Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 06-30-15, OM, The First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 8
23.	And when he entered into the boat, his disciples followed him:	Et ascendente eo in naviculam, secuti sunt eum discipuli ejus :	και εμβαντι αυτω εις το πλοιον ηκολουθησαν αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου
24.	And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep.	et ecce motus magnus factus est in mari, ita ut navicula operiretur fluctibus, ipse vero dormiebat.	και ιδου σεισμος μεγας εγενετο εν τη θαλασση ωστε το πλοιον καλυπτεσθαι υπο των κυματων αυτος δε εκαθευδεν
25.	And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish.	Et accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus, et suscitaverunt eum, dicentes : Domine, salva nos, perimus.	και προσελθοντες οι μαθηται ηγειραν αυτον λεγοντες κυριε σωσον ημας απολλυμεθα
26.	And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up he commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm.	Et dicit eis Jesus : Quid timidi estis, modicæ fidei ? Tunc surgens imperavit ventis, et mari, et facta est tranquillitas magna.	και λεγει αυτοις τι δειλοι εστε ολιγοπιστοι τοτε εγερθεις επετιμησεν τοις ανεμοις και τη θαλασση και εγενετο γαληνη μεγαλη
27.	But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him?	Porro homines mirati sunt, dicentes : Qualis est hic, quia venti et mare obediunt ei ?	οι δε ανθρωποι εθαυμασαν λεγοντες ποταπος εστιν ουτος οτι και οι ανεμοι και η θαλασσα υπακουουσιν αυτω

23. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.
24. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.
25. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
26. And he says to them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
27. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; Christ having performed many great and wonderful things on the land, passes to the sea, that there also He might Show forth His excellent power, presenting Himself before all men as the Lord of both earth and sea. And when he was entered into a boat, his disciples followed him, not being weak but strong and established in the faith. Thus they followed Him not So much treading in His footsteps, as accompanying Him in holiness of spirit.

CHRYS. He took His disciples with Him, and in a boat, that they might learn two lessons; first, not to be confounded in dangers, secondly, to think lowly of themselves in honor. That they should not think great things of themselves because He kept them while He sent the rest away, He suffers them to be tossed by the waves. Where miracles were to be shown, He suffers the people to be present; where temptations and fears were to be stilled, there He takes with Him only the victors of the world, whom He would prepare for strife.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; Therefore, having entered into the boat He caused the sea to rise; And, lo, there arose a great tempest in the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves. This tempest did not arise of itself, but in obedience to the power of Him Who gave, commandment, who brings the winds out of his treasures. There arose a great tempest, that a great work might be wrought;. because by how much the more the waves rushed into the boat, so much the more were the disciples troubled, and sought to be delivered by the wonderful power of the Savior.

CHRYS. They had seen others made partakers of Christ's mercies, but for as much as no man has so strong a sense of those things that are done in the person of another as of what is done to himself, it was necessary that in their own bodies they should feel Christ's mercies. Therefore He willed that this tempest should arise, that in their deliverance they might have a more lively sense of His goodness. This tossing of the sea was a type of their future trials of which Paul speaks, I would not have you ignorant, brethren, how that we were troubled beyond our strength. But that there might be time for their fear to arise, it follows, But he was asleep. For if the storm had arisen while He was awake, they would either not have feared, or not have prayed Him, or would not have believed that He had the power to still it.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; Wonderful, stupendous event! He that never slumbers nor sleeps, is said to be asleep. He slept with His body, but was awake in His Deity, showing that He bare a truly human body which He had taken on Him, corruptible. He slept with the body that He might cause the Apostles to watch, and that we all should never sleep with our mind. With so great fear were the disciples seized, and almost beside themselves, that they rushed to Him, and did not modestly or gently rouse Him, but violently awakened Him, His disciples came to Him, and awoke Him, saying, Lord, save us, we perish.

JEROME; Of this miracle we have a type in Jonah, who while all are in danger is himself unconcerned, sleeps, and is awakened.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; O you true disciples! You have the Savior with you and do you fear danger? Life itself is among you, and are you afraid of death? They would answer, We are yet children, and weak, and are therefore afraid; whence it follows, Jesus says to them, Why are you afraid, O you of little faith? As though He had said, If you have known me mighty upon earth, why believe you not that I am also mighty upon the sea? And even though death were threatening you, ought you not to support it with constancy? He who believes a little will be reasoned with; he who believes not at all will be neglected.

