DAILY GOSPEL
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." John 6:68
Friday, 08 July 2016
Friday of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. Edgar the Peaceful (c.943-975), Bl. Peter Vigne, Priest (1670-1740)
See commentary below or click here
Saint Cyprian : “Like sheep among wolves”
Book of Hosea 14:2-10.
Thus says the LORD: Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words, and return to the LORD; Say to him, "Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; We shall say no more, 'Our god,' to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion."
I will heal their defection, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. "I am like a verdant cypress tree"-- Because of me you bear fruit!
Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.
Take with you words, and return to the LORD; Say to him, "Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount; We shall say no more, 'Our god,' to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion."
I will heal their defection, I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; They shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols? I have humbled him, but I will prosper him. "I am like a verdant cypress tree"-- Because of me you bear fruit!
Let him who is wise understand these things; let him who is prudent know them. Straight are the paths of the LORD, in them the just walk, but sinners stumble in them.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew10:16-23.
Jesus said to his Apostles: “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."
But beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death, and the father his child; children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved."
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another. Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Commentary of the day :
Saint Cyprian (c.200-258), Bishop of Carthage and martyr
The benefits of patience, 13.16
Our Lord and Master’s precept is salutary: “Whoever holds out till the end will be saved.” He also said: “If you live according to my teaching, you are truly my disciples; then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jn8:31) We must endure and persevere, beloved brothers. Thus, admitted to the hope of truth and of freedom, we will be able to reach that truth and that freedom, for if we are Christians, it is the work of faith and hope. But if hope and faith are to bear fruit, patience is necessary…
So let us not work impatiently, let us not allow ourselves to be felled on the Kingdom’s path, distracted and overcome by temptations. Not swearing, not cursing, not demanding back what has been taken away from us by force, turning the other cheek, forgiving our brothers all their wrongdoings, loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us – how can we manage to do all that if we are not firm in patience and tolerance? That is what we see in Stephen… He did not ask for revenge, but that his murderers be forgiven: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:59) Thus, Christ’s first martyr… not only preached the Lord’s passion, but he also imitated his extreme gentleness. When patience dwells in our heart, there cannot be any room in it for anger, discord and rivalry. Christ’s patience chases all that out so as to build a peaceful dwelling place in our heart, where the God of peace is pleased to live.
So let us not work impatiently, let us not allow ourselves to be felled on the Kingdom’s path, distracted and overcome by temptations. Not swearing, not cursing, not demanding back what has been taken away from us by force, turning the other cheek, forgiving our brothers all their wrongdoings, loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us – how can we manage to do all that if we are not firm in patience and tolerance? That is what we see in Stephen… He did not ask for revenge, but that his murderers be forgiven: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:59) Thus, Christ’s first martyr… not only preached the Lord’s passion, but he also imitated his extreme gentleness. When patience dwells in our heart, there cannot be any room in it for anger, discord and rivalry. Christ’s patience chases all that out so as to build a peaceful dwelling place in our heart, where the God of peace is pleased to live.
"Lord, help us realize that 'there is no force so mighty
in the word as perseverance.' "
- Helen Keller -
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