From: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8b-10

Greetings

[1] Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Fidelity

[2] We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our
prayers, [3] remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor
of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. [4] For we know
brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you; [5] for our gospel came to you
not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.
You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

[8b] but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say
anything. [9] For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had
among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
[10] and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus
who delivers us from the wrath to come.

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Commentary:

1. The heading is in keeping with the style of the period: it identifies the writer
and the addressees and contains a greeting. The names of Silvanus and Timo-
thy, co-workers of St Paul, appears alongside his own. The heading is affectio-
nate in tone but it is not the kind of opening typical of a simple family letter.
This is an official letter, which is why two witnesses vouch for its content (in
line with legal requirements: cf. Deut 17:6).

As in certain other letters (cf. 2 Thess, Phil, Philem), St Paul does not describe
himself as an Apostle; the mention of his name is enough to convey his authority.
Silvanus is the same person as Silas whom Acts describes as “prophet” and one
of the “leading men among the brethren” in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 15:22, 32); here
the Latin transcription of his name is used. He had worked alongside St Paul in
the evangelization of Thessalonica, so he would have been well known to the be-
lievers in that city (cf. Acts 17:4). Timothy was son of Gentile father and a Jewish
mother (his mother was a Christian convert); Paul gave him instruction in the faith
when he passed through Lystra during his second missionary journey, and ever
since then he had always been a faithful helper of the Apostle. When St Paul
was writing this letter, Timothy had just arrived in Corinth from Thessalonica with
good reports of the spiritual health of that church (cf. 1 Thess 3:6).

The letter is addressed to “the church of the Thessalonians”. The Greek word
“ekklesia”, meaning “assembly, gathering of the people”, was used from the apo-
stolic age onwards to describe the Church, the new people of God. St Thomas
Aquinas used this verse for his definition of the Church as “the assembly of the
faithful brought together in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ, through
faith in the Trinity and in the divinity and humanity of Christ” (”Commentary on 1
Thess, ad loc.”). “All those, who in faith look toward Jesus, the author of salvation
and the principle of unity and peace, God had gathered together and established
as the Church, that it may be for each and everyone the visible sacrament of this
saving unity” (Vatican II, “Lumen Gentium”, 9).

“Grace to you and peace”: a favorite greeting of St Paul’s, expressing the wish
that they will attain the fullness of heavenly good things. See the note on Rom
1:7).

3. The spiritual life of the Christian is based on the practice of the theological vir-
tues, for “faith encourages men to do good, charity to bear pain and effort, and
hope to resist patiently” (Severian of Gabala, “Commentary on 1 Thess, ad loc.”).

Faith needs to be reflected in one’s conduct, for “faith apart from works is dead”
(Jas 2:26). As St John Chrysostom teaches, “belief and faith are proved by works
— not by simply saying that one believes, but by real actions, which are kept up,
and by a heart burning with love” (”Hom. on 1 Thess, ad loc.”).

The service of others for God’s sake is a proof of charity. A person who practices
this virtue always rises to the occasion and does not try to dodge sacrifice or
effort.

Hope is a virtue which “enables one to endure adversity” (St Thomas, “Commen-
tary on 1 Thess, ad loc.”). St Paul encourages us to rejoice in hope and be pa-
tient in tribulation (cf. Rom 12:12), for hope fills the soul with joy and gives it the
strength to bear every difficulty for love of God.

4. All men are “beloved by God” and, as St Thomas points out, this is the case
“not just in the ordinary sense of having received natural existence from him, but
particularly because he has called them to eternal good things” (”Commentary
on I Thess, ad loc.”). Man’s last end is happiness, and happiness cannot be
found (other than in a relative sense) in wealth, honors, health or sensual satis-
faction; it can only be found in knowing and loving God. By raising man to the
supernatural order, God gave him a supernatural goal or end, which consists in
“seeing God himself, triune and one, as he is, clearly” (Council of Florence,
“Laetentur Coeli”).

Deprived as he was of sanctifying grace on account of original sin and his per-
sonal sins, man was unable to attain any end exceeding his natural powers. But
God loved us so much that he deigned to enable us “to share in the inheritance
of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and
transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Col 1:12-13). Therefore, those
who have been given the preaching of the Gospel and the fruits of Redemption
through Baptism and the other sacraments are the object of a special divine
“choice”. This “choice” or election is not the same as “salvation”; it is an initia-
tive on God’s part prior to the attainment of salvation. To be saved one must
second this action of God by responding freely to grace.

