Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings 18-April-2022

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 28
8.	And they went out quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, running to tell his disciples.	Et exierunt cito de monumento cum timore et gaudio magno, currentes nuntiare discipulis ejus.	και εξελθουσαι ταχυ απο του μνημειου μετα φοβου και χαρας μεγαλης εδραμον απαγγειλαι τοις μαθηταις αυτου
9.	And behold Jesus met them, saying: All hail. But they came up and took hold of his feet, and adored him.	Et ecce Jesus occurrit illis, dicens : Avete. Illæ autem accesserunt, et tenuerunt pedes ejus, et adoraverunt eum.	ως δε επορευοντο απαγγειλαι τοις μαθηταις αυτου και ιδου ιησους απηντησεν αυταις λεγων χαιρετε αι δε προσελθουσαι εκρατησαν αυτου τους ποδας και προσεκυνησαν αυτω
10.	Then Jesus said to them: Fear not. Go, tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, there they shall see me.	Tunc ait illis Jesus : Nolite timere : ite, nuntiare fratribus meis ut eant in Galilæam ; ibi me videbunt.	τοτε λεγει αυταις ο ιησους μη φοβεισθε υπαγετε απαγγειλατε τοις αδελφοις μου ινα απελθωσιν εις την γαλιλαιαν και εκει με οψονται
11.	Who when they were departed, behold some of the guards came into the city, and told the chief priests all things that had been done.	Quæ cum abiissent, ecce quidam de custodibus venerunt in civitatem, et nuntiaverunt principibus sacerdotum omnia quæ facta fuerant.	πορευομενων δε αυτων ιδου τινες της κουστωδιας ελθοντες εις την πολιν απηγγειλαν τοις αρχιερευσιν απαντα τα γενομενα
12.	And they being assembled together with the ancients, taking counsel, gave a great sum of money to the soldiers,	Et congregati cum senioribus consilio accepto, pecuniam copiosam dederunt militibus,	και συναχθεντες μετα των πρεσβυτερων συμβουλιον τε λαβοντες αργυρια ικανα εδωκαν τοις στρατιωταις
13.	Saying: Say you, His disciples came by night, and stole him away when we were asleep.	dicentes : Dicite quia discipuli ejus nocte venerunt, et furati sunt eum, nobis dormientibus.	λεγοντες ειπατε οτι οι μαθηται αυτου νυκτος ελθοντες εκλεψαν αυτον ημων κοιμωμενων
14.	And if the governor shall hear this, we will persuade him, and secure you.	Et si hoc auditum fuerit a præside, nos suadebimus ei, et securos vos faciemus.	και εαν ακουσθη τουτο επι του ηγεμονος ημεις πεισομεν αυτον και υμας αμεριμνους ποιησομεν
15.	So they taking the money, did as they were taught: and this word was spread abroad among the Jews even unto this day.	At illi, accepta pecunia, fecerunt sicut erant edocti. Et divulgatum est verbum istud apud Judæos, usque in hodiernum diem.	οι δε λαβοντες τα αργυρια εποιησαν ως εδιδαχθησαν και διεφημισθη ο λογος ουτος παρα ιουδαιοις μεχρι της σημερον

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

8. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

10. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

HILARY. The women having been comforted by the Angel, are straightway met by the Lord, that when they should proclaim His resurrection to the disciples, they should speak rather from Christ’s own mouth than from an Angel’s.

AUGUSTINE. (de Cons. Ev. iii. 23.) They departed forth of the tomb, that is, from that spot of the garden which was before the tomb hewn in the rock.

JEROME. A twofold feeling possessed the minds of the women, fear and joy; fear, at the greatness of the miracle; joy, in their desire of Him that was risen; but both added speed to their women’s steps, as it follows, And did run to bring his disciples word. They went to the Apostles, that through them might be spread abroad the seed of the faith. They who thus desired, and who thus ran, merited to have their rising Lord come to meet them; whence it follows, And, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail.

RABANUS. Hereby He shewed that He will meet with His help all those who begin the ways of virtue, and enable them to attain to everlasting salvation.

JEROME. The women ought first to hear this Hail, that the curse of the woman Eve may be removed in these women.

