St. Saturninus

Thursday of the Thirty-fourth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint Bernard : The Son of Man will come to take us with him

Reading

Dn 6,12-28.
So these men rushed in and found Daniel praying and pleading before his God. Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition: "Did you not decree, O king, that no one is to address a petition to god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king; otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?" The king answered them, "The decree is absolute, irrevocable under the Mede and Persian law." To this they replied, "Daniel, the Jewish exile, has paid no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you issued; three times a day he offers his prayer." The king was deeply grieved at this news and he made up his mind to save Daniel; he worked till sunset to rescue him. But these men insisted. "Keep in mind, O king," they said, "that under the Mede and Persian law every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable." So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions' den. To Daniel he said, "May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you." To forestall any tampering, the king sealed with his own ring and the rings of the lords the stone that had been brought to block the opening of the den. Then the king returned to his palace for the night; he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers. Since sleep was impossible for him, the king rose very early the next morning and hastened to the lions' den. As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has the God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?" Daniel answered the king: "O king, live forever! My God has sent his angel and closed the lions' mouths so that they have not hurt me. For I have been found innocent before him; neither to you have I done any harm, O king!" This gave the king great joy. At his order Daniel was removed from the den, unhurt because he trusted in his God. The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel, along with their children and their wives, to be cast into the lions' den. Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones. Then King Darius wrote to the nations and peoples of every language, wherever they dwell on the earth: "All peace to you! I decree that throughout my royal domain the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared: "For he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be without end. He is a deliverer and savior, working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, and he delivered Daniel from the lions' power."


Dn 3,68.69.70.71.72.73.74.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Nights and days, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let the earth bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.


Lk 21,20-28.
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people.

They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand."


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Saint Bernard (1091-1153), Cistercian monk and Doctor of the Church
2nd sermon for the Ascension

The Son of Man will come to take us with him

“This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven,” (Acts 1,11). He will come, say these angels, in the same way. Does that mean he will come in this unique and universal procession, that he will descend preceded by all the angels and followed by all mankind to judge the living and the dead? Yes, it is quite certain he will come, but he will come in the same way as he went up to heaven and not as he first came down. For when he came formerly to save our souls, it was in humility. But when he comes to draw this body out of its sleep in death so as to “conform it to his glorious body” (Phil 3,21) and to fill with honor this vessel that is so weak today, then he will show himself in all his splendor. Then will we see, in all his power and majesty, the one who was previously hidden beneath the weakness of our flesh… Being God, Christ cannot grow greater since there is nothing greater than God. And yet he has found the means to grow: this was by descending, by coming to make himself incarnate, to suffer and die in order to snatch us out of eternal death. “Because of this, God greatly exalted him,” (Phil 2,9). He brought him back to life; he is seated at God’s right hand. You too, then, go and do the same: you cannot ascend without beginning by descending. “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted,” (Lk 14,11). Happy will he be, Lord Jesus, who has none but you for guide! Grant that we may follow you, “we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,” (Ps 79 [78], 13); grant that we may come to you through you, for you are “the way, the truth, the life,” (Jn 14,6). The way by your example, the truth by your promises, the life because you yourself are our reward. “You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” (Jn 6,68-69; Mt 16,16) and God himself, higher than all things, blessed for ever.

St. James of the Marches, Thanksgiving Day

Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
The Apostolic Constitutions : "Not a hair on your head will be destroyed"

Reading

Dn 5,1-6.13-14.16-17.23-28.
King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, with whom he drank. Under the influence of the wine, he ordered the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, to be brought in so that the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers might drink from them. When the gold and silver vessels taken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in, and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers were drinking wine from them, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone. Suddenly, opposite the lampstand, the fingers of a human hand appeared, writing on the plaster of the wall in the king's palace. When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched; his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook, and his knees knocked. Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king. The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile, whom my father, the king, brought from Judah? I have heard that the spirit of God is in you, that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom. But I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties; if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means, you shall be clothed in purple, wear a gold collar about your neck, and be third in the government of the kingdom." Daniel answered the king: "You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for you, O king, and tell you what it means. you have rebelled against the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels of his temple brought before you, so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers, might drink wine from them; and you praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence. But the God in whose hand is your life breath and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify. By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down. "This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, TEKEL, and PERES. These words mean: MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it; TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."


Dn 3,62.63.64.65.66.67.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you winds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.
[Cold and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.


Lk 21,12-19.
Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

The Apostolic Constitutions (380), a canonical and liturgical collection
A resumption of the Didascalia of the Apostles, text of the first half of the 3rd century (cf SC 329)

"Not a hair on your head will be destroyed"

If we are called to martyrdom, we should make steadfast confession of the holy Name. And if we are punished on this account, let us rejoice since we are hastening towards immortality. If we are persecuted let us not be cast down about it, “let us not be enamoured of the present world”, nor of “praise from human beings” (2Tm 4,10; Rom 2,29), nor of the glory and honor shown to princes, as reliable. These admire the Lord’s deeds but do not believe in him for fear of the high priests and other leaders, for “they preferred human praise to the glory of God” (Jn 12,43). In “making a noble confession” of the faith (1Tm 6,12) not only do we ensure our own salvation but we strengthen that of the newly baptized and consolidate the faith of the catechumens… So let him who is judged worthy of martyrdom rejoice to imitate his master, for it is ordained: “Let each one be perfect like his teacher,” (cf Lk 6,40). Now, our teacher, Jesus, the Lord, was struck down on our account; he patiently endured calumny and insult; he was covered with spittle, slapped, scourged; after being whipped, he was nailed to the cross; he was given vinegar and gall to drink and, having fulfilled the Scriptures, he said to God his Father: “Into your hands I commend my spirit,” (Lk 23,46). And so whoever asks to become his disciple, let him aspire to struggle as he did; let him imitate his patience, knowing that…, whatever happens to him, he will be repaid by God if he believes in the one and only true God… For our all-powerful God will bring us back to life through our Lord Jesus Christ, according to his infallible promise, together with all those who have died since the beginning… Even if we die at sea, even if we are scattered on the ground, even if we are torn apart by savage beasts or birds of prey, he will raise us up by his power, for the whole universe is held in the hand of God. “Not a hair of your head,” he says, “will be destroyed.” That is why he urges us in these words: “It is by your perseverance that you will gain life.”

