The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Thursday, 24 July 2008 Thursday of the Sixteenth week in Ordinary Time Today the Church celebrates : Sts. John Boste, George Swallowell, & John Ingram, Blessed Louise of Savoy See commentary below or click here Saint Justin : "Many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see" Book of Jeremiah 2,1-3.7-8.12-13. This word of the LORD came to me: Go, cry out this message for Jerusalem to hear! I remember the devotion of your youth, how you loved me as a bride, Following me in the desert, in a land unsown. Sacred to the LORD was Israel, the first fruits of his harvest; Should anyone presume to partake of them, evil would befall him, says the LORD. When I brought you into the garden land to eat its goodly fruits, You entered and defiled my land, you made my heritage loathsome. The priests asked not, "Where is the LORD?" Those who dealt with the law knew me not: the shepherds rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after useless idols. Be amazed at this, O heavens, and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD. Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken me, the source of living waters; They have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 13,10-17. The disciples approached him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" He said to them in reply, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because 'they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.' Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: 'You shall indeed hear but not understand you shall indeed look but never see. Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I heal them.' But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Justin (c.100-160), philosopher, martys First Apology, 1.30-31 "Many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see" To the Emperor Hadrian, Augustus Caesar, and to Verissimus, his son, the philosopher, and to Licius, the philosopher, and to the Senate and all the Roman people, on behalf of people of every race who are hated and persecuted unjustly: I, who am one of them, Justin of Neapolis [Nablus] in Syria of Palestine, address this discourse... The objection is put forward that the one whom we call Christ is no more than a man, born of man, that the miracles we ascribe to him are caused by magic art, and that he has successfully passed himself off as Son of God. Our demonstration will not rest on rumors but on prophecies made before the event in which we cannot but believe: for we have seen, and continue to see, the realization of what had been predicted ... Among the Jews there were prophets of God through whom the prophetic Spirit announced beforehand future events. Their prophecies were diligently kept in the form in which they had been uttered by successive kings of Judah, in books written in Hebrew by the very hand of those prophets... Now, in the books of the prophets, we read that Jesus, our Christ, must come, that he will be born of a virgin, will reach manhood, will heal every sickness and infirmity, will raise the dead, that, misunderstood and persecuted, he will be crucified, will die, will rise again and ascend to heaven, that he is and will be recognised as Son of God, that he will send out certain men to proclaim these things in all the world and that it will be the pagans, above all, who will believe in him. These prophecies were made five thousand, three thousand, two thousand, a thousand, eight hundred years before his coming since the prophets followed one after the other from generation to generation. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Monday, 23 June 2008 Monday of the Twelfth week in Ordinary Time Today the Church celebrates : St. John Fisher See commentary below or click here Saint John Climacus : "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye?" 2nd book of Kings 17,5-8.13-15.18. For this, the king of Assyria arrested and imprisoned Hoshea; he then occupied the whole land and attacked Samaria, which he besieged for three years. In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria took Samaria, and deported the Israelites to Assyria, settling them in Halah, at the Habor, a river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. This came about because the Israelites sinned against the LORD, their God, who had brought them up from the land of Egypt, from under the domination of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and because they venerated other gods. They followed the rites of the nations whom the LORD had cleared out of the way of the Israelites (and the kings of Israel whom they set up). And though the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and seer, "Give up your evil ways and keep my commandments and statutes, in accordance with the entire law which I enjoined on your fathers and which I sent you by my servants the prophets," they did not listen, but were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who had not believed in the LORD, their God. They rejected his statutes, the covenant which he had made with their fathers, and the warnings which he had given them. The vanity they pursued, they themselves became: they followed the surrounding nations whom the LORD had commanded them not to imitate. till, in his great anger against Israel, the LORD put them away out of his sight. Only the tribe of Judah was left. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 7,1-5. Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove that splinter from your eye,' while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother's eye. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint John Climacus (c.575-650), monk on Mount Sinai The Ladder of Perfection, 10th step "Why do you notice the splinter in your brother's eye?" I have heard some people speak ill of their neighbour and have rebuked them. To defend themselves, these evildoers have answered: «We are saying these things out of charity and concern!» However, I have replied: «Stop practising a charity like that or you will be accusing of deceit the one who said: 'Whoever slanders his neighbour in secret, him will I destroy,' (Ps 101[100],5). If you love him – as you claim – pray for him in secret and don't make a mock of the man. This is the way of loving that pleases the Lord; don't lose sight of it and you will take the greatest care not to judge sinners. Judas was of the number of the apostles and the thief was among the criminals but, in an instant, what an astonishing change!...» So reply to anyone who speaks evil of his neighbor to you: «Stop, brother! I myself fall into the most serious faults every day; how could I now condemn this man?» Thus you will make a twofold gain: you will heal yourself and heal your neighbor. Not judging is a shortcut towards the forgiveness of sins, if this saying is true: «Do not judge and you will not be judged»... Some people have committed grave faults in the sight of everyone but, in secret, have carried out the greatest acts of virtue. Thus their detractors have been mistaken by focussing only on the smoke without seeing the sun... Those who are hastily censorious and severe fall into this delusion because they don't keep the memory and constant care of their own sins before them... Judging others is shamelessly to usurp a divine prerogative; condemning them is to bring down our own souls... Just as a good grape-picker eats the grapes that are ripe and does not pick those that are green, so a watchful and sensible soul carefully takes note of all the virtues he sees in others; but it is the stupid man who keeps an eye on their faults and failings. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Tuesday, 06 May 2008 Tuesday of the Seventh week of Easter Today the Church celebrates : St Petronax, St Dominic Savio See commentary below or click here Saint Irenaeus of Lyons : "So that he may give eternal life to all you gave him" Acts of the Apostles 20,17-27. From Miletus he had the presbyters of the church at Ephesus summoned. When they came to him, he addressed them, "You know how I lived among you the whole time from the day I first came to the province of Asia. I served the Lord with all humility and with the tears and trials that came to me because of the plots of the Jews, and I did not at all shrink from telling you what was for your benefit, or from teaching you in public or in your homes. I earnestly bore witness for both Jews and Greeks to repentance before God and to faith in our Lord Jesus. But now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem. What will happen to me there I do not know, except that in one city after another the holy Spirit has been warning me that imprisonment and hardships await me. Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of God's grace. "But now I know that none of you to whom I preached the kingdom during my travels will ever see my face again. And so I solemnly declare to you this day that I am not responsible for the blood of any of you, for I did not shrink from proclaiming to you the entire plan of God. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 17,1-11. When Jesus had said this, he raised his eyes to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you, just as you gave him authority over all people, so that he may give eternal life to all you gave him. Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ. I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do. Now glorify me, Father, with you, with the glory that I had with you before the world began. I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you, because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for the ones you have given me, because they are yours, and everything of mine is yours and everything of yours is mine, and I have been glorified in them. And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.208), Bishop, theologian and martyr Against the Heresies, IV,14 (SC 100, p.537 rev.) "So that he may give eternal life to all you gave him" In the beginning it was not because he had need of man that God fashioned Adam but so as to have someone on whom to set his blessings. For, not only before Adam but even before creation, the Word glorified the Father while dwelling in him and was glorified by the Father as he himself said: «Father, glorify me with the glory that I had with you before the world began.» Further, it wasn't because he needed our help that he told us to follow him but to win salvation for us. Because following the Savior is to share in salvation just as following the light is to have a share in the light. When people stand in the light, it is not they who illumine the light and cause it to shine but who are illumined and made to shine by it. Far from contributing anything at all to it, they benefit from the light and are lit up by it. This is how it is in serving God: our service contributes nothing to God for God has no need of man's service; but to those who serve and follow him God gives life, incorruptibility and eternal glory... If God requests man's service it is so that he who is good and merciful might grant his blessings to those who persevere in his service. For, if God has no need of anything, yet man has need of communion with God. The glory of man is to persevere in the service of God. That is why our Savior said to his disciples: «It was not you who chose me but I who chose you» (Jn 15,16). Thus he showed that it was not they who glorified him by following him but that, since they had followed the Son of God, they were glorified by him. «Father, I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory» (Jn 17,24). Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Sunday, 27 April 2008 Sixth Sunday of Easter Today the Church celebrates : St. Zita of Lucca, St Liberale See commentary below or click here Saint Hilary : "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always" Acts of the Apostles 8,5-8.14-17. Thus Philip went down to (the) city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. There was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the holy Spirit. First Letter of Peter 3,15-18. but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 14,15-21. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Hilary (c.315-367), Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Church The Trinity 2,31-35 "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always" «God is spirit,» the Lord said to the Samaritan woman...; since God is invisible, incomprehensible and infinite, it is neither on a mountain nor in any temple that God is to be worshipped (Jn 4,21-24). «God is spirit,» and spirit cannot be circumscribed or contained. He is everywhere by force of his own nature nor is he lacking from any particular place; everywhere himself, he overflows in all things. Hence we must worship in the Holy Spirit the God who is spirit... The apostle Paul spoke no differently when he wrote: «The Lord is spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom,» (2Cor 4,17)... So let those who deny the Spirit refrain from their disputes. The Holy Spirit is one, poured out everywhere, illuminating patriarchs, prophets and the whole chorus of those who played a part in setting down the Law. He inspired John the Baptist from his mother's womb and, finally, he was poured out upon the apostles and all those who believe so that they might know the truth conferred on them by grace. What is the working of the Spirit in us? Hear the words of the Lord himself: «I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now... It is better for you that I go. For if I go, I will send an Advocate to you... the Spirit of Truth who will guide you to all truth,» (cf. Jn 16, 7-13)... Both the will of the giver and the nature and function of the one he gives are revealed to us in these words. For our weakness does not allow us to know either the Father or the Son; the mystery of God's incarnation is hard to understand. The gift of the Holy Spirit, who becomes our friend by his intercession, gives us light... But this special gift, which is found in Christ, is held out in its fullness to us all. It lacks nothing but is given to each inasmuch as he wishes to receive it. This Holy Spirit abides with us until the consummation of the ages. He is our consolation as we wait, the measure of good things in the hope that is to come, the light of our minds, the splendour of our souls. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Saturday, 26 April 2008 Saturday of the Fifth week of Easter Today the Church celebrates : St Marcellinus See commentary below or click here Saint Polycarp : "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" Acts of the Apostles 16,1-10. He reached (also) Derbe and Lystra where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek. The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke highly of him, and Paul wanted him to come along with him. On account of the Jews of that region, Paul had him circumcised, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled from city to city, they handed on to the people for observance the decisions reached by the apostles and presbyters in Jerusalem. Day after day the churches grew stronger in faith and increased in number. They traveled through the Phrygian and Galatian territory because they had been prevented by the holy Spirit from preaching the message in the province of Asia. When they came to Mysia, they tried to go on into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them, so they crossed through Mysia and came down to Troas. During (the) night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." When he had seen the vision, we sought passage to Macedonia at once, concluding that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 15,18-21. If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, 'No slave is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Polycarp (69-155), Bishop and martyr Letter to the Philippians, SC 10, p.215-217 (©Penguin Classics) "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" Let us never relax our grasp on the Hope and Pledge of our righteousness; I mean Jesus Christ... Let us imitate that patient endurance of His; and if we do have to suffer for His Name's sake, why then, let us give glory to Him. For that is the example He set us in His own person, and in which we have learnt to put our faith. I appeal now to everyone of you to hear and obey the call of holiness, and to exercise the same perfect fortitude that you have seen with your own eyes in the blessed Ignatius, and Rufus, and Zosimus; and not in them alone, but in a number of your own townsmen as well - to say nothing of Paul himself and the other Apostles. Be very sure that the course of these men was not run in vain, but faithfully and honorably; and that they have now reached a well-earned place at the side of the Lord whose pains they shared. Their hearts were not set on «this world of ours» (2Tim 4,10), but on Him who died for our sakes and was raised up again for us by God... May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus' Christ, and the eternal High Priest Jesus Christ Himself, the Son of God, help you to grow in faith and truth, in unfailing gentleness and the avoidance of all anger, in patience and forbearance, and in calmness and purity. To you, and to ourselves as well, and to all those under heaven who shall one day come to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Father who raised Him from the dead, may He grant part and portion among His saints. Pray for all God's people. Pray too for our sovereign lords, and for all governors and rulers; for any who ill-use you or dislike you; and for the enemies of the Cross. Thus the fruits of your faith will be plain for all to see, and you will be perfected in Him. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Monday, 21 April 2008 Monday of the Fifth week of Easter Today the Church celebrates : St. Anselm See commentary below or click here Saint Nicholas Cabasilas : "Whoever loves me... my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him" Acts of the Apostles 14,5-18. When there was an attempt by both the Gentiles and the Jews, together with their leaders, to attack and stone them, they realized it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding countryside, where they continued to proclaim the good news. At Lystra there was a crippled man, lame from birth, who had never walked. He listened to Paul speaking, who looked intently at him, saw that he had the faith to be healed, and called out in a loud voice, "Stand up straight on your feet." He jumped up and began to walk about. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in Lycaonian, "The gods have come down to us in human form." They called Barnabas "Zeus" and Paul "Hermes," because he was the chief speaker. And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, for he together with the people intended to offer sacrifice. The apostles Barnabas and Paul tore their garments when they heard this and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, "Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings. We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from these idols to the living God, 'who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.' In past generations he allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts." Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 14,21-26. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him." Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, "Master, (then) what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name--he will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Nicholas Cabasilas (c.1320-1363), Greek lay theologian Life in Christ, IV, 6-8 (SC 355, p.267) "Whoever loves me... my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him" The promise attached to the eucharistic table makes us live in Christ and Christ in us, for it is written: «He remains in me and I in him» (Jn 6,56). If Christ remains in us, of what else could we have need? What could we lack? If Christ remains in us what more can we want? He is both our host and our dwelling. How happy we are to be the place where he lives! What joy that we ourselves are the abode of such a host! What could lack those whom he thus treats? What do those who shine with such a light have in common with wickedness? What evil could stand up to such good? There is nothing else capable of remaining in us or coming against us when Christ unites himself to us in this way. He surrounds us and penetrates our deepest selves; he is our protection and refuge; he hems us in on every side. He is both our dwelling and the host who wholly fills his dwelling place. For we receive, not a part of himself but himself, not just one sunbeam but the sun..., until we become one single spirit with him (1Cor 6,17)... Our soul is united to his soul, our body to his body, our blood to his blood... As Saint Paul says: «What is mortal is swallowed up by life» (2Cor 5,4) and: «I live, yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me» (Gal 2,20). Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Sunday, 13 April 2008 Fourth Sunday of Easter Today the Church celebrates : St. Martin I See commentary below or click here Theodore of Mopsuestia : "Whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep." Acts of the Apostles 2,14.36-41. Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, "You who are Jews, indeed all of you staying in Jerusalem. Let this be known to you, and listen to my words. Therefore let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified." Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they asked Peter and the other apostles, "What are we to do, my brothers?" 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 will receive the gift of the holy Spirit. For the promise is made to you and to your children and to all those far off, whomever the Lord our God will call." He testified with many other arguments, and was exhorting them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand persons were added that day. First Letter of Peter 2,20-25. But what credit is there if you are patient when beaten for doing wrong? But if you are patient when you suffer for doing what is good, this is a grace before God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his footsteps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten; instead, he handed himself over to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you had gone astray like sheep, but you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 10,1-10. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Although Jesus used this figure of speech, they did not realize what he was trying to tell them. So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came (before me) are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Theodore of Mopsuestia (?-428), Bishop of Mopsuestia in Cilicia and theologian Commentary on St John's Gospel; CSCO 115-116, p197 "Whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep." Blessed Moses is the doorkeeper of this sheepfold, having established it on the precepts of the law to allow those who lead their lives according to its norms to live by them in full security. The shepherd… leads men like sheep to the pastures of sound doctrine, showing them the food of the word: that on which they must feed at the beginning and that on which they should feed later on. He reveals to them the inner meaning of these words, how Scripture should be understood and also which teaching ought to be set aside, teaching which, perhaps, others will deceivingly teach them to the loss of the sheep… "Let us seek out, then," says the Lord to the Pharisees, "whether you or I go in by the entrance that the Law prescribes; which of us zealously fulfils the Law's precepts; to whom Moses, the keeper of the sheepfold, truly opens the door; to whom he grants the praise and honor due to his deeds; whom he declares to be the true shepherd. If Moses praises in his book him who fulfils the precepts of the Law, then there is no doubt that the fulfillment of these precepts is to be found, not in you, but in me… "Without lifting a finger to help the sheep, you seek nothing but your own advantage. That is why you have no authority at all to drive away anyone… But it is with good reason and just cause that I am called shepherd, for in the first place I have carefully observed the Law; then I have taken the door the Law prescribes and which the doorkeeper himself has shown me; and finally, I have zealously carried out everything that needs to be done for the good of the sheep." Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

