Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings 4-September-2024

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 4
38.	And Jesus rising up out of the synagogue, went into Simon's house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever, and they besought him for her.	Surgens autem Jesus de synagoga, introivit in domum Simonis. Socrus autem Simonis tenebatur magnis febribus : et rogaverunt illum pro ea.	αναστας δε εκ της συναγωγης εισηλθεν εις την οικιαν σιμωνος πενθερα δε του σιμωνος ην συνεχομενη πυρετω μεγαλω και ηρωτησαν αυτον περι αυτης
39.	And standing over her, he commanded the fever, and it left her. And immediately rising, she ministered to them.	Et stans super illam imperavit febri : et dimisit illam. Et continuo surgens, ministrabat illis.	και επιστας επανω αυτης επετιμησεν τω πυρετω και αφηκεν αυτην παραχρημα δε αναστασα διηκονει αυτοις
40.	And when the sun was down, all they that had any sick with divers diseases, brought them to him. But he laying his hands on every one of them, healed them.	Cum autem sol occidisset, omnes qui habebant infirmos variis languoribus, ducebant illos ad eum. At ille singulis manus imponens, curabat eos.	δυνοντος δε του ηλιου παντες οσοι ειχον ασθενουντας νοσοις ποικιλαις ηγαγον αυτους προς αυτον ο δε ενι εκαστω αυτων τας χειρας επιθεις εθεραπευσεν αυτους
41.	And devils went out from many, crying out and saying: Thou art the Son of God. And rebuking them he suffered them not to speak, for they knew that he was Christ.	Exibant autem dæmonia a multis clamantia, et dicentia : Quia tu es Filius Dei : et increpans non sinebat ea loqui : quia sciebant ipsum esse Christum.	εξηρχετο δε και δαιμονια απο πολλων κραζοντα και λεγοντα οτι συ ει ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου και επιτιμων ουκ εια αυτα λαλειν οτι ηδεισαν τον χριστον αυτον ειναι
42.	And when it was day, going out he went into a desert place, and the multitudes sought him, and came unto him: and they stayed him that he should not depart from them.	Facta autem die egressus ibat in desertum locum, et turbæ requirebant eum, et venerunt usque ad ipsum : et detinebant illum ne discederet ab eis.	γενομενης δε ημερας εξελθων επορευθη εις ερημον τοπον και οι οχλοι επεζητουν αυτον και ηλθον εως αυτου και κατειχον αυτον του μη πορευεσθαι απ αυτων
43.	To whom he said: To other cities also I must preach the kingdom of God: for therefore am I sent.	Quibus ille ait : Quia et aliis civitatibus oportet me evangelizare regnum Dei : quia ideo missus sum.	ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους οτι και ταις ετεραις πολεσιν ευαγγελισασθαι με δει την βασιλειαν του θεου οτι εις τουτο απεσταλμαι
44.	And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.	Et erat prædicans in synagogis Galilææ.	και ην κηρυσσων εν ταις συναγωγαις της γαλιλαιας

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

4:38–39

38. And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever: and they besought him for her.

39. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever: and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

AMBROSE. Luke having first introduced a man delivered from an evil spirit, goes on to relate the healing of a woman. For our Lord had come to heal each sex, and he ought first to be healed who was first created. Hence it is said, And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. 27. in Matt.) For He honoured His disciples by dwelling among them, and so making them the more zealous.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. Now see how Christ abides in the house of a poor man, suffering poverty of His own will for our sakes, that we might learn to visit the poor, and despise not the destitute and needy. It follows: And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever: and they besought him for her.

BEDE. At one time at the request of others, at another of his own accord, our Saviour cures the sick, shewing that He is far aloof from the passions of sinners, and ever grants the prayer of the faithful, and what they in themselves little understand He either makes intelligible, or forgives their not understanding it. As, Who understands his errors? Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults. (Ps. 19:12.)

CHRYSOSTOM. (ut sup.) Because Matthew is silent on the point of asking Him, he does not differ from Luke, or it matters not, for one Gospel had brevity in view, the other accurate research. It follows: And he stood over her, &c.

ORIGEN. Here Luke speaks figuratively, as of a command given to a sensible being, saying, that the fever was commanded, and neglected not the work of Him who commanded it. Hence it follows: And she arose, and ministered unto them.

CHRYSOSTOM. (ut sup.) For since the disease was curable, He shewed His power by the manner of the cure, doing what art could never do. For after the allaying of the fever, the patient needs much time ere he be restored to his former health, but at this time all took place at once.