5. St Paul reminds them that what he preached was the “gospel” foretold by the
prophets (cf. Is 40:9; 52:7; 60:6; 61:1) and fulfilled by the Incarnation of the Word
and by his work of salvation. The Apostle was pressed into service by the Holy
Spirit to forward his work of sanctification. The Thessalonians were not won over
by mere human words but by the “power” of God, who made those words effective.
The term “power” refers not only to miraculous actions but also to the Holy Spirit
moving the souls of those who heard Paul’s preaching.

It is true that this activity, like all actions of God outside himself, is something
done by all three Persons of the Blessed Trinity; but in the language of Scripture
and of the Church it is customary “to attribute to the Father those works of the
Divinity in which power excels; to attribute to the Son, those in which wisdom
excels; and to the Holy Spirit, those in which love excels” (Leo XIII, “Divinum Illud
Munus”, 5).

In the early years of the Church the proclamation of the Gospel was often marked
by special graces of the Holy Spirit, such as prophecy, miracles, or the gift of
tongues (cf. Acts 2:8). This profusion of gifts made it clear that the messianic era
had begun (cf. Acts 2:16), for it meant the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies: “I
will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even
upon the menservants and maidservants in those days, I will pour out my spirit”
(Joel 3:1-3).

“In power and in the Holy Spirit”: in line with the divine plan of salvation, the time
of the Old Testament, which prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah, has
reached its end, and a new era has begun, the Christian era, the key feature of
which is the activity of the Spirit of God: “It must be said that the Holy Spirit is
the principal agent of evangelization: it is he who impels each individual to pro-
claim the Gospel, and it is he who in the depths of consciences causes the word
of salvation to be accepted and understood” (Paul VI, “Evangelii Nuntiandi”, 75).

6. St Paul rejoices at the effect God has had on the Thessalonians. It is true that
Christ is “the” model to be imitated, but the Apostle’s own example played its part
in leading them to Christ (cf. 1 Cor 11:1). “To follow Christ: that is the secret. We
must accompany him so closely that we come to live with him, as the first Twelve
did; so closely, that we become identified with him. Soon we will be able to say,
provided we have not put obstacles in the way of grace, that we have put on, have
clothed ourselves with, our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Rom 13:14). Our Lord is then
reflected in our behavior, as in a mirror. If the mirror is as it ought to be, it will
capture our Savior’s most lovable face without distorting it or making a caricature
of it; and then other people will have an opportunity of admiring him and following
him” (St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 299).

“Joy”, which is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22-23), is linked to
unconditional acceptance of the word of God, and helps a person to overcome
any obstacle he or she may meet on his way (cf. Acts 5:41). “One can be joyful
despite lashes and blows, when these are accepted in the cause of Christ”, St
John Chrysostom comments. “A feature of the joy of the Holy Spirit is that it
causes an uncontainable happiness to grow even out of affliction and sorrow [...].
In the natural course of events afflictions do not produce joy: joy is the privilege
of those who accept sufferings for Jesus Christ’s sake; it is one of the good
things bestowed by the Holy Spirit” (”Hom. on 1 Thess, ad loc.”).

7-8. Thessalonica was an important center of trade and a hub of communications
for all Greece. The Christians in the city included a number of important people
and even some women of the aristocracy (cf. Acts 17:4). The social standing of
the converts and the prestige of the city partly explain the rapid spread of Chris-
tian teaching throughout the region.

What the Apostle says here only goes to show that when the Christian life is
given full rein it spreads far and wide. This should give us every encouragement
“always to act in public in accordance with our holy faith” (St. J. Escriva, “Fur-
row”, 46).

9. We can see how happy the Apostle is to learn that the work of evangelization
has borne fruit of conversion to God—which is the whole purpose of Gospel prea-
ching. “For the Church, evangelization means bringing the Good News into all
the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from
within and making it new” (Paul VI, “Evangelii Nuntiandi”, 18).

It is moving to see the way good news spread among the early Christian com-
munities. Obviously anecdotes about the apostolate would go from church to
church; this gave them an occasion to praise God while at the same time pro-
viding encouragement to stay true to Christ and to spread the Gospel.

