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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 04-13-1/, OM, St. Martin I, Pope and Martyr
USCCB.org/RNAB ^ | 04-13-18 | Revised New American Bible

Posted on 04/12/2018 9:05:15 PM PDT by Salvation

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To: All
Regina Coeli 

Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia. / For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.

Has risen, as he said, alleluia. / Pray for us to God, alleluia.

Rejoice and be glad, O Virgin Mary, alleluia. / For the Lord has truly risen, alleluia.

Let us pray. O God, who gave joy to the world through the resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may obtain the joys of everlasting life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.


21 posted on 04/12/2018 9:47:43 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
John
  English: Douay-Rheims Latin: Vulgata Clementina Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
  John 6
1 AFTER these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is that of Tiberias. Post hæc abiit Jesus trans mare Galilææ, quod est Tiberiadis : μετα ταυτα απηλθεν ο ιησους περαν της θαλασσης της γαλιλαιας της τιβεριαδος
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw the miracles which he did on them that were diseased. et sequebatur eum multitudo magna, quia videbant signa quæ faciebat super his qui infirmabantur. και ηκολουθει αυτω οχλος πολυς οτι εωρων αυτου τα σημεια α εποιει επι των ασθενουντων
3 Jesus therefore went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. Subiit ergo in montem Jesus et ibi sedebat cum discipulis suis. ανηλθεν δε εις το ορος ο ιησους και εκει εκαθητο μετα των μαθητων αυτου
4 Now the pasch, the festival day of the Jews, was near at hand. Erat autem proximum Pascha dies festus Judæorum. ην δε εγγυς το πασχα η εορτη των ιουδαιων
5 When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip: Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? Cum sublevasset ergo oculos Jesus, et vidisset quia multitudo maxima venit ad eum, dixit ad Philippum : Unde ememus panes, ut manducent hi ? επαρας ουν ο ιησους τους οφθαλμους και θεασαμενος οτι πολυς οχλος ερχεται προς αυτον λεγει προς τον φιλιππον ποθεν αγορασομεν αρτους ινα φαγωσιν ουτοι
6 And this he said to try him; for he himself knew what he would do. Hoc autem dicebat tentans eum : ipse enim sciebat quid esset facturus. τουτο δε ελεγεν πειραζων αυτον αυτος γαρ ηδει τι εμελλεν ποιειν
7 Philip answered him: Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little. Respondit ei Philippus : Ducentorum denariorum panes non sufficiunt eis, ut unusquisque modicum quid accipiat. απεκριθη αυτω φιλιππος διακοσιων δηναριων αρτοι ουκ αρκουσιν αυτοις ινα εκαστος αυτων βραχυ τι λαβη
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him: Dicit ei unus ex discipulis ejus, Andreas, frater Simonis Petri : λεγει αυτω εις εκ των μαθητων αυτου ανδρεας ο αδελφος σιμωνος πετρου
9 There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves, and two fishes; but what are these among so many? Est puer unus hic qui habet quinque panes hordeaceos et duos pisces : sed hæc quid sunt inter tantos ? εστιν παιδαριον εν ωδε ο εχει πεντε αρτους κριθινους και δυο οψαρια αλλα ταυτα τι εστιν εις τοσουτους
10 Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand. Dixit ergo Jesus : Facite homines discumbere. Erat autem fœnum multum in loco. Discumberunt ergo viri, numero quasi quinque millia. ειπεν δε ο ιησους ποιησατε τους ανθρωπους αναπεσειν ην δε χορτος πολυς εν τω τοπω ανεπεσον ουν οι ανδρες τον αριθμον ωσει πεντακισχιλιοι
11 And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would. Accepit ergo Jesus panes : et cum gratias egisset, distribuit discumbentibus : similiter et ex piscibus quantum volebant. ελαβεν δε τους αρτους ο ιησους και ευχαριστησας διεδωκεν τοις μαθηταις οι δε μαθηται τοις ανακειμενοις ομοιως και εκ των οψαριων οσον ηθελον
12 And when they were filled, he said to his disciples: Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost. Ut autem impleti sunt, dixit discipulis suis : Colligite quæ superaverunt fragmenta, ne pereant. ως δε ενεπλησθησαν λεγει τοις μαθηταις αυτου συναγαγετε τα περισσευσαντα κλασματα ινα μη τι αποληται
13 They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten. Collegerunt ergo, et impleverunt duodecim cophinos fragmentorum ex quinque panibus hordeaceis, quæ superfuerunt his qui manducaverant. συνηγαγον ουν και εγεμισαν δωδεκα κοφινους κλασματων εκ των πεντε αρτων των κριθινων α επερισσευσεν τοις βεβρωκοσιν
14 Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said: This is of a truth the prophet, that is to come into the world. Illi ergo homines cum vidissent quod Jesus fecerat signum, dicebant : Quia hic est vere propheta, qui venturus est in mundum. οι ουν ανθρωποι ιδοντες ο εποιησεν σημειον ο ιησους ελεγον οτι ουτος εστιν αληθως ο προφητης ο ερχομενος εις τον κοσμον
15 Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force, and make him king, fled again into the mountain himself alone. Jesus ergo cum cognovisset quia venturi essent ut raperent eum, et facerent eum regem, fugit iterum in montem ipse solus. ιησους ουν γνους οτι μελλουσιν ερχεσθαι και αρπαζειν αυτον ινα ποιησωσιν αυτον βασιλεα ανεχωρησεν εις το ορος αυτος μονος

