Catholic Authority Archives

Scripture Readings August 21 2011 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sunday, August 21st, 2011 at 2:10 am 
Comments Off

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Official Readings available at http://www.usccb.org/bible/

Isaiah 22:19-23
DR Challoner

And I will drive thee out from thy station, and depose thee from thy ministry. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliacim[1] the son of Helcias, And I will clothe him with thy robe, and will strengthen him with thy girdle,[2] and will give thy power into his hand: and he shall be as a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Juda.

And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder:[3] and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a peg[4] in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father.

Responsorial Psalm 137:1-3, 6, 8
DR Challoner Text Only

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart:
for thou hast heard the words of my mouth.
I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels:
I will worship towards thy holy temple,
and I will give glory to thy name.
For thy mercy, and for thy truth:
for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.
In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me:
thou shalt multiply strength in my soul.
For the Lord is high, and looketh on the low:
and the high he knoweth afar off.
The Lord will repay for me:
thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever:
O despise not the works of thy hands.

The Epistle of St Paul to the Romans 11:33-36
Haydock New Testament

O the depth of the riches, of the wisdom, and of the knowledge of God![5] How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him? For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen.[6]

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Matthew 16:13-20
Haydock New Testament

And Jesus came into the parts of Cæsarea Philippi:[7] and he asked his disciples saying:

Whom do men say that the Son of man is?

But they said:

Some John the Baptist, and others Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.[8]

But Jesus saith to them:

But whom do you say that I am?[9]

Simon Peter answering said:[10]

Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God.[11]

And Jesus answering, said to him:

Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:[12] because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father, who is in heaven. And I say to thee:[13] That thou art Peter;[14] and upon this rock I will build my church,[15] and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.[16] And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.[17] And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven:[18] and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.[19]

Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.[20]