10. The Christian message has this feature which differentiates it from Judaism—
hope in Christ and expectation of Christ. Two central points of Christian teaching
emerge from this verse: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who rose from the dead,
and he will come again to judge all. St John Chrysostom observes that “in a sin-
gle text St Paul brings together a number of different mysteries concerning Jesus
Christ—his glorious resurrection, his victorious ascension, his future coming, the
judgment, the reward promised to the righteous, and the punishment reserved for
evildoers” (”Hom. on 1 Thess, ad loc.”).

This verse probably contains a form of words used in oral preaching, and perhaps
a profession of faith belonging to early Christian liturgy.

“To wait for his son (to come) from heaven”: that Jesus Christ will come again is
a truth of faith professed in the Creed: “He will come again in glory to judge the
living and the dead.” Christ will be the Judge of all mankind. Everyone will be
personally judged by God twice: “The first judgment takes place when each one
of us departs this life; for then he is instantly placed before the judgment-seat
of God, where all that he has ever done or spoken or thought during life shall be
subjected to the most rigid scrutiny. This is called the particular judgment. The
second occurs when on the same day and in the same place all men shall stand
together before the tribunal of their Judge, that in the presence and hearing of all
human beings of all time each may know his final doom and sentence [...]. This
is called the general judgment” (”St Pius V Catechism”, I, 8, 3).

The “wrath to come” is a metaphor referring to the just punishment of sinners.
Our Lord Jesus Christ will exempt from it those who have consistently tried to
live in the state of grace and fellowship with God. St Teresa of Avila warns that
“it will be a great thing at the hour of death to know that we are going to be
judged by him whom we have loved above all things. We can approach this trial
with confidence. It will not be like going into a strange land but into our own land,
for it is the land that belongs to him whom we love so much and who loves us”
(”Way of Perfection”, 70, 3).

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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 23:13-22

Jesus Indicts the Scribes and Pharisees

(Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees,) [13] “But woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men;
for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. [15]
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to
make a single proselyte, and when he becomes proselyte, you make him twice
as much a child of Hell as yourselves.

[16] “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If any one swears by the temple, it is
nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’
[17] You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made
the gold sacred? [18] And you say, ‘If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing;
but if one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ [19]
You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sa-
cred? [20] So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and everything on it; [21]
and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; [22]
and he who swears by Heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who
sits upon it.”

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Commentary:

13. Here comes our Lord’s invective against the behavior of the scribes and Pha-
risees: His “woes” condemn their past conduct and threaten them with punish-
ment if they do not repent and mend their ways.

14. As RSV points out, “other authorities add here (or after verse 12) verse 14,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses
and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater con-
demnation.” Our Lord is not reproaching them for praying long prayers but for their
hypocrisy and cupidity. By going in for a lot of external religious practices, the
Pharisees wanted to be recognized as devout men and then trade on that reputa-
tion particularly with vulnerable people. Widows, for example, would ask them to
say prayers; the Pharisees in turn would ask for alms. What Jesus means here
is that prayer should always come from an upright heart and a generous spirit.

15. “Proselyte”: a pagan convert to Judaism. The root of the word means “he
who comes”, he who—coming from idolatry—joins the chosen people in response
to a calling from God. The Pharisees spared no effort to gain converts. Our Lord
reproaches them not for this, but because they were concerned only about hu-
man success, their motivation being vainglory.

The sad thing about these proselytes was that, after receiving the light of Old
Testament revelation, they remained under the influence of scribes and Phari-
sees, who passed on to them their own narrow outlook.

22. Our Lord’s teaching about taking oaths is given in the Sermon on the Mount
(Matthew 5:33-37). Jesus does away with the nitpicking casuistry of the Phari-
sees by focusing directly on the uprightness of the intention of the oath-taker
and by stressing the respect due to God’s majesty and dignity. What Jesus
wants is a pure heart, with no element of deceit.

Our Lord particularly reproves any tendency to undermine the content of an oath,
as the Doctors of the Law tended to do, thereby failing to respect holy things and
especially the holy name of God. He therefore draws attention to the command-
ment of the Law which says, ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God
in vain” (Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; Deuteronomy 5:11).

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
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5,8-10 ©

You broke with idolatry when you were converted to God

From Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the Church in Thessalonika which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; wishing you grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We always mention you in our prayers and thank God for you all, and constantly remember before God our Father how you have shown your faith in action, worked for love and persevered through hope, in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We know, brothers, that God loves you and that you have been chosen, because when we brought the Good News to you, it came to you not only as words, but as power and as the Holy Spirit and as utter conviction. And you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your instruction, since it was from you that the word of the Lord started to spread – and not only throughout Macedonia and Achaia, for the news of your faith in God has spread everywhere. We do not need to tell other people about it: other people tell us how we started the work among you, how you broke with idolatry when you were converted to God and became servants of the real, living God; and how you are now waiting for Jesus, his Son, whom he raised from the dead, to come from heaven to save us from the retribution which is coming.

