Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 07-04-05, Opt. St. Elizabeth/Portugal, Mass-Independence Day

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 07-04-05 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

July 4, 2005
Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Monday 30

Reading I
Gn 28:10-22a

Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran.
When he came upon a certain shrine, as the sun had already set,
he stopped there for the night.
Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his head
and lay down to sleep at that spot.
Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground,
with its top reaching to the heavens;
and God's messengers were going up and down on it.
And there was the Lord standing beside him and saying:
"I, the Lord, am the God of your forefather Abraham
and the God of Isaac;
the land on which you are lying
I will give to you and your descendants.
These shall be as plentiful as the dust of the earth,
and through them you shall spread out east and west, north and south.
In you and your descendants
all the nations of the earth shall find blessing.
Know that I am with you;
I will protect you wherever you go,
and bring you back to this land.
I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you."

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he exclaimed,
"Truly, the Lord is in this spot, although I did not know it!"
In solemn wonder he cried out: "How awesome is this shrine!
This is nothing else but an abode of God,
and that is the gateway to heaven!"
Early the next morning Jacob took the stone
that he had put under his head,
set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on top of it.
He called the site Bethel,
whereas the former name of the town had been Luz.

Jacob then made this vow: "If God remains with me,
to protect me on this journey I am making
and to give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear,
and I come back safe to my father's house, the LORD shall be my God.
This stone that I have set up as a memorial stone shall be God's abode."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab

R. (see 2b) In you, my God, I place my trust.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destroying pestilence.
With his pinions he will cover you,
and under his wings you shall take refuge.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.

Gospel
Mt 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
"My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live."
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, "If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured."
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
"Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you."
And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official's house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping."
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.

[Salvation]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

[Salvation]

Alleluia Ping!

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[Salvation]

From: Matthew 9:18-26


The Raising of Jairus' Daughter

---

[18] While He (Jesus) was speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and
knelt before Him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay
Your hand on her, and she will live." [19] And Jesus rose and followed
him, with His disciples.


The Curing of the Woman with a Hemorrhage

---

[20] And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve
years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment;
[21] for she said to herself, "If I only touch His garment, I shall be
made well." [22] Jesus turned, and seeing her He said, "Take heart,
daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was
made well. [23] And when Jesus came to the ruler's house, and saw the
flute players, and the crowd making a tumult, [24] He said, "Depart;
for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at Him.
[25] But when the crowd had been put outside, He went in and took her
by the hand, and the girl arose. [26] And the report of this went
through all that district.

---

Commentary:


18-26. Here are two miracles which occur almost simultaneously. From
parallel passages in Mark (5:21-43) and Luke (8:40-56) we know that the
"ruler" (of the synagogue) referred to here was called Jairus. The
Gospels report Jesus raising three people to life--this girl, the son
of the widow of Nain, and Lazarus. In each case the identity of the
person is clearly given.


This account shows us, once again, the role faith plays in Jesus'
saving actions. In the case of the woman with the hemorrhage we should
note that Jesus is won over by her sincerity and faith: she does not
let obstacles get in her way. Similarly, Jairus does not care what
people will say; a prominent person in his city, he humbles himself
before Jesus for all to see.


18. "Knelt before Him": the eastern way of showing respect to God or to
important people. In the liturgy, especially in the presence of the
Blessed Eucharist, reverences are a legitimate and appropriate external
sign of internal faith and adoration.


23. "The flute players": engaged to provide music at wakes and
funerals.


24. "Depart, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping": Jesus says the
same thing about Lazarus: "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I
go to awaken him" (John 11:11).


Although Jesus speaks of sleep, there is no question of the girl--or
Lazarus, later--not being dead. For our Lord there is only one true
death--that of eternal punishment (cf. Matthew 10:28).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

Don't know why they don't have the first reading referenced??!!

[Salvation]

Monday, July 4, 2005
Independence Day

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel:

Isaiah 58-6-11 Psalm 107:2-9 Matthew 25:31-46 The mortifications which come to us from God, or from men by His permission, are always worth more than those which are the children of our own will; for it must be considered a general rule, that the less our taste and choice intervene in our actions, the more they will have of goodness, solidity, devotion, the pleasure of God and our own profit. -- St. Francis de Sales

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Collect: Father of peace and love, you gave St. Elizabeth the gift of reconciling enemies. By the help of her prayers give us the courage to work for peace among men, that we may be called the sons of God. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Recipes: » Egg and Caper Sauce » Fourth of July Dinner Menu » Independence Barbecue Menu » Independence Day Cake more » Poached Salmon » Rice Waffles » Sauce for Rice Waffles » Special Strawberry Shortcake » Watermelon Pickle less Activities: » July 4: Independence Day » Namedays » Religion in the Home for Elementary School: July » Religion in the Home for Preschool: July more » What is a Nameday? less Prayers: » July Devotion: The Precious Blood » Serran Prayer for Vocations

