Catholic Cacucus, Daily Mass Readings, 08-12-13, OM, St. Jane Frances de Chantal, Religious

Information: St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Feast Day: August 12

Born: January 28, 1572, Dijon, Burgundy, France

Died: December 13, 1641, Moulins, France

Canonized: July 16, 1767, Rome by Pope Clement XIII

Major Shrine: Annecy, Savoy

Patron of: forgotten people; in-law problems; loss of parents; parents separated from children; widows

“What Is Your Will for Me, O God?” (St. Jane Frances de Chantal) [Ecumenical]
St. Jane Frances deChantal

Interactive Saints for Kids

St. Porcarius and Companions

Feast Day: August 12
Born: (about) 670 :: Died: (about) 732

Saints are just ordinary men and women whose lives are pleasing to God. This story is about some saints and martyrs who followed Jesus' teaching "there is no greater gift than to lay down one's life for a friend."

In the fifth century, a large abbey or monastery (where holy monks live in prayer and poverty) was built on an island off the coast of Provence, in France.

In the year 732 over five hundred people lived in the Abbey of Lerins. Some were monks, some students and some were workers with their families.

The Abbot (priest) was a wise and gentle man named Porcarius. One night Porcarius had a dream in which an angel told him that the monastery was going to be attacked from the sea by barbarians.

St. Porcarius was able to get a room on a ship for all the students and as many of the younger monks as could fit and he sent them off to safety.

Because there were no more boats, he gathered the remainder of the monks around him and they prayed together for courage. Nobody complained about being left behind but asked the Lord for the gift to forgive their enemies.

Soon the barbarians landed their ships and attacked the monks. They killed all the monks including St. Porcarius. Only four, they kept alive, put them in chains and took them away as slaves.

St. Porcarius and his companions died happy deaths as martyrs for Jesus.

Catholic Almanac

Monday, August 12

Liturgical Color: Green

Bl. Karl Leisner died on this day in 1945.
He organized Catholic prayer services
while imprisoned in a Nazi prison camp
for speaking against Hitler.
In 1944, a French bishop secretly entered the
camp and ordained him to the
priesthood.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: August 12, 2013
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who made Saint Jane Frances de Chantal radiant with outstanding merits in different walks of life, grant us, through her intercession, that walking faithfully in our vocation, we may constantly be examples of shining light. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

o Asparagus and Scrambled Eggs with Bacon

ACTIVITIES

o Play and Prayer

PRAYERS

o The Immaculate Heart

o Act of Abandonment to Divine Providence

LIBRARY

o “Everything She Had: The Widow’s Mite of St. Jeanne de Chantal” | Christopher J. Lane

Ordinary Time: August 12th

Optional Memorial of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, religious (USA)

Old Calendar: St. Clare, virgin; St. Euplius, martyr (Hist)

St. Jane was a married woman and a mother of seven children from Dijon, France. Her husband was killed in a hunting accident. In 1604, upon being deeply moved by the preaching of Francis de Sales, Jane asked him to become her spiritual director. She founded the Visitation nuns in 1610. Jane worked tirelessly helping the sick, and she convinced local political rulers to make special provisions for the sick and the bereaved. During the last years of her life, she experienced periods of spiritual aridity. She established eighty-five monasteries before her death in 1641.

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Clare. Historically it is the feast of St. Euplius, a deacon, under Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. He was tortured for his confession of Christ and finally martyred by being put to the sword.

St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Jane Frances Fremiot de Chantal was the foundress of the Order of the Visitation of Mary. She was born in 1572 and came from a noble family, her father gave her in marriage to the Baron von Chantal in 1592. As mother she most zealously instructed the children in the ways of virtue and piety and in the observance of every divine precept. With great generosity she supported the poor and took special joy in seeing how divine Providence often blesses and increases the smallest larder. Therefore she made a vow never to refuse anyone who asked for alms in the Name of Christ.

The death of her husband, who was accidentally shot while on the chase (1601), she bore with Christ-like composure and with all her heart forgave the person who had killed him; then she acted as sponsor for one of his children in order to show her forgiveness openly. There was a holy friendship between her and her spiritual guide, Francis de Sales; with his approval she left her father and children and founded the Visitation nuns.

