Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37

The LORD said to Moses,
"These are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrate
at their proper time with a sacred assembly.
The Passover of the LORD falls on the fourteenth day of the first month,
at the evening twilight.
The fifteenth day of this month is the LORD's feast of Unleavened Bread.
For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
On the first of these days you shall hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work.
On each of the seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD.
Then on the seventh day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work."

The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel and tell them:
When you come into the land which I am giving you,
and reap your harvest,
you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest
to the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the LORD
that it may be acceptable for you.
On the day after the sabbath the priest shall do this.

"Beginning with the day after the sabbath,
the day on which you bring the wave-offering sheaf,
you shall count seven full weeks,
and then on the day after the seventh week, the fiftieth day,
you shall present the new cereal offering to the LORD.

"The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement,
when you shall hold a sacred assembly and mortify yourselves
and offer an oblation to the LORD.

"The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD's feast of Booths,
which shall continue for seven days.
On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly,
and you shall do no sort of work.
For seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD,
and on the eighth day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
On that solemn closing you shall do no sort of work.

"These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORD
on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly,
and offer as an oblation to the LORD burnt offerings and cereal offerings,
sacrifices and libations, as prescribed for each day."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab

R. (2a) Sing with joy to God our help.
Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel,
the pleasant harp and the lyre.
Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our solemn feast.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
For it is a statute in Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob,
Who made it a decree for Joseph
when he came forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.

Alleluia 1 Pt 1:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of the Lord remains forever;
This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mt 13:54-58

Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
"Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter's son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?"
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house."
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, please go here.

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, please go here.

From: Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37

Celebration of the Sabbath

[1] The Lord said to Moses, [4] “These are the appointed feasts of the Lord,
the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for
them.”

Celebration of the Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread

[5] “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening, is the
Lord’s passover. [6] And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of
unleavened bread to the Lord; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. [7]
0n the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious
work. [8] But you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord seven days; on
the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work.”

Celebration of the First Fruits

[9] And the Lord said to Moses, [10] “Say to the people of Israel, When you
come into the land which I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the
sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest; [11] and he shall wave the
sheaf before the Lord, that you may find acceptance; on the morrow after the
sabbath the priest shall wave it.”

Celebration of the Feast of Weeks

[15] “And you shall count from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that
you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven full weeks shall they be, [16]
counting fifty days to the morrow after the seventh sabbath; then you shall pre-
sent a cereal offering of new grain to the Lord.”

Celebration of the Day of Atonement

[27] “On the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be
for you a time of holy convocation, and you shall afflict yourselves and present
an offering by fire to the Lord.”

Celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles

[34b] “On the fifteenth day of this seventh month and for seven days is the feast
of booths to the Lord. [35] On the first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall
do no laborious work. [36] Seven days you shall present offerings by fire to the
Lord; on the eighth day you shall hold a holy convocation and present an offering
by fire to the LORD; it is a solemn assembly; you shall do no laborious work.”

[37] “These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as
times of holy convocation, for presenting to the Lord offerings by fire, burnt offe-
rings and cereal offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings, each on its proper day.”

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Commentary:

23:1-4. Some of the feats mentioned in this calendar are also to be found in o-
ther books (cf. Ex 23:14-19; 34:18-26; Deut 16:1). It deals first with the sabbath,
which becomes the paradigm for all the other feasts, especially as far as rest is
concerned. Such importance was given to what could or could not be done on
the sabbath that all sorts of absurd and formalistic exaggerations developed.
More than once Jesus criticized the severe interpretations devised by the
scribes—a complicated and intolerable casuistry (cf. Mt 15:1-9; 23:41 Acts
15:10).

23:5-8. The Passover is also dealt with in Exodus 12:1-14:21-28 and 13:3-10.
The first month was called Nisan; earlier on it was called Abib, “spring” or “ears
(of grain)”. The feast began at sundown. Here it is depicted as a preparation for
the feast of the unleavened bread, which began the following day, 15 Nisan, and
lasted seven days, during which bread was eaten unleavened. The religious as-
sembly took place on the first day and the last. During these assemblies various
sacrifices were offered and a sacred meal took place. We recall that it was du-
ring this feast that Jesus instituted the Eucharist, doing so in the context of the
passover supper. And it was during the Passover that Jesus was sacrificed on
he altar of the cross. St John tells us that the sacrifice of Christ began at the
sixth hour on the day of Preparation, the exact time that the passover lambs
were sacrificed. This makes the beginning of a new Passover, in which a new
victim is sacrificed, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (cf.
Jn 1:29, 36; 19:14).

