your stomach alone! So dispose of the good things you hold in your hand as though they belonged to others. The enjoyment they bring you does not last for long; very soon they will slip away and vanish; but of you a strict account will be demanded. But as for you, you guard it all under lock and key, and even though you have it all shut up, worry prevents you from sleeping...

             «What shall I do?» The answer is close to hand: «I will satisfy the hungry soul, open my barns and invite all those in need... I will let them hear these generous words: 'All you who lack bread, come to me; take your share of the gifts God has granted, each to his satisfaction.»

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Sunday, 01 August 2010

St. Alphonsus Liguori, bishop and Doctor of the Church (1696-1787)

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SAINT ALPHONSUS MARY DE LIGUORI
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(1696-1787)

        St. Alphonus was born of noble parents, near Naples, in 1696. His spiritual training was intrusted to the Fathers of the Oratory in that city, and from his boyhood Alphonsus was known as a most devout Brother of the Little Oratory. At the early age of sixteen he was made doctor in law, and he threw himself into this career with ardor and success.

        A mistake, by which he lost an important cause, showed him the vanity of human fame, and determined him to labor only for the glory of glory. He entered the priesthood, devoting himself to the most neglected souls; and to carry on this work he founded later the missionary Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer.

        At the age of sixty-six he became Bishop of St. Agatha, and undertook the reform of his diocese with the zeal of a Saint. He made a vow never to lose time, and, though his life was spent in prayer and work, he composed a vast number of books, filled with such science, unction, and wisdom that he has been declared one of the Doctors of the Church.

        St. Alphonsus wrote his first book at the age of forty-nine, and in his eighty-third year had published about sixty volumes, when his director forbade him to write more. Very many of these books were written in the half-hours snatched from his labors as missionary, religious superior, and Bishop, or in the midst of continual bodily and mental sufferings. With his left hand he would hold a piece of marble against his aching head while his right hand wrote.

        Yet he counted no time wasted which was spent in charity. He did not refuse to hold a long correspondence with a simple soldier who asked his advice, or to play the harpsichord while he taught his novices to sing spiritual canticles. He lived in evil times, and met with many persecutions and disappointments.

        For his last seven years he was prevented by constant sickness from offering the Adorable Sacrifice; but he received Holy Communion daily, and his love for Jesus Christ and his trust in Mary's prayers sustained him to the end.

        He died in 1787, in his ninety-first year.