Daily Gospel for Monday, 21 July 2014

Daily Gospel for Monday, 21 July 2014
"Peter replied, 'Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy 38-42One of God.'"(John 6:68-69)
Monday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time
Saints of the Day:
SAINT LAWRENCE OF BRINDISI
Priest and Doctor of the Church
(1559-1619)

Lawrence was born at Brindisi, in Apulia. As a young man he entered the Capuchin Order. He acquired a thorough knowledge of philosophy and theology and became proficient in several languages, ancient as well as modern.
When he became a priest, he undertook the task of preaching, in which he labored unflinchingly throughout almost all of Italy and other European countries. Possessed of unusual prudence and the gift of counsel as well, he was made Superior of his whole Order, and was often employed by the Popes on very important diplomatic missions. One of his greatest achievements was to persuade Christian leaders to unite their forces against the threatening onslaughts of the Turks. When the Christian army was assembled in Hungary, Lawrence rode at their head with the cross and, encouraging the soldiers and their officers, they gained a very celebrated victory.
In spite of the pressure of so many great activities he practiced to an heroic degree the virtues of a religious. Whatever spare time he had, he would devote to prayer, wonderfully combining the interior life with external enterprises.
Finally at Lisbon, to which he was sent by the people of Naples as their spokesman before the King of Spain, a strenuous defender of Christian liberty and justice, he succumbed as it were in battle, in the year 1619.
He left many writings defending the Catholic faith against heresies, and explaining Sacred Scripture.
Pope Leo XIII added him to the number of the saints, and pope John XXIII declared him a Doctor of the universal Church.
The Roman Breviary (1964)
SAINT VICTOR 
Martyr
(3rd century)

The Emperor Maximian, reeking with the blood of the Thebæan legion and many other martyrs, arrived at Marseilles, where the Church then flourished. The tyrant breathed here nothing but slaughter and fury, and his coming filled the Christians with fear and alarm. In this general consternation, Victor, a Christian officer in the troops, went about in the night-time from house to house, visiting the faithful and inspiring them with contempt of a temporal death and the love of eternal life.
He was surprised in this, and brought before the prefects Asterius and Eutychius, who exhorted him not to lose the fruit of all his services and the favor of his prince for the worship of a dead man, as they called Jesus Christ. He answered that he renounced those recompenses if he could not enjoy them without being unfaithful to Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who vouchsafed to become man for our salvation, but who raised Himself from the dead, and reigns with the Father, being God equally with Him. The whole court heard him with shouts of rage. Victor was bound hand and foot and dragged through the streets of the city, exposed to the blows and insults of the populace. He was brought back bruised and bloody to the tribunal of the prefects, who, thinking his resolution must have been weakened by his sufferings, pressed him again to adore their gods. But the martyr, filled with the Holy Ghost, expressed his respect for the emperor and his contempt for their gods. He was then hoisted on the rack and tortured a long time, until, the tormentors being at last weary, the prefect ordered him to be taken down and thrown into a dark dungeon. At midnight, God visited him by His angels; the prison was filled with a light brighter than that of the sun, and the martyr sung with the angels the praises of God.
Three soldiers who guarded the prison, seeing this light, cast themselves at the martyr's feet, asked his pardon, and desired Baptism. Victor instructed them as well as time would permit, sent for priests the same night, and, going with them to the seaside, had them baptized, and returned with them again to his prison. The next morning Maximian was informed of the conversion of the guards, and in a transport of rage sent officers to bring them all four before him. The three soldiers persevered in the confession of Jesus Christ, and by the emperor's orders were forthwith beheaded.
Victor, after having been exposed to the insults of the whole city and beaten with clubs and scourged with leather thongs, was carried back to prison, where he continued three days, recommending to God his martyrdom with many tears. After that term the emperor called him again before his tribunal, and commanded the martyr to offer incense to a statue of Jupiter. Victor went up to the profane altar, and by a kick of his foot threw it down. The emperor ordered the foot to be forthwith chopped off, which the Saint suffered with great joy, offering to God these first-fruits of his body. A few moments after, the emperor condemned him to be put under the grindstone of a hand-mill and crushed to death. The executioners turned the wheel, and when part of his body was bruised and crushed the mill broke down. The Saint still breathed a little, but his head was immediately ordered to be cut off.
His and the other three bodies were thrown into the sea, but, being cast ashore, were buried by the Christians in a grotto hewn out of a rock.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Monday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Micah 6: What God Is Looking For
1-2 Listen now, listen to God:
“Take your stand in court.
    If you have a complaint, tell the mountains;
    make your case to the hills.
And now, Mountains, hear God’s case;
    listen, Jury Earth—
For I am bringing charges against my people.
    I am building a case against Israel.
3-5 “Dear people, how have I done you wrong?
    Have I burdened you, worn you out? Answer!
I delivered you from a bad life in Egypt;
    I paid a good price to get you out of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you—
    and Aaron and Miriam to boot!
Remember what Balak king of Moab tried to pull,
    and how Balaam son of Beor turned the tables on him.
Remember all those stories about Shittim and Gilgal.
    Keep all God’s salvation stories fresh and present.”
6-7 How can I stand up before God
    and show proper respect to the high God?
Should I bring an armload of offerings
    topped off with yearling calves?
Would God be impressed with thousands of rams,
    with buckets and barrels of olive oil?
Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child,
    my precious baby, to cancel my sin?
8 But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
    what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
    be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
    take God seriously.
Psalms 50:4-5 He summons heaven and earth as a jury,
    he’s taking his people to court:
“Round up my saints who swore
    on the Bible their loyalty to me.”
6 The whole cosmos attests to the fairness of this court,
    that here God is judge.
7-15 “Are you listening, dear people? I’m getting ready to speak;
    Israel, I’m about ready to bring you to trial.
This is God, your God,
    speaking to you.
I don’t find fault with your acts of worship,
    the frequent burnt sacrifices you offer.
But why should I want your blue-ribbon bull,
    or more and more goats from your herds?
Every creature in the forest is mine,
    the wild animals on all the mountains.
I know every mountain bird by name;
    the scampering field mice are my friends.
If I get hungry, do you think I’d tell you?
    All creation and its bounty are mine.
Do you think I feast on venison?
    or drink draughts of goats’ blood?
Spread for me a banquet of praise,
    serve High God a feast of kept promises,
And call for help when you’re in trouble—
    I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.”
16-21 Next, God calls up the wicked:
“What are you up to, quoting my laws,
    talking like we are good friends?
You never answer the door when I call;
    you treat my words like garbage.
If you find a thief, you make him your buddy;
    adulterers are your friends of choice.
Your mouth drools filth;
    lying is a serious art form with you.
You stab your own brother in the back,
    rip off your little sister.
I kept a quiet patience while you did these things;
    you thought I went along with your game.
I’m calling you on the carpet, now,
    laying your wickedness out in plain sight.
22-23 “Time’s up for playing fast and
    loose with me.
I’m ready to pass sentence,
    and there’s no help in sight!
It’s the praising life that honors me.
    As soon as you set your foot on the Way,

