Dsily Gospel for Thursday, 4 June 2015

Dsily Gospel for Thursday, 4 June 2015
"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]
Thursday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Saints of the day:

ST. FRANCIS CARACCIOLO
Priest and co-founder  of the Congregation of the Minor Clerics Regular
(1563-1608)

Francis was born in the kingdom of Naples, of the princely family of Caracciolo. In childhood he shunned all amusements, recited the Rosary regularly, and loved to visit the Blessed Sacrament and to distribute his food to the poor. An attack of leprosy taught him the vileness of the human body and the vanity of the world.

Almost miraculously cured, he renounced his home to study for the priesthood at Naples, where he spent his leisure hours in the prisons or visiting the Blessed Sacrament in unfrequented churches. God called him, when only twenty-five, to found an Order of Clerks Regular, whose rule was that each day one father fasted on bread and water, another took the discipline, a third wore a hair-shirt, while they always watched by turns in perpetual adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. They took the usual vows, adding a fourth-not to desire dignities. To establish his Order, Francis undertook many journeys through Italy and Spain, on foot and without money, content with the shelter and crusts given him in charity. Being elected general, he redoubled his austerities, and devoted seven hours daily to meditation on the Passion, besides passing most of the night praying before the Blessed Sacrament. Francis was commonly called the Preacher of Divine Love. But it was before the Blessed Sacrament that his ardent devotion was most clearly perceptible. In presence of his divine Lord his face usually emitted brilliant rays of light; and he often bathed the ground with his tears when he prayed, according to his custom, prostrate on his face before the tabernacle, and constantly repeating, as one devoured by internal fire, "The zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up."

He died of fever, aged forty-four, on the eve of Corpus Christi, 1608, saying, "Let us go, let us go to heaven!" When his body was opened after death, his heart was found as it were burnt up, and these words imprinted around it: "Zelus domus Tuæ comedit me"-"The zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up."

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

Saint Kevin

Feastday: June 3

Known in Ireland as Coemgen as well as Kevin, according to tradition he was born at the Fort of the White Fountain in Leinster, Ireland, of royal descent. He was baptized by St. Cronan and educated by St. Petroc. He was ordained, and became a hermit at the Valley of the Two Lakes in Glendalough. After seven years there, he was persuaded to give up his solitary life. He went to Disert-Coemgen, where he founded a monastery for the disciples he attracted, and later moved to Glendalough. He made a pilgrimage to Rome, bringing back many relics for his permanent foundation at Glendalough. He was a friend of St. Kieran of Clonmacnois, and was entrusted with the raising of the son of King Colman of Ui Faelain, by the king. Many extravagant miracles were attributed to Kevin, and he was reputed to be 120 years old at his death. His feast day is June 3rd.0000

SAINT CLOTILDA 
Queen 
(476-545)

St. Clotilda was daughter of Chilperic, younger brother to Gondebald, the tyrannical King of Burgundy, who put him and his wife, and his other brothers, except one, to death, in order to usurp their dominions. Clotilda was brought up in her uncle's court, and, by a singular providence, was instructed in the Catholic religion, though she was educated in the midst of Arians.

Her wit, beauty, meekness, modesty, and piety made her the adoration of all the neighboring kingdoms, and Clovis I., surnamed the Great, the victorious king of the Franks, demanded and obtained her in marriage. She honored her royal husband, studied to sweeten his warlike temper by Christian meekness, conformed herself to his humor in things that were indifferent, and, the better to gain his affections, made those things the subject of her discourse and praises in which she knew him to take the greatest delight.

When she saw herself mistress of his heart she did not defer the great work of endeavoring to win him to God, but the fear of giving offence to his people made him delay his conversion. His miraculous victory over the Alemanni, and his entire conversion in 496, were at length the fruit of our Saint's prayers. Clotilda, having gained to God this great monarch, never ceased to excite him to glorious actions for the divine honor; among other religious foundations, he built in Paris, at herrequest, about the year 511, the great church of Sts. Peter and Paul, now called St. Genevieve's.