St. Maximinus

Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
St Cyril of Jerusalem : “Great signs in heaven”

Reading

Dn 2,31-45.
"In your vision, O king, you saw a statue, very large and exceedingly bright, terrifying in appearance as it stood before you. The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron, its feet partly iron and partly tile. While you looked at the statue, a stone which was hewn from a mountain without a hand being put to it, struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces. The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once, fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer, and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. "This was the dream; the interpretation we shall also give in the king's presence. You, O king, are the king of kings; to you the God of heaven has given dominion and strength, power and glory; men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell, he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all; you are the head of gold. Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours, then a third kingdom, of bronze, which shall rule over the whole earth. There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron; it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others, just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else. The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter's tile and partly of iron, mean that it shall be a divided kingdom, but yet have some of the hardness of iron. As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile, and the toes partly iron and partly tile, the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. The iron mixed with clay tile means that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage, but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay. In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever. That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain without a hand being put to it, which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold. The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future; this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure."


Dn 3,57.58.59.60.61.
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
You heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.


Lk 21,5-11.
While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, he said, All that you see here--the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down. Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?" He answered, "See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

St Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Bishop of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church
Baptismal catechesis 15

“Great signs in heaven”

The Lord who was lifted up in the clouds will come from heaven on the clouds (Ac 1,9). Indeed, it was he who said: “And they will see the Son of Man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”, (Mt 24,30). But what will the true sign of his coming be, for fear that the powers of our enemies dare to deceive us by simulating them? “And then the sign of the Son of Man,” he said, “will appear in heaven,” (Mt 24,30). Now, the true and distinctive sign of Christ is the cross. The sign of a shining cross goes before the king designating the one who had first of all been crucified so that those who beforehand had pierced him with nails and surrounded him with snares might beat their breasts at this sight (Zec 12,10), saying: “Behold him who was buffeted, whose face was spat upon, the one who was bound with chains, who in times past was humbled on the cross.” “Where shall we flee from the face of your anger?” they will say. And, surrounded by the angelic hosts, they will find no hiding place anywhere, (cf Rv 6,16-17). Fear will be the sign where enemies of the cross are concerned; but joy for its friends, who have believed in, preached or suffered for it. Who will then have the happiness of being found a friend of Christ? This glorious king, whom a guard of angels surrounds and who sits on the same throne as his Father, will not shun his servants. So that the elect are not confused with his enemies, “he will send out his angels with a trumpet blast, and they will gather his elect from the four winds,” (Mt 24,31). He did not forget Lot in his isolation (cf. Gn 19,15; Lk 17,28); how could he forget the great multitude of the just? “Come, you who are blessed by my Father,” (Mt 25,34) is what he is going to say to those who will be carried off on chariots of cloud and whom the angels will gather together.

St. Leonard of Port Maurice, St. Sylvester Gozzolina

Monday of the Thirty-fourth week in Ordinary Time


Commentary of the day
Youssef Bousnaya : “There was also a poor widow”

Reading

Dn 1,1-6.8-20.
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem. The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the temple of God, which he carried off to the land of Shinar, and placed in the temple treasury of his god. The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain, to bring in some of the Israelites of royal blood and of the nobility, young men without any defect, handsome, intelligent and wise, quick to learn, and prudent in judgment, such as could take their place in the king's palace; they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans; after three years' training they were to enter the king's service. The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine from the royal table. Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself with the king's food or wine; so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement. Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy of the chief chamberlain, he nevertheless said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king; it is he who allotted your food and drink. If he sees that you look wretched by comparison with the other young men of your age, you will endanger my life with the king." Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men who eat from the royal table, and treat your servants according to what you see." He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days; after ten days they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate from the royal table. So the steward continued to take away the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables. To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency in all literature and science, and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams. At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation, the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king had spoken with all of them, none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they entered the king's service. In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.



Dn 3,52.53.54.55.56.
"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted
above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.
Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.
Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.
Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.


Lk 21,1-4.
When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, "I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Youssef Bousnaya (c.869-979), Syrian monk
Life and teaching of Rabban Youssef Bousnaya by John Bar-Kaldoun

“There was also a poor widow”

Mercy is not worthy of praise merely on account of the abundance of its benefactions but when it proceeds from an upright and merciful mind. There are people who give away and hand out a great deal but who are not considered merciful by God; and there are people who have nothing, who possess nothing, but who feel pity towards all in their hearts. It is these who are considered perfectly merciful before God and, indeed, that is what they are. So don’t say: “I have nothing to give to the poor”; don’t distress yourself by thinking that, because of this, you cannot be merciful. If you have something, give what you have; if you have nothing, give with a truly merciful intention, though it be but a morsel of dry bread, and it will be considered before God as an act of perfect mercy. Our Lord did not praise those who cast a great deal into the chest of offerings; he praised the widow for having put into it two small coins which, with an upright mind, she had taken from her poverty to throw into the treasury of God. It is the man who has pity in his heart for his fellow human beings who is considered merciful before God. An upright intention with no externl effects is worth more than many stunning works made without that upright intention.

Solemnity of Christ the King; St. Catherine of Alexandria

Christ the King


Commentary of the day
Saint John Chrysostom : “Above him there was an inscription that read: ‘This is the King of the Jews’”

Reading

2 Sam. 5,1-3.
All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said: "Here we are, your bone and your flesh. In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back. And the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.'" When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD, and they anointed him king of Israel.


Ps 122(121),1-2.3-4.4-5.
A song of ascents. Of David. I rejoiced when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD."
And now our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem, built as a city, walled round about.
Here the tribes have come, the tribes of the LORD, As it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
Here the tribes have come, the tribes of the LORD, As it was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
Here are the thrones of justice, the thrones of the house of David.


Coloss. 1,12-20.
giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light. He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross (through him), whether those on earth or those in heaven.


