Daily Gospel for Monday, 30 March 2015

Daily Gospel for Monday, 30 March 2015
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]

Monday of Holy Week

Saints of the day:

SAINT JOHN CLIMACUS
Anchorite
(6th-7th centuries)

John made, while still young, such progress in learning that he was called the Scholastic. At the age of sixteen he turned from the brilliant future which lay before him, and retired to Mt. Sinai, where he put himself under the direction of a holy monk. Never was novice morefervent, more unrelaxing in his efforts for self-mastery. After four years he took the vows, and an aged abbot foretold that he would some day be one of the greatest lights of the Church.
Nineteen years later, on the death of his director, he withdrew into a deeper solitude, where he studied the lives and writings of the Saints, and was raised to an unusual height of contemplation. The fame of his holiness and practical wisdom drew crowds around him for advice and consolation. For his greater profit he visited the solitudes of Egypt.
At the age of seventy-five he was chosen abbot of Mt. Sinai, and there "he dwelt in the mount of God, and drew from the rich treasure of his heart priceless riches of doctrine, which he poured forth with wondrous abundance and benediction."
He was induced by a brother abbot to write the rules by which he had guided his life; and his book called the Climax, or Ladder of Perfection, has been prized in all ages for its wisdom, its clearness, and its unction.
At the end of four years he would no longer endure the honors and distractions of his office, and retired to his solitude, where he fell asleep in the Lord.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Monday of Holy Week
Book of Isaiah 42:1 “Here is my servant, whom I support,

my chosen one, in whom I take pleasure.

I have put my Spirit on him;

he will bring justice to the Goyim.

2 He will not cry or shout;

no one will hear his voice in the streets.

3 He will not snap off a broken reed

or snuff out a smoldering wick.

He will bring forth justice according to truth;

4 he will not weaken or be crushed

until he has established justice on the earth,

and the coastlands wait for his Torah.”

5 Thus says God, Adonai,

who created the heavens and spread them out,

who stretched out the earth and all that grows from it,

who gives breath to the people on it

and spirit to those who walk on it:

6 “I, Adonai, called you righteously,

I took hold of you by the hand,

I shaped you and made you a covenant for the people,

to be a light for the Goyim,

7 so that you can open blind eyes,

free the prisoners from confinement,

those living in darkness from the dungeon.

Psalms 27: (0) By David:

(1) Adonai is my light and salvation;

whom do I need to fear?

Adonai is the stronghold of my life;

of whom should I be afraid?

2 When evildoers assailed me

to devour my flesh,

my adversaries and foes,

they stumbled and fell.

3 If an army encamps against me,

my heart will not fear;

if war breaks out against me,

even then I will keep trusting.

13 If I hadn’t believed that I would see

Adonai’s goodness in the land of the living, . . .

14 Put your hope in Adonai, be strong,

and let your heart take courage!

Yes, put your hope in Adonai!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 12:1 Six days before Pesach, Yeshua came to Beit-Anyah, where El‘azar lived, the man Yeshua had raised from the dead; 2 so they gave a dinner there in his honor. Marta served the meal, and El‘azar was among those at the table with him. 3 Miryam took a whole pint of pure oil of spikenard, which is very expensive, poured it on Yeshua’s feet and wiped his feet with her hair, so that the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of the talmidim, Y’hudah from K’riot, the one who was about to betray him, said, 5 “This perfume is worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” 6 Now he said this not out of concern for the poor, but because he was a thief — he was in charge of the common purse and used to steal from it. 7 Yeshua said, “Leave her alone! She kept this for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

9 A large crowd of Judeans learned that he was there; and they came not only because of Yeshua, but also so that they could see El‘azar, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 The head cohanim then decided to do away with El‘azar too, 11 since it was because of him that large numbers of the Judeans were leaving their leaders and putting their trust in Yeshua.

Monday of Holy Week

Commentary of the day:

 Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church
"You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me"

"You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me"

This is the historical event, now let us look for the symbol. Whoever you are, if you want to be faithful, pour precious perfume on the Lord’s feet along with Mary. This perfume is uprightness… Pour perfume on the feet of Jesus: follow in the Lord’s footsteps by a holy way of life. Wipe his feet with your hair: if you have more than enough, give to the poor and in this way you will have wiped the Lord’s feet… Perhaps the Lord’s feet on earth are in need. Indeed, isn’t it about his members he will say at the end of the world: “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25,40)?
“And the house was filled with its fragrance.” That is to say, the world has been filled with the renown of this woman, for the sweet fragrance is her good name. People who associate the name of Christian with a dishonest life injure Christ…; if God’s name is blasphemed by bad Christians, it is praised and honored, on the other hand, by the good: “For in every place we are the aroma of Christ” (2Cor,14-15). And it is said in the Song of Songs: “Your name is oil poured out” (1,3).

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