Saint John Neumann, Bishop (Feast in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia USA)



“So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass. The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties...” (Mark 6:39-40)

Origen of Alexandria (part 2 of Pope Benedict’s reflections on Origen) comments on these verses from the Gospel proclaimed at Mass today:

“I believe that he ordered the people to sit down upon the grass because of what is said in Isaiah: “all flesh is grass;” that is, to humble the flesh, to make subject the arrogance of the flesh; so that each one may become a partaker of the loaves to which Jesus gave his blessing.

Since there are different classes of those who need the food which Jesus supplies, for all are not equally nourished by the same words, on this account I think that Mark has written, “And he commanded them that they should all sit down by companies upon the green grass; and they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties...” For it was necessary that those who were to find comfort in the food of Jesus should either be in the order of the hundred — the sacred number which is consecrated to God because of its completeness; or in the order of the fifty — the number which symbolizes the remission of sins in accordance with the mystery of the Jubilee which took place every fifty years, and of the feast at Pentecost.” (Commentary on Matthew, 11.)



Collect
O God,
Who called the Bishop
Saint John Neumann,
renowned for his
charity and pastoral service,
to shepherd your people in America,
grant by his intercession
that, as we foster the
Christian education of youth
and are strengthened
by the witness of brotherly love,
we may constantly increase
the family of your Church.
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 the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen


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