Voices ever ancient, ever new. Lent, Week 2: Friday

“Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes’?” (Matthew 21:42)

In an ancient work known as the Incomplete Work on Matthew, an anonymous Christian writer offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“Christ is called a stone for two reasons. First, because his foundation is solid and no one who stands upon him will fall victim to deceitful charms or be moved by the storms of persecution. Second, Christ is called a stone because in him is the ultimate destruction of the wicked, for just as everything which collides with a stone is shattered while the stone itself remains intact, so also everyone who opposes the Christian faith will himself be ruined, but Christianity will remain untouched. This is the sense in which Christ is the great stone. “Whoever falls on it will be broken to pieces, but it will crush those upon whom it falls.” It is one thing to be broken but something else again to be crushed, for sizeable pieces of whatever is broken remain, but whatever gets crushed is reduced to dust and utterly eliminated. The stone does not break those who fall upon it, but they break themselves who fall on the stone. Their destruction therefore is not attributable to the stone’s strength but to the violence with which they fall upon it.” (Homily 40)

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Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that, purifying us by the sacred practice of penance,
you may lead us in sincerity of heart
to attain the holy things to come.
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.

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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. Lent, Week 1: Monday.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, ...” (Matthew 25:35)

In an ancient work known as the Incomplete Work on Matthew, an anonymous Christian writer offers the following insight on this verse from today’s Gospel:

“This can also be said of teachers who gave the food of learning to those hungry for righteousness, so they might be fed and grow healthy in good actions; who administered the drink of truth to those thirsty for the knowledge of God. Teaching in the Word, they certainly fed them and also gave to drink, baptizing in the Holy Spirit those who are strangers in the world. For all souls are truly strangers on this earth who can say, “For I am your passing guest, a sojourner, like all my fathers.” Preaching the word of faith, they welcome souls from the spreading of error and make them fellow citizens and family members of the saints. They welcome Christ himself and clothe, by teaching righteousness, those who are naked and even without a garment of righteousness. As is written: “Put on, then, compassion, faith, peace and kindness.” That is to say, they clothe Christ and baptize them in Christ, as is written: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”” (Homily 54)

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Convert us, O God our Savior,
and instruct our minds by heavenly teaching,
that we may benefit from the works of Lent.
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.

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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. Lent: Saturday after Ash Wednesday

“Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them.” (Luke 5:29)

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

“People are hungry when Christ is absent and they lack the abundance of good desserts. Truly, one for whom his own virtue suffices for pleasure, who receives Christ in his own home, prepares a great feast. It is a spiritual banquet of good works, at which the rich people go without and the poor one feasts. It says, “The sons of the Bridegroom cannot fast while the Bridegroom is with them.” (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke, 5)

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Almighty ever-living God,
look with compassion on our weakness
and ensure us your protection
by stretching forth the right hand of your majesty.
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.

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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. Ordinary Time Week 6: Thursday.

“Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way He asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Messiah.” (Mark 8:27-29)

Saint Bede the Venerable comments on these verses from today’s Gospel Reading:

“We note that the Lord called himself “Son of man,” while Nathanael proclaimed him “Son of God.” Similarly is the account in the Gospels where Jesus himself asks the disciples who people say the Son of man is, and Peter answers, “You are the Christ, Son of the living God.” This was done under the guidance of the economy of righteousness. It shows that the two natures of the one mediator are affirmed: his divinity and his humanity, and attested both by our Lord himself and by human mouths. By this means the God-man declared the weakness of the humanity assumed by him. Those purely human would themselves declare the power of eternal divinity in him.

“Messiah” in the Hebrew language means “Christ” in Greek; in Latin it is interpreted as “the Anointed One.” Hence “chrisma” in Greek means “anointing” in Latin. The Lord is named Christ, that is, the Anointed One, because, as Peter says, “God has anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power.” Hence the Psalmist also speaks in his praise, “God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.” He calls us his companions since we have also been fully anointed with visible chrism for the reception of the grace of the Holy Spirit in baptism, and we are called “Christians” from Christ’s name. (Homilies on the Gospels, 1)

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O God,
Who teach us that You abide
in hearts that are just and true,
grant that we may be so fashioned by Your grace
as to become a dwelling pleasing to 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.

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