Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings 15-June-2024

Universalis/Jerusalem Bible ^

[annalex]

15 June 2024

Saturday of week 10 in Ordinary Time



St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II).

---

First reading

1 Kings 19:19-21

Elisha leaves the plough to follow Elijah

Leaving Mount Horeb, Elijah came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you’ he said. Elijah answered, ‘Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?’ Elisha turned away, took the pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the plough for cooking the oxen, then gave to his men, who ate. He then rose, and followed Elijah and became his servant.

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-10

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.

  I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;

  it is you yourself who are my prize.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,

  who even at night directs my heart.

I keep the Lord ever in my sight:

  since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;

  even my body shall rest in safety.

For you will not leave my soul among the dead,

  nor let your beloved know decay.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

---

Gospel Acclamation	Ps118:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider

the wonders of your law.

Alleluia!

Or:	Ps118:36,29

Alleluia, alleluia!

Bend my heart to your will, O Lord,

and teach me your law.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Matthew 5:33-37

Do not swear: say 'Yes' if you mean Yes, 'No' if you mean No

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’

Universalis podcast: The week ahead – from 16 to 22 June

The Psalms and their position in the Liturgy of the Hours. Saint Thomas More. (17 minutes)
Episode notes.Play

Christian Art

Each day, The Christian Art website gives a picture and reflection on the Gospel of the day.

The readings on this page are from the Jerusalem Bible, which is used at Mass in most of the English-speaking world. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.

You can also view this page with the Gospel in Greek and English.

[annalex]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

[annalex]

KEYWORDS: catholic; mt5; ordinarytime; prayer

[annalex]

Alleluia Ping

Please FReepmail me to get on/off the Alleluia Ping List.

[annalex]

My dad is back in the hospital. [JimRob update at 242]
Jim still needs our prayers. Thread 2
Prayer thread for Salvation's recovery
Pray for Ukraine
Prayer thread for Fidelis' recovery
Update on Jim Robinson's health issues

[annalex]

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 5
33.	Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord.	Iterum audistis quia dictum est antiquis : Non perjurabis : reddes autem Domino juramenta tua.	παλιν ηκουσατε οτι ερρεθη τοις αρχαιοις ουκ επιορκησεις αποδωσεις δε τω κυριω τους ορκους σου
34.	But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God:	Ego autem dico vobis, non jurare omnino, neque per cælum, quia thronus Dei est :	εγω δε λεγω υμιν μη ομοσαι ολως μητε εν τω ουρανω οτι θρονος εστιν του θεου
35.	Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:	neque per terram, quia scabellum est pedum ejus : neque per Jerosolymam, quia civitas est magni regis :	μητε εν τη γη οτι υποποδιον εστιν των ποδων αυτου μητε εις ιεροσολυμα οτι πολις εστιν του μεγαλου βασιλεως
36.	Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.	neque per caput tuum juraveris, quia non potes unum capillum album facere, aut nigrum.	μητε εν τη κεφαλη σου ομοσης οτι ου δυνασαι μιαν τριχα λευκην η μελαιναν ποιησαι
37.	But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.	Sit autem sermo vester, est, est : non, non : quod autem his abundantius est, a malo est.	εστω δε ο λογος υμων ναι ναι ου ου το δε περισσον τουτων εκ του πονηρου εστιν

[annalex]

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

5:33–37

33. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

34. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by Heaven; for it is God’s throne;

35. Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.

37. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

GLOSS. (non occ.) The Lord has hitherto taught to abstain from injuring our neighbour, forbidding anger with murder, lust with adultery, and the putting away a wife with a bill of divorce. He now proceeds to teach to abstain from injury to God, forbidding not only perjury as an evil in itself, but even all oaths as the cause of evil, saying, Ye have heard it said by them of old, Thou shall not forswear thyself. It is written in Leviticus, Thou shalt not forswear thyself in my name; (c. 19:12.) and that they should not make gods of the creature, they are commanded to render to God their oaths, and not to swear by any creature, Render to the Lord thy oaths; that is, if you shall have occasion to swear, you shall swear by the Creator and not by the creature. As it is written in Deuteronomy, Thou shall fear the Lord thy God, and shall swear by his name. (c. 6:13.)

JEROME. This was allowed under the Law, as to children; as they offered sacrifice to God, that they might not do it to idols, so they were permitted to swear by God; not that the thing was right, but that it were better done to God than to dæmons.