Footnotes    (↵ returns to text)
  1. Eliacim, who had been displaced, v. 15. He acted as regent after the departure of Manasses, who always followed his counsels at his return. Judith iv. 5. The priesthood was not then incompatible with civil and military functions.↵
  2. Girdle, the badge of power. Job xii. 18.↵
  3. Shoulder. Here the marks of dignity were worn. Eliacim was appointed master of the palace, over all the other servants. C. — Thus we may gather what power Christ conferred on S. Peter, when he gave him the keys of heaven. Mat. xvi. 19. Apoc. iii. 7. H.↵
  4. Peg, on which whatever is placed shall be secure. 1 Esd. ix. 8.↵
  5. O the depth, &c. After he hath spoken of the mysteries of God’s grace and predestination, of his mercy and justice, which we must not pretend to dive into, he concludes this part of his epistle, by an exclamation, to teach us submission of our judgment, as to the secrets of his providence, which we cannot comprehend.↵
  6. How incomprehensible are his judgments, &c. — Who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him? That is, no one, by any merit on his part, can first deserve God’s favours and mercy, by which he prevents us. — For of him, from God, or from Jesus Christ, as God, and by him, who made, preserves, and governs all things, and in him, is our continual dependance: for in him we live, we move, and exist. In the Greek, it is unto him,[3] to signify he is also our last end. See the notes, John c. i. Wi. — All things are from God, as their first cause and creator; all things are by God, as the ruler and governor of the universe; and all things are in God, or (as the Greek has it) for God, because they are all directed to his honour and glory. For the hath made all things for himself. Ps. xvi. S. Basil, lib. de Spiritu sto. c. 5.↵
  7. Cæarea Philippi, was first called Paneades, and was afterwards embellished and greatly enlarged by Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod the great, and dedicated in honour of Augustus, hence its name. There was moreover another Cæsarea, called Straton, situated on the Mediterranean: and not in this, but in the former, did Christ interrogate his disciples. He first withdrew them from the Jews, that they might with more boldness and freedom deliver their sentiments. S. Chry. hom. lv. — The Cæsarea here mentioned continued to be called by heathen writers Panea, from the adjoining spring Paneum, or Panium, which is usually taken for the source of the Jordan.↵
  8. Some say, &c. Herod thought that Christ was the Baptist, on account of his prodigies. S. Mat. xiv. 2. Others that he was Elias: 1st. because they expected he was about to return to them, according to the prophecy of Malachias; behold I will send you Elias; 2d. on account of the greatness of his miracles; 3d. on account of his invincible zeal and courage in the cause of truth and justice. Others again said he was Jeremias, either on account of his great sanctity, for he was sanctified in his mother’s womb; or, on account of his great charity and love for his brethren, as it was written of Jeremias: he is a lover of his brethren. Or, again, one of the prophets, viz. Isaias, or some other noted for eloquence; for it was the opinion of many of the Jews, as we read in S. Luke, that one of the ancient prophets had arisen again. Dion. Carth.↵
  9. Whom do you say that I am? You, who have been continually with me; you, who have seen me perform so many more miracles; you, who have yourselves worked miracles in my name? From this pointed interrogation, Jesus Christ intimates, that the opinion men had formed of him was very inadequate to the exalted dignity of his person, and that he expects they will have a juster conception of him. Chry. hom. lv.↵
  10. Simon Peter answering. As Simon Peter had been constituted the first in the college of apostles, (Matt. x. 2.) and therefore surpasseth the others in dignity as much as in zeal, without hesitation, and in the name of all, he answers: thou art the Christ, the Redeemer promised to the world, not a mere man, not a mere prophet like other prophets, but the true and natural Son of the living God. Thus SS. Chrys. Cyril, Ambrose, Austin, and Tirinus. When our Saviour inquired the opinion of him, Peter, as the mouth of the rest, and head of the whole college, steps forth, and prevents the others. Chrys. hom. lv.↵
  11. Tu es Christus, filius Dei vivi; or, as it is in the Greek, ο χριστος, ο υιος; The Christ, the Son, the Christ formerly promised by the law and the prophets, expected and desired by all the saints, the anointed and consecrated to God: ο υιοσ, the Son, not by grace only, or an adoptive filiation like prophets, to whom Christ is here opposed, but by natural filiation, and in a manner that distinguishes him from all created beings. — Thou art[1] Christ, the Son of the living God, not by grace only, or by adoption, as saints are the sons of God, but by nature, and from all eternity, the true Son of the living God. Wi.↵
  12. Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona. Σιμον is undoubtedly Συμεων, as written 2 Pet. i. 1. Βαριωνα is son of Jona, or John, an abridgment for Βαριωαννα. Bar, in Chaldaic, is son; hence S. Peter is called, in John xi, 16. and 17, Simon, son of John. It was customary with the Jews to add to a rather common name, for the sake of discrimination, a πατρωνυμικον, or patronymic, as appears from Matt. x. 3. and xxiii. 35. Mark ii. 14. John vi. 42. P.↵
  13. Κἀγὼ. And I say to thee, and tell thee why I before declared, (John i. 42.) that thou shouldst be called Peter, for thou art constituted the rock upon which, as a foundation, I will build my Church, and that so firmly, as not to suffer the gates (i.e. the powers) of hell to prevail against its foundation; because if they overturn its foundation, (i.e. thee and thy successors) they will overturn also the Church that rests upon it. Christ therefore here promises to Peter, that he and his successors should be to the end, as long as the Church should last, its supreme pastors and princes. T. — In the Syriac tongue, which is that which Jesus Christ spoke, there is no difference of genders, as there is in Latin, between patra, a rock, and Petrus, Peter; hence, in the original language, the allusion was both more natural and more simple. V.↵
  14. Thou art Peter;[2] and upon this (i.e. upon thee, according to the literal and general exposition of the ancient Fathers) I will build my church. It is true S. Augustine, in one or two places, thus expounds these words, and upon this rock, (i.e. upon myself:) or upon this rock, which Peter hath confessed: yet he owns that he had also given the other interpretation, by which Peter himself was the rock. Some Fathers have also expounded it, upon this faith, which Peter confessed; but then they take not faith, as separated from the person of Peter, but on Peter, as holding the true faith. No one questions but that Christ himself is the great foundation-stone, the chief corner-stone, as S. Paul tells the Ephesians; (C. ii, v. 20.) but it is also certain, that all the apostles may be called foundation-stones of the Church, as represented Apoc. xxi. 14. In the mean time, S. Peter (called therefore Cephas, a rock) was the first and chief foundation-stone among the apostles, on whom Christ promised to build his Church. Wi. — Thou art Peter, &c. As S. Peter, by divine revelation, here made a solemn profession of his faith of the divinity of Christ, so in recompense of this faith and profession, our Lord here declares to him the dignity to which he is pleased to raise him: viz. that he, to whom he had already given the name of Peter, signifying a rock, (John i. 42.) should be a rock indeed, of invincible strength, for the support of the building of the church; in which building he should be next to Christ himself, the chief foundation-stone, in quality of chief pastor, ruler, and governor; and should have accordingly all fulness of ecclesiastical power, signified by the keys of the kingdom of heaven.↵
  15. Upon this rock, &c. The words of Christ to Peter, spoken in the vulgar language of the Jews, which our Lord made use of, were the same as if he had said in English, Thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my church. So that, by the plain course of the words, Peter is here declared to be the rock, upon which the church was to be built; Christ himself being both the principal foundation and founder of the same. Where also note, that Christ by building his house, that is, his Church, upon a rock, has thereby secured it against all storms and floods, like the wise builder. Matt. vii. 24, 25.↵
  16. The gates of hell, &c. That is, the powers of darkness, and whatever Satan can do, either by himself or his agents. For as the Church is here likened to a house, or fortress, the gates of which, i.e. the whole strength, and all the efforts it can make, will never be able to prevail over the city or Church of Christ. By this promise we are fully assured, that neither idolatry, heresy, nor any pernicious error whatsoever shall at any time prevail over the Church of Christ. Ch. — The gates, in the Oriental style, signify the powers; thus, to this day, we designate the Ottoman or Turkish empire by the Ottoman port. The princes were wont to hold their courts at the gates of the city. V.↵
  17. And I will give to thee the keys, &c. This is another metaphor, expressing the supreme power and prerogative of the prince of the apostles. The keys of a city, or of its gates, are presented or given to the person that hath the chief power. We also own a power of the keys, given to the other apostles, but with a subordination to S. Peter and to his successor, as head of the Catholic Church.↵
  18. And whatsoever thou shalt bind, &c. All the apostles, and their successors, partake also of this power of binding and loosing, but with a due subordination to one head invested with the supreme power. Wi.↵
  19. Loose on earth. The loosing the bands of temporal punishments due to sins, is called an indulgence: the power of which is here granted. Ch. — Although Peter and his successors are mortal, they are nevertheless endowed with heavenly power, says S. Chry. nor is the sentence of life and death passed by Peter to be attempted to be reversed, but what he declares is to be considered a divine answer from heaven, and what he decrees, a decree of God himself. He that heareth you, heareth me, &c. The power of binding is exercised, 1st. by refusing to absolve; 2d. by enjoining penance for sins forgiven; 3d. by excommunication, suspension or interdict; 4th. by making rules and laws for the government of the Church; 5th. by determining what is of faith by the judgments and definitions of the Church. T. — The terms binding and loosing, are equivalent to opening and shutting, because formerly the Jews opened the fastenings of their doors by untying it, and they shut or secured their doors by tying or binding it. V. — Dr. Whitby, a learned Protestant divine, thus expounds this and the preceding verse: “As a suitable return to thy confession, I say also to thee, that thou art by name Peter, i.e. a rock; and upon thee, who art this rock, I will build my making laws to govern my Church.” (Tom. i, p. 143.) Dr. Hammond, another Protestant divine, explains it in the same manner. And p. 92, he says: ” What is here meant by the keys, is best understand by Isaias xxii. 22, where they signified ruling the whole family or house of the king: and this being by Christ accommodated to the Church, denotes the power of governing it.”↵
  20. Tell no one that he was Jesus, the Christ. In some MSS. both Greek and Latin, the name Jesus is not here found, and many interpreters think it superfluous in this place. The Greek expressly says the Christ adjoining the article, which the Latin tongue does not express. V. — “In a preceding part of Scripture, Jesus sending his apostles, commanded them to publish his coming; but here he seems to give a contrary mandate, tell no one, &c. but in my opinion it is one thing to preach the Christ, and another to preach Christ Jesus; for Christ is a name of dignity, but Jesus is the particular name of the Redeemer.” S. Jer. — He did not forbid them to teach that there was a Messias a Redeemer, but to declare then that he was the person; 2d. the disciples (Matt. x,) are not sent to preach the gospel, strictly speaking, but only to prepare the minds and hearts of the people for the coming of the Messias, as is evident from Mat. x. 23. See Mark xiv. 61. and 62. John v. 18. and viii. 58. and x. 30. and xi. 27. But why did he lay this injunction? To avoid the envy of the Scribes, and not to appear to raise his own glory. He wished the people to be induced to own him for their Messias, not from the testimony of his retainers, but from his miracles and doctrines; and lastly, because as his time was not yet come, the apostles were not yet fit to deliver, nor the people to receive, this grand tenet. Mat. Polus. — It might moreover have proved a hinderance to his death.↵

Daily Bible Readings Saturday August 20 2011 20th Week in Ordinary Time – Feast of St Bernard – Abbot and Doctor of the Church

Saturday, August 20th, 2011 at 1:06 am 
Comments Off

Saturday 20th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle I
Official Readings available at http://www.usccb.org/bible/

Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Douay-Rheims Challoner

Now her husband Elimelech had a kinsman, a powerful man, and very rich, whose name was Booz (Boaz)[1]. And Ruth, the Moabitess, said to her mother in law:

If thou wilt, I will go into the field, and glean the ears of corn that escape the hands of the reapers, wheresoever I shall find grace with a householder, that will be favourable to me.[2]

And she answered her:

Go, my daughter.