Responsorial Psalm	Psalm 149:1-6,9 ©

The Lord takes delight in his people.

Alleluia!

Sing a new song to the Lord,

his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel rejoice in its Maker,

let Zion’s sons exult in their king.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

Alleluia!

Let them praise his name with dancing

and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.

He crowns the poor with salvation.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

Alleluia!

Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,

shout for joy and take their rest.

Let the praise of God be on their lips:

this honour is for all his faithful.

The Lord takes delight in his people.

Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation	Jn17:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is truth, O Lord:

consecrate us in the truth.

Alleluia!

Or:	Jn10:27

Alleluia, alleluia!

The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,

says the Lord,

I know them and they follow me.

Alleluia!

Gospel
Matthew 23:13-22 ©

Alas for you, blind guides!

Jesus said: ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who shut up the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go in who want to.

‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when you have him you make him twice as fit for hell as you are.

‘Alas for you, blind guides! You who say, “If a man swears by the Temple, it has no force; but if a man swears by the gold of the Temple, he is bound.” Fools and blind! For which is of greater worth, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? Or else, “If a man swears by the altar it has no force; but if a man swears by the offering that is on the altar, he is bound.” You blind men! For which is of greater worth, the offering or the altar that makes the offering sacred? Therefore, when a man swears by the altar he is swearing by that and by everything on it. And when a man swears by the Temple he is swearing by that and by the One who dwells in it. And when a man swears by heaven he is swearing by the throne of God and by the One who is seated there.’

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 23
13.	But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter.	Væ autem vobis scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, quia clauditis regnum cælorum ante homines ! vos enim non intratis, nec introëuntes sinitis intrare.	23:14 ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι κλειετε την βασιλειαν των ουρανων εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων υμεις γαρ ουκ εισερχεσθε ουδε τους εισερχομενους αφιετε εισελθειν
14.	Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment.	Væ vobis scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, quia comeditis domos viduarum, orationes longas orantes ! propter hoc amplius accipietis judicium.	23:13 ουαι δε υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι κατεσθιετε τας οικιας των χηρων και προφασει μακρα προσευχομενοι δια τουτο ληψεσθε περισσοτερον κριμα
15.	Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you go round about the sea and the land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, you make him the child of hell twofold more than yourselves.	Væ vobis scribæ et pharisæi hypocritæ, quia circuitis mare, et aridam, ut faciatis unum proselytum, et cum fuerit factus, facitis eum filium gehennæ duplo quam vos.	ουαι υμιν γραμματεις και φαρισαιοι υποκριται οτι περιαγετε την θαλασσαν και την ξηραν ποιησαι ενα προσηλυτον και οταν γενηται ποιειτε αυτον υιον γεεννης διπλοτερον υμων
16.	Woe to you blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple, is a debtor.	Væ vobis duces cæci, qui dicitis : Quicumque juraverit per templum, nihil est : qui autem juraverit in auro templo, debet.	ουαι υμιν οδηγοι τυφλοι οι λεγοντες ος αν ομοση εν τω ναω ουδεν εστιν ος δ αν ομοση εν τω χρυσω του ναου οφειλει
17.	Ye foolish and blind; for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?	Stulti et cæci : quid enim majus est ? aurum, an templum, quod sanctificat aurum ?	μωροι και τυφλοι τις γαρ μειζων εστιν ο χρυσος η ο ναος ο αγιαζων τον χρυσον
18.	And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is a debtor.	Et quicumque juraverit in altari, nihil est : quicumque autem juraverit in dono, quod est super illud, debet.	και ος εαν ομοση εν τω θυσιαστηριω ουδεν εστιν ος δ αν ομοση εν τω δωρω τω επανω αυτου οφειλει
19.	Ye blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?	Cæci : quid enim majus est, donum, an altare, quod sanctificat donum ?	μωροι και τυφλοι τι γαρ μειζον το δωρον η το θυσιαστηριον το αγιαζον το δωρον
20.	He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things that are upon it:	Qui ergo jurat in altari, jurat in eo, et in omnibus quæ super illud sunt.	ο ουν ομοσας εν τω θυσιαστηριω ομνυει εν αυτω και εν πασιν τοις επανω αυτου
21.	And whosoever shall swear by temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it:	Et quicumque juraverit in templo, jurat in illo, et in eo qui habitat in ipso :	και ο ομοσας εν τω ναω ομνυει εν αυτω και εν τω κατοικησαντι αυτον
22.	And he that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.	et qui jurat in cælo, jurat in throno Dei, et in eo qui sedet super eum.	και ο ομοσας εν τω ουρανω ομνυει εν τω θρονω του θεου και εν τω καθημενω επανω αυτου

