Words of the Word

Voices ever ancient, ever new. ALL SAINTS 2013.

“When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.” (Matthew 5:1)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew from today’s Gospel, Saint Jerome of Bethlehem writes:

“The Lord went up the mountain that he might bring the crowds with him to higher things. The crowds were unable to go up, however, and he was followed by the disciples to whom he spoke, not standing but sitting together. For they were unable to understand this brilliant man in his majesty. Many of the simple believers literally believed that he taught the Beatitudes and other things on the Mount of Olives, but this is not really true. From the events that went before and followed, the place in Galilee has been shown to be what we believe is either Mount Tabor or some other high mountain. After he finished speaking, the Evangelist says, “Now when he had entered Capernaum.”” (Commentary on Matthew, 1)

Almighty ever-living God,
by whose gift we venerate in one celebration
the merits of all the Saints,
bestow on us, we pray,
through the prayers of so many intercessors,
an abundance of the reconciliation
with You for which we earnestly long.
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. Amen.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Thursday-Week30-2013.

“Behold, your house will be abandoned. [But] I tell you, you will not see me until [the time comes when] you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Luke 13:35)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Gospel, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

““And I tell you,” he says, “you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.’” What does this mean? The Lord withdrew from Jerusalem and left as unworthy of his presence those who said, “Get away from here.” And after he had walked about Judea and saved many and performed miracles which no words can adequately describe, he returned again to Jerusalem. It was then that he sat upon a colt of a donkey, while vast multitudes and young children, holding up branches of palm trees, went before him, praising him and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Having left them, therefore, as being unworthy, he says that when the time of his passion has arrived, he will then barely be seen by them. Then again he went up to Jerusalem and entered amidst praises, and at that very time endured his saving passion in our behalf, that by suffering he might save and renew to incorruption the inhabitants of the earth. God the Father has saved us by Christ. ” (Commentary on Luke, Homily 100)”

Almighty ever-living God,
increase our faith, hope and charity,
and make us love what you command,
so that we may merit what you promise.
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. Amen.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Wednesday-Week30-2013.

“And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.” (Luke 13:26)

Saint Augustine of Hippo comments on these verses from today’s Gospel:

“Christ has hidden enemies. All those who live unjust and irreligious lives are Christ’s enemies, even if they are signed with his name and are called Christians. I mean the ones to whom he is going to say, “I do not know you,” and they say to him, “Lord, in your name we ate and drank. In your name, we performed many deeds of power. What did we eat and drink in your name?” You see that they did not value their food very highly, and yet it was with reference to it that they said they belonged to Christ. Christ is the food that is eaten and drunk. Even Christ’s enemies eat and drink him. The faithful know the Lamb without spot on which they feed, if only they fed on it in such a way that they are not liable to punishment! The apostle says, “Whoever eats and drinks unworthily is eating and drinking judgment upon himself.” (Sermon 308)

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Tuesday-Week30-2013.

“It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed [in] with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened." (Luke 13:21)

Saint Ambrose of Milan offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“The grain of wheat is Christ, because he was spiritual leaven for us, and many think that Christ is the leaven that enlivens the virtue which we have received. Since the leaven in the flour surpassed its own kind in strength and not in appearance, Christ was preeminent among the fathers, equal in body, incomparable in divinity. The holy church is prefigured in the woman in the Gospel. We are her flour, and she hides the Lord Jesus in the inner parts of our mind until the radiance of heavenly wisdom envelopes the secret places of our spirit.” (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 7)

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Monday-Week30-2013. Saints Simon and Jude.

“... and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor." (Luke 6:16)

Saint Ambrose of Milan offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“Judas too is chosen, not through inadvertence but through Providence. How great is the truth that not even a hostile minister weakens! How great is the integrity of the Lord, who preferred to endanger his judgment among us, rather than his compassion! For he had assumed the frailty of man, and therefore [he did not] refuse those aspects of human weakness. He was willing to be forsaken, he was willing to be betrayed, he was willing to be surrendered by his own apostles, so that you, when abandoned by an ally, betrayed by an ally, may bear it in good order.” (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 5)

Today is the feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles. Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI reflected on the life and ministry of these Apostles during a weekly audience held on 11 October 2006.

Saint Cyril of Alexandria, in his work Commentary on the Gospel of John, reflects on the nature of ‘being sent.’ This excerpt is also the Second Reading in today’s Office of Readings, Liturgy of the Hours.