AMBROSE. But if we weigh these things with deeper thoughts, we shall consider the health of the mind as well as the body; that the mind which was assailed by the wiles of the devil may be released first. Eve was not a hungered before the serpent beguiled her, and therefore against the author of evil himself ought the medicine of salvation first to operate. Perhaps also in that woman as in a type our flesh languished under the various fevers of crimes, nor should I say that the fever of love was less than that of bodily heat.

BEDE. For if we say that a man released from the devil represents morally the mind cleansed from unclean thoughts, consequently a woman vexed by fever, but cured at our Lord’s command, represents the flesh controlled by the rules of continence in the fury of its own lust.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. Let us therefore receive Jesus. For when He has visited us, we carry Him in our heart and mind; He will then extinguish the flames of our unlicensed pleasures, and will make us whole, so that we minister unto Him, that is, do things well-pleasing to Him.

4:40–41

40. Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

41. And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

THEOPHYLACT. We must observe the zeal of the multitude, who after the sun had set bring their sick unto Him, not deterred by the lateness of the day; as it is said, Now when the sun was setting, they brought their sick.

ORIGEN. It was ordered about sun-set, that is, when the day was gone, that they should bring them out, either because during the day they were employed about other things, or because they thought that it was not lawful to heal on the sabbath. But He healed them, as it follows, But he laid his hands upon every one of them.

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. But although as God He was able to drive away diseases by His word, He nevertheless touches them, shewing that His flesh was powerful to apply remedies, since it was the flesh of God; for as fire, when applied to a brazen vessel, imprints on it the effect of its own heat, so the omnipotent Word of God, when He united to Himself in real assumption a living virgin temple, endued with understanding, implanted in it a participation of His own power. May He also touch us, nay rather may we touch Him, that He may deliver us from the infirmities of our souls as well as the assaults of the evil spirit and pride! For it follows, And devils also came out.

BEDE. The devils confess the Son of God, and as it is afterwards said, they knew him to be Christ; for when the devil saw Him distressed by fasting, he perceived Him to be truly man, but when he prevailed not in his trial he doubted whether or not He were the Son of God, but now by the power of Christ’s miracles he either perceived or suspected Him to be the Son of God. He did not then persuade the Jews to crucify Him because he thought Him not to be Christ or the Son of God, but because he did not foresee that by this death he himself would be condemned. Of this mystery hidden from the world the Apostle says, that none of the princes of this world knew, for if they had known they would never have crucified the Lord of Glory. (1 Cor. 2:8.)

CHRYSOSTOM. But in what follows, And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak, mark the humility of Christ, who would not let the unclean spirits make Him manifest. For it was not fit that they should usurp the glory of the Apostolical office, nor did it become the mysteries of Christ to be made public by impure tongues.

THEOPHYLACT. Because, “praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner.” Or, because He did not wish to inflame the envy of the Jews by being praised of all.

BEDE. But the Apostles themselves are commanded to be silent concerning Him, lest by proclaiming His divine Majesty, the dispensation of His Passion should be delayed.

4:42–44

42. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

43. And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

44. And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

CHRYSOSTOM. When he had bestowed sufficient favour upon the people by miracles, it was necessary for Him to depart. For miracles are always thought greater when the worker is gone, since they themselves are then the more heeded, and have in their turn a voice; as it is said, But when it was day, he departed, and went.

GREEK EXPOSITOR. (Victor Antiochenus.) He went also into the desert, as Mark says, and prayed; not that he needed prayer, but as an example to us of good works.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. 25. in Matt.) The Pharisees indeed, seeing how that the miracles themselves published His fame, were offended at His power. But the people hearing His words, assented and followed; as it is said, And the multitudes sought him, not indeed any of the chief priests, or scribes, but all those who had not been blackened with the dark stain of malice, and preserved their consciences unhurt.

GREEK EXPOSITOR. (ut sup.) Now when Mark says that the Apostles came to him, saying, All seek thee, but Luke, that the people came, there is no difference between them, for the people came to Him following in the footsteps of the Apostles. But the Lord rejoiced in being held back, yet bid them let Him go, that others also might partake of His teaching, as the time of His presence would not last long; as it follows, And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also, &c. Mark says, Unto this I came, shewing the loftiness of His divine nature, and His voluntary emptying Himself of it. But Luke says, Unto this am I sent, shewing His incarnation, and calling also the decree of the Father, a sending Him forth; and one simply says, To preach, the other added, the kingdom of God, which is Christ Himself.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. 48. in Matt.) Observe also, that He might, by abiding in the same place, have drawn all men over to Himself. He did not however do so, giving us an example to go about and seek those who are perishing, as the shepherd his lost sheep, and as the physician the sick. For by recovering one soul, we may be able to blot out a thousand sins. Hence also it follows, And he was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee. He frequently indeed went to the synagogues, to shew them that He was no deceiver. For if He were constantly to dwell in the desolate places, they would spread abroad that He was concealing Himself.

