Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 06-27-15. OM, St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop & Doctor/Church

USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 06-27-15 | Revised New American Bible

[Salvation]

June 2015
Pope’s Intentions

Universal: Immigrants and refugees — That immigrants and refugees may find welcome and respect in the countries to which they come.

Evangelization: Vocations — That the personal encounter with Jesus may arouse in many young people the desire to offer their own lives in priesthood or consecrated life

[Salvation]

http://dailygospel.org/main.php?language=AM&module=commentary&localdate=20150627Saturday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time

Commentary of the day

Basil of Seleucia (?-c.468), Bishop

Homily 19 on the centurion, PG 85, 235f.

“Many will come from the east and the west, and will recline... at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven”

I have seen our Lord in the Gospel accomplish many miracles and, reassured by them, have strengthened my fearful words. I have seen the centurion throw himself at the Lord’s feet, nations send their firstfruits to Christ. The cross has not yet been erected and already pagans hasten towards their master. The words “Go, teach all nations” have not yet been heard (Mt 28,19) but the nations are already hastening. Their race precedes their call, they are burning with desire for the Lord. The sound of preaching has not yet been heard but they are hurrying towards the one who preaches. Peter... has now been instructed and they gather around the one who is teaching him; the light of Paul has not yet blazed beneath Christ’s standard and nations are coming with incense to adore the king (Mt 2,11).

And now, see how a centurion begs him and says to him: “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralysed, suffering dreadfully”. Here is a new miracle indeed! The servant whose limbs are paralysed leads his master to the Lord; the slaves’ sickness gives health to his owner. Seeking his servant’s healing, he finds our Lord; and while he is seeking for his slave’s cure he becomes Christ’s conquest.

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Those offenses which be contrary to nature are everywhere and at all times to be held in detestation and punished; such were those of the Sodomites, which should all nations commit, they should all be held guilty of the same crime by the divine law, which hath not so made men that they should in that way abuse one another. For even that fellowship which should be between God and us is violated, when that same nature of which He is author is polluted by the perversity of lust.

– Saint Augustine of Hippo from “The Confessions of Augustine” Book III, Chap. 8, no. 15

[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.

[Salvation]

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

Saint Cyril of Alexandria,
Bishop & Doctor of the Church

Optional Memorial

June 27th
https://wf-f.org/WFFResource/StCyrilAlexandria.jpg

unknown artist

Saint Cyril of Alexandria was the Patriarch of Alexandria in Egypt and an able theologian. As bishop and doctor, he became the glory of the Church in Egypt. During the Council of Ephesus, he defined the oneness of person in Jesus Christ and the divine maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary against the heresy of Nestorius.

Source: Daily Roman Missal, Edited by Rev. James Socías, Midwest Theological Forum, Chicago, Illinois ©2003

Collect:
O God, who made the Bishop Saint Cyril of Alexandria
an invincible champion of the divine motherhood
of the most Blessed Virgin Mary,
grant, we pray,
that we, who believe she is truly the Mother of God,
may be saved through the Incarnation of Christ your Son.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.

First Reading: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers. As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 5: 13-19

“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.

“Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Related Links on the Vatican Website:

ORIENTALIS ECCLESIAE, Encyclical of Pope Pius XII on Saint Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, April 9, 1944

Benedict XVI, General Audience, Saint Peter’s Square, Wednesday, October 3, 2007, Saint Cyril of Alexandria

[Salvation]

http://www.holyspiritinteractive.net/kids/saints/0627.asp
St. Cyril of Alexandria

Feast Day: June 27

Born: 370 :: Died: 444

Cyril was born at Alexandria in Egypt. His uncle, Theophilus, was the patriarch or archbishop of Alexandria. Although his uncle meant no harm, he had a bad temper and could be very stubborn at times.

Archbishop Theophilus sent the Bishop of Constantinople, St. John Chrysostom into exile in 403. Cyril who was influenced by his uncle’s dislike of John, agreed when John was sent into exile. But the emperor brought the famous bishop back to his archdiocese of Constantinople.

When his uncle died in 412, Cyril became the archbishop of Alexandria. His love for the Church and for Jesus was very strong. He was a brave man in times when the Church was confused and clearly preached the teachings of the Church. He was honest and straightforward and was not interested in praise or high positions.

However, Cyril like his uncle Theophilus, could be impulsive and stubborn at times. He explained the truths of the Church with his preaching and writing. But when he got upset, what he said was sometimes difficult to understand. He did not always bother saying things in a gentle manner and blurted out angrily at times.

His lack of self-control made him sad. Yet Christians were grateful for his many wonderful qualities. For example, he was not afraid to defend the Church and what we believe. He also had a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and lovingly defended her from evil people who tried to harm her holy name.

St. Cyril was the representative of Pope St. Celestine I at the Council of Ephesus in 431. This was an official Church meeting of over two hundred bishops. They had to study the teachings of a priest named Nestorius who preached that there were two persons in Christ. The Council explained clearly that Nestorius was wrong.

The pope gave him ten days to say he would stop preaching what was wrong. But Nestorius would not agree. The bishops at the Council clearly explained to the people of God that these were false teachings and the people were convinced. This would never again be a major threat to the Church.

The people were very grateful to St. Cyril of Alexandria who led the Council meetings. Nestorius went quietly back to his monastery and stopped confusing people. Cyril went back to his archdiocese and worked hard for the Church until he died in 444. Pope Leo XIII proclaimed St. Cyril a Doctor of the Church in 1883.

