Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 10-17-2020, Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

CHAP. 12

12:8–12

8. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

9. But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

10. And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

11. And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

12. For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

BEDE. It was said above, that every hidden work and word is to be revealed, but He now declares that this revelation is to take place in the presence of the heavenly city and the eternal Judge and King; saying, But I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me, &c.

AMBROSE. He has also well introduced faith, stimulating us to its confession, and to faith itself He has placed virtue as a foundation. For as faith is the incentive to fortitude, so is fortitude the strong support of faith.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. 34. in Matt.) The Lord is not then content with an inward faith, but requires an outward confession, urging us to confidence and greater love. And since this is useful for all, He speaks generally, saying, Whosoever shall confess me, &c.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. Now Paul says, If thou wilt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Rom. 10:9.) The whole mystery of Christ is conveyed in these words. For we must first confess that the Word born of God the Father, that is, the only-begotten Son of His substance, is Lord of all, not as one who had gained His Lordship from without and by stealth, but who is in truth by His nature Lord, as well as the Father. Next we must confess that God raised Him from the dead, who was Himself truly made man, and suffered in the flesh for us; for such He rose from the dead. Whoever then will so confess Christ before men, namely, as God and the Lord, Christ will confess him before the angels of God at that time when He shall descend with the holy angels in the glory of His Father at the end of the world.

EUSEBIUS. But what will be more glorious than to have the only-begotten Word of God Himself to bear witness in our behalf at the divine judgment, and by His own love to draw forth as a recompense for confession, a declaration upon that soul to whom He bears witness, For not as abiding without him to whom He bears witness, but as dwelling in him and filling him with light, He will give His testimony. But having confirmed them with good hope by so great promises, He again rouses them by more alarming threats, saying, But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the Angels of God.

CHRYSOSTOM. (ubi sup.) Both in condemnation a greater punishment is announced, and in blessing a greater reward; as if He said, Now you confess and deny, but I then, for a far greater recompense of good and evil awaits them in the world to come.

EUSEBIUS. He rightly declares this threatening, in order that none should refuse to confess Him by reason of the punishment, which is to be denied by the Son of God, to be disowned by Wisdom, to fall away from life, to be deprived of light, and to lose every blessing; but all these things to suffer before God the Father who is in heaven, and the Angels of God.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. Now they who deny are first indeed those who in time of persecution renounce the faith. Besides these, there are heretical teachers also, and their disciples.

CHRYSOSTOM. There are other modes also of denying which St. Paul describes, saying, They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him. (Tit. 1:16.) And again, If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1 Tim. 5:8.) Also, Flee from covetousness, which is idolatry. (Col. 3:5.) Since then there are so many modes of denial, it is plain that there are many likewise of confession, which whosoever has practised, shall hear that most blessed voice with which Christ greets all who have confessed Him. But mark the precaution of the words. For in the Greek he says, Whosoever shall confess in Me, shewing that not by his own strength, but by the aid of grace from above, a man confesses Christ. But of him who denies, He said not “in Me,” but me. For though being destitute of grace he denies, he is nevertheless condemned, because the destitution is owing to him who is forsaken, or he is forsaken for his own fault.

BEDE. But lest from what He says, that those who have denied Him are to be denied, it should be supposed that the condition of all was alike, that is, both of those who deny deliberately, and those who deny from infirmity or ignorance, He immediately added, And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. But if our Saviour means to imply, that if any injurious word is spoken by us against a common man, we shall obtain pardon if we repent, there is no difficulty in the passage, for since God is by nature merciful, He restores those who are willing to repent. But if the words are referred to Christ how is he not to be condemned who speaks a word against Him?

AMBROSE. Truly by the Son of Man we understand Christ, Who by the Holy Spirit was born of a virgin, seeing that His only parent on earth is the Virgin. What then, is the Holy Spirit greater than Christ, that they who sin against Christ should obtain pardon, while they who offend against the Holy Spirit are not thought worthy to obtain it? But where there is unity of power there is no question of comparison.