23:9-14. The feast of the first fruits, although the date is not a fixed one, is con-
nected with the Passover. In the Jordan valley grain was already ripe for harvest
by this time (cf. Num 28:26-31). The offering of first fruits is based on the convic-
tion that everything comes from God. In recognition of that divine sovereignty the
first sheaf to ripen was offered in sacrifice—a tradition which developed to the
point that no one could eat the crop without first making this offering to God. The
“morrow” after the sabbath was thought by some to have been the first sabbath
after 14 Nisan. Other scholars think that the sabbath was 15 Nisan and then the
offering of the first fruits took place on 16 Nisan. The “morrow” was the base day
for reckoning the start of feast of Pentecost, seven weeks later. The offering of
the first sheaves was accompanied by the sacrifice of a year-old lamb and two
tenths of an ephah of flour (cf. the note on Ex 29:38-46) that is, approximately
4.2 liters, and a quarter of a hin of wine (approximately one litre or two pints).

23:15-22. This feast, too, has elements connected with the grain harvest. Later
on it became linked with the giving the Law at Sinai. It was called Pentecost be-
cause it came fifty days after Passover. In Hebrew it was called Aseret, the
“great convocation” or assembly. Another name for it is the feast of Weeks (a
reference to the seven weeks which had passed since the Passover). The offe-
ring of the loaves of bread made from the first sheaf expressed thanksgiving and
joy for the harvest recently completed. The various sacrifices were offered as a
sign of repentance for and as an act of adoration for the greatness of God who
had blessed the work of his people.

From a Christian point of view, it is interesting that it was on the feast of Pente-
cost that the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles. For one thing, that Pente-
cost marked the start of a new stage with another Law, a much more perfect
one, written not on stones but in the depths of men’s hearts (cf. 2 Cor 3:3). For
another, because it also seems significant that it was at the moment when the
fruits of the earth were being harvested that the Church should receive the most
precious fruit of Christ’s death on the cross, the strength of the Spirit who puri-
fies and sanctities men with his divine grace.

23:23-44. In the Bible the number seven had a sacred character; symbolizing in
some way the perfection of God. Therefore the seventh month, as also the se-
venth year, had special significance in Israel. Thus, in the seventh month (in He-
brew, Tishre) three feasts were held. The first was the feast of Trumpets, which
took place on the seventh day. It began with the sounding of trumpets; hence
its name. Trumpets were also used to greet the appearance of the new moon.
These details probably reflect traces of astral cults; however, by becoming in-
corporated into the liturgy, they became purified and raised to a new plane, to
express at different times and different ways a deep feeling of attachment to the
Creator of heaven and earth.

On the tenth of the same month the day of atonement was celebrated—Yom Kip-
pur. It was a day of penance and expiation. It began at sundown, with the start
of the sabbath rest. The grave penalties imposed for transgressions show the
importance this day had, and still has today, in Jewish liturgy.

The other great feast is that of Tabernacles, celebrated over seven days, begin-
ning on 15 Tisre. In the Code of the Covenant it is called the feast of ingathering
(cf. Ex 23:16). The last of the harvest was saved around this time, particularly
the grape harvest. The feast marked the close of the agricultural year; it was a
most joyful feast. It was also regarded as preparation for the new period which
would start immediately with the new sowing. Prayers were offered for early rains,
which were so crucial to starting the work. This was why the rite of water was so
much to the fore. Water was borne in procession from the pool of Siloe and then
poured round the altar of the temple. In Jesus’ time a bunch of myrtle and acacia
branches (from trees growing on the river bank) was shaken during the proces-
sion, thereby invoking the divine blessing of rain. In the times of Ezra and Nehe-
miah, in the middle of the 5th century BC, huts made from branches of trees
were set up on the terraces of houses or in the countryside, and the people
camped in them over the days of the feast, in memory of the pilgrimage of the
people of Israel in the desert, when they lived in tents. This custom still survives
in the Jewish religion.

The Gospel of St John has much to say about this feast and about Jesus’ acti-
vity in connection with it (cf. Jn 7:2ff), including the important revelations our
Lord made apropos of its rites: it was on this feast that Jesus proclaimed that
from his heart rivers of living water would flow, a reference to “the Spirit, which
those who believed in him were to receive” (Jn 7:39).