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DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Saturday, 12 April 2008 Saturday of the Third week of Easter Today the Church celebrates : St Julius I See commentary below or click here Vatican Council II: The sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ brings us together in him and sends us out to the world Acts of the Apostles 9,31-42. The church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers. As Peter was passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been confined to bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed." He got up at once. And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated means Dorcas). She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. Now during those days she fell sick and died, so after washing her, they laid (her) out in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs where all the widows came to him weeping and showing him the tunics and cloaks that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to her body and said, "Tabitha, rise up." She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. He gave her his hand and raised her up, and when he had called the holy ones and the widows, he presented her alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6,60-69. Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, "Does this shock you? What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe." Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him. And he said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father." As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, "Do you also want to leave?" Simon Peter answered him, "Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God." Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Vatican Council II Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium), 10 (c. Libreria Vaticana Editrice) The sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ brings us together in him and sends us out to the world The liturgy is the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the font from which all her power flows. For the aim and object of apostolic works is that all who are made sons of God by faith and baptism should come together to praise God in the midst of His Church, to take part in the sacrifice, and to eat the Lord's supper. The liturgy in its turn moves the faithful, filled with "the paschal sacraments," to be "one in holiness" (cf Acts 4,32); it prays that "they may hold fast in their lives to what they have grasped by their faith" (Collect for Tuesday of Easter Week); the renewal in the Eucharist of the covenant between the Lord and man draws the faithful into the compelling love of Christ and sets them on fire. From the liturgy, therefore, and especially from the Eucharist, as from a font, grace is poured forth upon us; and the sanctification of men in Christ and the glorification of God, to which all other activities of the Church are directed as toward their end, is achieved in the most efficacious possible way. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

