Kapamilya Gospel

[Leo Lastimosa]

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6:68 Friday, 31 August 2012 Friday of the Twenty-first week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : Saint Raymund Nonnatus (1204-1240) See commentary below or click here Saint Ephrem : "Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour" First Letter to the Corinthians 1:17-25. For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the learning of the learned I will set aside." Where is the wise one? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? For since in the wisdom of God the world did not come to know God through wisdom, it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation to save those who have faith. For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Psalms 33(32):1-2.4-5.10-11. Exult, you just, in the LORD; Praise from the upright is fitting. Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; With the ten stringed lyre chant his praises For upright is the word of the LORD, And all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right; Of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations; He foils the designs of peoples. But the plan of the LORD stands forever; The design of his heart, through all generations. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 25:1-13. Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.' While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!' But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.' Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Ephrem (c.306-373), Deacon in Syria, Doctor of the Church Commentary on the Diatessaron, §18, 15f. ; SC 121 (trans. cf breviary 1st Thursday in Advent) "Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour" To prevent his disciples from questioning him about the time of his coming Christ said, 'Of that hour no one knows, neither the angels nor the Son. It is not for you to know the times or moments.' (Mt 24,36; Ac 1,7). He hid the time from us so that we would be on the watch and so that each of us might think that the coming will happen in his own lifetime... Be on the watch. When the body sleeps, nature gets the better of us. Then, our actions do not come from our will but by force from the impulse of nature. When the soul is overcome by a heavy sleep of timidity or sadness, the enemy takes control of it and works through it what it does not want to do... The Lord's command about vigilance holds good for both parts of man. The body must avoid overpowering sleep and the soul must guard against sluggishness and timidity. In the words of scripture, “Awake you just,”  (1Co 15,34) and “I rose up and am still with you,” (Ps 139[138],18) and “Do not lose heart” (cf Ep 3,13)... “Five of them were foolish and five of them were prudent,” the Lord says. Their virginity had nothing to do with him calling them wise for they were all virgins, but rather their good works. Even though your chastity is of angelic holiness, note well that the angels' holiness is free of all envy or other evil. So even though you are not rebuked for impurity, take care not to be so for impatience or anger either... “Gird your loins” so that chastity may lighten our steps. “And light your lamps” (Lk 12,35) because the world is black as night: it stands in need of the light of the upright. “You light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father” (Mt 5,16).

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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

Monday, 03 September 2012 Monday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church (c.540-604) - Memorial

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Saint Bonaventure : "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" First Letter to the Corinthians 2:1-5. When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive (words of) wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Psalms 119(118):97.98.99.100.101.102. How I love your law, O LORD! It is my meditation all the day. Your command has made me wiser than my enemies, For it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers When your decrees are my meditation. I have more discernment than the elders, Because I observe your precepts. From every evil way I withhold my feet, That I may keep your words. From your ordinances I turn not away, For you have instructed me. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 4:16-30. He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord." Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'" And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

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

Saint Bonaventure (1221-1274), Franciscan, Doctor of the Church Meditations on the life of Christ ; Opera omnia, vol. 12, "Isn't this the son of Joseph?" It seems to me that they have attained the highest degree of all who, with all their hearts and without duplicity, have sufficient mastery over themselves to seek nothing other than to be despised, accounted for nothing and live in utter abasement... So long as you haven't attained to this, believe yourself to have achieved nothing. For since, indeed, we are all “unprofitable servants”, in the Lord's words (Lk 17,10), even were we to carry out everything well, so long as we haven't attained this degree of lowliness we shan't yet be standing in the truth but will be, and will be proceeding in vanity...        You know, too, how the Lord Jesus began to act first of all before he began to teach. Later on he would say: “Learn from me for I am meek and humble in heart” (Mt 11,29). But first of all he wanted to put this truly into practice and without duplicity. He did this with all his heart just as, with all his heart and in very truth, he was humble and meek. There was no “yes” and “no” in him (cf 2Cor 1,19). He immersed himself so deeply in humility, scorn and abjection, annihilated himself so much in the eyes of all, that when he started to preach, proclaim God's wonders and accomplish miracles and wonderful works, no one showed him any regard. He was despised and mocked, saying: “Isn't this the carpenter's son?” and similar words. So the words of the apostle Paul became true: “He humbled himself, taking the form of a slave” (Phil 2,7). Not just an ordinary servant through his incarnation, but a slave of no account according to the manner of a humble and despised life.

