Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:37-41.
After he had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.
Commentary of the day Blessed Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997), founder of the Missionary Sisters of Charity Something Beautiful for God
2865
We shouldn't be satisfied by giving money. Money isn't enough because it can always be found. It's our hands the poor need if they are to be helped; it's our hearts they need to be loved. Christ's religion is a religion of love, contagious love.
People who propose a comfortable life for themselves undoubtedly have their reasons. Perhaps they have acquired it by their work. I'm not upset by it; only by waste, by those who throw in the garbage what could be useful to us. The difficulty is that very often the rich – or even those who are comfortably off – don't really know what being poor means. That's why we can forgive them because knowledge can only lead to love and love to service. It's because they don't know them that they aren't moved by them.
I try to give the poor through love what the wealthy are able to acquire by money. True, I would not touch a leper for a million, but I willingly care for him for love of God.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:29-32.
While still more people gathered in the crowd, he said to them, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. At the judgment the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation and she will condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and there is something greater than Solomon here. At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.
Commentary of the day Saint Gregory de Nyssa (c.335-395), monk and Bishop Homily 1 on the Song of Songs (Migne 1992, p.40 rev.)
« There is a greater than Solomon here»
In the sacred text of the Song of Songs we shall find the soul clothed, in a sense, in the garment of a bride to prepare it for a pure and spiritual marriage with God that has nothing to do with the body. For He, «who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth» (I Tim. 2,4), shows us in this book the most perfect and glorious path of salvation, I mean, by way of love. For some are saved by fear, as for example, when we break off from sin because we have our eyes on the threatened punishment of Hell. There are others, too who live lives of virtue because of the rewards promised to the good; and these possess their goal not by charity but by their hope of reward.
But he who runs in spirit to reach perfection, casts out fear. For this is the attitude of a slave, who does not stay with his master out of love... He loves with his «whole heart and soul and strength» (Mk 12,30) not the creatures that come from God but he who is the source of all good. This disposition should be in the souls of all of us, according to the words of Solomon...
Do you suppose I'm referring to Solomon, Bathsheba's son, who offered a thousand oxen on the mountain and who sinned by following the advice of the foreign woman? I am not. No, I am thinking of another Solomon who was also born of the seed of David according to the flesh, whose name was «peace». [the name 'Solomon' means «man of peace» (1 Ch 22,9)]. He is the true King of Israel, the builder of God's Temple, the possessor of universal knowledge. His wisdom is measureless; more, his essence is wisdom and truth; his name and his thoughts are perfectly divine, wholly sublime. Solomon was used by him as an instrument and he is the one who, through his voice, speaks to us first in Proverbs, then in Ecclesiastes, then in the Song of Songs. Thus he presents methodically and in order for our reflection the means of making progress towards perfection.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:15-26.
Some of them said, "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons." Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that (I) drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, 'I shall return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that person is worse than the first."
Commentary of the day Saint [Padre] Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968), Capuchin CE 33
The field of spiritual combat
At every moment of life the human soul is the field of combat between God and Satan. So it is essential that the soul allows free access to the Lord so that he can strengthen it on every side and with all kinds of weapons. Thus his light will be able to enlighten it so as to fight better against the darkness of error. Clothed with Christ (Gal 3,27), with his truth and righteousness, protected by the shield of faith and the word of God, it will overcome its enemies however strong they may be (Eph 6,13f.). Even so, however, to be clothed with Christ we must die to ourselves.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:5-13.
And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,' and he says in reply from within, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.' I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?"
Commentary of the day : Saint Hilary "Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find"
"Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find"
How well I know, O God, all-powerful Father, that to offer myself to you in such a way that everything within me... speaks of you is the chief object of my life. You have granted me the gift of speech and it can bring me no greater reward than the honor of serving you and showing the world that ignores it and the heretic who denies it who you are, O Father of God's only Son. Yes, that is indeed my only wish! However, I am in great need of begging for the help of your mercy so that you may swell the sails of my faith, spread out for you, with the breath of your Spirit and may prompt me to preach everywhere your holy name. For it is was not in vain that you made this promise: «Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you».
Poor, we beg for what we lack. We will zealously apply ourselves to studying your prophets and apostles. We will knock at all the doors our minds find closed. But you alone can answer our prayer...; you alone can open this door we are knocking at. You will give encouragement to difficult beginnings, affirm our progress, and call us to share in the Spirit who guided your prophets and apostles. In this way we won't give their words a meaning different to the one they intended.