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DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Tuesday, 08 April 2008 Tuesday of the Third week of Easter Today the Church celebrates : St. Julia Billiart See commentary below or click here Catechism of the Catholic Church: "It was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven." Acts of the Apostles 7,51-60.8,1. "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it." When they heard this, they were infuriated, and they ground their teeth at him. But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, and rushed upon him together. They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them"; and when he said this, he fell asleep. Now Saul was consenting to his execution.On that day, there broke out a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6,30-35. So they said to him, "What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" So Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." So they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Catechism of the Catholic Church §1337-1341 "It was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven." "The Lord, having loved those who were his own, loved them to the end. Knowing that the hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father," in the course of a meal he washed their feet and gave them the commandment of love (Jn 13,1). In order to leave them a pledge of this love, in order never to depart from his own and make them sharers in his Passover, he instituted the Eucharist as the memorial of his death and Resurrection, and commanded his apostles to celebrate it until his return; "thereby he constituted them priests of the New Testament" (Council of Trent)… By celebrating the Last Supper with his apostles in the course of the Passover meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus' passing over to his Father by his death and Resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipated in the Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfils the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the kingdom. The command of Jesus to repeat his actions and words "until he comes" (1Cor 11,26) does not only ask us to remember Jesus and what he did. It is directed at the liturgical celebration, by the apostles and their successors, of the memorial of Christ, of his life, of his death, of his Resurrection, and of his intercession in the presence of the Father. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

