St. Pelagia

Monday of the Twenty-seventh week in Ordinary Time

In Canada : Thanksgiving Day

Commentary of the day
Saint Severus of Antioch : Christ heals wounded humanity

Reading

Jonah 1,1-16.2,1.11.
This is the word of the LORD that came to Jonah, son of Amittai: "Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it; their wickedness has come up before me." But Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the LORD. He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went aboard to journey with them to Tarshish, away from the LORD. The LORD, however, hurled a violent wind upon the sea, and in the furious tempest that arose the ship was on the point of breaking up. Then the mariners became frightened and each one cried to his god. To lighten the ship for themselves, they threw its cargo into the sea. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep. The captain came to him and said, "What are you doing asleep? Rise up, call upon your God! Perhaps God will be mindful of us so that we may not perish." Then they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots to find out on whose account we have met with this misfortune." So they cast lots, and thus singled out Jonah. "Tell us," they said, "what is your business? Where do you come from? What is your country, and to what people do you belong?" "I am a Hebrew," Jonah answered them; "I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land." Now the men were seized with great fear and said to him, "How could you do such a thing!"--They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had told them.-- "What shall we do with you," they asked, "that the sea may quiet down for us?" For the sea was growing more and more turbulent. Jonah said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea, that it may quiet down for you; since I know it is because of me that this violent storm has come upon you." Still the men rowed hard to regain the land, but they could not, for the sea grew ever more turbulent. Then they cried to the LORD: "We beseech you, O LORD, let us not perish for taking this man's life; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, LORD, have done as you saw fit." Then they took Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea's raging abated. Struck with great fear of the LORD, the men offered sacrifice and made vows to him. But the LORD sent a large fish, that swallowed Jonah; and he remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Then the LORD commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore.


Ps 2,2.3.4.5.8.
Kings on earth rise up and princes plot together against the LORD and his anointed: "Let us break their shackles and cast off their chains!" The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord derides them, Then speaks to them in anger, terrifies them in wrath: Only ask it of me, and I will make your inheritance the nations, your possession the ends of the earth.


Lk 10,25-37.
There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.' Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day

Saint Severus of Antioch (c.465-538), Bishop
Homily 89

Christ heals wounded humanity

At last a Samaritan passed by…Now, it was to the point that Christ called himself a Samaritan…, he to whom they had said in insult: “You are a Samaritan and are possessed,” (Jn 8,48). So, as I say, the Samaritan on a journey who was really Christ… for he was truly making a journey… saw humanity lying on the ground. He did not pass by because the object of his journey was “to visit us” (Lk 1,68,78), those for whom he came down to earth and with whom he dwelt. For he did not merely “appear but moved among men” in truth (Ba 3,38)… He poured wine over our wounds, the wine of his Word, and seeing that the gravity of our wounds could not endure it in its full strength, he mixed with it the oil of his sweetness and “love for men” (Tit 3,4)… Afterwards he took the man to an inn. This name of ‘inn’ he gives to the Church, which has become the dwelling place and refuge of all peoples… And having arrived at the inn the Good Samaritan showed towards the man whom he had saved an even greater solicitude: Christ himself was in the Church, bestowing every grace… And to the innkeeper, symbol of the apostles, and of the pastors and doctors who succeeded them, he gave when he left – that is to say, when he ascended to heaven – two pieces of silver with which to take great care of his patient. By these two coins let us understand the two Testaments, the Old and the New, that of the Law and the Prophets and that which has been given to us by the evangelists and the writings of the apostles. Both come from the same God and bear the one image of the only God from on High, just like coins bearing the king’s image. And on our hearts they imprint the same royal image by means of the sacred words, since it is one and the same Spirit who has spoken them… These are two coins of the one king, given together by Christ to the innkeeper and equal in value. On the last day the pastors of the holy churches will say to the Master on his return: “Lord, you gave me two coins; see now, in spending them I have gained two more” with which I have increased the flock. And the Lord will reply: “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your Master’s joy,” (Mt 25,21).