Reflection: “Surely she must be the Mother of God if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, and she gave birth to him.” - St. Cyril

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Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Nova Vulgata	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 8
5.	And when he had entered into Capharnaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,	Cum autem introisset Capharnaum, accessit ad eum centurio rogans eum	εισελθοντι δε αυτω εις καπερναουμ προσηλθεν αυτω εκατονταρχος παρακαλων αυτον
6.	And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, and is grieviously tormented.	et dicens: “ Domine, puer meus iacet in domo paralyticus et male torquetur ”.	και λεγων κυριε ο παις μου βεβληται εν τη οικια παραλυτικος δεινως βασανιζομενος
7.	And Jesus saith to him: I will come and heal him.	Et ait illi: “ Ego veniam et curabo eum ”.	και λεγει αυτω ο ιησους εγω ελθων θεραπευσω αυτον
8.	And the centurion making answer, said: Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof: but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed.	Et respondens centurio ait: “ Domine, non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur puer meus.	και αποκριθεις ο εκατονταρχος εφη κυριε ουκ ειμι ικανος ινα μου υπο την στεγην εισελθης αλλα μονον ειπε λογω και ιαθησεται ο παις μου
9.	For I also am a man subject to authority, having under me soldiers; and I say to this, Go, and he goeth, and to another, Come, and he cometh, and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.	Nam et ego homo sum sub potestate, habens sub me milites, et dico huic: “Vade”, et vadit; et alii: “Veni”, et venit; et servo meo: “Fac hoc”, et facit”.	και γαρ εγω ανθρωπος ειμι υπο εξουσιαν εχων υπ εμαυτον στρατιωτας και λεγω τουτω πορευθητι και πορευεται και αλλω ερχου και ερχεται και τω δουλω μου ποιησον τουτο και ποιει
10.	And Jesus hearing this, marvelled; and said to them that followed him: Amen I say to you, I have not found so great faith in Israel.	Audiens autem Iesus, miratus est et sequentibus se dixit: “Amen dico vobis: Apud nullum inveni tantam fidem in Israel!	ακουσας δε ο ιησους εθαυμασεν και ειπεν τοις ακολουθουσιν αμην λεγω υμιν ουδε εν τω ισραηλ τοσαυτην πιστιν ευρον
11.	And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven:	Dico autem vobis quod multi ab oriente et occidente venient et recumbent cum Abraham et Isaac et Iacob in regno caelorum;	λεγω δε υμιν οτι πολλοι απο ανατολων και δυσμων ηξουσιν και ανακλιθησονται μετα αβρααμ και ισαακ και ιακωβ εν τη βασιλεια των ουρανων
12.	But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.	filii autem regni eicientur in tenebras exteriores: ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium ”.	οι δε υιοι της βασιλειας εκβληθησονται εις το σκοτος το εξωτερον εκει εσται ο κλαυθμος και ο βρυγμος των οδοντων
13.	And Jesus said to the centurion: Go, and as thou hast believed, so be it done to thee. And the servant was healed at the same hour.	Et dixit Iesus centurioni: “ Vade; sicut credidisti, fiat tibi ”. Et sanatus est puer in hora illa.	και ειπεν ο ιησους τω εκατονταρχη υπαγε και ως επιστευσας γενηθητω σοι και ιαθη ο παις αυτου εν τη ωρα εκεινη
14.	And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother lying, and sick of a fever:	Et cum venisset Iesus in domum Petri, vidit socrum eius iacentem et febricitantem;	και ελθων ο ιησους εις την οικιαν πετρου ειδεν την πενθεραν αυτου βεβλημενην και πυρεσσουσαν
15.	And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she arose and ministered to them.	et tetigit manum eius, et dimisit eam febris; et surrexit et ministrabat ei.	και ηψατο της χειρος αυτης και αφηκεν αυτην ο πυρετος και ηγερθη και διηκονει αυτω
16.	And when evening was come, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word: and all that were sick he healed:	Vespere autem facto, obtulerunt ei multos daemonia habentes; et eiciebat spiritus verbo et omnes male habentes curavit,	οψιας δε γενομενης προσηνεγκαν αυτω δαιμονιζομενους πολλους και εξεβαλεν τα πνευματα λογω και παντας τους κακως εχοντας εθεραπευσεν
17.	That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet Isaias, saying: He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.	ut adimpleretur, quod dictum est per Isaiam prophetam dicentem: “ Ipse infirmitates nostras accepit et aegrotationes portavit ”.	οπως πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος αυτος τας ασθενειας ημων ελαβεν και τας νοσους εβαστασεν

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5. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came to him a centurion, beseeching him,
6. And saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.
7. And Jesus says to him, I will come and heal him.
8. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.
9. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The Lord having taught His disciples in the mount, and healed one leper at the foot of the mount, came to Capharnaum. This is a mystery, signifying that after the purification of the Jews He went to the Gentiles.

HAYMO; For Capharnaum, which is interpreted, The town of fatness, or, The field of consolation, signifies the Church, which was gathered out of the Gentiles, which is replenished with spiritual fatness, according to that, That my soul may be filled with marrow and fatness, and under the troubles of the world is comforted concerning heavenly things, according to that, Your consolations have rejoiced my soul. Hence it is said, When he had entered into Capharnaum the centurion came to him.

AUG. This centurion was of the Gentiles, for Judea had already soldiers of the Roman empire

PSEUDO-CHRYS. This centurion was the first fruits of the Gentiles, and in comparison of his faith, all the faith of the Jews was unbelief; He neither heard Christ teaching, nor saw the leper when he was cleansed, but from hearing only that he had been healed, he believed more than he heard; and so he mystically typified the Gentiles that should come, who had neither read the Law nor the Prophets concerning Christ, nor had seen Christ Himself work His miracles. He came to Him and besought Him, saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, and is grievously afflicted. Mark the goodness of the centurion, who for the health of his servant was in so great haste and anxiety, as though by his death he should suffer loss, not of money, but of his well being. For he reckoned no difference between the servant and the master; their place in this world may be different, but their nature is one. Mark also his faith, in that he said not, Come and heal him, because that Christ who stood there was present in every place; and his wisdom, in that he said not, Heal him here on this spot, for he knew that He was mighty to do, wise to understand, and merciful to hearken, therefore he did but declare the sickness, leaving it to the Lord, by His merciful power to heal. And he is grievously afflicted; this shows how he loved him, for when any that we love is pained or tormented, though it be but slightly, we think him more afflicted than he really is.