ATHANASIUS. (Ep. 4. ad Serap.) The ancients indeed, the learned Origen and the great Theognostus, describe this to be the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, when they who have been counted worthy of the gift of the Holy Spirit in Baptism, fall back into sin. For they say that for this reason they can not obtain pardon; as Paul says, It is impossible for those who have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost to renew them again, &c. (Heb. 6:4.)

But each adds his own explanation. For Origen gives this as his reason; God the Father indeed penetrates and contains all things, but the power of the Son extends to rational things only; the Holy Spirit is only in those who partake of Him in the gift of Baptism. When then catechumens and heathens sin, they sin against the Son who abideth in them, yet they may obtain pardon when they become worthy of the gift of regeneration. But when the baptized commit sin, he says that their offence touches the Spirit, after coming to whom they have sinned, and therefore their condemnation must be irrevocable.

But Theognostus says, that he who has gone beyond both the first and second threshold deserves less punishment, but he who has also passed the third, shall no more receive pardon. By the first and second threshold, he speaks of the doctrine of the Father and the Son, but by the third the partaking of the Holy Spirit. According to St. John, When the Spirit of truth is come, he will lead you into all truth. (John 16:13.) Not as though the doctrine of the Spirit was above that of the Son, but because the Son condescends to those who are imperfect, but the Spirit is the seal of those who are perfect. If then not because the Spirit is above the Son, blasphemy against the Spirit is unpardonable; but because remission of sin is indeed to the imperfect, but no excuse remains to the perfect, therefore since the Son is in the Father, He is in those in whom the Father and the Spirit are not absent, for the Holy Trinity cannot be divided. Besides this, if all things were made by the Son, and all things consist in Him, He will Himself be truly in all; so that it must needs be, that he who sinneth against the Son, sinneth against the Father also, and against the Holy Spirit. But holy Baptism is given in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And so they that sin after baptism commit blasphemy against the holy Trinity. But if the Pharisees had not received baptism, how did He condemn them as if they had spoken blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, of which they were not yet partakers, especially since He did not accuse them simply of sin, but of blasphemy? But these differ, for he who sins transgresses the Law, but he who blasphemes offends against the Deity Himself. But again, if to those who sin after baptism there is no remission of the punishment of their offences, how does the Apostle pardon the penitent at Corinth; (2 Cor. 11:10) but he travails in birth of the backsliding Galatians until Christ be formed again in them. (Gal. 4:19.)

And why also do we oppose Novatus, who does away with repentance after baptism? The Apostle to the Hebrews does not thus reject the repentance of sinners, but lest they should suppose that as according to the rites of the Law, under the veil of repentance there could be many and daily baptisms, he therefore warns them indeed to repent, but tells them that there could be only one renewal, namely, by Baptism. But with such considerations I return to the dispensation (οἰκονομίαν) which is in Christ, who being God was made man; as very God raised the dead; as clothed with the flesh, thirsted, laboured, suffered. When any then, looking to human things, see the Lord athirst or in suffering, and speak against the Saviour as if against a man, they sin indeed, yet may speedily on repentance receive pardon, alleging as excuse the weakness of His body. And again when any, beholding the works of Deity, doubt concerning the nature of our Lord’s body, they also sin grievously. But these too if they repent may be quickly pardoned, seeing that they have an excuse in the greatness of the works. But when they refer the works of God to the Devil, justly do they undergo the irrevocable sentence, because they have judged God to be the Devil, and the true God to have nothing more in His works than the evil spirits. To this unbelief then the Pharisees had come. For when the Saviour manifested the works of the Father, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, and such like deeds, they said that these were the works of Beelzebub. As well might they say, looking at the order of the world and the providence exercised over it, that the world was created by Beelzebub. As long then as regarding human things they erred in knowledge, saying, Is not this the carpenter’s son, and how knoweth this man things which he never learnt? He suffered them as sinning against the Son of man; but when they wax more furious, saying that the works of God are the works of Beelzebub, He no longer endured them. For thus also He endured their fathers so long as their murmurings were for bread and water; but when having found a calf, they impute to it the divine mercies they had received, they were punished. At first indeed multitudes of them were slain, afterwards He said indeed, Nevertheless, in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. (Exod. 32:34.) Such then is the sentence passed upon the Pharisees, that in the flame prepared for the devil they shall be together with him everlastingly consumed. Not then to make comparison between a blasphemy spoken against Himself and the Holy Spirit said He these things, as if the Spirit were the greater, but each blasphemy being uttered against Him, He shews the one to be greater, the other less. For looking at Him as man they reviled Him, and said that His works were those of Beelzebub.

