Kapamilya Gospel

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68 Tuesday, 21 August 2012 Tuesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Pius X, Pope (1835-1914) See commentary below or click here Saint Irenaeus of Lyons : "Come, follow me" Book of Ezekiel 28:1-10. Thus the word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: Thus says the Lord GOD: Because you are haughty of heart, you say, "A god am I! I occupy a godly throne in the heart of the sea!"-- And yet you are a man, and not a god, however you may think yourself like a god. Oh yes, you are wiser than Daniel, there is no secret that is beyond you. By your wisdom and your intelligence you have made riches for yourself; You have put gold and silver into your treasuries. By your great wisdom applied to your trading you have heaped up your riches; your heart has grown haughty from your riches-- therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have thought yourself to have the mind of a god, Therefore I will bring against you foreigners, the most barbarous of nations. They shall draw their swords against your beauteous wisdom, they shall run them through your splendid apparel. They shall thrust you down to the pit, there to die a bloodied corpse, in the heart of the sea. Will you then say, "I am a god!" when you face your murderers? No, you are a man, not a god, handed over to those who will slay you. You shall die the death of the uncircumcised at the hands of foreigners, for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD. Book of Deuteronomy 32:26-27ab.27cd-28.30.35cd-36ab. "I would have said, 'I will make an end of them And blot out their name from men's memories,' Had I not feared the insolence of their enemies, Feared that these foes would mistakenly boast." "Our own hand won the victory; The LORD had nothing to do with it." For they are a people devoid of reason, Having no understanding. "How could one man rout a thousand, Or two men put ten thousand to flight, Unless it was because their Rock sold them And the LORD delivered them up?" Close at hand is the day of their disaster, And their doom is rushing upon them! Surely, the LORD shall do justice for his people; On his servants he shall have pity. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 19:23-30. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and said, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible." Then Peter said to him in reply, "We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.208), Bishop, theologian and martyr Against the heresies, IV, 14,1 ; SC 100 "Come, follow me" Abraham became “the friend of God” (Jam 2,23) because he freely and generously followed the Word of God, his call. It was not due to any lack on his part that God's Word gained Abraham's friendship. He is perfect from the beginning; “Before Abraham was, I am” (Jn 5,58). But it was that he, who is good, might give Abraham eternal life... Likewise, in the beginning, it was not because he had any need of man that God formed Adam but that he might have someone on whom to bestow his blessings. Still less was it because he needed our service that he commanded us to follow him, but to win salvation for us. For to follow our Savior is to have a share in his salvation just as following the light is to participate in the light. When we stand in the light it is not we who illumine the light and cause it to shine but we are illuminated and made shining by the light... God grants his blessings on those who serve him because they are serving him and on those who follow him because they are following him, but he receives no blessing from them because he is perfect and without need. If God asks for our service it is that he who is good and merciful might bestow his blessings on those who persevere in his service. Because, if God has no need of anything, yet we have need of communion with God. The glory of man is to persevere in the service of God. That is why our Lord said to his disciples: “You did not choose me, it was I who chose you” (Jn 15,16), thus indicating that... for having followed the Son of God they had been glorified by him: “Father, I will that where I am they also may be, that they may see my glory” (Jn 17,24).

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Leo Lastimosa

DYAB Manager

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68

Wednesday, 22 August 2012 Wednesday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time

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Saint Gregory the Great : "'Why do you stand here idle all day?" Book of Ezekiel 34:1-11.

Thus the word of the LORD came to me:

Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, in these words prophesy to them (to the shepherds): Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who have been pasturing themselves! Should not shepherds, rather, pasture sheep? You have fed off their milk, worn their wool, and slaughtered the fatlings, but the sheep you have not pastured. You did not strengthen the weak nor heal the sick nor bind up the injured. You did not bring back the strayed nor seek the lost, but you lorded it over them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered and wandered over all the mountains and high hills; my sheep were scattered over the whole earth, with no one to look after them or to search for them. Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have been given over to pillage, and because my sheep have become food for every wild beast, for lack of a shepherd; because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep; because of this, shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD: I swear I am coming against these shepherds. I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep so that they may no longer pasture themselves. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths. For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. Psalms 23(22):1-3.4.5.6. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; He refreshes my soul.  He guides me in right paths For his name's sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff That give me courage. You spread the table before me In the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; My cup overflows. Only goodness and kindness follow me All the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD For years to come. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 20:1-16a. The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' So they went off. (And) he went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.' When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? (Or) am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day :