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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 13:54-58

No One is a Prophet in His Own Country

[54] And coming to His (Jesus’) own country He taught them in their synagogue,
so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom
and these mighty works? [55] Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother
called Mary? And are not His brethren James and Joseph and Simon and Ju-
das? [56] And are not all His sisters with us? Where then did this Man get all
this?” [57] And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is
not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” [58] And He
did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

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Commentary:

53-58. The Nazarenes’ surprise is partly due to people’s difficulty in recognizing
anything exceptional and supernatural in those with whom they have been on fa-
miliar terms. Hence the saying, “No one is a prophet in his own country.” These
old neighbors were also jealous of Jesus. Where did He acquire this wisdom?
Why Him rather than us? They were unaware of the mystery of Jesus’ concep-
tion; surprise and jealousy cause them to be shocked, to look down on Jesus
and not to believe in Him: “He came to His own home, and His own people re-
ceived Him not” (John 1:11).

“The carpenter’s son”: this is the only reference in the Gospel to St. Joseph’s
occupation (in Mark 6:3 Jesus Himself is described as a “carpenter”). Probably
in a town like Nazareth the carpenter was a general tradesman who could turn
his hand to jobs ranging from metalwork to making furniture or agricultural imple-
ments.

For an explanation of Jesus’ “brethren”, see the note on Matthew 12:46-47.

[The note of Matthew 12:46-47 states:

46-47. “Brethren”: ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and other languages had no special
words for different degrees of relationship, such as are found in more modern lan-
guages. In general, all those belonging to the same family, clan and even tribe
were “brethren”.

In the particular case we have here, we should bear in mind that Jesus had diffe-
rent kinds of relatives, in two groups — some on His mother’s side, others on St
Joseph’s. Matthew 13:55-56 mentions, as living in Nazareth, James, Joseph, Si-
mon and Judas (”His brethren”) and elsewhere there is reference to Jesus’ “sis-
ters” (cf. Matthew 6:3). But in Matthew 27:56 we are told that James and Joseph
were sons of a Mary distinct from the Blessed Virgin, and that Simon and Judas
were not brothers of James and Joseph, but seemingly children of a brother of St
Joseph.

Jesus, on the other hand, was known to everyone as “the son of Mary” (Mark 6:3)
or “the carpenter’s son” (Matthew 13:55).

The Church has always maintained as absolutely certain that Jesus had no bro-
thers or sisters in the full meaning of the term: it is a dogma that Mary was ever-
Virgin (cf. note on Matthew 1:25).]

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

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
Leviticus 23:1,4-11,15-16,27,34-37 ©

The law of the festivals of the Lord

The Lord spoke to Moses. He said:

‘These are the Lord’s solemn festivals, the sacred assemblies to which you are to summon the sons of Israel on the appointed day.

‘The fourteenth day of the first month, between the two evenings, is the Passover of the Lord; and the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of Unleavened Bread for the Lord. For seven days you shall eat bread without leaven. On the first day you are to hold a sacred assembly; you must do no heavy work. For seven days you shall offer a burnt offering to the Lord. The seventh day is to be a day of sacred assembly; you must do no work.’

The Lord spoke to Moses. He said:

‘Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them:

‘“When you enter the land that I give you, and gather in the harvest there, you must bring the first sheaf of your harvest to the priest, and he is to present it to the Lord with the gesture of offering, so that you may be acceptable. The priest shall make this offering on the day after the sabbath.

‘“From the day after the sabbath, the day on which you bring the sheaf of offering, you are to count seven full weeks. You are to count fifty days, to the day after the seventh sabbath, and then you are to offer the Lord a new oblation.

‘“The tenth day of the seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. You are to hold a sacred assembly. You must fast, and you must offer a burnt offering to the Lord.

‘“The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of Tabernacles for the Lord, lasting seven days. The first day is a day of sacred assembly; you must do no heavy work. For seven days you must offer a burnt offering to the Lord. On the eighth day you are to hold a sacred assembly, you must offer a burnt offering to the Lord. It is a day of solemn meeting; you must do no heavy work.

‘“These are the solemn festivals of the Lord to which you are to summon the children of Israel, sacred assemblies for the purpose of offering burnt offerings, holocausts, oblations, sacrifices and libations to the Lord, according to the ritual of each day.”’

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 80(81):3-6,10-11 ©

Ring out your joy to God our strength.