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DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Monday, 07 April 2008 Monday of the Third week of Easter Today the Church celebrates : Bl. Herman Joseph, St. John Baptist de la Salle See commentary below or click here Saint Ignatius of Antioch : "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent." Acts of the Apostles 6,8-15. Now Stephen, filled with grace and power, was working great wonders and signs among the people. Certain members of the so-called Synagogue of Freedmen, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and people from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and debated with Stephen, but they could not withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he spoke. Then they instigated some men to say, "We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God." They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, accosted him, seized him, and brought him before the Sanhedrin. They presented false witnesses who testified, "This man never stops saying things against (this) holy place and the law. For we have heard him claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us." All those who sat in the Sanhedrin looked intently at him and saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 6,22-29. The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. And when they found him across the sea they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" Jesus answered them and said, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." So they said to him, "What can we do to accomplish the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent." Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Ignatius of Antioch (?-c.110), Bishop of Antioch and martyr Letter to the Philadelphians "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent." You, who are children of the true light, flee from quarrelling and false teachings. Like sheep, follow your shepherd wherever you go. For it often happens that wolves, seemingly worthy of credence, lead astray those who are running God's race. But if you stay united they will find no place amongst you. So take care to participate only in the one eucharist. Indeed, there is only one flesh of our Lord, one cup uniting us in his blood, one altar, just as there is only one bishop in the midst of his priests and deacons. In this way, all that you do will be done according to God… My refuge is the Gospel, which so far as I'm concerned is Jesus himself in the flesh, and the apostles who incarnate the Church's priesthood. Let us also love the prophets since they, too, have preached the Gospel: they hoped in the Christ and waited for him; believing in him, they were saved and, remaining as saints worthy of love and admiration in the unity of Jesus Christ, they were accounted worthy to receive the testimony of Jesus Christ and to have a share in the Gospel, our common hope… God does not dwell where division and anger reign. But the Lord forgives all those who repent if repentance brings them back to unity with God and communion with the bishop. I believe in the grace of Jesus Christ, who will set us free from every chain. I beseech you never to act in a quarrelsome spirit but according to Christ's teaching. I have heard of those who said: "Whatever I don't find in the ancient books. I won't believe in the Gospel"… Where I'm concerned, the ancient books are Christ; the inviolable archives are his cross, his death and resurrection and the faith coming from him. See, then,from where I expect my whole justification, with the help of your prayers. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