July 04, 2005 Optional Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Portugal: Independence Day (USA) St. Elizabeth of Portugal was the daughter of Peter III of Aragon and was named after her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose virtues she also inherited. In her married life with King Denis of Portugal she had to undergo a series of heavy trials which she endured with heroism. On more than one occasion she went to considerable pains to bring about peace between her children and their father. After her husband's death she became a Franciscan Tertiary and showed unfailing charity towards the poor. She died in 1336; her body has remained incorrupt. Today is the national celebration of our Nation's independence. As we celebrate let us remember to pray that God will strengthen and bless America and make our nation a haven of liberty and justice for all — born and unborn. Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar St. Elizabeth's feast was celebrated on July 8. St. Elizabeth of Portugal Elizabeth of Portugal was married young: she was only twelve years old when she became the wife of King Denis of Portugal. She was the daughter of King Peter III of Aragon and at her baptism in 1271 received the name of her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Even at that early age, she had a well-disciplined character and, like her namesake, looked after the poor and pilgrims, with the consent of her husband. She inaugurated what today we would call social works in her kingdom, set up hostels for pilgrims and travelers, provided for the poor, established dowries for poor girls, founded a hospital and a house for penitent women at Torres Novas, and built an orphanage. Her husband was notoriously unfaithful to her, but she bore all this with patience and her sweetness of disposition, her greatest asset. She even looked after his illegitimate children as if they were her own and made provision for their proper education. She had two children of her own, Alfonso and Constance, the son later rebelling against his father. St. Elizabeth of Portugal became the peacemaker and several times reconciled the son to the father. Through her efforts, war was averted between Castile and Aragon. In 1324, her husband became ill and she devoted all of her attention to him, never leaving his room except to go to church. His illness was long and tedious, but he sincerely repented of his disordered life and died at Santarem in 1325. After his burial, she made a pilgrimage to Compostela and decided to enter the Poor Clare convent at Coimbra. Persuaded not to do this, she became a Franciscan tertiary and lived in a house close to the convent. Elizabeth died at Estremoz at the age of sixty-six, en route there to bring about peace between her son and her nephew, Alfonso XI, of Castile. She was canonized by Urban VIII in 1625. Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens Patron: Against jealousy; brides; charitable societies; charitable workers; charities; Coimbra, Portugal; difficult marriages; falsely accused people; invoked in time of war; peace; queens; tertiaries; victims of adultery; victims of jealousy; victims of unfaithfulness; widows. Symbols: Franciscan nun with a rose in her hand; Franciscan nun with a beggar nearby; Franciscan nun with a jug in her hand; Franciscan tertiary nun; woman carrying roses in her lap in winter; woman crowned with roses. Things to Do: Our own circle of personal influence is usually where we can do the most good. It is useless to dream of going to faraway places to accomplish great deeds, when there is much to be done in our own backyard. We can influence those around us and, like St. Elizabeth of Portugal, can accomplish wonders. Independence Day On April 19, 1775, American minutemen faced English soldiers on the village green in Lexington, Massachusetts. Someone — no one to this day knows who — fired a shot, and a battle followed which marked the beginning of the American Revolution. After the Battle of Lexington, the desire of Americans for complete independence from England grew stronger. Less than a month after that battle, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. On July 4, 1776, the Congress issued a Declaration of Independence, announcing "that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states." For a time it seemed to some that the fight for independence was a hopeless struggle, but an important American victory at Saratoga marked a turning point in the war. After that victory the Americans gained a strong ally, France. With the help of France, the Americans went on to win a final victory over the English at Yorktown. The English Parliament then decided to make peace and accept American independence. With independence won, the thirteen states set out to form a new nation. There were strong differences among the states, but Americans came to understand the need for unity, and devised a new plan for government—the Constitution. The new government, under the Constitution, was faced with many problems, both at home and abroad. However it found ways to solve these problems, and the United States began to grow rapidly. Excerpted from American History, published by Laidlaw Brothers. Things to Do: Read the Declaration of Independence and see what grievances our Founding Fathers had with England. This same site offers links to learn more about the founding of our nation. Catholic Culture Library Related Articles On Being Catholic American First Centenary of First American Bishops How Birth Control Changed America — For The Worse Shrines of North America The Philosophy of American Patriotism In the Present Crisis The Jefferson Bible The Relevance of Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson and Freedom of Religion What Is Patriotism? Sapientiae Christianae—On Christians as Citizens

[Salvation]

St. Elizabeth of Portugal

[Ciexyz]

Happy Independence Day to all!