CHRYS. If any should say, that this was a sign of no small faith to go and rouse Jesus;. it is rather a sign that they had not a fight opinion concerning Him. They knew that when wakened He could rebuke the waves, but they did not yet know that He could do it while sleeping. For this cause He did not do this wonder in the presence of the multitudes, that they should not be charged with their little faith; but He takes His disciples apart to correct them, and first stills the raging of the waters. Thereof He arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

JEROME. From this passage we understand, that all creation is conscious of its Creator; for what may be rebuked and commanded is conscious of the mind commanding. I do not mean as some heretics hold, that the whole creation is animate - but by the power of the Maker things which to us have no consciousness have to Him.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; There fore He gave commandment to time winds and the sea, and frown a great storm it became a great calm. For it behoves Him that is great to do great things; therefore lie who first greatly stirred the depths of the sea, now again commands a great calm, that the disciples who had been too much troubled might have great rejoicing.

CHRYS; Observe also that the storm is stilled at once entirely, and no trace of disturbance appears; which is beyond nature for when a storm ceases in the counsel of nature, yet the water is wont to be agitated for some time longer, but here all is tranquillity at once. Thus what is said of the Father, He spoke, and the storm of wind ceased, this Christ fulfilled in deed; for by His word and bidding only he stayed and checked the waters. For from His appearance, from His sleeping, and His using a boat, they that were present supposed Him a man only, and on this account they fell into admiration of Him; And the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him?

GLOSS; Chrysostom explains this, What manner of man is this? His sleeping and His appearance showed the man; the sea and the calm pointed out the God.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; But who were the men that marveled? You must not think that the Apostles are here meant, for we never find the Lord's disciples mentioned with disrespect; they are always called either the Disciples or the Apostles. They marveled them who sailed with Him, whose was the boat.

JEROME; But if any shall contend that it was the disciples who wondered, we shall answer they are rightly spoken of as' the men,' seeing they had not yet learned the power of the Savior.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; This is not a question, What manner of man is this? but an affirmation that He is one whom the winds and the sea obey. What manner of man then is this? That is, how powerful, how mighty, how great! He commands every creature, and they transgress not His law; men alone disobey, and are therefore condemned by His judgment. Figuratively; we are all embarked in the vessel of the Holy Church, and voyaging through this stormy world with the Lord. The Lord himself sleeps a merciful sleep while we suffer, and awaits time repentance of the wicked.

HILARY; Or; he sleeps, because by our sloth He is cast asleep in us. This is done that we may hope aid from God in fear of danger; and that hope though late may be confident that it shall escape danger by the might of Christ watching within.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; Let us therefore come to Him with joy saying with the Prophet, Arise, O Lord, why do you sleep? And He will command the winds, that is, the demons, who raise the waves, that is, the rulers of the world, to persecute the saints, and He shall make a great calm around both body and spirit, peace for the Church, stillness for the world.

RABAN; Otherwise; The sea is the turmoil of the world; the boat in which Christ is embarked is to be understood the tree of the cross, by the aid of which the faithful having passed the waves of the world arrive in their heavenly country, as on a safe shore, whither Christ goes with His own; whence He says below, he that will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. When then Christ was fixed on the cross, a great commotion was raised, the minds of His disciples troubled at His passion, and the boat was covered by the waves. For the whole strength of persecution was around time cross of Christ, on which He died; as it is here, But he was asleep. His sleep is death. The disciples awaken the Lord, when troubled at His death; they seek His resurrection with earnest prayers, saying, Save us, by rising again; we perish, by our trouble at Your death. He rises again, and rebukes the hardness of their hearts, as we read in other places. He commands the winds, in that He overthrew the power of the Devil; He commanded the sea, in that He disappointed the malice of the Jews; and there was a great calm, because the minds of the disciples were calmed when they beheld His resurrection.

BEDE; Or; The boat is the present Church, it which Christ passes over the sea of this world with His own, and stills the waves of persecution. Wherefore we may wonder, and give thanks.

Catena Aurea Matthew 8

https://wf-f.org/FirstMartyrsRome.html

The First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church
optional memorial

June 30th

https://wf-f.org/WFFResource/Martyrs.jpg

Jan van Eyck
The Ghent Altarpiece (wings open)

1432
Oil on wood, 350 x 461 cm

Cathedral of St Bavo, Ghent

Red clothes in painting represents martyrs

Collect:

O God, who consecrated
the abundant first fruits of the Roman Church
by the blood of the Martyrs,
grant, we pray, that with firm courage
we may together draw strength from so great a struggle
and ever rejoice at the triumph of faithful love.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reign with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: Romans 8:31b-39

What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also give us all things with Him? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies; who is to condemn? Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As it is written, “For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:4-13

And Jesus answered them, “Take heed that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ’, and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to death; and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away, and betray one another, and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because wickedness is multiplied, most men’s love will grow cold. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/kids/saints/0630.asp

First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

Feast Day: June 30

The people we honor today had one thing in common: they gave up their lives for Christ. They were martyred because they were followers of the Lord Jesus.

