Daily Gospel for Monday,
14 April 2014
"Simon Peter
answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal
life." John 6:68
Monday of Holy Week
Saints of the Day:
Saint Peter Gonzalez
Dominican Priest
(1190-1246)
Peter Gonzales, also
known as St. Elmo or St. Telmo, was born to a Castilian family of nobility. He
was educated by his uncle, the Bishop of Astorga, named canon of the local
cathedral, famous for his penances and mortifications, joined the Dominican
Order, preached and made chaplain of the court of King St. Ferdinand III.
He converted and
influenced the soldiers of his country, evangelized, and died on Easter Sunday.
Peter evangelized throughout his country and all along the coast.
He had a special
fondness for sailors. He used to visit them aboard their ships, preaching the
Gospel and praying for their needs.
From Catholic Online
SAINT BENEZET, or Little Bennet
(1165-1184)
St. Benezet kept his
mother's sheep in the country, and as a mere child was devoted to practices of
piety. As many persons were drowned in crossing the Rhone, Benezet was inspired
by God to build a bridge over that rapid river at Avignon. He obtained the
approbation of the bishop, proved his mission by miracles, and began the work
in 1177, which he directed during seven years.
He died when the
difficulty of the undertaking was over, in 1184.
This is attested by
public monuments drawn up at that time and still preserved at Avignon, where
the story is in everybody's month. His body was buried upon the bridge itself,
which was not completely finished till four years after his decease, the
structure whereof was attended with miracles from the first laying of the
foundations till it was completed in 1188.
Other miracles wrought
after this at his tomb induced the city to build a chapel upon the bridge, in which his body lay nearly five
hundred years. But in 1669 a greater part of the bridge falling down through
the impetuosity of the waters, the coffin was taken up, and being opened in
1670 in presence of the grand vicar, during the vacancy of the archiepiscopal
see, the body was found entire, without the least sign of corruption; even the
bowels were perfectly sound, and the color of the eyes lively and sprightly,
though, through the dampness of the situation, the iron bars about the coffin
were much damaged with rust.
The body was found in
the same condition by the Archbishop of Avignon in 1674, when, accompanied by
the Bishop of Orange and a great concourse of nobility, he performed the
translation of it, with great pomp, into the Church of the Celestines, this
Order having obtained of Louis XIV. the honor of being intrusted with the
custody of his relics till such time as the bridge and chapel should be
rebuilt.
Lives of the Saints, by
Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Saints Tiburtius, Valerian & Maximus
Sts. Tiburtius, Valerian and Maximus, Martyrs
CeciliaValerianTiburtius
Feast: 14 April
Died: 229
In the Church, the lives
of these three saints have always been celebrated in union, according to the
ancient calendar of Fronto and Saint Jerome’s Martyrology.
It was the third century
and Valerian was married to a pious woman named Cecily (later to be known as
St. Cecily). Because of the influence of his wife’s great piety, Valerian was
brought to the Christian faith. The holy couple also influenced his brother,
Tiburtius, and he in turn converted to the faith.
This was a time of great
persecution of Christians and soon Valerian and Tiburtius were arrested and
sentenced to death. Their executioner was a man named Maximus, a Roman soldier.
Maximus was amazed at the great courage and joy these men had in the face of
death. How happy and willing they were to die for their faith! This was a great
witness to Maximus. Because of their holy zeal, Valerian and Tiburtius became
the instruments of the conversion of Maximus. The three were executed together
and received their crowns of martyrdom in the year 229.
It is believed that they
were killed in Rome, although some records state Sicily. They were buried in
the place of Praetextatus. In the year 740, Pope Gregory III had their monument
repaired. Adrian I had a church erected under their patronage. Pope Paschal,
however, transferred their remains to Rome and had them placed in the Church of
St. Cecily, where they remain today.
