32. As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
33. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spoke: and the multitudes marveled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
34. But the Pharisees said He casts out devils through the prince of the devils.
35. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages , teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
REMIG; Observe the beautiful order of His miracles; how after He has given sight to the blind, He restored speech to the dumb and healed the possessed of the demon; by which He shows Himself the Lord of power, and the author of the heavenly medicine. For it was said by Isaiah, Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, and the tongue of the dumb loosed. Whence it is said, When they were gone forth, they brought to him a man dumb, and possessed with a demon.
JEROME; The Greek word here is more frequent in common speech in the sense of deaf; but it is the manner of Scripture to use it indifferently as either.
CHRYS; This was not a mere natural defect; but was from the malignity of the demon; and therefore he needed to be brought of others, for he could not ask any thing of others as living without voice, and the demon chaining his spirit together with his tongue. Therefore Christ does not require faith of him, but immediately healed his disorder; as it follows, And when the demon was cast out, then the dumb spoke.
HILARY; The natural order of things is here preserved; the demon is first cast out, and there the functions of the members proceed. And the multitude marveled saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
CHRYS; They set Him thus above others, because He not only healed, but with such ease, and quickness; and cured diseases both infinite in number, and in quality cured incurable. This most grieved the Pharisees, that they set Him before all others, not only those that then lived, but all who had lived before, on which account it follows, But the Pharisees said, He casts out demons through the Prince of demons.
REMIG; Thus the Scribes and Pharisees denied such of the Lord's miracles as they could deny; and such as they could not they explained by an evil interpretation, according to that, In the multitude of your excellency your enemies shall lie to you.
CHRYS; What can be more foolish than this speech of theirs? For it cannot be pretended that one demon would cast out another; for they are wont to consent to one another's deeds, and not to be at variance among themselves. But Christ not only cast out demons, but healed the lepers, raised the dead, forgave sins, preached the kingdom of God, and brought men to the Father, which a demon neither could nor would do.
RABAN; Figuratively; as in the two blind men were denoted both nations, Jews and Gentiles, so in the man dumb and afflicted with die demon is denoted the whole human race.
HILARY; Or; by the dumb and deaf; and demoniac, is signified the Gentile world, needing health in every part; for sunk in evil of every kind, they are afflicted with disease of every part of the body.
REMIG; For the Gentiles were dumb; not being able to open their month in the confession of the true faith, and the praises of the Creator, or because in paying worship to dumb idols they were made like them. They were afflicted with a demon, because by dying in unbelief they were made subject to the power of the Devil.
HILARY; But by the knowledge of God the frenzy of superstition being chased away, the sight, the hearing and the word of salvation is brought in to them.
JEROME; As the blind receive light, so the tongue of the dumb is loosed, that he may confess Him whom before he denied. The wonder of the multitude is the confession of the nations. The scoff of the Pharisees is the unbelief of the Jews, which is to this day.
HILARY; The wonder of the multitude is followed up by the confession, It was never so seen in Israel; because he, for whom there was no help under the Law, is saved by the power of the Word.
REMIG; They who brought the dumb to be healed by the Lord, signify the Apostles and preachers, who brought the Gentile people to be saved before the face of divine mercy.
AUG; This account of the two blind men and the dumb demon is read in Matthew only. The two blind men of whom the others speak are not the same as these, though something similar was done with them. So that even if Matthew had not also recorded their cure, we might have seen that this present narrative was of a different transaction. And this we ought diligently to remember, that many actions of our Lord are very much like one another, but are proved not to be the same action, by being born related at different times by the same Evangelist. So that when we find cases in which one is recorded by one Evangelist, and another by another, and some difference which we cannot reconcile between their accounts, we should suppose that they are like, but not the same, events.
36. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37. Then he said to his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few;
38. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.
CHRYS; The Lord would refute by actions the charge of the Pharisees, who said, He casts out demons by the prince of demons; for a demon having suffered rebuke, does not return good but evil to those who have not shown him honor. But the Lord on the other hand, when He has suffered blasphemy and contumely, not only does not punish, but does not utter a hard speech, yea he shows kindness to them that did it, as it here follows, And Jesus went about all their to towns and villages. Herein He teaches us not to return accusations to them that accuse us but kindness. for he that ceases to do good because of accusation, shows that his good has been done because of men. But if for God's sake you do good to your fellow-servants, you will not cease from doing good whatever they do , that your reward may be greater.