AMBROSE. Thus it is thought by some that we should believe both the Son and the Holy Spirit to be the same Christ, preserving the distinction of Persons with the unity of the substance, since Christ both God and man is one Spirit, as it is written, The Spirit before our face, Christ the Lord; (Lam. 4:20.) the same Spirit is holy, for both the Father is holy, and the Son holy, and the Spirit holy. If then Christ is each, what difference is there except we know that it is not lawful for us to deny the divinay of Christ?

BEDE. Or else; Whoso saith that the works of the Holy Spirit are those of Beelzebub, it shall not be forgiven him either in the present world, or in that which is to come. Not that we deny that if he could come to repentance he could be forgiven by God, but that we believe that such a blasphemer as by the necessity of his deserts he would never come to forgiveness, so neither to the fruits themselves of a worthy repentance; according to that, He hath blinded their eyes, so that they should not be converted, and I should heal them. (Isa. 6:10.)

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. But if the Holy Spirit were a creature, and not of the divine substance of the Father and the Son, how does an injury committed against Him entail upon it so great a punishment as is denounced against those that blaspheme against God?

BEDE. Nor however are all they who say that the Spirit is not holy, or is not God, but is inferior to the Father and the Son, involved in the crime of unpardonable blasphemy, because they are led to do it through human ignorance, not a demoniacal hatred, as the rulers of the Jews were.

AUGUSTINE. (Serm. 71.) Or if it were here said, “Who hath spoken any blasphemy whatever against the Holy Spirit,” we ought then to understand thereby “all blasphemy;” but because it was said, who blasphemeth against the Holy Spirit, let it be understood of him that blasphemed not in any way, but in such a manner that it can never be pardoned him. For so when it was said, The Lord tempteth no man, (James 1:13.) that is not spoken of every, but only of a certain kind of temptation. Now what that kind of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is, let us sec. The first blessing of believers is forgiveness of sins in the Holy Spirit. Against this free gift the impenitent heart speaks. Impenitence itself therefore is blasphemy against the Spirit, which is neither forgiven in this world, nor in that which is to come; for repentance gains that forgiveness in this world which is to avail in the world to come.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. But the Lord after having inspired such great fear, and prepared men to resist those who depart from a right confession, commanded them for the rest to take no care what they should answer, because for those who are faithfully disposed, the Holy Spirit frames fit words, as their teacher, and dwelling within them. Whence it follows, And when they shall bring you into synagogues, take no thought how or what ye shall answer.

GLOSS. (inter.) Now he says, how, with respect to the manner of speaking, what, with respect to the manner of intention. How ye shall answer to those who ask, or what ye shall say to those who wish to learn.

BEDE. For when we are led for Christ’s sake before judges, we ought to offer only our will for Christ, but in answering, the Holy Spirit will supply His grace, as it is added, For the Holy Spirit will leach you, &c.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. 33. in Matt.) But elsewhere it is said, Be ready to answer every one who shall ask you for a reason of the hope that is in you. When indeed a contest or strife arises among friends, He bids us take thought, but when there are the terrors of a court of justice and fear on every side, He gives His own strength so as to inspire boldness and utterance, but not dismay.

