Daily Gospel for Wednesday, 27 May 2015

Daily Gospel for Wednesday, 27 May 2015

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

Wednesday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Saints of the day:

SAINT AUGUSTINE 
Bishop and Apostle of England
(+ 605)

Augustine was prior of the monastery of St. Andrew on the Cœlian, and was appointed by St. Gregory the great chief of the missionaries whom he sent to England. St. Augustine and his companions, having heard on their journey many reports of the barbarism and ferocity of the pagan English, were afraid, and wished to turn back. But St. Gregory replied, "Go on, in God's name! The greater your hardships, the greater your crown. May the grace of Almighty God protect you, and give me to see the fruit of your labor in the heavenly country! If I cannot share your toil, I shall yet share the harvest, for God knows that it is not good-will which is wanting." The band of missionaries went on in obedience.

Landing at Ebbsfleet, between Sandwich and Ramsgate, they met King Ethelbert and his thanes under a great oak-tree at Minster, and announced to him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Instant and complete success attended their preaching. On Whit-Sunday, 596, King Ethelbert was baptized, and his example was followed by the greater number of his nobles and people. By degrees the Faith spread far and wide, and Augustine, as Papal Legate, set out on a visitation of Britain. He failed in his attempt to enlist the Britons of the west in the work of his apostolate through their obstinate jealousy and pride; but his success was triumphant from south to north. St. Augustine died after eight years of evangelical labors. The Anglo-Saxon Church, which he founded, is still famous for its learning, zeal, and devotion to the Holy See, while its calendar commemorates no less than 300 Saints, half of whom were of royal birth.

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

Wednesday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Book of Sirach 36:1 Have mercy upon us, O God[a] of all,[Footnotes:

Sirach 36:1 Heb: Gk O Master, the God]

4 As you have used us to show your holiness to them,

    so use them to show your glory to us.

5 Then they will know,[a] as we have known,

    that there is no God but you, O Lord.[Footnotes:

Sirach 36:5 Heb: Gk And let them know you]

10 Hasten the day, and remember the appointed time,[a]

    and let people recount your mighty deeds.

11 Let survivors be consumed in the fiery wrath,

    and may those who harm your people meet destruction.

12 Crush the heads of hostile rulers

    who say, “There is no one but ourselves.”

13 Gather all the tribes of Jacob,[b]

16     and give them their inheritance, as at the beginning.

17 Have mercy, O Lord, on the people called by your name,

    on Israel, whom you have named[c] your firstborn,[Footnotes:

Sirach 36:10 Other ancient authorities read remember your oath

Sirach 36:13 Owing to a dislocation in the Greek Mss of Sirach, the verse numbers 14 and 15 are not used in chapter 36, though no text is missing.

Sirach 36:17 Other ancient authorities read you have likened to]

Psalm 79:8 Don’t count past iniquities against us,

but let your compassion come quickly to meet us,

for we have been brought very low.

9 Help us, God of our salvation,

for the sake of the glory of your name.

Deliver us, forgive our sins,

for your name’s sake.

11 Let the groaning of the captives come before you;

by your great strength save those condemned to death.

13 Then we, your people and the flock in your pasture,

will give you thanks forever.

From generation to generation

we will proclaim your praise.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 10:32 They were on the road going up to Yerushalayim. Yeshua was walking ahead of them, and they were amazed — and those following were afraid. So again taking the Twelve along with him, he began telling them what was about to happen to him. 33 “We are now going up to Yerushalayim, where the Son of Man will be handed over to the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers. They will sentence him to death and turn him over to the Goyim, 34 who will jeer at him, spit on him, beat him and kill him; but after three days, he will rise.”[a]

35 Ya‘akov and Yochanan, the sons of Zavdai, came up to him and said, “Rabbi, we would like you to do us a favor.” 36 He said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 They replied, “When you are in your glory, let us sit with you, one on your right and the other on your left.” 38 But Yeshua answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking! Can you drink the cup that I am drinking? or be immersed with the immersion that I must undergo?” 39 They said to him, “We can.” Yeshua replied, “The cup that I am drinking, you will drink; and the immersion I am being immersed with, you will undergo. 40 But to sit on my right and on my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

41 When the other ten heard about this, they became outraged at Ya‘akov and Yochanan. 42 But Yeshua called them to him and said to them, “You know that among the Goyim, those who are supposed to rule them become tyrants, and their superiors become dictators. 43 But among you, it must not be like that! On the contrary, whoever among you wants to be a leader must be your servant; 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must become everyone’s slave! 45 For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve — and to give his life as a ransom for many.”[Footnotes:

Mark 10:34 Isaiah 50:6, Hosea 6:2]

Wednesday of the Eighth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day:

The Roman Missal 

Preface for All Saints 

“We are on our way up to Jerusalem”

Father, all-powerful and ever-living God,

we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks.

Today we keep the festival of your holy city,

the heavenly Jerusalem, our mother.

Around your throne

the saints, our brothers and sisters,

sing your praise for ever.

Their glory fills us with joy,

And their communion with us in your Church

gives us inspiration and strength

as we hasten on our pilgrimage of faith,

eager to meet them.

With their great company and all the angels

we praise your glory

as we cry out with one voice:

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of hosts!

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