So grant us true understanding of the words, the light of intelligence, beauty of expression and faith in the truth. Grant us to speak what we believe...: that there is only one God, the Father, and one Lord, Jesus Christ.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:1-4.
He was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."
Commentary of the day
5th century homily wrongly attributed to Saint John Chrysostom, no.6 on prayer; PG 64, 461
«Teach us to pray»
The highest good of all is prayer, a familiar conversation with God. Prayer is a relationship with God and union with him. Just as our bodily eyes are lit up at the sight of light, so the soul that is directed towards God is illumined by his indescribable light. Prayer is not the consequence of our exterior posture but comes from the heart. It is not circumscribed by fixed times or moments but is a continuous activity, by night as much as by day. Don't let us be satisfied by turning our thoughts to God when we apply ourselves specifically to prayer, but also when absorbed in other occupations – such as caring for the poor or some other concern to do with good and useful work – it matters that we include in these the desire and remembrance of God so as to offer a sweet food to the Lord of the universe, seasoned with the salt of love for God. We can draw great profit from this all our life long if we set aside a good part of our time to it.
Prayer is the light of the soul, the true knowledge of God, the mediator between God and men. Through it the soul rises heavenwards and grasps our Lord in an indescribable embrace. Like a nursling for its mother, it cries to God in tears, thirsty for divine milk. It expresses it profound desires and accepts gifts surpassing all to be seen in the natural world. Prayer, in which we respectfully come before God, is joy to the heart, rest to the soul.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10:38-42. As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."
Commentary of the day Saint Augustine (354-430), Bishop of Hippo (North Africa) and Doctor of the Church Sermon 104 ; PL 38, 616
Two women, two images of our life
You already know, I believe, that these two women, both of whom were dear to our Lord, both worthy of his love, and both his disciples..., these two women, then, are an image of two forms of life: the life of this world and the life of the world to come; the life of work and the life of rest; the life of care and life in blessedness; life in time and life in eternity.
Two forms of life: let us reflect on them at greater length. Consider what this life here is composed of: I am not referring to a blameworthy life..., a life of debauchery and impiousness; no, what I'm talking about is a life of work, burdened by trials, troubles and temptations, of a life without blame, the life that was very much like that of Martha... Evil was wholly absent from this house, with Martha as with Mary - and if there had been any, our Lord's arrival would have dispersed it. And so, two women lived there, both of whom welcomed the Lord, two admirable, upright lives, one composed of work, the other of rest... One was a life of work but free from compromise, the hazard of a life devoted to action; the other was free from indolence, the hazard of a life of rest. There we have two lives and the very source of life...
Martha's life is our own world; Mary's life, the world we are waiting for. Let us live this one in uprightness so that we may gain the other in its fullness. What do we already possess of that life there?... At this moment, precisely, we are leading the life to come to a certain extent: you have gathered together, away from matters of business, apart from family cares, and are present there to listen. When you act like this, then you resemble Mary. And that's easier for you than for me who have to speak! What I'm saying, however, I'm drawing from Christ and this food is Christ's food. For he is the bread shared by all of us and, for this reason, I'm living in communion with you.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10:25-37. There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live." But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.' Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
To interpret the parable of the Good Samaritan, one of the elders used to say that the man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho was Adam. He said Jerusalem was paradise, Jericho was the world, and the brigands were enemy powers. The priest was the law, the levite the prophets, and the Samaritan Christ. Adam's wounds were his disobedience, the animal that carried him was the body of the Lord... and the promised return of the Samaritan, according to this interpeter, was a figure of the Second Coming of the Savior...
This Samaritan bore our sins and suffered on our behalf; he carried the half dead man to the inn which takes in everyone, denying no one its help; in other words, to the Church. To this inn Jesus invites all when he says: «Come to me, all who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you new strength» After bringing in the man half dead the Samaritan did not immediately depart, but remained and dressed his wounds by night as well as by day, showing his concern and doing everything he could for him... This guardian of souls «who showed mercy to the man who fell into the hands of brigands» was a better neighbor to him than were either the law or the prophets, and he proved this more by deeds than by words.
Now the saying: «be imitators of me as I am of Christ» makes it clear that we can imitate Christ by showing mercy to those who have «fallen into the hands of brigands». We can go to them, bandage their wounds after pouring in oil and wine, place them on our own mount, and bear their burdens. And so the Son of God exhorts us to do these things, in words addressed not only to the teacher of the law but to all of us: «Go and do likewise.»