BEDE. But if the sun-setting mystically expresses the death of our Lord, the returning day denotes His resurrection, (the light of which being made manifest, He is sought for by the multitudes of believers, and being found in the desert of the Gentiles He is held back by them, lest He should depart;) especially as this took place on the first day of the week, on which day the Resurrection was celebrated.

Catena Aurea Luke 4

NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY (RSV)

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

First Reading:

From: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

The Corinthians Are Still Unspiritual
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[1] But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as babes in Christ. [2] I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready, [3] for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men?

Apostolic Ministry
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[4] For when one says, "I belong to Paul," and another, "I belong to Apollos," are you not merely men?

[5] What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. [6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. [8] He who plants and he who waters are equal, and each shall receive his wages according to his labor. [9] For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

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Commentary:

1-3. The Christians of Corinth have themselves to blame for their inability to grasp everything they have been taught. The counterposing of spirit and flesh does not mean that there are two kinds of people in the Church; it is, rather, a fatherly reproach on the Apostle's part: through Baptism they are called to a full (intellectual and practical) grasp of spiritual truths; but because they are letting themselves be led by human principles they are still in a state of lethargy. As St John Chrysostom comments, the reason is that "unclean living makes it difficult for a person to know the truth. Just as a man who is blinded by error cannot for long keep to the right road, so too is it very difficult for someone who is leading a bad life to accept the demands our sublime mysteries make on us. To embrace truth one needs to be detached from all one's passions [...]. This freedom of soul must be total, if one is to attain truth" ("Hom. on 1 Cor", 8, "ad loc.").

"As babes in Christ": St Paul is not referring to the spiritual childhood taught by Jesus Christ (cf. Mt 18:1-6; 1 Pet 2:2). The Apostle uses this comparison to show that one needs to make progress in the Christian life: a Christian has a duty to develop the infused virtues he received in Baptism. To be more specific, the Apostle mentions "jealousy and strife" (v. 3) as two great sins which are paralyzing the Corinthians: they leave a Christian in a lamentable, unspiritual state and prevent him from attaining the spiritual things to which he has been called (cf. Heb 5:12-17).

4-17. Using the dissension at Corinth (cf. 1:11-13), which clearly shows that the Corinthians are still acting in a very unspiritual way (v. 4), St Paul describes the true nature of apostolic office. He especially emphasizes that God is the source of all apostolic work: it is he "who gives the growth" (v. 7); man is God's instrument--a servant or minister (v. 5), a fellow worker (v. 9)--in this task, which can only be carried out if Jesus Christ is its foundation (v. 11). St Paul develops these ideas using two effective similes--a field (vv. 6-9) and a building (vv. 9-17).

5-7. Using a comparison with farm work, St Paul shows the instrumental role men and women play in the apostolate. Only God, through his grace, can make the seed of faith take root and bear fruit in souls: "It may be that going and weeping they [God's workers] cast their seeds; it may be with anxious care they nourished it; but to make it sprout and bring forth the cherished fruit, this is the work of God alone and his powerful assistance. This, also, is to be considered that men are more than instruments which God uses for the saving of souls and that these instruments must be fit, therefore, to be handled by God" (St Pius X, "Haerent Animo", 9).

In this sense, every effort man makes is to no avail (cf. v. 7); yet God chooses to use man's input to produce supernatural fruit which is totally disproportionate: "We must remember that we are only instruments," St. J. Escriva points out. "'What is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you have believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but only God gives the growth' (1 Cor 3:4-6). The teaching, the message which we have to communicate, has in its own right an infinite effectiveness which comes not from us but from Christ. It is God himself who is bent on bringing about salvation, on redeeming the world" ("Christ Is Passing By", 159).

8. The recompense God gives someone who works in the building up of the Church has not so much to do with his particular mission (the various jobs are "equal"), or with the kind of harvest, as with the work itself, the effort one puts into the God-given job. "Since Christians have different gifts (cf. Rom 12:6) they should collaborate in the work of the Gospel, each according to his opportunity, ability, charism and ministry (cf. 1 Cor 3:10); all who sow and reap (cf. Jn 4:37), plant and water, should be one (cf. 1 Cor 3:8) so that 'working together for the same end in a free and orderly manner' ("Lumen Gentium", 18) they might together devote their powers to the building up of the Church" (Vatican II, "Ad Gentes", 28). Therefore, what really matters is that one does whatever job one has been given with the maximum love possible, without losing heart: "[my chosen ones] shall not labor in vain", the Lord assures them, through the prophet Isaiah (65:23).

