Catholic Caucus: May 18 - Memorial of Saint John I, pope, martyr

Optional Memorial of Saint John I, pope, martyr
Lectionary: 565

Below are the readings suggested for today's Memorial. However, readings for the Memorial may also be taken from the Common of Martyrs, #713-718 or the Common of Pastors: For a Pope, #719-724.

Reading 1 Rv 3:14b, 20-22

"'The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God's creation, says this:

"'"Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.

" '"Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches."'"

Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Alleluia Jn 15:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I call you my friends, says the Lord,
For I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 22:24-30

An argument broke out among the Apostles
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
Jesus said to them,
"The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them
and those in authority over them are addressed as 'Benefactors';
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who serves.
It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one on me,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 22
24.	And there was also a strife amongst them, which of them should seem to be the greater.	Facta est autem et contentio inter eos, quis eorum videretur esse major.	εγενετο δε και φιλονεικια εν αυτοις το τις αυτων δοκει ειναι μειζων
25.	And he said to them: The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that have power over them, are called beneficent.	Dixit autem eis : Reges gentium dominantur eorum : et qui potestatem habent super eos, benefici vocantur.	ο δε ειπεν αυτοις οι βασιλεις των εθνων κυριευουσιν αυτων και οι εξουσιαζοντες αυτων ευεργεται καλουνται
26.	But you not so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the younger; and he that is the leader, as he that serveth.	Vos autem non sic : sed qui major est in vobis, fiat sicut minor : et qui præcessor est, sicut ministrator.	υμεις δε ουχ ουτως αλλ ο μειζων εν υμιν γενεσθω ως ο νεωτερος και ο ηγουμενος ως ο διακονων
27.	For which is greater, he that sitteth at table, or he that serveth? Is it not he that sitteth at table? But I am in the midst of you, as he that serveth:	Nam quis major est, qui recumbit, an qui ministrat ? nonne qui recumbit ? Ego autem in medio vestrum sum, sicut qui ministrat :	τις γαρ μειζων ο ανακειμενος η ο διακονων ουχι ο ανακειμενος εγω δε ειμι εν μεσω υμων ως ο διακονων
28.	And you are they who have continued with me in my temptations:	vos autem estis, qui permansistis mecum in tentationibus meis.	υμεις δε εστε οι διαμεμενηκοτες μετ εμου εν τοις πειρασμοις μου
29.	And I dispose to you, as my Father hath disposed to me, a kingdom;	Et ego dispono vobis sicut disposuit mihi Pater meus regnum,	καγω διατιθεμαι υμιν καθως διεθετο μοι ο πατηρ μου βασιλειαν
30.	That you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom: and may sit upon thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.	ut edatis et bibatis super mensam meam in regno meo, et sedeatis super thronos judicantes duodecim tribus Israël.	ινα εσθιητε και πινητε επι της τραπεζης μου [εν τη βασιλεια μου] και καθισεσθε επι θρονων κρινοντες τας δωδεκα φυλας του ισραηλ

24. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
25. And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
26. But you shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that does serve.
27. For whether is greater, he that sits at meat, or he that serves? is not be that sits at meat? but I am among you as he that serves.

THEOPHYL. While they were inquiring among themselves who should betray the Lord, they would naturally go on to say to one another, "You are the traitor," and so become impelled to say, "I am the best, I am the greatest." Hence it is said, And there was also a strife among them which should be accounted the greatest.

GREEK EX. Or the strife seems to have arisen from this, that when our Lord was departing from the world, it was thought that some one must become their head, as taking our Lord's place.

BEDE; As good men seek in the Scriptures the examples of their fathers, that they may thereby gain profit and be humbled, so the bad, if by, chance they have discovered any thing blamable in the elect, most gladly seize upon it, to shelter their own iniquities thereby. Many therefore most eagerly read, that a strife arose among the disciples of Christ.

AMBROSE; If the disciples did contend, it is not alleged as any excuse, but held out as a warning. Let us then beware lest any contentions among us for precedence be our ruin.

BEDE; Rather let us look not what carnal disciples did, but what their spiritual Master commanded; for it follows, And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles, &c.

CHRYS. He mentions the Gentiles, to show thereby how faulty it was. For it is of the Gentiles to seek after precedence.

CYRIL; Soft words are also given them by their subjects, as it follows, And they that exercise authority upon them, are called benefactors.

Now they truly as alien from the sacred law are subject to these evils, but your preeminence is in humility, as it follows, But you shall not be so.

BASIL; Let not him that is chief be puffed up by his dignity, lest he fall away from the blessedness of humility, but let him know that true humility is the ministering to many. As then he who attends many wounded and wipes away the blood from their wounds, least of all men enters upon the service for his own exaltation, much more ought he to whom is committed the care of his sick brethren as the minister of all, about to render an account of all, to be thoughtful and anxious. And so let him that is greatest be as the younger. Again, it is meet that those who are in the chief places should be ready to offer also bodily service, after our Lord's example, who washed His disciples' feet. Hence it follows, And he that is chief as he that does serve. But we need not fear that the spirit of humility will be weakened in the inferior, while he is being served by his superior, for by imitation humility is extended.

AMBROSE; But it must be observed, that not every kind of respect and deference to others betokens humility, for you may defer to a person for the world's sake, for fear of his power, or regard to your own interest. In that case you seek to edify yourself, not to honor another. Therefore there is one form of the precept given to all men, namely, that they boast not about precedence, but strive earnestly for humility.

