DAILY GOSPEL for Thursday, 5 February 2015

DAILY GOSPEL for Thursday, 5 February 2015
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
Thursday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. Agatha, Virgin & Martyr (+ 251) - Memorial

SAINT AGATHA
Virgin and Martyr
(+ 251)

        St. Agatha was born in Sicily, of rich and noble parents-a child of benediction from the first, for she was promised to her parents before her birth, and consecrated from her earliest infancy to God. In the midst of dangers and temptations she served Christ in purity of body and soul, and she died for the love of chastity. Quintanus, who governed Sicily under the Emperor Decius, had heard the rumor of her beauty and wealth, and he made the laws against the Christians a pretext for summoning her from Palermo to Catania, where he was at the time. "O Jesus Christ!" she cried, as she set out on this dreaded journey, "all that I am is Thine; preserve me against the tyrant."
And Our Lord did indeed preserve one who had given herself so utterly to Him. He kept her pure and undefiled while she was imprisoned for a whole month under charge of an evil woman. He gave her strength to reply to the offer of her life and safety, if she would but consent to sin, "Christ alone is my life and my salvation." When Quintanus turned from passion to cruelty, and cut off her breasts, Our Lord sent the Prince of His apostles to heal her. And when, after she had been rolled naked upon potsherds, she asked that her torments might be ended, her Spouse heard her prayer and took her to Himself.
St. Agatha gave herself without reserve to Jesus Christ; she followed Him in virginal purity, and then looked to Him for protection. And down to this day Christ has shown His tender regard for the very body of St. Agatha. Again and again, during the eruptions of Mount Etna, the people of Catania have exposed her veil for public veneration, and found safety by this means; and in modern times, on opening the tomb in which her body lies waiting for the resurrection, they beheld the skin still entire, and felt the sweet fragrance which issued from this temple of the Holy Spirit.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Thursday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time

Letters to the Hebrews 12: Priestly service in heavenly Jerusalem

18 You haven’t drawn near to something that can be touched: a burning fire, darkness, shadow, a whirlwind, 19 a blast of a trumpet, and a sound of words that made the ones who heard it beg that there wouldn’t be one more word.

Hebrews 12:21-24Common English Bible (CEB)

21 The sight was so frightening that Moses said, “I’m terrified and shaking!”

22 But you have drawn near to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, to countless angels in a festival gathering, 23 to the assembly of God’s firstborn children who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous who have been made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better than Abel’s blood.

Psalm 48:2 is a beautiful summit,

    the joy of the whole world.

    Mount Zion, in the far north,

    is the city of the great king.

3 God is in its fortifications,

    revealing himself as a place of safety.

4 Look: the kings assembled themselves,

    advancing all together—

9 We dwell on your faithful love, God,

    in your temple.

10 Your praise, God, just like your reputation,

    extends to the far corners of the earth.

        Your strong hand is filled with righteousness.

11 Let Mount Zion be glad;

    let the towns of Judah rejoice

        because of your acts of justice!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 6:7 He called for the Twelve and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick—no bread, no bags, and no money in their belts. 9 He told them to wear sandals but not to put on two shirts. 10 He said, “Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place. 11  If a place doesn’t welcome you or listen to you, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should change their hearts and lives. 13 They cast out many demons, and they anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them..Thursday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day:
Thomas of Celano (c.1190-c.1260), biographer of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
The First Life of Saint Francis, § 29
“For the first time, he sends them out two by two”
At this same time also, when another good man had entered their religion, their number rose to eight. Then the blessed Francis called them all together, and telling them many things concerning the kingdom of God, the contempt of the world, the renunciation of their own will, and the subduing of their own body, he separated them into four groups of two each and said to them: “Go, my dearest brothers, two by two into the various parts of the world, announcing to men peace and repentance unto the forgiveness of sins; and be patient in tribulation, confident that the Lord will fulfill his purpose and his promise. To those who put questions to you, reply humbly; bless those who persecute you; give thanks to those who injure you and calumniate you; because for these things there is prepared for you an eternal kingdom (Mt 5,10-11).
But they, accepting the command of holy obedience with joy and great gladness, cast themselves upon the ground before St. Francis. But he embraced them and said to each one with sweetness and affection: “Cast thy thought upon the Lord, and he will nourish you”. This word he spoke whenever he transferred any brothers in obedience.
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