Daily Gospel ~ Sunday, 27 October 2013

Daily Gospel ~ Sunday, 27 October 2013

At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.(John 6:68, Messianic WEB)

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Year C
Saint of the Day:

SAINT FRUMENTIUS
Bishop
(4th century)

St. Frumentius was yet a child when his uncle, Meropins of Tyre, took him and his brother Edesius on a voyage to Ethiopia. In the course of their voyage the vessel touched at a certain port, and the barbarians of that country put the crew and all the passengers to the sword, except the two children. They were carried to the king, at Axuma, who, charmed with the wit and sprightliness of the two boys, took special care of their education; and, not long after made Edesius his cup-bearer, and Frumentius, who was the elder, his treasurer and secretary of state; on his death-bed he thanked them for their services, and in recompense gave them their liberty.

After his death the queen begged them to remain a court, and assist her in the government of the state until the young king carne of age. Edesius went back to Tyre, but St. Athanasius ordained Frumentius Bishop of the Ethiopians, and vested with this sacred character he gained great numbers to the Faith, and continued to feed and defend his flock until it pleased the Supreme Pastor to recompense his fidelity and labors

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

Blessed Emilina

Feastday: December 24

St. Gregory the Great had three aunts, sisters to his father, Gordian the regionarius, who led an ascetic religious life in their father's house. Their names were Tarsilla, who was the eldest, Emiliana and Gordiana. Tarsilla and Emiliana were more united by the fervor of their hearts and the bond of charity than by blood. They lived in their father's house on the Clivus Scauri as in a monastery and, encouraging one another to virtue by discourse and example, made great progress in spiritual life. Gordiana joined them, but she was often impatient of silence and retirement and, being called to another way of living, married her guardian. Tarsilla and Emiliana persevered in the path they had chosen, enjoying divine peace and love until they were called to receive the recompense of their fidelity. St. Gregory tells us that Tarsilla was visited one night with a vision of her great-grandfather, Pope St. Felix II (III), who showed a place prepared for her in heaven, saying, "Come; I will receive you into this habitation of light". She fell sick soon after, and as her friends were crowding round her bed, she cried out, "Away! Away! My Saviour Jesus is coming!" After these words she breathed out her soul into the hands of God on the vigil of Christmas. The skin of her knees and elbows was found to be hardened, "like the hide of a camel", by her continual prayer. A few days later she appeared to Emiliana, and called her to celebrate the Epiphany in heaven. Emiliana in fact, died on January 5. Both are named, on the respective days of their death, in the Roman Martyrology. Her feast day is December 24th.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Year C

Book of Sirach 35:12 Give to the Most High as he has given to you,

generously, according to your means.

13 For he is a God who always repays

and will give back to you sevenfold.e

14 But offer no bribes; these he does not accept!

16 He shows no partiality to the weak

but hears the grievance of the oppressed.*

17 He does not forsake the cry of the orphan,h

nor the widow when she pours out her complaint.

18 Do not the tears that stream down her cheek(New American Bible)

Psalm 34:2 My soul shall boast in the LORD.

The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.

3 Oh magnify the LORD with me.

Let us exalt his name together.

17 The righteous cry, and the LORD hears,

and delivers them out of all their troubles.

18 The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart,

and saves those who have a crushed spirit.

19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the LORD delivers him out of them all.(Messianic WEB)

23 The LORD is the redeemer of the souls of his servants;

and none are condemned who take refuge in him.(New American Bible)

2 Timothy 4:6 For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. 8 From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.16 At my first defense, no one came to help me, but all left me. May it not be held against them. 17 But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that through me the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me for his heavenly Kingdom; to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.(Messianic WEB)

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 18:9 He spoke also this parable to certain people who were convinced of their own righteousness, and who despised all others. 10  “Two men went up into the temple to pray; one was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. 11  The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: ‘God, I thank you, that I am not like the rest of men, extortionists, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12  I fast twice a week. I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13  But the tax collector, standing far away, wouldn’t even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”(Messianic WEB)

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ Year C

Commentary of the day:

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

Discourses on the Psalms, Ps 86[85], 2-3

"O God, be merciful to me a sinner"

“Turn your ear, O Lord, and give answer, for I am poor and needy” (Ps 86[85],1). He doesn't turn his ear to the rich man but to the poor and needy one, towards the man who is humble and acknowledges his sins, the one who begs his mercy not the one who is satisfied, who takes a superior position, who vaunts himself as though he lacked for nothing and who has just said: “I thank you that I am not like this publican”. For that rich Pharisee made much of his worthiness; the poor publican confessed his sins...
All those who reject pride are poor before God and we know that he turns his ear to the poor and needy. They have recognized that their hope can't rest in gold or silver or those possessions they own in abundance for a season... When someone despises within himself everything for which pride knows so well how to flatter itself, then that person is one of God's poor. God inclines his ear to him for he knows the sufferings of his heart...
Learn, then, to be poor and needy whether you own something in this world or not. We may find a proud beggar and a rich man who is pierced by the feeling of his own unworthiness. “God refuses the proud” whether they are clothed in silk or covered with rags; “he gives his grace to the humble” (Jas 4,6; Prv 3,34) whether they possess or do not posses this world's goods. God looks on what is within: that's what he weighs, that's what he tests. You don't see God's weights; your feelings, plans, thoughts, these are what he sets on the scale... If there is around or within you something prompting you to self-satisfaction, reject it. Let God be all your certainty. Be poor in him that he may fill you with himself.

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