O God,
Who by the blessed Apostles
have brought us to acknowledge your name,
graciously grant, through the intercession of
Saints Simon and Jude,
that the Church may constantly grow
by increase of the peoples who believe in you.
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.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

δικαιόω (dikaioo): TO JUSTIFY - a WORD for SUNDAY

From this Sunday’s Gospel: “I tell you, the latter went home justified (δεδικαιωμένος, dedikaiomenos), not the former …” (Luke 18:14)

In the parable proclaimed this Sunday, Jesus concluded the lesson, “I tell you, the latter went home justified (δεδικαιωμένος, dedikaiomenos), not the former …” (Luke 18:14) So what does it mean to be justified?

In present usage, we tend to view “justify” as ‘being proved right,’ especially after some ordeal or confrontation. There may even be a hint of revenge or punishment added for good measure that attempts to put oneself in a good way as the person-in-the-right after a contentious argument or hurtful ‘discussion.’ Biblically though, “justify” translates the Hebrew word צֶדֶק, (tsedeq). Tsedeq is part of a family of Hebrew words formed from the Hebrew root word צָדַק (tsadaq). While conveying a legal aspect of ‘being in the clear,’ ‘being not-guilty,’ the root tsadaq fundamentally has to do with ‘right’ in the sense of ‘right-living,’ ‘right or proper order,’ ‘right, just, or proper relationship.’ In addition to “vindication,” tsadaq and its forms often appear in English biblical translation as “just,” “justice,” “right,” or “righteous.”

Tsadaq, especially when it is applied to people throughout the Scriptures, refers often to living in proper relationship: proper relationship with God, with others, with the true self and all of creation. Used extensively by the Fathers of the Church, tsadaq (the Fathers used the Greek translation of tsadaq: dikaios, the same word that appears in the Greek New Testament) expressed the original harmony that radiated from creation. Original Justice is ‘original tsadaq’ declaring, that since all reality flowed from the hand of the Creator, all reality originally was in right-relationship with the Creator; all creation was tsadaq with the Creator. Far from a contemporary usage and understanding of ‘justice,’ biblical justice is first and foremost about living life relationally as well as each relationship in its proper place, a relationship that ruptured into disorder with the advent of sin.

For the tax collector, the prayer “O God, be merciful to me a sinner,” is a call to God our Father of mercies (recall an earlier post on mercy). Knowing that he is ‘in need’ (and he may not even know specifically the particular need), the tax collector is willing to open himself to be filled with what he needs from God our Father. In commending himself to the Lord of all, the tax collector does not tell God our Father what to do or how to do it. He trusts that whatever is needed to live life properly will be given. Such a disposition or attitude renders him a changed man.

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Sunday-Week30-2013.

“The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.” (Luke 18:11-12)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Gospel, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“What profit is there in fasting twice in the week if it serves only as a pretext for ignorance and vanity and makes you proud, haughty and selfish? You tithe your possessions and boast about it. In another way, you provoke God’s anger by condemning and accusing other people because of this. You are puffed up, although not crowned by the divine decree for righteousness. On the contrary, you heap praises on yourself. He says, “I am not as the rest of humankind.” Moderate yourself, O Pharisee. Put a door and lock on your tongue. You speak to God who knows all things. Wait for the decree of the judge. No one who is skilled in wrestling ever crowns himself. No one also receives the crown from himself but waits for the summons of the referee…. Lower your pride, because arrogance is accursed and hated by God. It is foreign to the mind that fears God. Christ even said, “Do not judge, and you shall not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.” One of his disciples also said, “There is one lawgiver and judge. Why then do you judge your neighbor?” No one who is in good health ridicules one who is sick for being laid up and bedridden. He is rather afraid, for perhaps he may become the victim of similar sufferings. A person in battle, because another has fallen, does not praise himself for having escaped from misfortune. The weakness of others is not a suitable subject for praise for those who are in health.” (Commentary on Luke, Homily 120)”

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Saturday-Week29-2013.

