Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
31 AUGUST 2014
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 16:21-27.
Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.”
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Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
31 AUGUST 2014
Commentary of the day
The Imitation of Christ, spiritual treatise of the 15th century
Book II, ch. 12 (trans. Robert Dudley, 1980)
“Let him take up his cross, and follow me”
If you gladly bear the cross, then it will bear you, and guide you to the goal you long for, where suffering will end: which will not happen here. If you suffer in spite, you create your own burden and load yourself the more heavily; and still you must bear it. Throw off one cross, you will surely find another; and it may be heavier.
Do you expect to by-pass what no mortal man can escape? Which of the Saints lacked cross or affliction in the world? Indeed, Jesus Christ our Lord was not without the pain of the Passion for one hour of his life: It behoved Christ to suffer and rise from the dead, and so to enter into his glory. And how is it that you seek sonic other than the royal way, the way of the holy cross?…
But such a one as this, in so manifold affliction, is not without comfort to ease him; for he is aware that great fruit accrues to him from the suffering of his cross. For as he spontaneously submits, the whole weight of his affliction is transformed into assurance of God’s comforting… It is not your human strength, but the grace of Christ that has such potent effect on the frail flesh; stirring it to go out and love with spiritual ardour what naturally it ever avoids with horror.
It is not in our nature to bear the cross, to love the cross… Look at yourself: of yourself you can do none of this. But if you trust in the Lord, strength will be given you from heaven, and authority over the world and the flesh. Not even our enemy the devil will you fear, if you are armed with faith and signed with the cross of Christ.
©Evangelizo.org 2001-2014
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Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
31 AUGUST 2014
Saint of the day
SAINT RAYMUND NONNATUS
SAINT RAYMUND NONNATUS
(1204-1240)
St. Raymund Nonnatus was born in Catalonia, in the year 1204, and was descended of a gentleman’s family of a small fortune. In his childhood he seemed to find pleasure only in his devotions and serious duties. His father perceiving in him an inclination to a religious state, took him from school, and sent him to take care of a farm which he had in the country. Raymund readily obeyed, and, in order to enjoy the opportunity of holy solitude, kept the sheep himself, and spent his time in the mountains and forests in holy meditation and prayer.
Some time after, he joined the new Order of Our Lady of Mercy for the redemption of captives, and was admitted to his profession at Barcelona by the holy founder, St. Peter Nolasco. Within two or three years after his profession, he was sent into Barbary with a considerable sum of money, where he purchased, at Algiers, the liberty of a great number of slaves. When all this treasure was exhausted, he gave himself up as a hostage for the ransom of certain others. This magnanimous sacrifice served only to exasperate the Mohammedans, who treated him with uncommon barbarity, till, fearing lest if he died in their hands they should lose the ransom which was to be paid for the slaves for whom he remained a hostage, they gave orders that he should be treated with more humanity. Hereupon he was permitted to go abroad about the streets, which liberty he made use of to comfort and encourage the Christians in their chains, and he converted and baptized some Mohammedans. For this the governor condemned him to be put to death by thrusting a stake into the body, but his punishment was commuted, and he underwent a cruel bastinado. This torment did not daunt his courage. So long as he saw souls in danger of perishing eternally, he thought he had yet done nothing. St. Raymund had no more money to employ in releasing poor captives, and to speak to a Mohammedan upon the subject of religion was death. He could, however, still exert his endeavors, with hopes of some success, or of dying a martyr of charity. He therefore resumed his former method of instructing and exhorting both the Christians and the infidels. The governor, who was enraged, ordered our Saint to be barbarously tortured and imprisoned till his ransom was brought by some religious men of his Order, who were sent with it by St. Peter.
Upon his return to Spain, he was nominated cardinal by Pope Gregory IX., and the Pope, being desirous to have so holy a man about his person, called him to Rome. The Saint obeyed, but went no further than Cardona, when he was seized with a violent fever, which proved mortal.
He died on the 31st of August, in the year 1240, the thirty-seventh of his age.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
©Evangelizo.org 2001-2014
August 23, 2014 | Categories: COMMENTARY OF THE DAY, DAILY GOSPEL OF LORD JESUS CHRIST, SAINTS OF THE DAY | Leave a comment
FRANCIS XAVIER SAMSEN 
Sunday, August 31st. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St Matthew 16:21-27.