9. "God's field, God's building". The Second Vatican Council uses these images to describe the inner nature of the Church: "The Church is a cultivated field, the tillage of God (cf. 1 Cor 3:9). on that land the ancient olive tree grows whose holy roots were the prophets and in which the reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles has been brought about and will be brought about again (Rom 11:13-26). That land, like a choice vineyard, has been planted by the heavenly cultivator (Mt 21:33-43; cf. Is 5:1f). Yet the true vine is Christ who gives life and fruitfulness to the branches, that is, to us, who through the Church remain in Christ without whom we can do nothing (Jn 15:1-5).

"Often, too, the Church is called the building of God (1 Cor 3:9). The Lord compared himself to the stone which the builders rejected, but which was made into the cornerstone (Mt 21:42; cf. Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:7; Ps 117:22). on this foundation the Church is built by the Apostles (cf. 1 Cor 3:11) and from it the Church receives solidity and unity. This edifice has many names to describe it--the house of God in which his family dwells; the household of God in the Spirit (Eph 2:19:22); the dwelling-place of God among men (Rev 21:3); and, especially, the holy temple. This temple, symbolized in places of worship built out of stone, is praised by the Fathers and, not without reason, is compared in the liturgy to the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. As living stones we here on earth are built into it (1 Pet 2:5). It is this holy city that is seen by John as it comes down out of heaven from God when the world is made anew, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband (Rev 21:1f)" ("Lumen Gentium", 6).

The Lord wants Christians to be living stones in this building and has associated them in the redemptive task of saving all mankind, so that in the course of their own redemption they might also be co-redeemers with him, completing "what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Col 1:24): "Jesus has wanted every person to cooperate freely in the work of redemption [...]. The work of salvation is still going on, and each one of us has a part in it [...]. It is worth while putting our lives on the line, giving ourselves completely, so as to answer to the love and the confidence that God has placed in us. It is worthwhile, above all, to decide to take our Christian faith seriously" (St. J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 129).

Gospel Reading:

From: Luke 4:38-44

The Cure of Peter's Mother-In-Law
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[38] And He (Jesus) arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought Him for her. [39] And He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she rose and served them.

Other Cures
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[40] Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. [41] And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But He rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that He was the Christ.

Jesus Preaches in Other Cities in Judea
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[42] And when it was day He departed and went into a lonely place. And the people sought Him and came to Him, and would have kept Him from leaving them; [43] but He said to them, "I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." [44] And He was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

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Commentary:

38-39. In the public life of Jesus we find many touching episodes (cf. for example Luke 19:1; John 2:1) which show the high regard He had for everyday family life.

Here we can clearly see the effectiveness of prayer on behalf of other people: "No sooner did they pray to the Savior", St. Jerome says, "than He immediately healed the sick; from this we learn that He also listens to the prayers of the faithful for help against sinful passions" ("Expositio In Evangelium Sec. Lucam, in loc.").

St. John Chrysostom refers to this total, instantaneous cure: "Since this was a curable type of illness He displayed His power through the way He brought healing, doing what medicine could not do. Even after being cured of fever, patients need time to recover their former strength, but here the cure was instantaneous" ("Hom. on St. Matthew", 27).

The Fathers saw in this lady's fever a symbol of concupiscence: "Peter's mother-in-law's fever represents our flesh affected by various illnesses and concupiscences; our fever is passion, our fever is lust, our fever is anger--vices which, although they affect the body, perturb the soul, the mind and the feelings" (St. Ambrose, "Expositio Evangelii Sec. Lucam, in loc.").

On the practical consequences of this St. Cyril says: "Let us receive Jesus Christ, because when He visits us and we take Him into our minds and hearts, even our worst passions are extinguished and we are kept safe to serve Him, that is, to do what pleases Him" ("Hom. 28 In Mattheum").

43. Our Lord again stresses one of the reasons why He has come into the world. St. Thomas, when discussing the purpose of the Eucharist, says that Christ "came into the world, first, to make the truth known, as He Himself says: `for this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth' (John 18:37). Hence it was not fitting that He should hide Himself by leading a solitary life, but rather that He should appear openly and preach in public. For this reason He tells those who wanted to detain Him, `I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.' Secondly, He came in order to free men from sin; as the Apostle says, `Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners' (1 Timothy 1:15). This is why Chrysostom says, `Although Christ might, while staying in the same place, have drawn all men to Himself to hear His preaching, He did not do so--in order to give us the example to go out and seek the lost sheep, as the shepherd does, or as the doctor does, who visits the sick person.' Thirdly, He came so that `we might obtain access to God' (Romans 5:2)" ("Summa Theologiae", III, q. 40, a. 1, c.).

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Readings at Mass

Neither the planter nor the waterer matters, only God, who makes things grow

He would not allow them to speak because they knew he was the Christ

Christian Art

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

Saint of the Day for September 4

(1233 – March 6, 1251)