CHRYSOLOGUS. (Serm. 76.) That in these women is contained a full figure of the Church is shewn hereby, that Christ convinces His disciples when in doubt concerning the Resurrection, and confirms them when in fear; and when He meets them He does not terrify them by His power, but prevents them with the ardour of love. And Christ in His Church salutes Himself, for He has taken it into His own Body.

AUGUSTINE. (ubi sup.) We conclude that they had speech of Angels twice at the sepulchre; when they saw one Angel, of whom Matthew and Mark speak; and again when they saw two Angels, as Luke and John relate. And twice in like manner of the Lord; once at that time when Mary supposed Him to be the gardener, (John 20:15.) and now again when He met them in the way to confirm them by repetition, and to restore them from their faintness.

CHRYSOLOGUS. (ubi sup.) Then Mary was not suffered to touch Him; now she has permission not only to touch, but to hold Him altogether; they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

RABANUS. It was told above how He rose when the sepulchre was closed, to shew that that body which had been shut up therein dead, was now become immortal. He now offers His feet to be held by the women, to shew that He had real flesh, which can be touched by mortal creatures.

CHRYSOLOGUS. (ubi sup.) They hold Christ’s feet, who in the Church present the type of Evangelic preaching, and merit this privilege by their running to Him; and by faith so detain their Saviour’s footsteps, that they may come to the honour of His perfect Godhead. She is deservedly bid to touch me not, who mourns her Lord upon earth, and so seeks Him dead in the tomb, as not to know that He reigns in heaven with the Father. This, that the same Mary, one while exalted to the summit of faith, touches Christ, and holds Him with entire and holy affection; and again, cast down in weakness of flesh, and womanly infirmity, doubts, undeserving to touch her Lord, causes us no difficulty. For that is of mystery, this of her sex; that is of divine grace, this of human nature. And so also we, when we have knowledge of divine things, live unto God; when we are wise in human things, we are blinded by our own selves.

CHRYSOLOGUS. (Serm. 80.) They held His feet to shew that the head of Christ is the man, but that the woman is in Christ’s feet, and that it was given to them through Christ, not to go before, but to follow the man. Christ also repeats what the Angel had said, that what an Angel had made sure, Christ might make yet more sure. It follows, Then saith Jesus unto them, Fear not.

JEROME. This may be always observed, both in the Old and New Testament, that when there is an appearance of any majestic person, the first thing done is to banish fear, that the mind being tranquillized may receive the things that are said.

HILARY. The same order as of old now followed in the reversal of our woe, that whereas death began from the female sex, the same should now first see the glory of the Resurrection, and be made the messenger thereof. Whence the Lord adds, Go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, there shall they see me.

CHRYSOLOGUS. (ubi sup.) He calls them brethren whom He has made akin to His own body; brethren whom the generous Heir has made His co-heirs; brethren, whom He has adopted to be sons of His own Father.

AUGUSTINE. (de Cons. Ev. iii. ult.) That the Lord, both by His own mouth, and by the Angel, directs them to seek for Him, not in that place in which He was to shew Himself first, but in Galilee, makes every believer anxious to understand in what mystery it is spoken. Galilee is interpreted ‘transmigration,’ or ‘revelationa’. And according to the first interpretation what meaning offers itself, save this, that the grace of Christ was to pass from the people of Israel to the Gentiles, who would not believe when the Apostles should preach the Gospel to them, unless the Lord Himself should first make ready their way in the hearts of men. This is the signification of that, He shall go before you into Galilee. There shall ye see him, means, there shall ye find His members, there shall ye perceive His living Body in such as shall receive you. According to the other interpretation, ‘revelation,’ it is to be understood, ye shall see him no longer in the form of a servant, but in that in which He is equal with the Father. That revelation will be the true Galilee, when we shall be like him, and shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2.) That will be the blessed passing from this world to that eternity.

28:11–15

11. Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the Chief Priests all the things that were done.

12. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

13. Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

14. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

15. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. xc.) Of the signs which were shewn around Christ, some were common to the whole world, as the darkness; some peculiar to the watch, as the wonderful apparition of Angels, and the earthquake, which were wrought for the soldiers’ sake, that they might be stunned with amazement, and bear testimony to the truth. For when truth is proclaimed by its adversaries, it adds to its brightness. Which befel now; Some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the Chief Priests all the things that were done.

RABANUS. Simple minds, and unlearned country-folk, often make manifest without guile the truth of a matter, as the thing is; but on the other hand, a crafty wickedness studies how to recommend falsehood by glosing words.

