Daily Gospel ~ Wednesday, 6 November 2013
At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.(John 6:68, Messianic WEB)
Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day:
SAINT LEONARD OF NOBLAC
(† c. 550)
(† c. 550)
Leonard, one of the chief personages of the court of Clovis, and for whom this monarch had stood as sponsor in baptism, was so moved by the discourse and example of St. Remigius that he relinquished the world in order to lead a more perfect life.
The Bishop of Rheims having trained Leonard to virtue, he became the apostle of such of the Franks as still remained pagans; but fearing that he might be summoned to the court by his reputation for sanctity, he withdrew secretly to the monastery of Micy, near Orleans, and afterwards to the solitude of Noblac near Limoges.
His charity not allowing him to remain inactive while there was so much good to be done, he undertook the work of comforting prisoners, making them understand that the captivity of sin was more terrible than any mere bodily constraint. He won over a great many of these unfortunate persons, which gained for him many disciples, in whose behalf he founded a new monastery.
St. Leonard died about the year 550.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Book of Romans 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,”* “You shall not covet,” ✡ and whatever other commandments there are, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”✡ 10 Love doesn’t harm a neighbor. Love therefore is the fulfillment of the law. (Messianic WEB)
Psalm 112:1 Praise the LORD!*
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who delights greatly in his commandments.
2 His offspring† will be mighty in the land.
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright,
gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends.
He will maintain his cause in judgment.
9 He has dispersed, he has given to the poor.
His righteousness endures forever.
His horn will be exalted with honor.(Messianic WEB)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 14:25 Now great multitudes were going with him. He turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me, and doesn’t disregard† his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he can’t be my disciple. 27 Whoever doesn’t bear his own cross, and come after me, can’t be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Or perhaps, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, everyone who sees begins to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build, and wasn’t able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, as he goes to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an envoy, and asks for conditions of peace. 33 So therefore whoever of you who doesn’t renounce all that he has, he can’t be my disciple.(Messianic WEB)
Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day:
Saint Josémaria Escriva de Balaguer (1902-1975), priest, founder
Homily of 01/02/1960 in Amigos de Dios, ch. 4, pts. 65-66
Building a tower
I used to enjoy climbing up the cathedral towers at Burgos [with some young people] to get a close view of the ornamentation at the top, a veritable lacework of stone that must have been the result of very patient and laborious craftsmanship. As I chatted with the young men who accompanied me I used to point out that none of the beauty of this work could be seen from below. To give them a material lesson... I would say: “This is God's work, this is working for God! To finish your personal work perfectly, with all the beauty and exquisite refinement of this tracery stonework.” Seeing it, my companions would understand that all the work we had seen was a prayer, a loving dialogue with God. The men who spent their energies there were quite aware that no one at street level could appreciate their efforts. Their work was for God alone...
'Since we are convinced that God is to be found everywhere, we plow our fields praising the Lord, we sail the seas and ply all our other trades singing his mercies. Doing things this way we are united to God at every moment... But don't forget that you are also in the presence of men, and that they expect from you, from you personally, a Christian witness.
Thus, as regards the human aspect of our job, we must work in such a way that we will not feel ashamed when those who know us and love us see us at our work, nor give them cause to feel embarrassed... You will not be like the man in the parable who set out to build a tower: “When he had laid the foundations and was unable to finish, all who beheld him began to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish.” Believe me. If you don't lose your supernatural outlook, you will crown your work. You will finish your cathedral to the very last stone.
'Since we are convinced that God is to be found everywhere, we plow our fields praising the Lord, we sail the seas and ply all our other trades singing his mercies. Doing things this way we are united to God at every moment... But don't forget that you are also in the presence of men, and that they expect from you, from you personally, a Christian witness.
Thus, as regards the human aspect of our job, we must work in such a way that we will not feel ashamed when those who know us and love us see us at our work, nor give them cause to feel embarrassed... You will not be like the man in the parable who set out to build a tower: “When he had laid the foundations and was unable to finish, all who beheld him began to mock him, saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish.” Believe me. If you don't lose your supernatural outlook, you will crown your work. You will finish your cathedral to the very last stone.
~~~~~~~
No comments:
Post a Comment