Lk 23,35-43.
The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God." Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews." Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), Bishop of Antioch and then of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
Homily on the Cross and the criminal, 1, 3-4; PG 49, 403

“Above him there was an inscription that read: ‘This is the King of the Jews’”

“Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” The criminal did not venture to make this prayer before he had laid down with his confession the burden of his sins. So you see, O Christian, the power of confession. He acknowledged his sins and paradise was opened; he acknowledged his sins and gained confidence enough to ask for the Kingdom in spite of his deeds of robbery… Do you want to know the Kingdom? What can you see here that is like it? You have the nails and cross before your eyes but this cross, said Jesus, is itself the very sign of the Kingdom. As for me, when I see him on the cross, I proclaim him king. Isn’t it the duty of a king to die for his subjects? He himself has said that: “The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep,” (Jn 10,11). This is no less true for a good king; he, too, lays down his life for his subjects. So I will proclaim him king on account of the gift he has made of his life: “Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Do you understand now how it is that the cross is the sign of the Kingdom? Here is yet another proof. Christ did not leave his cross on earth but took it up and bore it with him into heaven. We know this because he will have it with him when he returns in glory. To teach you how much this cross is worthy of veneration, he has made it a sign of glory… When the Son of Man comes: “the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.” Then shall reign a light so bright that even the brightest stars will be eclipsed. “The stars will fall from the sky. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,” (Mt 24,29f.). Do you understand the power of the sign of the cross?… When a king enters a city, soldiers take up their standards, hoist them onto their shoulders and march in front of him to announce his arrival. In the same way, legions of angels and archangels will go before the Christ when he comes down from heaven. They will bear this sign on their shoulders announcing the coming of our king.

Sts. Flora & Mary, Ss Andrew Dung-Lac, priest, and his companions, martyrs (1745-1862)

Saturday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Theodore of Mopsuestia : Birth into the new creation

Reading

1 Mac. 6,1-13.
As King Antiochus was traversing the inland provinces, he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais, famous for its wealth in silver and gold, and that its temple was very rich, containing gold helmets, breastplates, and weapons left there by Alexander, son of Philip, king of Macedon, the first king of the Greeks. He went therefore and tried to capture and pillage the city. But he could not do so, because his plan became known to the people of the city who rose up in battle against him. So he retreated and in great dismay withdrew from there to return to Babylon. While he was in Persia, a messenger brought him news that the armies sent into the land of Judah had been put to flight; that Lysias had gone at first with a strong army and been driven back by the Israelites; that they had grown strong by reason of the arms, men, and abundant possessions taken from the armies they had destroyed; that they had pulled down the Abomination which he had built upon the altar in Jerusalem; and that they had surrounded with high walls both the sanctuary, as it had been before, and his city of Beth-zur. When the king heard this news, he was struck with fear and very much shaken. Sick with grief because his designs had failed, he took to his bed.

There he remained many days, overwhelmed with sorrow, for he knew he was going to die. So he called in all his Friends and said to them: "Sleep has departed from my eyes, for my heart is sinking with anxiety. I said to myself: 'Into what tribulation have I come, and in what floods of sorrow am I now! Yet I was kindly and beloved in my rule.' But I now recall the evils I did in Jerusalem, when I carried away all the vessels of gold and silver that were in it, and for no cause gave orders that the inhabitants of Judah be destroyed. I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land."


Ps 9(9A),2-3.4.6.16.19.
I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous deeds.
I will delight and rejoice in you; I will sing hymns to your name, Most High.
For my enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you.
You rebuked the nations, you destroyed the wicked; their name you blotted out for all time
The nations fall into the pit they dig; in the snare they hide, their own foot is caught.
The needy will never be forgotten, nor will the hope of the afflicted ever fade.


Lk 20,27-40.
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her." Jesus said to them, "The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called 'Lord' the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." Some of the scribes said in reply, "Teacher, you have answered well." And they no longer dared to ask him anything.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB


Commentary of the day

Theodore of Mopsuestia (?-428), Bishop and theologian
Commentary on St John’s Gospel, Book 2

Birth into the new creation

“Baptized into Christ Jesus, we were baptized into his death. We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life. For if we have grown into union with him through a death like his, we shall also be united with him in the resurrection,” (Rom 6, 3-5). Thus does St Paul clearly show us that our new birth through baptism is the symbol of our resurrection after death. This will be achieved in us through the power of the Spirit, as it is said: “It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body,” (I Cor 14,42f.). What this means is that, just as our body here below, so long as its soul is present, enjoys a visible life, so it will receive then, in the same way, an eternal and incorruptible life through the power of the Spirit.

The same thing applies to the birth given us in baptism, which is the symbol of our resurrection. Through it we receive grace by the same Spirit, but with moderation and in the form of a token. We will receive it in its fullness when we truly rise and incorruptibility is indeed given to us. That is why, when the apostle Paul speaks of the life to come, he tries to reassure his listeners with these words: “Not only creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for the redemption of our bodies,” (Rom 8,23). For if we have received here and now the firstfruits of grace, we expect to receive them in their fullness when the happiness of the resurrection is given to us.

St. Clement I, Pope and martyr, St. Columban, abbot (+615)

Friday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Meister Eckhart : Sellers in the Temple

Reading

1 Mac. 4,36-37.52-59.
Then Judas and his brothers said, "Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it." So the whole army assembled, and went up to Mount Zion. Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, that is, the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-eight, they arose and offered sacrifice according to the law on the new altar of holocausts that they had made. On the anniversary of the day on which the Gentiles had defiled it, on that very day it was reconsecrated with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals. All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven, who had given them success. For eight days they celebrated the dedication of the altar and joyfully offered holocausts and sacrifices of deliverance and praise. They ornamented the facade of the temple with gold crowns and shields; they repaired the gates and the priests' chambers and furnished them with doors.

There was great joy among the people now that the disgrace of the Gentiles was removed. Then Judas and his brothers and the entire congregation of Israel decreed that the days of the dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness on the anniversary every year for eight days, from the twenty-fifth day of the month Chislev.


1 Chron. 29,10.11.11-12.12.
Then David blessed the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, praying in these words:

"Blessed may you be, O LORD, God of Israel our father, from eternity to eternity.

"Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor, and glory. For all in heaven and on earth is yours; yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty; you are exalted as head over all.

"Yours, O LORD, are grandeur and power, majesty, splendor, and glory. For all in heaven and on earth is yours; yours, O LORD, is the sovereignty; you are exalted as head over all.

"Riches and honor are from you, and you have dominion over all. In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.