“And he told them this parable: “There once was a person who had a fig tree planted in his orchard, and when he came in search of fruit on it but found none, he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. [So] cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?” (Luke 13:6-7)

Saint Augustine of Hippo comments on these verses from today’s Gospel:

“The Lord also has something very fitting to say about a fruitless tree, “Look, it is now three years that I have been coming to it. Finding no fruit on it, I will cut it down, to stop it blocking up my field.” The gardener intercedes. This tree is the human race. The Lord visited this tree in the time of the patriarchs, as if for the first year. He visited it in the time of the law and the prophets, as if for the second year. Here we are now; with the gospel the third year has dawned. Now it is as though it should have been cut down, but the merciful one intercedes with the merciful one. He wanted to show how merciful he was, and so he stood up to himself with a plea for mercy. “Let us leave it,” he says, “this year too. Let us dig a ditch around it.” Manure is a sign of humility. “Let us apply a load of manure; perhaps it may bear fruit.” Since it does bear fruit in one part, and in another part does not bear fruit, its Lord will come and divide it. What does that mean, “divide it”? There are good people and bad people now in one company, as though constituting one body.” (Sermon 254)

Almighty ever-living God,
grant that we may always
conform our will to Yours and
serve Your majesty in sincerity of heart.
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.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Friday-Week29-2013.

“If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison.” (Luke 12:58)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Gospel, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“He has shown that it is our duty to be watchful in seeking to be delivered quickly from our sins and to escape from blame before we arrive at the end of our natural lives. Without exception, all of us on earth are guilty of offenses. Wicked Satan has a lawsuit against us and accuses us, because he is the enemy and the exactor. While we are on the way, before we have arrived at the end of our present life, let us deliver ourselves from him. Let us do away with the offenses of which we have been guilty. Let us close his mouth. Let us seize the grace that is by Christ that frees us from all debt and penalty and delivers us from fear and torment. Let us fear that if our impurity is not cleansed away, we will be carried before the judge and given over to the exactors, the tormentors, from whose cruelty no one can escape. They will exact vengeance for every fault, whether it is great or small.” (Commentary on Luke, Homily 95)”

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Thursday-Week29-2013.

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Luke 12:49)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Gospel, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“We affirm that the fire that Christ sent out is for humanity’s salvation and profit. May God grant that all our hearts be full of this. The fire is the saving message of the gospel and the power of its commandments. We were cold and dead because of sin and in ignorance of him who by nature is truly God. The gospel ignites all of us on earth to a life of piety and makes us fervent in spirit, according to the expression of blessed Paul. Besides this, we are also made partakers of the Holy Spirit, who is like fire within us. We have been baptized with fire and the Holy Spirit. We have learned the way from what Christ says to us. Listen to his words: “Truly I say to you, that except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” It is the divinely inspired Scripture’s custom to give the name of fire sometimes to the divine and sacred words and to the efficacy and power which is by the Holy Spirit by which we are made fervent in spirit.” (Commentary on Luke, Homily 94)”

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Wednesday-Week29-2013.

“That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly.” (Luke 12:46-48)

Saint Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“Now if those ignorant of the law are in a worse condition than those who know the law, how can this saying of our Lord in the Gospel be true? “That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make ready or act according to his will shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know and did what deserved a beating shall receive a light beating.” You see that this passage shows clearly a person who knows sins more seriously than one who does not know. Yet we must not on this account take refuge in the darkness of ignorance so as to find there an excuse for our conduct. Not to know is one thing; unwillingness to know is another.” (On Grace and Free Will, 3)

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Tuesday-Week29-2013.

“Gird your loins and light your lamps …” (Luke 12:35)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Gospel, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“The girding of our loins signifies the readiness of the mind to work hard in every thing praiseworthy. Those who apply themselves to bodily labors and are engaged in strenuous toil have their loins girded. The lamp apparently represents the wakefulness of the mind and intellectual cheerfulness. We say that the human mind is awake when it repels any tendency to slumber off into that carelessness that often is the means of bringing it into subjection to every kind of wickedness. When sunk in stupor, the heavenly light within the mind is liable to be endangered, or even already is in danger from a violent and impetuous blast of wind. Christ commands us to be awake. To this, his disciple also arouses us by saying, “Be awake. Be watchful.” Further on, the very wise Paul also says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall give you light.” (Commentary on Luke, Homily 92)”

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Monday-Week29-2013.

“And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods.” (Luke 12:18)

Saint Augustine of Hippo comments on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“The redemption of a man’s soul is his riches.” This silly fool of a man did not have that kind of riches. Obviously he was not redeeming his soul by giving relief to the poor. He was hoarding perishable crops. I repeat, he was hoarding perishable crops, while he was on the point of perishing because he had handed out nothing to the Lord before whom he was due to appear. How will he know where to look, when at that trial he starts hearing the words “I was hungry and you did not give me to eat”? He was planning to fill his soul with excessive and unnecessary feasting and was proudly disregarding all those empty bellies of the poor. He did not realize that the bellies of the poor were much safer storerooms than his barns. What he was stowing away in those barns was perhaps even then being stolen away by thieves. But if he stowed it away in the bellies of the poor, it would of course be digested on earth, but in heaven it would be kept all the more safely. The redemption of a man’s soul is his riches.” (Sermon 36)

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Sunday-Week29-2013.