Lessons
We see by the conversion
of these men how contagious the faith can be when we live our lives in holy
zeal. St. Cecily, by her example, converted her husband and he in turn by his
virtue drew the attention of his brother who also converted. The two brothers,
in their great joy and courage, were able to bring Maximus, a pagan soldier, to
the Lord. What an example these saints are still showing us today — if we live
our lives in great love and devotion, we too, can draw others to Jesus!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, forgive
us for the times we are silent in the face of evil. Forgive us for lost
opportunities to tell others about Jesus. Help us, Father, to be like these
holy martyrs, Sts. Tiburtius, Valerian and Maximus. May we recall their lives
when we are pondering whether to speak, and in boldness may we speak the truth.
Amen.
Monday of Holy Week
Isaiah 42:1 “Behold, my
servant, whom I uphold;
my chosen, in whom my soul delights—
I have put my Spirit on him.
He will bring justice to the nations.
2 He will not shout,
nor raise his voice,
nor cause it to be heard in the street.
3 He won’t break a
bruised reed.
He won’t quench a dimly burning wick.
He will faithfully bring justice.
4 He will not fail nor
be discouraged,
until he has set justice in the earth,
and the islands will wait for his law.”
5 Thus says God Yahweh,
he who created the heavens and stretched
them out,
he who spread out the earth and that which
comes out of it,
he who gives breath to its people and
spirit to those who walk in it.
6 “I, Yahweh, have
called you in righteousness,
and will hold your hand,
and will keep you,
and make you a covenant for the people,
as a light for the nations;
7 to open the blind eyes,
to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon,
and those who sit in darkness out of the
prison.
--------
Holy Gospel of Jesus
Christ according to John 12:1 Then six days before the Passover, Jesus came to
Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2
So they made him a supper there. Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those
who sat at the table with him. 3 Mary, therefore, took a pound[a] of ointment
of pure nard, very precious, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet
with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. 4 Then
Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said,
5 “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii,[b] and given to the
poor?” 6 Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he
was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it. 7 But
Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She has kept this for the day of my burial. 8 For
you always have the poor with you, but you don’t always have me.”
9 A large crowd
therefore of the Jews learned that he was there, and they came, not for Jesus’
sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the
dead. 10 But the chief priests conspired to put Lazarus to death also, 11
because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Footnotes:
a. John 12:3 a Roman
pound of 12 ounces, or about 340 grams
b. John 12:5 300 denarii
was about a year’s wages for an agricultural laborer.
Monday of Holy Week
Commentary for Today:
Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890), priest,
founder of a religious community, theologian
Sermon « The Tears of Christ at the Grave of Lazarus
», PPS, vol. 3, no.10
" Let her keep this perfumed oil for the day of
my burial"
"When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the
tomb four days... Then Jesus wept" (Jn 11,17.35). What led our Lord to
weep before the tomb of Lazarus?.. He wept from very sympathy with the grief of
others...; he began to look around upon the miseries of the world...
Alas! there were other thoughts still to call forth his tears. This
marvellous benefit to the forlorn sisters, how was it to be attained? At his
own cost... Christ was bringing life to the dead by his own death. His
disciples would have dissuaded him from going into Judea, lest the Jews should
kill him (Jn 11,8). Their apprehension was fulfilled. He went to raise Lazarus,
and the fame of that miracle was the immediate cause of his seizure and
crucifixion (Jn 11,53). This he knew beforehand...: he saw Lazarus raised; the
supper in Martha's house; Lazarus sitting at table; joy on all sides of him;
Mary honouring her Lord on this festive occasion by the outpouring of the very
costly ointment upon his feet; the Jews crowding not only to see him, but
Lazarus also; his triumphant entry into Jerusalem; the multitude shouting
Hosanna; the people testifying to the raising of Lazarus; the Greeks, who had
come up to worship at the feast, earnest to see him; the children joining in
the general joy; and then the Pharisees plotting against him, Judas betraying
him, his friends deserting him, and the cross receiving him...
He felt that Lazarus was wakening to life at his own sacrifice; that he
was descending into the grave which Lazarus left. He felt that Lazarus was to
live and he to die; the appearance of things was to be reversed; the feast was
to be kept in Martha's house, but the last passover of sorrow remained for him.
And he knew that this reverse was altogether voluntary with him. He had come
down from his Father's bosom to be an atonement of blood for all sin, and
thereby to raise all believers from the grave.
-------
No comments:
Post a Comment