13. And he goes up into a mountain, and calls to him whom he would: and they came to him.
14. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
15. And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
16. And Simon he surnamed Peter;
17. And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
18. And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
19. And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him.
BEDE; After having forbidden the evil Spirits to preach Him, The chose holy men, to cast out the unclean spirits, and to preach the Gospel; wherefore it is said, And he went up in to a mountain, &c.
THEOPHYL. Luke, however, says that He went up to pray, for after the showing forth of miracles He prays, teaching us that we should give thanks, when we obtain anything good, and refer it to divine grace.
PSEUD-CHRYS. The also instructs the Prelates of the Church to pass the night in prayer before they ordain, that their office be not impeded. When therefore, according to Luke, it was day, He called whom He would; for there were many who followed Him.
BEDE; For it was not a matter of their choice and zeal, but of Divine condescension and grace, that they should be called to the Apostleship. The amount also in which the Lord chose His Apostles, shows the lofty righteousness in which they were to be instructed, and which they were about to preach to men.
PSEUDO-JEROME; Or spiritually, Christ is the mount, from which living waters flow, and milk is procured for the health of infants; whence the spiritual feast of fat things is made known, and whatever is believed to be most highly good is established by time grace of that Mountain. Those therefore who are highly exalted in merits and in words are called up into a mountain, that the place may correspond to the loftiness of their merits. It goes on: And they came to him, &c. For the Lord loved the beauty of Jacob, that they might sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel, who also is bands of threes and fours watch around the tabernacle of the Lord, and carry the holy words of the Lord, bearing them forward on their actions, as men do burdens on their shoulders.
BEDE; For as a sacrament of this the children of Israel once used to encamp about time Tabernacle, so that on each of the four sides of the square three tribes were stationed. Now three times four are twelve, and in three bands of four the Apostles were sent to preach, that through the four quarters of time whole world they might baptize the nations in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
It goes on: And he gave them power, &c. That is, in order that time greatness of their deeds might bear witness to the greatness of their heavenly promises, and that they, who preached unheard-of things, might do unheard-of actions.
THEOPHYL. Further, He gives the names of the Apostles, that the true Apostles might be known, so that men might avoid the false. And therefore it continues: And Simon he surnamed Cephas.
AUG. But let no one suppose that Simon now received his name and was called Peter, for thus he would make Mark contrary to John, who relates that it had been long before said to him, You shall be called Cephas. But Mark gives this account by way of recapitulation; for as he wished to give the names of the twelve Apostles, and was obliged to call him Peter, his object was to intimate briefly, that he was not called this originally, but that the Lord gave him that name.
BEDE; And the reason that the Lord willed that he fled should at first he called otherwise, was that from the change in itself of the name, a mystery might be conveyed to us. Peter then in Latin or in Greek means the same thing as Cephas in Hebrew, and in each language the name is drawn from a stone. Nor can it be doubted that is the rock of which Paul spoke, And this rock was Christ. For as Christ was the true light, and allowed also that the Apostles should be called the light of the world, so also to Simon, who believed on the rock Christ, He gave the name of Rock.
PSEUDO-JEROME; Thus from obedience, which Simon signifies, the ascent is made to knowledge, which is meant by Peter. It goes on: And James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother.
BEDE; We must connect this with what went before, He goes up into a mountain, and calls.
PSEUDO-JEROME; Namely, James who has supplanted all the desires of the flesh, and John, who received by grace what others held by labor. There follows: And he surnamed them, Boanerges.
PSEUD-CHRYS. The calls the sons of Zebedee by this name, because they were to spread over the world the mighty and illustrious decrees of the Godhead.
PSEUDO-JEROME; Or by this the lofty merit of the three mentioned above is shown, who merited to hear in the mountain the thunders of the Father, when he proclaimed in thunder through a cloud concerning the Son, This is my beloved Son; that they also through the cloud of the flesh and the fire of the word, might as it were scatter the thunderbolts in rain on the earth, since the Lord turned the thunderbolts into rain, so that mercy extinguishes what judgment sets on fire.
It goes on: And Andrew, who manfully does violence to perdition, so that he had ever ready within him his own death, to give as an answer, and his soul was ever in his hands.
BEDE; For Andrew is a Greek name, which means 'manly', from that is, man, for he manfully adhered to the Lord. There follows, And Philip.
PSEUDO-JEROME; Or, 'the mouth of a lamp,' that is, one who can throw light by his mouth upon what he has conceived in his heart, to whom the Lord gave the opening of a mouth, which diffused light. We know that this mode of speaking belongs to holy Scripture; for Hebrew names are put down in order to intimate a mystery. There follows: And Bartholomew, which means, the son of him who suspends the waters; of him, that is, who said, I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. But the name of son of God is obtained by peace and loving one's enemy; for, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they are the sons of God. And, Love your enemies, that you may be the sons of God. There follows: And Matthew, that is, 'given,' to whom it is given by the Lord, not only to obtain remission of sins, but to be enrolled in the number of the Apostles. And Thomas, which means, 'abyss;' for men who have knowledge by the power of God, put forward many deep things. It goes on: And James the son of Alphaeus, that is, of 'the learned' or 'the thousandth,' beside whom a thousand will fall. This other James is he, whose wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness. There follows, And Thaddeus, that is, 'corculum,' which means 'he who guards the heart,' one who keeps his heart in all watchfulness.
BEDE; But Thaddeus is the same person, as Luke calls in the Gospel and in the Acts, Jude of James, for he was the brother of James, the brother of the Lord, as he himself has written in his Epistle.
There follows, And Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. He has added this by way of distinction from Simon Peter, and Jude the brother of James. Simon is called the Canaanite from Cana, a village in Galilee, and Judas, Scariotes, from the village from which he had his origin, or he is so called from the tribe of Issachar.
THEOPHYL. Whom he reckons amongst the Apostles, that we may learn that God does not repel any man for wickedness, which is future, but counts him worthy on account of his present virtue.
PSEUDO-JEROME; But Simon is interpreted, 'laying aside sorrow;' for blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. And he is called Canaanite, that is, Zealot, because the zeal of the Lord ate him up. But Judas Iscariot is one who does not do away his sins by repentance. For Judas means 'boaster,' or vain-glorious. And Iscariot, 'the memory of death.' But many are the proud and vain-glorious confessors in the Church, as Simon Magus, and Arius, and other heretics, whose deathlike memory is celebrated in the Church, that it may be avoided.
Catena Aurea Mark 3
The Word Among Us
Meditation: Mark 3:13-19
Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr (Optional Memorial)
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him. (Mark 3:14)
A group of ambassadors has gathered at the United Nations to discuss how their countries can work together to resolve a crisis. One emissary, however, has no idea what the president of his country thinks about the issue. This representative would surely be no help in the negotiations—and neither would he be serving his country well!
“Ambassador.” That’s one way people in Jesus’ time understood the word “apostle”—a representative sent out by one in authority. So when Jesus chose his apostles, he picked people whom he could trust to heal and preach on his behalf, but they first needed to understand the message they were going to proclaim. And so Jesus wanted them to “be with him” (Mark 3:14).
In order for the apostles to be effective, they had to know Jesus well. They had to learn, not only his thoughts and plans, but also his desires and dreams. They had to know what was on his heart. And that could happen only as they spent time with him.
Now, we can’t exactly sit around the fire talking with Jesus the way the apostles did. But that doesn’t have to keep us from getting to know him better. There are many ways to do this, but let’s look at one of the best: spend time every day reading and studying Scripture. You can do this alone or join a Bible study group at church. Or you can pick up a couple of books on Scripture written by trusted authors that can help you understand what you are reading.
Don’t stop at reading though. Take what you have learned, and sit before the Lord with it in adoration. Ask Jesus, in light of what you’re learning from Scripture, what his “policy” is on some of the issues that you are facing or on the broader issues in your community or the world around you. Let his word guide you as you seek the answers, but also see if anything moves in your heart—anything that you think may come from the Holy Spirit.
Remember, the more you know Jesus and how he thinks and feels, the better ambassador you’ll be!
“Jesus, thank you for choosing me as your ambassador. Help me know you more deeply so that I can represent you today!”
Hebrews 8:6-13
Psalm 85:8, 10-14
Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Father Robert DeCesare, LC
Mark 3:13-19
He went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: (he appointed the Twelve:) Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, I believe that through baptism you have invited me to share in your friendship. I trust in your Church, Lord. You have given us this institution as the guide to help us in our salvation. I love you, Lord, because you have loved me first. I love you, Lord, for calling me to be your friend and apostle. I may be a mere sinner, but with you, Lord, I believe that I can do great things.
Petition: Lord, help me to collaborate in your work of salvation.
1. Christ Summoned Those Whom He Wanted: Christ has chosen to need our assistance. He wants our help with the great work of the New Evangelization. As great and powerful as Christ is, he has willed that man collaborate with him in his plan of salvation. He wants to involve others in helping people to come to know, love and serve him. He makes use of man’s free and responsible collaboration in order to carry out his plans. Therefore, even though man is a creature of very limited possibilities, he can achieve truly unimaginable things when he lives and works for God.
2. He Calls Me by Name: Christ does not haphazardly choose me to collaborate with him in the New Evangelization. He knows me. He knows me better than I know myself, and out of love he invites me to be with him. When he calls me by name, he reaches into the depths of my heart and soul. He delves into the depths of who I am, and he identifies with me. When he calls me by name, he calls me out of love; “he calls me to share in his own divine life” (Lumen Gentium, 2). He calls me by name because he knows how great the gift is that he wishes to share with me.
3. He Gives Me a Mission: “He sent them to preach and to drive out demons” (Mark 3:14-15). Christ doesn’t call me just to enjoy the present life. He has created me for a purpose. He has given me a specific vocation that only I can fulfill. I am irreplaceable; there will never be another me. The opportunity that I have to share in this friendship with Our Lord is an invitation to do something with him and for him. Christ’s love for me invites and beckons me to collaborate with him. Who can resist an invitation to collaborate with someone so great, and with an offer so challenging and yet so fulfilling?
Conversation with Christ: Lord, you have wished for me to enter your friendship. You have called me by name to be your friend. You have invited me to help you in the New Evangelization. I want to help you and do my part. Give me the strength to be close to you and to collaborate with you in this great undertaking.
Resolution: I will bring up the faith in a conversation with someone.
The name of Sebastian is enveloped in a wreath of legends. The oldest historical account of the saint is found in a commentary on the psalms by St. Ambrose; the passage reads: "Allow me to propose to you the example of the holy martyr Sebastian. By birth he was a Milanese. Perhaps the persecutor of Christians had left Milan, or had not yet arrived, or had become momentarily more tolerant. Sebastian believed that here there was no opportunity for combat, or that it had already passed. So he went to Rome, the scene of bitter opposition arising from the Christians' zeal for the faith. There he suffered, there he gained the crown."
