DAILY GOSPEL for Wednesday, 15 April 2015

DAILY GOSPEL for Wednesday, 15 April 2015"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."[John 6:68]

Wednesday of the Second week of Easter
Saints of the day:

SAINT PATERNUS
Bishop
(c. 482 - c. 550)

St. Paternus was born at Poitiers, about the year 482. His father, Patranus, with the consent of his wife, went into Ireland, where he ended his days in holy solitude. Paternus, fired by his example, embraced a monastic life in the abbey of Marnes. After some time, burning with a desire of attaining to the perfection of Christian virtue, he passed over to Wales, and in Cardiganshire founded a monastery called Llan-patern-vaur, or the church of the great Paternus.
He made a visit to his father in Ireland, but being called back to his monastery of Marnes, he soon after retired with St. Scubilion, a monk of that house, and embraced an austere anchoretical life in the forests of Scicy, in the diocese of Coutances, near the sea, having first obtained leave of the bishop and of the lord of the place. This desert, which was then of great extent, but which has been since gradually gained upon by the sea, was anciently in great request among the Druids. St. Paternus converted to the faith the idolaters of that and many neighboring parts, as far as Bayeux, and prevailed upon them to demolish a pagan temple in this desert, which was held in great veneration by the ancient Gauls.
In his old age he was consecrated Bishop of Avranches by Germanus, Bishop of Rouen. Some false brethren having created a division of opinion among the bishops of the province with respect to St. Paternus, he preferred retiring rather than to afford any ground for dissension, and, after governing his diocese for thirteen years, he withdrew to a solitude in France, and there ended his days about the year 550.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Wednesday of the Second week of Easter
Acts of the Apostles 5:17 But the cohen hagadol and his associates, who were members of the party of the Tz’dukim, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the emissaries and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night, an angel of Adonai opened the doors of the prison, led them out and said, 20 “Go, stand in the Temple court and keep telling the people all about this new life!” 21 After hearing that, they entered the Temple area about dawn and began to teach.

Now the cohen hagadol and his associates came and called a meeting of the Sanhedrin (that is, of Isra’el’s whole assembly of elders) and sent to the jail to have them brought. 22 But the officers who went did not find them in the prison. So they returned and reported, 23 “We found the jail securely locked and the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened it, we found no one inside!” 24 When the captain of the Temple police and the head cohanim heard these things, they were puzzled and wondered what would happen next.

25 Then someone came and reported to them, “Listen! The men you ordered put in prison are standing in the Temple court, teaching the people!” 26 The captain and his officers went and brought them, but not with force; because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.

Psalms 34:2 (1) I will bless Adonai at all times;

his praise will always be in my mouth.

3 (2) When I boast, it will be about Adonai;

the humble will hear of it and be glad.

4 (3) Proclaim with me the greatness of Adonai;

let us exalt his name together.

5 (4) I sought Adonai, and he answered me;

he rescued me from everything I feared.

6 (5) They looked to him and grew radiant;

their faces will never blush for shame.

7 (6) This poor man cried; Adonai heard

and saved him from all his troubles.

8 (7) The angel of Adonai, who encamps

around those who fear him, delivers them.

9 (8) Taste, and see that Adonai is good.

How blessed are those who take refuge in him!

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. 17 For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved. 18 Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God’s only and unique Son.

19 “Now this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the light. Why? Because their actions were wicked. 20 For everyone who does evil things hates the light and avoids it, so that his actions won’t be exposed. 21 But everyone who does what is true comes to the light, so that all may see that his actions are accomplished through God.”

Wednesday of the Second week of Easter
Commentary of the day:
Saint Clement of Alexandria (150- c.215), theologian
The Instructor [Paedagogus], 1,6
"Whoever lives the truth comes to the light"
Being baptized, we are illuminated; illuminated, we become children; being made children, we are made perfect; being made perfect, we are made immortal. God says: “I have said you are gods, and all children of the Most High” (Ps 81[82],6).
This work of baptism is variously called grace, illumination, perfection, and washing. Washing, by which we cleanse away our sins; grace, by which the punishment owing to our sins is remitted; illumination, by which the holy light of salvation is beheld so that we see clearly the divine things; perfection, because nothing is lacking. For what is yet lacking to one who knows God? Or how could we call “God’s grace” something that is not perfect? Being perfect himself, God only bestows perfect gifts…
Therefore, we have hardly been regenerated than, as the name suggests, we have been “illuminated”, set free from darkness and, in the same instant, filled with light… We are relieved of the sins that concealed the divine Spirit like a cloud and, behold, the eye of the spirit is set free, uncovered and full of light: that eye which alone enables us to contemplate divine things.

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