Jul 31, Evening Prayer – Memorial for Ignatius of Loyola, P

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. III:
Ordinary: 668
Psalter: Tuesday, Week I, 738
Proper of Saints: 1567
Common of Pastors: 1758

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 694
Psalter: Tuesday, Week I, 734
Proper of Saints: 1206
Common of Pastors: 1432

Evening Prayer for Tuesday in Ordinary Time, the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
who thee by faith before the world confessed,
thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

Thou wast their rock, their fortress, and their might;
thou Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight;
thou in the darkness drear, their one true light.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O may thy soldiers, faithful, true, and bold,
fight as the saints who nobly fought of old,
and win with them the victor’s crown of gold.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

O blest communion, fellowship divine!
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
yet all are one in thee, for all are thine.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

And when the strife is fierce, the warfare long,
steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
and hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

From earth’s wide bounds, from ocean’s farthest coast,
through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost:
Alleluia, Alleluia!

“For all the Saints” by Wells Cathedral Choir ; Text: William W. How, 1823-1897; Music: Ralph Vaughan Williams, 1872-1958; Composers: Barnard, Ken Naylor, Noel Tredinnick, Barry Ferguson, Gustav Holst, et al.; Performer: Rupert Gough and the Wells Cathedral Choir

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 God has crowned his Christ with victory.

Psalm 20
A prayer for the king’s victory
Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21).

May the Lord answer in time of trial;
may the name of Jacob’s God protect you.

May he send you help from his shrine
and give you support from Zion.
May he remember all your offerings
and receive your sacrifice with favor.

May he give you your heart’s desire
and fulfill every one of your plans.
May we ring out our joy at your victory
and rejoice in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your prayers.

I am sure now that the Lord
will give victory to his anointed,
will reply from his holy heaven
with the mighty victory of his hand.

Some trust in chariots or horses,
but we in the name of the Lord.
They will collapse and fall,
but we shall hold and stand firm.

Give victory to the king, O Lord,
give answer on the day we call.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Lord, you accepted the perfect sacrifice of your Son upon the cross. Hear us during times of trouble and protect us by the power of his name, that we who share his struggle on earth may merit a share in his victory.

Ant. God has crowned his Christ with victory.

Ant. 2 We celebrate your mighty works with songs of praise, O Lord.

Psalm 21
Thanksgiving for the king’s victory
He accepted life that he might rise and live for ever (Saint Hilary).

O Lord, your strength gives joy to the king;
how your saving help makes him glad!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you have not refused the prayer of his lips.

You came to meet him with the blessings of success,
you have set on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked you for life and this you have given,
days that will last from age to age.

Your saving help has given him glory.
You have laid upon him majesty and splendor,
you have granted your blessings to him for ever.
You have made him rejoice with the joy of your presence.

The king has put his trust in the Lord:
through the mercy of the Most High he shall stand firm.
O Lord, arise in your strength,
we shall sing and praise your power.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm-prayer

Father, you have given us life on this earth and have met us with the grace of redemption. Bestow your greatest blessing on us, the fullness of eternal life.

Ant. We celebrate your mighty works with songs of praise, O Lord.

Ant. 3 Lord, you have made us a kingdom and priests for God our Father.

Canticle — Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10, 12
Redemption hymn

O Lord our God, you are worthy
to receive glory and honor and power.

For you have created all things;
by your will they came to be and were made.

Worthy are you, O Lord,
to receive the scroll and break open its seals.

For you were slain;
with your blood you purchased for God
men of every race and tongue,
of every people and nation.

You made of them a kingdom,
and priests to serve our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.

Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches,
wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Lord, you have made us a kingdom and priests for God our Father.

READING 1 Peter 5:1-4

To the elders among you I, a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and sharer in the glory that is to be revealed, make this appeal. God’s flock is in your midst; give it a shepherd’s care. Watch over it willingly as God would have you do, not under constraint; and not for shameful profit either, but generously. Be examples to the flock, not lording it over those assigned to you, so that when the chief Shepherd appears you will win for yourselves the unfading crown of glory.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell)
A moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

This is a man who loved his brethren and ever prayed for them.
– This is a man who loved his brethren and ever prayed for them.

He spent himself in their service,
– and ever prayed for them.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
–This is a man who loved his brethren and ever prayed for them.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. Of what use is it to a man to gain the whole world, if he pays for it by losing his soul?

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Of what use is it to a man to gain the whole world, if he pays for it by losing his soul?

INTERCESSIONS

Jesus Christ is worthy of all praise, for he was appointed high priest among men and their representative before God. We honor him and in our weakness we pray:
– Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You marvelously illuminated your Church through distinguished leaders and holy men and women,
let Christians rejoice always in such splendor.
– Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You forgave the sins of your people when their holy leaders like Moses sought your compassion,
through their intercession continue to purify and sanctify your holy people.
– Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

In the midst of their brothers and sisters you anointed your holy ones and filled them with the Holy Spirit,
fill all the leaders of your people with the same Spirit.
– Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

You yourself are the only visible possession of our holy pastors,
let none of them, won at the price of your blood, remain far from you.
– Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

The shepherds of your Church keep your flock from being snatched out of your hand. Through them you give your flock eternal life,
save those who have died, those for whom you gave up your life.
– Bring salvation to your people, Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer

O God,
who raised up Saint Ignatius of Loyola
in your Church to further the greater glory of your name,
grant that by his help we may imitate him in fighting
the good fight on earth and merit to receive with him a crown in heaven.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.

Jul 31, Night Prayer for Tuesday of the 17th week of Ordinary Time

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours:
Vol I, Page 1178
Vol II, Page 1635
Vol III, Page 1278
Vol IV, Page 1242

Christian Prayer:
Page 1044

Night Prayer for Tuesday

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

Examination of conscience:

We are called to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men, in our hearts and in our minds, in our actions and inactions. To do so, it is vital that we examine our conscience daily and to ask for God’s mercy as we fall short and to ask for His strength to do better.