She went, therefore, and gleaned the ears of corn after the reapers. And it happened that the owner of that field was Booz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech. And Booz said to Ruth:

Ruth in the Field with Boaz - Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld

Hear me, daughter, do not go to glean in any other field, and do not depart from this place: but keep with my maids, And follow where they reap. For I have charged my young men, not to molest thee:[3] and if thou art thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of the waters whereof the servants drink.[4]

She fell on her face, and worshipping upon the ground, said to him:

Whence cometh this to me, that I should find grace before thy eyes, and that thou shouldst vouchsafe to take notice of me, a woman of another country?[5]

And he answered her:

All hath been told me, that thou hast done to thy mother in law after the death of thy husband: and how thou hast left thy parents, and the land wherein thou wast born, and art come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore.[6]

Booz therefore took Ruth, and married her: and went in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive, and to bear a son. And the women said to Noemi (Naomi):

Blessed be the Lord, who hath not suffered thy family to want a successor:[7] that his name should be preserved in Israel. And thou shouldst have one to comfort thy soul,[8] and cherish thy old age. For he is born of thy daughter in law: who loveth thee: and is much better to thee, than if thou hadst seven sons.

And Noemi taking the child, laid it in her bosom, and she carried it, and was a nurse unto it. And the women, her neighbours, congratulating with her, and saying,

There is a son born to Noemi, called his name Obed:[9]

He is the father of Isai (Jesse), the father of David.

Psalm 127:1b-5 (Ps 128 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.
For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands:
blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.
Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house.
Thy children as olive plants, round about thy table.
Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
May the Lord bless thee out of Sion:
and mayst thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Matthew 23:1-12
Haydock New Testament

Then Jesus spoke to the multitude and to his disciples,[10] Saying:

The Scribes and the Pharisees have sitten on the chair of Moses.[11] All therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not: for they say and do not.[12] For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens: and lay them on men’s shoulders: but with a finger of their own they will not move them.[13] And all their works they do to be seen by men: For they make their phylacteries[14] broad and enlarge their fringes. And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues, And salutations in the market-place, and to be called by men, Rabbi.[15]

But be not you called Rabbi.  For one is your master,[16] and all you are brethren. And call none your father upon earth: for one is your Father, who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your master, Christ.[17] He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted.