PSEUDO-CHRYSOSTOM. For no man can swear often, but he must sometimes forswear himself; as he who has a custom of much speaking will sometimes speak foolishly.

AUGUSTINE. (cont. Faust. xix. 23.) Inasmuch as the sin of perjury is a grievous sin, he must be further removed from it who uses no oath, than he who is ready to swear on every occasion, and the Lord would rather that we should not swear and keep close to the truth, than that swearing we should come near to perjury.

AUGUSTINE. (Serm. in Mont. i. 17.) This precept also confirms the righteousness of the Pharisees, not to forswear; inasmuch as he who swears not at all cannot forswear himself. But as to call God to witness is to swear, does not the Apostle break this commandment when he says several times to the Galatians, The things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. (Gal. 1:20.) So the Romans, God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit. (Rom. 1:9) Unless perhaps some one may say, it is no oath unless I use the form of swearing by some object; and that the Apostle did not swear in saying, God is my witness. It is ridiculous to make such a distinction; yet the Apostle has used even this form, I die daily, by your boasting. (1 Cor. 15:31.) That this does not mean, your boasting has caused my dying daily, but is an oath, is clear from the Greek, which is νὴ τὴν ὑμετέραν καύχησιν.

AUGUSTINE. (de Mendac. 15.) But what we could not understand by mere words, from the conduct of the saints we may gather in what sense should be understood what might easily be drawn the contrary way, unless explained by example. The Apostle has used oaths in his Epistles, and by this shews us how that ought to be taken, I say unto you, Swear not at all, namely, lest by allowing ourselves to swear at all we come to readiness in swearing, from readiness we come to a habit of swearing, and from a habit of swearing we fall into perjury. And so the Apostle is not found to have used an oath but only in writing, the greater thought and caution which that requires not allowing of slip of the tongue. Yet is the Lord’s command so universal, Swear not at all, that He would seem to have forbidden it even in writing. But since it would be an impiety to accuse Paul of having violated this precept, especially in his Epistles, we must understand the word at all as implying that, as far as lays in your power, you should not make a practice of swearing, not aim at it as a good thing in which you should take delight.

AUGUSTINE. (cont. Faust. xix. 23.) Therefore in his writings, as writing allows of greater circumspection, the Apostle is found to have used an oath in several places, that none might suppose that there is any direct sin in swearing what is true; but only that our weak hearts are better preserved from perjury by abstaining from all swearing whatever.

JEROME. Lastly, consider that the Saviour does not here forbid to swear by God, but by the Heaven, the Earth, by Jerusalem, by a man’s head. For this evil practice of swearing by the elements the Jews had always, and are thereof often accused in the prophetic writing’s. For he who swears, shews either reverence or love for that by which he swears. Thus when the Jews swore by the Angels, by the city of Jerusalem, by the temple and the elements, they paid to the creature the honour and worship belonging to God; for it is commanded in the Law that we should not swear but by the Lord our God.

AUGUSTINE. (Serm. in Mont. i. 17.) Or; It is added, By the Heaven, &c. because the Jews did not consider themselves bound when they swore by such things. As if He had said, When you swear by the Heaven and the Earth, think not that you do not owe your oath to the Lord your God, for you are proved to have sworn by Him whose throne the heaven is, and the earth His footstool; which is not meant as though God had such limbs set upon the heaven and the earth, after the manner of a man who is sitting; but that seat signifies God’s judgment of us. And since in the whole extent of this universe it is the heaven that has the highest beauty, God is said to sit upon the heavens as shewing divine power to be more excellent than the most surpassing show of beauty; and He is said to stand upon the earth, as putting to lowest use a lesser beauty. Spiritually by the heavens are denoted holy souls, by the earth the sinful, seeing He that is spiritual judgeth all things. (1 Cor. 2:15.) But to the sinner it is said, Earth thou art, and unto earth thou shalt return. (Gen. 3:19.) And he who would abide under a law, is put under a law, and therefore He adds, it is the footstool of His feet. Neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King; this is better said than ‘it is mine;’ though it is understood to mean the same. And because He is also truly Lord, whoso swears by Jerusalem, owes his oath to the Lord. Neither by thy head. What could any think more entirely his own property than his own head? But how is it ours when we have not power to make one hair black or white? Whoso then swears by his own head also owes his vows to the Lord; and by this the rest may be understood.

CHRYSOSTOM. Note how He exalts the elements of the world, not from their own nature, but from the respect which they have to God, so that there is opened no occasion of idolatry.