"Riches and honor are from you, and you have dominion over all. In your hand are power and might; it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all.



Lk 19,45-48.
Then Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.'" And every day he was teaching in the temple area. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile, were seeking to put him to death, but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose because all the people were hanging on his words.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Meister Eckhart (c.1260-1327), Dominican theologian
Sermon 1 on Matthew 21,12

Sellers in the Temple

“Take these things out of here!” says Jesus to the dove sellers (Jn 2,16).

“Sellers in the Temple” are all those who, while still practising the coarsest sins, would like to be respectable and do good works but only so that our Lord might give them something else in exchange. They want God to repay them with something pleasant; they would be traffickers with our Lord. But it is a mistake to try to carry out such business as this. For even if they were to give all they do and all they have, even if they sacrificed everything for God, the Lord would not be bound to give or do anything whatever unless he wished it freely, of his own free will. Whatever they are, they are from God; whatever they possess, they hold from God and not themselves… In any case, how could they act by their own initiative seeing that Christ tells us: “Without me you can do nothing” (Jn 15,5); it’s utterly mad to want to bargain like this with Jesus – it is to know nothing of the truth. That is why our Lord drives the sellers out of the Temple. Light and darkness cannot live together. But God is light; in his own self he is truth and light. So when he enters his Temple, he drives ignorance out of it. Truth does not bear with any kind of mercenary spirit. For God does not look for his own advantage; in all things he is detached and free; he does everything through genuine love. And the man who is united to God does likewise. Through the grace of Christ he himself is also detached and free in all his actions; he carries them out for the honor of God alone and not for his own advantage – or rather, he fulfils them in God. So if you want to be completely detached from a mercenary attitude in spiritual things, do everything for God’s praise without asking anything in return. Then are your works spiritual, divine; God alone is present in them, the only one in view.

St. Cecilia

Thursday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time

In the USA : Thanksgiving Day


Commentary of the day
Saint Isaac the Syrian : Weeping with Christ

Reading

1 Mac. 2,15-29.
The officers of the king in charge of enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to organize the sacrifices. Many of Israel joined them, but Mattathias and his sons gathered in a group apart. Then the officers of the king addressed Mattathias: "You are a leader, an honorable and great man in this city, supported by sons and kinsmen. Come now, be the first to obey the king's command, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those who are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons shall be numbered among the King's Friends, and shall be enriched with silver and gold and many gifts." But Mattathias answered in a loud voice: "Although all the Gentiles in the king's realm obey him, so that each forsakes the religion of his fathers and consents to the king's orders, yet I and my sons and my kinsmen will keep to the covenant of our fathers. God forbid that we should forsake the law and the commandments. We will not obey the words of the king nor depart from our religion in the slightest degree." As he finished saying these words, a certain Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein according to the king's order. When Mattathias saw him, he was filled with zeal; his heart was moved and his just fury was aroused; he sprang forward and killed him upon the altar.

At the same time, he also killed the messenger of the king who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. Thus he showed his zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did with Zimri, son of Salu. Then Mattathias went through the city shouting, "Let everyone who is zealous for the law and who stands by the covenant follow after me!" Thereupon he fled to the mountains with his sons, leaving behind in the city all their possessions. Many who sought to live according to righteousness and religious custom went out into the desert to settle there,


Ps 50(49),1-2.5-6.14-15.
A psalm of Asaph. The LORD, the God of gods, has spoken and summoned the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. From Zion God shines forth. perfect in beauty. "Gather my faithful ones before me, those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice." The heavens proclaim divine justice, for God alone is the judge. Selah Offer praise as your sacrifice to God; fulfill your vows to the Most High. Then call on me in time of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall honor me."


Lk 19,41-44.
As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation."


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Saint Isaac the Syrian (7th century), monk at Nineveh, near Mosul in present day Iraq
Ascetical discourses, 1st series, no.60

Weeping with Christ

Do not despise the sinner for we are all guilty. If, for love of God, you rise up against him, mourn for him instead. Why do you despise him? Despise his sins but pray for him so that you may be like Christ, who did not get annoyed with sinners but prayed for them. Can’t you see how he wept over Jerusalem? For we, too, have been duped by the devil more than once. So why despise him whom the devil, who mocks us all, has deceived just like us? Why, O man, despise the sinner? Is it because he is not as just as you are yourself? But what happens to your justice from the moment you are without love? Why did you not weep for him? Instead, you persecute him. It is through ignorance that certain people get upset, believing themselves to have discernment into the deeds of sinners.

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Wednesday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint José Maria Escriva de Balaguer : "Trade with it"

Reading

2 Mac. 7,1.20-31.
It also happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law. Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their forefathers with these words: "I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man's beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law." Martyrdom of Mother and Sons Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed. As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs: he would make him his Friend and entrust him with high office. When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother, urging her to advise her boy to save his life. After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions of persuading her son. In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language: "Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age. I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence. Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them." She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said: "What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king's command. I obey the command of the law given to our forefathers through Moses. But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God.


Ps 17,1.5-6.8.15.
A prayer of David. Hear, LORD, my plea for justice; pay heed to my cry;
Listen to my prayer spoken without guile.
My steps have kept to your paths; my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you; answer me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my prayer.
Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
I am just--let me see your face; when I awake, let me be filled with your presence.


Lk 19,11-28.
While they were listening to him speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, "A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, 'Engage in trade with these until I return.' His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, 'We do not want this man to be our king.' But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, 'Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.' He replied, 'Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.' Then the second came and reported, 'Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.' And to this servant too he said, 'You, take charge of five cities.' Then the other servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.' He said to him, 'With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding person, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.' And to those standing by he said, 'Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.' But they said to him, 'Sir, he has ten gold coins.' 'I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.'" After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Saint José Maria Escriva de Balaguer (1902-1975), priest, founder
A homily from 'Amigos de Dios'

"Trade with it"

“Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief.” What is this man going to do with himself now since he has abandoned his means of work? Being irresponsible, he has opted for the convenient solution of giving back only what he has received. He will devote himself to killing time: minutes, hours, days, months, years, life itself! The others go to a lot of trouble: they trade; they are nobly concerned with restoring even more to their master than they received – necessary fruit in that the recommendation was very specific: “Engage in trade with these until I come”, take on this work so as to make a profit until your master returns. But as for him, he does nothing; this man wastes his life. What shame it is to live only to kill time, God’s treasure! Nothing excuses such an attitude. Saint John Chrysostom writes: “Let no one say: ‘I only have one talent; there’s nothing I can do with it.’ With only one talent you can still act in a commendable way.” It’s a sad thing not to turn all our capacities, great or small, to good account, to real gain – capacities that God bestows on man so that he can devote himself to serving souls and society! When a Christian holds back through egoism, when he hides away, takes no interest, in a word when he kills his time, then he runs the strong risk of killing his heaven too. He who loves God does not limit himself merely to putting all he owns, all he is, at Christ’s service: he gives his very self.