Thus, too, it should be with us—firm yet forgiving, and each at the proper place and in the proper measure. Our zeal must not make us hard, fanatic; neither may love degenerate into sentimentalism. In fundamentals, in faith, and in the commandments we must be firm, immovable, with no trace of tolerance; but in our contacts with men, patient, forgiving, tender, conciliatory. The Christian ought be firm and resolute as a father, mild and self-sacrificing as a mother. This tension between complementary virtues we find exemplified in a heroic degree in St. Jane Frances de Chantal.

Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch.

"Love! love! love! my daughters; I know nothing else." Thus did Jane de Chantal, the glorious cooperatrix of St. Francis in establishing the Visitation of holy Mary, often cry out in her latter years. "Mother", said one of the sisters, "I shall write to our houses that your charity is growing old, and that, like your godfather St. John, you can speak of nothing but love." To which the saint replied: "My daughter, do not make such a comparison, for we must not profane the saints by comparing them to poor sinners; but you will do me a pleasure if you tell those sisters that if I went by my own feelings, if I followed my inclination, and if I were not afraid of wearying the sisters, I should never speak of anything but charity; and I assure you, I scarcely ever open my mouth to speak of holy things, without having a mind to say: Thou shalt love the Lord with thy whole heart, and thy neighbour as thyself."

Patron: Forgotten people; in-law problems; loss of parents; parents separated from children; widows.

Things to Do:

Learn more about the Visitation nuns founded by St. Jane Frances; consider having a spiritual director. St. Francis de Sales, in speaking about the spirit of the institute he had founded with St. Jane, declares that it is "a spirit of profound humility towards God and of great sweetness towards our neighbor, inasmuch as there is less rigour towards the body, so much the more sweetness must there be in the heart." And because "this Congregation has been so established that no great severity may prevent the weak and infirm from entering it and giving themselves up to the perfection of divine love," he adds playfully: "If there be any sister so generous and courageous as to wish to attain perfection in a quarter of an hour by doing more than the Community does, I would advise her to humble herself and be content to become perfect in three days, following the same course as the rest. For a great simplicity must always be kept in all things: to walk simply, that is the true way for the daughters of the Visitation, a way exceedingly pleasing to God and very safe." Read the Treatise on the Love of God written by St. Francis de Sales for St. Jane and her sisters; donate food to the food pantry at your church, if you have more time volunteer to help.
Read some of the letters of St. Jane Francis.
St. Jane Frances was willing to change her plans when God asked her to, read Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade online or purchase a copy, try to become aware of God's Will in the small contradictions you experience each day.
Say the prayer of abandonment written by the saint.
St. Jane Frances helped the poor and the sick, have your children construct a collage of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy (they can draw the pictures if none are available from magazines).

St. Euplius

On August 12, 304 A.D., during the persecution of Diocletian at Catania, in Sicily, a deacon named Euplius was brought to the governor's hall and staunchly professed his faith. With the Book of Gospels in his hand, he was called before the governor Calvisian and commanded to read from it. The saint read the passage: "Blest are they who suffer persecution for justice's sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." Euplius then read the passage: "If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Questioned by the governor as to what this meant, the youth replied: "It is the law of my Lord, which has been delivered to me." Calvisian asked: "By whom?" Euplius replied: "By Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God." With that, the governor ordered that he be led away to be tortured. At the height of his torment Euplius was asked if he still persisted in Christianity. The saintly youth answered: "What I said before, I say again: I am a Christian and I read the Sacred Scriptures." The governor realized that he would never give up his faith, and ordered him to be beheaded. St. Euplius died April 29, 304 A.D., praising God all the while.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 17:22-27

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, Religious

“Does not your teacher pay the temple tax? (Matthew 17:24)”

When the Temple tax collectors cornered Peter, Jesus didn’t take the time to dispute with them. By all rights, Jesus could have refused to pay the tax, but he didn’t want to get pulled into their petty drama. His mission and the focus of all his attention was his upcoming passion, death, and resurrection. So instead of taking the time to prove himself right in the matter, Jesus sent Peter to catch a fish, retrieve a coin, and pay the tax. He had bigger fish to fry!

We can all think of examples of petty disputes: a married couple’s relationship soured because of a decades-old spat; two members of the parish council couldn’t agree on the right shade of purple for the new Lenten banners; a father’s disappointment with his daughter’s career choice. Was one opinion better than the other? Maybe. But refusing to bend caused everyone to lose the bigger picture, and the result was division and bitterness. And that made it harder for the love of God to shine.

Sometimes, we just have to let things go, even if we’re “right.” Sometimes it’s best to keep the bigger picture in view. Are you loving God with your whole heart? Are you loving your neighbor as yourself? Is the other person trying to do the same? In the end, those are the only questions worth asking.

