Reading 1 Ex 40:16-21, 34-38

Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.
On the first day of the first month of the second year
the Dwelling was erected.
It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.
He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,
and set up its columns.
He spread the tent over the Dwelling
and put the covering on top of the tent,
as the LORD had commanded him.
He took the commandments and put them in the ark;
he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.
He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,
thus screening off the ark of the commandments,
as the LORD had commanded him.

Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Moses could not enter the meeting tent,
because the cloud settled down upon it
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,
the children of Israel would set out on their journey.
But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;
only when it lifted did they go forward.
In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling;
whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud
by the whole house of Israel
in all the stages of their journey.

Responsorial Psalm PS 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11

R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young–
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!
I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

Alleluia See Acts 16:14b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 13:47-53

Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

From: Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38

Moses’ Obedience to God’s Commands

[16] Thus did Moses; according to all that the Lord commanded him, so he did.
[17] And in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the
tabernacle was erected. [18] Moses erected the tabernacle; he laid its bases,
and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars; [19] and he
spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent over it, as
the Lord had commanded Moses. [20] And he took the testimony and put it in-
to the ark, and put the poles on the ark, and set the mercy seat above on the
ark; [21] and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the
screen, and screened the ark of the testimony; as the Lord had commanded
Moses.

The Glory of God Fills the Tabernacle

[34] Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of’ the Lord filled
the tabernacle. [35] And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting, be-
cause the cloud abode upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
[36] Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over
the tabernacle, the people of Israel would go onward; [37] but if the cloud was
not taken up, then they did not go onward till the day that it was taken up. [38]
For throughout all their journeys the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle
by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

40:34-38. The book of Exodus ends by speaking once again about the Lord’s
presence among his people, mentioning the cloud and the glory of God (cf. Ex
13:21-22). The cloud will stay with the people throughout their journey in the de-
sert (cf. Num 9:15ff), showing them the way to go. In Christian tradition the cloud
is seen as an image of faith, which guides the Christian night and day as he
makes his pilgrim way to the promised land. The Fathers also saw this cloud as
a figure of Christ: “He is the pillar who, keeping himself upright and strong, cures
our infirmity. By night he sheds light, by day he becomes opaque, so that those
who do not see are enabled to see and those who see become blind” (St Isidore
of Seville, “Quaestiones In Exodum”, 18, 1).

*********************************************************************************************
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 13:47-53

The Net

[47] “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea
and gathered fish of every kind; [48] when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat
down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. [49] So it will be
at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the
righteous, [50] and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and
gnash their teeth.

[51] “Have you understood all this?” They said to Him, “Yes.” [52] And He said
to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the Kingdom of Heaven
is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

[53] And when Jesus had finished these parables He went away from there.

*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:

44-46. In these two parables Jesus shows the supreme value of the Kingdom
of Heaven, and the attitude people need if they are to attain it. The parables are
very alike, but it is interesting to note the differences: the treasure means abun-
dance of gifts; the pearl indicates the beauty of the Kingdom. The treasure is
something stumbled upon; the pearl, the result of a lengthy search; but in both
instances the finder is filled with joy. Faith, vocation, true wisdom, desire for
Heaven, are things which sometimes are discovered suddenly and unexpected-
ly, and sometimes after much searching (cf. St. Gregory the Great, “In Evange-
lia Homilae”, 11). However, the man’s attitude is the same in both parables and
is described in the same terms: “he goes and sells all that he has and buys it”:
detachment, generosity, is indispensable for obtaining the treasure.

“Anyone who understands the Kingdom which Christ proposes realizes that it
is worth staking everything to obtain it [...]. The Kingdom of Heaven is difficult to
win. No one can be sure of achieving it, but the humble cry of a repentant man
can open wide its doors” St. J. Escriva, “Christ Is Passing By”, 180).

47. “Fish of every kind”: almost all the Greek manuscripts and early transla-
tions say “All kinds of things”. A dragnet is very long and about two meters wide;
when it is extended between two boats it forms double or triple mesh with the re-
sult that when it is pulled in it collects all sorts of things in addition to fish—algae,
weeds, rubbish, etc.

This parable is rather like the parable of the cockle, but in a fishing context: the
net is the Church, the sea the world.

We can easily find in this parable the dogmatic truth of the Judgment: at the end
of time God will judge men and separate the good from the bad. It is interesting
to note our Lord’s repeated references to the last things, especially Judgment
and Hell: He emphasizes these truths because of man’s great tendency to forget
them: “All these things are said to make sure that no one can make the excuse
that he does not know about them: this excuse would be valid only if eternal pu-
nishment were spoken about in ambiguous terms” (St. Gregory the Great, “In
Evangelia Homilae”, 11).

