DAILY GOSPEL: 21/02/2011
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68
Monday of the Seventh week in Ordinary Time
Book of Sirach 1:1-10.
All wisdom comes from the LORD and with him it remains forever.
The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain, the days of eternity: who can number these?
Heaven's height, earth's breadth, the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?
Before all things else wisdom was created; and prudent understanding, from eternity.
To whom has wisdom's root been revealed? Who knows her subtleties?
There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring, seated upon his throne:
It is the LORD; he created her, has seen her and taken note of her.
He has poured her forth upon all his works, upon every living thing according to his bounty; he has lavished her upon his friends.
Fear of the LORD is glory and splendor, gladness and a festive crown.
Fear of the LORD warms the heart, giving gladness and joy and length of days.
Psalms 93:1.2.5.
The LORD is king, robed with majesty; the LORD is robed, girded with might. The world will surely stand in place, never to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old; you are from everlasting, LORD.
Your decrees are firmly established; holiness belongs to your house, LORD, for all the length of days.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 9:14-29.
When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?"
Someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so."
He said to them in reply, "O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me."
They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" He replied, "Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
Jesus said to him, " 'If you can!' Everything is possible to one who has faith."
Then the boy's father cried out, "I do believe, help my unbelief!"
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, "Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!"
Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, "He is dead!"
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, "Why could we not drive it out?"
He said to them, "This kind can only come out through prayer."
All wisdom comes from the LORD and with him it remains forever.
The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain, the days of eternity: who can number these?
Heaven's height, earth's breadth, the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?
Before all things else wisdom was created; and prudent understanding, from eternity.
To whom has wisdom's root been revealed? Who knows her subtleties?
There is but one, wise and truly awe-inspiring, seated upon his throne:
It is the LORD; he created her, has seen her and taken note of her.
He has poured her forth upon all his works, upon every living thing according to his bounty; he has lavished her upon his friends.
Fear of the LORD is glory and splendor, gladness and a festive crown.
Fear of the LORD warms the heart, giving gladness and joy and length of days.
Psalms 93:1.2.5.
The LORD is king, robed with majesty; the LORD is robed, girded with might. The world will surely stand in place, never to be moved.
Your throne stands firm from of old; you are from everlasting, LORD.
Your decrees are firmly established; holiness belongs to your house, LORD, for all the length of days.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 9:14-29.
When they came to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and scribes arguing with them.
Immediately on seeing him, the whole crowd was utterly amazed. They ran up to him and greeted him.
He asked them, "What are you arguing about with them?"
Someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I have brought to you my son possessed by a mute spirit.
Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive it out, but they were unable to do so."
He said to them in reply, "O faithless generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him to me."
They brought the boy to him. And when he saw him, the spirit immediately threw the boy into convulsions. As he fell to the ground, he began to roll around and foam at the mouth.
Then he questioned his father, "How long has this been happening to him?" He replied, "Since childhood.
It has often thrown him into fire and into water to kill him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
Jesus said to him, " 'If you can!' Everything is possible to one who has faith."
Then the boy's father cried out, "I do believe, help my unbelief!"
Jesus, on seeing a crowd rapidly gathering, rebuked the unclean spirit and said to it, "Mute and deaf spirit, I command you: come out of him and never enter him again!"
Shouting and throwing the boy into convulsions, it came out. He became like a corpse, which caused many to say, "He is dead!"
But Jesus took him by the hand, raised him, and he stood up.
When he entered the house, his disciples asked him in private, "Why could we not drive it out?"
He said to them, "This kind can only come out through prayer."
Mc 9,14-29
Blessed Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916), hermit and missionary in the Sahara
Meditations on the Gospel regarding the principal virtues
"Everything is possible to one who has faith"
«If you have faith the size of a mustard seed... Nothing will be impossible for you» (Mt 17,20). We can achieve anything with prayer: if we don't receive, it is because we have lacked faith, or because we haven't prayed enough, or because it wouldn't be good for us to have our request granted, or because God is giving us something better for us than what we are asking for. But it is never the case that we don't receive what we are asking for because the thing is too difficult to get: «Nothing is impossible for us».
Let us have no hesitation in asking God even for the most difficult things such as the conversion of great sinners or of whole peoples. Ask him for them all the more precisely because they are more difficult in the faith that God loves us passionately and that, the greater a gift is, the more the passionate lover loves to give it. But let us ask with faith, with insistence, with constancy, love and good will. And let us be sure that if we ask in this way and with sufficient perseverance, we shall be answered, receiving either the grace we asked for or a better one. So let us doggedly ask our Lord for the most impossible of things, if they are for his glory, and we may be sure that his Heart will grant them to us all the more because they seem to be humanly impossible. For to give the one he loves what is impossible is sweet to his Heart, and how greatly does he not love us?
Let us have no hesitation in asking God even for the most difficult things such as the conversion of great sinners or of whole peoples. Ask him for them all the more precisely because they are more difficult in the faith that God loves us passionately and that, the greater a gift is, the more the passionate lover loves to give it. But let us ask with faith, with insistence, with constancy, love and good will. And let us be sure that if we ask in this way and with sufficient perseverance, we shall be answered, receiving either the grace we asked for or a better one. So let us doggedly ask our Lord for the most impossible of things, if they are for his glory, and we may be sure that his Heart will grant them to us all the more because they seem to be humanly impossible. For to give the one he loves what is impossible is sweet to his Heart, and how greatly does he not love us?
St. Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (1007-1072)
SAINT PETER DAMIAN
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(1007-1072)-
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(1007-1072)-
St. Peter Damian was born in 1007, and lost both parents at an early age. His eldest brother, in whose hands he was left, treated him so cruelly that a younger brother, a priest, moved by his piteous state, sent him to the University of Parma, where he acquired great distinction. His studies were sanctified by vigils, fasts, and prayers, till at last, thinking that all this was only serving God by halves, he resolved to leave the world.
He joined the monks at Font-Avellano, then in the greatest repute, and by his wisdom and sanctity rose to be Superior. He was employed on the most delicate and difficult missions, amongst others the reform of ecclesiastical communities, which was effected by his zeal.
Seven Popes in succession made him their constant adviser, and he was at last created Cardinal Bishop of Ostia. He withstood Henry IV. of Germany, and labored in defence of Alexander II. against the Antipope, whom he forced to yield and seek for pardon.
He was charged, as Papal Legate, with the repression of simony; again, was commissioned to settle discords amongst various bishops, and finally, in 1072, to adjust the affairs of the Church at Ravenna. He was laid low by a fever on his homeward journey, and died at Faenza, in a monastery of his order, on the eighth day of his sickness, whilst the monks chanted matins around him.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
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