RABAN. All these things he recounts with grief, that he is sick, that it is with palsy; that he is grievously afflicted therewith, the more to show the sorrow of his own heart, and to move the Lord to have mercy. In like manner ought all to feel for their servants, and to take thought for them.

CHRYS. But some say that he says these things in excuse of himself, as reasons why he did not bring the sick man himself. For it was impossible to bring one in a palsy, in great torment, and at the point to die. But I rather think it a mark of his great faith; in as much as he knew that a word alone was enough to restore the sick man, he deemed it superfluous to bring him.

HILARY; Spiritually interpreted, the Gentiles are the sick in this world, and afflicted with the diseases of sin, all their limbs being altogether unnerved, and unfit for their duties of standing and walking. The sacrament of their salvation is fulfilled in this centurion's servant, of whom it is sufficiently declared that he was the head of the Gentiles that should believe. What sort of head this is, the song of Moses in Deuteronomy teaches, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the Angels.

REMIG. Or, in the centurion are figured those of the Gentiles who first believed, and were perfect in virtue. For a centurion is one who commands a hundred soldiers; and a hundred is a perfect number. Rightly, therefore, the centurion prays for his servant, because the first fruits of the Gentiles prayed to God for the Salvation of the whole Gentile world.

JEROME; The Lord seeing the centurion's faith, humbleness, and thoughtfulness, straightway promises to go and heal him; Jesus says to him, I will come and heal him.

CHRYS. Jesus here does what He never did; He always follows the wish of the supplicant, but here He goes before it, and not only promises to heal him, but to go to his house. This He does, that we may learn the worthiness of the centurion.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Had not he said, I will come and heal him, the other would never have answered, I am not worthy. It was because it was a servant for whom he made petition, that Christ promised to go, in order to teach us not to have respect to the great, and overlook the little, but to honor poor and rich alike.

JEROME; As we commend the centurion's faith in that he believed that the Savior was able to heal the paralytic; so his humility is seen in his professing himself unworthy that the Lord should come under his roof; as it follows, And the centurion answered and said to him, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof.

RABAN. Conscious of his gentile life, he thought he should be more burdened than profited by this act of condescension from Him with whose faith he was indeed endued, but with whose sacraments he was not yet initiated.

AUG. By declaring himself unworthy, he showed himself worthy, not indeed into whose house, But into whose heart, Christ the Word of God should enter. Nor could He have said this with so much faith and humility, had he not borne in his heart Him whom he feared to have in his house. And indeed it would have been no great blessedness that Jesus should enter within his walls, if He had not already entered into his heart.

CHRYSOLOGUS. Mystically, his house was the body which contained his soul, which contains within it the freedom of the mind by a heavenly vision. But God disdains neither to inhabit flesh, nor to enter the roof of our body.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; And now also when the heads of Churches, holy men and acceptable to God, enter your roof, then in them the Lord also enters, and do you think of yourself as receiving the Lord. And when you eat and drink the Lord's Body, then the Lord enters under your roof, and you then should humble Yourself, saying, Lord, I am not worthy. For where He enters unworthily, there He enters to the condemnation of him who receives Him.

JEROME; The thoughtfulness of the centurion appears herein, that he saw the Divinity hidden beneath the covering of Body; wherefore he adds, But speak the word only, and my servant will be healed.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He knew that Angels stood by unseen to minister to Him, who turn every word of his into act; you and should Angels fail, yet diseases are healed by His life-giving command.

HILARY; Also he therefore says that it needed only a word to heal his son, because all the salvation of the Gentiles is of faith, and the life of them all is in the precepts of the Lord; therefore he continues saying, For I am a man set under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, amid he does it.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. He has here developed the mystery of the Father and the Son, by the secret suggestion of the Holy Spirit; as much as to say, Though I am under the command of another, yet have I power to command those who are under me; so also You, though under the command of the Father, in so far as you art man, yet have You power over the Angels. But Sabellius perhaps affirms, seeking to prove that the Son is the same as the Father, that it is to be understood thus; 'If I who am set under authority have yet power to command, how much more You who art under the authority of none.' But the words will not hear this exposition; for he said not, ' If I being a man under authority,' but, 'For I also am a man set under authority;' clearly not drawing a distinction, but pointing to a resemblance in this respect between himself and Christ.

AUG. If I who am under command have yet power to command others, how much more you whom all powers serve!

GLOSS. you art able without Your bodily presence, by the ministry of Your Angels, to say to this disease, Go, and it will leave him; and to say to health, Come, and it shall come to him.

HAYMO; Or, we may understand by those that are set under the centurion, the natural virtues in which many of the Gentiles were mighty, or even thoughts good and bad. Let us say to the bad, Depart, and they will depart; let us call the good, and they shall come; and our servant, that is, our body, let us bid that it submit itself to the Divine will.

AUG. What is here said seems to disagree with Luke's account, When the centurion heard concerning Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant. And again, When he was come nigh to the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying, Lord, trouble not Yourself, for I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.

CHRYS. But Some say that these are two different occurrences; an opinion which has much to support it. Of Him in Luke it is said, He loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue; but of this one Jesus says, I have not found so great faith in Israel; whence it might seem that the other was a Jew. But in my opinion they are both the same person. What Luke relates that he sent to Jesus to come to him, betrays the friendly services of the Jews. We may suppose that when the centurion sought to go to Jesus, he was prevented by the Jews, who offered to go themselves for the purpose of bringing him. But as soon as he was delivered from their importunity, then he sent to say, Do not think that it was from want of respect that I did not come, but because I thought myself unworthy to receive you into my house. When then Matthew relates, that he spoke thus not through friends, but in his own person, it does not contradict Luke's account; for both have only represented the centurion's anxiety, and that he had a right opinion of Christ. And we may suppose that he first sent this message to Him by friends as he approached, and after, when He was come thither, repeated it Himself. But if they are relating different stories, then they do not contradict each other, but supply mutual deficiencies.