Saint Gregory the Great (c.540-604), Pope, Doctor of the Church Homilies on the Gospel, no.11 (©Cistercian Fathers series) "'Why do you stand here idle all day?" We can apply these hourly periods to each individual person's life. Morning is the childhood of our understanding. The third hour can be taken as our youth, because the sun is advancing on high as the impetuosity of age increases. The sixth hour is that of young adulthood, because when we reach our full strength it is as if the sun is in the center of the heavens. The ninth hour we take to be old age, because like the sun descending from its zenith, this age lacks the warmth of youth. The eleventh hour is the age that is called infirm or old... Since then one person is brought to a good life in childhood, another in youth, another in young adulthood, another in old age, another at the age of infirmity, it is as if workmen are being called to the vineyard at different hours. Look at your conduct, my friends, and see if you are still God's workmen. Let everyone reflect on what he is doing, and consider whether he is laboring in the Lord's vineyard... One who has neglected to live for God up to the last period of his life has stood idle, as it were, up to the eleventh hour... “Why do you stand here all day idle?” meaning, “Even though you have not been willing to live for God in your childhood and young adulthood, at least come to your right mind in the final time of your life. Come to the ways of life”... Did not the thief come at the eleventh hour? (Lk 23,39f.) He possessed nothing by the length of his life, but he had something, coming late though it did, by his punishment. He confessed God on the cross, and he gave forth his last breath almost as he spoke. The householder began paying the denarius beginning with the last, because he called the thief to the repose of paradise before he called Peter.

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68

Thursday, 23 August 2012 Thursday of the Twentieth week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Rose of Lima, Virgin (1586-1617)

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Saint Jacob of Sarug : "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son" Book of Ezekiel 36:23-28. I will prove the holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations, in whose midst you have profaned it. Thus the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when in their sight I prove my holiness through you. For I will take you away from among the nations, gather you from all the foreign lands, and bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water upon you to cleanse you from all your impurities, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you, taking from your bodies your stony hearts and giving you natural hearts. I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees. You shall live in the land I gave your fathers; you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Psalms 51(50):12-13.14-15.18-19. A clean heart create for me, O God, And a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, And your Holy Spirit take not from me. Give me back the joy of your salvation, And a willing spirit sustain in me. I will teach transgressors your ways, And sinners shall return to you.   For you are not pleased with sacrifices; Should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.   Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 22:1-14. Jesus again in reply spoke to them in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast."' Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.' The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?' But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.' Many are invited, but few are chosen."

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day :

Saint Jacob of Sarug (c.449-521), Syrian monk and Bishop Sermon on Moses' veil "The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son" According to his mysterious design the Father prepared a Bride for his only Son and made her known under prophetic images... In his book, Moses wrote that: “a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife and the two of them become one body” (Gen 2,24). The prophet Moses spoke about the man and woman in this way to foreshadow Christ and his Church. With the prophet's piercing eye he beheld Christ becoming one with the Church thanks to the mystery of the water: he envisioned Christ drawing the Church to himself from the virginal womb and the Church drawing Christ to herself in the waters of baptism. Thus were the Bridegroom and Bride wholly united in a mystical way. That is why Moses, with veiled face (Ex 34,33), beheld Christ and the Church; one he called “man” and the other “woman” so as to avoid revealing the reality to the Hebrew people in all its clarity... For a time the veil would conceal this mystery; none would know the meaning of this great image and would be ignorant of what it represented. But when their espousals had been celebrated, Paul came. He saw the veil laid across their splendor and raised it to reveal Christ and his Bride to the world. He showed how they were indeed what Moses had described in his prophetic vision. Rejoicing with holy joy, the apostle declared: “This is a great mystery” (Eph 5,32). He made known what this veiled image that the prophet referred to as man and woman really meant: “I know,” he said, “that it is Christ and his Church that are no longer two, but one body” (cf. Eph 5,31).