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DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Wednesday, 19 March 2008 Wednesday of Holy Week Today the Church celebrates : St. Joseph See commentary below or click here Pope Benedict XVI: "One of you will betray me" Book of Isaiah 50,4-9. The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, That I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let him confront me. See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong? Lo, they will all wear out like cloth, the moth will eat them up. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 26,14-25. Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscar iot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples."'" The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover. When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" He said in reply, "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so." Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Pope Benedict XVI General audience for 18/10/06 (©Libreria Vaticana Editrice) "One of you will betray me" Why does Judas betray Jesus? The question raises several theories. Some refer to the fact of his greed for money; others hold to an explanation of a messianic order: Judas would have been disappointed at seeing that Jesus did not fit into his programme for the political-militaristic liberation of his own nation. In fact, the Gospel texts insist on another aspect: John expressly says that "the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him" (Jn 13,2). Analogously, Luke writes: "Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve" (Lk 22,3). In this way, one moves beyond historical motivations and explanations based on the personal responsibility of Judas, who shamefully ceded to a temptation of the Evil One. The betrayal of Judas remains, in any case, a mystery. Jesus treated him as a friend (cf. Mt 26,50); however, in his invitations to follow him along the way of the beatitudes, he does not force his will or protect it from the temptations of Satan, respecting human freedom... Let us remember that Peter also wanted to oppose him and what awaited him at Jerusalem, but he received a very strong reproof: "You are not on the side of God, but of men" (Mk 8,33)! After his fall Peter repented and found pardon and grace. Judas also repented, but his repentance degenerated into desperation and thus became self-destructive… Let us remember two things. The first: Jesus respects our freedom. The second: Jesus awaits our openness to repentance and conversion; he is rich in mercy and forgiveness. Besides, when we think of the negative role Judas played we must consider it according to the lofty ways in which God leads events. His betrayal led to the death of Jesus, who transformed this tremendous torment into a space of salvific love by consigning himself to the Father (cf. Gal 2,20; Eph 5,2, 25). The word "to betray" is the version of a Greek word that means "to consign". Sometimes the subject is even God in person: it was he who for love "consigned" Jesus for all of us (Rm 8,32). In his mysterious salvific plan, God assumes Judas' inexcusable gesture as the occasion for the total gift of the Son for the redemption of the world. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

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DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Saturday, 15 March 2008 Saint Joseph, husband of Mary, solemnity Today the Church celebrates : St. Louise de Marcillac See commentary below or click here Leo XIII: Saint Joseph, a model for all 2nd book of Samuel 7,4-5.12-14.16. But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said: "Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in? And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he does wrong, I will correct him with the rod of men and with human chastisements; Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'" Letter to the Romans 4,13.16-18.22. It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, "I have made you father of many nations." He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become "the father of many nations," according to what was said, "Thus shall your descendants be." That is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 1,16.18-21.24. Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Messiah. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Leo XIII, Pope from 1878-1903 Quamquam pluries (©Libreria Vaticana Editrice) Saint Joseph, a model for all These are the reasons why men of every rank and country should fly to the trust and guard of the blessed Joseph. Fathers of families find in Joseph the best personification of paternal solicitude and vigilance; spouses a perfect example of love, of peace, and of conjugal fidelity; virgins at the same time find in him the model and protector of virginal integrity. The noble of birth will earn of Joseph how to guard their dignity even in misfortune; the rich will understand, by his lessons, what are the goods most to be desired and won at the price of their labour. As to workmen, artisans, and persons of lesser degree, their recourse to Joseph is a special right, and his example is for their particular imitation. For Joseph, of royal blood, united by marriage to the greatest and holiest of women, reputed the father of the Son of God, passed his life in labour, and won by the toil of the artisan the needful support of his family. It is, then, true that the condition of the lowly has nothing shameful in it, and the work of the labourer is not only not dishonouring, but can, if virtue be joined to it, be singularly ennobled. Joseph, content with his slight possessions, bore the trials consequent on a fortune so slender, with greatness of soul, in imitation of his Son, who having put on the form of a slave, being the Lord of life, subjected himself of his own free-will to the spoliation and loss of everything. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

