Daily Gospel for Tuesday, 4 February 2014
“Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words
of real life, eternal life.”(John 6:68, The Message).
Tuesday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day:
SAINT JANE OF VALOIS
Queen and Religious
(+ 1505)
Born of the blood royal of France, herself a queen, Jane of
Valois led a life remarkable for its humiliations even in the annals of the
Saints. Her father, Louis XI., who had hoped for a son to succeed him, banished
Jane from his palace, and, it is said, even attempted her life. At the age of
five the neglected child offered her whole heart to God, and yearned to do some
special service in honor of His blessed Mother.
At the king's wish, though against her own inclination, she was
married to the Duke of Orleans. Towards an indifferent and unworthy husband her
conduct was ever most patient and dutiful. Her prayers and tears saved him from
a traitor's death and shortened the captivity which his rebellion had merited.
Still nothing could win a heart which was already given to another. When her
husband ascended the throne as Louis XII., his first act was to repudiate by
false representations one who through twenty-two years of cruel neglect had
been his true and loyal wife.
At the final sentence of separation, the saintly queen
exclaimed, "God be praised Who has allowed this, that I may serve Him
better . than I have heretofore done." Retiring to Bourges, she there
realized her long-formed desire of founding the Order of the Annunciation, in
honor of the Mother of God.
Under the guidance of St. Francis of Paula, the director of her
childhood, St. Jane was enabled to overcome the serious obstacles which even
good people raised against the foundation of her new Order. In 1501 the rule of
the Annunciation was finally approved by Alexander VI. The chief aim of the
institute was to imitate the ten virtues practised by Our Lady in the mystery
of the Incarnation, the superioress being called "Ancelle," handmaid,
in honor of Mary's humility. St. Jane built and endowed the first convent of
the Order in 1502.
She died in heroic sanctity, 1505, and was buried in the royal
crown and purple, beneath which lay the habit of her Order.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Saint John de Britto
Feastday: February 4
Patron of Portugal, Roman Catholic Diocese of Sivagangai
1647 - 1693
Jesuit martyr in India. He was a native of Lisbon, Portugal, was
dedicated at birth to St. Francis Xavier, and was a noble friend of King Pedro.
He entered the Jesuits at the age of fifteen. In his effort to promote
conversions among the native Indian people as a missionary to Goa, he wandered
through Malabar and other regions and even adopted the customs and dress of the
Brahmin caste which gave him access to the noble classes. In 1683, John had to
leave India but returned in 1691. Arrested, tortured, and commanded to leave
India, he refused and was put to death. Pope Pius XII canonized him in 1947.
Tuesday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time
2 Samuel 18: 9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David.
Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a
great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging[a] between
heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. 10 A man saw it,
and told Joab, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.”
Footnotes:
a. 2 Samuel 18:9 Gk Syr Tg: Heb was put
14 Joab said, “I will not waste time like this with you.” He
took three spears in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom, while
he was still alive in the oak.
24 Now David was sitting between the two gates. The sentinel
went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he looked up, he saw a
man running alone. 25 The sentinel shouted and told the king. The king said,
“If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth.” He kept coming, and drew
near.
30 The king said, “Turn aside, and stand here.” So he turned
aside, and stood still.
31 Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, “Good tidings
for my lord the king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you
from the power of all who rose up against you.” 32 The king said to the
Cushite, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “May
the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like
that young man.”
David Mourns for Absalom
33 [a] The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber
over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my
son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
19: It was told Joab, “The king is weeping and mourning for
Absalom.” 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the
troops; for the troops heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3
The troops stole into the city that day as soldiers steal in who are ashamed
when they flee in battle.
Footnotes:
a. 2 Samuel 18:33 Ch 19.1 in Heb
Psalm 86: Supplication for Help against Enemies
A Prayer of David.
1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and
needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who
trusts in you.
You are my God; 3 be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry
all day long.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I
lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast
love to all who call on you.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my cry of
supplication.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 5: A Girl
Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat[a] to the other
side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of
the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at
his feet 23 and begged him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of
death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.”
24 So he went with him.
And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now
there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26
She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and
she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus, and
came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I
but touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her hemorrhage
stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30
Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the
crowd and said, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 And his disciples said to him,
“You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32
He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had
happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him
the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go
in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the
leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any
further?” 36 But overhearing[b] what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the
synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 He allowed no one to follow him
except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the
house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and
wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a
commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at
him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child’s father and mother and
those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the
hand and said to her, “Talitha cum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42 And
immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of
age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them
that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
Footnotes:
a. Mark 5:21 Other ancient authorities lack in the boat
b. Mark 5:36 Or ignoring; other ancient authorities read hearing
Tuesday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day:
Blessed John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Address of 02/04/1987 to the young people of Chili
"Arise"
My dear young people, it is Christ alone who can give you the
true answer to all your problems! The world needs your personal response to the
master's words of life: “I say to you, Arise!” We see how Jesus comes to meet
humanity in the most difficult and painful of situations. The miracle he
accomplished in Jairus' house shows us his power over evil. He is the Lord of
life, victor over death... Seek Christ! Look towards Christ! Live in Christ!
This is my message: “May Jesus be the keystone (Eph 2,20) of your lives and of
the new civilization you are to build in a spirit of generous solidarity and
sharing. There can be no authentic human growth in peace and justice, in truth
and freedom, without the presence of Christ and his saving strength.”
What does it mean to build your lives on Christ? It means
allowing yourselves to be captured by his love. A love that requires coherence
in your behavior, that demands you conform your actions to the teachings and
commandments of Jesus Christ and his Church, a love that fills our lives with
happiness and a peace the world cannot give (Jn 14,27) though it needs it so
much. Don't be afraid of the demands of Christ's love. To the contrary, fear
cowardliness, superficiality, self-interestedness, egoism, everything that seeks
to silence the voice of Christ who, adressing each one of us, says: “I say to
you, Arise!”
Look to Christ with courage, contemplating his life by means of
a calm reading of the Gospel, trustfully conversing with him in the intimacy of
prayer, in the sacraments and especially the holy eucharist... if you hold
converse with Christ then you too will hear in the depths of your soul the
Lord's demands and his constant encouragement. Jesus continues to speak to you
and say over again: “I say to you, Arise!”
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