Imagine how God deals with us. He can see all our faults and failings, but he doesn’t bring every detail to our attention all at once. Like a loving parent he focuses on one area at a time, slowly polishing our rough edges. He’ll get to everything in his own time, starting with the most important. You never know; maybe those Temple tax collectors ended up embracing the gospel simply because Jesus refused to be baited into an argument.

So stay focused on what’s most important. Focus on love, even when you disagree. Pray for those who contradict you. Let God smooth the rough edges. He knows how to sort things out!

“Jesus, thank you for your patience with me. Help me to be patient with other people. Teach me to focus on loving them instead of correcting them. I trust you to work out the details.”

Deuteronomy 10:12-22; Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Til' Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for August 12, 2013:

Reader’s Tip - A person must be willing to give a complete and total gift of self for a happy and holy marriage.

Regnum Christi

Death and Taxes

| SPIRITUAL LIFE | SPIRITUALITY

Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Matthew 17:22-27

As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day." And they were overwhelmed with grief. When they came to Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said, "Doesn´t your teacher pay the temple tax?" "Yes," he said. When he came into the house, before he had time to speak, Jesus asked him, "What is your opinion, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax? From their subjects or from foreigners?" When he said, "From foreigners," Jesus said to him, "Then the subjects are exempt. But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up. Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to them for me and for you."

Introductory Prayer: Lord God, I believe in your presence here with me as I begin this moment of prayer. I hope in you. I know that you will always take care of me. I want this time with you to be a sign of my love for you. I seek only to please you, without desiring any spiritual consolation for myself.

Petition: Lord, help me to acknowledge your greatness with my words and actions.

1. No Tax Loopholes, Not Even for Jesus: Jesus draws from Peter the admission that collectors of the Temple Tax did not consider him the Son of God, and that they did not consider the Temple the house of his Father. They therefore thought he was subject to the tax. In effect, by obliging him to pay the tax they implied that they considered him a subject or a foreigner. Joined with Jesus’ prediction of his Passion, the scene harkens back to the line from the opening of John’s Gospel, “He was in the world and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him” (John 1:10-11). How this must have broken the heart of Christ to find himself unwelcome among those he came to save. And how often we leave Christ alone in our churches and chapels, with no one to visit him or acknowledge his presence there.

2. A Place Where Christ Is Welcome: What does it mean for us to welcome Christ into our life? It must be more than a warm emotion. Rather it must be opening ourselves to the presence of him who comes to make his home among us and share our lives. We have a God who is so close to us and wants a relationship with us. He wants our time and our attention. Welcoming Christ into our life means recognizing him not as a foreigner who comes from afar to impose himself, but as our personal Lord -- as our master, and our savior. It is his will that must rule in our life and direct our behavior. We must acknowledge that only he has the word of life and we must turn our lives to him in loving obedience. The fruit of this will be interior peace and profound joy.

3. A Society Without Christ Is Empty and Confused: Today we see how frequently Christ is refused entry into the world, and how frequently he is marginalized by so many of those who have great influence in society and in our culture. He is deliberately excluded from the world of politics, from the world of science, the arts, of business, law, and medicine. Often he is treated in the media only when it chooses to ridicule him. As followers of Christ, we must bring him and his word of life back into every sphere of human activity, for a world without Christ is a world that knows neither its origin nor its destiny and will turn against man himself.

Conversation with Christ: Jesus, give me courage to make your presence felt in the world around me. Let me not be afraid to show that my faith in you is the center of my life and gives meaning to all I do. Let me give witness of the joy I experience in living by your law in my life.

Resolution: I will find time to spend with Christ in the Blessed Sacrament today or find a way to give witness to Christ in the midst of my daily occupations, manifesting my faith publicly.

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 29, Issue 5

<< Monday, August 12, 2013 >>

St. Jane Frances de Chantal

Deuteronomy 10:12-22
View Readings

Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20

Matthew 17:22-27
Similar Reflections

"DEATH AND TAXES"

"They were overwhelmed with grief." —Matthew 17:23

In today's Gospel reading, Matthew links together the suffering and death of Jesus and the paying of taxes. Which upsets you more: the suffering and death of Jesus (see Mt 17:22), or opening your tax bill to see a large amount due? Which is more important to you: the large amount of taxes you have to pay, or the large amount of people who close their hearts to Jesus and may die in their sins (Jn 8:21, 24) because no one led them to the One Who can save them from sin?