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68

Friday, 24 August 2012 Saint Bartholomew, apostle - Feast Saint(s) of the day : St. Bartholomew, Apostle - Feast

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Pope Benedict XVI: “Come and see”: the apostle Bartholomew-Nathanael meets the Son of God Book of Revelation 21:9b-14. One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, (the names) of the twelve tribes of the Israelites. There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west. The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Psalms 145(144):10-11.12-13.17-18. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, And let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom And speak of your might. Let them make known to men your might And the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, And your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is just in all his ways And holy in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call upon him, To all who call upon him in truth. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 1:45-51. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth." But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day :

Pope Benedict XVI General Audience, 4 November 2006  - Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana “Come and see”: the apostle Bartholomew-Nathanael meets the Son of God       The apostle Bartholomew has traditionally been identified with Nathanael:  a name that means "God has given". This Nathanael came from Cana (cf. Jn 21: 2) and he may therefore have witnessed the great "sign" that Jesus worked in that place (cf. Jn 2: 1-11). It is likely that the identification of the two figures stems from the fact that Nathanael is placed in the scene of his calling, recounted in John's Gospel, next to Philip, in other words, the place that Bartholomew occupies in the lists of the Apostles mentioned in the other Gospels.       Philip told this Nathanael that he had found "him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph" (Jn 1: 45). As we know, Nathanael's retort was rather strongly prejudiced:  "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (Jn 1: 46). In its own way, this form of protestation is important for us.  Indeed, it makes us see that according to Judaic expectations the Messiah could not come from such an obscure village as, precisely, Nazareth (see also Jn 7: 42). But at the same time Nathanael's protest highlights God's freedom, which baffles our expectations by causing him to be found in the very place where we least expect him. Moreover, we actually know that Jesus was not exclusively "from Nazareth" but was born in Bethlehem (cf. Mt 2: 1; Lk 2: 4) and came ultimately from Heaven, from the Father who is in Heaven.       Nathanael's reaction suggests another thought to us: in our relationship with Jesus we must not be satisfied with words alone. In his  answer,  Philip offers Nathanael a meaningful invitation:  "Come and see!" (Jn 1: 46). Our knowledge of Jesus needs above all a first-hand experience: someone else's testimony is of course important, for normally  the  whole  of  our  Christian life begins with the proclamation handed  down  to  us  by  one  or  more  witnesses, but afterwards we ourselves have to become personally committed in a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus.

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68

Sunday, 26 August 2012 Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B Saint(s) of the day : St. Zephyrinus, Pope and Martyr († 217)

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Saint [Padre] Pio de Pietrelcina : "You have the words of eternal life" Book of Joshua 24:1-2a.15-17.18b. Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, summoning their elders, their leaders, their judges and their officers. When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the people: "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: In times past your fathers, down to Terah, father of Abraham and Nahor, dwelt beyond the River and served other gods. If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve, the gods your fathers served beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling. As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." But the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD for the service of other gods. For it was the LORD, our God, who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, out of a state of slavery. He performed those great miracles before our very eyes and protected us along our entire journey and among all the peoples through whom we passed. At our approach the LORD drove out (all the peoples, including) the Amorites who dwelt in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God." Psalms 34(33):2-3.16-17.18-19.20-21. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; The lowly will hear me and be glad. The LORD has eyes for the just, And ears for their cry. The LORD confronts the evildoers, To destroy remembrance of them from the earth. When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, And from all their distress he rescues them. The is close to the brokenhearted; And those who are crushed in spirit he saves. Many are the troubles of the just one, But out of them all the LORD delivers him; He watches over all his bones; Not one of them shall be broken. Letter to the Ephesians 5:21-32. Be subordinate to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of the church, he himself the savior of the body. As the church is subordinate to Christ, so wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her, cleansing her by the bath of water with the word, that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. So (also) husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one hates his own flesh but rather nourishes and cherishes it, even as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. "For this reason a man shall leave (his) father and (his) mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the church. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6:60-69. Many of the disciples of Jesus who were listening said, «This saying is hard; who can accept it?» Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God."

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day :

Saint [Padre] Pio de Pietrelcina (1887-1968), Capuchin Ep 3, 980 ; GF, 196f.

