Daily Gospel ~ Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Daily Gospel ~ Tuesday, 29 October 2013

At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.(John 6:68, Messianic WEB)

Tuesday  of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day:

SAINT NARCISSUS
Bishop
(2nd century)

St Narcissus was consecrated Bishop of Jerusalem about the year 180. He was already an old man, and God attested his merits by many miracles, which were long held in memory by the Christians of Jerusalem.

One Holy Saturday in the church the faithful were in great trouble, because no oil could be found for the lamps which were used in the Paschal feast. St. Narcissus bade them draw water from a neighboring well, and, praying over it, told them to put it in the lamps. It was changed into oil, and long after some of this oil was preserved at Jerusalem in memory of the miracle.

But the very virtue of the Saint made him enemies, and three wretched men charged him with an atrocious crime. They confirmed their testimony by horrible imprecations: the first prayed that he might perish by fire, the second that he might be wasted by leprosy, the third that he might be struck blind, if they charged their bishop falsely. The holy bishop had long desired a life of solitude, and he withdrew secretly into the desert, leaving the Church in peace. But God spoke for his servant, and the bishop's accusers suffered the penalties they had invoked. Then Narcissus returned to Jerusalem and resumed his office.

He died in extreme old age, bishop to the last.

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

Tuesday  of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Book of Romans 8:18 So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires. 19 You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?” 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”✡ 21 Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? 22 What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, 23 and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, 24 us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? 25 As he says also in Hosea,

“I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people;

and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.”✡(Messianic WEB)

Psalm 126:A Song of Ascents.

1 When the LORD brought back those who returned to Zion,

we were like those who dream.

2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

and our tongue with singing.

Then they said among the nations,

“The LORD has done great things for them.”

3 The LORD has done great things for us,

and we are glad.

4 Restore our fortunes again, LORD,

like the streams in the Negev.

5 Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.

6 He who goes out weeping, carrying seed for sowing,

will certainly come again with joy, carrying his sheaves.(Messianic WEB)

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 13:18 He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it? 19  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and put in his own garden. It grew, and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky live in its branches.”

20 Again he said, “To what shall I compare God’s Kingdom? 21  It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures * of flour, until it was all leavened.”(Messianic WEB)

Tuesday  of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day:

Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church 

Homilies on the Acts of the apostles, no. 20

To be leaven in the dough

Is there anything more ridiculous than a christian who couldn't care less about other people? Don't use your poverty as an excuse. The widow who put two small coins in the Temple coffer (Mk 12,42) would rise up against you; Peter, too, who said to the lame man: “Gold or silver have I none” (Acts 3,6) and Paul, who was so poor he often went hungry. Neither protest your social condition, for the apostles were also humble men of low degree. Don't plead your ignorance for they were unlettered. Even if you were a slave or a fugitive you would always be able to do what lies in your power. Onesimus, whose praises Paul sang, was such a one (Phlm; Col 4,9). Would you claim weak health? Timothy had it too. Yes, whoever we are, anyone at all can be of service to his neighbor if he genuinely wants to do what he can.
Do you notice how the trees in the forest are flourishing, handsome, rising upwards? Nevertheless, we prefer fruit trees in our gardens or olive trees covered with fruit. Handsome, sterile trees..., such are they who are only thinking of their own interests...
If leaven doesn't cause the dough to rise then it isn't a proper raising agent. If perfume doesn't give off scent to those who are approaching, can we still call it a perfume? So don't say it's impossible to have a good influence on others because, if you are a real christian, it's impossible that nothing should happen, this is part of the very essence of being a christian... It would be as contradictory to say that a christian cannot be of any use to his neighbor as to deny the sun its ability to give light and heat.

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