Daily Gospel

Sunday, 24 February 2013
Second Sunday of Lent - Year C

Bl. Thomas Mary Fusco, Priest (1831-1891)



Commentary of the day
Saint Leo the Great : The glory of the Cross

Reading

Lk 9:28b-36.


About eight days after he said this, he took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking, a cloud came and cast a shadow over them, and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my chosen Son; listen to him."
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. They fell silent and did not at that time tell anyone what they had seen.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Saint Leo the Great (?-c.461), Pope and Doctor of the Church
Sermon 51, 2-3, 7-8 ; PL 54, 310-313, SC 74 bis (Nicene and post-Nicene Fathers rev.)

The glory of the Cross

The Lord displays his glory before chosen witnesses and invests that bodily
shape which he shared with others with such splendor rthat his face was
like the sun's in brightness and his garments white as snow. And in this
Transfiguration the foremost object was to remove the offense of the cross
from his disciples' hearts and to prevent their faith being disturbed by
the humiliation of his voluntary Passion by revealing to them the
excellence of his hidden dignity.But with no less foresight, the foundation
was laid of holy Church's hope that the whole body of Christ might realize
the character of the change which it would have to receive, since each
member is called to share one day in the glory seen shining beforehand in
its head...“This is my beloved Son...; listen to him... Listen to him who
opens the way to heaven, and by the punishment of the cross prepares for
you the steps of ascent to the Kingdom. Why tremble to be redeemed? Why
fear to be healed of your wounds, you who were wounded? Let that happen
that Christ wills and I will. Cast away all fleshly fear and arm yourselves
with the constancy that inspires faith. For it is unworthy for you to fear
in the Savior's Passion what, by his good gift, you will not have to fear
in your own death...”In these three apostles the whole Church has learned
everything that their eyes saw and their ears heard (cf. 1Jn 1,1). Let the
faith of all, then, be established according to the preaching of the holy
Gospel, and let no one be ashamed of Christ's cross, through which the
world has been redeemed.

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Daily Gospel

Sunday, 17 February 2013
First Sunday of Lent - Year C

The Seven Holy Founders of the Order of Servites



Commentary of the day
Saint Raphael Arnaiz Baron : The Son of God rejects the temptations of other ways and obeys the Father's will

Reading

Lk 4:1-13.


Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over he was hungry.
The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."
Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"
Then he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a single instant.
The devil said to him, "I shall give to you all this power and their glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I may give it to whomever I wish.
All this will be yours, if you worship me."
Jesus said to him in reply, "It is written: 'You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.'"
Then he led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,
for it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,'
and: 'With their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"
Jesus said to him in reply, "It also says, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'"
When the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Saint Raphael Arnaiz Baron (1911-1938), a Spanish Trappist monk
Spiritual writings, 15/12/1936 (trans. 'To know how to wait', Mairin Mitchell)

The Son of God rejects the temptations of other ways and obeys the Father's will

I, too, once went tearing along the roads of Spain, with the idea of making
the speedometer register ninety kilometers an hour: how foolish! When I was
conscious that for me, the horizon marked earth's uttermost limit, I
suffered the disappointment of one who enjoys earthly freedom, for the
earth is small and moreover quickly comes to an end. Man is bounded by
narrow and limited horizons, and for him whose soul aspires after infinite
horizons, earthly ones aren't enough, they throttle him; the world isn't
sufficient for him, and only in the vastness and immensity of God will he
find what he is seeking. You free men, making journeys around this planet,
I don't envy you your life in the world; enclosed in a convent at the foot
of a Crucifix I have boundless freedom, I have Heaven, I have God. What a
great blessing it is to have a heart that is in love with Him!...Poor
Brother Rafael!... Go on waiting, waiting with that sweet serenity which
sure hope gives. Keep calm, unshaken, a prisoner of your God at the foot of
his tabernacle. Listen to the distant uproar coming from men enjoying a few
short days of freedom in the world, listen from afar to their voices, their
laughter, their lamentations, their wars. Listen, and meditate for a
moment. Meditate on a God who is infinite, who made the earth and mankind,
He, the supreme Lord of skies and lands, rivers and seas, who in an
instant, simply by willing it created out of the void all that exists.
Mediate for a moment on the life of Christ and you will see that it has no
freedom, no outcry or clamor; you will see the Son of God subject to
humankind, you will see Jesus, obedient, submissive, and with what
steadfast calm he keeps as the only law of his life the fulfillment of the
Father's will. And lastly, look on Christ nailed to a cross. And we talk of
freedom!