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DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Friday, 14 March 2008 Friday of the Fifth week of Lent Today the Church celebrates : St Leobinus, St Matilde See commentary below or click here Odes of Solomon : "They tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power" Book of Jeremiah 20,10-13. Yes, I hear the whisperings of many: "Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!" All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. "Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him." But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, Let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, For he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked! Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 10,31-42. The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." (Then) they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true." And many there began to believe in him. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Odes of Solomon (Hebrew Christian text from the beginning of the 2nd century) No. 28 "They tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power" As the wings of doves over their nestlings… So also are the wings of the Spirit over my heart. My heart continually refreshes itself and leaps for joy Like the babe who leaps for joy in his mother's womb. I trusted, consequently I was at rest; because trustful is he in whom I trusted. He has greatly blessed me, and my head is with him. And the dagger shall not divide me from him, nor the sword . Because I am ready before destruction comes, and have been placed in his incorruptible arms. And immortal life embraced me and kissed me. And from that (life) is the Spirit which is within me. And it cannot die because it is life. [Christ speaks:] Those who saw me were amazed, because I was persecuted. And they thought that I had been swallowed up, because I appeared to them as one of the lost. But my defamation became my salvation. And I became their abomination, because there was no jealousy in me. Because I continually did good to every man I was hated. And they surrounded me like mad dogs (Ps 22[21],17) those who in stupidity attack their masters. Because their mind is depraved, and their sense is perverted. But I was carrying water in my right hand, and their bitterness I endured by my sweetness. And I did not perish, because I was not their brother, nor was my birth like theirs. And they sought my death but were unsuccessful because I was older than their memory. And in vain did they cast their lots against me. And those who were after me Sought in vain to destroy the memorial of him Who was before them. Because the mind of the Most High cannot be surpassed And his heart is superior to all wisdom. Hallelujah! Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

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AH, A and H, add this in your name, somewhere in the middle and see whether you can be a father of a new nation.

ariahel. just wondering, if I change my name to this, will I become a father of a great nation.

Esau
Edom

This name appears to belong to one person. The twin brother of Jacob, the grand son of Abraham and the son of Isaac.

He was cheated by Jacob, actually by Jacob's mother.

He was a true Christian by heart for he forgave Jacob despite of the scam.

Why were the Israelites hostile to the Edomites. Were not Edomites descendants of Abraham and therefore they are part of the chosen people, part of a great nation.

Why did the Exodusists avoided the Edomites.

Jacob became Israel
Esau became Edom

Abram became Abram

Why did Isaac remained as such?

