DAILY GOSPEL for Wednesday, 30 July 2014

DAILY GOSPEL for Wednesday, 30 July 2014
"Peter replied, 'Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.'" (John 6:68-69)
Wednesday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time 
Saints of the day:
SAINT PETER CHRYSOLOGUS
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
(406-450)
Born in about 400, bishop of Ravenna. His preaching was famous, and more than 180 sermons, mainly on scripture and the liturgical year, have survived.
He died in about 450.
The Weekday Missal (1975)
ST. GERMANUS 
Bishop 
(† 448)
In his youth Germanus gave little sign of sanctity. 
He was of noble birth, and at first practised the law at Rome. After a time the emperor placed him high in the army. But his one passion was the chase. He was so carried away as even to retain in his sports the superstitions of the pagan huntsmen. Yet it was revealed to the Bishop of Auxerre that Germanus would be his successor, and he gave him the tonsure almost by main force. Forthwith Germanus became another man, and making ever his lands to the Church, adopted a life of humble penance.
At that time the Pelagian heresy was laying waste England, and Germanus was chosen by the reigning Pontiff to rescue the Britons from the snare of Satan. With St. Lupus he preached in the fields and highways throughout the land. At last, near Verulam, he met the heretics face to face, and overcame them utterly with the Catholic and Roman faith. He ascribed this triumph to the intercession of St. Alban, and offered public thanks at his shrine. Towards the end of his stay, his old skill in arms won over the Picts and Scots the complete but bloodless "Alleluia" victory, so called because the newly-baptized Britons, led by the Saint, routed the enemy with the Paschal cry. Germanus visited England a second time with St. Severus.
He died in 448, while interceding with the emperor for the people of Brittany.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Wednesday of the Seventeenth week in Ordinary Time
Book of Jeremiah 15: Giving Everything Away for Nothing
10-11 Unlucky mother—that you had me as a son,
    given the unhappy job of indicting the whole country!
I’ve never hurt or harmed a soul,
    and yet everyone is out to get me.
But, God knows, I’ve done everything I could to help them,
    prayed for them and against their enemies.
I’ve always been on their side, trying to stave off disaster.
    God knows how I’ve tried!
15-18 You know where I am, God! Remember what I’m doing here!
    Take my side against my detractors.
Don’t stand back while they ruin me.
    Just look at the abuse I’m taking!
When your words showed up, I ate them—
    swallowed them whole. What a feast!
What delight I took in being yours,
    O God, God-of-the-Angel-Armies!
I never joined the party crowd
    in their laughter and their fun.
Led by you, I went off by myself.
    You’d filled me with indignation. Their sin had me seething.
But why, why this chronic pain,
    this ever worsening wound and no healing in sight?
You’re nothing, God, but a mirage,
    a lovely oasis in the distance—and then nothing!
19-21 This is how God answered me:
“Take back those words, and I’ll take you back.
    Then you’ll stand tall before me.
Use words truly and well. Don’t stoop to cheap whining.
    Then, but only then, you’ll speak for me.
Let your words change them.
    Don’t change your words to suit them.
I’ll turn you into a steel wall,
    a thick steel wall, impregnable.
They’ll attack you but won’t put a dent in you
    because I’m at your side, defending and delivering.”
        God’s Decree.
“I’ll deliver you from the grip of the wicked.
    I’ll get you out of the clutch of the ruthless.”
Psalms 59: A David Psalm, When Saul Set a Watch on David’s House in Order to Kill Him
1-2 My God! Rescue me from my enemies,
    defend me from these mutineers.
Rescue me from their dirty tricks,
    save me from their hit men.
3-4 Desperadoes have ganged up on me,
    they’re hiding in ambush for me.
I did nothing to deserve this, God,
    crossed no one, wronged no one.
All the same, they’re after me,
    determined to get me.
4-5 Wake up and see for yourself! You’re God,
    God-of-Angel-Armies, Israel’s God!
Get on the job and take care of these pagans,
    don’t be soft on these hard cases.
8-10 But you, God, break out laughing;
    you treat the godless nations like jokes.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
    I can always count on you.
God in dependable love shows up on time,
    shows me my enemies in ruin.
11-13 Don’t make quick work of them, God,
    lest my people forget.
Bring them down in slow motion,
    take them apart piece by piece.
Let all their mean-mouthed arrogance
    catch up with them,
Catch them out and bring them down
    —every muttered curse
    —every barefaced lie.
Finish them off in fine style!
    Finish them off for good!
Then all the world will see
    that God rules well in Jacob,
    everywhere that God’s in charge.
16-17 And me? I’m singing your prowess,
    shouting at cockcrow your largesse,
For you’ve been a safe place for me,
    a good place to hide.
Strong God, I’m watching you do it,
    I can always count on you—

    God, my dependable love.
18 My strength, your praise I will sing;
you, God, are my fortress, my loving God.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13:44 “God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic—what a find!—and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.
45-46 “Or, God’s kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything and buys it.
Wednesday of the Seventeenth 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 
Homily 18 on the Letter to the Hebrews 
"He goes and sells all that he has"
"Poverty" (it is said) "humbles a man." (Prv 10,4, LXX) And again, Christ says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." (Mt 5,3)… But will you hear the praises of poverty? Christ sought after it, and says, "The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." (Mt 8,20) And again he said to his disciples: "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor two coats." (Mt 10,9f.) And his apostle Paul said: "As having nothing and yet possessing all things." (2 Cor 6,10) And Peter said to him who was lame from his birth: "Silver and gold have I none." (Acts 3,6)… Let no man therefore esteem poverty a cause of disgrace. For if poverty be a virtue, all the wealth of the world is not worth a straw or fleck of dust by comparison with it. If, then, we would enter the kingdom of heaven, let us love poverty. For, he says: "Sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven." (Mt 19,21)… 
Whoever chooses poverty of his own accord is richer even than the king himself. For kings need many things and are in anxiety, but the poor man has enough of everything, and fears about nothing. Who then, tell me, is rich? He who is daily asking, and earnestly laboring to gather much together… or he who enjoys little as though it were great abundance?... For money enslaves. For it is said: "Gifts and presents blind the eyes of the wise" (Si 20,29)… Give away your possessions to the poor, then, follow Christ, and you shall be such as he is... You will hear on that day that blessed voice, saying: "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." 

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