“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?” (Luke 18:8)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Gospel, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“People sell the word of righteousness and make many abandon sound faith. They involve them in the inventions of devilish error. As Scripture says, they belch things out of their own hearts and not out of the mouth of the Lord. He foretold this saying, “When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” It did not escape his knowledge. How could it, since he is God, who knows all things? In his own words, he tells us that the love of many will grow cold. In the end times, some will depart from a correct and blameless faith. They will be going after seducing spirits and listening to the false words of people who have a seared conscience. Against these, we come near to God as faithful servants, begging him that their wickedness and their attempts against his glory may have no effect.” (Commentary on Luke, Homily 119)

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Saturday-Week28-2013. Canadian (North American) Martyrs

“When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. For the holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say. (Luke 12:11-12).”

Saint Basil the Great offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“The Christian should not fear or be distressed in difficult circumstances and thus be distracted from trust in God. He should take courage as if the Lord were at hand directing his affairs and strengthening him against all his adversaries. It is as if the Holy Spirit were instructing him even as to the very replies he should make to his enemies. (The Morals, 63)”

Today is the feast of the Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests and Companions. The National Shrine to the Canadian Martyrs offers biographies on each of the Canadian Martyrs.

Blessed John Paul II visited Canada in 1984 and spoke about these martyrs when visiting the Shrine.

Here is an excerpt from the spiritual diaries of Saint John de Brebeuf, which is the Second Reading in today’s Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings.

O God,
Who chose to manifest the blessed hope
of your eternal Kingdom by the toil of
Saints John de Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues and
their companions and by the shedding of their blood,
graciously grant that through their intercession
the faith of Christians may be strengthened day by day.
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.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

VOICES EVER ANCIENT, EVER NEW. FRIDAY-WEEK28-2013. SAINT LUKE, EVANGELIST

“Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:3).”

Saint Ambrose of Milan offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“He says this to the seventy disciples whom he appointed and sent out in pairs before his face. Why did he send them two by two? Pairs of animals were sent into the ark, that is, the female with the male, according to number, unclean but cleansed by the sacrament of the church … Those animals are opposites, so that the one eats the other. A good shepherd does not know how to fear wolves for his flock, and therefore he sends those disciples not against a prey but to grace. The forethought of the good Shepherd prevents the wolves from harming the lambs. He sends lambs among wolves in order that the saying may be fulfilled, “Then wolves and lambs shall feed together.” (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 7)”

Today is the feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist. A very good overview of this Gospel is posted in the New American Bible section of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Fr Felix Just SJ provides great resources for many aspects of theological study, including links to insights on prayer from the Gospels, particularly the Gospel according to Saint Luke. Perhaps today can also be an opportunity for some further study about the Sacred Scriptures found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church beginning at paragraph 50 and continuing through to paragraph 141. Also well worth prayerful study are two Church documents, Sancta Mater Ecclesiae (Instruction concerning the Historical Truth of the Gospels) and Dei Verbum (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Vatican II).

Lord God,
Who chose Saint Luke
to reveal by his preaching and writings
the mystery of your love for the poor,
grant that those who already glory in your name,
may persevere as one heart and one soul and
that all nations may merit to see your salvation.
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.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

VOICES EVER ANCIENT, EVER NEW. WEDNESDAY-WEEK28-2013.

“Do you suppose, then, you who judge those who engage in such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?” (Romans 2:3)

Origen of Alexandria offers the following insight on this Pauline verse:

“For this reason it is right for each person to examine his own conscience first and then debate the deeds of the person whom he is judging. If this were to happen, all desire for high ecclesiastical office would vanish from those appointed to it, if those who want to preside over the people were more concerned to judge themselves than to judge others. No one should imagine that he can escape the judgment of God, as the prophet also says: “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?” These things apply most of all to those who preside over the judgment of the people. Scripture also says elsewhere that “judgment will begin at the house of God.” Therefore judgment begins with the children of God first of all, for God chastises everyone whom he accepts into the number of his children. Indeed, I think that even if it were possible, nobody should try to escape God’s judgment, for not to come to God’s judgment is not to come to improvement, to health or to a cure (Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans).”