By the year 64, Emperor Nero’s cruelty and abuse of people was too much. When a fire broke out in Rome on July 16, the emperor who was at his seaside villa in Anzio was informed that the blaze was out of control. Instead of returning to Rome immediately, he began composing a song that compared Rome to the burning city of Troy.

The people then realized that the emperor himself was responsible for the fire as he had plans to rebuild the city. The fire raged on for nine days and as two-thirds of Rome lay in ruin, and more than a million people lost their lives, the anger and hatred of the people began to grow.

Nero feared that his people would turn against him and decided to blame the fire on the Christians. By that time, the Jews who were followers of Jesus had begun to separate themselves from the main Jewish community.

Tacitus, a well-known historian, wrote that the Christians suffered cruel deaths. Some were fed to wild beasts while the Romans eagerly watched the sport. Others were tied to posts and burnt alive, becoming human torches at evening banquets while some were used to light the dark Roman streets. Many others were crucified in public places like gardens and the circus.

The exact number of heroes is not known, but their gift of witness as they gladly gave up their lives for Jesus made a lasting impact on the hearts of people. Nero’s was the first Roman emperor to torture Christians, but he was not the last.

And the more the Church suffered, the bigger it grew because their faith in Jesus was so strong that they were happy to lose their lives for Him. The martyrs paid this high price so that all who would come after them could also be lead to become Christians and experience the richness of living in the grace and love of God.

Reflection: In our prayer today, we offer thanks to the Father for the martyrs of Rome and ask God to help us live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him.

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/pictures/6_30_martyrs_rome.jpg

Daily Readings for:June 30, 2015

(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect:
O God, who consecrated that abundant first fruits of the Roman Church by the blood of the Martyrs, grant, we pray, that with firm courage we may together draw strength from so great a struggle and ever rejoice at the triumph of faithful love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

Chestnut Fritters
Coffee Braid
Crown Cake
Kugelhopf
Kugelhopf
Martyrs’ Chiffon Dessert
Name Day Cake
Pirogs
ACTIVITIES

Preparing for Heaven
PRAYERS

Litany of the Saints

Ordinary Time: June 30th
Optional Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome

Old Calendar: Commemoration of St. Paul, apostle

This memorial is in honor of the nameless followers of Christ brutally killed by the mad Emperor Nero as scapegoats for the fire in Rome. The pagan historian Tacitus and St. Clement of Rome tell of a night of horror (August 15, 64 A.D.) when in the imperial parks Christians were put into animal skins and hunted, were brutally attacked, and were made into living torches to light the road for Nero’s chariot. From 64 to 314 “Christian” was synonymous with “execution victim.”

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the commemoration of St. Paul. The Church emphasizes St. Peter’s prerogatives on yesterday’s feast and today recalls the special mission of Paul as Apostle of the Gentiles.

First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
There were Christians in Rome within a dozen or so years after the death of Jesus, though they were not the converts of the “Apostle of the Gentiles” (see Romans 15:20). Paul had not yet visited them at the time he wrote his great letter in A.D. 57-58.

There was a large Jewish population in Rome. Probably as a result of controversy between Jews and Jewish Christians, the Emperor Claudius expelled all Jews from Rome in A.D. 49-50. Suetonius the historian says that the expulsion was due to disturbances in the city “caused by the certain Chrestus” [Christ]. Perhaps many came back after Claudius’s death in A.D. 54. Paul’s letter was addressed to a church with members from Jewish and gentile backgrounds.

In July of A.D. 64, more than half of Rome was destroyed by fire. Rumor blamed the tragedy on Nero, who wanted to enlarge his palace. He shifted the blame by accusing the Christians. According to the historian Tacitus, a “great multitude” of Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims.

Threatened by an army revolt and condemned to death by the senate, Nero committed suicide in A.D. 68 at the age of thirty-one.

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/pictures/6_30_martyrs_rome2.jpg

Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians.

Excerpted from Saint of the Day, Leonard Foley, O.F.M.

Symbols: Red is the color for marytrs; red rose symbol of martyrdom; crown, symbolizing victory over death and sin; white horse with a white banner and cross and sword; fire or flames; palm, symbol of victory.

