"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 One of God.'"(John 6:68-69)Feast of the Day: THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL
(Feast)
The great apostle Paul, named Saul at his circumcision, was born at Tarsus, the capital of Silicia, and was by privilege a Roman citizen, to which quality a great distinction and several exemptions were granted by the laws of the empire. He was early instructed in the strict observance of the Mosaic law, and lived up to it in the most scrupulous manner. In his zeal for the Jewish law, which he thought the cause of God, he became a violent persecutor of the Christians.He was one of those who combined to murder St. Stephen, and in the violent persecution of the faithful which followed the martyrdom of the holy deacon, Saul signalized himself above others.
By virtue of the power he had received from the high priest, he dragged the Christians out of their houses, loaded them with chains, and thrust them into prison. In the fury of his zeal he applied for a commission to take up all Jews at Damascus who confessed Jesus Christ, and bring them bound to Jerusalem, that they might serve as examples for the others.
But God was pleased to show forth in him His patience and mercy. While on his way to Damascus, he and his party were surrounded by a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, and suddenly struck to the ground. And then a voice was heard saying, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute Me?" And Saul answered, "Who art Thou, Lord?" and the voice replied, "I am Jesus, Whom thou dost persecute." This mild expostulation of Our Redeemer, accompanied with a powerful interior grace, cured Saul's pride, assuaged his rage, and wrought at once a total change in him. Wherefore, trembling and astonished, he cried out, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?" Our Lord ordered him to arise and to proceed on his way to the city, where he should be informed of what was expected from him.
Saul, arising from the ground, found that, though his eyes were open, he saw nothing. He was led by hand into Damascus, where he was lodged in the house of a Jew named Judas. To this house came by divine appointment a holy man named Ananias, who, laying his hands on Saul, said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, Who appeared to thee on thy journey, hath sent me that thou mayest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he recovered his sight. Then he arose and was baptized; he stayed some few days with the disciples at Damascus, and began immediately to preach in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God.
Thus a blasphemer and a persecutor was made an apostle, and chosen as one of God's principal instruments in the conversion of the world.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Saint of the Day:
Book of Jonah 3: Jonah Goes to Nineveh
1 Once again the Lord told Jonah 2 to go to that great city of Nineveh and preach his message of doom.
3 Jonah obeyed the Lord and went to Nineveh. The city was so big that it took three days just to walk through it. 4 After walking for a day, Jonah warned the people, “Forty days from now, Nineveh will be destroyed!”
5 They believed God’s message and set a time when they would go without eating to show their sorrow. Then everyone in the city, no matter who they were, dressed in sackcloth.
10 When God saw that the people had stopped doing evil things, he had pity and did not destroy them as he had planned.
Psalm 25:4 Show me your paths
and teach me to follow;
5 guide me by your truth
and instruct me.
You keep me safe,
and I always trust you.
6 Please, Lord, remember,
you have always
been patient and kind.
7 Forget each wrong I did
when I was young.
Show how truly kind you are
and remember me.
8 You are honest and merciful,
and you teach sinners
how to follow your path.
9 You lead humble people
to do what is right
and to stay on your path.
First Letter to the Corinthians 7:29 My friends, what I mean is that the Lord will soon come,[a] and it won’t matter if you are married or not. 30 It will be all the same if you are crying or laughing, or if you are buying or are completely broke. 31 It won’t make any difference how much good you are getting from this world or how much you like it. This world as we know it is now passing away.[Footnotes:
7.29 the Lord will soon come: Or “there’s not much time left” or “the time for decision comes quickly.”]
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 1: Jesus Begins His Work
14 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and told the good news that comes from God.[a] 15 He said, “The time has come! God’s kingdom will soon be here.[b] Turn back to God and believe the good news!”
Jesus Chooses Four Fishermen
16 As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen and were casting their nets into the lake. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come with me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” 18 Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.
19 Jesus walked on and soon saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets. 20 At once Jesus asked them to come with him. They left their father in the boat with the hired workers and went with him.[Footnotes:
1.14 that comes from God: Or “that is about God.”
1.15 will soon be here: Or “is already here.”]
Commentary of the Day:
Saint Ephrem (c.306-373), Deacon in Syria, Doctor of the Church
Commentary on the Diatessaron, 4, 20 ; SC 121
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men"
When they came to him they were fishers of fish and then they became fishers of men! As it is written: “Look, I will send many catchers of men, and they will catch them on every mountain and high hill” (Jer 16,16). If he had sent wise men it would have been said they had persuaded the people and won them over that way, or that they had deceived them and thus caught them. If he had sent the wealthy it would have been said they had fooled the people by giving them food, or that they had bought them with money and so gained the upper hand. If he had sent strong men it would have been said they had won them over by force or constrained them with violence,
But the apostles had nothing to do with any of this. Our Lord demonstrated it to everyone with the example of Simon Peter. He lacked courage since he took fright at the words of a serving girl; he was poor since he was not even able to pay his share of the temple tax (Mt 17,24f). “Gold and silver have I none” was what he said (Acts 3,6). And he was without sophistication since, when he denied the Lord, he had no idea how to get out of it by guile.
And so these fishers of fish set out and carried away the victory against the strong, the rich and the wise. What a miracle! Weak though they were, they drew strong men to their teaching without force; poor, they taught the wealthy; unlettered, they made the wise and prudent their disciples. The wisdom of this world gave way to that wisdom which is itself the wisdom of all wisdoms.
____________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment