Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 02-05-17, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 02-05-17 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

http://www.theworkofgod.org/Devotns/Euchrist/HolyMass/gospels.asp?key=108

Year A - 5th Sunday in ordinary time

You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world
Matthew 5:13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.
15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus
You are the salt of the earth. You who believe in me have been selected by a special grace to be my followers, disciples and apostles.

I call you salt because you share the properties of salt. Food without salt does not taste the same. Salt has healing properties that kill bacteria and promote the curing of wounds. In other times when there were not refrigerators, salt was used to preserve foods.

I came to the world to heal; I am the God who heals you. Besides healing the sick from their physical wounds, I came to heal the wounds of sin. The main purpose of my healing is to preserve the soul from the decay caused by sin and to preserve it for the time of the resurrection when it will be clothed in the garments of light which last for all eternity.

You have been invited to share in my powers and to cure the sick too. Remember my words (John 14:12): “Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in me, will do the same things that I do and even greater, because I am going to the Father.” These signs will accompany the true believers (Mark 16:17-18): In my name you may cast out evil spirits, pray for the sick, which will recover, they will also speak in new tongues. (John 15:7) If you believe in me and my words abide in you, ask anything you wish and it shall be done for you.

To believe in me gives you the great power of faith, capable of touching my will and obtaining better results in your prayers. He who believes my words and accepts them as the Word of God will be able to pray for miracles. I stopped the storm and walked on water, therefore demonstrating my power over the elements; I cured the sick and raised the dead, showing that nothing is impossible for God. Pray with faith.

I am the Light of the world; if you follow me you will not walk in darkness; if you love me you will be filled with my light and become the light of the world. My light is my own holiness, which I want to share with everyone. Be holy, as I am holy; be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

I invite you to become my heart, full of love and compassion for all those who need me. I invite you to become my hands; to stretch out around the world and give it the comfort it needs. I invite you to become my feet so that you may walk with me in search of souls. I invite you to become my eyes, always looking for those in need in order to bring them my infinite mercy.

Become like me, become another Christ, be transfigured by my light so that you too can do my work of salvation. There is no time to lose.

You can be a miracle worker if you are willing to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Open your heart and tell me that you want to accept my offering, believe in my words and let them make a new creation in you, a new being filled with my light, who will be very happy to spread my kingdom.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

[Salvation]

Archdiocese of Washington

Pass the Salt and Put on the Lights – A Homily for the 5th Sunday of the Year

Msgr. Charles Pope • February 5, 2017 •

In the gospel today the Lord describes metaphorically (i.e. figuratively) what a Christian is and what He expects of us. Note five things about what He says

I. The Definitiveness of his Proclamation – The Text says You are the Salt of the earth….You are the light of the World…..But if salt goes flat it is good for nothing…..No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket.

The Lord is definitive in two ways. First he says, “You.” He is not talking to people long ago, or someone next to you. He is not merely talking to your pastor, or only to the Saints. He is talking to you, “YOU are salt, YOU are light.” You. It’s too easy to say, “Look what the Lord is saying to them, long ago, near the lakeside.” It’s not long ago, It’s now, it’s you.

The second way the Lord is definitive is that both images depend on us, and if we are not salt and light then no one else is around to be this and we have utterly voided our worth.

1. Look at the metaphor of salt: You are either salt, or you are nothing, in fact, good for NOTHING. As Christians we have signed up to be specialists. We have signed up to be Christians. What this means is that if we go off and do anything else, we are nothing, and good for nothing. It’s a very all or nothing scenario. Jesus says, if you have decided to be my disciple your are either going to do that or be nothing. You may go on to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, laborer, or social worker. But the Lord’s got plenty of those, (and so does the devil). Your first and only mission is to be a true and uncompromised Christian and everything else is commentary. You may be a great doctor, but if you don’t do it as a clear and visible Christian you are nothing. You may be a skilled social worker, but if you don’t do it as a Christian, you are good for nothing. Any non-believer can be socially useful as a doctor, sports hero, actor, lawyer, or social worker. But only a Christian can be a Christian. If you don’t do “job one” you are nothing. If you get your kids every good thing, send them off to college, paid in full, but do not bring them to Christ and be a Christian witness to them, you are good for nothing. Any parent can give their kids material things, but only a Christian can give them Christ. Got it? You’re either salt (a true Christian) or you are nothing.
2. As for the light we can note something similar of this second definitiveness. The Lord says, you are THE light of the World, not merely A light. What this means is that if we do not shine, the world is darker. No one can take our place. If we don’t shine by living our faith and proclaiming it, the world is in darkness. Buddha can’t help, Mohamed can’t pull it off, science and humanism can’t substitute. Either we are light, or there is none. Some may call this arrogant, but I just call it Scripture. The Lord said it, not us. We are either light or the world is dark. And if the world is getting darker, whose fault is that? We need not go far. Too many Christians fulfill Isaiah 56:10 which says, Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. You may be an exception, too many Christians are not.

Therefore notice the definitive pronouncement the Lord makes here. We Christians are either with the Lord or we’re nothing. We’re either light or the world is in darkness.

II. The Dynamics of Salt – When Jesus says You are the salt of the earth, what are some of the lessons we can learn from salt? Consider four things:

1. Salt Seasons – Christians are called to add spice to life, to bring beauty, joy and hope to the world. Joy is the surest sign of a Christian. Even our keeping of the Commandments is a source of joy as we experience God’s power to put sin to death in us and bring forth order, self-discipline and holiness. Hope too ought to distinguish us from a world that is often cynical and thinks sin is inevitable. To this world we are not only to declare that the Commandments are possible and bring joy, but to demonstrate it in our very lives. We are to be zesty, passionate, alive and free from sin in Christ. Yet sadly, we Christians are more known merely for what we are against. Too many Christians are not spicy, do not really add flavor, but are more like bored believers, depressed disciples, fearful faithful, and the frozen chosen. In our best moments though look what spicy things the faith has contributed: Art, music, churches, hospitals, universities, the scholastic and scientific methods, holidays (just a mispronunciation of Holy Days). Note how our tradition and Scriptural teaching of justice mercy, love, and the dignity of the human person has blessed the world. Do you bring spice to other’s lives? Hope and joy? Scripture says, Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you. (1 Peter 3:15). Well that means that people notice a hope in you! Do they? How?
2. Salt Preserves – Before refrigeration, people often used salt to cure or persevere meat. The salt killed the bacteria and other microorganisms that caused rot and decay. We as Christians are called to prevent further decay in this sin soaked world. The truth that we proclaim is meant to preserve people from the decay of sin and over-indulgence. Chastity, justice, generosity, the proclamation of the truth, and so forth, are like a salt that preserves this world from decay. We must be salt, if we are not, nothing else is. YOU are the salt.
3. Salt heals – In the ancient world salt was used on wounds. It helped stop bleeding, it killed bacteria and prevented further infection. So too the Christian faith. Through our doctrinal and moral teaching, and our living of it, we are called to bring healing to this world wounded by sin, strife, war, jealousy, anger, bitterness, retribution, promiscuity, unfaithfulness, greed, and countless errors. The Word of God and his plan is a healing medicine for what ails this world.
4. Salt burns – Yes, salt stings when applied to wounds. We Christians aren’t just sugar and spice and everything nice. When salt is applied to wounds it burns and often causes loud protest. The truth stings, and the truth of the Gospel can be irritating to a world that is wounded by sin. But, despite the protests of our world, the sting is a healing sting. It is driving out the bacteria and disease of the world and preventing further infection. Just because people protest the Church and howl in complaint at the truth of the Gospel, does not mean we have done anything wrong. The protests often mean we are doing exactly what we must.

III. The Destination of Salt – Note that the Lord says you are the salt of the EARTH. He did not say you the salt of the Church. For salt to be effective it has to get out of the shaker! Too many Christians are bold in the pew but cowards in the world. They will speak of the faith in the relative security of the Church and among certain friends. But don’t ask them to preach to their spouse, co-worker, even children. That’s too scary. And don’t even think to ask them to knock on doors or to go to the local mall and witness, or stand in front of an abortion clinic.

But salt in the shaker is useless. It has to come out of the shaker to make any difference. You don’t salt salt. Witnessing to fellow Christians may have a limited benefit, but it is not really the true destination of salt. The salt has to go forth. When the priest or deacon says the Mass is ended go in peace, he might as well be holding up a salt shaker and shaking it.

It’s long past time for the salt (you and me) to go forth. Consider:

• In the last fifty years there has been a 560% increase in violent crime. It’s time for the salt to work.
• There are 1.7 million abortions each year in this nation.
• Since 1970 there has been a quadrupling of divorce rates. And if the overall number of divorces has declined recently it is due more to people not getting married in the first place. It’s time for the salt to work.
• 43% of children today are no longer living with both their biological parents. That’s a tripling in the number of children living in single-parent homes since the 70s. It’s time for the salt to work.
• As the family breaks down what happens to our young:
  • A quadrupling in juvenile arrests,
  • 400% increase in births outside of wedlock,
  • 1 million Teenage pregnancies annually,
  • three million teenagers are treated annually for sexually transmitted diseases.
  • 200% increase in the teenage suicide rate,
  • dropping in the average SAT scores,
  • 2/3rds of high school students have experimented with illegal drugs.
  • It’s time for the salt to work.
• In the schools you cannot pray or mention religion, but condoms are freely available and all sorts of aberrant and alternative lifestyles and philosophies are openly promoted.
• Parental consent is required for a child to go to the zoo or get an aspirin but in many states abortion referrals are made without parental consent.
• Our neighborhoods are devastated by poverty, injustice, crime and despair.
• All this has happened on our watch. It’s time for the salt to work.
• This world needs for the salt to get out of the shaker and do it’s work of seasoning, purifying, and preserving.

IV. The Designation of Pure light – You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. – Here too, much that is similar can be said. You don’t light light. It is the darkness that needs the light. Light is meant to be seen. But there are too many undercover Christians, secret agent saints, and hidden holy ones. Jesus didn’t light our light to have it hidden under a basket out of fear or secrecy. He wants the Church, he wants you and me, to shine. He wants every Christian to be a light so that it’s like a city on a hill! He wants us to shine so that we can’t be hid.

V. The Details of light: Jesus goes on to say, Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”Notice four things about this light:

1. The CAUSE of the Light – See that little word: “Let.” We are to yield to Christ, to allow him to shine through us. He is the cause of our light. Let your light shine. There’s an old Gospel song that says, When you see me trying to do good, trying to live as a Christian should, It’s just Jesus, Jesus in me.
2. The COST of the light – The light is to shine, but there is no shining without burning. To shine costs us something. It may be Christ’s light but he shines through us. This means sacrifice. It means letting him use you. It means not always sleeping when you want to, it means not just sitting at home and saying “Ain’t it awful.” It means getting out and getting involved. It means being “out there” and risking a few things. It means being targeted, visible, and identified with someone (Jesus) who is hated by many. And in a world that prefers the darkness to light (cf John 3:19-21) it means being called harsh, out of touch, hateful, etc. There is no shining without burning.
3. The CONCRETENESS of the light – Letting our light shine is no mere abstract thing. Jesus speaks of deeds. It involves concrete behavior. Your light shines by the way you live, the choices you make, the behavior you exhibit. It’s when Christians get married and stay married, stay faithful to their commitments and are people of their word. It’s when we tell the truth instead of lie, live chastely instead of fornicating, are courteous, and respectful. It’s when we respect life, stop reckless driving and all other reckless and risky behavior. Our light shines when we clean up our language, give to the poor and work for justice. Our Light shines when we refuse to purchase pornographic, violent or degrading materials. Our light shines when we love instead of hate, seek reconciliation, and pray for our enemies instead of seek vengeance. Our light shines when we walk uprightly and speak the truth in love, without compromise. That’s when the light begins to shine.
4. The CONSEQUENCE of the Light– God is glorified when our light shine. We do not act or get involved merely to satisfy our own anger, or to fight for our own sake. We are light to glorify God. It is not about our winning, it is about God shining and being glorified. Too often when we do get involved we can get confused and merely seek to win an argument, rather than glorify God. We can seek for our own priase rather than to have God glorified. We need to pray for good intentions for it is possible to do the right things for the wrong reason. The desire result is God’s glory not our glory.

OK, Pass the salt and put on the lights!

[Salvation]

Video

[Salvation]

Sunday Gospel Reflections

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Reading I: Isaiah 58:7-10 II: 1Cor 2:1-5

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Gospel
Matthew 5:13-16

¹³ "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.
¹⁴ "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid.
¹⁵ Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

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Interesting Details

• Salt is used to give flavor to food, to preserve food quality, to purify, and to use in a sacrifice.
• Salt can also be used to burn fuel. Young girls in some cultures, even today, collect donkey or camel dung, mix it with salt, shape it into cakes, dry it in the sun, and use it as fuel in an earth-oven with a layer of salt at the bottom. In Jesus' language, "earth" and "earth oven" are the same. Salt helps this dung fuel burn. The salt can "lose its taste" because after awhile it does not help to burn the dung cakes any more, and thus "thrown outside and walked upon." This use of salt, mainly to make fire, is closely connected to the next image, "light of the world."
• "Light of the world" and "city set upon a mountain" refer to the same image, namely Jerusalem (and its people) on Mt. Zion is supposed to be a "light to nations" (Is 2:2-5, 42:6, 49:6).
• Many houses in Palestine have only one room, so a clay oil lamp can light the whole house.
• Jesus is talking to the whole world, using words like "earth," "world," "all in the house."

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One Main Point

Disciples have a mission to bring out the best in the whole world. When this gospel was written, Jesus' followers were being persecuted, yet they still participate in Jesus' mission to save the world.

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Reflections

1. Do I salt and light up the world? What good work do I do?
2. Salt and fire are not good by itself, but bring out the good in others. Do I?
3. When I do good work do I "glorify Father in heaven" or myself?

[Salvation]

'I am seeking a man to speak to, and I do not find one.'

St. Sisoes

[Salvation]

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:  And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.  Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.  Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.  Hail Mary . . .  And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.  Hail Mary . . .  Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.  Let us pray:  Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.  "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)   "Blessed are you among women,  and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Lk 1:42).

[fidelis]

Thanks as always for your efforts here. Have a blessed Lord’s Day.

[annalex]

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 5
13.	You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.	Vos estis sal terræ. Quod si sal evanuerit, in quo salietur ? ad nihilum valet ultra, nisi ut mittatur foras, et conculcetur ab hominibus.	υμεις εστε το αλας της γης εαν δε το αλας μωρανθη εν τινι αλισθησεται εις ουδεν ισχυει ετι ει μη βληθηναι εξω και καταπατεισθαι υπο των ανθρωπων
14.	You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid.	Vos estis lux mundi. Non potest civitas abscondi supra montem posita,	υμεις εστε το φως του κοσμου ου δυναται πολις κρυβηναι επανω ορους κειμενη
15.	Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.	neque accedunt lucernam, et ponunt eam sub modio, sed super candelabrum, ut luceat omnibus qui in domo sunt.	ουδε καιουσιν λυχνον και τιθεασιν αυτον υπο τον μοδιον αλλ επι την λυχνιαν και λαμπει πασιν τοις εν τη οικια
16.	So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.	Sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus : ut videant opera vestra bona, et glorificent Patrem vestrum, qui in cælis est.	ουτως λαμψατω το φως υμων εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων οπως ιδωσιν υμων τα καλα εργα και δοξασωσιν τον πατερα υμων τον εν τοις ουρανοις

[annalex]

13. “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

Chrys.: When He had delivered to His Apostles such sublime precepts, so much greater than the precepts of the Law, that they might not be dismayed and say, How shall we be able to fulfil these things? He sooths their fears by mingling praises with His instructions, saying, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” This shews them how necessary were these precepts for them. Not for your own salvation merely, or for a single nation, but for the whole world is this doctrine committed to you. It is not for you then to flatter and deal smoothly with men, but, on the contrary, to be rough and biting as salt is. When for thus offending men by reproving them ye are reviled, rejoice; for this is the proper effect of salt to be harsh and grating to the depraved palate. Thus the evil-speaking of others will bring you no inconvenience, but will rather be a testimony of your firmness.

Hilary: There may be here seen a propriety in our Lord’s language which may be gathered by considering the Apostle’s office, and the nature of salt. This, used as it is by men for almost every purpose, preserves from decay those bodies which are sprinkled with it; and in this, as well as in every sense of its flavour as a condiment, the parallel is most exact.

The Apostles are preachers of heavenly things, and thus, as it were, salters with eternity; rightly called “the salt of the earth,” as by the virtue of their teaching, they, as it were, salt and preserve bodies for eternity.

Remig.: Moreover, salt is changed into another kind of substance by three means, water, the heat of the sun, and the breath of the wind. Thus Apostolic men also were changed into spiritual regeneration by the water of baptism, the heat of love, and the breath of the Holy Spirit. That heavenly wisdom also, which the Apostles preached, dries161 up the humours of carnal works, removes the foulness and putrefaction of evil conversation, kills the work of lustful thoughts, and also that worm of which it is said “their worm dieth not.” [Isa 66:24]

Remig.: The Apostles are “the salt of the earth,” that is, of worldly men who are called the earth, because they love this earth.

Jerome: Or, because by the Apostles the whole human race is seasoned.

Pseudo-Chrys.: A doctor when he is adorned with all the preceding virtues, then is like good salt, and his whole people are salted by seeing and hearing him.

Remig.: It should be known, that in the Old Testament no sacrifice was offered to God unless it were first sprinkled with salt, for none can present an acceptable sacrifice to God without the flavour of heavenly wisdom.

Hilary: And because man is ever liable to change, He therefore warns the Apostles, who have been entitled “the salt of the earth,” to continue steadfast in the might of the power committed to them, when He adds, “If the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted?”

Jerome: That is, if the doctor have erred, by what other doctor shall he be corrected?

Aug., Serm. in Mont., i, 6: If you by whom the nations are to be salted shall lose the kingdom of heaven through fear of temporal persecution, who are they by whom your error shall be corrected? Another copy has, “If the salt have lost all sense,” shewing that they must be esteemed to have lost their sense, who either pursuing abundance, or fearing lack of temporal goods, lose those which are eternal, and which men can neither give nor take away.

Hilary: But if the doctors having become senseless, and having lost all the savour they once enjoyed, are unable to restore soundness to things corrupt, they are become useless; and “are thenceforth fit only to be cast out and trodden by men.”

Jerome: The illustration is taken from husbandry. Salt, though it be necessary for seasoning of meats and preserving flesh, has no further use. Indeed we read in Scripture of vanquished cities sown with salt by the victors, that nothing should thenceforth grow there.

Gloss. ap. Anselm: When then they who are the heads have fallen away, they are fit for no use but to be cast out from the office of teacher.

Hilary: Or even cast out from the Church’s store rooms to be trodden under foot by those that walk.

Aug.: Not he that suffers persecution162 is trodden under foot of men, but he who through fear of persecution falls away. For we can tread only on what is below us; but he is no way below us, who however much he may suffer in the body, yet has his heart fixed in heaven.

14. “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.”

Gloss: As the doctors by their good conversation are the salt with which the people is salted; so by their word of doctrine they are the light by which the ignorant are enlightened.

Pseudo-Chrys.: But to live well must go before to teach well; hence after He had called the Apostles “the salt,” He goes on to call them “the light of the world.”

Or, for that salt preserves a thing in its present state that it should not change for the worse, but that light brings it into a better state by enlightening it; therefore the Apostles were first called salt with respect to the Jews and that Christian body which had the knowledge of God, and which they keep in that knowledge; and now light with respect to the Gentiles whom they bring to the light of that knowledge.

Aug.: By the world here we must not understand heaven and earth, but the men who are in the world; or those who love the world for whose enlightenment the Apostles were sent.

Hilary: It is the nature of a light to emit its rays whithersoever it is carried about, and when brought into a house to dispel the darkness of that house. Thus the world, placed beyond the pale of the knowledge of God, was held in the darkness of ignorance, till the light of knowledge was brought to it by the Apostles, and thenceforward the knowledge of God shone bright, and from their small bodies, whithersoever they went about, light is ministered to the darkness.

Remig.: For as the sun sends forth his beams, so the Lord, the Sun of righteousness, sent forth his Apostles to dispel the night of the human race.

Chrys.: Mark how great His promise to them, men who were scarce known in their own country that the fame of them should reach to the ends of the earth. The persecutions which He had foretold, were not able to dim their light, yea they made it but more conspicuous.

Jerome: He instructs them what should be the boldness of their preaching, that as163 Apostles they should not be hidden through fear, like lamps under a corn-measure, but should stand forth with all confidence, and what they have heard in the secret chambers, that declare upon the house tops.

Chrys.: Thus shewing them that they ought to be careful of their own walk and conversation, seeing they were set in the eyes of all, like a city on a hill, or a lamp on a stand.

Pseudo-Chrys.: This city is the Church of which it is said, “Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou city of God.” [Ps 87:3] Its citizens are all the faithful, of whom the Apostle speaks, “Ye are fellow-citizens of the saints.” [Eph 2:19] It is built upon Christ the hill, of whom Daniel thus, “A stone hewed without hands” [Dan 2:34] became a great mountain.

Aug.: Or, the mountain is the great righteousness, which is signified by the mountain from which the Lord is now teaching.

Pseudo-Chrys.: “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” though it would; the mountain which bears makes it to be seen of all men; so the Apostles and Priests who are founded on Christ cannot be hidden even though they would, because Christ makes them manifest.

Hilary: Or, the city signifies the flesh which He had taken on Him; because that in Him by this assumption of human nature, there was as it were a collection of the human race, and we by partaking in His flesh become inhabitants of that city. He cannot therefore be hid, because being set in the height of God’s power, He is offered to be contemplated of all men in admiration of his works.

Pseudo-Chrys.: How Christ manifests His saints, suffering them not to be hid, He shews by another comparison, adding, “Neither do men light a lamp to put it under a corn-measure,” but on a stand.

Chrys.: Or, in the illustration of the city, He signified His own power, by the lamp He exhorts the Apostles to preach with boldness; as though He said, ‘I indeed have lighted the lamp, but that it continue to burn will be your care, not for your own sakes only, but both for others who shall receive its light and for God’s glory.’

Pseudo-Chrys.: The lamp is the Divine word, of which it is said, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet.” [Ps 119:105] They who light this lamp are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Aug.: With what meaning do we suppose the words, “to put it under a corn-measure,” were said? To express concealment simply, or that the “corn-measure” has a special 164 signification? The putting the lamp under the corn-measure means the preferring bodily ease and enjoyment to the duty of preaching the Gospel, and hiding the light of good teaching under temporal gratification. The corn-measure aptly denotes the things of the body, whether because our reward shall be measured out to us, [2 Cor 5:10] as each one shall receive the things done in the body; or because worldly goods which pertain to the body come and go within a certain measure of time, which is signified by the corn-measure, whereas things eternal and spiritual are contained within no such limit.

He places his lamp upon a stand, who subdues his body to the ministry of the word, setting the preaching of the truth highest, and subjecting the body beneath it. For the body itself serves to make doctrine shine more clear, while the voice and other motions of the body in good works serve to recommend it to them that learn.

Pseudo-Chrys.: Or, men of the world may be figured in the “corn-measure” as these are empty above, but full beneath, so worldly men are foolish in spiritual things, but wise in earthly things, and therefore like a corn-measure they keep the word of God hid, whenever for any worldly cause he had not dared to proclaim the word openly, and the truth of the faith. The stand for the lamp is the Church which bears the word of life, and all ecclesiastical persons. [margin note: Phil 2:15]

Hilary: Or, the Lord likened the Synagogue to a corn-measure, which only receiving within itself such fruit as was raised; contained a certain measure of limited obedience.

Ambrose. non occ.: And therefore let none shut up his faith within the measure of the Law, but have recourse to the Church in which the grace of the sevenfold Spirit shines forth.

Bede, in Loc. quoad sens.: Or, Christ Himself has lighted this lamp, when He filled the earthen vessel of human nature with the fire of His Divinity, which He would not either hide from them that believe, nor put under a bushel that is shut up under the measure of the Law, or confine within the limits of any one oration. The lampstand is the Church, on which He set the lamp, when He affixed to our foreheads the faith of His incarnation.

Hilary: Or, the lamp, i.e. Christ Himself, is set on its stand when He was suspended on the Cross in His passion, to give light for ever to those that dwell in the Church; “to give light,” He says, “to all that are in the house.”

Aug.: For it165 is not absurd if any one will understand “the house” to be the Church.

Or, “the house” may be the world itself, according to what He said above, “Ye are the light of the world.”

Hilary: He instructs the Apostles to shine with such a light, that in the admiration of their work God may be praised, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works.”

Pseudo-Chrys.: That is, teaching with so pure a light, that men may not only hear your words, but see your works, that those whom as lamps ye have enlightened by the word, as salt ye may season by your example. For by those teachers who do as well as teach, God is magnified; for the discipline of the master is seen in the behavior of the family.

And therefore it follows, “and they shall glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Aug., Serm. in Mont., i, 7: Had He only said, “That they may see your good works,” He would have seemed to have set up as an end to be sought the praised of men, which the hypocrites desire; but by adding, “and glorify your Father,” he teaches that we should not seek as an end to please men with our good works, but referring all to the glory of God, therefore seek to please men, that in that God may be glorified.

Hilary: He means not that we should seek glory of men, but that though we conceal it, our work may shine forth in honour of God to those among whom we live.

Catena Aurea Matthew 5

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Savior With the Apostles

Early 14th century
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

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Thank YOU for stopping by!

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St. Agatha

Post by Fr. Don Miller, OFM

Image: Saint Agatha ink drawing | Tommaso Minardi. (Caution: link contains graphic content.)

Saint Agatha

Saint of the Day for February 5

(c. 230 – 251)

 

Saint Agatha’s Story

As in the case of Agnes, another virgin-martyr of the early Church, almost nothing is historically certain about this saint except that she was martyred in Sicily during the persecution of Emperor Decius in 251.

Legend has it that Agatha, like Agnes, was arrested as a Christian, tortured and sent to a house of prostitution to be mistreated. She was preserved from being violated, and was later put to death.

She is claimed as the patroness of both Palermo and Catania. The year after her death, the stilling of an eruption of Mt. Etna was attributed to her intercession. As a result, apparently, people continued to ask her prayers for protection against fire.

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Reflection

The scientific modern mind winces at the thought of a volcano’s might being contained by God because of the prayers of a Sicilian girl. Still less welcome, probably, is the notion of that saint being the patroness of such varied professions as those of foundry workers, nurses, miners and Alpine guides. Yet, in our historical precision, have we lost an essential human quality of wonder and poetry, and even our belief that we come to God by helping each other, both in action and prayer?

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Saint Agatha is the Patron Saint of:

Nurses

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Feast of St. Agatha, Patroness of Sicily
St.Agatha, Virgin and Martyr, Third Century

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Information: St. Agatha

Feast Day: February 5

Born: Catania or Palermo

Died: 251, Catania

Patron of: bellfounders; breast cancer; bakers; against fire; earthquakes; eruptions of Mount Etna; fire; jewelers; martyrs; natural disasters; nurses; rape victims; single laywomen; sterility; torture victims; volcanic eruptions; wetnurses

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Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Agatha

Feast Day: February 05
Born:(around)220 :: Died:250

A beautiful Christian girl named Agatha lived in Sicily in the third century. The governor heard of Agatha's beauty and brought her to his palace. He wanted to make her commit sins, but she was brave and would not give in. "My Lord Jesus Christ," she prayed, "you see my heart and you know my desire. I am all yours. Save me from this evil man. Make me worthy of winning out over the devil."

The governor then sent Agatha to the house of a wicked woman and hoped she would become bad too. But Agatha had great trust in God and prayed all the time. She kept herself pure. She would not listen to the evil ideas of the woman and her daughters.

After a month, she was brought back to the governor. He tried again to win her. "You are a noblewoman," he said kindly. "Why have you lowered yourself to be a humble Christian?"

"Even though I am a noble," answered Agatha, "I am a slave of Jesus Christ." "Then what does it really mean to be noble?" the governor asked. Agatha answered, "It means to serve God."

When he realized that she would not sin, the governor became angry. He had Agatha whipped and tortured. As she was being carried back to prison she whispered, "Lord, my Creator, you have protected me from the cradle. You have taken me from the love of the world and given me patience to suffer. Now receive my soul." Agatha soon died a martyr at Catania, Sicily, in the year 250.

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CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Sunday, February 5

Liturgical Color: Green

Today is the Memorial of St.
Agatha, virgin and martyr.
Agatha was a beautiful, young
girl desired by a Roman senator
for marriage around 250 A.D.
Wanting to remain pure for
Christ, she refused, and was
tortured until she died

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Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: February 5th

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

February 05, 2017 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Keep your family safe, O Lord, with unfailing care, that, relying solely on the hope of heavenly grace, they may be defended always by your protection. 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.

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Recipes (1)

• Year-Round Favorite Sunday Dinner (Sample Menu)

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Activities (1)

• Home Concerts

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Prayers (3)

• Ordinary Time, Pre-Lent: Table Blessing 1
• Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Ordinary Time (2nd Plan)
• Prayer for Pope Francis

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Library (2)

• New Evangelization Should Inspire All Your Teaching and Catechesis | Pope John Paul II
• While Extraordinary Miracles Abound, Many No Longer Believe in True Presence of the Holy Sacrament | Fr. Richard Foley S.J.

Old Calendar: Quinquagesima Sunday

Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

The feast of St. Agatha, which is ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

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Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from Isaiah 58:7-10. When lowliness unites all men, then God will fill the need of the world with his glorious presence. The final age will have to come.

The second reading is from St. Paul 1 Corinthians 2:1-5. We continue this week with Paul's 1st letter to the Corinthians as he addresses divisions within the Church. As you will recall, two weeks ago we heard Paul address those who claimed to belong to Apollos, those who claimed Cephas, others who claimed Paul, and even those who followed only Christ. At that time he reminded them all that the Church is the body of Christ and as such cannot be divided. Last week he reminded us that God has chosen what is weak by human reckoning to be His followers. If anyone can boast, they can boast only in that they have been chosen by God. This week he reminds us that we are to pay attention to what is important—we are to hear the clear message of the crucified Christ and pay attention to it and not the messenger.

The Gospel is from St. Matthew 5:13-16. No less an authority than Christ himself calls his true followers the "salt of the earth." and the "light of the world." These are titles of honor, surely, and of the greatest distinction. Christ is putting his true follower on almost a level with himself.He was the light of the world; he was the salt of the earth. He it was who gave men the knowledge of the true nature of God, as shown by the Incarnation. He it was who gave this life its flavor, who gave this life its meaning, its preservation. By his death and resurrection he took away the sting of death, and removed its eternal corruption, by the guarantee and promise of a resur rection to an eternal life.

This very Christian knows, and this knowledge every Christian helps to bring to those who are ignorant of it, if he lives his life daily and sincerely. The Christian who does this, is really another Christ; he is continuing his work of salvation during his years on earth. He is the salt, of the earth and the light of the world. How many of us, can truly say that these honorable titles, which Christ gives to his followers, are given to us?

In true humility, we can all say that we are far from worthy of any such honorable titles. Yet in all sincerity too, many if not the majority among us, are doing their little bit of Christ's work, in cultivating their own small comer of his vineyard. The parents who teach the Christian way of life to their children by word, and especially by example, are spreading the Christian faith. The workmen, whether in office or factory, who show that they are Christians by their honesty, charity for their fellowmen, their respect for God, and the things of God, in their speech, are spreading their Christian faith. All those who show moderation in their personal expenditures, and donate some of their savings to help their brothers, their fellowrnen who are in need, these are true disciples of Christ and are cooperating with him in bringing God's children back to their Father who is in heaven.

