July 2013
Pope's Intentions
World Youth Day. That World Youth Day in Brazil may encourage all young Christians to become disciples and missionaries of the Gospel.
Asia. That throughout Asia doors may be open to messengers of the Gospel.
Saturday of the Fifteenth week in Ordinary Time
Commentary of the day
Saint Cyril of Alexandria (380-444), Bishop, Doctor of the Church
Sermon 15, 2-4 ; PG 77, 1089
"Behold, my servant"
The mystery of our salvation is so broad, so deep and so wonderful that even the angels long to understand it (cf 1Pt 1,12)... As Christ was, by nature, God, true Word of God the Father (Jn 1,1), of the same nature as the Father and co-eternal with him, and as he shone in his highest glory “in the condition and form of God”, so he “did not enviously grasp at the degree of his equality with God, but humbled himself, taking the condition of a slave” and being born of holy Mary. “Found human in appearance, he humbled himself to death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2,6-8).
He humbles himself to our lowliness, he who gives his own fullness to everyone. He humbles himself for our sake, not by force but of his own free will. For our sake, he who was freedom in person takes on the condition of a slave. He who was raised up above all creation becomes one of us. He who lays down his life for the world, surrenders to death... Like us, he becomes subject to the Law (Gal 4,4) who, as God, transcends the Law. He becomes a man like any other, subject to birth. He who was before all times and ages takes on a beginning: more, he who is the creator and originator of time... who took flesh of Mary... shares the same nature as ourselves, was made of our own substance, assuming descent from Abraham. At the same time, he is, at the divine level, of the same nature as God his Father.