JEROME; Observe how equally in villages, cities, and towns, that is to great as well as small, He preaches the Gospel, not respecting the might of the noble, but the salvation of those that believe. It follows, Teaching in their synagogues; this was His meat, going about to do the will of His Father, and saving by His teaching such as yet believed not.
GLOSS; He taught in their synagogues the Gospel of the Kingdom, as it follows, Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.
REMIG; Understand, 'of God;' for though temporal blessings are also proclaimed, yet they are not called The Gospel. Hence the Law was not called a Gospel, because to such as kept. it, it held out not heavenly, but earthly, goods.
JEROME; He first preached and taught, an d then proceeded to heal sicknesses, that the works might convince those who would not believe the words. Hence it follows, Healing every sickness and every disease, for to him alone nothing is impossible.
GLOSS; By disease we may understand complaints of long standing, by sickness any lesser infirmity.
REMIG. It. should be known that those whom He healed Outwardly in their bodies, He also healed inwardly in their souls. Others cannot do this of their own power, but can by God's grace.
CHRYS; Nor does Christ's goodness rest here, but He manifests His care for them, opening the bowels of His mercy towards them; whence it follows, And seeing the multitudes, He had compassion upon them.
REMIG; Herein Christ shows in Himself the disposition of the good shepherd and not that of the hireling. Why He pitied them is added, Because they were troubled, and sick as sheep that have no shepherd - troubled either by demons, or by diverse sicknesses and infirmities.
GLOSS; Or, troubled by demons, and sick, that is, benumbed and unable to rise; and though they had shepherds, yet they were as though they had them not.
CHRYS; This is an accusation against the rulers of the Jews, that being shepherds they appeared like wolves; not only not improving the multitude, but hindering their progress. For When the multitude marveled and said, It was never so seen in Israel, these opposed themselves , saying, He casts out demons by the prince of the demons.
REMIG; But when the Son of God ,looked down from heaven upon the earth, to hear the groans of the captives, straight a great harvest began to ripen; for the multitude of the human race would never have come near to the faith, had not the Author of human salvation looked down from heaven; and it follows, Then said he unto his disciples, the harvest truly is great, butt the laborers are few.
GLOSS; The harvest are those men who can he reaped by the preachers, and separated from the number of the damned, as grain is beaten out from the chaff that it may be laid up in granaries.
JEROME; The great harvest denotes the multitude of the people; the few laborers, the want of instructors.
REMIG; For the number of the Apostles was small in comparison of so great. crops to be reaped. The Lord exhorts His preachers, that. is, the Apostles and their followers, that they should daily desire an increase of their number; Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.
CHRYS; He privately insinuates Himself to he the Lord; for it is He Himself who is Lord of the harvest. For if He sent the Apostles to reap what they had not sown, it is manifest that He sent them not to reap the things of others, but what He had sown by the Prophets. But since the twelve Apostles are the laborers, lie said, Pray the Lord of' the harvest, that he would send laborers into his harvest; and notwithstanding lie added none to their number, but rather He multiplied those twelve many times, not by increasing their numbers, but by giving them more abundant grace.
REMIG; Or, He then increased their number when He chose the seventy and two, and then when many preachers were made what time the Holy Spirit descended upon the believers.
CHRYS; He shows us that it is a great gift that one should have the power of rightly preaching, in that He tells them that they ought to pray for it. Also we are here reminded of the words of John concerning the threshing-floor, amid the fan, the chaff, and the wheat.