Things to Do:

St. Augustine gives us thoughts on why we celebrate the martyrs:

Christians celebrate the memory of the martyrs with religious ceremony in order to arouse emulation and in order that they may be associated with their merits and helped by their prayers. But to none of the martyrs do we erect altars as we do to the God of martyrs; we erect altars at their shrines. For what bishop standing at the altars over the bodies of martyrs ever said: We offer to Peter or Paul or Cyprian? Mass is offered to God who crowned the martyrs, at the shrine of the martyrs, so that the very spot may remind us to arouse in ourselves a more fervent charity toward those whom we imitate and toward Him who gives us the power to do so.

Bake a special dessert, either some recipe originating from Rome, or the highlighted nameday cakes.

This feast was created with the reform of the General Calendar in 1969. Many Roman martyrs feasts were removed from the General Calendar, since there wasn’t too much historical information about them. This feast celebrates the nameless men and women who were martyred in Nero’s Circus in the year 64 AD.

The First Martyrs of Holy Roman Church

Early the next morning Abraham went to the place where he had stood in the Lord’s presence. (Genesis 19:27)

Abraham lived in tumultuous times. God had told him that the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah had grown so great that the only answer was to overthrow them and start all over again. Even though Abraham tried to bargain with the Lord on behalf of these cities, God was resolute. After sending angels to rescue Lot and his family, God went through with his plan and burned the cities to the ground.

When Abraham woke up the morning after the destruction, he traveled, as if by instinct, to the place where he and God had last spoken. It’s as if he didn’t know what else to do. He wanted to find refuge in the place where he had last connected with the Lord, a place where he could make sense out of what had just happened.

What is your place of refuge? Where do you turn when you are trying to sort through the wreckage of a difficult situation? Some find comfort in family. Some prefer to be alone. Others, sadly, turn to alcohol or drugs for solace.

Turn to the Lord! His arms are open wide, waiting to receive you. He has the wisdom, the consolation, and the guidance you need. He also has the authority and power to help you put things back together and choose the next steps along your path. This is what Abraham did, and he grew stronger because of it.

Oftentimes our first response to difficulties is to imagine the worst, to fret, or to try to run away. These are all natural reactions, but they’re usually not the best reactions! The best thing to do is to make a conscious effort to stop, breathe, and seek the Lord in the quiet of your heart. Read a favorite Scripture verse if it helps. Try to get to daily Mass if you can. Make it a point to wake up a little earlier so that you can spend some extra time with the Lord. If you take steps to find God’s presence, you’ll also find the way through whatever challenges are before you.

“Thank you, Lord, for being my refuge. I know that I can come to you anytime, anywhere, about anything, and be filled with your life.”

Psalm 26:2-3, 9-12
Matthew 8:23-27

Regnum Christi

Letting Jesus Sleep

U. S. A. | SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

June 30, 2015. Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew 8:23-27

As Jesus got into the boat, his disciples followed him. A windstorm arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him up, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, you of little faith?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a dead calm. They were amazed, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?"

Introductory Prayer: Lord, I come to you in this meditation ready to do whatever it is you ask. Left to myself I often take the easy and convenient path, yet I know the way of a Christian is through the narrow gate. In you I find the reason to abandon the easy path for a more perfect mission of love. I’m ready to learn the meaning of your command: “Follow me.”

Petition: Lord, grant me the grace of a mature faith.

God’s Silence, Man’s Faith: We can imagine ourselves in the place of the apostles, in this poor boat tossed by the turbulent waves. The situation instantly speaks to our worst of fears; yet Jesus sleeps. Our temptation is to wake him…and too many souls do so through complaining incessantly, despairing attitudes, withdrawing from prayer, or unloading anger on others. When in a moment of trial we find life is no longer under our complete control, the option of meltdown is always at hand. But we mustn’t take that route; instead we must contemplate the power that emanates from the sleeping Christ. Trials are intended by God to draw us closer to him and increase our dependence on him. We have to live from faith; otherwise all that reigns is fear, insecurity and bitterness. The “Silence of Christ” is powerful. To pass over its meaning lightly is to abandon some of the deepest lessons of Christ’s heart. The “Silence of Christ” must teach us.