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Daily Gospel

Sunday, 10 February 2013
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

St. Scholastica, Abbess (+ c. 543)



Commentary of the day
Blessed John Henry Newman : He calls you by name

Reading

Lk 5:1-11.


While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."
Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets."
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man."
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."
When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890), priest, founder of a religious community, theologian
Sermon « A Particular Providence as Revealed in the Gospel » PPS vol.3, no.9

He calls you by name

God beholds thee individually, whoever thou art. He "calls thee by thy
name." He sees thee, and understands thee, as He made thee. He knows what
is in thee, all thy own peculiar feelings and thoughts, thy dispositions
and likings, thy strength and thy weakness. He views thee in thy day of
rejoicing, and thy day of sorrow. He sympathizes in thy hopes and thy
temptations. He interests Himself in all thy anxieties and remembrances,
all the risings and fallings of thy spirit. He has numbered the very hairs
of thy head... He compasses thee round and bears thee in his arms; He takes
thee up and sets thee down. He notes thy very countenance, whether smiling
or in tears, whether healthful or sickly. He looks tenderly upon thy hands
and thy feet; He hears thy voice, the beating of thy heart, and thy very
breathing...Thou art man redeemed and sanctified, His adopted son, favored
with a portion of that glory and blessedness which flows from Him
everlastingly unto the Only-begotten. Thou art chosen to be His... What is
man, what are we, what am I, that the Son of God should be so mindful of
me? What am I, that He should have raised me... to the nature of an Angel?
that He should have changed my soul's original constitution, new-made me,
who from my youth up have been a transgressor, and should Himself dwell
personally in this very heart of mine, making me His temple? (Biblical
references : Jn 10,3; Mt 10,30; Ps 8,5; cf Gn 8,21, Ps 51[50],7; 1Co 3,16)

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Daily Gospel

Sunday, 03 February 2013
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year C

St. Blase, Bishop & Martyr (+ 316)



Commentary of the day
Saint Augustine : "He passed through the midst of them and went away"

Reading

Lk 4:21-30.


He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."
And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?"
He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'"
And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.
Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land.
It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.
Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."
When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury.
They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.
But he passed through the midst of them and went away.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Sermon 61, 14-18 (Dolbeau)

"He passed through the midst of them and went away"

A doctor came amongst us to restore us to health: our Lord Jesus Christ. He
discovered blindness in our hearts and promised the light that “eye has not
seen and ear has not heard, and has not entered the heart of man” (1Cor
2,9).     The humility of Jesus Christ is the cure for your pride. Don't
scorn what will bring you healing; be humble, you for whom God humbled
himself. Indeed, he knew that the medicine of humility would cure you, he
who well understood your sickness and knew how to cure it. While you were
unable to run to the doctor's house, the doctor in person came to your
house... He is coming, he wants to help you; he knows what you need.God has
come with humility precisely in order that man might imitate him. If he had
remained above you, how would you have been able to imitate him? And,
without imitating him, how could you be healed? He came with humility
because he knew the nature of the remedy he had to administer: a little
bitter, it is true, but healing. And do you continue to scorn him? He who
holds out the cup to you and you say: “But what sort of God is this God of
mine? He was born, suffered, was covered with spittle, crowned with thorns,
nailed on the cross!” O miserable soul! You see the doctor's humility and
not the cancer of your pride. That is why humility displeases you...It
often happens that mentally ill people end up by beating their doctor. When
that happens, the unfortunate doctor not only is not distressed by the one
who beat him but attempts to treat him... As for our doctor, he did not
fear being killed by sick people afflicted with madness: he turned his own
death into their remedy. Indeed, he died and rose again.

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