THEOPHYLACT. Since then our weakness is twofold, and either from fear of punishment we shun martyrdom, or because we are ignorant and can not give a reason of our faith, he has excluded both; the fear of punishment in that He said, Fear not them which kill the body, but the fear of ignorance, when He said, Take no thought how or what ye shall answer, &c.

NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY (RSV)

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From: Ephesians 1:15-23

Thanksgiving. The Supremacy of Christ
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[15] For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, [16] I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, [17] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, [18] having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, [19] and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might [20] which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead and made him sit at the right hand in the heavenly places, [2I] far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; [22] and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, [23] which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

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Commentary:

15-23. The news the Apostle has received moves him to thanksgiving and prayer (vv. 15-16). But he immediately returns to contemplate how wonderful it is to know God's goodness, and he asks God to give this gift to the readers of his letter (vv. 17-19). His petition hinges on Jesus Christ, through whom God has revealed his power by giving him dominion (vv. 20-21) and establishing him as head of the Church (vv. 22-23).

15-16. St Paul's solicitude sets a wonderful example, especially for those whose responsibility it is to give Christian instruction to others. Like him, they should pray for those entrusted to their care; they should thank God for their spiritual progress and ask the Holy Spirit to give them the gift of wisdom and understanding. "Fulfill the task entrusted to you with all diligence of body and soul", St Ignatius of Antioch exhorts Polycarp. "Pay special attention to unity for there is nothing more important than this. Make yourself the support of all and sundry, as the Lord is to you. Bear lovingly with them all, as you are doing at present. Pray constantly and beg for ever greater gifts of wisdom. Be watchful and always awake in spirit. Address yourself to people personally, as is the way of God himself' (Letter to Polycarp, I, 2-3).

This "faith in the Lord Jesus" is not just a matter of believing in Jesus Christ full stop; it is a complete system of belief which is founded on Jesus Christ: those who have received the gift of faith live in Christ, and this life in Christ means that their faith is truly a living faith, one which expresses itself in "love towards all the saints". Faith makes us discover that every baptized person is a son or daughter of God, and thus Christians' fraternal love is a logical consequence of this insight.

17. The God whom St Paul addresses is "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ", that is, the God who has revealed himself through Christ and to whom Jesus himself, as man, prays and asks for help (cf. Lk 22:42). The same God as was described in the Old Testament as "the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob" is now defined as "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ". He is the personal God recognized by his relationship with Christ, his Son, who as mediator of the New Covenant obtains from God the Father everything he asks for. This will be our own experience too if we are united to Christ, for he promised that "if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name" (Jn 16:23; 15:16).

The founder of Opus Dei reminds us that "Jesus is the way, the mediator. In him are all things; outside of him is nothing. In Christ, taught by him, we dare to call Almighty God 'our Father': he who created heaven and earth is a loving Father" (Christ Is Passing By, 91).

The Apostle also calls God "the Father of glory". The glory of God means his greatness, his power, the infinite richness of his personality, which when it is revealed inspires man with awe. Already, in the history of Israel, God revealed himself through his saving actions in favor of his people. Asking God to glorify his name is the same as asking him to show himself as our Savior and to give us his gifts. But the greatest manifestation of God's glory, of his power, was the raising of Jesus from the dead, and the raising, with him, of the Christian (cf. Rom 6:4; 1 Cor 6:14). In this passage St Paul asks God "the Father of glory" to grant Christians supernatural wisdom to recognize the greatness of the blessings he has given them through his Son; that is, to acknowledge that he is their Father and the origin of glory. By asking for a "spirit of wisdom and revelation" the Apostle is seeking special gifts--on the one hand, wisdom, that gift of the Holy Spirit which enables one to penetrate the mystery of God: "Who has learned thy counsel, unless thou hast given wisdom and sent thy holy Spirit from on high?" (Wis 9:17). This wisdom which the Church has been given (cf. Eph l:8) can be communicated to Christians in a special way, as a special gift or charism of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle also asks God to give them a spirit "of revelation", that is, the grace of personal revelations, such as he himself (cf. 1 Cor 14:6) and other Christians (cf. 1 Cor 14:26) received. It is not a matter of revelation or recognition of new truths, but rather of special light from the Holy Spirit so as to have a deeper appreciation of the truth of faith, or of the will of God in a particular situation.