The “Silence of Christ” Speaks to Our Faith: What is Christ’s sleep like? As a young mother, Mary watched Jesus sleep many times. Archbishop Martinez writes:

“Jesus was exceedingly beautiful when he spoke the words of eternal life, accomplished wonders, looked with love, pardoned with mercy and caressed with tenderness. But I would like to have seen him while he was sleeping because I could have contemplated him to my heart’s content, without the fascination of his gaze distracting me, without the perfection of his beauty and the glory of his splendor dazzling my eyes and enrapturing my soul. The beauty of Jesus awake is far too great for my smallness. Who could support it? I felt it more suited to me veiled by sleep, as the glory of the sun is more adapted to my eyes when I look at it through a translucent lens” (When Jesus Sleeps, p.15).

May I trust the power of Christ just as much when he chooses not to act as when he does.

God’s Eternal Pedagogy: Water, a boat, the apostles and Christ… this scene repeats itself over and over again in the Gospel. Water is a symbol of the experiences of life taken on a human level; the boat is the experience of faith on a supernatural level -- it is our life with Christ. Christ’s message is that we can never let our experiences of life overwhelm our experience of faith. We have to live not from the surface level of impressions of the moment, but from the deep channel of faith that reveals the action of God, the wisdom of his Providence and the ultimate destiny of eternity. Faith is what reveals Christ’s presence in our boat; faith is what makes us believe that every wave and wind gust are blessed invitations to confide in the One who rules all. Faith is what permits God to console our hearts, calm our fears and preserve our joy in the midst of problems and difficulties that may take months or years to run their course.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I know belief makes me vulnerable. But I know that I will not know your love if I do not believe that you can make me happier than I can be by myself. If I do not face the enemies of my soul and my mission and abandon myself to your grace, I will not know your victory.

Resolution: Today I will take a problem and, with complete trust and confidence in him, leave it totally in God’s hands.

Homily of the Day

June 30, 2015

Calming the Winds

Mathew relates to us the story of how the disciples were with Jesus during a storm. Frightened, they woke up Jesus, and after He replied to them, “Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?” And then calmed the winds and the sea.

Life as we know it is chaotic. Challenges from work, society, government, family, and others bombard us daily with a lot of demands. How many times did we say we already want to give up? But then again, how many times did we turn to God for his assistance to answer all of these challenges? How many times did we feel we want to surrender but refused to surrender and lift everything to him?

Getting caught in a storm is no joke. We empathize for our brothers and sisters who endured the wrath of super typhoon Yolanda. If we were in that same situation, our thoughts and prayers would most definitely be crying out to God to save us. It’s a very human reaction. The wind howls and we feel so fragile when everything around us gets blown away.

Jesus reassures his friends that, though the storm rages on, his power will calm the surge of the water. His hand will bring peace to all this turmoil. We just need to strengthen our faith in a God who is more powerful than all these earthly elements. His hand is there to protect us and bring us to safety.

God wants us to know that we need not be afraid. He can build up what has been demolished. He can find what has been lost. He makes new the things in our life that might have crumbled to dust or might have been washed away. He is a God who leads us to a better life as long as we continue to have faith in him.

Jesus, thank you for being there even though we question our faith to you daily. At the end of the day everything here is all lifted up to you.

http://catholicexchange.com/calming-the-winds

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<< Tuesday, June 30, 2015 >>

First Martyrs of Rome

Genesis 19:15-29
View Readings

Psalm 26:2-3, 9-12

Matthew 8:23-27
Similar Reflections

BACK LOT

"Lot's wife looked back." —Genesis 19:26

The angels told Lot and his family to flee from Sodom and Gomorrah and not look back (Gn 19:17). "But Lot's wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt" (Gn 19:26). Jesus said: "Remember Lot's wife. Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it; whoever loses it will keep it" (Lk 17:32-33).

By becoming Christians, we have left behind the polluted world (see 2 Pt 2:20) of Sodom and Gomorrah. We have "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" and made "no provision for the desires of the flesh" (Rm 13:14). We are tempted to go back to our old life and be "caught up and overcome in pollution once more" (2 Pt 2:20). However, we should not go back or even look back to those things we left behind when we became disciples of Jesus. "Whoever puts his hand to the plow but keeps looking back is unfit for the reign of God" (Lk 9:62). We must "give no thought to what lies behind but push on to what is ahead" (Phil 3:13). "Remember Lot's wife" (Lk 17:32) "and the tomb of a disbelieving soul, a standing pillar of salt" (Wis 10:7).

Prayer: Father, I rejoice to give all for love of You.

Promise: " 'What sort of Man is this,' they said, 'that even the winds and the sea obey Him?' " —Mt 8:27

Praise: The First Martyrs of Rome have healed countless others through their lives and deaths. They came from all classes of Roman society — soldiers, peasants, nobility, and merchants.

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