52. “Scribe”: among the Jews a scribe was a religious teacher, a specialist in
sacred Scripture and its application to life. Our Lord here uses this word to refer
to the Apostles, who will have the role of teachers in His Church. Thus, the Apos-
tles and their successors, the Bishops, are the “Ecclesia docens”, the teaching
Church; they have the authority and the mission to teach. The Pope and the Bi-
shops exercise this authority directly and are also helped in this by priests. The
other members of the Church form the “Ecclesia discens”, the learning Church.
However, every disciple of Christ, every Christian who has received Christ’s tea-
ching, has a duty to pass this teaching on to others, in language they can under-
stand; therefore, he should make sure he has a good grasp of Christian doctrine.
The treasure of Revelation is so rich that it can provide teaching which applies to
all times and situations. It is for the word of God to enlighten all ages and situa-
tions—not the other way around. Therefore, the Church and its pastors preach,
not new things, but a single unchanging truth contained in the treasure of Reve-
lation: for the past two thousand years the Gospel has always been “good news”.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 13
47.	Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes.	Iterum simile est regnum cælorum sagenæ missæ in mare, et ex omni genere piscium congreganti.	παλιν ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων σαγηνη βληθειση εις την θαλασσαν και εκ παντος γενους συναγαγουση
48.	Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth.	Quam, cum impleta esset, educentes, et secus littus sedentes, elegerunt bonis in vasa, malos autem foras miserunt.	ην οτε επληρωθη αναβιβασαντες επι τον αιγιαλον και καθισαντες συνελεξαν τα καλα εις αγγεια τα δε σαπρα εξω εβαλον
49.	So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just.	Sic erit in consummatione sæculi : exibunt angeli, et separabunt malos de medio justorum,	ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος εξελευσονται οι αγγελοι και αφοριουσιν τους πονηρους εκ μεσου των δικαιων
50.	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
51.	Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes.	Intellexistis hæc omnia ? Dicunt ei : Etiam.	λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους συνηκατε ταυτα παντα λεγουσιν αυτω ναι κυριε
52.	He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.	Ait illis : Ideo omnis scriba doctus in regno cælorum, similis est homini patrifamilias, qui profert de thesauro suo nova et vetera.	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις δια τουτο πας γραμματευς μαθητευθεις εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων ομοιος εστιν ανθρωπω οικοδεσποτη οστις εκβαλλει εκ του θησαυρου αυτου καινα και παλαια
53.	And it came to pass: when Jesus had finished these parables, he passed from thence.	Et factum est, cum consummasset Jesus parabolas istas, transiit inde.	και εγενετο οτε ετελεσεν ο ιησους τας παραβολας ταυτας μετηρεν εκειθεν

47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a net, that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind:
48. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from the just,
50. And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

CHRYS; In the foregoing parables, He has commended the Gospel preaching; now, that we may not trust in preaching only, nor think that faith alone is sufficient for our salvation, He adds another fearful parable, saying, Again, the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea.

JEROME; In fulfillment of that prophecy of Hieremias, who said, I will send to you many fishers, when Peter and Andrew, James and John, heard the words, Follow me, I will make you fishers of men, they put together a net for themselves formed of the Old and New Testaments, and cast it into the sea of this world, and that remains spread until this day, taking up out of the salt and bitter and whirlpools whatever falls into it, that is good men and bad; and this is that He adds, And gathered of every kind.

GREGORY; Or otherwise; The Holy Church is likened to a net, because it is given into the hands of fishers, and by it each man is drawn into the heavenly kingdom out of the waves of this present world, that he should not be drowned in the depth of eternal death. This net gathers of every kind of fishes, because the wise and the foolish, the free and the slave, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, are called to forgiveness of sin; it is then fully filled when in the end of all stings the sum of the human race is completed; as it follows, Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting down on the shore gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. For as the sea signifies the world, so the sea shore signifies the end of the world; and as the good are gathered into vessels, but the bad cast away, so each man is received into eternal abodes, while the reprobate having lost the light of the inward kingdom are cast forth into outer darkness. But now the net of faith holds good and bad mingled together in one; but the shore shall discover what the net of the Church has brought to land.

JEROME; For when the net shall be drawn to the shore, then shall be shown the true test for separating the fishes.

CHRYS; Wherein does this parable differ from the parable of the tares? There, as here, some perish and some are saved; but there, because of their heresy of evil dogmas; in the first parable of the sower because of their not attending to what was spoken; here because of their evil life, because of which, though drawn by the net, that is, enjoying the knowledge of God, they cannot be saved. And when you hear that the wicked are cast away, that you may not suppose that this punishment may be risked,

He adds an exposition showing its severity, saying, Thus shall it be in the end of the world; the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Though He elsewhere declares, that He shall separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; He here declares, that the Angels shall do it, as also in the parable of the tares.

GREGORY; To fear becomes us here, rather than to expound; for the torments of sinners are pronounced in plain terms, that none might plead his ignorance, should eternal punishment be threatened in obscure sayings.