22 posted on 04/13/2018 4:07:20 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex
1. After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
2. And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3. And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4. And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
5. When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come to him, he said to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6. And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, says to him,
9. There is a lad here, which has five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10. And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12. When they were filled, he said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above to them that had eaten.
14. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.

CHRYS. As missiles rebound with great force from a hard body, and fly off in all directions, whereas a softer material retains and stops them; so violent men are only excited to greater rage by violence on the side of their opponents, whereas gentleness softens them. Christ quieted the irritation of the Jews by retiring from Jerusalem. He went into Galilee, but not to Cana again, but beyond the sea: After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

ALCUIN. This sea has different names, from the different places with which it is connected; the sea of Galilee, from the province; the sea of Tiberias, from the city of that name. It is called a sea, though it is not salt water, that name being applied to all large pieces of water, in Hebrew. This sea our Lord often passes over, in going to preach to the people bordering on it.

THEOPHYL. He goes from place to place to try the dispositions of people, and excite a desire to hear Him: And a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did on them that were diseased.

ALCUIN. viz. His giving sight to the blind, and other like miracles. And it should be understood, that all, whom He healed in body, He renewed likewise in soul.

CHRYS. Though favored with such teaching, they were influenced less by it, than by the miracles; a sign of their low state of belief: for Paul says of tongues, that they are for a sign, not to them that believe, I but to them that believe not. They were wiser of whom it is said, that they were astonished at His doctrine. The Evangelist does not say what miracles He wrought, the great object of his book being to give our Lord's discourses. It follows: And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there sat with His disciples. He went up into the mountain, on account of the miracle which was going to be done. That the disciples alone ascended with Him, implies that the people w ho stayed behind were in fault for not following. He went up to the mountain too, as a lesson to us to retire from the tumult and confusion of the world, and leave wisdom in solitude. And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. Observe, in a whole year, the Evangelist has told us of no miracles of Christ, except His healing the impotent man, and the nobleman's son. His object was to give not a regular history, but only a few of the principal acts of our Lord. But why did not our Lord go up to the feast? He was taking occasion, from the wickedness of the Jews, gradually to abolish the Law.

THEOPHYL. The persecutions of the Jews gave Him reason for retiring, and thus setting aside the Law. The truth being now revealed, types were at an end, and He was under no obligation to keep the Jewish feasts. Observe the expression, a feast of the Jews, not a feast of Christ.

BEDE. If we compare the accounts of the different Evangelists, we shall find very clearly, that there was an interval of a year between the beheading of John, and our Lord's Passion. For, since Matthew says that our Lord, on hearing of the death of John, withdrew into a desert place, where He fed the multitude; and John says that the Passover was nigh, when He fed the multitude; it is evident that John was beheaded shortly before the Passover. And at the same feast, the next year Christ suffered. It follows, When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come to Him, He said to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? When Jesus lifted up His eyes, this is to show us, that Jesus was not generally with His eyes lifted up, looking about Him, but sitting calm and attentive, surrounded by His disciples.