RABANUS. Having forbidden swearing, He instructs us how we ought to speak, Let your speech be yea, yea; nay, nay. That is, to affirm any thing it is sufficient to say, ‘It is so:’ to deny, to say, ‘It is not so.’ Or, yea, yea; nay, nay, are therefore twice repeated, that what you affirm with the mouth you should prove in deed, and what you deny in word, you should not establish by your conduct.

HILARY. Otherwise; They who live in the simplicity of the faith have not need to swear, with them ever, what is is, what is not is not; by this their life and their conversation are ever preserved in truth.

JEROME. Therefore Evangelic verity does not admit an oath, since the whole discourse of the faithful is instead of an oath.

AUGUSTINE. (ubi sup.) And he who has learned that an oath is to be reckoned not among things good, but among things necessary, will restrain himself as much as he may, not to use an oath without necessity, unless he sees men loth to believe what it is for their good they should believe, without the confirmation of an oath. This then is good and to be desired, that our conversation be only, yea, yea; nay, nay; for what is more than this cometh of evil. That is, if you are compelled to swear, you know that it is by the necessity of their weakness to whom you would persuade any thing; which weakness is surely an evil. What is more than this is thus evil; not that you do evil in this just use of an oath to persuade another to something beneficial for him; but it is an evil in him whose weakness thus obliges you to use an oath.

CHRYSOSTOM. Or; of evil, that is, from their weakness to whom the Law permitted the use of an oath. Not that by this the old Law is signified to be from the Devil, but He leads us from the old imperfection to the new abundance.

Catena Aurea Matthew 5

[annalex]

Christ as teacher

from the sarcophagus of Junius Bassus
ca. 359 AD
St. Peter's, Rome

[annalex]

SAINT VITUS

Feast Day Jun 15

Patronage Storms, Epilepsy, Actors, Comedians, Dancers, Snake Bites, Poisonous Bites

St. Vitus was an adolescent martyr of the church. He was born in Sicily in 290, and died as a martyr during the persecution of the Christians by the Roman Emperor in 303, at the age of 13. St. Vitus is counted as one of the “Fourteen Holy Helpers” of the Roman Catholic Church.

Vitus was only 7 years old, and the son of a senator of Lucania. He resisted his father’s attempts, which included various forms of torture, to make him turn away from his Catholic faith. He fled with his Tutor and the Tutor’s wife – who was also his nanny, to Lucania. He was then taken from there back to Rome to drive out a demon, which had taken possession of a son of the Emperor Diocletian. After he worked his miracle and cured the son from Epilepsy he remained steadfast to the Catholic Faith. This was not what the Emperor wanted, and asked him to give up his faith, and worship the Emperor’s gods and idols.

He was tortured along with his Tutor and Nanny by the Emperor. By a miracle, they were brought back from Rome to Lucania, where they all three died from their tortures they had endured by the Roman Emperor.

It is reported that three days after Vitus’s death, he appeared to a distinguished matron named Florentia. Together he and Florentia who found the bodies of him, his Tutor and Nanny, buried them in the spot they were found. He worked many miracles, even in his youth. He is very popular today in Italy, Germany, and Bohemia. Many countries celebrate this youth’s feast day, by dancing around his statue, and have for many centuries. The St. Vitus “Dance” is very popular to this day.

Practical Take Away

With this example set to us by our early Christian brothers, especially Vitus at the age of 13 becoming a martyr for the faith – we should all be encouraged to defend our faith. To think that he would go against his own father by refusing to give up his faith shows the dedication he had towards the Catholic Church and faith. How many times in today’s society, do we so easily give up when things get tough? How many times do we remain silent, when we could speak up and defend the faith? We could all learn a lot by the life of this adolescent martyr – who rather than conforming to society, remained true to God through the Catholic Church, and merited Heaven for all eternity. In thanksgiving for St. Vitus’s intercession for us – don’t forget to do the St. Vitus Dance!

---

newmanministry.com

[annalex]

[fidelis]

NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY (RSV)

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

First Reading:

From: 1 Kings 19:19-21

The Call of Elisha
-------------------------
[19] So he departed from thee, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him. [20] And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again; for what have I done to you?” [21] And he returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah, and ministered to him.

