"Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life." (John 6:68)
Wednesday of the Second week of Easter
Saints of the day:
ST PIUS V
Pope
(1504-1572)
A Dominican friar from his fifteenth year, Michael Ghislieri, as a simple religious, as inquisitor, as bishop, and as cardinal, was famous for his intrepid defence of the Church's faith and discipline, and for the spotless purity of his own life.His first care as Pope was to reform the Roman court and capital by the strict example of his household and the severe punishment of all offenders. He next endeavored to obtain from the Catholic powers the recognition of the Tridentine decrees, two of which he urgently enforced-the residence of bishops, and the establishment of diocesan seminaries.
He revised the Missal and Breviary, and reformed the ecclesiastical music. Nor was he less active in protecting the Church.
We see him at the same time supporting the Catholic King of France against the Huguenot rebels, encouraging Mary Queen of Scots, in the bitterness of her captivity, and excommunicating her rival the usurper Elizabeth, when the best blood of England had flowed upon the scaffold, and the measure of her crimes was full.
But it was at Lepanto that the Saint's power was most manifest; there, in October, 1571, by the holy league which he had formed, but still more by his prayers to the great Mother of God, the aged Pontiff crushed the Ottoman forces, and saved Christendom from the Turk.
Six months later, St. Pius died, having reigned but six years.
St. Pius was accustomed to kiss the feet of his crucifix on leaving or entering his room. One day the feet moved away from his lips. Sorrow filled his heart, and he made acts of contrition, fearing that he must have committed some secret offence, but still he could not kiss the feet. It was afterwards found that they had been poisoned by an enemy.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Wednesday of the Second week of Easter
Acts of the Apostles 5:17 But the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy, 18 and laid hands on the apostles, and put them in public custody. 19 But an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors by night, and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.”
21 When they heard this, they entered into the temple about daybreak, and taught. But the high priest came, and those who were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But the officers who came didn’t find them in the prison. They returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison shut and locked, and the guards standing before the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside!”
24 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these words, they were very perplexed about them and what might become of this. 25 One came and told them, “Behold, the men whom you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.” 26 Then the captain went with the officers, and brought them without violence, for they were afraid that the people might stone them.
Psalms 34:2 My soul shall boast in Yahweh.
The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.
3 Oh magnify Yahweh with me.
Let us exalt his name together.
4 I sought Yahweh, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to him, and were radiant.
Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
6 This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 Yahweh’s angel encamps around those who fear him,
and delivers them.
8 Oh taste and see that Yahweh is good.
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9 Oh fear Yahweh, you his saints,
for there is no lack with those who fear him.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 17 For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him. 18 He who believes in him is not judged. He who doesn’t believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. 19 This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn’t come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God.”
Wednesday of the Second week of Easter
Commentary of the day:
Saint Clement of Alexandria (150- c.215), theologian
Exhortation to the Greeks, 11, 113 ; GCS 1, 79 (trans.©Friends of Henry Ashworth)
"Light came into the world"
“The commandment of the Lord shines clearly, enlightening the eyes” (Ps 18 [19].9). Receive Christ, receive power to see, receive your light, that you may plainly recognize both God and man... Let us open ourselves to the light, then, and so to God. Let us open ourselves to the light, and become disciples of the Lord... Let us, then, shake off forgetfulness of truth, shake off the mist of ignorance and darkness that dims our eyes, and contemplate the true God... For upon us buried in darkness, imprisoned in the shadow of death, a heavenly light has shone, a light of a clarity surpassing the sun's, and of a sweetness exceeding any this earthly life can offer. That light is eternal life, and those who receive it live. Night, on the other hand, is afraid of the light, and melting away in terror gives place to the day of the Lord. Unfailing light has penetrated everywhere, and sunset has turned into dawn. This is the meaning of the new creation (Gal 6,15; Rv 21,1) for the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 3,20), pursuing his course through the universe, visits all alike, in imitation of his Father, “who makes his sun rise upon all” (Mt 5,45) and bedews everyone with his truth... He it is who has changed sunset into dawn and death into life by his crucifixion; he it is who has snatched the human race from perdition and exalted it to the skies. Transplanting what was corruptible to make it incorruptible he has transformed earth into heaven...
He deifies us by his heavenly teaching, by “instilling his laws into our minds, and writing them on our hearts. That all, be they of high estate or low, shall know God. And I will be merciful to them, God says, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jr 31,33f.). Let us accept the laws of life, then; let us obey God's promptings; let us learn to know him.
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