JEROME. Thus the Chief Priests, who ought to have been by this turned to penitence, and to seek Jesus risen, persevere in their wickedness, and convert the money which was given for the use of the Temple to the purchase of a lie, as before they had given thirty pieces of silver to the traitor Judas.

CHRYSOLOGUS. (ubi sup.) Not content to have put the Master to death, they plot how they may destroy the disciples, and make the Master’s power matter of charge against His disciples. The soldiers indeed lost Him, the Jews missed Him, but the disciples crimed Him away, not by theft, but by faith; by virtue, and not by fraud; by holiness, and not by wickedness; alive, and not dead.

CHRYSOSTOM. How should the disciples carry Him away by stealth, men poor, and of no station, and who scarcely dared to shew themselves? They fled when afterwards they saw Christ alive, how, when He was dead, would they not have feared so great a multitude of soldiers? How were they to remove the door of the sepulchre? One might have done it unperceived by the guard. But a large stone was rolled to the mouth requiring many hands. And was not the seal thereon? And why did they not attempt it the first night, when there was none at the sepulchre? For it was on the Sabbath that they begged the body of Jesus. Moreover, what mean these napkins which Peter sees laid here? Had the disciples stolen the Body, they would never have stripped it, both because it might so receive hurt, and cause unnecessary delay to themselves, and so expose them to be taken by the watch; especially since the Body and clothes were covered with myrrh, a glutinous spice, which would cause them to adhere. The allegation of the theft then is improbable. So that their endeavours to conceal the Resurrection do but make it more manifest. For when they say, His disciples stole the body, they confess that it is not in the sepulchre. And as they thus confess that they had not the Body, and as the watch, the sealing, and the fears of the disciples, make the theft improbable, there is seen evidence of the Resurrection not to be gainsaid.

REMIGIUS. But if the guards slept, how saw they the theft? And if they saw it not, how could they witness thereto? So that what they desire to shew, they cannot shew.

GLOSS. (non occ.) That the fear of the Governor might not restrain them from this lie, they promise them impunity.

CHRYSOSTOM. See how all are corrupted; Pilate persuaded; the people stirred up; the soldiers bribed; as it follows, And they look the money, and did as they were instructed. If money prevailed with a disciple so far as to make him become the betrayer of his Master, what wonder that the soldiers are overcome by it.

HILARY. The concealment of the Resurrection, and the false allegation of theft, is purchased by money; because by the honour of this world, which consists in money and desire, Christ’s glory is denied.

RABANUS. But as the guilt of His blood, which they imprecated upon themselves and their children, presses them down with a heavy weight of sin, so the purchase of the lie, by which they deny the truth of the Resurrection, charges this guilt upon them for ever; as it follows, And this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

CHRYSOLOGUS. (ubi sup.) Among the Jews, not among the Christians; what in Judæa the Jew concealed by his gold, is by faith blazed abroad throughout the world.

JEROME. All who abuse to other purposes the money of the Temple, and the contributions for the use of the Church, purchasing with them their own pleasure, are like the Scribes and Priests who bought this lie, and the blood of the Saviour.

Catena Aurea Matthew 28

St. Athanasia of Aegina

Meekness and humility; according to her vitae, it was these two traits which were especially strong in St. Athanasia of Aegina, and set her apart from others. St. Athanasia had visions of a man in a cloud who told her to vigorously pursue these two virtues if she wanted to more closely commune with God. While meekness and humility may have been defining themes in the life of St. Athanasia, it was not these virtues alone that stand out in her vitae. We learn from her anonymous biographer that St. Athanasia was married twice before joining the monastery. There is mention made that St. Athanasia was not the only saint during this time who had previously been married, but it is still a fact that is somewhat unusual.

St. Athanasia was born on, and lived on the island of Aegina. From clues contained in her vitae, we know that St. Athanasia lived sometime during the first part of the ninth century. The writer of her vitae tells us that St. Athanasia lived during the time when the barbarian Maurousioi led raids into Aegina. From history, we know that these raids occurred sometime between 805 and 807, so we can use these dates to determine roughly when St. Athanasia must have lived.

