“Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” (Luke 4:34)
In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Mass Readings, Saint Athanasius of Alexandria writes:
“Even when the demons spoke the truth, for they spoke the truth when they said, “Thou are the Son of God,” the Lord himself silenced them and forbade them to speak. He did this to keep them from sowing their own wickedness in the midst of the truth. He also wished us to get used to never listening to them even though they seem to speak the truth..” (The Life of Saint Antony, 26)
Today is the memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, one of the four great Western Fathers of the Church. In May 2008, Pope Benedict XVI devoted two General Audiences to reflect on the life and teaching of Saint Gregory: 28 May 2008 audience and 4 June 2008 audience.One of Saint Gregory’s homilies on Ezekiel is presented in today’s Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings.
O God,
Who care for Your people
with gentleness and rule them in love,
through the intercession of Pope Saint Gregory,
endow, we pray, with a spirit of wisdom
those to whom you have given authority to govern,
that the flourishing of a holy flock
may become the eternal joy of the shepherds.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Who care for Your people
with gentleness and rule them in love,
through the intercession of Pope Saint Gregory,
endow, we pray, with a spirit of wisdom
those to whom you have given authority to govern,
that the flourishing of a holy flock
may become the eternal joy of the shepherds.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