"You have the words of eternal life"

Be patient and persevere in the practice of meditation. Be content, to start with, to make progress only by degrees. Later on you will have legs that will ask for nothing but to run or, better, wings for flying with. Be happy to obey. It's never easy but it is God we have chosen as our portion. Accept that, as yet, you are only a little bee in its nest but, very quickly, it will become one of those wonderful workers so skilful in making honey. Always remain humble before God and men, in love. Then our Lord will speak to you in truth and enrich you with his gifts. It can happen that bees will cover great distances over the meadows before they find the flowers they want. Afterwards, worn out but satisfied and laden with pollen, they go back to the hive to carry out the silent but fruitful transformation of the flowers' nectar into the nectar of life. You, do likewise: when you have listened to the Word, meditate on it attentively, study its different aspects, seek out the depths of its meaning. Then it will become clear and luminous to you; it will have power to transform your natural inclinations into a pure uplifting of the spirit, and your heart will be always more closely united to the heart of Christ.

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68

Monday, 27 August 2012 Monday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Monica (332-387)

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Vatican Council II: "Woe to you, blind guides" Second Letter to the Thessalonians 1:1-5.11b-12. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace from God (our) Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought to thank God always for you, brothers, as is fitting, because your faith flourishes ever more, and the love of every one of you for one another grows ever greater. Accordingly, we ourselves boast of you in the churches of God regarding your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions you endure. This is evidence of the just judgment of God, so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are suffering. To this end, we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and powerfully bring to fulfillment every good purpose and every effort of faith, that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, in accord with the grace of our God and Lord Jesus Christ. Psalms 96(95):1-2a.2b-3.4-5. Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. Sing to the LORD; bless his name. Announce his salvation, day after day. Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. For great is the LORD and highly to be praised; Awesome is he, beyond all gods. For all the gods of the nations are things of nought, But the LORD made the heavens. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 23:13-22. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. ) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. Woe to you, blind guides, who say, 'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.' Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.' You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day :

Vatican Council II Constitution on the Church in the modern world, « Gaudium et spes », § 83,1 ; 82,4 "Woe to you, blind guides" In order to build up peace above, all the causes of discord, especially injustice, which foment wars must be rooted out. Not a few of these causes come from excessive economic inequalities and from putting off the steps needed to remedy them. Other causes of discord, however, have their source in the desire to dominate and in a contempt for persons. And, if we look for deeper causes, we find them in human envy, distrust, pride, and other egotistical passions. We cannot bear so many ruptures in the harmony of things. Consequently, the world is constantly beset by strife and violence between men, even when no war is being waged. Besides, since these same evils are present in the relations between various nations as well... it is absolutely necessary for countries to cooperate more advantageously and more closely together and to organize together international bodies and to work tirelessly for the creation of organizations which will foster peace. The Church of Christ, present in the midst of the anxiety of this age, does not cease to hope most firmly. She intends to propose to our age over and over again, in season and out of season, this apostolic message: "Behold, now is the acceptable time for a change of heart; behold! now is the day of salvation," (2Cor 6,2).

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68

Tuesday, 28 August 2012 Tuesday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church

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Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Cleanse first the inside of the cup" Second Letter to the Thessalonians 2:1-3a.14-17. We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a "spirit," or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no one deceive you in any way. For unless the apostasy comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one doomed to perdition, To this end he has (also) called you through our gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word. Psalms 96(95):10.11-12.13. Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; He governs the peoples with equity. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them! Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice. They shall exult before the LORD, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 23:23-26. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. (But) these you should have done, without neglecting the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may be clean.

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day :

Catechism of the Catholic Church § 1455-1458 "Cleanse first the inside of the cup" The confession (or disclosure) of sins, even from a simply human point of view, frees us and facilitates our reconciliation with others. Through such an admission we look squarely at the sins we are guilty of, take responsibility for them, and thereby open ourselves again to God and to the communion of the Church in order to make a new future possible. Confession to a priest is an essential part of the sacrament of Penance...: when Christ's faithful strive to confess all the sins that they can remember, they undoubtedly place all of them before the divine mercy for pardon... [But] if the sick person is too ashamed to show his wound to the doctor, the medicine cannot heal what it does not know" (Council of Trent; St Jerome). According to the Church's command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year"... Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church. Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful (Lk 6,36)... “When you begin to abhor what you have done, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You 'do the truth' and 'come to the light'.” (St Augustine; Jn 12,13).