In a vision she had before she joined the monastery, a man told St. Athanasia, "Humility and meekness have rendered this man (the man in her vision) upon whom you look with amazement so illustrious that if you imitate (these virtues) it is evident that you will be outstandingly enlightened." St. Athanasia took these words to heart. She, along with her followers, gave up all their possessions, and went to live in a monastery on Aegina. So abundant were the traits of humility and meekness in St. Athanasia, that she would wear only the simplest goat hair garment. This garment was very rough, and would irritate the skin of the woman, but St. Athanasia was not concerned with this mere matter of the flesh.

There is only one miracle attributed to St. Athanasia during her lifetime. It is told that a blind man once came to her asking to be healed. Even at this time, St. Athanasia's humility was so great that at first, she told the man to simply have patience and the Lord would heal him, for she herself had been afflicted with the same disease. St. Athanasia was finally convinced by the blind man to say a prayer for him. Upon the completion of this prayer, the man was immediately healed on the spot.

St. Athanasia is credited with the building of four churches during her lifetime. These churches were dedicated to Stephen the Portomartyr, John the Baptist, Nicholas of Myra, and the Theotokos respectively. There is not much of a description of any of these churches contained in the vitae of St. Athanasia, but we can make certain inferences about how these churches probably looked based on the churches we have looked at in class. From what we have seen in other churches that were built around this time in this general part of the world, we know that it was common for churches of the time to be decorated with mosaics in the apse, on the walls of the nave, in the domes, and sometimes in the arches. We have even looked at another church which was dedicated to the Theotokos. Even though it was built much earlier (430 - 432), Sta Maria Maggiore in Rome could provide some insight as to how St. Athanasia's church of the Theotokos may have been decorated.

Just before her death, St. Athanasia had a vision which told of her coming demise. Forty days after her death, two of her fellow nuns had a vision of St. Athanasia being escorted by two men. These men led St. Athanasia to the holy sanctuary, where they placed a purple robe decorated with gems and pearly on her. The men also placed a crown upon her head, and they put a jeweled staff in her hand. All of these adornments have the quality of Imperial imagery from the time. The color purple is certainly associated with royalty at the time, as is the crown and jeweled staff.

On the first anniversary of her death, two men and a woman were caught dancing around the tomb of St. Athanasia. It was thought that these three people were all possessed by demons. These three dug the coffin of St. Athanasia out of the tomb with their bare hands. Upon the completion of the digging, the woman was immediately cured of her possession. Some holy men, who were nearby during all of this dancing, digging and healing, claimed that there was holy oil dripping from the saint's coffin. These men removed Athanasia's body from the coffin, and found that it appeared she had only been dead for a few days.

While St. Athanasia may have only been responsible for the one healing miracle during her lifetime, her body was responsible for many miracles after death. Relics are not truly works of art, but they are so close that they deserve some examination in any analysis of art from this time period. One child who was possessed by a demon spent forty days at the tomb of Athanasia. After this time, the demon had departed her body. Another child whose hand was possessed spent seven days at the tomb of Athanasia, after which time, the hand was completely cured.

St. Athanasia is credited with many other miracles after her death, but the most bizarre tale if the story of a slave man whose body was bloated by an internal "demon". This man had a vision in which Athanasia told him, "Stay a short while, brother, and I, with the cooperation of God, will provide you a cure. For I will send out to you a part of my body through which you will be entirely delivered from the disease that afflicts you." About a month later, the man heard a voice coming from the coffin that told him, "Open your mouth quickly, open it!" Upon opening his mouth, the man received what was offered to him by the saint, and he was immediately healed. The really strange and somewhat sickening part of this story is that it was the nail from her big toe that St. Athanasia offered to the man for healing.

From the vitae of St. Athanasia, we can see what a role relics played in the worship practices of the day. These parts of a saint's body were commonly used as instruments to heal. It is also possible from the telling of St. Athanasia's life to get some sense of the kind of art that was being produced at the time. Even though there are no specific references made to particular works of art, it is simple enough to deduce that the images that filled the churches built by Athanasia would have somewhat resembled images that we have looked at in other churches. More generally, we can see how we can use known facts about certain types of artwork to make inferences about how other, similar art from roughly the same time and place would have looked.