I’ll show you my salvation.”
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 12:Jonah-Evidence
38 Later a few religion scholars and Pharisees got on him. “Teacher, we want to see your credentials. Give us some hard evidence that God is in this. How about a miracle?”
39-40 Jesus said, “You’re looking for proof, but you’re looking for the wrong kind. All you want is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles. The only proof you’re going to get is what looks like the absence of proof: Jonah-evidence. Like Jonah, three days and nights in the fish’s belly, the Son of Man will be gone three days and nights in a deep grave.
41-42 “On Judgment Day, the Ninevites will stand up and give evidence that will condemn this generation, because when Jonah preached to them they changed their lives. A far greater preacher than Jonah is here, and you squabble about ‘proofs.’ On Judgment Day, the Queen of Sheba will come forward and bring evidence that will condemn this generation, because she traveled from a far corner of the earth to listen to wise Solomon. Wisdom far greater than Solomon’s is right in front of you, and you quibble over ‘evidence.’
Monday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the Day:
Saint Romanos Melodios (?-c.560), composer of hymns 
Hymn « Nineveh » § 4-17; SC 99
"They repented"
Let us meditate on the Ninevites…, let us listen to what they did. After the terrifying proclamation made by Jonah before this gluttonous and drunken people…, like capable workmen they made hast to restore the city their evil deeds had destroyed, taking a sure rock for its foundation…: repentance.
After washing away its filth in the floods of their tears, they adorned their town with their prayer and converted Nineveh pleased the Merciful One. For she immediately showed forth the beauty of her heart to “he who searches the heart” (Ps 7,10)…; rubbed with the oil of their good deeds, perfumed with fasting, she returned to the One who loves her… and he embraced her repentance.
Its king, a wise man,… prepared animals and flocks as if to bring them along in dowry, saying: “O God, my Savior, I offer everything to you: only reconcile, bring back in grace, she who prostituted herself and betrayed… your purity, for see how, in her love, she offers her repentance to you like a gift…
“If I, the sovereign king, have sinned then strike me alone and take pity on all these others. But if we have all fallen short, hear the voices of all… May your help come upon us and all fear will be dissolved. Nothing will frighten us if you receive what we are offering you: our repentance…
“Rebellious Nineveh throws herself at your feet and I, a miserable king and your wretched servant, I sit down in ashes since I am unworthy of my throne (Joh 3,6). Because I have scorned the crown I throw dust on my head. Because I am not worthy of my purple I have put on sackcloth and burst into lamentation. Therefore, do not despise me, cast a glance upon us, O my Savior, and accept our repentance.”
Son of the One God, O only God, who carry out the will of those who love you, protect them in your mercy… As in former days you took pity on the Ninevites… so today release from judgment those who sing to you and grant me forgiveness in return for my confession… Since I have no works worthy of your glory, at least save me, my Savior, for my words of contrition: you who love repentance.
-------