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

VOICES EVER ANCIENT, EVER NEW. TUESDAY-WEEK28-2013.

“But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you (Luke 11:41).”

Saint Augustine of Hippo offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“What our Lord says, “Give alms, and behold, all things are clean to you,” applies to all useful acts of mercy. It does not apply just to the one who gives food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, hospitality to the wayfarer or refuge to the fugitive. It also applies to one who visits the sick and the prisoner, redeems the captive, bears the burdens of the weak, leads the blind, comforts the sorrowful, heals the sick, shows the erring the right way, gives advice to the perplexed, and does whatever is needful for the needy. Not only does this person give alms, but the person who forgives the trespasser also gives alms as well. He is also a giver of alms who, by blows or other discipline, corrects and restrains those under his command. At the same time he forgives from the heart the sin by which he has been wronged or offended or prays that it be forgiven the offender. Such a person gives alms not only because he forgives and prays but also because he rebukes and administers corrective punishment, since in this he shows mercy. There are many kinds of alms. When we do them, we are helped in receiving forgiveness of our own sins. (Enchiridion, 19)”

Today is the memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus. In February 2011, Pope Benedict XVI devoted his weekly audience to a reflection on the life and insights of this Doctor of the Church. An excerpt from of Saint Teresa’s work is provided here. This is also the Second Reading in today’s Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings.

As a Doctor of the Church, Saint Teresa’s teachings and writings provide authentic help in living the life of Jesus Christ. Among many of her contributions, Saint Teresa is known for her teachings on prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church provides some points to ponder concerning prayer. Some of the references are from Saint Teresa’s works.

O God,
Who through your Spirit
raised up Saint Teresa of Jesus
to show the Church the way to seek perfection,
grant that we may always be nourished
by the food of her heavenly teaching
and fired with longing for true holiness.
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.

“Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours, no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes through which to look out
Christ’s compassion to the world.
Yours are the feet with which
He is to go about doing good.
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.”

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

ἐλεέω (eleeo): MERCY - a WORD for SUNDAY.

From this Sunday’s Gospel: “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 (ἐλέησον, eleeson) on us (Luke 17:11-12)!”

When 10 lepers saw Jesus and cried out “Have pity on us,” what were they expecting? It is a question worth asking because it can, among many points of interest, help us appreciate what pity or mercy meant in the time of Jesus. The Greek verb ἐλεέω (eleeo), translated in this Sunday’s proclamation as [to] have pity, can also be rendered into English as “to have compassion” as well as “give, show, obtain or receive mercy” according to a variety of lexicons. But even with that information, it does not seem to give us a clear meaning of what it means ‘to pity’ or ‘to show mercy.’

ἐλεέω (eleeo), around the time of Plato, described a feeling (or an emotion) that responded to unfortunate events that befell another person or persons. Whatever the other person experienced, ἐλεέω (eleeo) clearly conveyed that things were not good. As a response, ἐλεέω (eleeo) furthermore implied, in the words of Jerry Seinfeld, “that’s a shame.” In other words, one recognized that what happened was bad AND I am happy, happy, happy that it did not happen to me! Certainly, decorum dictated that this aspect of ἐλεέω (eleeo)’s meaning was not voiced.

In time, ἐλεέω (eleeo) began to mean more than a feeling or emotion. It is hard to determine precisely and clearly, but some textual and historical evidence seems to suggest that ἐλεέω (eleeo) was influenced by Jewish life expressed by the Hebrew word hesed. In fact, when the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek (the Septuagint), ἐλεέω (eleeo) was the Greek word used for hesed. But ἐλεέω (eleeo) at that time did not have the depth of meaning conveyed by hesed. Among the Jewish people, hesed was grounded in the context of relational living, regardless of whether or not the relationship was between or among equals. In other words, hesed factored into relationships whether one was speaking of God and humanity, friend to friend or a king and his slave. In these an other relationships, hesed acknowledged a connection among persons and because of that connection a person had to act - 'had to do hesed' when another person was in need. hesed, consequently, expressed action not emotion or feeling alone.