18-19. Along with this deeper knowledge of God, St Paul asks that Christians be given a fuller and livelier hope, because God and hope are inseparable. He recognizes the faith and charity of the faithful to whom he is writing (cf. 1:15); now he wants hope to shine more brightly for them; he wants God to enlighten their minds and make them realize the consequences of their election, their calling, to be members of the holy people of God, the Church. Hope, therefore, is a gift from God. "Hope is a supernatural virtue, infused by God into our soul, by which we desire and expect eternal life, promised by God to his servants, and the means necessary to obtain it" (St Pius X Catechism, 893).

The ground for hope lies in God's love and power which have been manifested in the resurrection of Christ. This same power is at work in the Christian. Because God's plan for our salvation is an eternal one, he who has called us will lead us to an immortal life in heaven. The fact that God's power is at work in us (cf. Rom 5:5) does not mean that we encounter no difficulties. Monsignor Escriva reminds us that "as we fight this battle, which will last until the day we die, we cannot exclude the possibility that enemies both within and without may attack with violent force. As if that were not enough, you may at times be assailed by the memory of your own past errors, which may have been very many. I tell you now, in God's name: do not despair. Should this happen (it need not happen; nor will it usually happen), then turn it into another motive for uniting yourself more closely to the Lord, for he has chosen you as his child and he will not abandon you. He has allowed this trial to befall you so as to have you love him the more and discover even more clearly his constant protection and love" (Friends of God, 214).

20-21. The Apostle is in awe at the marvels which God's power has worked in Jesus Christ. He sees Christ as the source and model of our hope. "For, just as Christ's life is the model and exemplar of our holiness, so is the glory and exaltation of Christ the form and exemplar of our glory and exaltation" (St Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Eph, ad. Ioc.).

As elsewhere in the New Testament (cf. Acts 7:56; Heb 1:3; 1 Pet 3:22), the fact that the risen Christ is seated "at the right hand" of the Father means that he shares in God's kingly authority. The Apostle is using a comparison with which people of his time were very familiar--that of the emperor seated on his throne. The throne has always been the symbol of supreme authority and power. Thus, the St Pius V Catechism explains that being seated at the right hand "does not imply position or posture of body, but expresses the firm and permanent possession of royal and supreme power and glory, which he received from the Father" (I, 7, 3).

Christ's pre-eminence is absolute: he is Lord of all creation, material as well as spiritual, earthly as well as heavenly. "All rule and authority and power and dominion": this refers to the angelic spirits (cf. note on Eph 3:10), whom the false preachers were presenting as superior to Christ. St Paul argues against them: Jesus Christ at his resurrection was raised by God above all created beings.

22-23. In previous letters St Paul described the Church as a body (cf. Rom 12:4f; 1 Cor 12:12ff). Here, and in Colossians 1:18, he pursues this comparison and says that it is the body of Christ, and that Christ is its head. He returns to this teaching elsewhere in the Captivity Epistles (cf. Col 1:18; Eph 5:23f). The image of body and head highlights the life-giving and salvific influence of Christ on the Church, and at the same time emphasizes his supremacy over the Church (cf. St Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Eph, ad loc., and also the note on Col 1:18). This fact fills Christians with joy: by joining the Church through Baptism, they have become truly members of our Lord's body. "No, it is not pride", Paul VI says, " nor arrogance nor obstinacy nor stupidity nor folly that makes us so sure of being living, genuine members of Christ's body, the authentic heirs of his Gospel" (Ecclesiam Suam, 33).