[lightman]

A beautiful and appropriate intersection of today's Psalm Antiphon "In you, my God, I place my trust" with our national motto, "In God we trust."

[Ciexyz]

Interesting link on The Jefferson Bible. Our venerable writer of the Declaration of Independence was a "cut and paster" as regards to the New Testament.

[Smartass]

The Cross

A young man was at the end of his rope, seeing no way out,
he dropped to his knees in prayer "Lord, I can't go on,"
he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear."

The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight,
just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that
other door and pick out any cross you wish."

The man was filled with relief and said, "Thank you Lord,"
and he did as he was told.

Upon entering the other room, he saw many crosses;
some so large the tops were not visible. Then, he
spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall.

"I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered.
The Lord replied, "My son, that is the cross
you just brought in."

When life's problems seem overwhelming,
it helps to look around and see what other
people are coping with. You may consider
yourself far more fortunate than you imagined.

[annalex]

Mt 9:18-26
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
18	As he was speaking these things unto them, behold a certain ruler came up, and adored him, saying: Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come, lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.	haec illo loquente ad eos ecce princeps unus accessit et adorabat eum dicens filia mea modo defuncta est sed veni inpone manum super eam et vivet
19	And Jesus rising up followed him, with his disciples.	et surgens Iesus sequebatur eum et discipuli eius
20	And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment.	et ecce mulier quae sanguinis fluxum patiebatur duodecim annis accessit retro et tetigit fimbriam vestimenti eius
21	For she said within herself: If I shall touch only his garment, I shall be healed.	dicebat enim intra se si tetigero tantum vestimentum eius salva ero
22	But Jesus turning and seeing her, said: Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.	at Iesus conversus et videns eam dixit confide filia fides tua te salvam fecit et salva facta est mulier ex illa hora
23	And when Jesus was come into the house of the ruler, and saw the minstrels and the multitude making a rout,	et cum venisset Iesus in domum principis et vidisset tibicines et turbam tumultuantem
24	He said: Give place, for the girl is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.	dicebat recedite non est enim mortua puella sed dormit et deridebant eum
25	And when the multitude was put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand. And the maid arose.	et cum eiecta esset turba intravit et tenuit manum eius et surrexit puella
26	And the fame hereof went abroad into all that country.	et exiit fama haec in universam terram illam

[annalex]

Christ Resurrects the Daughter of Jairu

Friedrich Overbeck
1815
Pen with black ink over pencil, watercolour, 307 x 373 mm
Staatliche Museen, Berlin

[trisham]

When life's problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around and see what other people are coping with. You may consider yourself far more fortunate than you imagined

**************

Worth repeating.

[Salvation]

So true, sometimes we think we are the ones with the biggest crosses to carry.

[Smartass]

:o)

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Closed Hands Catch Nothing!
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark
Date:	Monday, July 4, 2005

Gn 28:10-22 / Mt 9:18-26

Every one of us carries considerable baggage left over from earlier parts of our life's journey. And not only our bodies but our spirits bear many wounds, some self-inflicted, others the result of simple bad luck, and still others the intentional work of those who wish us no good. These are heavy burdens to bear, and too often they prevent our going forward as we'd like on this long pilgrimage.

How can we ever be free? How can we be done with the hurtful parts of our past? Those are questions we all ask eventually, and intuitively we know the answer, just as that woman did in today's gospel. "If only I could touch Him, I know I'd get well. I know I'd break free."
Exactly so!

Jesus wants to take our hands and share His healing and His strength with us. We have only to give Him our hands, but they have to be open, not shut and holding tightly onto our old baggage.

Before you ask for His healing and His freedom, check your hands. If they're still full and still closed, you've left no room for Him and your prayer will go unanswered because it is no prayer at all.

 

[Salvation]

 

 

A Voice in the Desert

 

 

Monday July 4, 2005   Independence Day

Reading (Genesis 28:10-22a)    Gospel (St. Matthew 9:18-26)

 In the readings today, we see very clearly what true freedom is all about. We can compare that to what our country is celebrating in so many unfortunate ways on this day. Of course, on the secular level there is the celebration of freedom from a foreign power, that we have independence and can do what we want as a nation. But that has been completely twisted now to the point where “I can do anything that I want and no one can tell me any different. I have complete autonomy and freedom means license.” But what we see in the readings today is very different from that.  