Thus by the time of Jesus’ Public Ministry, ἐλεέω (eleeo) was understood an action done to alleviate the burden that had befallen another person. ἐλεέω (eleeo) responded to what was judged a lack of some element necessary for life. It became clearer when this pointed to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Those who have no food, no companionship, no clothing do not want a sentiment or a feeling. People in those situations want food, companionship and clothing – to name only a few. People who are in need of forgiveness, comfort or prayer do not want ‘nice thoughts’ or a good intentions – they need forgiveness, comfort and prayer. It is the obligation of the disciple of Jesus to do all in his/her power to make it happen to the best of his/her grace-initiated and grace-assisted abilities. As far as Jesus is concerned, eternal life hangs in the balance – a point Archbishop Charles Chaput made bluntly in an interview when asked if there would be cutbacks on services to the poor: “If we don’t love the poor, and do all we can to improve their lot, we're going to go to Hell!”

So what did the 10 lepers want when they cried out to Jesus? No doubt, each of them wanted their skin cleansed and healed, just ask anyone with any type of skin affliction - it’s a ‘no-brainer.’ Yet Jesus knew they needed more – they needed a connection with Him (the Gift of Faith) which one of them was able to recognize because he was thankful.

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Sunday-Week28-2013.

“So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean (II Kings 5:14).”

Saint Ephrem the Syrian offers the following insight on these verses from today’s First Reading:

“After Naaman had been persuaded by the prophet and had washed seven times in the Jordan, he eventually acknowledged his error. He was astonished, and a deep bewilderment took him when he realized that he had been delivered from his filthiness. And he thanked God for his healing and testified that the Lord of the universe, in his profound care for him, had conceded him that extraordinary power by simply using water. He also proclaimed that his healing could not have derived from the water of the river but had been caused by Elisha’s command. That is why he offered royal presents, but the prophet did not accept them and was not persuaded by the donor, even though he had pressed him many times. For that magnificently and very clearly prefigured the mystery of the healing, which is freely granted to all nations of the earth by our Lord through the intercession of the apostles. And this had been promised in advance to those masters by the prophet Isaiah, when he said, “You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.” Since all diseases are a sort of bondage, the prophet necessarily fixed the healing at the seventh bath, in parallel with the fact that the Law, too, orders and promises freedom for the slave at the seventh year (On the Second Book of Kings, 5).”

May your grace, O Lord, we pray,
at all times go before us
and follow after and make us
always determined to carry out good works.
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.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Saturday-Week27-2013.

“While he was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it. (Luke 11:28-29)”

Saint Augustine of Hippo offers the following insight on these verses from today’s Gospel:

“Mary was more blessed in accepting the faith of Christ than in conceiving the flesh of Christ. To someone who said, “Blessed is the womb that bore you,” he replied, “Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.” Finally, for his brothers, his relatives according to the flesh who did not believe in him, of what advantage was that relationship? Even her maternal relationship would have done Mary no good unless she had borne Christ more happily in her heart than in her flesh. (Holy Virginity, 3)”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Friday-Week27-2013

“But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luke 11:20)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Mass Readings, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“By the finger of God, he means the Holy Spirit. The Son is called the hand and arm of God the Father because he does all things by the Son, and the Son in a similar way works by the Spirit. Just as the finger is attached to the hand as something not foreign from it but belonging to it by nature, so also the Holy Spirit, by reason of his being equal in substance, is joined in oneness to the Son, although he proceeds from God the Father. The Son does every thing by the consubstantial Spirit. Here he purposely says that by the finger of God he casts out devils, speaking as a man. (Commentary on Luke, Homily 81)”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Thursday-Week27-2013.

“What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? (Luke 11:11-12)”

Saint Augustine of Hippo offers the following insight on these verses from today’s Gospel:

“Of those three things that the apostle commends, faith is either signified by the fish, because of the water of baptism, or because it remains unharmed by the waves of this world. The Serpent is opposed to it, because it craftily and deceitfully persuaded man not to believe in God. The egg symbolizes hope, because the chick is not yet alive but will be; it is not yet seen but is hoped. “Hope that is seen is not hope.” The scorpion is opposed to hope, because whoever hopes for eternal life forgets the things that are behind and reaches out to those that are before. It is dangerous for him to look backward, and he is on guard against the rear of the scorpion, which has a poisoned dart in its tail. Bread symbolizes love, because “the greatest of these is love,” and among foods, bread certainly surpasses all others in value. The stone is opposed to it because the stonehearted cast out love. It may be that these gifts signify something more appropriate, yet he who knows how to give good gifts to his children urges us to ask, seek and knock. (Letter 130)”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Wednesday-Week27-2013.