(*) v. 19 μωροι, "dull" is omitted in translations.

13. But woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in.

ORIGEN; Christ is truly the Son of that God Who gave the Law; after the example of the blessings pronounced in the Law, did Himself pronounce the blessings of them that are saved; and also after the cursings of the Law, He now sets forth a woe against sinners; Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites. They who allow that it is compatible with goodness to utter these denunciations against sinners, should understand that the purpose of God is the same in the cursings of the Law. Both the cursing there and the woe here fall upon the sinner not from Him who denounces, but from themselves who commit the sins which are denounced, and worthily bring upon themselves the inflictions of God's discipline, appointed for the turning of men to good. So a father rebuking a son utters words of cursing, but does not desire that he should become deserving of those curses, but rather that he should turn himself from them. He adds the cause of this woe, you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor suffer them that are entering to go in. These two commandments are by nature inseparable; because not to suffer others to enter in, is of itself enough to keep the hinderer out.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. By the kingdom of heaven is meant the Scriptures, because in them the kingdom of heaven is lodged; the understanding of these is the door. Or the kingdom of heaven is the blessedness of heaven, and the door thereof Christ, by Whom men enter in. The door-keepers are the Priests, to whom is committed the word of teaching or interpreting Scripture, by which the door of truth is opened to men. The opening of this door is right interpretation. And observe that He said not, Woe unto you, for you open, but, for you shut up; the Scriptures then are not shut up, though they are obscure.

ORIGEN; The Pharisees and the Scribes then would neither enter in, nor hear Him who said, By me if any man enter in he shall be saved; nor would they suffer those to enter in, who were able to have believed through the things which had been spoken before by the Law and the Prophets concerning Christ, but shut up the door with every kind of device to deter men from entering. Also they detracted from His teaching, denied all prophecy concerning Him, and blasphemed every miracle as deceitful, or wrought by the Devil. All who in their evil conversation set an example of sinning to the people, and who commit injustice, offending the weak, seem to shut up the kingdom of heaven before men. And this sin is found among the people, and chiefly among the doctors, when they teach men whet the Gospel righteousness requires of them, but do not what they teach. But those who both teach and live well open to men the kingdom of heaven, and both enter in themselves, and invite others to enter in. Many also will not suffer those who are willing to enter into the kingdom of heaven, when they without reason excommunicate out of jealousy others who are better than themselves; thus they refuse them entrance, but these of sober spirit, overcoming by their patience this tyranny, although forbidden, yet enter in and inherit the kingdom. Also they who with much rashness have set themselves to the profession of teaching before they have learned, and following Jewish fables, detract from those who search out the higher things of Scripture; these do, as far as in them lies, shut out men from the kingdom of heaven.

14. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.

CHRYS. Next the Lord rebukes them for their gluttony, and what was the worst, that not from the rich but from widows they took wherewith to fill their bellies, thus burdening the poverty of those whom they should have relieved.

GLOSS. Devour widow's houses, that is, your superstitions have this only aim, namely, to make a gain of the people that is put under you.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The female sex is imprudent, as not contemplating with reason all that it sees or hears; and weak, as being easily turned either from bad to good, or from good to bad. The male sex is more prudent and hardy. And therefore pretenders to holiness practice most upon women, who are unable to see their hypocrisy, and are easily inclined to love them on the ground of religion. But widows they chiefly choose to attempt; first, because a woman who has her husband to advise her is not so readily deceived; and secondly, she has not the means of giving, being in the power of her husband. The Lord then, whilst He confounds the Jewish Priests, instructs the Christian that they should not frequent widows rather than others, for though their purpose may not be bad, it gives occasion to suspicions.