We see, first of all, in the first reading, Jacob (whose name would later be changed to Israel) going to this place that he would call Bethel. Bethel means “the house of God.” In this place he has a vision of the angels of the Lord going up and down on this ladder, and he recognizes that God dwells in this place, which is why he changed the name. It is in the dwelling place of God that we find full freedom for our souls because each one of us is the dwelling place of God. God dwells within each one of us if we are in the state of grace. And so it is with God within that we have freedom from everything that would keep us bound. 

In the Gospel, we see that there is freedom from death as Jesus raises this little girl from the dead. But not freedom from physical death, rather freedom from eternal death, that we have the freedom to live forever. Now every single soul, we know, is going to live forever in one of two places. But for us it is the freedom to live with God and to live without sin for all eternity. For those who make the wrong choices in this life and choose eternity with Satan, there will be no freedom at all. They will be held bound to the slavery of sin in which they are already in, and they will be held bound by slavery to one who hates them.  For those who love God, on the other hand, the freedom of the children of God is going to be theirs, and it already is. They have the freedom to live according to the way that God created us to live because we have the grace of God to be able to do it. It is not something we can do on our own. It is purely a gift. 

We see also in the Gospel reading today that this woman who is afflicted with a hemorrhage comes up to the Lord, touches His cloak, and Jesus simply looks at her and says, Courage, daughter, your faith has healed you. If we have true and complete faith in Jesus Christ, we have freedom from everything that this world afflicts us with. We have freedom from anxiety and worry. We have freedom from oppression, inside and out. We have freedom from sin. We have freedom from Satan. We have freedom from everything that is going to hold us bound because we are in Christ and Christ has overcome everything that can even possibly hold us in bondage. That is the gift that is given to us. 

And as we celebrate in a secular way today the freedom that we have as a country, anybody who is a true Christian must realize how we have perverted the concept of freedom in this country. It really cannot even be called a secular holiday because the way it is celebrated can only be called pagan. It is freedom to sin. Saint Paul asks the simple question about the freedom that we have as the children of God: Does that mean we are free to sin? By no means. We have the freedom to act according to the Will of God, the freedom to be the children of God.  

So what we have to do is make sure that we understand and celebrate in a proper way what true freedom is. True and perfect freedom is to do the Will of God. It is just that simple. Perfect freedom is doing God’s Will. Each and every one us, being the dwelling place of God and having the grace of God, is able to do the Will of God. It is in that that we must rejoice. Far more important than freedom from any foreign power is the freedom from the ultimate foreign power – and that is Satan. We have the freedom to act according to the way that God has created us to act, and we have the freedom to become the persons God created us to be. It is in that that there is great rejoicing. So we thank God for the freedoms that we have been granted in this country, but most of all we need to thank God for the freedom that has been granted us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ: freedom from death, freedom from sin, freedom from oppression at the hands of the enemy of our soul, so that we can live in the true freedom of the children of God. 

*  This text was transcribed from the audio recording with minimal editing.

[Salvation]

One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

 

<< Monday, July 4, 2005 >>

St. Elizabeth of Portugal

Genesis 28:10-22

Psalm 91

Matthew 9:18-26

View Readings

DREAMS

“Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep at that spot. Then he had a dream.” —Genesis 28:11-12

Jacob used a stone for a pillow and dreamed about “the gateway to heaven” (Gn 28:17). Jesus is the Fulfillment of Jacob’s dream. He is the Rock that is the Foundation-Stone (1 Cor 3:11), Cornerstone (Ps 118:22), and Capstone (Eph 2:20).

Jesus is also the Gate (Jn 10:9). No one goes to the Father except through Him (Jn 14:6). Like Jacob’s dream, all our dreams are fulfilled in Jesus. He is the Truth, Who makes all godly dreams come true (Jn 14:6). When our dreams are fading after years of suffering and disappointment, they can suddenly come true if we but touch the hem of Jesus’ garment (Mt 9:21).

Even if our dreams are shattered by tragedy and death, Jesus can take us by the hand, raise us up, and give us a reason for living (Mt 9:25). In the middle of the night, when dreams and nightmares vie for our subconscious attention, we have Jesus, the Light in the darkness, the Morning Star (Rv 22:16). “As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven” (Dn 7:13). Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

Prayer: Lord, give to Your beloved in their sleep (Ps 127:2).

Promise: “In solemn wonder he cried out: ‘How awesome is this shrine! This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven!’ ” —Gn 28:17

Praise: St. Elizabeth served the Lord as a peacemaker, bringing reconciliation to her own family and preventing wars between nations.