Haydock Commentary Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

Footnotes    (↵ returns to text)
  1. Booz.  The Scripture does not specify how nearly they were related.  R. Josue says Elimelech, Salmon, and Tob (C. iii. 13,) were brothers, and Booz was the son of Salmon, which cannot be refuted, (Serar. q. 1.  M.) though the authority and proofs be very weak.  It is not, however, more probable that Booz was the brother of Elimelech.  Some think that he was not the immediate son of Salmon, as four persons seem too few to fill up the space of 366 years, from the marriage of Rahab till the birth of David.  But this is not impossible.  C.  See C. iv. 20.↵
  2. To me.  It was the privilege of the poor and of strangers to glean.  Deut. xxiv. 19.  Lev. xix. 9.  Yet Ruth asks leave, through civility.  C. — This law is no longer in force, but it would be inhuman for the rich to deny this liberty to those who are in distress, and willing rather to work than to beg.  T.↵
  3. Thee.  The men tied the corn after the female reapers, (C.) and Ruth was authorized to follow, close at their heels, without fear.  H.↵
  4. The waters.  This is not expressed in Heb. but it is in the Sept. and the Chal.  C. — The privilege of having water in those countries was very considerable.  M.↵
  5. Country.  S. Elizabeth was impressed with similar sentiments, when she was visited by the blessed Virgin; (H.) and so was David, when he considered the wonderful condescension of God.  Ps. viii. 5. cxliii. 3.  Job vii. 17.  C. — Frequent instances occur in Scripture of people worshipping, or shewing their gratitude to their fellow creatures, by this posture of the body.  M. — Yet no suspicion of idolatry attaches to them.  Gen. xxiii. 7. &c.  H.↵
  6. Heretofore, to embrace the same religion.  M.↵
  7. Successor.  Heb. “redeemer, that his (Booz, or the Lord’s) name,” &c.  C.↵
  8. Comfort.  Heb. “to make thy soul revive.”↵
  9. Obed; “serving,” to comfort the old age of Noemi, (v. 15,) who gave him this’ name.  (Serar. q. 14,) at the suggestion of her neighbours.  M.↵
  10. Then Jesus, &c.  Jesus thus spoke to the multitude a few days previous to his passion.  It is here observable that our Saviour, after he had tried all possible remedies, after he had taught and confirmed his doctrines by innumerable miracles, after he had secretly by his parables reprehended them for their wickedness, but without effect, now publicly upbraids their vices.  But before his reprehension of the Pharisees, he instructs the people, lest they should despise the authority of the priesthood.  Salmeron.↵
  11. The Scribes.  They, who professed the greatest zeal for the law of Moses, and gloried in being the interpreters of it, sat upon the chair of Moses, succeeded to his authority of governing the people of God, of instructing them in his law, and of disclosing to them his will.  Such, therefore, as did not depart from the letter of the law, were called Scribes.  But such as professed something higher, and separated themselves from the crowd, as better than the ordinary class of men, were called Pharisees, which signifies, separated.  Origen. — God preserveth the truth of the Christian religion in the apostolic See of Rome, which in the new law answers to the chair of Moses, notwithstanding the disedifying conduct of some few of its bishops.  Yes, though a traitor, as vile as Judas himself, were a bishop thereof, it would not be prejudicial to the integrity of the faith of God’s Church, or to the ready obedience and perfect submission of sincere good Christians, for whom our Lord has made this provision, when he says: do that which they say, but do not as they do.  S. Aug. Ep. clxv.↵
  12. All therefore whatsoever they shall say.  S. Augustine, in his defence of the Apostolic See, thus argues, contra lit. Petil. “Why dost thou call the apostolic chair the chair of pestilence?  If, for the men that sit therein, I ask: did our Lord Jesus Christ, on account of the Pharisees, reflect upon the chair, wherein they sat?  Did he not commend that chair of Moses, and, preserving the honour of the chair, reprove them?  For he sayeth: they have sat on the chair of Moses.  All therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do.  These points if you did well consider, you would not, for the men whom you defame, blaspheme the Apostolic See, wherewith you do not hold communion.”  l. ii. c. 51.  And again, c. 61.  Ibid.  “Neither on account of the Pharisees, to whom you maliciously compare us, did our Lord command the chair of Moses to be forsaken; (in which chair he verily figured his own) for he warned the people to do what they say, and not what they do, and that the holiness of the chair be in no case forsaken, nor the unity of the flock divided, on account of the wicked lives of the pastors.” — Christ does not tell them to observe every thing, without exception, that the Pharisees should say to them; for, (as it was observed in a previous chapter) many superstitions and false ordinances had obtained amongst them, corrupting the Scriptures by their traditions; but only such as were not contrary to the law of Moses.  We are taught to obey bad no less than good ministers, in those things that are not expressly contrary to the law of God.  Hence appears how unfounded and unreasonable is the excuse so often adduced by persons in justification of their misdeeds, viz. that they saw their pastors do the same.  Such must attend to the rule here given by Jesus Christ.  What they say, do: but according to their works, do ye not.  Dion. Carthus. — The words, all whatsoever, shew that nothing must be excepted, but what the supreme law orders to be excepted.  E.↵
  13. Heavy and insupportable burdens.  Some understand in general the ceremonies of the law of Moses; but Christ seems rather here to mean the vain customs, traditions, and additions, introduced by the Jewish doctors, and by their Scribes and Pharisees.  Wi. — They thus greatly increase the burden of others, by multiplying their obligations; whilst they will not offer themselves the least violence in observing them, or alleviating the burden, by taking any share upon their own shoulders.↵
  14. Phylacteries.[1]  These were pieces or scrolls of parchment, on which were written the ten commandments, or some sentences of the law, which the Jews were accustomed to fasten to their foreheads, or their arms, to put them in mind of their duty.  Thus they interpreted those words.  Deut. vi. 8.  Thou shalt tie them as a sign on thy hand: and they shall be, and move before thy eyes.  Perhaps all the Jews, and even our Saviour himself, wore them; and that he only blames the hypocrisy and vanity of the Scribes and Pharisees, who affected to have them larger than others; and they did the like as to the fringes which the Jews wore on their garments.  Wi. — That is, parchments, on which they wrote the ten commandments, and carried on their foreheads before their eyes: which the Pharisees affected to wear broader than other men: so to seem more zealous for the law.  Ch. — The word Phylacterion, which is found both in the Greek and Latin Vulgate, properly signifies a preservation.  It was a piece of parchment which the Jews carried round their heads from one ear to the other, and round their arms like bracelets, and upon which were written certain words of the law.  Since the origin of the sect of Pharisees, they began to attach to these bands of parchment chimerical virtues, such as preservatives of maladies, and preservations from the insults of devils; hence the name phylacterion.  V.↵
  15. Rabbi.  A title like that of master or doctor.  Judas gave it to our Saviour.  Matt. xxvi. 49.  And the disciples of S. John the Baptist call him so.  John iii. 26. — Christ blames their pride, and vanity in affecting such titles, rather than the titles themselves.  Wi. — Διδασκαλος (Didaskalos), properly a preceptor, as John iii. 10.  Art thou a master in Israel, and knowest not these things?  V.↵
  16. One is your master, or teacher, who is the Christ, and under him one vicar, the successor of S. Peter, with whom all Catholic teachers are one, because they all teach one and the same doctrine in every part of the Christian world; whereas in the multiplicity of modern sects, which are every day dividing and subdividing into fresh sects, no two leaders can be found teaching in all points exactly the same tenets; as each is not only allowed, but expected to follow his own private spirit, and to build his creed upon his own interpretation of Scripture.  A.↵
  17. Call none your father . . . Neither be ye called masters, &c.  The meaning is, that our Father in heaven is incomparably more to be regarded, than any father upon earth: and no master is to be followed, who would lead us away from Christ.  But this does not hinder but that we are by the law of God to have a due respect both for our parents and spiritual fathers, (1 Cor. iv. 15,) and for our masters and teachers.  Ch. — This name was a title of dignity: the presidents of the assembly of twenty-three judges where so called; the second judge of the sanhedrim, &c.  V. — Nothing is here forbidden but the contentious divisions, and self-assumed authority, of such as make themselves leaders and favourers of schisms and sects; as Donatus, Arius, Luther, Calvin, and innumerable other of very modern date.  But by no means the title of father, attributed by the faith, piety, and confidence of good people, to their directors; for, S. Paul tells the Corinthians, that he is their only spiritual Father: If you have 10,000 instructors in Christ, yet not many Fathers.  1 Cor. iv. 15.↵

Scripture Readings Sunday August 21 2011 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 at 1:58 am 
Comments Off

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Official Readings available at http://www.usccb.org/bible/

Isaiah 22:19-23
DR Challoner

And I will drive thee out from thy station, and depose thee from thy ministry. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliacim[1] the son of Helcias, And I will clothe him with thy robe, and will strengthen him with thy girdle,[2] and will give thy power into his hand: and he shall be as a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Juda.

And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder:[3] and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a peg[4] in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father.

Responsorial Psalm 137:1-3, 6, 8
DR Challoner Text Only

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart:
for thou hast heard the words of my mouth.
I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels:
I will worship towards thy holy temple,
and I will give glory to thy name.
For thy mercy, and for thy truth:
for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.
In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me:
thou shalt multiply strength in my soul.
For the Lord is high, and looketh on the low:
and the high he knoweth afar off.
The Lord will repay for me:
thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever:
O despise not the works of thy hands.

The Epistle of St Paul to the Romans 11:33-36
Haydock New Testament

O the depth of the riches, of the wisdom, and of the knowledge of God![5] How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him? For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen.[6]

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Matthew 16:13-20
Haydock New Testament

And Jesus came into the parts of Cæsarea Philippi:[7] and he asked his disciples saying:

Whom do men say that the Son of man is?