CHRYS. The manner of this plundering is grievous for they make long prayers. Every one who does evil deserves punishment; but he who takes occasion for his offense from religion, deserves more severe punishment; Therefore you shall receive the greater damnation.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. First, for that you are wicked, and then because you put on the cloak of sanctity. Your covetousness you dress up in the color of religion, and use God's arms in the Devil's service, that iniquity may be loved while it is thought to be piety.

HILARY; Or, because their observance of the kingdom of heaven proceeds hence, that they may keep up their practice of going about to widows' houses, they shall therefore receive the headier judgment, as having their own sin and the ignorance of others to answer for.

GLOSS. Or, because the servant that knew his Lord's will and did it not, shall be beaten with many stripes.

15. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites for you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

CHRYS. This the next charge against them is, that they are unequal to the salvation of many, seeing they need so much labor to bring one to salvation; and not only are they slack in conversion, but destroy even those whom they do convert, by corrupting them by example of evil life.

HILARY; That they compass sea and land signifies that throughout the whole world they shall be enemies of Christ's Gospel, and shall bring men under the yoke of the Law against the justification of faith. There were proselytes made into the Synagogue from among the Gentiles, the small number of whom is here denoted by what is said one proselyte. For after the preaching of Christ there was no faith left in their doctrine, but whoever was gained to the faith of the Jews became a child of hell.

ORIGEN; For all who Judaize since the coming of the Savior, are taught to follow the temper of those who cried at that time, Crucify, crucify him.

HILARY; And he becomes the child of a twofold punishment, because he has not obtained remission of his Gentile sins, and because he has joined the society of those who persecuted Christ.

JEROME; Or otherwise; The Scribes and Pharisees compassed the whole world to make proselytes of the Gentiles, that is, to mix the uncircumcised stranger with the people of God.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. And that not of compassion from desire to save him whom they taught, but either from covetousness, that the greater number of worshipers might increase the number of offerings made in sacrifice, or out of vain glory. For he who sinks himself in a slough of sins, how should he be desirous to rescue another out of them? Will a man be more merciful to another than to himself? By a man's actions therefore it may be known whether he seeks another's conversion for God's sake, or out of vain glory.

GREG. But forasmuch as hypocrites though they do ever crooked things, yet cease not to speak right things, and thus by their good instructions beget sons, but are not able to bring them up by good life, but the more they give themselves up to worldly works, the more willingly do they suffer those whom they have begotten to work the same. And because their hearts are hardened, these very sons whom they have begotten they do not own by any sign of the affection due. Wherefore it is here said of the hypocrites, And when he is made, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

AUG. This He said not because proselytes were circumcised, but because they imitated the lives of those from following whom He had prohibited His disciples, saying, Do you not after their works. Two things are observable in this command; first, the honor shown to Moses' teaching, that even wicked men when sitting in his seat are compelled to teach good things; and that the proselyte is made a child of hell, not by hearing the words of the Law, but by following their doings. And twofold more than they for this reason, that he neglects to fulfill what he had undertaken of his own choice, having been not born a Jew, but of free will become a Jew.

JEROME; Or, because before while he was a Gentile he erred in ignorance and was only a child of hell; but seeing the vices of his masters, and understanding that they destroyed in their actions what they taught in words, he returns to his vomit, and becoming a Gentile, he is worthier of greater punishment as one that has deserted his cause.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. Or, because while he was a worshiper of idols, he observed righteousness even because of men; but when he became a Jew, prompted by the example of evil teachers, he became worse than his teachers.

CHRYS. For a disciple imitates a virtuous master, but goes beyond a vicious one.

JEROME; He is called a child of hell in the same way as one is said to be a child of perdition, and a child of this world; every man is called the son of him whose works he does.

ORIGEN; From this place we learn that there will be a difference of torment in hell, seeing one is here said to be singly a child of hell, another twofold. And we ought to consider here whether it is possible that a man should be generally a child of hell, as a Jew, suppose, or a Gentile, or whether specially so in consequence of some particular sins; that as righteous man is increased in glory by the abundance of his righteousness, so a sinner's punishment is increased manifold by the number of his sins.

16. Woe unto you, you blind guides, which say, Whoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
17. You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifies the gold?
18. And, Whoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
19. You fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifies the gift?
20. Who therefore shall swear by the altar, swears by it, and by all things thereon.
21. And whoever shall swear by the temple, swears by it, and by him that dwells therein.
22. And he that shall swear by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him that sits thereon.