Raise a song and sound the timbrel,

the sweet-sounding harp and the lute;

blow the trumpet at the new moon,

when the moon is full, on our feast.

Ring out your joy to God our strength.

For this is Israel’s law,

a command of the God of Jacob.

He imposed it as a rule on Joseph,

when he went out against the land of Egypt.

Ring out your joy to God our strength.

Let there be no foreign god among you,

no worship of an alien god.

I am the Lord your God,

who brought you from the land of Egypt.

Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

Ring out your joy to God our strength.

Gospel Acclamation	cf.1Th2:13

Alleluia, alleluia!

Accept God’s message for what it really is:

God’s message, and not some human thinking.

Alleluia!

Or:	1P1:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

The word of the Lord remains for ever:

What is this word?

It is the Good News that has been brought to you.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 13:54-58 ©

A prophet is only despised in his own country

Coming to his home town, Jesus taught the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were astonished and said, ‘Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? This is the carpenter’s son, surely? Is not his mother the woman called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Jude? His sisters, too, are they not all here with us? So where did the man get it all?’ And they would not accept him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country and in his own house’, and he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 13
54.	And coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogues, so that they wondered and said: How came this man by this wisdom and miracles?	Et veniens in patriam suam, docebat eos in synagogis eorum, ita ut mirarentur, et dicerent : Unde huic sapientia hæc, et virtutes ?	και ελθων εις την πατριδα αυτου εδιδασκεν αυτους εν τη συναγωγη αυτων ωστε εκπληττεσθαι αυτους και λεγειν ποθεν τουτω η σοφια αυτη και αι δυναμεις
55.	Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude:	Nonne hic est fabri filius ? nonne mater ejus dicitur Maria, et fratres ejus, Jacobus, et Joseph, et Simon, et Judas ?	ουχ ουτος εστιν ο του τεκτονος υιος ουχι η μητηρ αυτου λεγεται μαριαμ και οι αδελφοι αυτου ιακωβος και ιωσης και σιμων και ιουδας
56.	And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things?	et sorores ejus, nonne omnes apud nos sunt ? unde ergo huic omnia ista ?	και αι αδελφαι αυτου ουχι πασαι προς ημας εισιν ποθεν ουν τουτω ταυτα παντα
57.	And they were scandalized in his regard. But Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.	Et scandalizabantur in eo. Jesus autem dixit eis : Non est propheta sine honore, nisi in patria sua, et in domo sua.	και εσκανδαλιζοντο εν αυτω ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ουκ εστιν προφητης ατιμος ει μη εν τη πατριδι αυτου και εν τη οικια αυτου
58.	And he wrought not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.	Et non fecit ibi virtutes multas propter incredulitatem illorum.	και ουκ εποιησεν εκει δυναμεις πολλας δια την απιστιαν αυτων

54. And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence has this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55. Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56. And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then has this man all these things?
57. And they were offended in him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

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.

CHRYS; By his own country here, He means Nazareth; for it was not there but in Capernaum that, as is said below, He wrought so many miracles; but to these He shows His doctrine, causing no less wonder than His miracles.

REMIG; He taught in their synagogues where great numbers were met, because it was for the salvation of the multitude that He came from heaven upon earth. It follows; So that they marveled and said, Whence has this man this wisdom, and these many mighty works? His wisdom is referred to His doctrine His mighty works to His miracles.

JEROME; Wonderful folly of the Nazarenes! They wonder whence wisdom itself has wisdom, whence Power has mighty works! But the source of their error is at hand, because they regard Him as the Son of a carpenter; as they say, Is not this the carpenter's son?

CHRYS; Therefore were they in all things insensate, seeing they lightly esteemed Him on account of him who was regarded as His father, notwithstanding the many instances in old times of sons illustrious sprung from ignoble fathers; as David was the son of a husband man, Jesse; Amos the son of a shepherd, himself a shepherd And they ought to have given Him more abundant honor because, that coming of such parents, He spoke after such manner; clearly showing that it came not of human industry but of divine grace.

PSEUDO- AUG; For the Father of Christ is that Divine Workman who made all these works of nature who set forth Noah's ark, who ordained the tabernacle of Moses, and instituted the Ark of the covenant; that Workman who polishes the stubborn mind, and cuts down the proud thoughts.

HILARY; And this was the carpenter's son who subdues iron by means of fire, who tries the virtue of this world in the judgment, and forms the rude mass to every work of human need; the figure of our bodies, for example, to the diverse ministrations of the limbs, and all the actions of life eternal.