But they said:

Some John the Baptist, and others Elijah, and others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.[8]

But Jesus saith to them:

But whom do you say that I am?[9]

Simon Peter answering said:[10]

Thou art Christ, the Son of the Living God.[11]

And Jesus answering, said to him:

Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:[12] because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father, who is in heaven. And I say to thee:[13] That thou art Peter;[14] and upon this rock I will build my church,[15] and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.[16] And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.[17] And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven:[18] and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.[19]

Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.[20]

Footnotes    (↵ returns to text)
  1. Eliacim, who had been displaced, v. 15.  He acted as regent after the departure of Manasses, who always followed his counsels at his return.  Judith iv. 5.  The priesthood was not then incompatible with civil and military functions.↵
  2. Girdle, the badge of power.  Job xii. 18.↵
  3. Shoulder.  Here the marks of dignity were worn.  Eliacim was appointed master of the palace, over all the other servants.  C. — Thus we may gather what power Christ conferred on S. Peter, when he gave him the keys of heaven.  Mat. xvi. 19.  Apoc. iii. 7.  H.↵
  4. Peg, on which whatever is placed shall be secure.  1 Esd. ix. 8.↵
  5. O the depth, &c.  After he hath spoken of the mysteries of God’s grace and predestination, of his mercy and justice, which we must not pretend to dive into, he concludes this part of his epistle, by an exclamation, to teach us submission of our judgment, as to the secrets of his providence, which we cannot comprehend.↵
  6. How incomprehensible are his judgments, &c. — Who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him?  That is, no one, by any merit on his part, can first deserve God’s favours and mercy, by which he prevents us. — For of him, from God, or from Jesus Christ, as God, and by him, who made, preserves, and governs all things, and in him, is our continual dependance: for in him we live, we move, and exist.  In the Greek, it is unto him,[3] to signify he is also our last end.  See the notes, John c. i.  Wi. — All things are from God, as their first cause and creator; all things are by God, as the ruler and governor of the universe; and all things are in God, or (as the Greek has it) for God, because they are all directed to his honour and glory.  For the hath made all things for himself.  Ps. xvi. S. Basil, lib. de Spiritu sto. c. 5.↵
  7. Cæarea Philippi, was first called Paneades, and was afterwards embellished and greatly enlarged by Philip the tetrarch, son of Herod the great, and dedicated in honour of Augustus, hence its name.  There was moreover another Cæsarea, called Straton, situated on the Mediterranean: and not in this, but in the former, did Christ interrogate his disciples. He first withdrew them from the Jews, that they might with more boldness and freedom deliver their sentiments.  S. Chry. hom. lv. — The Cæsarea here mentioned continued to be called by heathen writers Panea, from the adjoining spring Paneum, or Panium, which is usually taken for the source of the Jordan.↵
  8. Some say, &c.  Herod thought that Christ was the Baptist, on account of his prodigies.  S. Mat. xiv. 2.  Others that he was Elias: 1st. because they expected he was about to return to them, according to the prophecy of Malachias; behold I will send  you Elias; 2d. on account of the greatness of his miracles; 3d. on account of his invincible zeal and courage in the cause of truth and justice.  Others again said he was Jeremias, either on account of his great sanctity, for he was sanctified in his mother’s womb; or, on account of his great charity and love for his brethren, as it was written of Jeremias: he is a lover of his brethren.  Or, again, one of the prophets, viz. Isaias, or some other noted for eloquence; for it was the opinion of many of the Jews, as we read in S. Luke, that one of the ancient prophets had arisen again.  Dion. Carth.↵
  9. Whom do you say that I am?  You, who have been continually with me; you, who have seen me perform so many more miracles; you, who have yourselves worked miracles in my name?  From this pointed interrogation, Jesus Christ intimates, that the  opinion men had formed of him was very inadequate to the exalted dignity of his person, and that he expects they will have a juster conception of him.  Chry. hom. lv.↵
  10. Simon Peter answering.  As Simon Peter had been constituted the first in the college of apostles, (Matt. x. 2.) and therefore surpasseth the others in dignity as much as in zeal, without hesitation, and in the name of all, he answers: thou art the Christ, the Redeemer promised to the world, not a mere man, not a mere prophet like other prophets, but the true and natural Son of the living God.  Thus SS. Chrys. Cyril, Ambrose, Austin, and Tirinus.  When our Saviour inquired the opinion of him, Peter, as the mouth of the rest, and head of the whole college, steps forth, and prevents the others.  Chrys. hom. lv.↵
  11. Tu es Christus, filius Dei vivi; or, as it is in the Greek, ο χριστος, ο υιος; The Christ, the Son, the Christ formerly promised by the law and the prophets, expected and desired by all the saints, the anointed and consecrated to God: ο υιοσ, the Son, not by grace only, or an adoptive filiation like prophets, to whom Christ is here opposed, but by natural filiation, and in a manner that distinguishes him from all created beings. — Thou art[1] Christ, the Son of the living God, not by grace only, or by adoption, as saints are the sons of God, but by nature, and from all eternity, the true Son of the living God.  Wi.↵
  12. Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona.  Σιμον is undoubtedly Συμεων, as written 2 Pet. i. 1.  Βαριωνα is son of Jona, or John, an abridgment for Βαριωαννα.  Bar, in Chaldaic, is son; hence S. Peter is called, in John xi, 16. and 17, Simon, son of John.  It was customary with the Jews to add to a rather common name, for the sake of discrimination, a πατρωνυμικον, or patronymic, as appears from Matt. x. 3. and xxiii. 35.  Mark ii. 14.  John vi. 42.  P.↵
  13. Κἀγὼ.  And I say to thee, and tell thee why I before declared, (John i. 42.) that thou shouldst be called Peter, for thou art constituted the rock upon which, as a foundation, I will build my Church, and that so firmly, as not to suffer the gates (i.e. the powers) of hell to prevail against its foundation; because if they overturn its foundation, (i.e. thee and thy successors) they will overturn also the Church that rests upon it.  Christ therefore here promises to Peter, that he and his successors should be to the end, as long as the Church should last, its supreme pastors and princes. T. — In the Syriac tongue, which is that which Jesus Christ spoke, there is no difference of genders, as there is in Latin, between patra, a rock, and Petrus, Peter; hence, in the original language, the allusion was both more natural and more simple.  V.↵
