DAILY GOSPEL for Tuesday, 05 May 2015

DAILY GOSPEL for Tuesday, 05 May 2015
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
Tuesday of the Fifth week of Easter
Saints of the day:

SAINT ANTONINUS
Bishop
(1389-1459)

Antoninus, or Little Antony, as he was called from his small stature, was born at Florence in 1389. After a childhood of singular holiness, he begged to be admitted into the Dominican house at Fiesole; but the Superior, to test his sincerity and perseverance, told him he must first learn by heart the book of the Decretals, containing several hundred pages. This apparently impossible task was accomplished within twelve months; and Antoninus received the coveted habit in his sixteenth year.
While still very young, he filled several important posts of his Order, and was consulted on questions of difficulty by the most learned men of his day; being known, for his wonderful prudence, as "the Counsellor." He wrote several works on theology and history, and sat as Papal Theologian at the Council of Florence.
In 1446 he was compelled to accept the archbishopric of that city; and in this dignity earned for himself the title of "the Father of the Poor," for all he had was at their disposal. St. Antoninus never refused an alms which was asked in the name of God. When he had no money, he gave his clothes, shoes, or furniture. One day, being sent by the Florentines to the Pope, as he approached Rome a beggar came up to him almost naked, and asked him for an alms for Christ's sake. Outdoing St. Martin, Antoninus gave him his whole cloak. When he entered the city, another was given him; by whom he knew not. His household consisted of only six persons; his palace contained no plate or costly furniture, and was often nearly destitute of the necessaries of life. His one mule was frequently sold for the relief of the poor, when it would be bought back for him by some wealthy citizen.
He died embracing the crucifix, May 5th, 1459, often repeating the words, "To serve God is to reign."
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

Saint Judith (Jutta) 

May 5

Jutta or Judith, was born at Sangerhausen, Thuringia. We don't know much about her family and early life, but she must have been from a noble household, because at the age of fifteen she was married to a nobleman.
She had a reputation for being a very compassionate, gentle and charitable wife. She lived as simply as her husband allowed and raised their children to love God with all their hearts. Initially her husband was upset about her simplicity of dress, but gradually she was able to persuade him of the importance of simplicity and charity and he soon followed her example.
The details are uncertain, but her husband died during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Judith was left to raise their children by herself. According to Alban Butler as her children grew up, each eventually entered religious life. This left Judith free and she gave all her possessions for the care of the poor and then begged in the streets for food for them.
She then journeyed on foot to Prussia where her relative, Hanno of Sangerhausen, lived. She begged for food as she went and shared what was given to her with beggars she met on the road. In 1256, she eventually arrived and settled in the ruins of a building near Kulmsee where she lived the life of a solitary or hermit.
Her reputation for holiness and deep contemplative prayer became known to all who lived in the villages around. Traditions tell us that she was often seen to be in an ecstasy of prayer and lifted from the ground as if by angels. She spent the next four years in her solitude praying for the conversion of sinners and for the perseverance of those recently baptized. She would often leave her hermitage to care for the sick poor in the area, especially those who suffered from leprosy.
In 1260 she developed a fever that proved to be fatal and she died on May 12, 1260. People who had prayed at her graveside, asking her intercession for healing of various afflictions soon reported miracles. She is the patroness of Prussia. Just reading about her life shows us the essentials of her holiness, simplicity, humility, compassion andlove.

© 1998 The Monastery of Christ in the DesertTuesday of the Fifth week of Easter
Acts of the Apostles 14:19 Then some unbelieving Jews came from Antioch and Iconium. They won over the crowds, stoned Sha’ul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But as the talmidim gathered around him, he got up and went back into the town. The next day, he left with Bar-Nabba for Derbe.

21 After proclaiming the Good News in that city and making many people into talmidim, they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, 22 strengthening the talmidim, encouraging them to remain true to the faith, and reminding them that it is through many hardships that we must enter the Kingdom of God. 23 After appointing elders for them in every congregation, Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord in whom they had put their trust.

24 Passing through Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia. 25 After speaking the message in Perga, they came down to Attalia; and from there, they sailed back to Antioch, 26 the place where they had been handed over to the care of God for the work which they had now completed.

27 When they arrived, they gathered the Messianic community together and reported what God had done through them, that he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. 28 And they stayed for some time there with the talmidim.

Psalms 145:10 All your creatures will thank you, Adonai,

and your faithful servants will bless you.

11 They will speak of the glory of your kingship,

and they will tell about your might;

12 to let everyone know of your mighty acts

and the glorious majesty of your kingship.

13 Your kingship is an everlasting kingship,

your reign continues through all generations.

21 My mouth will proclaim the praise of Adonai;

all people will bless his holy name forever and ever.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 14:27 “What I am leaving with you is shalom — I am giving you my shalom. I don’t give the way the world gives. Don’t let yourselves be upset or frightened. 28 You heard me tell you, ‘I am leaving, and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would have been glad that I am going to the Father; because the Father is greater than I.

29 “Also, I have said it to you now, before it happens; so that when it does happen, you will trust.

30 “I won’t be talking with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me; 31 rather, this is happening so that the world may know that I love the Father, and that I do as the Father has commanded me.

“Get up! Let’s get going!

Tuesday of the Fifth week of Easter
Commentary of the day:
Saint John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005
Message for the World Day of Peace 2002, § 14-15 (trans. © Libreria Editrice Vaticana)
"My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you"
Prayer for peace is not an afterthought to the work of peace. It is of the very essence of building the peace of order, justice, and freedom. To pray for peace is to open the human heart to the inroads of God's power to renew all things. With the life-giving force of his grace, God can create openings for peace where only obstacles and closures are apparent… To pray for peace is to pray for justice…
To pray for peace is to pray for justice, for a right-ordering of relations within and among nations and peoples. It is to pray for freedom, especially for the religious freedom that is a basic human and civil right of every individual. To pray for peace is to seek God's forgiveness, and to implore the courage to forgive those who have trespassed against us.
No peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness: this is what in this Message I wish to say to believers and non-believers alike, to all men and women of good will who are concerned for the good of the human family and for its future. No peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness: this is what I wish to say to those responsible for the future of the human community, entreating them to be guided in their weighty and difficult decisions by the light of man's true good, always with a view to the common good. No peace without justice, no justice without forgiveness: I shall not tire of repeating this warning to those who, for one reason or another, nourish feelings of hatred, a desire for revenge or the will to destroy.
…May a more intense prayer rise from the hearts of all believers for the victims of terrorism, for their families so tragically stricken, for all the peoples who continue to be hurt and convulsed by terrorism and war. May the light of our prayer extend even to those who gravely offend God and man by these pitiless acts, that they may look into their hearts, see the evil of what they do, abandon all violent intentions, and seek forgiveness. In these troubled times, may the whole human family find true and lasting peace, born of the marriage of justice and mercy!

____________________________________