Daily Gospel for Tuesday, 26 May 2015

Daily Gospel for Tuesday, 26 May 2015

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]

Tuesday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Saints of the day:

SAINT PHILIP NERI
Priest
(1515-1595)

Philip was one of the noble line of Saints raised up by God in the sixteenth century to console and bless His Church. After a childhood of angelic beauty the Holy Spirit drew him away from Florence, the place of his birth, showed him the world, that he might freely renounce it, led him to Rome, modelled him in mind and heart and will, and then, as by a second Pentecost, came down in visible form and filled his soul with light and peace and joy. He would have gone to India, but God reserved him for Rome.

There he went on simply from day to day, drawing souls to Jesus, exercising them in mortification and charity, and binding them together by cheerful devotions; thus, unconsciously to himself, under the hands of Mary, as he said, the Oratory grew up, and all Rome was pervaded and transformed by its spirit.

His life was a continuous miracle, his habitual state an ecstasy. He read the hearts of men, foretold their future, knew their eternal destiny. His touch gave health of body; his very look calmed souls in trouble and drove away temptations. He was gay, genial, and irresistibly winning; neither insult nor wrong could dim the brightness of his joy.

Philip lived in an atmosphere of sunshine and gladness which brightened all who came near him. "When I met him in the street," says one, "he would pat my cheek and say, 'Well, how is Don Pellegrino?' and leave me so full of joy that I could not tell which way I was going."

Others said that when he playfully pulled their hair or their ears, their hearts would bound with joy. Marcio Altieri felt such overflowing gladness in his presence that he said Philip's room was a paradise on earth.

Fabrizio de Massimi would go in sadness or perplexity and stand at Philip's door; he said it was enough to see him, to be near him. And long after his death it was enough for many, when troubled, to go into his room to find their hearts lightened and gladdened. He inspired a boundless confidence and love, and was the common refuge and consoler of all. A gentle jest would convey his rebukes and veil his miracles. The highest honors sought him out, but he put them from him.

He died in his eightieth year, in 1595, and bears the grand title of Apostle of Rome.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

Tuesday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Book of Sirach 35: The Law and Sacrifices

1 The one who keeps the law makes many offerings;

2     one who heeds the commandments makes an offering of well-being.

3 The one who returns a kindness offers choice flour,

4     and one who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.

5 To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord,

    and to forsake unrighteousness is an atonement.

6 Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed,

7     for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the commandment.

8 The offering of the righteous enriches the altar,

    and its pleasing odor rises before the Most High.

9 The sacrifice of the righteous is acceptable,

    and it will never be forgotten.

10 Be generous when you worship the Lord,

    and do not stint the first fruits of your hands.

11 With every gift show a cheerful face,

    and dedicate your tithe with gladness.

12 Give to the Most High as he has given to you,

    and as generously as you can afford.

Psalm 50:5 “Gather to me my faithful,

those who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.”

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,

for God himself is judge. (Selah)

7 “Listen, my people, I am speaking:

Isra’el, I am testifying against you,

I, God, your God.

8 I am not rebuking you for your sacrifices;

your burnt offerings are always before me.

14 Offer thanksgiving as your sacrifice to God,

pay your vows to the Most High,

23 “Whoever offers thanksgiving

as his sacrifice honors me;

and to him who goes the right way

I will show the salvation of God.”

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 10:28 Kefa began saying to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Yeshua said, “Yes! I tell you that there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, 30 who will not receive a hundred times over, now, in the ‘olam hazeh, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and lands — with persecutions! — and in the ‘olam haba, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first!”

Tuesday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day:

Leo XIII, Pope from 1878 to 1903 

Encyclical Rerum Novarum, 21 

“In this present age a hundred times as much… and in the age to come, everlasting life” These [social] teachings [of the Church] could diminish the distance that pride is pleased to maintain between the rich and the poor, but simple friendship is still too little. If we obey Christianity’s precepts, union will be brought about through fraternal love. On both sides, people will know and understand that absolutely all human beings have come forth from God, their common father; that God is their common and only goal, and that God alone is able to communicate perfect and absolute happiness to angels and to human beings. In addition, all have been redeemed by Jesus Christ and restored by him to their dignity as children of God, and thus a true bond of fraternity unites them, whether this be among themselves or to Christ their Lord, who is “the first-born of many brothers.” (Rom 8:29) Finally, they will know that all the goods of nature, all the treasures of grace belong in common and indiscriminately to the whole human race, and that only those who are unworthy will be disinherited of the heavenly goods. “If you are children, you are heirs as well: heirs of God, heirs with Christ.” (Rom 8:17)

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