JEROME; And when they are mistaken in His Father, no wonder if they are also mistaken in His brethren. Whence it is added, Is not his mother Mary, and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?

ID; Those who are here called the Lord's brethren, are the sons of a Mary, His Mother's sister; she is the mother of this James and Joseph, that is to say, Mary the wife of Cleophas and this is the Mary who is called the mother of James the Less.

AUG; No wonder then that any kinsmen by the mother's side should be called the Lord's brethren, when even by their kindred to Joseph some are here called His brethren by those who thought Him the son of Joseph.

HILARY; Thus the Lord is held in no honor by His own; and though the wisdom of His teaching , and the power of His working raised their admiration, yet do they not believe that He did these things in the name of the Lord, and they cast His father's trade in His teeth. Amid all the wonderful works which He did, they were moved with the contemplation of His Body, and hence they ask, Whence has this man these things? And thus they were of offended in him.

JEROME; This error of the Jews is our salvation, and the condemnation of the heretics, for they perceived Jesus Christ to be man so far as to think Him the son of a carpenter.

CHRYS; Observe Christ's mercifulness; He is evil spoken of, yet He answers with mildness; Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor but in his own country, and in his own house.

REMIG; He calls Himself a Prophet, as Moses also declares, when He says, a Prophet shall God raise up to you of your brethren. And it should be known, that not Christ only, Who is the Head of all the Prophets, but Jeremiah, Daniel, and the other lesser Prophets, had more honor and regard among strangers than among their own citizens.

JEROME; For it is almost natural for citizens to be jealous towards one another; for they do not look to the present works of the man, but remember the frailties of his childhood; as if they themselves had not passed through the very same stages of age to their maturity.

HILARY; Further, He makes this answer, that a Prophet is without honor in his own country, because it was in Judaea that He was to he condemned to the sentence of the cross; and forasmuch as the power of God is for the faithful alone, He here abstained from works of divine power because of their unbelief; whence it follows, And he did not there many mighty works because of their unbelief.

JEROME; Not that because they did not believe He could not do His mighty works; but that He might not by doing them be condemning His fellow citizens in their unbelief.

CHRYS; But if His miracles raised their wonder, why did He not work many? Because He looked not to display of Himself, but to what would profit others; and when that did not result, He despised what pertained only to Himself that He might Dot increase their punishment. Why then did He even 'these few miracles? That they should not say, We should have believed had any miracles been done among us.

JEROME; Or we may understand it otherwise, that Jesus is despised in His own house and country, signifies in the Jewish people; and therefore He did among them few miracles, that they might not be altogether without excuse; but among the Gentiles He does daily greater miracles by His Apostles, not so much in healing their bodies, as in saving their souls.

Catena Aurea Matthew 13

August 2 - Memorial of Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop

Saint Eusebius of Vercelli’s Story

Someone has said that if there had been no Arian heresy denying Christ’s divinity, it would be very difficult to write the lives of many early saints. Eusebius is another of the defenders of the Church during one of its most trying periods.

Born on the isle of Sardinia, he became a member of the Roman clergy, and is the first recorded bishop of Vercelli in Piedmont in northwest Italy. Eusebius was also the first to link the monastic life with that of the clergy, establishing a community of his diocesan clergy on the principle that the best way to sanctify his people was to have them see a clergy formed in solid virtue and living in community.

He was sent by Pope Liberius to persuade the emperor to call a council to settle Catholic-Arian troubles. When it was called at Milan, Eusebius went reluctantly, sensing that the Arian block would have its way, although the Catholics were more numerous. He refused to go along with the condemnation of Saint Athanasius; instead, he laid the Nicene Creed on the table and insisted that all sign it before taking up any other matter. The emperor put pressure on him, but Eusebius insisted on Athanasius’ innocence and reminded the emperor that secular force should not be used to influence Church decisions. At first the emperor threatened to kill him, but later sent him into exile in Palestine. There the Arians dragged him through the streets and shut him up in a little room, releasing him only after his four-day hunger strike. They resumed their harassment shortly after.

His exile continued in Asia Minor and Egypt, until the new emperor permitted him to be welcomed back to his see in Vercelli. Eusebius attended the Council of Alexandria with Athanasius and approved the leniency shown to bishops who had wavered. He also worked with Saint Hilary of Poitiers against the Arians.

Eusebius died peacefully in his own diocese at an advanced age.

