From: 2 Corinthians 3:4-11
Christian Ministry is Superior to that of the Old Covenant
[4] Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. [5] Not that
we are sufficient of ourselves to claim anything as coming from us;our sufficiency
is from God, [6] who has qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant, not in a
written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills, but the Spirit gives life.
[7] Now if the dispensation of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such
splendor that the Israelites could not look at Moses’ face because of its bright-
ness, fading as this was, [8] will not the dispensation of the Spirit be attended
with greater splendor? [9] For if there was splendor in the dispensation of con-
demnation, the dispensation of righteousness must far exceed it in splendor.
[10] Indeed, in this case, what once had splendor has come to have no splen-
dor at all, because of the splendor that surpasses it. [11] For if what faded
away came with splendor, what is permanent must have much more splendor.
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Commentary:
4-11. In these verses St Paul deals with a subject which he discusses more ful-
ly in his epistles to the Romans and the Galatians—the superiority of the New
Covenant, through which Christ reconciles men to God their Father, over the Old
Covenant which God made with Moses. Here he just outlines the superiority of
the Apostles’ ministry over that of Moses. The latter was a dispensation of death
and condemnation (vv. 6,7,9) and it was temporary (vv. 7, 11); that of the Apos-
tles, on the other hand, is a dispensation of life and salvation (vv. 6-9) and it is
permanent (v. 11). So, if the ministry of Moses was splendid, that of the Apos-
tles will be all the more splendid.
When St Paul speaks of a ministry of “death” and “condemnation” (vv. 7, 9), this
does not mean that the Old Covenant was not something in itself holy and just,
but that the Law of Moses—part of that Covenant—although it pointed the way to
righteousness, was inadequate because it did not give people the resources to
conquer sin. It is in this sense that the Old Law can be said to have involved
death and condemnation: for it made the sinner more conscious of the gravity of
his sin, thereby increasing his guilt (cf. Romans, chapter 7-8 and corresponding
notes): “For,” St Thomas Aquinas explains, “it is more serious to sin against the
natural law when that law is written down, than against the natural law on its own”
(”Commentary on 2 Cor, ad loc.”).
5. The Magisterium of the Church quotes these words when teaching the need
for the Holy Spirit to enlighten and inspire man to enable him to accept the truths
of faith or choose some good connected with eternal salvation (cf. Second Coun-
cil of Orange, can. 7). Therefore, anyone is foolish who thinks he can claim as
his own the good deeds he does or the apostolic results he obtains: they are in
fact a gift from God. As St Alphonsus says, “the spiritual man dominated by
pride is the worst kind of a thief because he is stealing not earthly things but the
glory that belongs to God [...] For, as the Apostle tells us, we, on our own, can-
not do anything good or even have a good thought (cf. 2 Cor 3:5) [...]. Therefore,
whenever we do something good, let us say to the Lord, ‘We return to thee, 0
Lord, what we have received from thee’ (cf. 1 Chron 29:14)” (”Treasury of Prea-
ching Material”, II, 6).
6. Taking up again the simile he has used in v. 3, St Paul speaks about the “let-
ter” and the “Spirit” (cf. Rom 2:29; 7:6) to show the difference between the Law
of the Old Testament and that of the New. The Law of Moses is the “letter”
insofar as it simply publishes the precepts which man must keep, without pro-
viding the grace necessary for keeping them. The New Law, on the other hand,
is the “Spirit”, because it is the Holy Spirit himself who, through grace, spreads
charity in the hearts of the faithful (cf. Rom 5:5), and charity is the fullness of the
Law (cf. Rom 13:10). “What is predominant in the law of the New Testament,” St
Thomas Aquinas explains, “and whereon all its efficacy is based, is the grace of
the Holy Spirit, which is given through faith in Christ. Consequently the New Law
is chiefly the grace itself of the Holy Spirit, which is given to those who believe in
Christ” (”Summa Theologiae”, I-Il, q. 106, a. 1). Hence the law of the Gospel can
also be called the law of the Spirit (cf. Rom 8:2), the law of grace or the law of
charity.
After pointing out how the Law of Moses laid down the death penalty for certain
sins, St John Chrysostom comments: “The Law, if it lays hold of a murderer,
puts him to death; the Gospel, if it lays hold of a murderer, enlightens him and
gives him life [...]. How lofty is the dignity of the Spirit, seeing that his tables are
better than those former ones [the “tables” of the Law], for they do even greater
things than raising a dead man to life! For the death from which grace delivers us
is much more lamentable than physical death’ (”Hom, on 2 Cor. 6”).