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
31 AUGUST 2014
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 16:21-27.
Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct.”
#########################################################################################
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
31 AUGUST 2014
Commentary of the day
The Imitation of Christ, spiritual treatise of the 15th century
Book II, ch. 12 (trans. Robert Dudley, 1980)
“Let him take up his cross, and follow me”
If you gladly bear the cross, then it will bear you, and guide you to the goal you long for, where suffering will end: which will not happen here. If you suffer in spite, you create your own burden and load yourself the more heavily; and still you must bear it. Throw off one cross, you will surely find another; and it may be heavier.
Do you expect to by-pass what no mortal man can escape? Which of the Saints lacked cross or affliction in the world? Indeed, Jesus Christ our Lord was not without the pain of the Passion for one hour of his life: It behoved Christ to suffer and rise from the dead, and so to enter into his glory. And how is it that you seek sonic other than the royal way, the way of the holy cross?…
But such a one as this, in so manifold affliction, is not without comfort to ease him; for he is aware that great fruit accrues to him from the suffering of his cross. For as he spontaneously submits, the whole weight of his affliction is transformed into assurance of God’s comforting… It is not your human strength, but the grace of Christ that has such potent effect on the frail flesh; stirring it to go out and love with spiritual ardour what naturally it ever avoids with horror.
It is not in our nature to bear the cross, to love the cross… Look at yourself: of yourself you can do none of this. But if you trust in the Lord, strength will be given you from heaven, and authority over the world and the flesh. Not even our enemy the devil will you fear, if you are armed with faith and signed with the cross of Christ.
©Evangelizo.org 2001-2014
#########################################################################################
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
31 AUGUST 2014
Saint of the day
SAINT RAYMUND NONNATUS
SAINT RAYMUND NONNATUS
(1204-1240)
St. Raymund Nonnatus was born in Catalonia, in the year 1204, and was descended of a gentleman’s family of a small fortune. In his childhood he seemed to find pleasure only in his devotions and serious duties. His father perceiving in him an inclination to a religious state, took him from school, and sent him to take care of a farm which he had in the country. Raymund readily obeyed, and, in order to enjoy the opportunity of holy solitude, kept the sheep himself, and spent his time in the mountains and forests in holy meditation and prayer.
Some time after, he joined the new Order of Our Lady of Mercy for the redemption of captives, and was admitted to his profession at Barcelona by the holy founder, St. Peter Nolasco. Within two or three years after his profession, he was sent into Barbary with a considerable sum of money, where he purchased, at Algiers, the liberty of a great number of slaves. When all this treasure was exhausted, he gave himself up as a hostage for the ransom of certain others. This magnanimous sacrifice served only to exasperate the Mohammedans, who treated him with uncommon barbarity, till, fearing lest if he died in their hands they should lose the ransom which was to be paid for the slaves for whom he remained a hostage, they gave orders that he should be treated with more humanity. Hereupon he was permitted to go abroad about the streets, which liberty he made use of to comfort and encourage the Christians in their chains, and he converted and baptized some Mohammedans. For this the governor condemned him to be put to death by thrusting a stake into the body, but his punishment was commuted, and he underwent a cruel bastinado. This torment did not daunt his courage. So long as he saw souls in danger of perishing eternally, he thought he had yet done nothing. St. Raymund had no more money to employ in releasing poor captives, and to speak to a Mohammedan upon the subject of religion was death. He could, however, still exert his endeavors, with hopes of some success, or of dying a martyr of charity. He therefore resumed his former method of instructing and exhorting both the Christians and the infidels. The governor, who was enraged, ordered our Saint to be barbarously tortured and imprisoned till his ransom was brought by some religious men of his Order, who were sent with it by St. Peter.
Upon his return to Spain, he was nominated cardinal by Pope Gregory IX., and the Pope, being desirous to have so holy a man about his person, called him to Rome. The Saint obeyed, but went no further than Cardona, when he was seized with a violent fever, which proved mortal.
He died on the 31st of August, in the year 1240, the thirty-seventh of his age.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
©Evangelizo.org 2001-2014
August 23, 2014 | Categories: COMMENTARY OF THE DAY, DAILY GOSPEL OF LORD JESUS CHRIST, SAINTS OF THE DAY | Leave a comment