Daily Gospel for Tuesday, 30 June 2015

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

Tuesday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time
Saints of the day:

1st Martyrs of Rome (+ 1st century)

The FIRST MARTYRS of the CHURCH of ROME
(+ 1st century)

The first persecution against the Church began by the Emperor Nero, after the burning of the City of Rome in 64, for which many of the faithful were tortured and slain. Some martyrs were burned as living torches at evening banquets, some crucified and others were fed to wild animals.
Their death is recorded by the pagan writer, Tacitus in his Annales (15, 44), and also by Pope Clement I in his letter to the Corinthians chapters 5-6).
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Prayer

Father,

you sanctified the Church of Rome

with the blood of its first martyrs.

May we find strength from their courage

and rejoice in their triumph.

Tuesday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time
Readings 

Book of Genesis 19:15 When morning came, the angels told Lot to hurry. “Get up,” they said, “and take your wife and your two daughters who are here; otherwise you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” 16 But he dallied, so the men took hold of his hand, his wife’s hand and the hands of his two daughters — Adonai was being merciful to him — and led them, leaving them outside the city. 17 When they had brought them out, he said, “Flee for your life! Don’t look behind you, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain, but escape to the hills! Otherwise you will be swept away.” 18 Lot said to them, “Please, no, my lord! 19 Here, your servant has already found favor in your sight, and you have shown me even greater mercy by saving my life. But I can’t escape to the hills, because I’m afraid the disaster will overtake me, and I will die. 20 Look, there’s a town nearby to flee to, and it’s a small one. Please let me escape there — isn’t it just a small one? — and that way I will stay alive.”

(iv) 21 He replied, “All right, I agree to what you have asked. I won’t overthrow the city of which you have spoken. 22 Hurry, and escape to that place, because I can’t do anything until you arrive there.” For this reason the city was named Tzo‘ar [small].

23 By the time Lot had come to Tzo‘ar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then Adonai caused sulfur and fire to rain down upon S’dom and ‘Amora from Adonai out of the sky. 25 He overthrew those cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities and everything growing in the ground. 26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a column of salt.

27 Avraham got up early in the morning, went to the place where he had stood before Adonai, 28 and looked out toward S’dom and ‘Amora, scanning the entire plain. There before him the smoke was rising from the land like smoke from a furnace! 29 But when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Avraham and sent Lot out, away from the destruction, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.

Psalms 26:2 Examine me, Adonai, test me,

search my mind and heart.

3 For your grace is there before my eyes,

and I live my life by your truth.

9 Don’t include me with sinners

or my life with the bloodthirsty.

10 In their hands are evil schemes;

their right hands are full of bribes.

11 As for me, I will live a blameless life.

Redeem me and show me favor.

12 My feet are planted on level ground;

in the assemblies I will bless Adonai.

The Holy Gospel of Yeshua the Messiah According to Saint Matthew 8:23 He boarded the boat, and his talmidim followed. 24 Then, without warning, a furious storm arose on the lake, so that waves were sweeping over the boat. But Yeshua was sleeping. 25 So they came and roused him, saying, “Sir! Help! We’re about to die!” 26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? So little trust you have!” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and there was a dead calm. 27 The men were astounded. They asked, “What kind of man is this, that even the winds and sea obey him?”

Tuesday of the Thirteenth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day:

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
"What sort of man is this?"

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Bishop of Jerusalem, Doctor of the Church
Baptismal catecheses, no.10

"What sort of man is this?"

If any one wishes to show piety towards God, let him worship the Son, since otherwise the Father does not accept his service. The Father spoke with a loud voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” The Father was well pleased in the Son; unless you, too, are well pleased in him, you do not have life... With the knowledge that God is One, know that there is also an Only-begotten Son of God; believe in “One Lord Jesus Christ” (Creed). We say “One” because he alone is Son even if he bears several names...
He is called Christ [that is to say, Anointed One], not as having been anointed by men's hands, but as having been anointed from all eternity by the Father to his High-Priesthood on behalf of men... He is called “Son of man”, not as having had his generation from earth, as all of us do, but as coming upon the clouds to judge both the living and the dead. He is called Lord, not improperly as those who are so called among men, but rather because lordship is his by nature from all eternity. He is most fittingly called Jesus [that is to say, “the Lord saves”] because he saves by healing. He is called Son, not because a form of adoption has elevated him to this title, but because he was thus begotten by nature.
There are many other titles of our Saviour... But Christ comes in various forms to each one for his profit . For to those who have need of gladness he comes as “vine”; and to those who want to enter he stands as a “door”; and to those who need to offer up theirprayers he stands as “High Priest” and “Mediator”. Again, to those who have sins, he becomes a “lamb”, that He may be sacrificed on their behalf. He is made “all things to all men”, while remaining what he is in his own nature.

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