Reflection

Catholics in the U.S. have sometimes felt penalized by an unwarranted interpretation of the principle of separation of Church and state, especially in the matter of Catholic schools. Be that as it may, the Church is happily free today from the tremendous pressure put on it after it became an “established” Church under Constantine. We are happily rid of such things as a pope asking an emperor to call a Church council, Pope John I being sent by the emperor to negotiate in the East, or the pressure of kings on papal elections. The Church cannot be a prophet if it’s in someone’s pocket.

franciscanmedia.org

Patron of Vercelli

August 2 - Memorial of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, priest

Saint Peter Julian Eymard’s Story

Born in La Mure d’Isère in southeastern France, Peter Julian’s faith journey drew him from being a priest in the Diocese of Grenoble in 1834, to joining the Marists in 1839, to founding the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in 1856.

In addition to those changes, Peter Julian coped with poverty, his father’s initial opposition to Peter’s vocation, serious illness, a Jansenistic overemphasis on sin, and the difficulties of getting diocesan and later papal approval for his new religious community.

His years as a Marist, including service as a provincial leader, saw the deepening of his Eucharistic devotion, especially through his preaching of Forty Hours in many parishes. Inspired at first by the idea of reparation for indifference to the Eucharist, Peter Julian was eventually attracted to a more positive spirituality of Christ-centered love. Members of the men’s community which Peter founded alternated between an active apostolic life and contemplating Jesus in the Eucharist. He and Marguerite Guillot founded the women’s Congregation of the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament.

Peter Julian Eymard was beatified in 1925, and canonized in 1962, one day after Vatican II’s first session ended.

Reflection

In every century, sin has been painfully real in the life of the Church. It is easy to give in to despair, to speak so strongly of human failings that people may forget the immense and self-sacrificing love of Jesus, as his death on the cross and his gift of the Eucharist make evident. Peter Julian knew that the Eucharist was key to helping Catholics live out their baptism and preach by word and example the Good News of Jesus Christ.

franciscanmedia.org

Saint Peter Julian Eymard is a patron saint of Saint Jean Baptiste Catholic Church in New York City. A shrine to the saint in the church contains a reliquary bearing the right humerus bone of the saint.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 13:54-58

Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop (Optional Memorial)

He did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith. (Matthew 13:58)

Imagine yourself rafting down a river, enjoying the cool summer breeze and the peaceful scenery. Then you run into a huge log. As you try to maneuver around it, your raft flips over, and you fall into the water, getting your feet caught between some rocks. You panic and start thrashing about, and your friend jumps in after you. But he has a hard time releasing you because you’re struggling so much. You have a hard time believing he can really help you. “Let go!” he shouts over the water. “I’ve got you.” As you finally surrender, he gets you free and is able to bring you to the shore safe and sound.

Today’s Gospel tells us that Jesus wasn’t able to perform many miracles in his hometown because of the people’s weak faith. Mind you, the people weren’t thrashing around emotionally, but they still couldn’t bring themselves to surrender to Jesus. They stayed stuck in their limited logical thinking, even though he was right in front of them, offering them a way out and a way up.

In our journey with the Lord, we too need to learn to surrender to Jesus. This is an important element in the call to faith: to trust that Jesus knows what he’s doing and to believe that he is strong enough to save you. Yes, faith has to do with knowing the doctrines of the Church. Yes, it has to do with trying our best to follow the commandments and to care for the poor and needy. And yes, it has to do with sharing our beliefs and standing up for what is right. But at the heart of faith is this call to surrender. Without this, all the other things lose their power.

What gets you stuck? Fear over the future? Guilt or resentments from the past? A “logical” approach to the present that doesn’t leave room for the grace of God? Whatever it is, know that Jesus is inviting you to something greater. Imagine him standing in front of you, his arms open wide. Hear him tell you, “Relax. I’ve got you. You can let go.”

“Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. By your grace, help me to trust and to reach out to you in confidence.”

Leviticus 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34-37
Psalm 81:3-6, 10-11

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August 2 2019

Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37

Responsorial Psalm Ps 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab

Alleluia 1 Pt 1:25

Gospel Mt 13:54-58

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, please go here.

For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, please go here.

Readings at Mass

August 2 - Memorial of Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop

Saint Eusebius of Vercelli’s Story

Reflection

August 2 - Memorial of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, priest

Saint Peter Julian Eymard’s Story

Reflection

Meditation: Matthew 13:54-58

Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time