So many of us receive our tax bill in the mail and are "overwhelmed with grief" or anger (Mt 17:23). Do we get as angry with the pervasive sins of our culture? Are we "overwhelmed with grief" at the many lives Satan steals from the Lord? Are we more preoccupied with our finances, or are we more concerned with what preoccupies the heart of the crucified Jesus, pierced for the salvation of all?

We rage and grieve over our finances because they impact us personally. Yet does the potential that one person might die in sin and be separated from Jesus forever in hell impact us personally? That possibility affected Jesus so personally that He submitted to a hammer and nails. Nonetheless, many Christians don't seem to mind that countless souls might go to hell. Otherwise, our churches, Confession lines, and RCIA programs would be filled. Take Jesus' death personally. Then take many persons to Jesus.

Prayer: Father, transform me by the renewal of my mind (Rm 12:2). Give me the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16).

Promise: "Fear the Lord, your God, and follow His ways exactly, love and serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul, keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord which I enjoin on you today for your own good." —Dt 10:12-13

Praise: Still grieving her husband's death, St. Jane, though living with her cantankerous father-in-law, radiated the joy of the Lord.

Celebrate the Sanctity of Life!

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 17
22.	17:21 And when they abode together in Galilee, Jesus said to them: The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:	17:21 Conversantibus autem eis in Galilæa, dixit illis Jesus : Filius hominis tradendus est in manus hominum :	αναστρεφομενων δε αυτων εν τη γαλιλαια ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους μελλει ο υιος του ανθρωπου παραδιδοσθαι εις χειρας ανθρωπων
23.	17:22 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again. And they were troubled exceedingly.	17:22 et occident eum, et tertia die resurget. Et contristati sunt vehementer.	και αποκτενουσιν αυτον και τη τριτη ημερα εγερθησεται και ελυπηθησαν σφοδρα
24.	17:23 And when they were come to Capharnaum, they that recieved the didrachmas, came to Peter and said to him: Doth not your master pay the didrachmas?	17:23 Et cum venissent Capharnaum, accesserunt qui didrachma accipiebant ad Petrum, et dixerunt ei : Magister vester non solvit didrachma ?	ελθοντων δε αυτων εις καπερναουμ προσηλθον οι τα διδραχμα λαμβανοντες τω πετρω και ειπον ο διδασκαλος υμων ου τελει τα διδραχμα
25.	17:24 He said: Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying: What is thy opinion, Simon? The kings of the earth, of whom do they receive tribute or custom? of their own children, or of strangers?	17:24 Ait : Etiam. Et cum intrasset in domum, prævenit eum Jesus, dicens : Quid tibi videtur Simon ? reges terræ a quibus accipiunt tributum vel censum ? a filiis suis, an ab alienis ?	λεγει ναι και οτε εισηλθεν εις την οικιαν προεφθασεν αυτον ο ιησους λεγων τι σοι δοκει σιμων οι βασιλεις της γης απο τινων λαμβανουσιν τελη η κηνσον απο των υιων αυτων η απο των αλλοτριων
26.	17:25 And he said: Of strangers. Jesus said to him: Then the children are free.	17:25 Et ille dixit : Ab alienis. Dixit illi Jesus : Ergo liberi sunt filii.	λεγει αυτω ο πετρος απο των αλλοτριων εφη αυτω ο ιησους αραγε ελευθεροι εισιν οι υιοι
27.	17:26 But that we may not scandalize them, go to the sea, and cast in a hook: and that fish which shall first come up, take: and when thou hast opened its mouth, thou shalt find a stater: take that, and give it to them for me and thee.	17:26 Ut autem non scandalizemus eos, vade ad mare, et mitte hamum : et eum piscem, qui primus ascenderit, tolle : et aperto ore ejus, invenies staterem : illum sumens, da eis pro me et te.	ινα δε μη σκανδαλισωμεν αυτους πορευθεις εις την θαλασσαν βαλε αγκιστρον και τον αναβαινοντα πρωτον ιχθυν αρον και ανοιξας το στομα αυτου ευρησεις στατηρα εκεινον λαβων δος αυτοις αντι εμου και σου

22. And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said to them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men.
23. And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

REMIG; The Lord often foretold to His disciples the mysteries of His passion, in order that when they come to pass, they might be the lighter to them from having been known beforehand.