*****************************************************************************
Commentary:

19-21. Elisha’s response to Elijah’s call is quite exemplary: he leaves everything behind and puts himself at the disposal of the prophet. That will be how the apostles respond to Christ (cf. Mt 4:20, 22; etc.), and it should be how anyone responds when the Lord calls him or her to a mission which involves leaving everything. But the call issued by Jesus is more pressing than Elijah’s, as can be seen from the Gospel passage where Jesus, in response to someone who says, “I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home,” replies, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God” (Lk 9:61-62). Obedience to a call involves a radical self-surrender: “Detach yourself from people and things until you are stripped of them. For, says Pope St. Gregory, the devil has nothing of his own in this world, and naked he comes to battle. If you go clothed to fight him, you will soon be pulled to the ground: for he will have something to catch you by” (St. J. Escriva, The Way, 149).

The name “Elisha” means “My God saves” and it epitomizes this prophet, just as the name “Elijah” catches the essence of that prophet’s message: “My God is the Lord.”

[fidelis]

Gospel Reading:

From: Matthew 5:33-37

Jesus and His Teaching, the Fulfillment of the Law (Continuation)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
(Jesus said to His disciples,) [33] "Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' [34] But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by Heaven, for it is the throne of God, [35] or by the earth, for it is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. [36] And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. [37] Let what you say be simply, `Yes' or `No'; anything more than this comes from evil."

***********************************************************************
Commentary:

33-37. The Law of Moses absolutely prohibited perjury or violation of oaths (Exodus 20:7; Numbers 30:3; Deuteronomy 23:22). In Christ's time, the making of sworn statements was so frequent and the casuistry surrounding them so intricate that the practice was being grossly abused. Some rabbinical documents of the time show that oaths were taken for quite unimportant reasons. Parallel to this abuse of oath-taking there arose no less ridiculous abuses to justify non-fulfillment of oaths. All this meant great disrespect for the name of God. However, we do know from Sacred Scripture that oath-taking is lawful and good in certain circumstances: "If you swear, `As the Lord lives', in truth, in justice, and in uprightness, then nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him shall they glory (Jeremiah 4:2).

Jesus here lays down the criterion which His disciples must apply in this connection. It is based on re-establishing, among married people, mutual trust, nobility and sincerity. The devil is "the father of lies" (John 8:44). Therefore, Christ's Church must teach that human relationships cannot be based on deceit and insincerity. God is truth, and the children of the Kingdom must, therefore, base mutual relationships on truth. Jesus concludes by praising sincerity. Throughout His teaching He identifies hypocrisy as one of the main vices to be combatted (cf., e.g., Matthew 23:13-32), and sincerity as one of the finest virtues (cf. John 1:47).

[fidelis]

Click here to go to the My Catholic Life! Devotional thread for today’s Gospel Reading

[fidelis]

Please join Cardinal Burke’s novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe for ‘crises of our age’ (Started March 12—Never too late to join!)

Let us pray.

O Virgin Mother of God, we fly to your protection and beg your intercession against the darkness and sin which ever more envelop the world and menace the Church. Your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, gave you to us as our mother as He died on the Cross for our salvation. So too, in 1531, when darkness and sin beset us, He sent you, as Our Lady of Guadalupe, on Tepeyac to lead us to Him Who alone is our light and our salvation.

Through your apparitions on Tepeyac and your abiding presence with us on the miraculous mantle of your messenger, Saint Juan Diego, millions of souls converted to faith in your Divine Son. Through this novena and our consecration to you, we humbly implore your intercession for our daily conversion of life to Him and the conversion of millions more who do not yet believe in Him. In our homes and in our nation, lead us to Him Who alone wins the victory over sin and darkness in us and in the world.

Unite our hearts to your Immaculate Heart so that they may find their true and lasting home in the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Ever guide us along the pilgrimage of life to our eternal home with Him. So may our hearts, one with yours, always trust in God's promise of salvation, in His never-failing mercy toward all who turn to Him with a humble and contrite heart. Through this novena and our consecration to you, O Virgin of Guadalupe, lead all souls in America and throughout the world to your Divine Son in Whose name we pray. Amen.

[fidelis]

“God our Father, your people wander in deserts of the spirit and wastelands of want. Through the intercession of Mary, our Mother, bring us all to dwell in peace in your presence, now and for ever, through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

(From Magnificat magazine)

[fidelis]

“God our Father, your people wander in deserts of the spirit and wastelands of want. Through the intercession of Mary, our Mother, bring us all to dwell in peace in your presence, now and for ever, through Christ our Lord. Amen.”

(From Magnificat magazine)

[fidelis]

[fidelis]

June is the month of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11:28-30)

[fidelis]

God's Love For You