CHRYS. Nor did He only sit with His disciples, but conversed with them familiarly, and gained possession of their minds. Then He looked, and saw a crowd advancing. But why did He ask Philip that question? Because He knew that His disciples, and he especially, needed further teaching. For this Philip it was who said afterwards, Show us the Father, and it suffices us. And if the miracle had been performed at once, without any introduction, the greatness of it would not have been seen. The disciples were made to confess their own inability, that they might see the miracle more clearly; And this He said to prove him.

AUG. One kind of temptation leads to sin, with which God never tempts any one; and there is another kind by which faith is tried. In this sense it is said that Christ proved His disciple. This is not meant to imply that He did not know what Philip would say; but is an accommodation to men's way of speaking. For as the expression, Who searches the hearts of men, does not mean the searching of ignorance, but of absolute knowledge; so here, when it is said that our Lord proved Philip, we must understand that He knew him perfectly, but that He tried him, in order to confirm his faith. The Evangelist himself guards against the mistake which this imperfect mode of speaking might occasion, by adding, For He Himself knew what He would do.

ALCUIN. He asks him this question, not for His own information, but in order to show His yet unformed disciple his dullness of mind, which he could not perceive of himself.

THEOPHYL. Or to show others it. He was not ignorant of His disciple's heart Himself.

AUG. But if our Lord, according to John's account, on seeing the multitude, asked Philip, tempting him, whence they could buy food for them, it is difficult at first to see how it can be true, according to the other account, that the disciples first told our Lord, to send away the multitude; and that our Lord replied, They need not depart; give you them to eat. We must understand then it was after saying this, that our Lord saw the multitude, and said to Philip what John had related, which has been omitted by the rest.

CHRYS. Or they are two different occasions altogether.

THEOPHYL. Thus tried by our Lord, Philip was found to be possessed which human notions, as appears from what follows, Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

ALCUIN. Wherein he shows his dullness: for, had he perfect ideas of his Creator, he would not be thus doubting His power.

AUG. The reply, which is attributed to Philip by John, Mark puts in the mouth of all the disciples, either meaning us to understand that Philip spoke for the rest, or else putting the plural number for the singular, which is often done.

THEOPHYL. Andrew is in the same perplexity that Philip is; only he has rather higher notions of our Lord: There its a lad here which has five barley loaves and two small fishes.

CHRYS. Probably He had some reason in his mind for this speech. He would know of Elijah's miracle, by which a hundred men were fed with twenty loaves. This was a great step; but here he stopped. He did not rise any higher. For his next words are, But what are these among so many? He thought that less could produce less in a miracle, and more more; a great mistake; inasmuch as it was as easy for Christ to feed the multitude from a few fishes as from many. He did not really want any material to work from, but only made use of created things for this purpose in order to show that no part of the creation was severed from His wisdom.

THEOPHYL. This passage confounds the Manicheans, who say that bread and all such things were created by an evil Deity. The Son of the good God, Jesus Christ, multiplied the loaves. Therefore they could not have been naturally evil; a good God would never have multiplied what was evil.

AUG. Andrew's suggestion about the five loaves and two fishes, is given as coming from the disciples in general, in the other Evangelists, and the plural number is used.

CHRYS. And let those of us, who are given to pleasure, observe the plain and abstemious eating of those great and wonderful men. He made the men sit down before the loaves appeared, to teach us that with Him, things teat are not are as things that are, as Paul says, Who calls those things that be not, as though they were. The passage proceeds then: And Jesus said, Make the men sit down.

ALCUIN. Sit down, i.e. lie down, as the ancient custom w as, which they could do, as there was much grass in the place.