Lord Jesus,
you have shown us the way to the Father:
Lord, have mercy.
– Lord, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you have given us the consolation of the truth:
Christ, have mercy.
– Christ, have mercy.

Lord Jesus,
you are the good shepherd,
leading us into everlasting life:
Lord, have mercy.
– Lord, have mercy.

HYMN

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want;
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the
Lord forever.

Psalm 23 by Melinda Kirigin-Voss
“Psalm 23? performed by Melinda Kirigin-Voss is available from Amazon.com

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Do not hide your face from me; in you I put my trust.

Psalm 143
Prayer in distress
Only by faith in Jesus Christ is a man made holy in God’s sight. No observance of the law can achieve this (Galatians 2:16).

Lord, listen to my prayer:
turn your ear to my appeal.
You are faithful, you are just; give answer.
Do not call your servant to judgment
for no one is just in your sight.

The enemy pursues my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me dwell in darkness
like the dead, long forgotten.
Therefore my spirit fails;
my heart is numb within me.

I remember the days that are past:
I ponder all your works.
I muse on what your hand has wrought
and to you I stretch out my hands.
Like a parched land my soul thirsts for you.

Lord, make haste and answer;
for my spirit fails within me.
Do not hide your face
lest I become like those in the grave.

In the morning let me know your love
for I put my trust in you.
Make me know the way I should walk:
to you I lift up my soul.

Rescue me, Lord, from my enemies;
I have fled to you for refuge.
Teach me to do your will
for you, O Lord, are my God.
Let your good spirit guide me
in ways that are level and smooth.

For your name’s sake, Lord, save my life;
in your justice save my soul from distress.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Do not hide your face from me; in you I put my trust.

READING 1 Peter 5:8-9a

Stay sober and alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, solid in your faith.

RESPONSORY

Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

You have redeemed us, Lord God of truth.
– I commend my spirit.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

CANTICLE OF SIMEON

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Luke 2:29-32
Christ is the light of the nations and the glory of Israel

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:

my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:

a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Protect us, Lord, as we stay awake; watch over us as we sleep, that awake, we may keep watch with Christ, and asleep, rest in his peace.

Concluding Prayer

Lord,
fill this night with your radiance.
May we sleep in peace and rise with joy
to welcome the light of a new day in your name.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
– Amen.

BLESSING

May the all-powerful Lord grant us a restful night and a peaceful death.
– Amen.

Antiphon or song in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Memorial
July 31st

(1491-1556, Canonized 1622)

Founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

Saint Ignatious of Loyola, engraving, French (1844) copy of 17th century portrait. (Private collection.)

Ad Majoriem Dei Gloriam

To the greater glory of God

Ignatius was born in the Basque region of Spain in 1491, the youngest of thirteen children. He was brought up in the household of Juan Velásquez de Cuellar, treasurer to Ferdinand and Isabella, and served as his patron's page. He was said to be affected and extravangant about his hair and dress, consumed with the desire of winning glory, and sometimes involved in intrigues.
In 1517 a change for the better began; Velásquez died and Ignatius joined the Spanish army. The turning-point of his life came in 1521 when he was injured in battle. While the French were besieging the citadel of Pampeluna, a cannon ball, passing between Ignatius's legs, tore open the left calf, and broke the right shin . The garrison surrendered, but Ignatius was well treated by the French and carried on a litter to Loyola, where his leg had to be rebroken and reset, and afterwards a protruding end of the bone was sawn off, and the limb, having been shortened by clumsy setting, was stretched out by weights. All these pains were undergone without complaint. But the aftermath was so severe he nearly died. On the eve of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29), the crisis was passed, and he began to recover.
Until then, Ignatius had shown only the ordinary virtues of the Spanish officer. His dangers and sufferings had doubtless done much to purge his soul, but there was no idea yet of remodelling his life on any higher ideals. During the weary hours of convalescence, he asked for the romances of chilvary, his favorite reading. As there were none in the castle, and instead they brought him the lives of Christ and of the saints, and he read them in the same quasi-competitive spirit with which he read the achievements of knights and warriors.
"Suppose I were to rival this saint in fasting, that one in endurance, that other in pilgrimages." He would then wander off into thoughts of chivalry, and service to fair ladies, especially to unknown lady of high rank. But he soon realized that the worldly omantic daydreams left him dissatisfied, while the heavenly ones grew clearer and dearer.
One night as he lay awake, pondering those new lights, his autobiography says, he "saw clearly the image of Our Lady with the Holy Child Jesus, at whose sight for a notable time he felt a surpassing sweetness, which eventually left him with such a loathing for his past sins, and especially for those of the flesh, that every unclean imagination seemed blotted out from his soul, and never again was there the least consent to any carnal thought"
His conversion was now complete. He set out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and dedicated himself at the monastery of Montserrat. He stopped for a time at Manresa, where he wrote in his journal, and there he became aware of "interior things, like humility, charity, patience and discretion." He began to write the "Spiritual Exercises", a guide for a month of prayer. He resumed the pilgrimage in early 1523, and arrived in Jerusalem in September. However, he was not permitted to stay there, so he returned to Barcelona, where he began to preach on the streets, and to study Latin. He encountered difficulties with the Inquisition, so he went to study at the University of Paris.
He met Francis Xavier in Paris. Ignatius, Francis and five other students, began to do the Spiritual Exercises. Together the men took private vows at a small chapel atop Montmartre on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, August 15, 1534.
After an unsuccessful attempt to go to Jerusalem as missionaries, the men, calling themselves the Compania de Jesus (Society of Jesus) went to Rome and put themselves at the disposal of the Pope. Their rule of common life was approved by Pope Paul II September 27, 1540, and Ignatius, as superior of the new religious order, governed, recruited, and wrote many letters. He completed writing the Jesuit Constitutions in 1551. Soon the Society was established in Spain, Portugal, France, the Low Countries, and Germany. Jesuit missionaries were sent to Africa, India and North and South America.
Ignatius died of a fever on July 31, 1556. There were at least one thousand Jesuits at the time of their founder's death.
Ignatius is buried in the Church of the Gésu in Rome, at the center of Jesuit instutions of education and formation to this day. The establishment of Jesuit schools and universities was a key effort of the Counter-reformation, and Jesuit missions were established throughout the world. He was canonized, along with Francis Xavier, in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV.
The motto of the Society of Jesus is Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam - To the Greater Glory of God.
(Principal source - Catholic Encyclopedia - 1913 edition)
Collect:
O God, who raised up Saint Ignatius of Loyola in your Church
to further the greater glory of your name,
grant that by his help we may imitate him
in fighting the good fight on earth
and merit to receive with him a crown in heaven.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading:
1 Corinthians 10:31 - 11:1
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Gospel Reading:
Luke 14: 25-33
Now great multitudes accompanied Him; and He turned and said to them, "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an emissary and asks terms of peace. So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."