[Leo Lastimosa]

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

Tuesday, 04 September 2012 Tuesday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Rosalia, Virgin († 1160)

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Saint Cyril of Jerusalem : «Your all-powerful Word leapt down from heaven's royal throne» (Wis 18,15) First Letter to the Corinthians 2:10b-16. This God has revealed to us through the Spirit.For the Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. Among human beings, who knows what pertains to a person except the spirit of the person that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. Now the natural person does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. The spiritual person, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. For "who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?" But we have the mind of Christ. Psalms 145(144):8-9.10-11.12-13ab.13cd-14. The LORD is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all And compassionate toward all his works. 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 faithful in all his words And holy in all his works. The LORD lifts up all who are falling And raises up all who are bowed down. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 4:31-37. Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God! Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

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

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Bishop of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church Baptismal Catecheses, n°11, 5-10 (trans. ©Edward Yarnold SJ, 2000) «Your all-powerful Word leapt down from heaven's royal throne» (Wis 18,15) God is Spirit (Jn 4,24), and being Spirit and incorporeal, he begot spiritually by an inscrutable and incomprehensible generation. The Son himself says of the Father: “The Lord said to me, 'You are my Son, today I have begotten you'" (Ps 2.7). This 'today' is not recent but eternal; this 'today' is timeless, before all ages. “From the womb before the morning star I begot you” (Ps 109 [110],3). So believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. He is the Only-begotten Son according to the words of the Gospel: “For God so loved the world that he gave his Only-begotten Son, so that they who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life” (Jn 3,16)... Saint John witnessed to this saying: “We saw his glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten from the father, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1.14). Trembling before him the demons said: “Leave us alone! What have you to do with us, Jesus, Son of the living God.” So he is the Son of God by nature and not by adoption, being begotten of the Father...  For the Father, who is true God, begot a Son who is true God like himself... The Father did not beget the Son in the way that the human mind begets speech. For the mind has a substantial reality within us, but our speech once uttered is scattered on the air and expires. We know that Christ was begotten not as an uttered word but as “the living and abiding Word” (1Pt 1,23) not a word spoken by the lips and scattered, but begotten by the Father eternally, indefinably and substantially. “For in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God” (Jn 1,1), the Word who knew the Father's will and made all things by the Father's decree, the Word who descended and ascended (cf. Is 55,10-11)... This Word is endowed with authority and universal rule, for “the Father has entrusted all things to the Son” (cf. Jn 13.3).

[Leo Lastimosa]

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

Wednesday, 05 September 2012 Wednesday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Lawrence Justinian, Bishop († 1435),  Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997)

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Saint Teresa of Avila : "Jesus left and went to a deserted place" First Letter to the Corinthians 3:1-9. Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now, for you are still of the flesh. While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving in an ordinary human way? Whenever someone says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely human? What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters are equal, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor. For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building. Psalms 33(32):12-13.14-15.20-21. Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD, The people he has chosen for his own inheritance. From heaven the LORD looks down; He sees all mankind. From his fixed throne he beholds All who dwell on the earth, He who fashioned the heart of each, He who knows all their works. Our soul waits for the LORD, Who is our help and our shield, For in him our hearts rejoice; In his holy name we trust. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 4:38-44. After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