HILARY; Figuratively; when salvation was given to the Gentiles, then all cities and towns were enlightened by the power and entrance of Christ, and escaped every other sickness and infirmity. The Lord pities the people troubled with the violence of the unclean Spirit., and sick under the burden of the Law, and having no shepherd at hand to bestow on them the guardianship of the Holy Spirit. But of that gift there was a most abundant fruit., whose plenty far exceeded the multitude of those that drank thereof; how many ever take of it, yet an inexhaustible supply remains; and because it is profitable that there should be many to minister it, He bids us ask the Lord of the harvest, that God would provide a supply of reapers for the ministration of that gift of the Holy Spirit which was made ready; for by prayer this gift is poured out upon us from God.
Catena Aurea Matthew 9
Catholic Culture
Ordinary Time: July 5th
Optional Memorial of St. Anthony Zaccaria, priest; St. Elizabeth of Portugal
MASS READINGS
July 05, 2016 (Readings on USCCB website)
COLLECT PRAYER
Grant, O Lord, that in the spirit of the Apostle Paul we may pursue the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ, for, having learned it, Saint Anthony Zaccaria constantly preached your saving word in the Church. 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.
O God, author of peace and lover of charity, who adorned Saint Elizabeth of Portugal with a marvelous grace for reconciling those in conflict, grant, through her intercession, that we may become peacemakers, and so be called children of God. 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.
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Old Calendar: St. Anthony-Mary Zaccaria, confessor
St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria was the founder of the Clerks Regular of St. Paul, later called the Barnabites from the name of their principal church in Rome. He also founded a congregation of nuns which now no longer exists. He was a great admirer of St. Paul and was himself imbued with the teaching of the great Apostle, whom he gave to his followers as a model and a patron. He was a zealous and untiring preacher and completely wore himself out at this work; he died at the age of thirty-six on July 5, 1539.
St. Elizabeth of Portugal was the daughter of Peter III of Aragon and was named after her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, whose virtues she also inherited. In her married life with King Denis of Portugal she had to undergo a series of heavy trials which she endured with heroism. On more than one occasion she went to considerable pains to bring about peace between her children and their father. After her husband's death she became a Franciscan Tertiary and showed unfailing charity towards the poor. She died in 1336; her body has remained incorrupt. Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar St. Elizabeth's feast was celebrated on July 8.
St. Anthony
Anthony Mary Zaccaria was born of a noble family at Cremona in Lombardy, and even in childhood gave signs of his future sanctity. Very early he was distinguished for his virtues, piety towards God, devotion to the Blessed Virgin, and especially mercy towards the poor, who he more than once gave his own rich clothing for their relief. He studied the humanities at home, and then went to Pavia for philosophy and Padua for medicine, and easily surpassed his contemporaries both in purity of life and in mental ability. After gaining his degree in medicine, he returned home, where he understood that God had called him to the healing rather of souls than of bodies. He immediately gave himself to sacred studies. Meanwhile he never ceased to visit the sick, instruct children in Christian doctrine, and exhort the young to piety and the elders to reformation of their lives. While saying his first Mass after his ordination, he is said to have been seen by the amazed congregation in a blaze of heavenly light and surrounded by angels. He then made it his chief care to labor for the salvation of souls and the reformation of manners. He received strangers, the poor and afflicted, with paternal charity, and consoled them with holy words and material assistance, so that his house was known as the refuge of the afflicted and he himself was called by his fellow-citizens an angel and the father of his country.
Thinking that he would be able to do more for the Christian religion if he had fellow laborers in the Lord's vineyard, he communicated his thoughts to two noble and saintly men, Bartholomew Ferrari and James Morigia, and together with them founded at Milan a society of Clerks Regular, which from his great love for the apostle of the Gentiles, he called after St Paul. It was approved by Clement VII, confirmed by Paul III, and soon spread through many lands. He was also the founder and father of the Angelic Sisters. But he thought so humbly of himself that he would never be Superior of his own Order. So great was his patience that he endured with steadfastness the most terrible opposition to his religious. Such was his charity that he never ceased to exhort religious men to love God and priests to live after the manner of the apostles, and he organized many confraternities of married men. He often carried the cross through the streets and public squares, together with his religious, and by his fervent prayers and exhortations brought wicked men back to the way of salvation.