The First Principle and Foundation
The goal of our life is to live with God forever.
God who loves us, gave us life.
Our own response of love allows God's life to flow into
us without limit.
All the things in this world are gifts of God,
presented to us so that we can know God more easily
and make a return of love more readily.
As a result, we appreciate and use all of these gifts of God
insofar as they help us develop as loving persons.
But if any of these gifts become the center of our lives,
they displace God
and so hinder our growth toward our goal.
In everyday life, then, we must hold ourselves in balance
before all of these created gifts insofar as we have a choice
and are not bound by some obligation.
We should not fix our desires on health or sickness,
wealth or poverty, success or failure, a long life or short one.
For everything has the potential of calling forth in us
a deeper response to our life in God.
Our only desire and our one choice should be this:
I want and I choose what better
leads to the deepening of God's life in me.

St. Ignatius, from the beginning of the Spiritual Exercises

***

Take, Lord, and Receive

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory,
my understanding, and my entire will.
All I have and call my own.
Whatever I have or hold, you have given me.
I return it all to you and surrender it wholly
to be governed by your will.
Give me only your love and your grace
and I am rich enough and ask for nothing more.

St. Ignatius, from the end of the Spiritual Exercises

***

Prayer of Saint Ignatius Loyola
Teach us, Good Lord,
To Serve Thee as Thou deservest;
To give and not to count the cost;
To fight and not to heed the wounds;
To labor and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do Thy will.
Through Jesus Christ Our Lord, Amen.

Following the Truth: Spiritual Exercises – Week One [of Lent] In Review
[CATHOLIC CAUCUS] St. Ignatius Loyola: Rules for Spiritual Discernment
SAINT IGNATIUS of LOYOLA Founder of the Society of Jesus (1491-1556)
Spiritual Exercises Index [St. Ignatius of Loyola]
[The Spiritual Exercises: AS TO EATING
The Spiritual Exercises: The Nativity
The Spiritual Exercises: The Incarnation (Second Week First Day)
Saint Ignatius of Loyola-Founder of the Society of Jesus,Confessor 1491-1556
Jesuit Family Album
The Life Of Saint Ignatius Of Loyola

Information: St. Ignatius of Loyola

Feast Day:	July 31
Born:	December 24, 1491, Loyola (Azpeitia), Basque province of Guipúzcoa, Spain
Died:	July 31, 1556, Rome
Canonized:	March 12, 1622, Rome by Pope Gregory XV
Patron of:	provinces of Vizcaya (Biscay) & Gipuzkoa, Spain, Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, Society of Jesus, soldiers.

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Feast Day: July 31
Born: 1491 :: Died: 1556

This famous saint who started the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) was born in Guipuzcoa in Spain as Inigo Lopez de Loyola. He was from a rich Spanish family and was one of twelve children. As a boy, he was sent to be a page at the royal court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. There he wished someday to become a great soldier and marry a beautiful lady.

In the battle of Pamplona, he did, indeed, win honor for his courage but, a wound in the leg from a cannon ball forced him to spend months in bed at Loyola Castle. Ignatius asked for some books to read. He preferred stories of knights, but only life stories of Jesus and the saints were available.

Having nothing else to do, he read them. A little by little, the books began attracting him. His life began to change. He said to himself: "These were men and women like me, so why can't I do what they have done?" All the glory he had wanted before seemed worthless now. He began to imitate the saints in their prayers, penances and good works.

When he was fully recovered, Ignatius hung his sword before the altar of the Virgin Mary and put on simple robes and began to live a simple life. He then traveled Europe and went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land before he settled in Rome.

St. Ignatius had to suffer many temptations and much shame. Before he could begin his great work of starting the Society of Jesus, he had to go back to school. He had to study Latin grammar. The rest of the students were little boys and Ignatius was thirty-three years old. Yet Ignatius was ready to bear the shame and went to the class because he knew he would need this knowledge to help him in his work for Jesus.

He received the boys' jeers and taunts with patience and good humor. He used his time trying to teach and encourage people to pray. He was even put in jail for a while because of this! But that was not going to stop Ignatius. "The whole city does not contain as many chains as I desire to wear for love of Jesus," he said.

Ignatius was forty-three years old when he graduated from the University of Paris. After this, with six other students, he took his religious vows and became a priest. Ignatius and his friends, including Blessed Peter Faber and Saint Francis Xavier promised to work for God in whatever way the Holy Father thought best. In 1540 their order was officially recognized by the pope.

Before Ignatius died, there were one thousand members of the Society of Jesus or "Jesuits." They were doing much good work teaching and preaching. He died in Rome, on July 31, 1556.