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Thursday, 13 March 2008 Thursday of the Fifth week of Lent Today the Church celebrates : St Euphrasia See commentary below or click here Saint Cyril of Jerusalem : "Are you greater than our father Abraham?" Book of Genesis 17,3-9. When Abram prostrated himself, God continued to speak to him: "My covenant with you is this: you are to become the father of a host of nations. No longer shall you be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I am making you the father of a host of nations. I will render you exceedingly fertile; I will make nations of you; kings shall stem from you. I will maintain my covenant with you and your descendants after you throughout the ages as an everlasting pact, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land in which you are now staying, the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession; and I will be their God." God also said to Abraham: "On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 8,51-59. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death." (So) the Jews said to him, "Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.' Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?" Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.' You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM." So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (313-350), Bishop of Jerusalem and Doctor of the Church Baptismal catecheses, no.5 "Are you greater than our father Abraham?" One might say a great deal about faith. It is enough to cast a glance at Abraham, one of the models given us by the Old Testament, since we are his children by faith. This man was not justified by his works alone but also by faith. He had done many good deeds but he was only called a friend of God when he had given proof of his faith. All his works drew their perfection from his faith. It was by faith that he left his family; it was by faith that he left his homeland, his country and his house. In the same way as he was made righteous, become righteous yourselves! Later on his body became incapable of fatherhood since he had become extremely old. Sara, to whom he had been united, was also old. And so they had no hope at all of a posterity. God, however, announced to this old man that he would become a father, and Abraham's faith did not flinch. Considering that his body was already very close to death, he did not take his physical weakness into account, nonetheless, but the strength of the One who made the promise, since he judged him who had made this promise to be worthy of faith. Thus it was that, from two bodies already marked, so to speak, by death, a child was marvellously born... It is Abraham's example of faith that makes children of Abraham out of us all. How? People find resurrection from the dead just as unbelievable as that old men, already marked by death, should father their posterity. But when someone proclaims the good news of Christ to us, crucified on the tree, dead and brought back to life again, then we believe it. Thus it is through imitating his faith that we enter into the descendance of Abraham. And so, like him, we receive with faith the spiritual seal, circumcised like him in baptism by the Holy Spirit. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Wednesday, 12 March 2008 Wednesday of the Fifth week of Lent Today the Church celebrates : St Maximilian See commentary below or click here Saint John Chrysostom : Do as Abraham did Book of Daniel 3,14-20.91-92.95. King Nebuchadnezzar questioned them: "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you will not serve my god, or worship the golden statue that I set up? Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made, whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet, flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe, and all the other musical instruments; otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace; and who is the God that can deliver you out of my hands?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, "There is no need for us to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If our God, whom we serve, can save us from the white-hot furnace and from your hands, O king, may he save us! But even if he will not, know, O king, that we will not serve your god or worship the golden statue which you set up." Nebuchadnezzar's face became livid with utter rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usual and had some of the strongest men in his army bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and cast them into the white-hot furnace. King Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles, "Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?" "Assuredly, O king," they answered. "But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt, walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God." Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who sent his angel to deliver the servants that trusted in him; they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodies rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 8,31-42. Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, "If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free. I know that you are descendants of Abraham. But you are trying to kill me, because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father's presence; then do what you have heard from the Father." They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God; Abraham did not do this. You are doing the works of your father!" (So) they said to him, "We are not illegitimate. We have one Father, God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407), Bishop of Antioch, then of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church 36th Homily on Genesis; PG 53,339 Do as Abraham did Looking wholly to God's promise and setting aside all human ways of looking at things, knowing God to be capable of accomplishments beyond nature to achieve, Abraham put his trust in the words addressed to him, let no shadow of doubt cross his mind and did not waver as to the meaning he should give God's words. For it is in the nature of faith to put its trust in the power of the one who promises… God had promised Abraham that a posterity without number would be born of him. This promise exceeded the possibilities of nature and all purely human forms of perception and that is why his faith towards God "was credited him as righteousness" (Gn 15,6; Gal 3,6). Well then, if we are on the watch, yet more wonderful promises have been made to us and we will be satisfied to an even greater extent than human thought can dream. And for this, we have only to put our trust in the power of him who has made these promises to us so as to merit the righteousness that comes from faith and obtain the promised reward. For all those good things we are hoping for far exceed all human conception and thought, so exceedingly wonderful is what we have been promised! Indeed, these promises do not concern only the present, the flourishing of our lives and the enjoyment of visible goods, but they are even more about the time when we have quitted this earth, when our bodies have become subject to corruption, when our remains have been reduced to dust. God promises us that he will then raise them up and establish them in glorious splendour, "for this which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility," Saint Paul assures us (1Cor 15,53). More than this, after the resurrection of our bodies, we have received the promise of enjoying the Kingdom and of obtaining through endless ages, in the company of the saints, those ineffable goods that "eye has not seen and ear has not heard and that have not entered the human heart" (1Cor 2,9). Do you grasp the superabundance of the promises? Do you grasp the greatness of these gifts? Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Tuesday, 11 March 2008 Tuesday of the Fifth week of Lent Today the Church celebrates : St Oengus See commentary below or click here Saint John Fisher : "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM" Book of Numbers 21,4-9. From Mount Hor they set out on the Red Sea road, to by-pass the land of Edom. But with their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, "Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!" In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses, "Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if anyone who has been bitten looks at it, he will recover." Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he recovered. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 8,21-30. He said to them again, "I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going you cannot come." So the Jews said, "He is not going to kill himself, is he, because he said, 'Where I am going you cannot come'?" He said to them, "You belong to what is below, I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins." So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "What I told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you in condemnation. But the one who sent me is true, and what I heard from him I tell the world." They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father. So Jesus said (to them), "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own, but I say only what the Father taught me. The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what is pleasing to him." Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint John Fisher (c.1469-1535), Bishop, martyr A Sermon preached on Good Friday "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM" Wonder is the source from which philosophers draw their great learning. They encounter and reflect on the marvels of nature, such as earthquakes or thunder … or eclipses of the sun and moon, for example. Moved by these wonders, they seek out their cause. Thus, by patient research and extensive investigation, they attain remarkable knowledge and subtlety, which men call "natural philosophy". But there is another, even higher form of philosophy, above that of nature, to which one likewise attains through wonder: this is the philosophy of christians. And there is no question that, of all that characterises christian doctrine, it is particularly wonderful and marvellous that the Son of God, for love of man, consented to be crucified and to die on the cross… Is it not astonishing that he, for whom we should have the most respectful awe, felt such fear that he sweated water and blood?… Is it not astonishing that he, who gives life to every creature, should have endured so humiliating, cruel and painful a death? And so, those who strive to meditate on and wonder at so extraordinary a "book" as is the cross, with sensitive heart and sincere faith, will attain a far more fruitful knowledge than many another who daily studies and meditates on ordinary books. For the true christian this book is sufficient as an object of study for all the days of his life. Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.