AUG. Matthew therefore intended to state summarily all that passed between the centurion and the Lord, which was indeed done through others with the view of commending his faith; as the Lord Spoke, I have not found so great faith in Israel. Luke, on the other hand, has narrated the whole as it was done, that so we might be obliged to understand in what sense Matthew, who could not err, meant that the centurion himself came to Christ, namely, in a figurative sense through faith.

CHRYS. For indeed there is no necessary contradiction between Luke's statement, that he had built a synagogue, and this, that he was not an Israelite; for it was quite possible, that one who was not a Jew should have built a synagogue, and should love the nation.

10. When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
11. And I say to you, that many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of Heaven.
12. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall he weeping and gnashing of teeth.
13. And Jesus said to the centurion, Go your way; and as you has believed, so be it done to you. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

CHRYS. As what the leper had affirmed concerning Christ's power, If you will, you can cleanse me, was confirmed by the mouth of Christ, saying, I will, be you clean; so here He did not blame the centurion for hearing testimony to Christ's authority, but even commended him. Nay more; it is something greater than commendation that the Evangelist signifies in the words, But Jesus hearing marveled.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; Observe how great and what that is at which God the Only-begotten marvels! Gold, riches, principalities, are in His sight as the shadow or the flower that fades; in the sight of God none of these things is wonderful, as though it were great or precious, but faith only; this He wonders at, and pays honor to, this He esteems acceptable to Himself.

AUG. But who was He that had created this faith in him, but only He who now marveled at it? But even had it come from any other, how should He marvel who knew all things future? When the Lord marvels, it is only to teach us what we ought to wonder at; for all these emotions in Him are not signs of passion, but examples of a teacher.

CHRYS. Wherefore He is said to have thus wondered in the presence of all the people, giving them an example that they also should wonder at Him; for it follows, And he said to them that followed, I have not found so great faith in Israel.

AUG. He praises his faith, But gives command to quit his profession of a soldier .

JEROME; This He speaks of the present generation, not of all the Patriarchs and Prophets of past ages.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Andrew believed, but it was after John had said, Behold the Lamb of God; Peter believed, but it was at the preaching of Andrew; Philip believed, but it was by reading the Scriptures; and Nathaniel first received a proof of His Divinity, and then spoke forth his confession of faith.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; Jairus a prince in Israel, in making request for his daughter, said not, 'Speak the word,' but, 'Come quickly, Nicodemus, hearing of the sacrament of faith., asks How can these things be? Mary and Martha say, Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died; as though distrusting that God's power could be in all places at the same time.

PSEUD-CHRYS. Or, if we would suppose that his faith was greater than even that of the Apostles, Christ's testimony to it must be understood as though every good in a man should be commended relatively to his character; as it were a great thing in a countryman to speak with wisdom, but in a philosopher the same would be nothing wonderful. In this way it may be said of the centurion, In none other have I found so great faith in Israel.

CHRYS. For it is a different thing for a Jew to believe and for a Gentile.

JEROME; Or perhaps in the person of the centurion the faith of the Gentiles is preferred to that of Israel; whence He proceeds, But I say to you, Many shall come from the east and from the west.

AUG He says, not 'all,' but many; yet these from the east and west; for by these two quarters the whole world is intended.

HAYMO; Or; From the east shall come they, who pass into the kingdom as soon as they are enlightened; from the west they who have suffered persecution for the faith even to death. Or, he comes from the east, who has served God from a child; he from the west who in decrepit age has turned to God.

PSEUDO-ORIGEN; How then does He say in another place, that the chosen are few? Because in each generation there are few that are chosen, but when all are gathered together in the day of visitation they shall be found many; they shall sit down, not the bodily posture, but the spiritual rest, not with human food, but with an eternal feast, with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, where is light, joy, glory, and eternal length of days.

JEROME; Because the God of Abraham, the Maker of heaven, is the Father of Christ, therefore also is Abraham in the kingdom of heaven, and with him will sit down the nations who have believed in Christ the Son of the Creator.

AUG. As we see Christians called to the heavenly feast, where is the bread of righteousness, the drink of wisdom; So we see the Jews in reprobation. The children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness, that is, the Jews, who have received the Law, who observe the types of all things that were to be, yet did not acknowledge the realities when present.

JEROME; Or the Jews may be called the children of the kingdom, because God reigned among them heretofore.

CHRYS. Or, He calls them the children of the kingdom, because the kingdom was prepared for them, which was the greater grief to them.

AUG. Moses set before the people of Israel no other God than the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Christ sets forth the very same God. So that so far was He from seeking to turn that people away from their own God, that He therefore threatened them with the outer darkness, because He saw them turned away from their own God. And in this kingdom He tells them the Gentiles shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for no other reason than that they held the faith of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To these Fathers Christ gives His testimony, not as though they had been converted after death, or had received justification after His passion.

JEROME; It is called outer darkness, because he whom the Lord casts out leaves the light.

HAYMO; What they should suffer there, He shows when He adds, There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Thus in metaphor He describes the sufferings of the tormented limbs; the eyes shed tears when filled with smoke, and the teeth chatter together from cold. This shows that the wicked in hell shall endure both extreme cold and extreme heat: according to that in Job, They shall pass from rivers of snow to the scorching heat.

JEROME; Weeping and gnashing of teeth are a proof of bones and body; truly then is there a resurrection of the same limbs, that sank into the grave.

RABAN. Or; The gnashing of teeth expresses the passion of remorse; repentance coming too late and self-accusation that he has sinned with such obstinate wickedness.