The Jesuits today have over five hundred universities and colleges; thirty thousand members; and teach over twenty thousand students each year. Reflection: Let us pray today in the words of St. Ignatius Loyola: "Give me only your love and your grace. With this I am rich enough, and I have no more to ask."

Catholic

Almanac:

Tuesday, July 31
Liturgical Color: Green
Today is the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest. In 1540, St. Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. The order was deeply devoted to the pope and has since grown to over 20,000 members.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: July 31, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who raised up Saint Ignatius of Loyola in your Church to further the greater glory of your name, grant that by his help we may imitate him in fighting the good fight on earth and merit to receive with him a crown in heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

Apricot, Orange, Cranberry Bread

PRAYERS

LIBRARY

St Ignatius of Loyola and the Development of the Society of Jesus | Pasquale Puca

Ordinary Time: July 31st

Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest

Old Calendar: St. Ignatius of Loyola, confessor

In the year 1521 a cannon ball fractured the left leg of Captain Ignatius Loyola, the future founder of the Jesuits. While he was convalescing, Ignatius read about Christ and His saints and thus turned wholly to God. He then undertook to equip himself for Christ's service by acquiring a good classical and theological education. The members of the Society of Jesus became the shock troops of the Church in the battle against the spread of Protestantism in Europe, as well as one of the greatest foreign mission organizations that the world has known. Ignatius died on July 31, 1556.

See Catholic Culture's special section on St. Ignatius.

St. Ignatius
Ignatius, by nation a Spaniard, was born of a noble family at Loyola, in Cantabria. At first he attended the court of the Catholic king, and later on embraced a military career. Having been wounded at the siege of Pampeluna, he chanced in his illness to read some pious books, which kindled in his soul a wonderful eagerness to follow in the footsteps of Christ and the saints. He went to Montserrat, and hung up his arms before the altar of the Blessed Virgin; he then watched the whole night in prayer, and thus entered upon his knighthood in the army of Christ. Next he retired to Manresa, dressed as he was in sackcloth, for he had a short time before given his costly garments to a beggar. Here he stayed for a year, and during that time he lived on bread and water, given to him in alms; he fasted every day except Sunday, subdued his flesh with a sharp chain and a hair-shirt, slept on the ground, and scourged himself with iron disciplines. God favored and refreshed him with such wonderful spiritual lights, that afterwards he was wont to say that even if the Sacred Scriptures did not exist, he would be ready to die for the faith, on account of those revelations alone which the Lord had made to him at Manresa. It was at this time that he, a man without education, composed that admirable book of the Spiritual Exercises.

However, in order to make himself more fit for gaining souls, he determined to procure the advantages of education, and began by studying grammar among children. Meanwhile he relaxed nothing of his zeal for the salvation of others, and it is marvelous what sufferings and insults he patiently endured in every place, undergoing the hardest trials, even imprisonment and beatings almost to death. But he ever desired to suffer far more for the glory of his Lord. At Paris he was joined by nine companions from that University, men of different nations, who had taken their degrees in Arts and Theology; and there at Montmartre he laid the first foundations of the order, which he was later on to institute at Rome. He added to the three usual vows a fourth concerning missions, thus binding it closely to the Apostolic See. Paul III first welcomed and approved the Society, as did later other Pontiffs and the Council of Trent. Ignatius sent St. Francis Xavier to preach the Gospel in the Indies, and dispersed others of his children to spread the Christian faith in other parts of the world, thus declaring war against paganism, superstition, and heresy. This war he carried on with such success that it has always been the universal opinion, confirmed by the word of pontiffs, that God raised up Ignatius and the Society founded by him to oppose Luther and the heretics of his time, as formerly he had raised up other holy men to oppose other heretics.

He made the restoration of piety among Catholics his first care. He increased the beauty of the sacred buildings, the giving of catechetical instructions, the frequency of sermons and of the sacraments. He everywhere opened schools for the education of youth in piety and letters. He founded at Rome the German College, refuges for women of evil life, and for young girls who were in danger, houses for orphans and catechumens of both sexes, and many other pious works. He devoted himself unweariedly to gaining souls to God. Once he was heard saying that if he were given his choice he would rather live uncertain of attaining the Beatific Vision, and in the meanwhile devote himself to the service of God and the salvation of his neighbor, than die at once certain of eternal glory. His power over the demons was wonderful. St. Philip Neri and others saw his countenance shining with heavenly light. At length in the sixty-fifth year of his age he passed to the embrace of his Lord, whose greater glory he had ever preached and ever sought in all things. He was celebrated for miracles and for his great services to the Church, and Gregory XV enrolled him amongst the saints; while Pius XI, in response to the prayers of the episcopate, declared him heavenly patron of all Spiritual Exercises.

Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.

Patron: Basque country; Jesuit Order; Jesuits; retreats; soldiers; Spiritual Exercises (by Pope Pius XI).

Symbols: Book; chausible; Holy Communion; a rayed IHC or IHS; heart with crown of thorns; sword and lance upon an altar; book with words Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam.

Things to Do:

Learn more about St. Ignatius and the Jesuit Order and/or read this biography by John Farrow, St. Ignatius of Loyola.
If you have never done so, consider making the Spiritual Exercises. You can find it online here or you may purchase a copy from Catholic First.
The Jesuits at Georgetown have a collection of St. Ignatius' Letters and Instructions to his fellow Jesuits. Much of his spiritual teaching is found in his letters and is considered an important source of Jesuit spirituality. If you are interested in reading them click here.
St. Ignatius founded his Society to give the greatest possible service to the Church and to the Pope. In addition to vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, Jesuits take a special vow of loyalty to the Pope. Today would be a good time to say a prayer for Pope Benedict XVI.
In the Spiritual Exercise, St. Ignatius strongly recommends making a daily examination of conscience. If this is not part of your schedule today would be a good time to start.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 13:36-43

“Whoever has ears ought to hear.” (Matthew 13:43)

A once-popular bumper sticker read: “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.” The saying referred to many things: government corruption, unjust wars, neglect of the marginalized. It was an attempt to stir people into action. And that’s a good thing if we’re being motivated by humility and a love of justice. It’s not so good if we’re motivated by harsh anger. That only leads us to destroy rather than create, to tear down rather than build up.