  14. Thou art Peter;[2] and upon this (i.e. upon thee, according to the literal and general exposition of the ancient Fathers) I will build my church.  It is true S. Augustine, in one or two places, thus expounds these words, and upon this rock, (i.e. upon myself:) or upon this rock, which Peter hath confessed: yet he owns that he had also given the other interpretation, by which Peter himself was the rock.  Some Fathers have also expounded it, upon this faith, which Peter confessed; but then they take not faith, as separated from the person of Peter, but on Peter, as holding the true faith.  No one questions but that Christ himself is the great foundation-stone, the chief corner-stone, as S. Paul tells the Ephesians; (C. ii, v. 20.) but it is also certain, that all the apostles may be called foundation-stones of the Church, as represented Apoc. xxi. 14.  In the mean time, S. Peter (called therefore Cephas, a rock) was the first and chief foundation-stone among the apostles, on whom Christ promised to build his Church.  Wi. — Thou art Peter, &c.  As S. Peter, by divine revelation, here made a solemn profession of his faith of the divinity of Christ, so in recompense of this faith and profession, our Lord here declares to him the dignity to which he is pleased to raise him: viz. that he, to whom he had already given the name of Peter, signifying a rock, (John i. 42.) should be a rock indeed, of invincible strength, for the support of the building of the church; in which building he should be next to Christ himself, the chief foundation-stone, in quality of chief pastor, ruler, and governor; and should have accordingly all fulness of ecclesiastical power, signified by the keys of the kingdom of heaven.↵
  15. Upon this rock, &c.  The words of Christ to Peter, spoken in the vulgar language of the Jews, which our Lord made use of, were the same as if he had said in English, Thou art a rock, and upon this rock I will build my church.  So that, by the plain course of the words, Peter is here declared to be the rock, upon which the church was to be built; Christ himself being both the principal foundation and founder of the same.  Where also note, that Christ by building his house, that is, his Church, upon a rock, has thereby secured it against all storms and floods, like the wise builder.  Matt. vii. 24, 25.↵
  16. The gates of hell, &c.  That is, the powers of darkness, and whatever Satan can do, either by himself or his agents.  For as the Church is here likened to a house, or fortress, the gates of which, i.e. the whole strength, and all the efforts it can make, will never be able to prevail over the city or Church of Christ.  By this promise we are fully assured, that neither idolatry, heresy, nor any pernicious error whatsoever shall at any time prevail over the Church of Christ.  Ch. — The gates, in the Oriental style, signify the powers; thus, to this day, we designate the Ottoman or Turkish empire by the Ottoman port.  The princes were wont to hold their courts at the gates of the city.  V.↵
  17. And I will give to thee the keys, &c.  This is another metaphor, expressing the supreme power and prerogative of the prince of the apostles.  The keys of a city, or of its gates, are presented or given to the person that hath the chief power.  We also own a power of the keys, given to the other apostles, but with a subordination to S. Peter and to his successor, as head of the Catholic Church.↵
  18. And whatsoever thou shalt bind, &c.  All the apostles, and their successors, partake also of this power of binding and loosing, but with a due subordination to one head invested with the supreme power.  Wi.↵
  19. Loose on earth.  The loosing the bands of temporal punishments due to sins, is called an indulgence: the power of which is here granted.  Ch. — Although Peter and his successors are mortal, they are nevertheless endowed with heavenly power, says S. Chry. nor is the sentence of life and death passed by Peter to be attempted to be reversed, but what he declares is to be considered a divine answer from heaven, and what he decrees, a decree of God himself.  He that heareth you, heareth me, &c.  The power of binding is exercised, 1st. by refusing to absolve; 2d. by enjoining penance for sins forgiven; 3d. by excommunication, suspension or interdict; 4th. by making rules and laws for the government of the Church; 5th. by determining what is of faith by the judgments and definitions of the Church.  T. — The terms binding and loosing, are equivalent to opening and shutting, because formerly the Jews opened the fastenings of their doors by untying it, and they shut or secured their doors by tying or binding it.  V. — Dr. Whitby, a learned Protestant divine, thus expounds this and the preceding verse: “As a suitable return to thy confession, I say also to thee, that thou art by name Peter, i.e. a rock; and upon thee, who art this rock, I will build my making laws to govern my Church.” (Tom. i, p. 143.) Dr. Hammond, another Protestant divine, explains it in the same manner.  And p. 92, he says: ” What is here meant by the keys, is best understand by Isaias xxii. 22, where they signified ruling the whole family or house of the king: and this being by Christ accommodated to the Church, denotes the power of governing it.”↵
  20. Tell no one that he was Jesus, the Christ.  In some MSS. both Greek and Latin, the name Jesus is not here found, and many interpreters think it superfluous in this place.  The Greek expressly says the Christ adjoining the article, which the Latin tongue does not express.  V. — “In a preceding part of Scripture, Jesus sending his apostles, commanded them to publish his coming; but here he seems to give a contrary mandate, tell no one, &c. but in my opinion it is one thing to preach the Christ, and another to preach Christ Jesus; for Christ is a name of dignity, but Jesus is the particular name of the Redeemer.”  S. Jer. — He did not forbid them to teach that there was a Messias a Redeemer, but to declare then that he was the person; 2d. the disciples (Matt. x,) are not sent to preach the gospel, strictly speaking, but only to prepare the minds and hearts of the people for the coming of the Messias, as is evident from Mat. x. 23.  See Mark xiv. 61. and 62.  John v. 18. and viii. 58. and x. 30. and xi. 27.  But why did he lay this injunction?  To avoid the envy of the Scribes, and not to appear to raise his own glory.  He wished the people to be induced to own him for their Messias, not from the testimony of his retainers, but from his miracles and doctrines; and lastly, because as his time was not yet come, the apostles were not yet fit to deliver, nor the people to receive, this grand tenet.  Mat. Polus. — It might moreover have proved a hinderance to his death.↵