- Jason Crowe

uky.edu (scroll down)

NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY (RSV)

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)

From: Acts 2:14a, 22-33, 36-41

Peter's Address (Continuation)
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[14a] But Peter, standing with the Eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, [22] "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know--[23] this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. [24] But God raised Him up, having loosed the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. [25] For David says concerning Him, 'I saw the Lord always before Me, for He is at My right hand that I may not be shaken; [26] therefore My heart was glad, and My tongue rejoiced; moreover My flesh will dwell in hope. [27] For Thou will not abandon My soul to Hades, nor let Thy Holy One see corruption. [28] Thou hast made known to Me the ways of life; Thou wilt make Me full of gladness with Thy presence.'

[29] "Brethren, I may say to you confidently of the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. [30] Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that He would set one of his descendants upon his throne, [31] he foresaw and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. [32] This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. [33] Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this which you see and hear."

The Baptism
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[36] "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." [37] Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" [38] And Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. [39] For the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are far off, every one whom the Lord our God calls to Him." [40] And he testified with many other words and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation." [41] So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

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Commentary:

14-36. Even as the Church takes its first steps St. Peter can be seen to occupy the position of main spokesman. In his address we can distinguish an introduction and two parts: in the first part (verses 16-21) he is explaining that the messianic times foretold by Joel have now arrived; in the second (verses 22-36) he proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Jews crucified, is the Messiah promised by God and eagerly awaited by the righteous of the Old Testament; it is He who has effected God's saving plan for mankind.

14. In his commentaries St. John Chrysostom draws attention to the change worked in Peter by the Holy Spirit: "Listen to him preach and argue so boldly, who shortly before had trembled at the word of a servant girl! This boldness is a significant proof of the resurrection of his Master: Peter preaches to men who mock and laugh at his enthusiasm. [...] Calumny ('they are filled with new wine') does not deter the Apostles; sarcasm does not undermine their courage, for the coming of the Holy Spirit has made new men of them, men who can put up with every kind of human test. When the Holy Spirit enters into hearts He does so to elevate their affections and to change earthly souls, souls of clay, into chosen souls, people of great courage [...]. Look at the harmony that exists among the Apostles. See how they allow Peter to speak on behalf of them all. Peter raises his voice and speaks to the people with full assurance. That is the kind of courage a man has when he is the instrument of the Holy Spirit. [...] Just as a burning coal does not lose heat when it falls on a haystack but instead is enabled to release its heat, so Peter, now that he is in contact with the life-giving Spirit, spreads his inner fire to those around him" ("Hom. on Acts", 4).

22-36. To demonstrate that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah foretold by the prophets, St. Peter reminds his listeners of our Lord's miracles (verse 22), as well as of His death (verse 23), resurrection (verses 24-32) and glorious ascension (verses 33-35). His address ends with a brief summing-up (verse 36).

32. To proofs from prophecy, very important to the Jews, St. Peter adds his own testimony on the resurrection of Jesus, and that of his brothers in the Apostolate.

36. During His life on earth Jesus had often presented Himself as the Messiah and Son of God. His resurrection and ascension into Heaven reveal Him as such to the people at large.

In Peter's address we can see an outline of the content of the apostolic proclamation ("kerygma"), the content of Christian preaching, the object of faith. This proclamation bears witness to Christ's death and resurrection and subsequent exaltation; it recalls the main points of Jesus' mission, announced by John the Baptist, confirmed by miracles and brought to fulfillment by the appearances of the risen Lord and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit; it declares that the messianic time predicted by the prophets have arrived, and calls all men to conversion, in preparation for the Parousia or second coming of Christ in glory.

37. St. Peter's words were the instrument used by God's grace to move the hearts of his listeners: they are so impressed that they ask in all simplicity what they should do. Peter exhorts them to be converted, to repent (cf. note on 3:19). The "St. Pius V Catechism" explains that in order to receive Baptism adults "need to repent the sins they have committed and their evil past life and to be resolved not to commit sin henceforth [...], for nothing is more opposed to grace and power of Baptism than the outlook and disposition of those who never decide to abjure sin" (II, 2, 4).

38. "Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ": this does not necessarily mean that this was the form of words the Apostles normally used in the liturgy, rather than Trinitarian formula prescribed by Jesus. In the "Didache" (written around the year 100) it is stated that Baptism should be given in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, but this does not prevent it, in other passages, from referring to "those baptized in the name of the Lord." The expression "baptized in the name of Christ" means, therefore, becoming a member of Christ, becoming a Christian (cf. "Didache", VII, 1; IX, 5).