As we see in this parable, God is the only sure judge between right and wrong. And he is not outraged. Seeing all of creation from beginning to end, he alone is able to sort everything out with perfect justice. He alone can tell all the “good seed” from the “weeds.” So we don’t need to go around uprooting every weed we think we spot in his garden. Judgment is God’s job, not ours!

Unfortunately, we all have the capacity to appoint ourselves as judge, jury, and executioner—and sometimes with disastrous consequences. Who knows if the person we just pounced on wasn’t on the verge of a spiritual breakthrough? We may have just pushed him or her farther away from God instead of closer to him. More likely than not, by misjudging someone we have also planted weeds of pride, anger, and isolation in our own hearts. This is why Jesus warns us that the measure we give to other people really does become the measure we will get back (Matthew 7:2).

But we can change our measuring standard! We can ask the Holy Spirit for his patience and understanding, even for those who have wounded us or whose views may offend us. Jesus showed mercy to the people who nailed him to the cross. He can teach us to have that same kind of mercy, that same kind of patience, and that same kind of hope and trust.

If we can treat every person as a child of God with an eternal destiny—someone whom Jesus loved enough to die for—our words will bring healing and light instead of hurt. As long as we are planting seeds of love, we can be sure of a good harvest.

“Lord, it is so easy to be critical! Help me to look beyond people’s faults and to see them as your children. May I always speak the helpful words that they need to hear.”

Jeremiah 14:17-22; Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13

Marriage = One Man and One Woman

Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for July 31, 2012:

It’s trite to say a “Marriage is made in heaven,” but sometimes the random way we meet the person we marry can seem miraculous. How did you meet your beloved? Was it accidental or calculated (like an online matchup)? Reminisce about it today.

Insight Scoop

Four essays about St. Ignatius of Loyola...

... and the Jesuits, on Ignatius Insight, on the Feast Day of the founder of the Society of Jesus:

Vultus Christi

When anyone newly cometh to be a monk

By

Father Mark

on July 31, 2012 5:27 AM |

The Reception of Brethren

We are blessed, at the moment, to have with us two men who are discerning the possibility of a monastic vocation here at Silverstream Priory. Two more men will be arriving tomorrow. With them, all our temporary cells will be filled: a good occasion to review Saint Benedict's teaching on The Discipline for the Reception of Brethren in Chapter 58 of the Holy Rule.

The Difficult Entrance

"When anyone newly cometh to be a monk, let him not be granted an easy admittance; but as the apostle saith: Test the spirits, to see whether they come from God." Today, more often than not, admittance is made difficult not so much by a lack of encouragement coming from within the monastery, as by criticisms, discouragements, and challenges coming from without.

There is nothing prestigious about coming to be a monk. The world often deems the monastic way of life useless, a flight from responsibility, a sign of mental imbalance, emotional maladjustment, or religious obsessions. There is, more often than not, a whole chorus of voices saying, "Do something useful. Make a contribution to society. Don't bury your talents. What are you running away from? Why are you afraid of having a wife and family? Maybe you just need counseling. You are really exaggerating this whole God thing." Or again, there are voices saying, "Stay where you are. Don't take such a foolish risk. You can know, love, and serve God in the world. At least be a parish priest, a missionary, or a teacher. What if it doesn't work out? It's only a passing phase; you'll get over it."

Sacred Scripture, on the other hand, says:

My son, if thy mind is to enter the Lord's service,
wait there in His presence,
with honesty of purpose and with awe,
and prepare thyself to be put to the test.
Submissive be thy heart,
and ready to bear all;
to wise advice lend a ready ear,
and never be hasty when ill times befall thee.
Wait for God, cling to God and wait for Him;
at the end of it, thy life shall blossom anew.
Accept all that comes to thee,
patient in sorrow, humiliation long enduring;
for gold and silver the crucible,
it is in the furnace of humiliation men shew themselves
worthy of His acceptance.
Trust in Him, and He will lift thee to thy feet again;
go straight on thy way,
and fix in Him thy hope;
hold fast thy fear of Him,
and in that fear to old age come thou.
(Ecclesiasticus 2:1-6).

The Treasure Hidden in the Field

One called by God to the monastic life realizes that it is "a treasure hidden in a field" (Mt 13:44). Having been led to it, or having discovered it, for the joy thereof, says the Gospel, a man goes, sells all that he has, and buys the field. Setting out in monastic life is a costly decision. It does mean "selling all that one has." It means leaving what is familiar, in some way comfortable, and secure, and taking the frightful risk of a new beginning.

The Pearl of Great Price

Or again, the monastic vocation is like finding a pearl of great price (Mt 13:46). The practiced merchant recognizes its value, sees its beauty, can't get it out of his mind. And still, in order to make it his own, he must risk selling all that he has to buy it. If a man called to monastic life hesitates, debates within himself, or delays his decision, he may be forfeiting the grace of the moment, a grace that will never again be offered in quite the same way.

The Father Master

Saint Benedict would have the novices be in the care of a Father "skilled in winning souls." His task is win the soul of the new brother, not for himself, but for Christ alone. The Father Master (as novices would address him) is, like Saint John the Baptist, a friend of the Bridegroom. He rejoices at the Bridegroom's voice, and trains his young disciple's interior ear -- the ear of the heart -- to recognize that voice, to hold fast to the words it utters, and, renouncing himself, to obey them. The Father Master willingly decreases, by claiming nothing of what belongs to Christ alone for himself. Thus does Christ increase in the heart of the man newly come to be a monk, and in the monastic community as a whole.