REMIG. Otherwise; By outer darkness, He means foreign nations; for these words of the Lord are a historical prediction of the destruction of the Jews, that they were to be led into captivity for their unbelief, and to be scattered ever the earth; for tears are usually caused by heat, gnashing of teeth by cold. Weeping then is described to those who should be dispersed into the warmer climates of India and Ethiopia, gnashing of teeth to those who should dwell in the colder regions, as Hyrcania and Scythia.

CHRYS. But that none might suppose that these were nothing more than fair words, He makes them credible by the miracles following, And Jesus said to the centurion, Go, and be it done to you as you has believed.

RABAN. As though He had said, According to the measure of your faith, so be your grace. For the merit of the Lord may be communicated even to servants not only through the merit of their faith, but through their obedience to rule. It follows, And his servant was healed in the self-same hour.

CHRYS. Wherein admire the speediness, showing Christ's power, not only to heal, but to do it in a moment of time.

AUG. As the Lord did not enter the centurion's house with His body, but healed the servant, present in majesty, but absent in body; so He went among the Jews only in the body, but among other nations He was neither born of a Virgin, nor suffered, nor endured human sufferings, nor did divine wonders; and yet was fulfilled that which was spoken, A people that I have not known has served me, and has obeyed me by the hearing of the ear. The Jews beheld, yet crucified Him; the world heard, and believed.

14. And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
15. And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered to them.

ANSELM. Matthew having in the leper shown the healing of the whole human race, and in the centurion's servant that of the Gentiles, now figures the healing of the synagogue in Peter's mother-in-law. He relates the ease of the servant, first, because it was the greater miracle, and the grace was greater in the conversion of the Gentile; or because the synagogue should not be fully converted till the end of the age when the fullness of the Gentiles should have entered Peter's house was in Bethsaida.

CHRYS. Why did He enter into Peter's house? I think to take food; for it follows, And she arose, and ministered to them. For He abode with His disciples to do them honor, and to make them more zealous. Observe Peter's reverence towards Christ; though his mother-in-law lay at home sick of a fever, yet He did not force Him thither at once, but waited till His teaching should he completed, and others healed. For from the beginning he was instructed to prefer others to himself. Wherefore he did not even bring Him thither, but Christ went in of Himself; purposing, because the centurion had said, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof, to show what He granted to a disciple. And He did not scorn to enter the humble hut of a fisherman, instructing us in everything to trample upon human pride. Sometimes He heals by a word, sometimes He reaches forth His hand; as here, He touched her hand, and the fever left her. For He would not always work miracles with display of surpassing power, but would sometimes be hid. By touching her body He not only banished the fever, but restored her to perfect health. Because her sickness was such as art could cure, He showed his power to heal, in doing what medicine could not do, giving her back perfect health and strength at once; which is intimated in what the Evangelist adds, And she arose, and ministered to them.

JEROME; For naturally the greatest weakness follows fever, and the evils of sickness begin to be felt as the patient begins to recover. but that health which is given by the Lord's power is complete at once.

GLOSS. And it is not enough that she is cured, but strength is given her besides, for she arose and ministered to them.

CHRYS. This, she arose and ministered to them, shows at once the Lord's power, and the woman's feeling towards Christ.

BEDE; Figuratively; Peter's house is the Law, or the circumcision, his mother-in-law the synagogue, which is as it were the mother of the Church committed to Peter. She is in a fever, that is, she is sick of zealous hate, and persecutes the Church. The Lord touches her hand, when He turns her carnal works to spiritual uses.

REMIG. Or by Peter's mother-in-law may be understood the law, which according to the Apostle was made weak through the flesh, i. e the carnal understanding. But when the Lord through the mystery of the incarnation appeared visibly in the synagogue, and fulfilled the Law in action, and taught that it was to be understood spiritually; straightway it thus allied with the grace of the Gospel received such strength, that what had been the minister of death and punishment, became the minister of life and glory.

RABAN. Or, every soul that struggles with fleshly lusts is sick of a fever, but touched with the hand of Divine mercy, it recovers health, and restrains the concupiscence of the flesh by the bridle of continence, and with those limbs with which it had served uncleanness, it now ministers to righteousness.

HILARY; Or; In Peter's wife's mother is shown the sickly condition of infidelity, to which freedom of will is near akin, being united by the bonds as it were of wedlock. By the Lord's entrance into Peter's house, that is into the body, unbelief is cured, which was before sick of the fever of sin, and ministers in duties of righteousness to the Savior.

AUG. When this miracle was done, that is, after what, or before what, Matthew has not said. For we need not understand that it took place just after that which it follows in the relation; he may be returning here to what he had omitted above. For Mark relates this after the cleansing of the leper, which should seem to follow the sermon on the mount, concerning which Mark is silent. Luke also follows the same order in relating this concerning Peter's mother-in-law as Mark; also inserting it before that long Sermon which seems to be the same with Matthew's sermon on the mount. But what matters it in what order the events are told, whether something omitted before is brought in after, or what was done after is told earlier, so long as in the same story he does not contradict either another or himself? For as it is in no man's power to choose in what order he shall recollect the things he has once known, it is likely enough that each of the Evangelists thought himself obliged to relate all in that order in which it pleased God to bring to his memory the various events. Therefore when the order of time is not clear, it cannot import to us what order of relation any one of them may have followed.

16. When the even was come, they brought to him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:
17. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses.

CHRYS. Because the multitude of believers was now very great, they would not depart from Christ, though time pressed; but in the evening they bring to Him the sick. When it was evening, they brought to him many that had demons.

AUG. The words, Now when it was evening, show that the evening of the same day is meant, This would not have been implied, had it been only when it was evening.

REMIG. Christ the Son of God, the Author of human salvation, the fount and source of all goodness, furnished heavenly medicine, He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all that were sick. Demons and diseases He sent away with a word, that by these signs, and mighty works, He might show that He was come for the salvation of the human race.

CHRYS. Observe how great a multitude of cured the Evangelist here runs through, not relating the case of each, but in one word introducing an innumerable flood of miracles. That the greatness of the miracle should not raise unbelief that so much people and so various diseases could be healed in so short a space, he brings forward the Prophet to bear witness to the things that were done, That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities.