"Like the men and women who came up to Peter on Pentecost, we too have been baptized. In baptism, our Father God has taken possession of our lives, has made us share in the life of Christ, and has given us the Holy Spirit" ([St] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 128). From this point onwards, the Trinity begins to act in the soul of the baptized person. "In the same way as transparent bodies, enlightened by the Holy Spirit become spiritual too and lead others to the light of grace. From the Holy Spirit comes knowledge of future events, understanding of mysteries and of hidden truths, an outpouring of gifts, Heavenly citizenship, conversation with angels. From Him comes never-ending joy, perseverance in good, likeness to God and--the most sublime thing imaginable--becoming God" (St. Basil, "On the Holy Spirit", IX, 23).

This divinization which occurs in the baptized person shows how important it is for Christians to cultivate the Holy Spirit who has been infused into their souls, where He dwells as long as He is not driven out by sin. "Love the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. Listen in the intimacy of your being to the divine motions of encouragement or reproach you receive from Him. Walk through the earth in the light that is poured out in your soul. [...] We can apply to ourselves the question asked by the Apostle: 'Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?' (1 Corinthians 3:16). And we can understand it as an invitation to deal with God in a more personal and direct manner. For some, unfortunately, the Paraclete is the Great Stranger. He is merely a name that is mentioned, but not Someone--not one of the three Persons in the one God--with whom we can talk and with whose life we can live. No: we have to deal with Him simply and trustingly, as we are taught by the Church in its liturgy. Then we will come to know our Lord better, and at the same time, we will realize more fully the great favor that was granted us when we became Christians. We will see the greatness and truth of this divinization, which is a sharing in God's own life" (St J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 133-134).

39. The "promise" of the Holy Spirit applies to both Jews and Gentiles, but in the first instance it concerns the Jews: it is they to whom God entrusted His oracles; theirs was the privilege to receive the Old Testament and to be preached to directly by Jesus Himself. St. Peter makes it clear that this promise is also made "to all that are far off"--a reference to the Gentiles, as St. Paul explains (cf. Ephesians 2:13-17) and in line with Isaiah's announcement, "Peace, peace to the far and to the near" (Isaiah 57:19). Cf. Acts 22:21.

40. "This crooked generation" is not only that part of the Jewish people who rejected Christ and His teaching, but everyone who is estranged from God (cf. Deuteronomy 32:5; Philippians 2:5).

41. St. Luke here concludes his account of the events of the day of Pentecost and prepares to move on to a new topic. Before he does so he adds a note, as it were, to say that "about three thousand souls" became Christians as a result of Peter's address.

St. Luke often makes reference to the numerical growth of the Church (2:47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1, 7; 9:31; 11:21, 24; 16:5). Interesting in itself, this growth clearly shows the effectiveness of the Gospel message boldly proclaimed by the Apostles. It proves that if the Gospel is preached with constancy and clarity it can take root in any setting and will always find men and women ready to receive it and put it into practice.

"It is not true that everyone today--in general--is closed or indifferent to what our Christian faith teaches about man's being and destiny. It is not true that men in our time are turned only toward the things of this earth and have forgotten to look up to Heaven. There is no lack of narrow ideologies, it is true, or of persons who maintain them. But in our time we find both great desires and base attitudes, heroism and cowardice, zeal and disenchantment--people who dream of a new world, more just and more human, and others who, discouraged perhaps by the failure of their youthful idealism, take refuge in the selfishness of seeking only their own security or remaining immersed in their errors.

"To all those men and women, wherever they may be, in their more exalted moments of in their crises and defeats, we have to bring the solemn and unequivocal message of St. Peter in the days that followed Pentecost: Jesus is the cornerstone, the Redeemer, the hope of our lives. 'For there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved' (Acts 4:12)" (St J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 132).

From: Matthew 28:8-15

Jesus Appears To The Women
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[8] So they (Mary Magdalene and the other Mary) departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples. [9] And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Hail!" And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him. [10] Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee; and there they will see Me."