This great prince died on the 27th of November, in the year 511, at the age of forty-five, having reigned thirty years. His eldest son, Theodoric, reigned at Rheims over the eastern parts of France, Clodomir reigned at Orleans, Childebert at Paris, and Clotaire I. at Soissons. This division produced wars and mutual jealousies, till in 560 the whole monarchy was reunited under Clotaire, the youngest of these brothers.

The dissension in her family contributed more perfectly to wean Clotilda's heart from the world. She spent the remaining part of her life in exercises of prayer, almsdeeds, watching, fasting, and penance, seeming totally to forget that she had been queen or that her sons sat on the throne. Eternity filled her heart and employed all her thoughts.

She foretold her death thirty days before it happened. On the thirtieth day of her illness, she received the sacraments, made a public confession of her faith, and departed to the Lord on June 4, 545.

Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Thursday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Tobit 6: Raphael instructs Tobias

10 When he arrived in Media and was already coming within reach of Ecbatana, 11 Raphael said to the lad, “Tobias my brother!”

He replied, “I’m here!”

Raphael said, “Tonight we must lodge with Raguel your relative. He has a daughter named Sarah.

7: Tobias and Raphael arrive at Raguel’s house

1 When they[a] entered Ecbatana, Tobias said to him, “Brother Azariah, bring me at once to Raguel our relative.” So Azariah took him to Raguel’s house. They found him sitting at the gate of the courtyard and greeted him first.

Raguel said to them, “Many greetings, brothers. You have come generously and in health!” Raguel brought them into his house[Footnotes:

Tobit 7:1 Or he]

7: Tobias marries Sarah

9 Raguel slaughtered a ram from his flock and eagerly entertained his guests. When they had bathed and washed, they reclined to eat dinner. Tobias said to Raphael, “Brother Azariah, tell Raguel that he should give me my relative Sarah as a wife.”

10 Raguel overheard Tobias’ comment and said to the young man, “Eat, drink, and be happy tonight! There is no other man except you, my brother, for whom it is proper to marry my daughter Sarah. What’s more, I have no right to give her to any man except for you since you are my nearest relative.

“But, my lad, I must tell you the truth. 11 I have given her to seven men among our relatives, and they all died the night they tried to have sex with her. Now, however, eat and drink, my son, and may the Lord act on behalf of you both.”

Tobias replied, “I won’t eat or drink here until you resolve the matters that have to do with me.”

Raguel said to him, “I will do it. She is given to you according to the ruling of the scroll from Moses, and it has been decided in heaven that she be given to you. Receive your sister! From now on you are her brother and she is your sister. She is given to you from today until eternity. And tonight may the Lord of heaven grant success to both of you, my son, and may he shower you both with mercy and peace.”

12 Raguel sent for his daughter Sarah, and she came to him. He took hold of her hand, delivered her to Tobias, and said, “Take her to be your wife according to the Law and according to the ruling written in the scroll from Moses. Take her and lead her to your father safely. And may the God of heaven grant both of you success with peace.”

13 Then Raguel called for her mother and told her to bring a scroll. He wrote a marriage contract, stating how he was giving her to him as a wife according to the ruling of the scroll from Moses. Then he sealed it.[a] 14 From that point on, they began to eat and drink.

15 Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, “My sister, prepare the other bedroom and take Sarah there.”

16 She went and got things ready in the bedroom, just as Raguel had told her. She brought Sarah there and cried for her. Then Edna dried her tears and said to her, “Take courage, my daughter! May the Lord of heaven give you joy in place of your pain. Take courage, my daughter!” Then she left.[Footnotes:

Tobit 7:13 DSS Aram, OL; LXX2 omits Then he sealed it.]

8:4 Then the parents left and shut the door of the bedroom. Tobias got up from the bed and said to Sarah, “Get up, my sister! Let’s pray and beg our Lord to show us mercy and give us deliverance.”