RABAN. Took them not that He should have them Himself, but that He should take them away from us; and bore our sicknesses, in that what we were too weak to bear, He should bear for us.

REMIG. He took the infirmity of human nature so as to make us strong who had before been weak.

HILARY; And by the passion of His body, according to the words of the Prophet, He absorbed all the infirmities of human weakness.

CHRYS. The Prophet seems to have meant this of sins; how then does the Evangelist explain it of bodily diseases? It should be understood, that either he cites the text literally, or he intends to inculcate that most of our bodily diseases have their origin in sins of the soul; for death itself has its root in sin.

JEROME; It should be noted, that all the sick were healed not in the morning nor at noon, but rather about Sunset; as a corn of wheat dies in the ground that it may bring forth much fruit.

RABAN. Sunset shadows forth the passion and death of Him who said, While I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Who while He lived temporally in the flesh, taught only a few of the Jews; but having trodden under foot the kingdom of death, promised the gifts of faith to all the Gentiles throughout the world.

Catena Aurea Matthew 8

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Jesus healing the servant of a Centurion

Paolo Veronese (1528-1588)

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CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Saturday, June 27

Liturgical Color: Green

June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of
Jesus. In 1956, Pope Pius XII stated "It is
altogether impossible to enumerate the
heavenly gifts which devotion to the
Sacred Heart of Jesus has poured out on
the souls of the faithful."

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http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/pictures/6_27_cyril.jpg

Daily Readings for:June 27, 2015

(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who made the Bishop Saint Cyril of Alexandria an invincible champion of the divine motherhood of the most Blessed Virgin Mary, grant, we pray, that we, who believe she is truly the Mother of God, may be saved through the Incarnation of Christ your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

RECIPES

Greek Homestyle Chicken
Greek Salad
ACTIVITIES

Teaching Your Child to Know God
PRAYERS
St. Cyril of Alexandria’s Litany of Praise of the Mother of God
LIBRARY

Orientalis Ecclesiae (On St. Cyril, Patriarch Of Alexandria) | Pope Pius XII
Saint Cyril of Alexandria | Pope Benedict XVI

Ordinary Time: June 27th

Optional Memorial of St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop and doctor

Old Calendar: Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Hist)

St. Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, one of the metropolitan sees of the Christian Church in the east, was one of the great defenders of the faith against the heresy of Nestorius who denied the oneness of person in Jesus Christ. At the Council of Ephesus in 431, over which he presided in the Pope’s name, and at his instigation, it was defined that Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time God and man, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, His mother, is truly the Mother of God. St. Cyril died in 444. The Church venerates him as one of her great doctors. His commentary on the Gospel of St. John is one of the richest doctrinally of those left us by the Fathers of the Church.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, the feast of St. Cyril of Alexandria is celebrated on February 9.

St. Cyril of Alexandria
St. Cyril is one of the great Greek fathers of the Church. He was chosen by divine Providence to be the shield and champion of the Church against Nestorius, who denied the unity of person in Christ. If this heresy had succeeded, Mary would not be called the Mother of God.

Excepting Sts. Athanasius and Augustine, his equal as a defender of orthodoxy, can hardly be found in the Church’s history. His greatest achievement was the successful direction of the ecumenical council at Ephesus (431), of which he was the soul (Pope Celestine had appointed him papal legate). In this council two important dogmas were defined – that there is but one person in Christ, and that Mary (in the literal sense of the word) can be called the Mother of God (Theotokos). His successful defense of the latter doctrine is his greatest title to honor.

His writings show such depth and clarity that the Greeks called him the “seal of the fathers.” He died in 444 A.D., after having been bishop for thirty-two years. In Rome, the basilica of St. Mary Major stands as a most venerable monument to the honor paid Mary at the Council of Ephesus. On the arch leading into the sanctuary important incidents in the lives of Jesus and Mary are depicted in mosaic.

Excerpted from The Church’s Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

In 1881, he was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII, and in 1944, on the fifteenth centenary of Cyril’s death, Pope Pius XII issued his encyclical Orientalis Ecclesiae, commemorating Cyril’s place in the history of the Church.

Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens

Patron: Alexandria; Egypt.

Symbols: Shown holding a pen; with the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus.

Things to Do:

Read Pope Pius XII encyclical, Orientalis Ecclesiae (On St. Cyril, Patriarch Of Alexandria).

Read some excerpts from the writings of St. Cyril at the Crossroads Initiative.

St. Cyril lived in the fifth century and combated the heresy of Nestorius, who denied the union between the humanity and divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and thus, the divine motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (See Catechism of the Catholic Church 466) Read what the Catholic Encyclopedia says about Nestorius and Nestorianism.

http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/pictures/6_27_perpetual_help.jpg

Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, is celebrated on June 27 by the universal Church.

The devotion to this Marian advocation revolves around the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, painted on wood, with background of gold. It is Byzantine in style and is supposed to have been painted in the thirteenth century. It represents the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the Archangels Michael and Gabriel presenting Him the instruments of His Passion. Over the figures in the picture are some Greek letters which form the abbreviated words Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel respectively.

The icon was brought to Rome towards the end of the fifteenth century by a pious merchant, who, dying there, ordered by his will that the picture should be exposed in a church for public veneration. It was exposed in the church of San Matteo in the famous Roman street of Via Merulana, which connects the basilicas of Saint Mary Major and Saint John Lateran. Crowds flocked to this church, and for nearly three hundred years many graces were obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The picture was then popularly called the Madonna di San Matteo. The church was served for a time by the Hermits of Saint Augustine.

These Augustinians were still in charge when the French invaded Rome (1812) and destroyed the church. The picture disappeared; it remained hidden and neglected for over forty years, but a series of providential circumstances between 1863 and 1865 led to its rediscovery in an oratory of the Augustinian Fathers at Santa Maria in Posterula.