St. Bernward

Tuesday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time


Commentary of the day
Saint Augustine : "Today salvation has come to this house"

Reading

2 Mac. 6,18-31.
Eleazar, one of the foremost scribes, a man of advanced age and noble appearance, was being forced to open his mouth to eat pork. But preferring a glorious death to a life of defilement, he spat out the meat, and went forward of his own accord to the instrument of torture, as men ought to do who have the courage to reject the food which it is unlawful to taste even for love of life. Those in charge of that unlawful ritual meal took the man aside privately, because of their long acquaintance with him, and urged him to bring meat of his own providing, such as he could legitimately eat, and to pretend to be eating some of the meat of the sacrifice prescribed by the king; in this way he would escape the death penalty, and be treated kindly because of their old friendship with him. But he made up his mind in a noble manner, worthy of his years, the dignity of his advanced age, the merited distinction of his gray hair, and of the admirable life he had lived from childhood; and so he declared that above all he would be loyal to the holy laws given by God. He told them to send him at once to the abode of the dead, explaining: "At our age it would be unbecoming to make such a pretense; many young men would think the ninety-year-old Eleazar had gone over to an alien religion.

Should I thus dissimulate for the sake of a brief moment of life, they would be led astray by me, while I would bring shame and dishonor on my old age. Even if, for the time being, I avoid the punishment of men, I shall never, whether alive or dead, escape the hands of the Almighty. Therefore, by manfully giving up my life now, I will prove myself worthy of my old age, and I will leave to the young a noble example of how to die willingly and generously for the revered and holy laws." He spoke thus, and went immediately to the instrument of torture. Those who shortly before had been kindly disposed, now became hostile toward him because what he had said seemed to them utter madness. When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned and said: "The Lord in his holy knowledge knows full well that, although I could have escaped death, I am not only enduring terrible pain in my body from this scourging, but also suffering it with joy in my soul because of my devotion to him." This is how he died, leaving in his death a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation.


Ps 3,2-3.4-5.6-8.
How many are my foes, LORD! How many rise against me! How many say of me, "God will not save that one." Selah But you, LORD, are a shield around me; my glory, you keep my head high. Whenever I cried out to the LORD, I was answered from the holy mountain. Selah Whenever I lay down and slept, the LORD preserved me to rise again. I do not fear, then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side. Arise, LORD! Save me, my God! You will shatter the jaws of all my foes; you will break the teeth of the wicked.


Lk 19,1-10.
He came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."


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Commentary of the day

Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Letter 98, 9

"Today salvation has come to this house"

As the Paschal season draws near we say without a thought: “Tomorrow is the Lord’s Passion” and yet many years have passed since the Lord underwent his Passion, which took place once for all (Heb 9,26). This Sunday, too, we can rightly say: “The Lord is risen today” although many years have passed since Christ was raised. So why is it that no one comes to blame us for this “today” as though it were a lie? Is it not because we say “today” because this day stands for the return, in the course of time, of the day on which the event we are commemorating took place? We are right to say “today”: today, indeed, the event that took place so long ago is fulfilled by our celebration of the mystery. In himself Christ was sacrificed once for all; nevertheless, he is sacrificed today in the mystery we celebrate, not only at every paschal feast but every day, for all people. This is not to lie, then, but to affirm: “Christ is sacrificed today.” For if the sacraments we are fulfilling did not have a genuine likeness to the reality of which they are the sign, they would not be sacraments. But it is precisely this likeness that allows us to call them by the same name as the reality of which they are the sign. And so the sacrament of the body of Christ we celebrate is, in some way, the body of Christ; the mystery of the blood of Christ that we fulfil is the blood of Christ. The sacramental mystery of faith is the reality in which we believe.

St. Barlaam

Monday of the Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Odes of Solomon : "He followed Jesus, giving glory to God"

Reading

1 Mac. 1,10-15.41-43.54-57.62-63.
There sprang from these a sinful offshoot, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus, once a hostage at Rome. He became king in the year one hundred and thirty-seven of the kingdom of the Greeks. In those days there appeared in Israel men who were breakers of the law, and they seduced many people, saying: "Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us." The proposal was agreeable; some from among the people promptly went to the king, and he authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles. Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom. They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing. Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, each abandoning his particular customs. All the Gentiles conformed to the command of the king, and many Israelites were in favor of his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. On the fifteenth day of the month Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-five, the king erected the horrible abomination upon the altar of holocausts, and in the surrounding cities of Judah they built pagan altars.

They also burnt incense at the doors of houses and in the streets. Any scrolls of the law which they found they tore up and burnt. Whoever was found with a scroll of the covenant, and whoever observed the law, was condemned to death by royal decree. But many in Israel were determined and resolved in their hearts not to eat anything unclean; they preferred to die rather than to be defiled with unclean food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Terrible affliction was upon Israel.ä»…


Ps 119,53.61.134.150.155.158.
Rage seizes me because of the wicked; they forsake your teaching.
Though the snares of the wicked surround me, your teaching I do not forget.
Free me from human oppression, that I may keep your precepts.
Malicious persecutors draw near me; they are far from your teaching.
Salvation is far from sinners because they do not cherish your laws.
I view the faithless with loathing, because they do not heed your promise.


Lk 18,35-43.
Now as he approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!" The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, "Son of David, have pity on me!" Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, What do you want me to do for you? He replied, "Lord, please let me see." Jesus told him, "Have sight; your faith has saved you." He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Odes of Solomon (Hebrew Christian text from the beginning of the 2nd century) § 21

"He followed Jesus, giving glory to God"

I raised my hands to heaven,
to the grace of the Lord.
He cast my chains far away from me;
my defender has raised me up
according to his grace and salvation.