Daily Bible Readings Tuesday August 9 2011 19th Week in Ordinary Time – Cycle I

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011 at 2:45 am 
Comments Off

Tuesday 19th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle 1
Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/bible/

Deuteronomy 31:1-8
Douay-Rheims Bible

And Moses went, and spoke all these words to all Israel, And he said to them:

I am this day a hundred and twenty years old, I can no longer go out and come in, especially as the Lord also hath said to me: Thou shalt not pass over this Jordan. The Lord thy God then will pass over before thee: he will destroy all these nations in thy sight, and thou shalt possess them: and this Josue shall go over before thee, as the Lord hath spoken. And the Lord shall do to them as he did to Sehon and Og the kings of the Amorrhites, and to their land, and shall destroy them.

Therefore when the Lord shall have delivered these also to you, you shall do in like manner to them as I have commmanded you. Do manfully and be of good heart: fear not, nor be ye dismayed at their sight: for the Lord thy God he himself is thy leader, and will not leave thee nor forsake thee.

And Moses called Josue, and said to him before all Israel:

Take courage, and be valiant: for thou shalt bring this people into the land which the Lord swore he would give to their fathers, and thou shalt divide it by lot. And the Lord who is your leader, he himself will be with thee: he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.

Responsorial Psalm Deuteronomy 32:3-4ab, 7-9, 12
Douay-Rheims Text Only

Because I will invoke the name of the Lord: give ye magnificence to our God.
The works of God are perfect, and all his ways are judgments
Remember the days of old, think upon every generation:
ask thy father, and he will declare to thee: thy elders and they will tell thee.
When the Most High divided the nations: when he separated the sons of Adam,
he appointed the bounds of people according to the number of the children of Israel.
But the Lord’s portion is his people: Jacob the lot of his inheritance.
The Lord alone was his leader: and there was no strange god with him.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
Haydock New Testament

At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying:

Who, thinkest thou, is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?

And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them, And said:

Amen I say unto you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me. Take heed that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

What think you?  If a man have a hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray; doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go to seek that which is gone astray? And if it so be that he find it, amen, I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that than for the ninety-nine that went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

Haydock Commentary Deuteronomy 31:1-8
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

  • Ver. 1.  Went.  Began.  M. — “Concluded.”  Sept. continued, or, just before he dismissed the audience, he spoke to them as follows.  Josephus (iv. 8,) thinks that this took place the day after his first harangue.  C.
  • Ver. 2.  Come in, to conduct you.  M. — Especially.  Heb. “and the Lord.”  It was not the want of strength which hindered Moses from continuing to perform his arduous functions, as he was still full of vigour both in soul and body; (C. xxxiv. 7.  C.) but it was his submission to the will of God, who had resolved thus to punish his former diffidence.  H.
  • Ver. 3.  Then.  This word is not in Heb. or the Sept.; neither does Moses mean to insinuate, that God would take his place in conducting the people; but only that after he should be no more, the divine Providence would no less watch over his people, and direct the councils of Josue, who stood beside him.  H. — The ark preceded the army, (Jos. iii.) and God invisibly put the enemies of Israel to flight.  M.
  • Ver. 7.  Called.  Heb. “unto Josue.”  He did this publicly that no dispute might arise after his death, respecting the choice of a successor.  H. — Lot.  Heb. and Chal. “thou shalt put them in possession of it.”  C.

 

Haydock Commentary Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

  • Ver. 1.  Who, thinkest thou?  This altercation for superiority among the apostles, whilst they were upon their road to Judea, might have arisen from another cause besides the precedence given by Jesus Christ to Peter above, as S. Chrysostom (hom. lix. in Mat.) affirms.  A report prevailed among the disciples, that Christ would soon die; and they wished to know who would be the first, when he was gone.  Jans. — Or expecting that by his future resurrection he would enter into full possession of his temporal kingdom, they wished to learn which of them should be the greater in this new and glorious state. Calmet supposes that Peter was not with them, but that he had gone before with his Master to Capharnaum.  C.
  • Ver. 2.  And Jesus calling . . . . a little child.  In S. Mark (ix. 32.) we find that Jesus did this in the house, when they were arrived at Capharnaum.
  • Ver. 3.  You shall not enter, &c. i.e. you shall have no place in my kingdom of glory, in heaven, where none shall find admittance but they that are truly humble.  Wi. — Our Lord in this and the next chapter teaches us, 1st, To sit down in the lowest place; 2nd, to bear patiently with our neighbor; 3rd, not to scandalize a weak brother; 4th, mildly to correct him when faulty; and 5thly, to forgive him when repentant.
  • Ver. 4.  Greater in the kingdom of heaven, because more conformable to me here on earth.  Humble souls, who are little in their own eyes, are so dear and closely united to the Almighty, that Christ declares them to be the most acceptable, the first in merit, not highest in authority or dignity either in church or state, as some idle fanatics pretend.  Jans. — The kingdom of heaven is not the reward of ambition, but the boon of simplicity and humility.
  • Ver. 5.  He that shall receive.  To receive, in the style of the Scriptures, is to honour and favour, to be charitable, and kind to any one.  Wi. — Who does not admire here the great goodness of God!  Jesus, knowing that he was soon to leave the world, and that his disciples would no longer have it in their power to manifest their charity for him by their kind services, substitutes the poor in his place, declaring, that if they receive or honour them, they received Christ himself.  Dion. Carth. — What greater proof can we wish for the merit of good works!!!
  • Ver. 10.  Their angels.  The Jews also believed that men had their good angels, or angels appointed to be their guardians.  See Gen. xlviii. 16.  Wi. — Observe the dignity of the humble and little, whom the world despises.  They have angels constantly pleading their cause in the divine presence.  They are now weak and unable to defend themselves, but they have their advocates in heaven, accusing those who offer them any injury or scandal.  It is evident from many parts of Scripture, that angels are appointed guardians of kingdoms, countries, cities, and even individuals, Exod. xxiii.  Dan. x.  Apoc. xii. & alibi.  The angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him, and he shall deliver them.  Ps. xxxiii.  S. Jerom does not hesitate to affirm that every man has an angel assigned him at his birth, which he confirms from C. xii, of Acts, where it is related that the girl thought she saw Peter’s angel.  The thing is so plain, that Calvin, dares not deny it, and yet he will needs doubt of it.  L. i. Inst. c. xiv. sect. 7.  Origen thinks that only the just have their guardian angels, and these only at their baptism.  The opinion of S. Augustine is universal in the Catholic Church. “I esteem it, O my God, an inestimable benefit, that thou hast granted me an angel to guide me from the moment of my birth, to my death.”  De dilig. Deo. Medit. c. xii.  How much are we indebted to the Providence of God, for extending itself also to the wicked.  They likewise have their angels, without whose assistance they would fall into many more grievous sins, and the evil spirits would have more power over them.  Let us then with gratitude remember our dignity, and fear to commit any thing in their presence, which may make them grieve and withdraw from us their protection and assistance.
  • Ver. 12.  If a man have a hundred sheep.  This is to shew the goodness and mercy of God towards sinners.  By the one sheep, some understand all mankind, and by the ninety-nine, the angels in heaven.  Wi. — Jesus Christ manifests his tender regard and solicitude for us poor weak creatures, by becoming himself the Son of man, thus abandoning in some measure the angels who are in heaven.  He is come down upon earth to save by his death what was lost, imitating thus, with regard to men, the conduct themselves observe with regard to their sheep.  V. — In the Greek, it is dubious whether the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine in the mountains, or, whether he himself goeth into the mountains in quest of the lost sheep.
  • Ver. 14.  Even so it is not.  Here some may perhaps object, that since the Almighty does not wish any of his little ones to perish, he must consequently wish all to be saved, and therefore that all will be saved.  Now this is not the case: the will of the Almighty is therefore sometimes frustrated in its effects, which is contrary to Scripture.  To this objection, S. John Damascene replies, that in God we must distinguish two distinct wills; the one antecedent, the other consequent.  A person wills a thing antecedently, when he wills it merely as considered in itself.  For instance, a prince wishes his subjects to live, in as much as they are all his subjects.  But a person wills a thing consequently, when he will a thing in consideration of some particular circumstance.  Thus, though the king wishes all his subject to live, he nevertheless wills that some should die, if they turn traitors, or disorganize the peace of society.  In the same manner, the Almighty wishes none of his little ones to perish, in as much as they are all his creatures, made to his own image, and destined for the kingdom of glory; though it is equally certain that he wills the eternal punishment of many who have turned away from his service, and followed iniquity.  If we observe this distinction, it is easy to see what our Saviour meant, when he said that it was not the will of his Father that any of these little ones should perish.  S. John Dam.