5 She got up, and they began to pray and to ask that they might be delivered. Tobias then began to speak:

“Blessed are you, God of our ancestors, and blessed is your name for all generations. May the heavens and all your creation bless you forever! 6 You created Adam and you created Eve his wife to help and support him, and from the two of them has come the human race. You said, ‘It isn’t good for the man to be alone; let’s make for him a helper like himself.’ 7 I’m not taking this sister of mine now out of lust but with honest integrity.[a] Grant that she and I will be shown mercy and grow old together.”

8 Together they said, “Amen, amen.” 9 Then they fell asleep for the night.

Upon getting up during the night,[b] Raguel summoned his servants, and they went with him and dug a grave.[Footnotes:

Tobit 8:7 Or with truth

Tobit 8:9 OL; LXX2 omits during the night.]

Psalm 128:(0) A song of ascents:

(1) How happy is everyone who fears Adonai,

who lives by his ways.

2 You will eat what your hands have produced;

you will be happy and prosperous.

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

in the inner parts of your house.

Your children around the table will be

like shoots from an olive tree.

4 This is the kind of blessing that will fall

on him who fears Adonai.

5 May Adonai bless you from Tziyon!

May you see Yerushalayim prosper

all the days of your life,

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 12:28 One of the Torah-teachers came up and heard them engaged in this discussion. Seeing that Yeshua answered them well, he asked him, “Which is the most important mitzvah of them all?” 29 Yeshua answered, “The most important is,

‘Sh’ma Yisra’el, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai echad [Hear, O Isra’el, the Lord our God, the Lord is one], 30 and you are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your understanding and with all your strength.’[a]

31 The second is this:

‘You are to love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]

There is no other mitzvah greater than these.” 32 The Torah-teacher said to him, “Well said, Rabbi; you speak the truth when you say that he is one, and that there is no other besides him; 33 and that loving him with all one’s heart, understanding and strength, and loving one’s neighbor as oneself, mean more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Yeshua saw that he responded sensibly, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared put to him another sh’eilah.[Footnotes:

Mark 12:30 Deuteronomy 6:4–5

Mark 12:31 Leviticus 19:18]

Thursday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day:
Saint Bernard (1091-1153), Cistercian monk and doctor of the Church 
Treatise on the Love of God, chapters 8-10 
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart” The first and greatest commandment is this: “You shall love the Lord your God.” But our nature is weak. In us, the first degree of love is to love ourselves before anything else, for ourselves… In order to prevent us from sliding too far down on that slope, God gave us the precept to love our neighbor as ourselves… But we see that this is not possible without God, without recognizing that everything comes from him and that without him, we can do absolutely nothing. So at this second degree, the human being turns to God, but so far he only loves God for himself and not for God…

But you would have to have a heart of stone or metal not to be touched by the help which God gives us when we turn to him in trials. In times of trial, it is impossible for us not to taste how good he is (Ps 34:9). And quickly, we begin to love him more because of the goodness we find in him, rather than for the sake of our own interests… When we have arrived at this point, it is not difficult to love our neighbor as ourselves… We love the others as we are loved, as Jesus Christ loved us. That is the love of the person who says with the psalmist: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.” (Ps 118:1) Give thanks to the Lord, not because he is good to us, but simply because he is good, love God for God and not for ourselves. That is the third degree of love.
Happy are they who were able to rise up to the fourth degree of love: to no longer love themselves except for love of God… When will my soul, drunken with the love of God, forgetting itself, considering itself as nothing more than a broken vessel, when will it rush to God in order to lose itself in him and to no longer be anything but one single spirit with him (1 Cor 6:17)? When will it be able to cry out: “Though my flesh and my heart waste away, God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps 73:26)? Holy and happy are they who could experience something like that during this mortal life, even though rarely, even though only once. That is not a human happiness, it is already to dwell in heaven.

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