7-10. In the Book of Exodus (34:29-35), we are told that the face of Moses, when
he came down from Mount Sinai, where he had been speaking to God, was ra-
diant with light. So bright was it—for it reflected the splendor of God — that the Is-
raelites were afraid to go near him.
St Paul here refers to that event to show the superiority of the New Covenant.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Matthew 5:17-19
Jesus and His Teaching, the Fulfillment of the Law
(Jesus said to His disciples,) [17] “Think not that I have come to abolish the law
and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them. [18] For tru-
ly I say to you, till Heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass
from the law until all is accomplished. [19] Whoever then relaxes one of the least
of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the King-
dom of Heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in
the Kingdom of Heaven.”
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Commentary:
17-19. In this passage Jesus stresses the perennial value of the Old Testament.
It is the word of God; because it has a divine authority it deserves total respect.
The Old Law enjoined precepts of a moral, legal and liturgical type. Its moral pre-
cepts still hold good in the New Testament because they are for the most part
specific divine-positive promulgations of the natural law. However, our Lord gives
them greater weight and meaning. But the legal and liturgical precepts of the Old
Law were laid down by God for a specific stage in salvation history, that is, up to
the coming of Christ; Christians are not obliged to observe them (cf. “Summa
Theologiae”, I-II, q. 108, a. 3 ad 3).
The law promulgated through Moses and explained by the prophets was God’s
gift to His people, a kind of anticipation of the definitive Law which the Christ or
Messiah would lay down. Thus, as the Council of Trent defined, Jesus not only
“was given to men as a redeemer in whom they are to trust, but also as a law-
giver whom they are to obey” (”De Iustificatione”, can. 21).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.
1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
3. The Lord's Prayer: 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. Amen.
4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)
5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.
Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.
End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Final step -- The Sign of the Cross
The Mysteries of the Rosary
By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary.
The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.
The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]
Interactive Saints for Kids
St. John of Sahagun
Feast Day: June 12
Born: 1419 :: Died: 1479
John Gonzales de Castrillo was born at Sahagun, Léon in Spain. He was the first of seven children born to wealthy parents who did not have any children for the first sixteen years of their marriage. His parents John and Sancia brought their children up well and taught them how to love God.
He studied at the Fagondez abbey run by Benedictine monks of his town Sahagun. When he grew up John became a priest. He could have lived a very comfortable life in the cathedral parish or in other wealthy parishes. But John preferred the poverty and simple lifestyle that Jesus had lived. Father John chose to keep charge only of a small chapel. There he celebrated Mass, preached and taught catechism.
Father John realized that he needed to know theology (religious studies) better. He started attending classes at the great Catholic University of Salamanca. After four years of hard study, he became a famous preacher.
Nine years later after he got seriously ill, John joined a community of Augustinian friars. They were very impressed by the way he practiced the Christian virtues. He was obedient to his superiors and humble, too. He also continued his preaching.
His beautiful homilies or sermons changed the hearts of the people of Salamanca who had been quarreling violently among themselves. Often young noblemen fought each other in revenge. St. John was able to end many of these bitter fights and convinced people to forgive one another.
He was not afraid to correct evils, even when the evildoers were powerful people who could take revenge. Once he corrected a duke at Alba de Tormes for the way he was making the poor people suffer. In anger, the duke sent two of his men to kill St. John. The two men approached Father John and found him so calm and kind. Both men were sorry they had come to harm this holy priest and asked him to forgive them.
Then the duke became sick and was healed through the prayers of St. John. He repented of his sins and recovered fully. St. John could read hearts of people at confession. People traveled great distances to seek his advice and ask for spiritual guidance.
It was the graces he received from prayer and from the Mass that gave St. John his special power as a preacher. He celebrated the Mass with great devotion and often saw the Host surrounded by light. He sometimes saw Jesus in body at the moment of consecration.
St. John was known to work many miracles. Once in Salamanca a small child fell into a well. The people did all they could but could not save the child and they quickly sent for Father John. When he got to the well, he laid his waistband on the stone wall of the well, and prayed that the waters return the child. The well water rose to ground level, floating the child to safety.
St. John of Sahagun died on June 11, 1479
Reflection: Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us become more like Jesus. May everything we say and do bring others to Christ.