ORIGEN; This seems to be so like a warning He had given above, that a man might easily say that the Lord now repeated what He had said before; yet is it not so; He had not before said that He must be betrayed, but we hear now not only that He must be betrayed, but that He must be betrayed into the hands of men. The Son of Man indeed was delivered up by God the Father according to the Apostle, but different powers gave him up into the hands of men.

JEROME; Thus does He ever mix the joyful and the grievous; if it grieves them that He is to be put to death, they ought to be gladdened when they hear, And shall rise again the third day.

CHRYS; For this is no long time that He speaks of continuing in death, when He says that He shall rise again on the third day.

ORIGEN; By this announcement of the Lord the disciples were made very sorrowful, not attending to that He said, And shall rise again the third day, nor considering what He must be to whom the space of three days was enough to destroy death.

JEROME; That they were thus made exceeding sorrowful, came not of their lack of faith; but out of their love of their Master they could not endure to hear of any hurt or indignity for Him.

24. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Does not your master pay tribute?
25. He said, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What think you, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26. Peter said to him, Of strangers. Jesus said to him, Then are the children free.
27. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go you to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first comes up; and when you have opened his mouth, you shall find a piece of money: that take, and give to them for me and you.

GLOSS; The disciples were exceeding sorrowful when they heard of the Lord's passion, and therefore that none might ascribe His suffering to compulsion, and not to a voluntary submission, he adds an incident which instances Christ's power, and His submission; And when they were come to Capernaum, there came to Peter those who received the didrachma, and said to him, Does not your Master pay the didrachma?

HILARY; The Lord is called upon to pay the didrachma, (that is, two denarii,) for this the Law had enjoined upon all Israel for the redemption of their body and soul, and the use of those that served in the temple.

CHRYS; For when God slew the firstborn of Egypt, He then accepted the tribe of Levi for them. But because the numbers of this tribe were less than the number of firstborn among the Jews, it was ordained that redemption money should be paid for the number that came short; and thence sprang the custom of paying this tax. Because then Christ was a firstborn son, and Peter seemed to be the first among the disciples, they came to him. And as it seems to me this was not demanded in every district, they come to Christ in Capernaum, because that was considered His native place.

JEROME; Or otherwise; From the time of Augustus Caesar, Judea was made tributary, and all the inhabitants were registered, as Joseph with Mary his kinswoman gave in His name at Bethlehem. Again, because the Lord was brought up at Nazareth, which is a town of Galilee subject to Capernaum, it is there that the tribute is asked of Him; but for that His miracles were so great, those who collected it did not dare to ask Himself, but make up to the disciple.

CHRYS; And him they address not with boldness, but courteously; for they do not arraign, but ask a question, Does not your Master pay the didrachma?

JEROME; Or, They inquire with malicious purpose whether He pays tribute, or resists Caesar's will.

CHRYS; What then does Peter say? He said, Yes. To these then he said that He did pay, but to Christ he said not so, blushing perhaps to speak of such matters.

GLOSS; Otherwise; Peter answered, Yea; meaning, yea, He does not pay. And Peter sought to acquaint the Lord that the Herodians had demanded tribute, but the Lord prevented him; as it follows, And when he had entered into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, Of whom do the kings of the earth receive custom or tribute, (i.e. headmoney,) of their children, or of strangers?

JEROME; Before any hint from Peter, the Lord puts the question to him, that His disciples might not be offended at the demand of tribute, when they see that He knows even those things that are done in His absence. It follows, But he said, From strangers; Jesus said to him, Then are the children free.

ORIGEN; This speech has a twofold meaning. First, that the children of the kings of the earth are free with the kings of the earth; but strangers, foreigners in the land, are not free, because of those that oppress them, as the Egyptians did the children of Israel. The second sense is; forasmuch as there be some who are strangers to the sons of the kings of the earth, and are yet sons of God, therefore it is they that abide in the words of Jesus; these are free, for they have known the truth, and the truth has set them free from the service of sin: but the sons of the kings of the earth are not free; for whoever does sin, he is the servant of sin.

JEROME; But our Lord was the son of the king, both according to the flesh, and according to the Spirit; whether as sprung of the seed of David, or as the Word of the Almighty Father; therefore as the king's son He owed no tribute.

AUG; For, said He, in every kingdom the children are free, that is, not under tax. Much more therefore should they be free in any earthly kingdom, who are children of that very kingdom under which are all the kingdoms of the earth.