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68

Wednesday, 29 August 2012 The Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist - Memorial Saint(s) of the day : The Beheading of John the Baptist,Martyr

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Saint Maximus of Turin : « And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High » (Lk 1,76) Book of Jeremiah 1:17-19. But do you gird your loins; stand up and tell them all that I command you. Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them; For it is I this day who have made you a fortified city, A pillar of iron, a wall of brass, against the whole land: Against Judah's kings and princes, against its priests and people. They will fight against you, but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD. Psalms 71(70):1-2.3-4a.5-6ab.15ab.17. In you, LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me. Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. For you are my hope, Lord; My trust, O GOD, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; From my mother's womb you are my strength. My mouth shall declare your justice, Day by day your salvation. O God, you have taught me from my youth, And till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 6:17-29. Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. Herodias's own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you." He even swore (many things) to her, "I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the Baptist." The girl hurried back to the king's presence and made her request, "I want you to give me at once on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests he did not wish to break his word to her. So he promptly dispatched an executioner with orders to bring back his head. He went off and beheaded him in the prison. He brought in the head on a platter and gave it to the girl. The girl in turn gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day :

Saint Maximus of Turin (?-c.420), Bishop Sermon 36 « And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High » (Lk 1,76) Among all the holy and blessed John the Baptist's claims to glory, whose feast we celebrate today, I do not know which to prefer: his miraculous birth or his even more miraculous death. His birth carried a prophecy with it (Lk 1,67f.), his death, the truth; his birth announced the Savior's coming, his death condemned Herod's incestuous relationship. This holy saint... was worthy in God's eyes of not departing in the same way as others do in this world: he left the body he had received from the Lord while confessing him. In all things John fulfilled God's will since his life, like his death, corresponded to his designs... Even while still in his mother's womb he celebrated the Lord's coming with joyful movements since he was unable to do so by word. Elizabeth said to blessed Mary: “When the voice of your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy” (Lk 1,44). John, then, rejoiced before his birth, and even before his eyes could recognise what the world looks like, his spirit already recognised who is its lord. I think that this is the meaning of the prophet's words: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before were born I had consecrated you” (Jer 1,5). So let us not be astonished if, locked up in the prison where Herod had put him, he went on preaching Christ through his disciples' mediation (Mt 11,2) since, shut up as he was in his mother's womb, he was already proclaiming the Lord's coming with his bounds.

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68

Thursday, 30 August 2012 Thursday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Fiaker, Anchorite († c. 670)

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Saint Columbanus : “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5,14) First Letter to the Corinthians 1:1-9. Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus (Christ). God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Psalms 145(144):2-3.4-5.6-7. Every day will I bless you, And I will praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable. Generation after generation praises your works And proclaims your might. They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty And tell of your wondrous works. They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds And declare your greatness. They publish the fame of your abundant goodness And joyfully sing of your justice. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 24:42-51. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is long delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, the servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day :

Saint Columbanus (563-615), monk, founder of monasteries Spiritual Instructions, no. 12, 2 (trans. Breviary, Week 28 Tuesday) “You are the light of the world” (Mt 5,14) How blessed, how happy are those servants, “whom the lord when he comes shall find watching!” (Lk 12,37) Blessed watch, in which they watch for God the Creator of the universe, who fills all things and surpasses all! Would that me also, wretched though I be, yet his poor servant, he might deign so to arouse from the sleep of idleness, so to kindle with that fire of divine love, that the flame of his love, the longing of his so great charity, would mount above the stars, and the divine fire would ever burn within me! Would that I were of such deserving, that my lamp might ever burn by night in the temple of my Lord, that to all entering the house of my God it might give light (cf. Mt 5,15). Lord, grant me, I pray you in the name of Jesus Christ your Son, my God, that love which knows no fall, so that my lamp may feel the kindling touch and know no quenching, may burn for me and for others may give light.