Dura et Aspera

The Father Master is not to sugarcoat the hardships and trials by which a man travels to God. The journey is long and, more often than not, the road is rocky. A healthy realism goes hand in hand with an unshakable confidence in the grace of Christ. The monk is traveling to God in company with other travelers. Itur ad Deum: this expression of Saint Benedict hearkens back, I think, to the first chapter of the Rule of Saint Augustine, in which the Bishop of Hippo describes his monastic community as being "together on the way to God." By traveling to God in the company of brothers, one will more easily fight off the wild beast who prowls about seeking the ruin of souls, and the marauders and brigands who prey on the weak, and sometimes leave them half-dead by the side of the road.

Seeking God

What does Saint Benedict look for in one seeking admission to a monastery? First of all, that he "truly seek God." The Benedictine quest for God is not the search of the pantheist who identifies God with every blade of grass, with the leaves of every tree, the sands of the seashore, and the stars of the firmament. In all these things, the Benedictine monk sees the handiwork of God, displaying His glory and revealing His wisdom; but for all of that, they are no more than creatures, brought into existence and held in being by the Creator who alone is God. There is more. Nor does the Benedictine monk equate his search for God with the philosopher's application of human reason to the exploration of what is true, and good, and beautiful. Again, there is more.

The Face of Christ

The monk, being, first of all, a Christian, a soul illumined by Divine Revelation, vivified by sanctifying grace, and, in some way, "reaching God" by mean of the theological virtues, is one who has discovered "the knowledge of the glory of God shining on the Face of Christ" (2 Cor 4:6). "It is Thy Face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not Thy Face from me" (Ps 26:8) is the prayer-song of his heart by day and by night. The monk seeks the Face of Christ and, in the contemplation of that Face -- the Human Face of God -- discovers the secrets of His Sacred Heart. In Silverstream Priory, in addition to the means of seeking God common to all Benedictines, we give a privileged place to the contemplation and adoration of the Face of Christ hidden beneath the sacramental veils in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.

Loving Choir

Secondly, Saint Benedict would have the would-be monk demonstrate an effective zeal for the Sacred Liturgy, the Work of God. This, the novice will do, not by entertaining a fascination with rubrics, vesture, and the niceties of ceremonial -- seldom do sacristy rats make good monks -- but by embracing the manly discipline of fidelity to choir, and by eschewing a spirituality that, being subjective and fanciful, rises and falls with one's moods and sentiments. A Benedictine loves choir because it is the place and means of his communion with the filial and priestly prayer of Christ to the Father.

A Host for the Oblation

Finally, the aspiring monk will not shrink from obedience and humiliations. In fact, he will be eager for them, for by obedience and humility he is certain of being configured to Christ in the mystery of His victimhood. One comes to the monastery to become a hostia, that is, a host, a victim, an oblation, a lamb for sacrifice. Like the wheat that is ground into flour, then mixed with water, and baked in a fire in order to become a host for the Holy Sacrifice, one who would follow Christ as a monk is eager to be ground into a pure wheat, moistened with living water and, then, baked in the fire of the Holy Ghost. He makes his own the words of the martyr Saint Ignatius of Antioch: "Frumentum Christi sum, I am the wheat of Christ." The monk is ground into a fine flour, not between the teeth of wild beasts, as were the martyrs of old, but by the obedience and humiliations that are never lacking to one who has set his face toward Jerusalem.

Regnum Christi

God’s Final Harvest

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, priest

Matthew 13: 36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He said in reply, "He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, and the enemy who sows them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear."

Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for this new day. I believe that you are present in my heart. I believe that you want to give me your wisdom to live this life fruitfully. I trust that your mercy will protect me as I struggle against evil. I love you because you have overcome evil by your cross and resurrection. I want to live this moment of prayer as an intense moment to be transformed by you.

Petition: Lord, help me to look forward to your triumph with hope.

1. He is Watching Us: The difference between good and evil is not lost for God. He knows the struggles we have to live goodness in this world that is often so impregnated with evil. He assures us that he sees the good that is done and will give recompense for it. I should strive to live each day knowing that I am seen by God and consistently try to sow goodness in my life.

2. The Limit of Evil: When sometimes it seems like evil can triumph in the world, we need to recognize that God has the last say over evil. He mysteriously allows evil to exist so that good can become purified. There will be a moment when evil will be judged and will no longer have power over our lives. If we have sowed goodness with our lives and if we are living in God’s grace, he will free us from the domain of evil forever. Let us build up our confidence in the coming of his kingdom. Let us use the struggle against evil as a way to show the sincerity of our love.

3. We Reap What We Sow: The assurance of Christ that there will be a final judgment gives Christians both soberness and joy in living their lives. We know our efforts are not in vain. We realize that this life is the short opportunity the Father gives us to do good and prepare for our great destiny with him. When I am tempted to lose patience in the fight, I must remember that the struggles will soon be over, and God will more than recompense for the sacrifices I have made in following his will and promoting goodness in the world.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I believe that you are in charge of my life. I renew my trust in the triumph of your holiness in my life. When I feel the pull of evil in my heart, I will remember that this life is short and that my struggle is precious in your eyes. Help me to keep my eyes on the happiness you are preparing for me.

Resolution: I will speak about the joy of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation with someone I meet today, planting in that person’s heart the seed of the desire to receive this sacrament.

The Gift of the Cross

First Reading: 1 Jer 14:17-22

Psalm: 79:8, 9, 11 and 13

Gospel: Mt 13:36-43

Jeremiah looked at his society and described it as overwhelmed by great destruction (Jer 14:17). He diagnosed it as wounded and incurable (Jer 14:17). Under these circumstances, Jeremiah prayed: “Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest” (Jer 14:17).