 

Daily Bible Readings Friday August 5 2011 18th Week in Ordinary Time

Friday, August 5th, 2011 at 12:01 am 
Comments Off

Friday Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time – Cycle I
Disclaimer  – Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/bible/

Deuteronomy 4:32-40
Douay-Rheims Challoner

Moses addressed the Israelites:

Ask of the days of old, that have been before thy time from the day that God created man upon the earth, from one end of heaven to the other end thereof, if ever there was done the like thing, or it hath been known at any time, That a people should hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of fire, as thou hast heard, and lived:

If God ever did so as to go, and take to himself a nation out of the midst of nations by temptations, signs, and wonders, by fight, and a strong hand, and stretched out arm, and horrible visions according to all the things that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, before thy eyes. That thou mightest know that the Lord he is God, and there is no other besides him.

From heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might teach thee. And upon earth he shewed thee his exceeding great fire, and thou didst hear his words out of the midst of the fire, Because he loved thy fathers, and chose their seed after them. And he brought thee out of Egypt, going before thee with his great power, To destroy at thy coming very great nations, and stronger than thou art, and to bring thee in, and give thee their land for a possession, as thou seest at this present day.

Know therefore this day, and think in thy heart that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath, and there is no other. Keep his precepts and commandments, which I command thee: that it may be well with thee, and thy children after thee, and thou mayst remain a long time upon the land, which the Lord thy God will give thee.

Psalm 76:12-16, 21 (Ps 77 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

I remembered the works of the Lord: for I will be mindful of thy wonders from the beginning.
And I will meditate on all thy works: and will be employed in thy inventions.
Thy way, O God, is in the holy place: who is the great God like our God?
Thou art the God that dost wonders. Thou hast made thy power known among the nations:
With thy arm thou hast redeemed thy people the children of Jacob and of Joseph.
Thou hast conducted thy people like sheep, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Matthew 16:24-28
Haydock New Testament

Then Jesus said to his disciples:

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it.

For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul?  Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works.

Amen, I say to you, there are some of them standing here, who shall not taste death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.

Haydock Commentary Deuteronomy 4:32-40
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

  • Ver. 32.  Heaven.  To our senses the sky seems to rest upon the horizon.  So Jesus says, Then he…shall gather…his elect…from the uttermost part of earth, to the uttermost part of heaven.  Mat. xxiv. 31.  Vatable translates, “from the east to the west.”  In no age or place did God ever declare his will, as he had done at Sinai.  C.
  • Ver. 33.  And lived.  It was generally supposed that those who had seen a vision of God, or of his angel, would instantly die.  See Gen. xvi. 13.  H.  C. v. 24.
  • Ver. 34.  Temptations.  The Chal. and Arab. understand this of the prodigies which God wrought in favour of his people; though they may also denote the trials to which the Patriarchs and the Hebrews had been exposed, that their virtue might shine more brightly.  Many indeed lost courage under these trials, but they were of great service to form a perfect people; and those who continued to lead a virtuous life received the reward of their labours.  C. — Visions, during the three days’ darkness mentioned, Wisd. xvii. 9. 18, &c. (M.) or those terrible appearances on Sinai, v. 33. 6.  C. v. 22.  C.  Heb. may be, “by great terrors.” — In Egypt.  God himself fought for his people, when he brought them out of that country.  He repeatedly made the king and his people feel the impressions of terror, but as they presently recovered their wonted insolence and pride, he at last miraculously divided the Red Sea, and buried vast multitudes in its waters.  H.
  • Ver. 38.  Day.  They had already conquered the mighty kingdoms of Sehon and of Og.  M.
  • Ver. 39.  Other.  The power of the true and only God is not confined to the sea, or to the land, &c. (C.) as the pagans believed that of their various idols was.  H.

 

Haydock Commentary Matthew 16:24-28

  • Ver. 24.  If any man will come.  S. Chry. Euthymius, and Theophylactus, shew that free will is confirmed by these words.  Do not expect, O Peter, that since you have confessed me to be the Son of God, you are immediately to be crowned, as if this were sufficient for salvation, and that the rest of your days may be spent in idleness and pleasure.  For, although by my power, as Son of God, I could free you from every danger and trouble, yet this I will not do for your sake, that you may yourself contribute to your glory, and become the more illustrious.  S. Chry. hom. lvi.
  • Ver. 25.  Whosoever will save his life.  Lit. his soul.  In the style of the Scriptures, the word soul is sometimes put for the life of the body, sometimes for the whole man.  Wi. — Whosoever acts against duty and conscience to save the life of his body, shall lose eternal life; and whoever makes the sacrifice of his life, or the comforts and conveniences of life for conscience sake, shall be rewarded with life eternal.
  • Ver. 26.  And lose his own soul.  Christ seems in these words to pass from the life of the body to that of the soul.  Wi.
  • Ver. 27.  Shall come in the glory.  Jesus Christ wishing to shew his disciples the greatness of his glory at his future coming, reveals to them in this life as much as it was possible for them to comprehend, purposely to strengthen them against the scandal of his ignominious death.  S. Chry.
  • Ver. 28.  Till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.  Some expound this, as fulfilled at his transfiguration, which follows in the next chapter.  Others understand it of the glory of Christ, and of his Church, after his resurrection and ascension, when he should be owned for Redeemer of the world: and this state of the Christian Church might be called the kingdom of Christ.  Wi. — This promise of a transitory view of his glory he makes, to prove that he should one day come in all the glory of his Father, to judge each man according to his works: not according to his mercy, or their faith, but according to their works.  Aug. de verb. apos. serm. 35. — Again, asks S. Aug. how could our Saviour reward every one according to his works, if there were no free will?  l. ii. c. 4. 5. 8, de act. cum Fœlic. Manich.  B.
 Page 1 of 26  1  2  3  4  5 » ...  Last »