I have stripped off darkness
and put on light.
I have discovered limbs that know not
affliction, anguish or pain.

The thought of the Lord has greatly supported me
and his incorruptible communion.
His light has raised me up;
I have walked in his presence
and shall draw close to him,
praising and glorifying him.
My heart overflows,
it has filled my mouth,
gushed forth from my lips.
The rejoicing of the Lord and his praise
light up my face.
Alleluia!

St. Rose Philippine, Feast of Basilicas of Sts. Peter & Paul

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
John Paul II : "It will lead to your giving testimony"

Reading

Malachi 3,19-20.
For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays; And you will gambol like calves out of the stall


Ps 98(97),5-6.7-8.9.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy to the King, the LORD. Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell there. Let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy, Before the LORD who comes, who comes to govern the earth, To govern the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.


2 Thess. 3,7-12.
For you know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business ofothers. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food.


Lk 21,5-19.
While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, he said, All that you see here--the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down. Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?" He answered, "See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky. Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

John Paul II
Homily during the ecumenical commemoration of the witnesses to the faith in the XXth century, 7 May, 2000 (copyright Libreria editrice Vaticana)

"It will lead to your giving testimony"

The experience of the martyrs and the witnesses to the faith is not a characteristic only of the Church’s beginnings but marks every epoch of her history. In the twentieth century, and maybe even more than in the first period of Christianity, there has been a vast number of men and women who bore witness to the faith through sufferings that were often heroic. How many Christians in the course of the twentieth century, on every continent, showed their love of Christ by the shedding of blood! They underwent forms of persecution both old and new, they experienced hatred and exclusion, violence and murder. Many countries of ancient Christian tradition once more became lands where fidelity to the Gospel demanded a very high price. In our century “the witness to Christ borne even to the shedding of blood has become a common inheritance of Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans and Protestants” (Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 37).I myself am a witness of much pain and many trials, having seen these in the years of my youth. My priesthood, from its very beginning, was marked “by the great sacrifice of countless men and women of my generation” (Gift and Mystery, p. 39). The experience of the Second World War and of the years following brought me to consider carefully and with gratitude the shining example of those who, from the beginning of the twentieth century to its end, met persecution, violence, death, because of their faith and because their behaviour was inspired by the truth of Christ.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Saturday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta : "Pray always without becoming weary"

Reading

Wisdom 18,14-16.19,6-9.
For when peaceful stillness compassed everything and the night in its swift course was half spent, Your all-powerful word from heaven's royal throne bounded, a fierce warrior, into the doomed land, bearing the sharp sword of your inexorable decree. And as he alighted, he filled every place with death; he still reached to heaven, while he stood upon the earth. For all creation, in its several kinds, was being made over anew, serving its natural laws, that your children might be preserved unharmed. The cloud overshadowed their camp; and out of what had before been water, dry land was seen emerging: Out of the Red Sea an unimpeded road, and a grassy plain out of the mighty flood. Over this crossed the whole nation sheltered by your hand, after they beheld stupendous wonders. For they ranged about like horses, and bounded about like lambs, praising you, O LORD! their deliverer.


Ps 105(104),2-3.36-37.42-43.
Sing praise, play music; proclaim all his wondrous deeds! Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! He struck down every firstborn in the land, the first fruits of all their vigor. He brought his people out, laden with silver and gold; no stragglers among the tribes. For he remembered his sacred word to Abraham his servant. He brought his people out with joy, his chosen ones with shouts of triumph.



Lk 18,1-8.
Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, 'Render a just decision for me against my adversary.' For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'" The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), foundress of the Missionary Sisters of Charity A Simple Path

"Pray always without becoming weary"

If you want to set out in search of God without knowing how to go about it, learn to pray: force yourself simply to pray every day. You can pray anywhere, anytime. There's no need at all to be in a chapel or church. You can pray while working: work doesn't put a stop to prayer, nor prayer to work. If you feel in need of help, you can ask advice of a priest or pastor. Try to talk directly to God. Speak to him; tell him everything, spontaneously, directly, just as it comes. He is the Father of us all. Whatever our religion might be, we have all been created by him and are his children. We can trust him, love him, believe in him, work for him. When we pray, our problems are resolved to the degree that it is good for us. Without prayer I could not fulfil the work it is mine to do, not even for half an hour. I draw my strength from God by prayer.

St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Gertrude the Great

Friday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time


Commentary of the day
Origen : The ark of the Church

Reading

Wisdom 13,1-9.
For all men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God, and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is, and from studying the works did not discern the artisan; But either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water, or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods. Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods, let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these; for the original source of beauty fashioned them. Or if they were struck by their might and energy, let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them. For from the greatness and the beauty of created things their original author, by analogy, is seen. But yet, for these the blame is less; For they indeed have gone astray perhaps, though they seek God and wish to find him. For they search busily among his works, but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair. But again, not even these are pardonable. For if they so far succeeded in knowledge that they could speculate about the world, how did they not more quickly find its LORD?


Ps 19(18),2-3.4-5.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky proclaims its builder's craft. One day to the next conveys that message; one night to the next imparts that knowledge. There is no word or sound; no voice is heard; Yet their report goes forth through all the earth, their message, to the ends of the world. God has pitched there a tent for the sun;


Lk 17,26-37.
As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, a person who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise a person in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left."

They said to him in reply, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather."


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Origen (c.185-253), priest and theologian
Homilies on Genesis, II, 3 (SC 7b, p.89)

The ark of the Church

Insofar as the meanness of my mind allows, I think that the flood which almost put an end to the world in those days is the symbol of the end of the world, an end that must truly happen. The Lord himself declared it when he said: “In the days of Noah, men were buying, selling, building, marrying and giving their daughters in marriage, and the flood came and destroyed them all. So will be the coming of the Son of Man.” In this text it would very much seem as though the Lord describes in one and the same way both the flood that has already taken place and the end of the world that he is pointing to in the future.