This image also reveals Christ's close union with his Church and his deep love for her: "he loved her so much", St John of Avila observes, "that although what normally happens is that a person raises his arm to take a blow and protect his head, this blessed Lord, who is the head, put himself forward to receive the blow of divine justice, and died on the Cross to give life to his body, that is, us. And after giving us life, through penance and the sacraments, he endows us, defends and keeps us as something so very much his own, that he is not content with calling us his servants, friends, brethren or children: the better to show his love and render us honor, he gives us his name. For, by means of this ineffable union of Christ the head with the Church his body, he and we are together called 'Christ"' (Audi, Filia, chap. 84).

The Apostle also describes the Church, the body of Christ (cf. 1 Cor 12:12) as his "fullness" (cf. note on Col 1:19). What he means is that, through the Church, Christ becomes present in and fills the entire universe and extends to it the fruits of his redemptive activity. By being the vehicle which Christ uses to distribute his grace to all, the Church is different from the Israel of the Old Testament: it is not confined to a particular geographical location. Because the Church has limitless grace, its call is addressed to all mankind: all men are invited to attain salvation in Christ. "For many centuries now, the Church has been spread throughout the world," Monsignor Escriva comments, "and it numbers persons of all races and walks of life. But the universality of the Church does not depend on its geographical extension, even though that is a visible sign and a motive of credibility. The Church was catholic already at Pentecost; it was born catholic from the wounded heart of Jesus, as a fire which the Holy Spirit enkindles [...]. 'We call it catholic', writes St Cyril, 'not only because it is spread throughout the whole world, from one extreme to the other, but because in a universal way and without defect it teaches all the dogmas which men ought to know, of both the visible and the invisible, the celestial and the earthly. Likewise, because it draws to true worship all types of men, those who govern and those who are ruled, the learned and the ignorant. And finally, because it cures and makes healthy all kinds of sins, whether of the soul or of the body, possessing in addition--by whatever name it may be called—all the forms of virtue, in deeds and in words and in every kind of spiritual gift' (Catechesis, 18, 23)" (In Love with the Church, 9).

All grace reaches the Church through Christ. The Second Vatican Council reminds us: "He continually endows his body, that is, the Church, with gifts of ministries through which, by his power, we serve each other unto salvation so that, carrying out the truth in love, we may through all things grow into him who is our head" (Lumen Gentium, 7). This is why St Paul calls the Church the "body" of Christ; and it is in this sense that it is the "fullness" (pleroma) of Christ--not because it in any way fills out or completes Christ but because it is filled with Christ, full of Christ, forming a single body with him, a single spiritual organism, whose unifying and life-giving principle is Christ, its head. This demonstrates Christ's absolute supremacy; his unifying and life-giving influence extends from God to Christ, from Christ to the Church, and from the Church to all men. It is he in fact who fills all in all (cf. Eph 4:10; Col 1:17-19; 2:9f).

The fact that the Church is the body of Christ is a further reason why we should love it and serve it. As Pope Pius XII wrote: "To ensure that this genuine and whole-hearted love will reign in our hearts and grow every day, we must accustom ourselves to see Christ himself in the Church. For it is indeed Christ who lives in the Church, and through her teaches, governs and sanctifies; and it is also Christ who manifests himself in manifold disguise in the various members of his society" (Mystici Corporis, 43).

From: Luke 12:8-12

Various Teachings of Jesus (Continuation)
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(Jesus said to His disciples,) [8] "And I tell you, every one who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God; [9] but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God. [10] And every one who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. [11] And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; [12] for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

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Commentary:

8-9. This follows logically from Christ's previous teaching: worse than physical evils, worse even than death, are evils of the soul, that is, sin. Those who out of fear of temporal suffering deny our Lord and are unfaithful to the demands of the faith will fall into a greater evil still: they will be denied by Christ Himself on the Day of Judgment; whereas those who are penalized in this life because of their faithfulness to Christ will receive the eternal reward of being recognized by Him and will come to share His glory.

10. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists in maliciously attributing to the devil actions which have God as their origin. A person who does that prevents God's pardon from reaching him: that is why he cannot obtain forgiveness (cf. Matthew 12:31; Mark 3:28-30). Jesus understands and excuses the weakness of a person who makes a moral mistake, but He is not similarly indulgent to someone who shuts his eyes and his heart to the wonderful things the Spirit does; that was the way these Pharisees acted who accused Jesus of casting out demons in the name of Beelzebul; it is the way unbelieving people act who refuse to see in Christ's work a sign of the goodness of God, who reject the invitation God offers them and who thereby put themselves outside the reach of salvation (cf. Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-31). See the note on Mark 3:28-30.

[The note on Mark 3:28-30 states:
28-30. Jesus has just worked a miracle but the scribes refuse to recognize it "for they had said `He has an unclean spirit'" (verse 30). They do not want to admit that God is the author of the miracle. In this attitude lies the special gravity of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit--attributing to the prince of evil, to Satan, the good works performed by God Himself. Anyone acting in this way will become like the sick person who has so lost confidence in the doctor that he rejects him as if an enemy and regards as poison the medicine that can save his life. That is why our Lord says that he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not forgiven: not because God cannot forgive all sins, but because that person, in his blindness towards God, rejects Jesus Christ, His teaching and His miracles, and despises the graces of the Holy Spirit as if they were designed to trap him (cf. St. Pius V Catechism, II, 5, 19; St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, II-II, q. 14, a. 3).]

Daily Word for Reflection -- The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries

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Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)	Spanish: La Biblia de las Américas
8.	And I say to you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.	Dico autem vobis : Omnis quicumque confessus fuerit me coram hominibus, et Filius hominis confitebitur illum coram angelis Dei :	λεγω δε υμιν πας ος αν ομολογηση εν εμοι εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων και ο υιος του ανθρωπου ομολογησει εν αυτω εμπροσθεν των αγγελων του θεου	Y os digo, que a todo el que me confiese delante de los hombres, el Hijo del Hombre le confesará también ante los ángeles de Dios;
9.	But he that shall deny me before men, shall be denied before the angels of God.	qui autem negaverit me coram hominibus, negabitur coram angelis Dei.	ο δε αρνησαμενος με ενωπιον των ανθρωπων απαρνηθησεται ενωπιον των αγγελων του θεου	pero el que me niegue delante de los hombres, será negado delante de los ángeles de Dios.
10.	And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but to him that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.	Et omnis qui dicit verbum in Filium hominis, remittetur illi : ei autem qui in Spiritum Sanctum blasphemaverit, non remittetur.	και πας ος ερει λογον εις τον υιον του ανθρωπου αφεθησεται αυτω τω δε εις το αγιον πνευμα βλασφημησαντι ουκ αφεθησεται	Y a todo el que diga una palabra contra el Hijo del Hombre, se le perdonará; pero al que blasfeme contra el Espíritu Santo, no se le perdonará.
11.	And when they shall bring you into the synagogues, and to magistrates and powers, be not solicitous how or what you shall answer, or what you shall say;	Cum autem inducent vos in synagogas, et ad magistratus, et potestates, nolite solliciti esse qualiter, aut quid respondeatis, aut quid dicatis.	οταν δε προσφερωσιν υμας επι τας συναγωγας και τας αρχας και τας εξουσιας μη μεριμνατε πως η τι απολογησησθε η τι ειπητε	Y cuando os lleven a las sinagogas y ante los gobernantes y las autoridades, no os preocupéis de cómo o de qué hablaréis en defensa propia, o qué vais a decir;
12.	For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what you must say.	Spiritus enim Sanctus docebit vos in ipsa hora quid oporteat vos dicere.	το γαρ αγιον πνευμα διδαξει υμας εν αυτη τη ωρα α δει ειπειν	porque el Espíritu Santo en esa misma hora os ensenará lo que debéis decir.

Twenty-eighth Saturday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1

Responsorial Psalm

Alleluia

Gospel

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

CHAP. 12