The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL «Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68 Monday, 10 March 2008 Monday of the Fifth week of Lent Today the Church celebrates : St. Macarius See commentary below or click here John Paul II: "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Book of Daniel 13,1-9.15-17.19-30.33-62. In Babylon there lived a man named Joakim, who married a very beautiful and God-fearing woman, Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah; her pious parents had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses. Joakim was very rich; he had a garden near his house, and the Jews had recourse to him often because he was the most respected of them all. That year, two elders of the people were appointed judges, of whom the Lord said, "Wickedness has come out of Babylon: from the elders who were to govern the people as judges." These men, to whom all brought their cases, frequented the house of Joakim. When the people left at noon, Susanna used to enter her husband's garden for a walk. When the old men saw her enter every day for her walk, they began to lust for her. They suppressed their consciences; they would not allow their eyes to look to heaven, and did not keep in mind just judgments. One day, while they were waiting for the right moment, she entered the garden as usual, with two maids only. She decided to bathe, for the weather was warm. Nobody else was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her. "Bring me oil and soap," she said to the maids, "and shut the garden doors while I bathe." As soon as the maids had left, the two old men got up and hurried to her. "Look," they said, "the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us; give in to our desire, and lie with us. If you refuse, we will testify against you that you dismissed your maids because a young man was here with you." "I am completely trapped," Susanna groaned. "If I yield, it will be my death; if I refuse, I cannot escape your power. Yet it is better for me to fall into your power without guilt than to sin before the Lord." Then Susanna shrieked, and the old men also shouted at her, as one of them ran to open the garden doors. When the people in the house heard the cries from the garden, they rushed in by the side gate to see what had happened to her. At the accusations by the old men, the servants felt very much ashamed, for never had any such thing been said about Susanna. When the people came to her husband Joakim the next day, the two wicked elders also came, fully determined to put Susanna to death. Before all the people they ordered: "Send for Susanna, the daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim." When she was sent for, she came with her parents, children and all her relatives. All her relatives and the onlookers were weeping. In the midst of the people the two elders rose up and laid their hands on her head. Through her tears she looked up to heaven, for she trusted in the Lord wholeheartedly. The elders made this accusation: "As we were walking in the garden alone, this woman entered with two girls and shut the doors of the garden, dismissing the girls. A young man, who was hidden there, came and lay with her. When we, in a corner of the garden, saw this crime, we ran toward them. We saw them lying together, but the man we could not hold, because he was stronger than we; he opened the doors and ran off. Then we seized this one and asked who the young man was, but she refused to tell us. We testify to this." The assembly believed them, since they were elders and judges of the people, and they condemned her to death. But Susanna cried aloud: "O eternal God, you know what is hidden and are aware of all things before they come to be: you know that they have testified falsely against me. Here I am about to die, though I have done none of the things with which these wicked men have charged me." The Lord heard her prayer. As she was being led to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young boy named Daniel, and he cried aloud: "I will have no part in the death of this woman." All the people turned and asked him, "What is this you are saying?" He stood in their midst and continued, "Are you such fools, O Israelites! To condemn a woman of Israel without examination and without clear evidence? Return to court, for they have testified falsely against her." Then all the people returned in haste. To Daniel the elders said, "Come, sit with us and inform us, since God has given you the prestige of old age." But he replied, "Separate these two far from one another that I may examine them." After they were separated one from the other, he called one of them and said: "How you have grown evil with age! Now have your past sins come to term: passing unjust sentences, condemning the innocent, and freeing the guilty, although the Lord says, "The innocent and the just you shall not put to death.' Now, then, if you were a witness, tell me under what tree you saw them together." "Under a mastic tree," he answered. "Your fine lie has cost you your head," said Daniel; "for the angel of God shall receive the sentence from him and split you in two." Putting him to one side, he ordered the other one to be brought. "Offspring of Canaan, not of Judah," Daniel said to him, "beauty has seduced you, lust has subverted your conscience. This is how you acted with the daughters of Israel, and in their fear they yielded to you; but a daughter of Judah did not tolerate your wickedness. Now, then, tell me under what tree you surprised them together." "Under an oak," he said. "Your fine lie has cost you also your head," said Daniel; "for the angel of God waits with a sword to cut you in two so as to make an end of you both." The whole assembly cried aloud, blessing God who saves those that hope in him. They rose up against the two elders, for by their own words Daniel had convicted them of perjury. According to the law of Moses, they inflicted on them the penalty they had plotted to impose on their neighbor: they put them to death. Thus was innocent blood spared that day. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 8,1-11. while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. But early in the morning he arrived again in the temple area, and all the people started coming to him, and he sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and made her stand in the middle. They said to him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him. Then Jesus straightened up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" She replied, "No one, sir." Then Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you. Go, (and) from now on do not sin any more." Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : John Paul II Mulieris dignitatem, ch.5 (©Libreria editrice Vaticana) "Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." Christ is the one who "knows what is in man" (cf. Jn 2,25) - in man and woman. He knows the dignity of man, his worth in God's eyes. He himself, the Christ, is the definitive confirmation of this worth. Everything he says and does is definitively fulfilled in the Paschal Mystery of the Redemption. Jesus' attitude to the women whom he meets in the course of his Messianic service reflects the eternal plan of God, who, in creating each one of them, chooses her and loves her in Christ (cf. Eph 1,1-5)… Jesus of Nazareth confirms this dignity, recalls it, renews it, and makes it a part of the Gospel and of the Redemption for which he is sent into the world... Jesus enters into the concrete and historical situation of women, a situation which is weighed down by the inheritance of sin. One of the ways in which this inheritance is expressed is habitual discrimination against women in favour of men. This inheritance is rooted within women too. From this point of view the episode of the woman "caught in adultery" is particularly eloquent. In the end Jesus says to her: "Do not sin again", but first he evokes an awareness of sin in the men who accuse… Jesus seems to say to the accusers: Is not this woman, for all her sin, above all a confirmation of your own transgressions, of your "male" injustice, your misdeeds? This truth is valid for the whole human race…A woman is left alone, exposed to public opinion with "her sin", while behind "her" sin there lurks a man - a sinner, guilty "of the other's sin", indeed equally responsible for it. And yet his sin escapes notice, it is passed over in silence… How often, in a similar way, the woman pays for her own sin and she pays all alone! How often is she abandoned with her pregnancy, when the man, the child's father, is unwilling to accept responsibility for it? And besides the many "unwed mothers" in our society, we also must consider all those who, as a result of various pressures, even on the part of the guilty man, very often "get rid of" the child before it is born. "They get rid of it": but at what price? Manage your subscription directly clicking HERE ---------------------------------------- The DGO is sent every day to more than 280.000 subscribers ! Do you want to help us maintain this free service? The Daily Gospel is free of charge, but it is not free of cost. Make a tax-deductible donation directly at "The Daily Gospel", 6375 New Hope RD, New Hope, KY 40052. USA. Thank you and God bless you.