Pope John Paul II looked at our world and described it as a “culture of death.” Although this is even worse than what Jeremiah described, Pope John Paul II assured the victory of a civilization of love and life over our “culture of death.” Pope John Paul II was not naive. He realized the “enormous disparity between the powerful resources available to the forces promoting the ‘culture of death’ and the means at the disposal of those working for a ‘culture of life and love’” (The Gospel of Life, 100). However, “we have faith in God our Father and Lord, in His goodness and mercy…God is preparing a great springtime for Christianity” (Mission of the Redeemer, Pope John Paul II, 86). Moreover, the “new springtime of Christian life…will be revealed…if Christians are docile to the action of the Holy Spirit” (Toward the Third Millennium, Pope John Paul II, 18).

“We are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us” (Rm 8:37). Thank You, Jesus!

One Bread, One Body

<< Tuesday, July 31, 2012 >>

St. Ignatius of Loyola
Saint of the Day

Jeremiah 14:17-22
View Readings

Psalm 79:8-9, 11, 13

Matthew 13:36-43

HOPE IN GOD IN OUR CULTURE OF DEATH

"Have You cast Judah off completely?" —Jeremiah 14:19

Jeremiah looked at his society and described it as overwhelmed by great destruction (Jer 14:17). He diagnosed it as wounded and incurable (Jer 14:17). Under these circumstances, Jeremiah prayed: "Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest" (Jer 14:17).

Pope John Paul II looked at our world and described it as a "culture of death." Although this is even worse than what Jeremiah described, Pope John Paul II assured the victory of a civilization of love and life over our "culture of death." Pope John Paul II was not naive. He realized the "enormous disparity between the powerful resources available to the forces promoting the 'culture of death' and the means at the disposal of those working for a 'culture of life and love' " (The Gospel of Life, 100). However, "we have faith in God our Father and Lord, in His goodness and mercy...God is preparing a great springtime for Christianity" (Mission of the Redeemer, Pope John Paul II, 86). Moreover, the "new springtime of Christian life...will be revealed...if Christians are docile to the action of the Holy Spirit" (Toward the Third Millennium, Pope John Paul II, 18).

"We are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us" (Rm 8:37). Thank You, Jesus!

Prayer: Father, I will cross the threshold of hope.

Promise: "Then the saints will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Let everyone heed what he hears!" —Mt 13:43

Praise: St. Ignatius helped spread the Gospel east in India and west to Brazil.

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Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 13
36.	Then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying: Expound to us the parable of the cockle of the field.	Tunc, dimissis turbis, venit in domum : et accesserunt ad eum discipuli ejus, dicentes : Edissere nobis parabolam zizaniorum agri.	τοτε αφεις τους οχλους ηλθεν εις την οικιαν ο ιησους και προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου λεγοντες φρασον ημιν την παραβολην των ζιζανιων του αγρου
37.	Who made answer and said to them: He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of man.	Qui respondens ait illis : Qui seminat bonum semen, est Filius hominis.	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις ο σπειρων το καλον σπερμα εστιν ο υιος του ανθρωπου
38.	And the field, is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom. And the cockle, are the children of the wicked one.	Ager autem est mundus. Bonum vero semen, hi sunt filii regnum. Zizania autem, filii sunt nequam.	ο δε αγρος εστιν ο κοσμος το δε καλον σπερμα ουτοι εισιν οι υιοι της βασιλειας τα δε ζιζανια εισιν οι υιοι του πονηρου
39.	And the enemy that sowed them, is the devil. But the harvest is the end of the world. And the reapers are the angels.	Inimicus autem, qui seminavit ea, est diabolus. Messis vero, consummatio sæculi est. Messores autem, angeli sunt.	ο δε εχθρος ο σπειρας αυτα εστιν ο διαβολος ο δε θερισμος συντελεια του αιωνος εστιν οι δε θερισται αγγελοι εισιν
40.	Even as cockle therefore is gathered up, and burnt with fire: so shall it be at the end of the world.	Sicut ergo colliguntur zizania, et igni comburuntur : sic erit in consummatione sæculi.	ωσπερ ουν συλλεγεται τα ζιζανια και πυρι καιεται ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος τουτου
41.	The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity.	Mittet Filius hominis angelos suos, et colligent de regno ejus omnia scandala, et eos qui faciunt iniquitatem :	αποστελει ο υιος του ανθρωπου τους αγγελους αυτου και συλλεξουσιν εκ της βασιλειας αυτου παντα τα σκανδαλα και τους ποιουντας την ανομιαν
42.	And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.	et mittent eos in caminum ignis. Ibi erit fletus et stridor dentium.	και βαλουσιν αυτους εις την καμινον του πυρος εκει εσται ο κλαυθμος και ο βρυγμος των οδοντων
43.	Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.	Tunc justi fulgebunt sicut sol in regno Patris eorum. Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat.	τοτε οι δικαιοι εκλαμψουσιν ως ο ηλιος εν τη βασιλεια του πατρος αυτων ο εχων ωτα ακουειν ακουετω

36. Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came to him saying, Declare to us the parable of the tares of the field.
37. He answered and said to them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man;
38. The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39. The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.
41. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42. And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.

CHRYS; The Lord had spoken to the multitude in parable that He might induce them to ask Him of their meaning yet, though He had spoken so many things in parables no man had yet asked Him anything, and therefore He sends them away; Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house. None of the Scribes followed Him here, from which it is clear that they followed Him for no other purpose than that they might catch Him in His discourse.

JEROME; The Lord sends away the multitude, and enters the house that His disciples might come to Him and ask Him privately of those things which the people neither deserved to hear, nor were able.