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

Saint Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), Carmelite, Doctor of the Church The Way of Perfection, ch.24 (©Institute of Carmelite Studies) "Jesus left and went to a deserted place" How could we forget the Master who taught us this prayer, and with so much love and desire that it benefit us?... You already know that His Majesty teaches that it be recited in solitude. This is what He always did when He prayed, and not out of any need of His own but for our instruction. It has already been mentioned that one cannot speak simultaneously to God and to the world; this would amount to nothing more than reciting the prayer while listening to what is being said elsewhere or to letting the mind wander and making no effort to control it. There can be exceptions at times, either because of bad humors - especially if the person is melancholic - or because of faint feelings in the head so that all efforts become useless. Or it can happen that God will permit days of severe temptation in his servants for their greater good. And though in their affliction they are striving to be quiet, they cannot even be attentive to what they are saying, no matter how hard they try; nor will the intellect settle down in anything, but by the disordered way it goes about, it will seem to be in a frenzy. Whoever experiences the affliction these distractions cause will see that they are not his fault... Like a sick person he should strive to bring some relief to his soul; let him occupy himself in other works of virtue. This advice now is for persons who are careful and who have understood that they must not speak simultaneously to both God and the world. What we ourselves can do is to strive to be alone; and please God it will suffice, as I say, that we understand to whom we are speaking and the answer the Lord makes to our petitions. Do you think He is silent? Even though we do not hear Him, He speaks well to the heart when we beseech Him from the heart.

[Leo Lastimosa]

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

Thursday, 06 September 2012 Thursday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Eleutherius, Abbot († c. 585)

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Saint Patrick : "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." First Letter to the Corinthians 3:18-23. Brothers and sisters : Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: "He catches the wise in their own ruses," and again: "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you, Paul or Apollos or Kephas, or the world or life or death, or the present or the future: all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God. Psalms 24(23):1-2.3-4ab.5-6. The LORD's are the earth and its fullness; The world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers. Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? Or who may stand in his holy place? He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, Who desires not what is vain. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, A reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks for him, That seeks the face of the God of Jacob. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 5:1-11. While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

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

Saint Patrick (c.385-c.461), missionary monk, Bishop Confession, 38-40 (SC 249) "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." I am greatly indebted to God who has granted to me so great a grace that “many peoples” have been born anew to God through me… “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth”… This is how I want to “wait for the promise” of him who never fails, as he assures us in the Gospel: “They will come from East and West and will sit at table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” So we are confident that believers will come from the whole world. This is why we should apply ourselves diligently to the catch as we ought to do, following the exhortation and teaching of the Lord who said: “Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” And again, he said through the prophets: “Look! I will send many fishermen and hunters.” This is why it was so important to cast our nets so that “a great number [of fish]”, “a crowd” of people might be caught for God and that everywhere there might be priests according to the word of the Lord: “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And, behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

[Leo Lastimosa]

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

Friday, 07 September 2012 Friday of the Twenty-second week in Ordinary Time Saint(s) of the day : St. Cloud, Priest (522-c.560)

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Saint Augustine : "The days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days" First Letter to the Corinthians 4:1-5. Brothers and sisters : Thus should one regard us : as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Now it is of course required of stewards that they be found trustworthy. It does not concern me in the least that I be judged by you or any human tribunal; I do not even pass judgment on myself; I am not conscious of anything against me, but I do not thereby stand acquitted; the one who judges me is the Lord. Therefore, do not make any judgment before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, for he will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will manifest the motives of our hearts, and then everyone will receive praise from God. Psalms 37(36):3-4.5-6.27-28.39-40. Trust in the LORD and do good, That you may dwell in the land and be fed in security. Take delight in the LORD, And he will grant you your heart's requests. Commit to the LORD your way; Trust in him, and he will act. He will make justice dawn for you like the light; Bright as the noonday shall be your vindication. Turn from evil and do good, That you may abide forever; For the LORD loves what is right, And forsakes not his faithful ones. Criminals are destroyed And the posterity of the wicked is cut off. The salvation of the just is from the LORD; He is their refuge in time of distress. And the LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in him. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 5:33-39. The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, "The disciples of John the Baptist fast often and offer prayers, and the disciples of the Pharisees do the same ; but yours eat and drink." Jesus answered them, "Can you make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." And he also told them a parable. "No one tears a piece from a new cloak to patch an old one. Otherwise, he will tear the new and the piece from it will not match the old cloak. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, and it will be spilled, and the skins will be ruined. Rather, new wine must be poured into fresh wineskins. (And) no one who has been drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'"