[Salvation]

From: Genesis 28:10-22a

Jacob's Dream

---

[10] Jacob left Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. [11] And he came to a
certain place, and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking
one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in
that place to sleep. [12] And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on
the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of
God were ascending and descending on it! [13] And behold, the Lord stood
above it and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the
God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your
descendants; [14] and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth,
and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and
to the south; and by you and your descendants shall all the families of the
earth bless themselves. [15] Behold, I am with you and will keep you
wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave
you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you." [16] Then Jacob
awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place; and I did
not know it." [17] And he was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place!
This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

[18] So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone which he had
put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of
it. [19] He called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of the city
was Luz at the first. [20] Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be
with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to
eat and clothing to wear, [21] so that I come again to my father's house in
peace, then the Lord shall be my God, [22a] and this stone, which I have
set up for a pillar, shall be God's house."

---

Commentary:

28:10-22 The narrative continues with this scene which deals with the first
appearance of God to Jacob, when he confirms to him the promise he made to
Abraham; it also recalls the foundation of the shrine at Bethel.

It is significant that these events occur in Canaan, the land of the promise
and the land to which Jacob and his sons will later have reason to return.
After the exodus from Egypt and the conquest of the land, the Israelites
consulted Yahweh at Bethel (cf. Judg 20:18, 26-28); and after the division
of the country into two kingdoms, on the death of Solomon, Bethel became one
of the main religious shrines of the Northern kingdom (cf. 1 Kings 12:26-33).

In the context in which it appears here, the account of Jacob's dream shows
how the patriarch, strengthened by God who has revealed to him his plan, is
now able to face the long years which he will have to spend away from the
promised land. The Lord will not appear to him again until he returns (cf.
32:22-32). The Lord does the same thing with us, sometimes allowing quite a
time to go by when we do not feel his presence. "You told me that God
sometimes fills you with light for a while and sometimes does not. I
reminded you, firmly, that the Lord is always infinitely good. That is why
those moments of light are enough to help you carry on; but the times when
you see no light are good for you too, and make you more faithful" ([St] J.
Escriva. Furrow. 341).

28:12. As described in the biblical text, the ladder which Jacob sees in his
dream (which might have been like the staircases in Mesopotamian or Egyptian
temples, copied in turn in the shrines of Canaan) is filled with deep
symbolism: it is the link between heaven and earth. Some Fathers of the
Church interpret this ladder as being divine providence, which reaches earth
through the ministry of angels; others see it as a sign of the Incarnation
of Christ (who is of the line of Jacob), for the Incarnation is truly the
time when divine and human join, since Christ is true God and true man.

In St John's Gospel we see Jacob's dream fulfilled in the glorification of
Jesus through his death on the cross: "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will
see heaven opened, and the angels or God ascending and descending upon the
Son of man" (Jn 1:5 1). And so other prominent interpreters see Jacob's
ladder as representing the cross, whereby Christ and Christians attain the
glory of heaven. St Bernard applied the symbolism of the ladder to the
Blessed Virgin: "She is the ladder of Jacob, which has twelve rungs,
counting the two sides. The right-hand side is disdain for oneself out of
love for God; the left-hand side is disdain for the world, for love for the
Kingdom. The ascent up its twelve rungs represents the degrees of humility.
[...] By these rungs angels ascend and men are raised up..." ("Sermo ad
Beatam Virginem", 4).

28:14. Once more, divine revelation makes it clear that the reason for
choosing the people of Israel (a choice now confirmed to Jacob) is to have
the blessing of God reach all nations (cf. 12:3), and to let all men,
created as they are in God's image and likeness (cf. 1:26), benefit from
that choice. The fact that God chose one people does not mean that he has
put a limit on his goodness; it is simply the way that he, the Creator of
all, chose to make his fatherly call reach the ears of all. "Connected with
the mystery of creation is the "mystery of the election", which in a special
way shaped the history of the people whose spiritual father is Abraham by
virtue of his faith. Nevertheless, through this people which journeys
forward through the history both of the Old Covenant and of the New, that
mystery of election refers to every man and woman, to the whole great human
family. 'I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have
continued my faithfulness to you' (Jer 31:3)" ("Dives in Misericordiae", 4).

28:20. St John Chrysostom comments that the words "will give me bread to
eat" were endorsed by Jesus in the Our Father: "Give us this day our daily
bread": "Let us request of him no material things beyond this. I mean, it
would be quite inappropriate to ask of such a generous giver, who enjoys
such an abundance of power, things that will dissolve with this present life
and undergo great transformation and decay. All such things are, in fact,
human, whether you refer to wealth, or power, or human glory. Let us instead
ask for what lasts forever, for what is permanent' ("Homiliae in Genesim",
54, 5).

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Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.