BEDE; In this rule however, given by our Lord, the great have need of no little judgment, that they do not indeed like the kings of the Gentiles delight to tyrannize over their subjects, and be puffed up with their praises, yet notwithstanding that they be provoked with a righteous zeal against the wickedness of offenders.

But to the words of the exhortation He subjoins His own example, as it follows, For which is greater, he who sits at meat, or he that serves? But I am among you, &c.

CHRYS. As if He says, Think not that your disciple needs you, but that you do not need him. For I who need no one whom all things in heaven and earth need, have condescended to the degree of a servant.

THEOPHYL. He shows Himself to be their servant, when He distributes the bread and the cup, of which service He makes mention, reminding them that if they have eaten of the same bread, and drunk of the same cup, if Christ Himself served all, they ought all to think the same things.

BEDE; Or He speaks of that service wherewith, according to John, He their Lord and Master washed their feet. Although by the word itself serving, all that He did in the flesh may be implied, but by serving He also signifies that He pours forth His blood for us.

28. You are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
29. And I appoint to you a kingdom, as my Father has appointed to me;
30. That you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

THEOPHYL. As the Lord had denounced woe to the traitor, so on the other hand to the rest of the disciples He promises blessings, saying, You are they which have continued with me, &c.

BEDE; For not the first effort of patience, but long-continued perseverance, is rewarded with the glory of the heavenly kingdom for perseverance, (which is called constancy or fortitude of mind,) is, so to say, the pillar and prop of all virtues. The Son of God then conducts those who abide with Him in His temptations to the everlasting kingdom. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Hence it follows, And I give to you a kingdom , &c.

AMBROSE; The kingdom of God is not of this world. But it is not equality with God, but likeness to Him, to which man must aspire. For Christ alone is the full image of God, on account of the unity of His Father's glory expressed in Him. But the righteous man is after the image of God, if for the sake of imitating the likeness of the Divine conversation, He through the knowledge of God despises the world. Therefore also we eat the Body and Blood of Christ, that we may be partakers of eternal life. Whence it follows, That you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. For the reward promised to us is not food and drink, but the communication of heavenly grace and life.

BEDE; Or the table offered to all saints richly to enjoy is the glory of a heavenly life, w herewith they who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled, resting in the long desired enjoyment of the true God.

THEOPHYL. He said this not as if they would have there bodily food, or as if His kingdom were to be a sensible one. For their life then shall be the life of angels, as He before told the Sadducees. But Paul also says that the kingdom of God is not meat and drink.

CYRIL; By means of the things of our present life He describes spiritual things. For they exercise a high privilege with earthly kings, who sit at their table as guests. So then by man's estimation He shows who shall be rewarded by Him with the greatest honors.

BEDE; This then is the exchange to the right hand of the Most High, that those who now in lowliness rejoice to minister to their fellow-servants. shall then at our Lord's table on high be fed with the banquet of everlasting life, and they who here in temptations abide with the Lord being unjustly judged, shall then come with Him as just judges upon their tempters. Hence it follows, And sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

THEOPHYL. That is, the unbelievers condemned out of the twelve tribes.

AMBROSE; But the twelve thrones are not as it were any resting-places for the bodily posture, but because since Christ judges after the Divine likeness by knowledge of the hearts, not by examination of the actions, rewarding virtue, condemning iniquity; so the Apostles are appointed to a spiritual judgment, for the rewarding of faith, the condemnation of unbelief, repelling error with virtue, inflicting vengeance on the sacrilegious.

CHRYS. What then will Judas also sit there? Observe what the lay, was which God gave by Jeremiah, If I have promised any good, and you are counted unworthy of it, I will punish you. Therefore speaking to His disciples He did not make a general promise, but added, You who have continued with me in my temptations.

BEDE; From the high excellence of this promise Judas is excluded. For before the Lord said this, Judas must be supposed to have gone out. They also are excluded whoever having heard the words of the incomprehensible Sacrament, have gone backwards.

Catena Aurea Luke 22

St. John I (Pope and Martyr)

From Catholic Exchange

St. John I was a sixth-century pope and martyr. John was born in the Italian province of Tuscany, and was elected Bishop of Rome (that is, pope) in 523. The Mediterranean world was, by this time, divided into the Eastern and Western Empires, each having a separate emperor.

Christianity was also divided (though not in a geographic sense) by the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ. King Theodoric, the German chieftain who was in effect the Western emperor, was himself an Arian, though he was initially tolerant of the Catholics in his kingdom. Soon after John was elected pope, Justin, the Eastern emperor, began repressing the Arians in the East. Theodoric was upset by this, and he forced John and other religious leaders from the West to visit Justin in Constantinople (capital of the Eastern empire) for the purpose of lessening the restrictions placed upon the Arians. (Because religious questions had political implications, it was not uncommon for kings to involve themselves in religion, and for bishops to find themselves involved in politics.)

Little is known about the outcome of the negotiations Pope John conducted with Emperor Justin, but because the two leaders got along well together, a paranoid Theodoric assumed they were plotting against him. When John returned to Italy in 526, Theodoric had him arrested. Pope John died soon after he was imprisoned, perhaps as a result of the treatment he received, thus earning a martyr’s crown. John was the first of twenty-three popes of that name, and the first one to be canonized a saint.

Sometimes religion is inescapably involved in politics. As St. John knew, when this happens, our primary loyalty must be to Christ, not to the rulers of this world.

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