”He [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:4)

Origen of Alexandria offers the following insight on this verse from today's Gospel:

“I think that one of Jesus’ disciples was conscious in himself of human weakness, which falls short of knowing how we ought to pray…. Are we then to conclude that a man who was brought up in the instruction of the law, who heard the words of the prophets and did not fail to attend the synagogue, did not know how to pray until he saw the Lord praying “in a certain place?” It would certainly be foolish to say this. The disciple prayed according to the customs of the Jews, but he saw that he needed better knowledge about the subject of prayer.” (On Prayer, 2)

“Give us each day our daily bread … ” (Luke 11:3)

Saint John Cassian offers the following insight on this verse from today's Gospel:

“Give us this day our supersubstantial bread.” Another Evangelist uses the term daily. The first expression indicates that this bread has a noble and substantial character by which its exalted splendor and holiness surpass all substances and all creatures. With “daily” the Evangelist shows that without this bread we cannot live a spiritual life for even a day. When he says “this day,” he shows that the bread must be eaten each day. It will not be enough to have eaten yesterday unless we eat similarly today. May our daily poverty encourage us to pour out this prayer at all times, for there is no day on which it is unnecessary for us to eat this bread to strengthen the heart of the person within us. “Daily” can also be understood as referring to our present life. That is, “give us this bread while we linger in this present world.” We know that in the time to come you will give it to whoever deserves it, but we ask that you give it to us today. He who has not received it in this life will not be able to partake of it in that next life. (Conference, 9)”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Tuesday-Week27-2013.

“The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)

Saint John Cassian offers the following insight on these verses from today's Gospel:

“To cling always to God and to the things of God—this must be our major effort, this must be the road that the heart follows unswervingly. Any diversion, however impressive, must be regarded as secondary, low-grade and certainly dangerous. Martha and Mary provide a most beautiful scriptural paradigm of this outlook and of this mode of activity. In looking after the Lord and his disciples, Martha did a very holy service. Mary, however, was intent on the spiritual teaching of Jesus, and she stayed by his feet, which she kissed and anointed with the oil of her good faith…. In saying “Mary chose the good portion,” he was saying nothing about Martha, and in no way was he giving the appearance of criticizing her. Still, by praising Mary he was saying that the other was a step below her. Again, by saying “it will not be taken away from her,” he was showing that Martha’s role could be taken away from her, since the service of the body can only last as long as the human being is there, whereas the zeal of Mary can never end. (Conference, 1)”

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Monday-Week27-2013.

Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead …” (Luke 10:30)

Origen of Alexandria offers the following insight on this parable from today's Gospel:

“One of the elders wanted to interpret the parable as follows. The man who was going down is Adam. Jerusalem is paradise, and Jericho is the world. The robbers are hostile powers. The priest is the law, the Levite is the prophets, and the Samaritan is Christ. The wounds are disobedience. The beast is the Lord’s body. The pandochium (that is, the stable), which accepts all who wish to enter, is the church. The two denarii mean the Father and the Son. The manager of the stable is the head of the church, to whom its care has been entrusted. The fact that the Samaritan promises he will return represents the Savior’s second coming … The Samaritan, “who took pity on the man who had fallen among thieves,” is truly a “guardian,” and a closer neighbor than the Law and the Prophets. He showed that he was the man’s neighbor more by deed than by word. According to the passage that says, “Be imitators of me, as I too am of Christ,” it is possible for us to imitate Christ and to pity those who “have fallen among thieves.” We can go to them, bind their wounds, pour in oil and wine, put them on our own animals, and bear their burdens. The Son of God encourages us to do things like this. He is speaking not so much to the teacher of the law as to us and to everyone when he says, “Go and do likewise.” If we do, we will receive eternal life in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and power for ages of ages. Amen. (Homilies on the Gospel of Luke, 34)”

Today is the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. Catholic News Agency provides a good summary of the history of this memorial.

One might also consider Blessed John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter On the Rosary of the Virgin Mary.

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord,
Your grace into our hearts,
that we, to whom the
Incarnation of Christ you Son
was made known by the message of an Angel,
may, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
by his Passion and Cross be brought
to the glory of his Resurrection.
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God,
for ever and ever. in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Sunday-Week27-2013.