It is noteworthy that out of love for Jesus crucified he would have the mystery of the cross brought to the mind of all by the ringing of a bell on Friday afternoons about vesper time. The holy name of Christ was ever on his lips, and in his writings, and as a true disciple of St Paul, he ever bore the mortification of Christ in his body. He had a singular devotion to the Holy Eucharist, restored the custom of frequent communions, and is said to have introduced that of the public adoration of Forty Hours. Such was his love of purity that it seemed to restore life even to his lifeless body. He was also enriched with the heavenly gifts of ecstasy, tears, knowledge of future things, and the secrets of hearts and power over the enemy of mankind. At length, after many labors, he fell grievously sick at Guastalla, whither he had been summoned as arbitrator in the cause of peace. He was taken to Cremona, and died there amid the tears of his religious and in the embrace of his pious mother, whose approaching death he foretold. At the hour of his death he was consoled by a vision of the apostles, and prophesied the future growth of his Society. The people began immediately to show their devotion to this saint on account of his great holiness and of his numerous miracles. The cult was approved by Leo XIII, who solemnly canonized him on Ascension Day, 1897.
Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.
Things to Do:
- St. Anthony had great devotion to Our Lord crucified. He institued the practice of tolling the church bells at 3 p.m. every Friday in remembrance of Christ's death on the cross. You could gather the family together at 3 p.m. to say the Prayer Before a Crucifix and ask St. Anthony to increase your love for our suffering Lord.
- St. Anthony promoted devotion to the Eucharistic Christ in the form of the Forty Hours devotion, public and solemn adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Find a church that has adoration and make a visit today.
- St. Anthony was a doctor of medicine as well as a priest, today would be a good time to offer a special prayer for the sick.
- Learn more about and read some of St. Anthony's Letters at Spirituality of St. Anthony Zaccaria.
- Learn more about the Barnabites founded by St. Anthony.
- Try cooking Vegetable Soup with Rice today in honor of St. Anthony.
- Read CONTEMPLATION in St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria’s Spirituality.
St. Elizabeth of Portugal
Elizabeth of Portugal was married young: she was only twelve years old when she became the wife of King Denis of Portugal. She was the daughter of King Peter III of Aragon and at her baptism in 1271 received the name of her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Even at that early age, she had a well-disciplined character and, like her namesake, looked after the poor and pilgrims, with the consent of her husband.
She inaugurated what today we would call social works in her kingdom, set up hostels for pilgrims and travelers, provided for the poor, established dowries for poor girls, founded a hospital and a house for penitent women at Torres Novas, and built an orphanage. Her husband was notoriously unfaithful to her, but she bore all this with patience and her sweetness of disposition was her greatest asset. She even looked after his illegitimate children as if they were her own and made provision for their proper education.
She had two children of her own, Alfonso and Constance, the son later rebelling against his father. St. Elizabeth of Portugal became the peacemaker and several times reconciled the son to the father. Through her efforts, war was averted between Castile and Aragon.
In 1324, her husband became ill and she devoted all of her attention to him, never leaving his room except to go to church. His illness was long and tedious, but he sincerely repented of his disordered life and died at Santarem in 1325. After his burial, she made a pilgrimage to Compostela and decided to enter the Poor Clare convent at Coimbra. Persuaded not to do this, she became a Franciscan tertiary and lived in a house close to the convent.
Elizabeth died at Estremoz at the age of sixty-six, en route there to bring about peace between her son and her nephew, Alfonso XI, of Castile. She was canonized by Urban VIII in 1625.
Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens
Patron: Against jealousy; brides; charitable societies; charitable workers; charities; Coimbra, Portugal; difficult marriages; falsely accused people; invoked in time of war; peace; queens; tertiaries; victims of adultery; victims of jealousy; victims of unfaithfulness; widows.
Symbols: Franciscan nun with a rose in her hand; Franciscan nun with a beggar nearby; Franciscan nun with a jug in her hand; Franciscan tertiary nun; woman carrying roses in her lap in winter; woman crowned with roses.
Things to Do:
- Our own circle of personal influence is usually where we can do the most good. It is useless to dream of going to faraway places to accomplish great deeds, when there is much to be done in our own backyard. We can influence those around us and, like St. Elizabeth of Portugal, we can accomplish wonders.
