DAILY GOSPEL:26/02/2011
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
Saturday of the Seventh week in Ordinary Time
Book of Sirach 17:1-15.
The LORD from the earth created man, and in his own image he made him.
Limited days of life he gives him and makes him return to earth again.
He endows man with a strength of his own, and with power over all things else on earth.
He puts the fear of him in all flesh, and gives him rule over beasts and birds.
He forms men's tongues and eyes and ears, and imparts to them an understanding heart.
With wisdom and knowledge he fills them; good and evil he shows them.
He looks with favor upon their hearts, and shows them his glorious works,
That they may describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name.
He has set before them knowledge, a law of life as their inheritance;
An everlasting covenant he has made with them, his commandments he has revealed to them.
His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard.
He says to them, "Avoid all evil"; each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men.
Their ways are ever known to him, they cannot be hidden from his eyes.
Over every nation he places a ruler, but the LORD'S own portion is Israel.
All their actions are clear as the sun to him, his eyes are ever upon their ways.
Psalms 103(102):13-14.15-16.17-18.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on the faithful.
For he knows how we are formed, remembers that we are dust.
Our days are like the grass; like flowers of the field we blossom.
The wind sweeps over us and we are gone; our place knows us no more.
But the LORD'S kindness is forever, toward the faithful from age to age. He favors the children's children
of those who keep his covenant, who take care to fulfill its precepts.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10:13-16.
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
The LORD from the earth created man, and in his own image he made him.
Limited days of life he gives him and makes him return to earth again.
He endows man with a strength of his own, and with power over all things else on earth.
He puts the fear of him in all flesh, and gives him rule over beasts and birds.
He forms men's tongues and eyes and ears, and imparts to them an understanding heart.
With wisdom and knowledge he fills them; good and evil he shows them.
He looks with favor upon their hearts, and shows them his glorious works,
That they may describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name.
He has set before them knowledge, a law of life as their inheritance;
An everlasting covenant he has made with them, his commandments he has revealed to them.
His majestic glory their eyes beheld, his glorious voice their ears heard.
He says to them, "Avoid all evil"; each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men.
Their ways are ever known to him, they cannot be hidden from his eyes.
Over every nation he places a ruler, but the LORD'S own portion is Israel.
All their actions are clear as the sun to him, his eyes are ever upon their ways.
Psalms 103(102):13-14.15-16.17-18.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on the faithful.
For he knows how we are formed, remembers that we are dust.
Our days are like the grass; like flowers of the field we blossom.
The wind sweeps over us and we are gone; our place knows us no more.
But the LORD'S kindness is forever, toward the faithful from age to age. He favors the children's children
of those who keep his covenant, who take care to fulfill its precepts.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10:13-16.
And people were bringing children to him that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."
Then he embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
Mc 10,13-16
Blessed Guerric of Igny (c.1080-1157), Cistercian abbot
1st sermon for Christmas (©Cistercian Fathers series; SC 166, p.167 rev.)
Receiving God's Kingdom like a little child
Unto us a little Child is born, and "emptying out" his majesty God has taken on himself not merely the earthly body of mortal men but even the weakness and insignificance of children. O blessed childhood, whose weakness and foolishness is stronger and wiser than any man; for it is the strength and wisdom of God that does his work in us, does the work of God in men. It is the very weakness of this Child that triumphs over the prince of this world, binds the strong man armed, takes the cruel tyrant captive, looses our captivity and sets us free. This Child's seeming dumbness, his childhood's simplicity, makes the tongues of children eloquent, makes them speak with the tongues of men and angels... It is he, who seems to know nothing, who teaches knowledge to men and angels, for he is the very God of all knowledge, the Wisdom of God, the Word.
O sweet and sacred childhood, which brought back man's true innocence, by which men of every age can return to blessed childhood and be conformed to you, not in physical weakness but in humility of heart and holiness of life. In a word then you sons of Adam, who are exceedingly great in your own eyes... unless you are converted and become like this little Child, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. "I am the Gate of the Kingdom," this little Child says, and unless man's proud head is bowed the doorway of humility will not let him in.
(Biblical references: Is 9,5; 1Co 1,25; Jn 12,31; Wsd 10,21; 1Co 13,1; Ps 93,10; Mt 18,3-4; Jn 10,9)
O sweet and sacred childhood, which brought back man's true innocence, by which men of every age can return to blessed childhood and be conformed to you, not in physical weakness but in humility of heart and holiness of life. In a word then you sons of Adam, who are exceedingly great in your own eyes... unless you are converted and become like this little Child, you shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven. "I am the Gate of the Kingdom," this little Child says, and unless man's proud head is bowed the doorway of humility will not let him in.
(Biblical references: Is 9,5; 1Co 1,25; Jn 12,31; Wsd 10,21; 1Co 13,1; Ps 93,10; Mt 18,3-4; Jn 10,9)
St. Porphyry, Bishop (+ 420)
Other saints of the dayST PORPHYRY
Bishop
(+ 420)
Bishop
(+ 420)
At the age of twenty-five, Porphyry, a rich citizen of Thessalonica, left the world for one of the great religious houses in the desert of Sceté. Here he remained five years, and then, finding himself drawn to a more solitary life, passed into Palestine, where he spent a similar period in the severest penance, till ill health obliged him to moderate his austerities. He then made his home in Jerusalem, and in spite of his ailments visited the Holy Places every day; thinking, says his biographer, so little of his sickness that he seemed to be afflicted in another body, and not his own. About this time God put it into his heart to sell all he had and give to the poor, and then in reward of the sacrifice restored him by a miracle to perfect health.
In 393 he was ordained priest and intrusted with the care of the relics of the true cross; three years later, in spite of all the resistance his humility could make, he was consecrated Bishop of Gaza. That city was a hotbed of paganism, and Porphyry found in it an ample scope for his apostolic zeal. His labors and the miracles which attended them effected the conversion of many; and an imperial edict for the destruction of the pagan temples, obtained through the influence of St. John Chrysostom, greatly strengthened his hands.
When St. Porphyry first went to Gaza, he found there one temple more splendid than the rest, in honor of the chief god. When the edict went forth to destroy all traces of heathen worship, St. Porphyry determined to put Satan to special shame where he had received special honor. A Christian church was built upon the site, and its approach was paved with the marbles of the heathen temple. Thus every worshipper of Jesus Christ trod the relics of idolatry and superstition underfoot each time he went to assist at the holy Mass.
He lived to see his diocese for the most part clear of idolatry, and died in 420.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
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