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

Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church Sermon 210, 5 "The days will come, and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days" Let our “loins be girded and our lamps lit”; let us be like “servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast” (Lk 12,35). Don't let us be like those unbelievers who say: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1Cor 15,32). The more unsure the day of our death is, the more painful are the trials of life, and the more, too, we should fast and pray since, to all intents and purposes, tomorrow we  die. Our Lord said to his disciples: “Yet a little while and you will no longer see me and again a little while and you will see me” (Jn 16,16). Now is the time of which he said: “You will grieve but the world will rejoice” (v.20); now is the time in this life of suffering when we journey apart from him. “But,” he adds, “I shall see you again and your hearts will be full of joy and no one will take your joy away from you” (v.22). Even now the hope we thus put in the one who is faithful to his promise will not leave us without some joy until we are filled with overwhelming joy on the day when “we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is” (1Jn 3,2), when “no one shall take your joy away from us”... “A woman in labor,” says our Lord, “is in anguish because her hour has arrived. But when she has given birth to a child she feels immense joy because a child has been born into the world” (Jn 16,21). This is the joy no one can take away from us and with which we will be filled when we pass from our present understanding of faith into eternal light. So let us fast and pray now because we are in the days of childbirth.

[Leo Lastimosa]

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

Sunday, 09 September 2012 Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year B Saint(s) of the day : St. Peter Claver, Priest (1580-1654) - Memorial

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John Tauler : "He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and (the) mute speak" Book of Isaiah 35:4-7a. Say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; Then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water; The abode where jackals lurk will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus. Psalms 146(145):7.8-9a.9bc-10. The God of Jacob keeps faith forever, Secures justice for the oppressed, Gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets captives free. The LORD gives sight to the blind; The LORD raises up those who were bowed down. The LORD loves the just; The LORD protects strangers. The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains, But the way of the wicked he thwarts. The LORD shall reign forever; Your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. Letter of James 2:1-5. My brothers, show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, "Sit here, please," while you say to the poor one, "Stand there," or "Sit at my feet," have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 7:31-37. Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man's ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, "Ephphatha!" (that is, "Be opened!") And (immediately) the man's ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, "He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and (the) mute speak."

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

John Tauler (c.1300-1361), Dominican Sermon 49, 1st for the 12th Sunday after Trinity "He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and (the) mute speak" Let us take a close look at what makes someone deaf. The first couple, our ancestors, were the first to become deaf because they gave an ear to the Enemy's insinuations and paid attention to his words. And we follow them to such an extent that we cannot either hear or understand the eternal Word's lovable inspirations. And yet we know that this eternal Word is at the depths of our being, so unspeakably close to us and within us that our very being, our own nature, thoughts, everything we can name, speak or understand is not so close or so intimately present to us as is the Word eternal. And this Word never ceases to speak in the human creature who does not hear it all because of the great deafness with which he is afflicted... At the same time, he has been so afflicted in all his other faculties that it has also made him dumb from it, unable to know himself. If such a one would speak of his own interior life, he would be unable to, not knowing where to find it or understanding his own way of being... So what is this harmful whispering of the Enemy? It is all the disorder he lets you see beneath the shimmering of his side, persuading you to accept it by using your love or quest for created things, for the things of this world and all that belongs to it: goods, honors, even friends and relatives, even your own nature, in fact anything that conveys a taste for the good things of this fallen world. All these are what make his whisperings... It is then that Our Lord comes: he puts his holy finger in man's ear and, with the saliva of his tongue, causes him to regain his speech.