And so, in days of old, the aged Noah was told to make an ark and take into it with him not only his sons and family but beasts of every kind. Similarly, at the consummation of the ages, the Lord Jesus Christ, our new Noah, the only “good and blameless man” (Gn 6,9), was told by his Father to make an ark of fashioned wood, giving it measurements that are full of divine mysteries (cf Gen 6,15). This is shown by one of the psalms, which says: “Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession,” (Ps 2,8). And so he built an ark containing various shelters to house all kinds of animals. One of the prophets speaks of these dwellings when he writes: “Go, my people, enter into your chambers; hide yourselves for a brief moment, until the wrath is past,” (Is 26,20). Thus there is a mysterious analogy between that people which is saved in the Church and all those creatures, both men and animals, saved from the flood inside the ark.

St. Albert the Great

Thursday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Imitation of Christ : Dwelling in the Kingdom of God

Reading

Wisdom 7,22-30.8,1.
for Wisdom, the artificer of all, taught me. For in her is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, Manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain, Not baneful, loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, kindly, Firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful, all-seeing, And pervading all spirits, though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle. For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity. For she is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nought that is sullied enters into her. For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; And passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom. For she is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars. Compared to light, she takes precedence; for that, indeed, night supplants, but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.

Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well.


Ps 119,89.90.91.130.135.175.
Your word, LORD, stands forever; it is firm as the heavens. Through all generations your truth endures; fixed to stand firm like the earth. By your edicts they stand firm to this day, for all things are your servants. The revelation of your words sheds light, gives understanding to the simple. Let your face shine upon your servant; teach me your laws. Let me live to praise you; may your edicts give me help.


Lk 17,20-25.
Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, "The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, 'Look, here it is,' or, 'There it is.' For behold, the kingdom of God is among you." Then he said to his disciples, "The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there he is,' (or) 'Look, here he is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be (in his day). But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Imitation of Christ, a spiritual treatise of the 15th century
Book II, ch.1, 2-3 (trans. ©Robert Dudley)

Dwelling in the Kingdom of God

“The Kingdom of God is within you,” says the Lord… Up, faithful soul, prepare your heart for this bridegroom; that he may deign to come and dwell within you. For so he proclaimed: “Whoever loves me will keep my word; and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him,” (Jn 14,23). Make room for Christ, and then bar the door against all comers. When you have Christ, you have all the riches you need. He will be your purveyor and your faithful manager in all things; you will have no need to hope in men. For men are quick to change and speedily die; but Christ “remains forever” (Jn 12,34), standing firm to the very end. Not much reliance should be placed upon man, be he never so beloved or so useful; for he goes to pieces and he dies. And not much sadness should be felt if he sometimes turns against you: with you to-day, against you to-morrow; and fickle as the breeze to return to you again. Put all your trust in God; let him be your fear and him your love. He will answer for you, and do that good thing that is best for you. “Here we have no lasting city” (Heb 13,14); wherever you are, you are “a stranger and an alien” (Heb 11,13); you will never at any time have peace until you are intimately one with Christ.

St. Sidonius, St. Laurence O'Toole

Wednesday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Life of St Francis of Assisi known as the “Compilation of Pérouse” : “Give thanks to God”

Reading

Wisdom 6,2-11.
Hearken, you who are in power over the multitude and lord it over throngs of peoples! Because authority was given you by the LORD and sovereignty by the Most High, who shall probe your works and scrutinize your counsels! Because, though you were ministers of his kingdom, you judged not rightly, and did not keep the law, nor walk according to the will of God, Terribly and swiftly shall he come against you, because judgment is stern for the exalted- For the lowly may be pardoned out of mercy but the mighty shall be mightily put to the test. For the Lord of all shows no partiality, nor does he fear greatness, Because he himself made the great as well as the small, and he provides for all alike; but for those in power a rigorous scrutiny impends. To you, therefore, O princes, are my words addressed that you may learn wisdom and that you may not sin. For those who keep the holy precepts hallowed shall be found holy, and those learned in them will have ready a response. Desire therefore my words; long for them and you shall be instructed.


Ps 82(81),3-4.6-7.
Defend the lowly and fatherless; render justice to the afflicted and needy. Rescue the lowly and poor; deliver them from the hand of the wicked." I declare: "Gods though you be, offspring of the Most High all of you, Yet like any mortal you shall die; like any prince you shall fall."


Lk 17,11-19.
As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him). They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, "Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine? Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?" Then he said to him, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you."


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Life of St Francis of Assisi known as the “Compilation of Pérouse” (c.1311)
§ 43

“Give thanks to God”

Two years before his death the blessed Francis was already ill, suffering especially from his eyes… He had been fifty days or more without being able to stand the sunlight by day nor the brightness of the fire by night. He remained continually in his cell, in the gloom at the interior of the house… One night, while he was thinking about all the trials he was enduring, he felt sorry for himself and said interiorly: “Lord, help me in my infirmities so that I can have the strength to bear them patiently!” And suddenly, in his mind, he heard a voice: “Tell me, brother: if you were to be given a great and precious treasure in return for your sufferings and trials…, would you not rejoice?… Be joyful and happy in the midst of your infirmities and trials: from now on live in as much peace as if you were already sharing my Kingdom.” The next day he said to his companions…: “God has given me such grace and blessing that, in his pity, he has deigned to assure me – me, his poor, unworthy servant still living here below – that I shall share in his Kingdom. Therefore, for his glory, for my own consolation and the edification of my neighbour, I should like to compose a new “Praise of the Lord” for his creatures. Every day these serve our needs; without them we should not be able to live, and humankind greatly offends the Creator with them. Every day, too, we fail to acknowledge so great a blessing by not praising the Creator and Dispenser of all these gifts as we should…”. These “Praises of the Lord”, which begin with: “Most high, most powerful and good Lord”, he called the “Canticle of Brother Sun”. For indeed, it is the most beautiful of all creatures, that which, more than any other, we might compare to God. And he said: “At sunrise everyone ought to praise God for having created this star that gives light to our eyes by day; in the evening, everyone should praise God for that other creature, our brother Fire, who enables our eyes to see clearly in the darkness. We are all like blind men and it is through these two creatures that God gives us light. That is why we ought to praise most particularly their glorious Creator for these creatures and for those others that serve us each day.”

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, St. Stanislaus Kostka

Tuesday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time


Commentary of the day
Saint Silouan : "Unprofitable servants"

Reading

Wisdom 2,23-24.3,1-9.
For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it. But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect.