JEROME; For when the end of the world shall be come, then shall be shown the true test of separating the fishes, and as in a sheltered harbor the good shall be sent into the vessels of heavenly abodes, but the flame of hell shall seize the wicked to be dried up and withered.

51. Jesus said to them, Have you understood all these things? They say to him, Yea, Lord.
52. Then said he to them, Therefore every Scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like to a man that is an householder, which brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.

GLOSS; When the multitude had departed, the Lord spoke to His disciples in parables, by which they were instructed only so far as they understood them; wherefore He asks them, Have you understood all these things? They say to him, Yea, Lord.

JEROME; For this is spoken especially to the Apostles, whom He would have not to bear only as the multitude, but to understand as having to teach others.

CHRYS; Then He praises them because they had understood; He said to them; Therefore every Scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like to a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.

AUG; He said not 'old and new,' as He surely would have said had He not preferred to preserve the order of value rather than of time. But the Manicheans while they think they should keep only the new promises of God, remain in the old man of the flesh, and put on newness of error.

ID; By this conclusion, whether did He desire to show whom He intended by the treasure hid in the field - in which case we might understand the Holy Scriptures to be here meant, the two Testaments by the things new and old - or did He intend that he should be held learned in the Church who understood that the Old Scriptures were expounded in parables, taking rules from these new Scripture seeing that in them also the Lord proclaimed many things in parables. If He then, in whom all those old Scriptures have their fulfillment and manifestation, yet speaks in parables until His passion shall rend the vale, when there is nothing hid that shall not be revealed; much more those things which were written of Him so long time before we see to have been clothed in parables; which the Jews took literally, being unwilling to be learned in the kingdom of Heaven.

GREGORY; But if by things new and old in this passage we understand the two Testaments, we deny Abraham to have been learned, who although he knew indeed Some deeds of the Old Testament, yet had not read the words. Neither Moses may we compare to a learned householder, for although he composed the Old Testament, yet had he not the words of the New. But what is here said may be understood as meant not of those who had been, but of such as might hereafter be in the Church, who then bring forth things new and old when they speak the preaching of both Testaments, in their words and in their lives.

HILARY; Speaking to His disciples, He calls them Scribes on account of their knowledge, because they understood the things that He brought forward, both new and old, that is from the Law and from the Gospels; both being of the same householder, and both treasures of the same owner. He compares them to Himself under the figure of a householder because they had received doctrine of things both new and old out of His treasury of the Holy Spirit.

JEROME; Or the Apostles are called Scribes instructed, as being the Savior's notaries who wrote His words and precepts on fleshly tables of the heart with the sacraments of the heavenly kingdom, and abounded in the wealth of a house. holder, bringing forth out of the stores of their doctrine things new and old; whatsoever they preached in the Gospels, that they proved by the words of the Law and the Prophets Whence the Bride speaks in the Song of Songs; I have kept for you my beloved the new with the old.

GREGORY; Otherwise; The things old are, that the human race for its sin should suffer in eternal punishment; the things new, that they should be converted and live in the kingdom. First, He brought forward a comparison of the kingdom to a treasure found and a pearl of price; and after that, narrated the punishment of hell in the burning of the wicked, and then concluded with Therefore every Scribe &c. as if He had said, He is a learned preacher in the Church who knows to bring forth things new concerning the sweetness of the kingdom, and to speak things old concerning the terror of punishment; that at least punishment may deter those whom rewards do not excite.

53. And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

JEROME, After the parables which the Lord spoke to the people, and which the Apostles only understand, He goes over into His own country that He may teach there also.

AUG; From the foregoing discourse consisting of these parables, He passes to what follows without any very evident connection between them. Besides which, Mark passes from these parables to a different event from what Matthew here gives; and Luke agrees with him, so continuing the thread of the story as to make it much more probable that that which they relate followed here, namely, about the ship in which Jesus slept, and the miracle of the demons cast out; which Matthew has introduced above.

Catena Aurea Matthew 13

Readings at Mass

First reading
Exodus 40:16-21,34-38 ©

The tabernacle is set up

Moses did exactly as the Lord had directed him. The tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year. Moses erected the tabernacle. He fixed the sockets for it, put up its frames, put its crossbars in position, set up its posts. He spread the tent over the tabernacle and on top of this the covering for the tent, as the Lord had directed Moses. He took the Testimony and placed it inside the ark. He set the shafts to the ark and placed the throne of mercy on it. He brought the ark into the tabernacle and put the screening veil in place; thus he screened the ark of the Lord, as the Lord had directed Moses.

The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because of the cloud that rested on it and because of the glory of the Lord that filled the tabernacle.

At every stage of their journey, whenever the cloud rose from the tabernacle the sons of Israel would resume their march. If the cloud did not rise, they waited and would not march until it did. For the cloud of the Lord rested on the tabernacle by day, and a fire shone within the cloud by night, for all the House of Israel to see. And so it was for every stage of their journey.

Psalm
Psalm 83:3-6,8,11 ©