JEROME; As by making broad phylacteries and fringes they sought after the reputation of sanctity, and made this again a means of gain, so now He charges them with being teachers of wickedness by their fraudulent presence of tradition. For when in any dispute or quarrel, or ambiguous cause, one swore by the temple, and was afterwards convicted of falsehood, he was not held guilty. This is what is meant by that, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing, that is, he owes nothing, But if he had sworn by the gold, or by the money which was offered to the Priests in the temple, he was immediately compelled to pay down that by which he had sworn.

PSEUDO-CHRYS. The temple pertains to God's glory, and to man's spiritual salvation, but the gold of the temple though it pertains to the glory of God, yet does it more so to the delight of man, and the profit of the Priests. The Jews then pronounced the gold which delighted them, and the gifts which fed them, to be more holy than the temple, that they might make men more I disposed to offer gifts, than to pour out prayers in the temple. Whence the Lord suitably reproves them in these words Yet have some Christians at present an equally foolish notion See, they say, in any suit if one swear by God, it seems nought; but if one swear by the Gospel, he seems to have e done some great thing. To whom we shall say in like manner, you fools and blind! the Scriptures were written because of God, God is not because of the Scriptures. Greater therefore is God, than what is hallowed by Him.

JEROME; Again, if one swore by the altar, none held him guilty of perjury; but if he swore by the gift or the victims or the other things which are offered to God upon the altar, this they exacted most rigorously And all this they did not out of fear of God, but out of covetousness.

Thus the Lord charges them with both folly and fraud, inasmuch as the altar is much greater than the victims which are sanctified by the altar.

GLOSS. And lest their infatuation should go so far, that they should affirm that the gold was more holy than the temple, and the gift than the altar,

He argues on another ground, that in the oath which is sworn by the temple and the altar is contained the oath by the gold or by the gift.

ORIGEN; In like manner the custom which the Jews had of swearing by the Heaven He reprobates. For they did not, as they supposed, avoid the danger of taking an oath by God, because, Whoever swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God, and by him that sits thereon.

GLOSS. For whoever swears by the creature that is subject, swears by the Divinity that rules over the creation.

ORIGEN; Now an oath is in confirmation of somewhat that has been spoken. The oath here then may signify testimony of Scripture which we produce in confirmation of that word which we speak. So that Divine Scripture is the temple of God, the gold is the meaning which it contains. As the gold which is Outside the Temple is not sanctified, so all thoughts which are without divine Scripture, however admirable they may seem, are not hallowed. We ought not therefore to bring any Speculations of our own for the confirmation of doctrine, unless such as we can show are hallowed by being contained in divine Scripture.

The altar is the human heart, which is the chief thing in man. The offerings and gifts that are hid upon the altar, are every thing which are done in the heart, as to pray, to sing, to do alms, to fast. Every offering of a man then is sanctified by his heart, by which the offering is made. There cannot therefore be a more honorable offering than the heart of man, out of which the offering proceeds. If then one's conscience does not smite him, he has confidence towards God, not by reason of his gifts, but so to speak because he has rightly ordered the altar of his heart. Thirdly, we may say that over the temple, that is over every Scripture, and over the altar, that is over every heart, there is a certain meaning which is called the Heaven, the throne of God Himself, in which we shall be able to see the things that are revealed face to face, when that which is perfect is come.

HILARY; For since Christ is come, reliance upon the Law is vain; for not Christ by the Law, but the Law by Christ, is sanctified, in whom it rests as on a seat or throne; so are they fools and blind, who, overlooking the sanctifier, pay honor to the things sanctified.

AUG. The temple and altar we may also understand of Christ Himself ; the gold and the gifts, of' the praise and sacrifice of prayer which we offer in Him and through Him. For not He by them, but they by Him, are sanctified.

Catena Aurea Matthew 23

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Joyful Mysteries

(Mondays and Saturdays)

1. The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38) [Spiritual fruit - Humility]
2. The Visitation (Luke 1: 39-56) [Spiritual fruit - Love of Neighbor]
3. The Nativity (Luke 2:1-20) [Spiritual fruit - Poverty of Spirit]
4. The Presentation (Luke 2:21-38) [Spiritual fruit - Purity of mind & body]
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41-52) [Spiritual fruit - Obedience ]

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August 26 2019

Monday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 1 Thes 1:1-5, 8b-10

Responsorial Psalm Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

Alleluia Jn 10:27

Gospel Mt 23:13-22

Readings at Mass