“And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Mass Readings, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“They ask, “Add faith to us.” They do not ask simply for faith, for perhaps you might imagine them to be without faith. They rather ask Christ for an addition to their faith and to be strengthened in faith. Faith partly depends on us and partly is the gift of the divine grace. The beginning of faith depends on us and our maintaining confidence and faith in God with all our power. The confirmation and strength necessary for this comes from the divine grace. For that reason, since all things are possible with God, the Lord says that all things are possible for him who believes. The power that comes to us through faith is of God. Knowing this, blessed Paul also says in the first epistle to the Corinthians, “For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, and to another faith in the same Spirit.” You see that he has placed faith also in the catalogue of spiritual graces. The disciples requested that they might receive this from the Savior, contributing also what was of themselves. By the descent upon them of the Holy Spirit, he granted it to them after the fulfillment of the dispensation. Before the resurrection, their faith was so feeble that they were liable even to the charge of being “little of faith.” (Commentary on Luke, Homilies 113-116)”

Almighty ever-living God,
Who in the abundance of Your kindness
surpass the merits and the desires
of those who entreat You,
pour out your mercy upon us
to pardon what conscience dreads and
to give what prayer does not dare to ask.
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.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Saturday-Week26-2013.

“The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” (Luke 10:17)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Mass Readings, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“To rejoice only in the fact that they were able to work miracles and crush the herds of demons was possibly likely to produce in them the desire of arrogance. The neighbor and relative of this passion constantly is pride. Most usefully the Savior of all rebukes the first boasting and quickly cuts away the root that sprang up in them—the shameful love of glory. He was imitating good farmers who, when they see a thorn springing up in their parks or gardens, immediately tear it up with the blade of the pickax before it strikes its root deep. (Commentary on Luke, Homily 64)”

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Saint Francis of Assisi 2013.

“Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.” (Luke 10:16)

In commenting on this verse from the Gospel according to Saint Luke from today’s Mass Readings, Cyril of Alexandria writes:

“Christ gives those who love instruction the assurance that whatever is said concerning him by the holy apostles or evangelists is to be received necessarily without any doubt and to be crowned with the words of truth. He who hears them, hears Christ. For the blessed Paul also said, “You desire proof that Christ is speaking in me.” Christ himself somewhere also said to the holy disciples, “For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaks in you.” Christ speaks in them by the consubstantial Spirit. If it is true, and plainly it is, that they speak by Christ, how can they err? He affirms that he who does not hear them, does not hear Christ, and that he who rejects them rejects Christ, and with him the Father. (Commentary on Luke, Homily 63)"

Today is the memorial of Memorial of Saint Francis of Assisi. On 27 January 2010, Pope Benedict devoted his weekly Wednesday audience to reflections on his life and theology.

An excerpt ‘from a letter written to all the faithful’ (which also appears in today’s Liturgy of the Hours, Office of Readings) is presented here along with a brief biography.

While there are many aspects of life associated with Saint Francis such as his respect for Creation (his Canticle of the Creatures is grounded in Psalm 148), depiction of harmony with animals, universal saint - not to mention the many images of Saint Francis in bird baths, Saint Francis is first and foremost the poor man of Assisi who so opened himself to be passionately seized by Jesus Christ that he bore the Sacred Wounds of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Saint Francis’ life is the radical (meaning “at the roots”) living of the Gospel, captured in a prayer that summarizes the life of Il Poverello.

In the early days of his new life in Jesus Christ, Saint Francis spoke of words he received from the Crucified Jesus in a small dilapidated chapel of Saint Dennis (San Damiano). The words - “Go and rebuild my house!” - impelled Francis to go forth into the world living the renewing words and life of Jesus Christ (see Pope Pius XI’s On Saint Francis of Assisi).

With the prayers of Saint Francis, we pray today for Papa Francis, who travels to Assisi this day to pray for all peoples and to guide the renewal of the Church, the Body of Christ, in our time.

O God,
by whose gift Saint Francis
was conformed to Christ
in poverty and humility,
grant that, by walking in Francis' footsteps,
we may follow your Son, and,
through joyful charity, come to be united with you.
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.

Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen!

Voices ever ancient, ever new. Thursday-Week26-2013.

“Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals and greet no one along the way.” (Luke 10:4).”

Saint Cyril of Alexandria offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“When preaching to people everywhere the Word that he spoke and calling the inhabitants of the whole earth to salvation, he requires them to travel about without purse, bag or shoes. They are to travel rapidly from city to city and from place to place. Let no one say that the object of his teaching was to make the holy Apostles refuse the use of the ordinary articles of equipment. What good or what harm would it do them to have shoes on their feet or go without them? By this command, he does wish them to learn and to attempt to practice that they must lay all thought of their livelihood on him. They must call to mind the saint who said, “Cast your care on the Lord, and he will feed you.” He gives what is needful for life to the saints. (Commentary on Luke, Homily 62)”