RABAN; Figuratively; Having sent away the multitude of unquiet Jews, He enters the Church of the Gentiles, and there expounds to believers heavenly sacraments, whence it follows, And his disciples came to him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.

CHRYS; Before, though desirous to learn, they had feared to ask; but now they ask freely and confidently because they had heard, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven; and therefore they ask when alone, not envying the multitude to whom it was not so given. They pass over the parables of the leaven and the mustard seed as plain; and ask concerning the parable of the tares, which has some agreement with the foregoing parable concerning the seed, and shows somewhat more than that. And accordingly the Lord expounds it to them, as it follows, He answered and said to them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man.

REMIG. The Lord styles Himself the Son of Man, that in that title He might set an example of humility; or perhaps because it was to come to pass that certain heretics would deny Him to be really man; or that through belief in His Humanity we might ascend to knowledge of His Divinity.

CHRYS; The field is the world. Seeing it is He that sows His own field, it is plain that this present world is His. It follows, The good seed are the children of the kingdom.

REMIG; That is, the saints, and elect men, who are counted as sons.

AUG; The tares the Lord expounds to mean, not as Manichaeus interprets, certain spurious parts inserted among the true Scriptures, but all the children of the Evil one, that is, the imitators of the fraud of the Devil. As it follows, The tares are the children of the evil one, by whom He would have us understand all the wicked and impious.

ID; For all weeds among corn are called tares. It follows, The enemy who sowed this is the Devil.

CHRYS; For this is part of the wiles of the Devil, to be ever mixing up truth with error. The harvest is the end of the world. In another place He says, speaking of the Samaritans, Lift up your eyes, and consider the fields that they are already white for the harvest; and again, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few, in which words He speaks of the harvest as being already present. How then does He here speak of it as something yet to come? Because He has used the figure of the harvest in two significations, as He says there that it is one that sows, and another that reaps; but here it is the same who both sows and reaps indeed there He brings forward the Prophets, not to distinguish them from Himself, but from the Apostles, for Christ Himself by His Prophets sowed among the Jews and Samaritans. The figure of harvest is thus applied to two different things. Speaking of first conviction and turning to the faith, He calls that the harvest, as that in which the whole is accomplished; but when He inquires into the fruits ensuing upon the hearing the word of God, then He calls the end of the world the harvest, as here.

REMIG; By the harvest is denoted the day of judgment, in which the good are to he separated from the evil; which will be done by the ministry of Angels, as it is said below, that the Son of Man shall come to judgment with His Angels. As then the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.

The Son of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all offenses, and them which do iniquity.

AUG; Out of that kingdom in which are no offenses? The kingdom then is His kingdom which is here, namely, the Church.

ID; That the tares are first separated, signifies that by tribulation the wicked shall be separated from the righteous; and this is understood to be performed by good Angels, because the good can discharge duties of punishment with a good spirit, as a judge, or as the Law, but the wicked cannot fulfill offices of mercy.

CHRYS; Or we may understand it of the kingdom of the heavenly Church; and then there will be held out here a two-fold punishment; first that they fall from glory as that is said, And they shall gather out of his kingdom all offenses, to the end, that no offenses should be seen in His kingdom; and then that they burned. And they shall cast them into a furnace of fire.

JEROME; The offenses are to be referred to the tares.

GLOSS; The offenses, and, them that do iniquity, are to be distinguished as heretics and schismatics; the offenses referring to heretics; while by them that do iniquity are to be understood Schismatics. Otherwise; By offenses may be understood those that give their neighbor an occasion of falling, by those that do iniquity all other sinners.

RABAN; Observe, He says, Those that do iniquity, not, those who have done; because not they who have turned to penitence, but they only that abide in their sins are to be delivered to eternal torments.

CHRYS; Behold the unspeakable love of God towards men! He is ready to show mercy, slow to punish; when He sows, He sows Himself; when He punishes, He punishes by others, sending His Angels to that. It follows, There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

REMIG; In these words is shown the reality of the resurrection of the body; and further, the twofold pains of hell, extreme heat, and extreme cold. And as the offenses are referred to the tares, so the righteous are reckoned among the children of the kingdom; concerning whom it follows, Then the righteous shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. For in the present world the light of the saints shines before men, but after the consummation of all things, the righteous themselves shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

CHRYS; Not that they shall not shine with higher brightness, but because we know no degree of brightness that surpasses that of the sun, therefore He uses an example adapted to our understanding.

REMIG; That He says, Then shall they shine, implies that they now shine for an example to others, but they shall then shine as the sun to the praise of God. He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

RABAN; That is, Let him understand who has understanding, because all these things are to be understood mystically, and not literally.

Catena Aurea Matthew 13

Last Judgment (detail)

c. 1180
Fresco
Doppelkirche, Schwarzrheindorf

July 31, 2012

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Reading 1 Jer 14:17-22

Responsorial Psalm Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13

Gospel Mt 13:36-43

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Daily Readings for: July 31, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

RECIPES

PRAYERS

LIBRARY

Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest

Meditation: Matthew 13:36-43

Four essays about St. Ignatius of Loyola...

When anyone newly cometh to be a monk

The Gift of the Cross

One Bread, One Body

HOPE IN GOD IN OUR CULTURE OF DEATH

July 31, 2012

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Reading 1 Jer 14:17-22

Responsorial Psalm Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13

Gospel Mt 13:36-43

St. Ignatius of Loyola

Daily Readings for: July 31, 2012(Readings on USCCB website)

RECIPES

PRAYERS

LIBRARY

Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, priest

Meditation: Matthew 13:36-43

Four essays about St. Ignatius of Loyola...

When anyone newly cometh to be a monk

The Gift of the Cross

One Bread, One Body

HOPE IN GOD IN OUR CULTURE OF DEATH

Daily Readings for: July 31, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)