Pope Pius IX, who as a boy had prayed before the picture in San Matteo, became interested in the discovery. But at that time, the ruins of San Matteo were in the grounds of a convent of the Redemptorists -the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer-, founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787).

The Father General of the Redemptorists, Most Rev. Nicholas Mauron, decided to bring the whole matter to the attention of the Pope. The Pope listened attentively and felt sure it was God’s will that the icon should be gain exposed to public veneration and the logical site was their church of St. Alphonsus, standing as it did between the Basilicas of St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. The Holy Father at once took a piece of paper and wrote a short memorandum ordering the Augustinian Fathers of St. Mary in Posterula to surrender the picture to the Redemptorists, on condition that the Redemptorists supply the Augustinians with another picture of Our Lady or a good copy of the icon of Perpetual Help.

The Icon meant much to the Augustinians, but when the two Redemptorists came armed with the Pope’s signed memorandum, what could they do but obey? On January 19, 1866, Fathers Marchi and Bresciani brought the miraculous picture to St. Alphonsus’ church. Preparations were now made to inaugurate the new public reign of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. On April 26th, a great procession was staged in which the picture was carried throughout the Esquiline region of Rome. Upon returning to the church, the picture was enthroned over the high altar, in a resplendent shrine-niche especially constructed for it.

The report of marvelous healings spread rapidly throughout the city of Rome and people came by the hundreds to visit the shrine. Soon the whole area around the altar was filled with abandoned crutches and canes and several whole glass-covered cabinets were filled with gold and silver thanksgiving offerings in the shapes of miniature hearts, arms, legs and other votive offerings. Scarcely two weeks after the solemn exposition of the picture, Pope Pius IX himself came to visit the shrine. He stood quietly before it for a long time and then exclaimed: “How beautiful she is!”.

Pope Leo XIII, the next pontiff, had a copy of the picture on his desk so that he might see it constantly during his working day. St. Pius X sent a copy of the icon to the Empress of Ethiopia and granted an indulgence of 100 days to anyone who repeated the phrase: “Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.”

Pope Benedict XV had the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help placed immediately over his chair of state in the throne room. Here it could be seen by all just over his head, as if to say: “Here is your true Queen!”.

Pope Pius IX told the Redemptorists, in speaking to them of the treasure he had committed to their care: “Make her known!” It seems as though they hardly needed the exhortation. In the United States, they built the first Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in the Roxbury section of Boston, and it was eventually raised to the honor of a “Papal Basilica” by Pope Pius XII.

Symbolism of the icon of Perpetual Help

The influence of Eastern icons in the West, around the XII and XIII centuries brought a class of icons called Cardiotissa, from the Greek word kardia, meaning heart. Cardiotissa means “having a heart” or showing sympathy and mercy and compassion. In them the face of Our Lady appears full of sorrow, yet supremely dignified in her contemplation of the sufferings of her Son. His passion is represented by angels holding instruments of His passion, most often the cross, the lance, the sponge, and the nails.

The Our Mother of Perpetual Help icon is of this type. The angels holding the instruments of the Passion have their hands covered with a protecting veil as a sign of reverence in handling sacred objects.

The Child Jesus is shown with an adult face and a high brow, indicating His divine Mind of infinite intelligence. As God, He knew that the angelic apparition was prophetic of His future passion. Yet in His human nature as a small child, He is frightened and runs to His Mother for protection. Our Lady hastily picks Him up and clasps Him to her bosom. This action is indicated by the fact that the Lord’s right foot is nervously curled about the left ankle and in such haste that His right sandal has become loosened and hangs by a single strap. Further action is indicated by the way the Child Jesus clasps His Mother’s right hand with both of His, holding tightly to Our Lady’s thumb.

Our Lady is clothed in a dress of dark red which was long reserved in the Byzantine world for the Empress alone, indicating the Queenship of Mary.

Some commentators on color claim that bluish purple became the color of penance in the Western Church (during Lent and Advent) because purple is a combination of blue and red. The blue reminds us of heaven, to which we wish to arrive by our penance, and the red recalls martyrdom, because all penance requires a dying to oneself, especially mortifying inordinate desire for food and pleasure. The archangels Gabriel and Michael were tunics of purple since they carry the instruments of the passion and death of Christ. The figures of the icon are identified with abbreviations of their names and Mary is designated by her chief title to glory: Mother of God.

Our Lady’s face is of unspeakable majesty and calm and yet her large eyes, partly closed, express ineffable sorrow and sympathy. Our Lady is not looking at Jesus, but rather to us, to express compassion for us in our fears and sorrows.

Excerpted from Catholic News Agency

Things to Do:

Visit the Redemptorists’ site and read the History of the Icon.

Make virtual pilgrimage to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Shrine.

Visit Our Lady of Perpetual Help Radio site to see an explanation of the symbols of the Icon.

See also Women for Faith & Family page on Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

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For previous post.

Catholic Culture

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Doctors of the Catholic Church