Unlike the salt that has lost its flavor, and the light that is kept under the bushel, the Christian who has thus behaved can change his attitude, provided he is aided by God's grace which is never refused. He can become once more what he ought to be--a life-preserver for his neighbor.

Life on earth is short. The demands of our Christian life may not always be easy, but we know that if we live up to them, we are other Christs. We are continuing his great work by our own good example to our neighbor, and we are giving glory to God, and are earning for ourselves the eternal light of heaven.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

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The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 5:13-16

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Your light must shine before others. (Matthew 5:16)

Mahatma Gandhi once told a Christian friend, “I like your Christ, but I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” In a similar vein, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said that if he saw more redeemed people he might be more inclined to believe in their Redeemer.

What a sobering reflection of the witness of the Church in their day! Neither Gandhi nor Nietzsche saw enough believers’ lights shining to convince them that the gospel message really does have the power to change people’s lives.

That’s the challenge of today’s Gospel reading: to show the joy, the love, and the peace of Jesus to people like Gandhi and Nietzsche. It’s the challenge for each of us to live like “our Christ” and to show the world just how distinctive and fulfilling a redeemed life can be. In a very real way, our credibility—as well as the credibility of Jesus’ message—is on the line every single day. And a credibility gap hinders our ability to help other people come to embrace Jesus in their hearts.

Here’s a true story: Jim, a devout Catholic, moved into a home next door to a wealthy Muslim family. They enjoyed a friendly and cordial relationship. Over the course of the next year, the Muslim family’s business imploded, and they had to declare bankruptcy. They lost everything. They were living in the house, waiting to be evicted, with little food or money. What’s worse, all of their friends had abandoned them.

But Jim and his wife acted differently. They emptied their refrigerator and pantry and gave as much as they could to their struggling neighbors. They also loaned them money. They continued doing this for nearly a year, until things turned around, and the family gradually dug their way out of bankruptcy.

As moving as this story is, here is the best part: the family became Christians—all because of the love of Jim and his wife.

“Lord, help me to shine your light everywhere I go.”

Isaiah 58:7-10
Psalm 112:4-9
1 Corinthians 2:1-5

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A Christian Pilgrim

THE SALT OF THE EARTH AND THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

(A biblical refection on THE 5th ORDINARY SUNDAY (YEAR A), 5 February 2017)

 

Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:13-16 

First Reading: Isaiah 58:7-10; Psalms: Psalm 112:4-9; Second Reading: 1Corinthians 2:1-5 

The Scripture Text

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men. 

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:13-16 RSV)

Jesus was a successful teacher/rabbi because He always grabbed the attention of His audience by talking about something that was a big part of their lives. Many of Jesus’ parables were stories about fishing, farming, and herding because those were the three main occupations in his days. Jesus knew people were bound to listen a little more attentively when He began talking about something they knew very well.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus talks about salt and light because He is probably trying  to get the attention of the women in His audience. The salt Jesus talks about was much like rock salt. Jewish women wrapped salt in a clean cloth and dangled it in a boiling pot of soup. When the soup was ready, they took the salt that did not dissolve and saved it for the next time they needed it. After the cook did this on several occasions, the salt lost its flavour and was only good for throwing on the wet cobblestone walks after a rainstorm. This made the cobblestones less slick.

Salt was also a preservative. Freshly slaughtered meat sold in the open air markets did not last long in the Palestinian heat unless it was salted. Like refrigeration today, salt prevented food from spoiling.

In ancient Palestine, the ordinary family lived in a one-room house illuminated in the evening by a single oil lamp on a stand. Making sure there was enough oil for the lamp was the woman’s responsibility. This was very important because without this light, family members would not have been able to see what they were doing and would have had to retire to bed much earlier than planned.

As the salt of the earth, Jesus’ followers not only make the world better (just as salt makes food taste better) but they also preserve what is good and holy (just as salt was a preservative). As the light of the world, they help others to see God. Just as both salt and light were important in the days when there were no refrigerators and electricity, Christians are important to the world today.

Now, how are we salt and light to each of our families, our neighbors, and our friends? Is our parish salt and light to the community? If our parish were dissolved today, would anyone miss it?

Short Prayer: Heavenly Father, by Your Holy Spirit, remind us always about our dignity as Christians, meaning the followers or disciples of Christ. Amen.

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The Gospel in Pictures