DAILY GOSPEL: 20/09/2010
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
Monday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Proverbs 3:27-34.
Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim when it is in your power to do it for him.
Say not to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give," when you can give at once.
Plot no evil against your neighbor, against him who lives at peace with you.
Quarrel not with a man without cause, with one who has done you no harm.
Envy not the lawless man and choose none of his ways:
To the LORD the perverse man is an abomination, but with the upright is his friendship.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses;
When he is dealing with the arrogant, he is stern, but to the humble he shows kindness.
Psalms 15(14):2-3.4.5.
Whoever walks without blame, doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart;
Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to another, never defames a friend;
Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath despite the cost,
lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent. III Whoever acts like this shall never be shaken.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 8:16-18.
No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away."
Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim when it is in your power to do it for him.
Say not to your neighbor, "Go, and come again, tomorrow I will give," when you can give at once.
Plot no evil against your neighbor, against him who lives at peace with you.
Quarrel not with a man without cause, with one who has done you no harm.
Envy not the lawless man and choose none of his ways:
To the LORD the perverse man is an abomination, but with the upright is his friendship.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses;
When he is dealing with the arrogant, he is stern, but to the humble he shows kindness.
Psalms 15(14):2-3.4.5.
Whoever walks without blame, doing what is right, speaking truth from the heart;
Who does not slander a neighbor, does no harm to another, never defames a friend;
Who disdains the wicked, but honors those who fear the LORD; Who keeps an oath despite the cost,
lends no money at interest, accepts no bribe against the innocent. III Whoever acts like this shall never be shaken.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 8:16-18.
No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away."
Lc 8,16-18
Saint José Maria Escriva de Balaguer (1902-1975), priest, founder
Homily in Amigos de Dios
Placing our lamp on the lampstand
«Christ,» wrote a Father of the Church [Saint John Chrysostom], «has left us in this world to be like lamps..., to act like leaven..., to become seed, to bear fruit. If our lives were to have this kind of impact we would not need to open our mouths. Words would be unnecessary if we could show our works. There wouldn't be a single pagan left if we were truly christians.»
We should avoid making the mistake of thinking that the apostolate consists in the witness of a few pious practices. We are christians, you and I, but at the same time, and without resolution of continuity, we are citizens and fellow-workers at very clear obligations, which we are to carry out in an exemplary fashion if we want to become holy once and for all. It is Jesus Christ who urges us: «You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then set it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand , where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father» (Mt 5,14-16).
Your professional work, whatever it may be, becomes the lamp giving light to your colleagues and friends. That's why I'm always saying over again...: what does it matter to me if someone tells me he is a good sort, a good christian, if he's nothing but a mediocre cobbler! If he doesn't make the effort to master his trade and exercise it diligently then he will neither be able to sanctify it nor make an offering of it to our Lord. And the sanctification of our daily work is, so to speak, the melting pot of genuine spirituality for all those of us who, while immersed in temporal affairs, have committed ourselves to remaining with God.
We should avoid making the mistake of thinking that the apostolate consists in the witness of a few pious practices. We are christians, you and I, but at the same time, and without resolution of continuity, we are citizens and fellow-workers at very clear obligations, which we are to carry out in an exemplary fashion if we want to become holy once and for all. It is Jesus Christ who urges us: «You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then set it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand , where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father» (Mt 5,14-16).
Your professional work, whatever it may be, becomes the lamp giving light to your colleagues and friends. That's why I'm always saying over again...: what does it matter to me if someone tells me he is a good sort, a good christian, if he's nothing but a mediocre cobbler! If he doesn't make the effort to master his trade and exercise it diligently then he will neither be able to sanctify it nor make an offering of it to our Lord. And the sanctification of our daily work is, so to speak, the melting pot of genuine spirituality for all those of us who, while immersed in temporal affairs, have committed ourselves to remaining with God.
Sts. Eustachius and Companions, Martyrs († 2nd century)
SAINTS EUSTACHIUS
and Companions
Martyrs
(† 2nd century)
and Companions
Martyrs
(† 2nd century)
Eustachius, called Placidus before his conversion, was a distinguished officer of the Roman army under the Emperor Trajan. One day, whilst hunting a deer, he suddenly perceived between the horns of the animal the image of our crucified Saviour. Responsive to what he considered a voice from heaven, he lost not a moment in becoming a Christian. In a short time he lost all his possessions and his position, and his wife and children were taken from him.
Reduced to the most abject poverty, he took service with a rich land-owner to tend his fields. In the mean time the empire suffered greatly from the ravages of barbarians. Trajan sought out our Saint, and placed him in command of the troops sent against the enemy. During this campaign he found his wife and children, whom he despaired of ever seeing again.
Returning home victorious, he was received in triumph and loaded with honors; but the emperor having commanded him to sacrifice to the false gods, he refused. Infuriated at this, Trajan ordered Eustachius with his wife and children to be exposed to two starved lions; but instead of harming these faithful servants of God, the beasts merely frisked and frolicked about them. The emperor, grown more furious at this, caused the martyrs to be shut up inside a brazen bull, under which a fire was kindled, and in this horrible manner they were roasted to death.