The Soldiers Are Bribed
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[11] While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. [12] And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sum of money to the soldiers [13] and said, "Tell people, `His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.' [14] And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." [15] So they took the money and did as they were directed; and this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

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Commentary:

1-15. The resurrection of Jesus, which happened in the early hours of the Sunday morning, is a fact which all the evangelist state clearly and unequivocally. Some holy women discover to their surprise that the tomb is open. On entering the hall (cf. Mark 16:5-6), they see an angel who says to them, "He is not here; for He has risen, as He said." The guards who were on duty when the angel rolled back the stone go to the city and report what has happened to the chief priests. These, because of the urgency of the matter, decide to bribe the guards; they give them a considerable sum of money on condition that they spread the word that His disciples came at night and stole the body of Jesus when they were asleep. "Wretched craftiness," says St. Augustine, "do you give us witnesses who were asleep? It is you who are really asleep if this is the only kind of explanation you have to offer!" ("Ennarationes in Psalmos", 63, 15). The Apostles, who a couple of days before fled in fear, will, now that they have seen Him and have eaten and drunk with Him, become tireless preachers of this great event: "This Jesus, they will say, "God raised up, and of that we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:32).

Just as He foretold He would go up to Jerusalem and be delivered to the leaders of the Jews and put to death, He also prophesied that He would rise from the dead (Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-34). By His resurrection He completes the sign He promised to give unbelievers to show His divinity (Matthew 12:40).

The resurrection of Christ is one of the basic dogmas of the Catholic faith. In fact, St. Paul says, "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14); and, to prove his assertion that Christ rose, he tells us "that He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. Then He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared also to me" (1 Corinthians 15:5-8). The creed states that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day ("Nicene Creed"), by His own power (Ninth Council of Toledo, "De Redemptione Creed"), by a true resurrection of the flesh ("Creed" of St. Leo IX), reuniting His soul with His body (Innocent III, "Eius Exemplo"), and that this fact of the resurrection is historically proven and provable ("Lamentabili", 36).

"By the word `resurrection' we are not merely to understand that Christ was raised from the dead...but that He rose by His own power and virtue, a singular prerogative peculiar to Him alone. Our Lord confirmed this by the divine testimony of His own mouth when He said: `I lay down My life, that I may take it again....I have power to lay it down: and I have power to take it up again' (John 10:17-18). To the Jews He also said, in corroboration of His doctrine" `Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up' (John 2:19-20) [...]. We sometimes, it is true, read in Scripture that He was raised by the Father (cf. Acts 2:24; Romans 8:11); but this refers to Him as man, just as those passages on the other hand, which say that He rose by His own power, related to Him as God" ("St. Pius V Catechism", I, 6, 8).

Christ's resurrection was not a return to His previous earthly existence; it was a "glorious" resurrection, that is to say, attaining the full development of human life--immortal, freed from all limitations of space and time. As a result of the resurrection, Christ's body now shares in the glory which His soul had from the beginning. Here lies the unique nature of the historical fact of the resurrection. He could not be seen by anyone but only by those to whom He granted that grace, to enable them to be witnesses of this resurrection, and to enable others to believe in Him by accepting the testimony of the seers.

Christ's resurrection was something necessary for the completion of the work of our Redemption. For, Jesus Christ through His death freed us from sins; but by His resurrection He restored us all that we had lost through sin and, moreover, opened for us the gates of eternal life (cf. Romans 4:25). Also, the fact that He rose from the dead by His own power is a definitive proof that He is the Son of God, and therefore His resurrection fully confirms our faith in His divinity.

The resurrection of Christ, as has been pointed out, is the most sublime truth of our faith. That is why St. Augustine exclaims: "It is no great thing to believe that Christ died; for this is something that is also believed by pagans and Jews and by all the wicked: everyone believes that He died. The Christians' faith is in Christ's resurrection; that is what we hold to be a great thing--to believe that He rose" ("Enarrationes in Psalmos", 120).

The mystery of the Redemption wrought by Christ, which embraces His death and resurrection, is applied to every man and woman through Baptism and the other sacraments, by means of which the believer is as it were immersed in Christ and in His death, that is to say, in a mystical way he becomes part of Christ, he dies and rises with Christ: "We were buried therefore with Him by baptism unto death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4).

An ardent desire to seek the things of God and an interior taste for the things that are above (cf. Colossians 3:1-3) are signs of our resurrection with Christ.

Source: Daily Word for Reflection—Navarre Bible Commentary

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Readings at Mass

God raised this man Jesus to life, and all of us are witnesses to this

Victimae Paschali Laudes

Tell my brothers that they must leave for Galilee: they will see me there

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

St. Athanasia of Aegina