CHRYS; But this instance were brought to no purpose if He were not a son. But some one may say, He is son indeed, but not an own son. But then He were a stranger; and so this instance would not apply; for He speaks only of own sons, distinct from whom He calls them strangers who are actually born of parents. Mark how here also Christ certifies that relationship which was revealed to Peter from God, you are Christ, the Son of the living God.

JEROME; Howsoever free then He was, yet seeing He had taken to Him lowliness of the flesh, He ought to fulfill all righteousness; whence it follows, But that they should not be offended, go to the sea.

ORIGEN; We may hence gather as a consequence of this, that when any come with justice demanding our earthly goods, it is the kings of the earth that send them, to claim of us what is their own; and by His own example the Lord forbids any offense to be given even to these, whether that they should sin no more, or that they should be saved. For the Son of God, who did no servile work, yet as having the form of a slave, which He took on Him for man's sake, gave custom and tribute.

JEROME; I am at a loss what first to admire in this passage; whether the foreknowledge, or the mighty power of the Savior. His foreknowledge, in that He knew that a fish had a coin in its mouth, and that that fish should be the first taken; His mighty power, if the coin were created in the fish's mouth at His word, and if by His command that which was to happen was ordered. Christ then, for His eminent love, endured the cross, and paid tribute; how wretched we who are called by the name of Christ, though we do nothing worthy of so great dignity, yet in respect of His majesty, pay no tribute, but are exempt from tax as the King's sons. But even in its literal import it edifies the hearer to learn, that so great was the Lord's poverty, that He had not whence to pay the tribute for Himself and His Apostle. Should any object that Judas bore money in a bag, we shall answer, Jesus held it a fraud to divert that which was the poor's to His own use, and left us an example therein.

CHRYS; Or He does not direct it to be paid out of that they had at hand, that He might show that He was Lord also of the sea and the fish.

GLOSS; Or because Jesus had not any image of Caesar, (for the prince of this world had nothing in Him,) therefore, He furnished an image of Caesar, not out of their own stock, but out of the sea. But He takes not the coin into His own possession, that there should never be found an image of Caesar upon the Image of the invisible God.

CHRYS; Observe also the wisdom of Christ; He neither refuses the tribute, nor merely commands that it be paid; but first proves that He is of right exempt, and then bids to give the money; the money was paid to avoid offense to the collectors; the vindication of His exemption was to avoid the offense to the disciples. Indeed in another place He disregards the offense of the Pharisees, in disputing of meats; teaching us herein to know the seasons in which we must attend to, and those in which we must slight the thoughts of, those who are like to be scandalized.

GREG; For we must cast about how, as far as we may without sin, to avoid giving scandal to our neighbors. But if offense is taken from truth, it is better that offense should come, though truth be forsaken.

CHRYS; As you wonder at Christ's power, so admire Peter's faith, who was obedient in no easy matter. In reward of his faith he was joined with his Lord in the payment. An abundant honor! You shall find a coin, that take and give to them for you and for me.

GLOSS; For by custom every several man paid a didrachma for himself; now the coin is equal to two didrachmas.

ORIGEN; Mystically; In the field of comfort, (for so is Capernaum expounded,) He comforts each one of His disciples, and pronounces him to be a son and free, and gives him the power of taking the first fish, that after His ascension Peter may have comfort over that which he has caught.

HILARY; When Peter is instructed to take the first fish, it is shown therein that he shall catch more than one. The blessed first martyr Stephen was the first that came up, having in his mouth a coin, which contained the didrachma of the new preaching, divided as two denarii, for he preached as he beheld in his passion the glory of God, and Christ the Lord.

JEROME; Or; That fish which was first taken is the first Adam, who is set free by the second Adam; and that which is found in his mouth, that is, in his confession, is given for Peter and for the Lord.

ORIGEN; And when you see any miser rebuked by some Peter who takes the speech of his money out of his mouth, you may say that he is risen out of the sea of covetousness to the hook of reason, and is caught and saved by some Peter, who has taught him the truth, that he should change his coin for the image of God, that is for the oracles of God.

JEROME; And beautifully is this very coin given for the tribute; but it is divided; for Peter as for a sinner a ransom is to be paid, but the Lord had not sin. Yet herein is shown the likeness of their flesh, when the Lord and His servants are redeemed with the same price.

Catena Aurea Matthew 17

The Confession of St. Peter
Detail: The Miracle of the Tribute Money

Alexey Pismenny

2011