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Saint Cyril of Alexandria
http://catholicsaints.info/wp-content/uploads/img-Saint-Cyril-of-Alexandria1.jpg
Memorial
27 June
formerly 28 January
formerly 9 February
Profile
Nephew of Theophilus the Patriarch. Monk. Priest. Bishop and patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt on 18 October 412. Suppressed the Novatians. Worked at the Council of Ephesus. Fought against Nestorius who taught the heresy that there were two persons in Christ. Catechetical writer. Wrote a book opposing Julian the Apostate. Greek Father of the Church. Doctor of the Church.
Born
376 at Alexandria, Egypt
Died
444 at Alexandria, Egypt of natural causes
relics in Alexandria
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Patronage
Alexandria, Egypt
Representation
book, pen or scroll, indicative of his work as a writer
Blessed Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus, representing his advocacy of the doctrine of Mary as Mother of God
Additional Information
Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
Catholic Encyclopedia
Letter of Cyril to John of Antioch
Letter of Cyril to Nestorius
Letter of Cyril to Nestorius with the XII Anathematisms
Lives of Illustrious Men, by Saint Jerome
Lives of the Saints, by Father Alban Butler
New Catholic Dictionary
On the Writings of Saint Cyril of Alexandria, by Father Alban Butler
Orientalis Ecclesiae, by Pope Pius XII
Pictorial Lives of the Saints
Pope Benedict XVI: General Audience, 3 October 2007
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Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
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Saint Cyril: Humble Yourself as Christ Did
Saint Cyril: Learn Faith from Mary Magdalene
Saint Cyril: Let Your Tears Turn to Joy
Saint Cyril: The Word Stooped Down to Us
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Readings
By nature, each one of us is enclosed in his own personality, but supernaturally, we are all one. We are made one body in Christ, because we are nourished by one flesh. As Christ is indivisible, we are all one in him. Therefore, He asked His Father “that they may all be One as We also are one.” – Saint Cyril of Alexandria
That anyone could doubt the right of the holy Virgin to be called the Mother of God fills with astonishment. Surely she must be the Mother of God if our Lord Jesus Christ is God, and she gave birth to him! Our Lord’s disciples may not have used those exact words, but they delivered to us the belief those words enshrine, and this has also been taught us by the holy fathers. The divinely inspired Scriptures affirm that the Word of God was made flesh, that is to say, he was united to a human body endowed with a rational soul. He undertook to help the descendants of Abraham, fashioning a body for himself from a woman and sharing our flesh and blood, to enable us to see in him not only God, but also, by reason of this union, a man like ourselves. It is held, therefore, that there is in Emmanuel two entities, divinity and humanity. Yet our Lord Jesus Christ is nonetheless one, the one true Son, both God and man; not a defied man on the same footing as those who share the divine nature by grace, but true God who for our sake appeared in human form. We are assured of this by Saint Paul’s declaration: “When the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law and to enable us to be adopted as sons. – from a letter by Saint Cyril of Alexandria

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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3304861/posts?page=33#33

To view the live links click on this link.

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The Word Among Us

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Meditation: Genesis 18:1-15

Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Sarah laughed. (Genesis 18:12)

Do you remember the last time you had a really good laugh?

In today’s readings, we see two different kinds of occasions for laughter. First, Sarah laughs at the idea that she, an old woman, could have a child. It could be the laughter of joy at the news, or it could be the laughter of incredulity at such an outlandish prediction. Either way, Sarah’s reaction shows a freedom and lightheartedness that we don’t often ascribe to biblical characters. Then in the Gospel, we can well imagine the centurion laughing with joy and gratitude after Jesus cures his servant.

We see people laughing in other places in Scripture, too. The psalmist, upon returning from exile, proclaims, “Our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy” (Psalm 126:2). As the ark of the covenant is brought into Jerusalem, David is so happy that he dances and shouts for joy (2 Samuel 6:12-14). Jesus has a sense of humor as well. When he and Nathanael first meet, Nathanael quips, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Then Jesus shoots back, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him!” (John 1:46, 47). He seems to be in on Nathanael’s joke, and he doesn’t mind it at all.

Think about the week that is just coming to an end. Have you laughed much? If not, look back, and see if there were moments for joy that you might have missed. And if you think you’ve laughed plenty, well, laughter is one thing you can’t get too much of! Think about God’s most recent blessings in your life. Think about an embarrassing moment that now brings a smile to your face. And if all else fails, ask someone to tell you a good joke!

Our inconveniences, our challenges, even our happy memories are all a part of our life in Christ. They all present opportunities to laugh with the Lord, even if things aren’t going as smoothly as we’d like. There’s nothing like a good laugh to remind us that no matter what we are experiencing, we still have a lot to smile about. Remember: you are a child of God and an heir to his kingdom.

“Jesus, thank you for the gift of laughter. Ignite my joy today. Help me find you in in every situation today so that I can rejoice with you.”

(Psalm) Luke 1:46-50, 53-55
Matthew 8:5-17

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Marriage = One Man amd One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for June 27, 2015:

Does your spouse accuse you of being irresponsible? Sometimes it might just be a different personality style, but don’t ignore the criticism. It may hurt, but not addressing any truth that might be behind the charge can build resentment.

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One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 31, Issue 4

<< Saturday, June 27, 2015 >>

St. Cyril of Alexandria

Genesis 18:1-15
View Readings

Luke 1:46-50, 53-55

Matthew 8:5-17
Similar Reflections

JOIN THE SERVICE

"My serving boy is at home in bed paralyzed." —Matthew 8:6

Jesus came not to be served but to serve (Mt 20:28). As followers of Jesus, we too come to serve others by providing both their physical and spiritual needs. Like Jesus, we wash the feet of others and commit ourselves to live and even die in love and service (Jn 13:5).

Nevertheless, many of us are out of action, that is, "out of service." Like Peter's mother-in-law and the centurion's serving boy, we are "in bed with a fever" (Mt 8:14) or "at home in bed paralyzed, suffering painfully" (Mt 8:6).

We need faith by which we let Jesus return us to service (see Mt 8:10ff). "Is anything too marvelous for the Lord to do?" (Gn 18:14) "Nothing is impossible with God" (Lk 1:37). The Lord can take the worst sinners and most broken people and make them serviceable. In Christ and in faith, we are "in service" no matter what.

"The harvest is great; the workers are few" (Mt 9:37, our transl). St. Teresa of Avila said that God has no feet but our feet, no hands but our hands, no tongue but our tongues, etc. The Lord needs servants through which to serve. By faith, accept God's grace to "join the service."

Prayer: Father, by Your grace and by faith I will serve till death and beyond.

Promise: "It was our infirmities He bore, our sufferings He endured." —Mt 8:17

Praise: St. Cyril, a Doctor of the Church, had a profound grasp of the divinity of Jesus and defended this truth amid fierce opposition.

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