Ps 34(33),2-3.16-17.18-19.
I will bless the LORD at all times; praise shall be always in my mouth. My soul will glory in the LORD that the poor may hear and be glad. The LORD has eyes for the just and ears for their cry. The LORD'S face is against evildoers to wipe out their memory from the earth. When the just cry out, the LORD hears and rescues them from all distress. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted, saves those whose spirit is crushed.


Lk 17,7-10.
Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, 'Come here immediately and take your place at table'? Would he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished'? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"


Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB



Commentary of the day

Saint Silouan (1866-1938), Orthodox monk
Writings

"Unprofitable servants"

There are many degrees of humility. One man is obedient and bears the blame in all he does; this is humility. Another repents his sins and thinks of himself as unworthy before God. This, too, is humility. But the humility of the one who has come to know the Lord through the Holy Spirit is quite other: his knowledge and attraction are different. When the soul sees in the Holy Spirit how gentle and humble the Lord is, it humbles itself to the depths. This kind of humility is altogether special and no one can describe it. If people only knew through the Holy Spirit what sort of Lord we have, they would change completely: the rich would despise their riches; the learned their learning; governments their power and prestige. All would live in a profound peace and with love, and a great joy would reign on earth.

St. Josaphat

Monday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Saint Augustine : Ask forgiveness and forgive others

Reading

Wisdom 1,1-7.
Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the LORD in goodness, and seek him in integrity of heart; Because he is found by those who test him not, and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him. For perverse counsels separate a man from God, and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy; Because into a soul that plots evil wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin. For the holy spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels; and when injustice occurs it is rebuked. For wisdom is a kindly spirit, yet she acquits not the blasphemer of his guilty lips; Because God is the witness of his inmost self and the sure observer of his heart and the listener to his tongue. For the spirit of the LORD fills the world, is all-embracing, and knows what man says.

Ps 139(138),1-3.4-6.7-8.9-10.
For the leader. A psalm of David. I LORD, you have probed me, you know me: you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar. My travels and my rest you mark; with all my ways you are familiar. Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all. Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me. Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach. Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, you are there too. If I fly with the wings of dawn and alight beyond the sea, Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand hold me fast.

Lk 17,1-6.
He said to his disciples, "Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,' you should forgive him." And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to (this) mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day

Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
Discourse on the Psalms, Ps 60,9; CCL 39,771

Ask forgiveness and forgive others

“All the ways of the Lord are love and truth toward those who keep his covenant and decrees,” (Ps 25 [24],10). What this psalm says about love and truth is of first importance… It speaks of love because God pays no regard to our merits but to his own kindness so as to forgive us our sins and assure us of eternal life. It also speaks of truth because God never fails to hold good his promises. Let us acknowledge this divine example and imitate the God who has shown us his love and his truth… Like him, let us fulfil works full of love and truth in this world . Let us show goodness to the weak and poor and even towards our enemies.Let us live in truth by avoiding wrongdoing. Let us not increase our sins since whoever presumes on God’s kindness lets the will to make God unjust insinuate itself within him. He imagines to himself that, even if he persists in his sins and refuses to repent, God will come in any case to give him a place among his faithful servants. But would it be just for God to set you in the same place as those who have renounced their sins while you continue in your own?… Then why do you want to bend him to your will? Submit yourself, rather, to his.In this respect the psalmist rightly says: “Who will seek beside him the mercy and truth of the Lord?”… Why say “beside him”? Many seek to learn about the love of the Lord and his truth in the holy Scriptures. But once they have found them, they live for themselves, not for him. They are looking for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. They preach about love and truth but do not practice them. But he who loves God and Christ, when preaching about the divine truth and love, seeks them for God’s sake and not for his own interests. He is not preaching about them so as to draw material advantages from them but for the good of Christ’s members, namely the faithful. He distributes what he has learned among these in the spirit of truth “so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died,” (2Cor 5,15). “Who will seek the love and truth of the Lord?”

St. Martin of Tours

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day
Origen : "They are children of God because they are the ones who will rise"

Reading

2 Mac. 7,1-2.9-14.
It also happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law. One of the brothers, speaking for the others, said: "What do you expect to achieve by questioning us? We are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors." At the point of death he said: "You accursed fiend, you are depriving us of this present life, but the King of the world will raise us up to live again forever. It is for his laws that we are dying." After him the third suffered their cruel sport. He put out his tongue at once when told to do so, and bravely held out his hands, as he spoke these noble words: "It was from Heaven that I received these; for the sake of his laws I disdain them; from him I hope to receive them again." Even the king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage, because he regarded his sufferings as nothing. After he had died, they tortured and maltreated the fourth brother in the same way. When he was near death, he said, "It is my choice to die at the hands of men with the God-given hope of being restored to life by him; but for you, there will be no resurrection to life."

Ps 17,1.5-6.8.15.
A prayer of David. Hear, LORD, my plea for justice; pay heed to my cry; Listen to my prayer spoken without guile. My steps have kept to your paths; my feet have not faltered. I call upon you; answer me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear my prayer. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings I am just--let me see your face; when I awake, let me be filled with your presence.

2 Thess. 2,16-17.3,1-5.
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. Finally, brothers, pray for us, so that the word of the Lord may speed forward and be glorified, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from perverse and wicked people, for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. We are confident of you in the Lord that what we instruct you, you (both) are doing and will continue to do. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

Lk 20,27-38.
Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her." Jesus said to them, "The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called 'Lord' the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive."

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day

Origen (c.185-253), priest and theologian
Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, 4,7; PG 14,985

"They are children of God because they are the ones who will rise"

On the last day death will be vanquished. The resurrection of Christ, after the anguish of the Cross, mysteriously contains within itself the resurrection of the whole Body of Christ. Just as Christ’s visible body was crucified, buried and then raised, so the whole Body of the saints of Christ is crucified with him and no longer lives in itself. But when the resurrection of the true Body of Christ comes to be, his Body in its entirety, then the members of Christ, who today are like dry bones, will come together, bone joining bone (Ez 37,1ff), each one finding its place and all together making up “mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ,” (Eph 4,13). Then the whole multitude of its parts will be one body since all belong to the same body, (Rm 12,4-5).