THEOPHYL. i.e. green grass. It was the time of the Passover, which was kept the first month of the spring. So the men sat down in number about five thousand. The Evangelist only counts the men following the direction in the law. Moses numbered the people from twenty years old and upwards, making no mention of the women; to signify that the manly and juvenile character is especially honorable in God's eyes. And Jesus took the loaves; and when He had given thanks, He distributed to them that were sat down: and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

CHRYS. But why when He is going to heal the impotent, to raise the dead, to calm the sea, does He not pray, but here does give thanks? To teach us to give thanks to God, whenever we sit down to eat. And He prays more in lesser matters, in order to show that He does not pray from any motive of need. For had prayer been really necessary to supply His wants, His praying would have been in proportion to the importance of each particular work. But acting, as He does, on His own authority, it is evident, He only prays out of condescension to us. And, as a great multitude was collected, it was an opportunity of impressing on them, that His coming was in accordance with God's will. Accordingly, when a miracle was private, He did not pray; when numbers were present, He did.

HILARY. Five loaves are then set before the multitude, and broken. The broken portions pass through into the hands of those who break, that from which they are broken all the time not at all diminishing. And yet there they are, the bits taken from it, in the hands of the persons breaking. There is no catching by eye or touch the miraculous operation: that is, which was not, that is seen, which is not understood. It only remains for us to believe that God can do all things.

AUG. He multiplied in His hands the five loaves, just as He produces harvest out of a few grains. There was a power in the hands of Christ; and those five loaves were, as it were, seeds, not indeed committed to the earth, but multiplied by Him who made the earth.

CHRYS. Observe the difference between the servant and the lord. The Prophets received grace, as it were, by measure, and according to that measure performed their miracles: whereas Christ, working this by His own absolute power, produces a kind of super abundant result. When they were filled, He said to His disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments. This was not done for needless ostentation, but to prevent men from thinking the whole a delusion; which was the reason why He made use of an existing material to work from. But why did He give the fragments to His disciples to carry away, and not to the multitude? Because the disciples were to be the teachers of the world, and therefore it was most important that the truth should be impressed upon them. Wherefore I admire not only the multitude of the loaves which were made, but the definite quantity of the fragments; neither more nor less than twelve baskets full, and corresponding to the number of the twelve Apostles.

THEOPHYL. We learn too from this miracle, not to be pusillanimous in the greatest straits of poverty.

BEDE. When the multitude saw the miracle our Lord had done, they marveled; as they did not know yet that He was God. Then those men, the Evangelist adds, i.e. carnal men, whose understanding was carnal, when they had perceived the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.

ALCUIN. Their faith being as yet weak, they only call our Lord a Prophet not knowing that He was God. But the miracle had produced considerable effect upon them, as it made them call our Lord that Prophet, singling Him out from the rest. They call Him a Prophet, because some of the Prophets had worked miracles; and properly, inasmuch as our Lord calls Himself a Prophet; It cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

AUG. Christ is a Prophet and the Lord of Prophets; as He is an Angel, and the Lord of Angels. In that He came to announce something, He was an Angel; in that He foretold the future, He was a Prophet; in that He was the Word made flesh, He was Lord both of Angels and Prophets; for none can be a Prophet without the word of God.

CHRYS. Their expression, that should come into the world, shows that they expected the arrival of some great Prophet. And this is why they say, This is of a truth that Prophet: the article being put in the Greek, to show that He was distinct from other Prophets.

AUG. But let us reflect a little here. Forasmuch as the Divine Substance is not visible to the eye, and the miracles of the divine government of the world, and ordering of the whole creation, are overlooked in consequence of their constancy; God has reserved to Himself acts, beside the established course and order of nature, to do at suitable times; in order that those who overlooked the daily course of nature, might be roused to wonder by the sight of what was different from, though not at all greater, than what they were used to. The government of the world is a greater miracle, than the satisfying the hunger of five thousand with five loaves; and yet no one wonders at this: the former excited wonder; not from any real superiority in it, but because it was uncommon. But it would be wrong to gather no more than this from Christ's miracles: for, the Lord who is on the mount, and the Word of God which is on high, the same is no humble person to be lightly passed over, but we must look up to Him reverently.

ALCUIN. Mystically, the sea signifies this tumultuous world. In the fullness of time, when Christ had entered the sea of our mortality by His birth, trodden it by His death, passed over it by His resurrection, then followed Him crowds of believers, both from the Jews and Gentiles.

BEDE. Our Lord went up to the mountain, when He ascended to heaven, which is signified by the mountain.

ALCUIN. His leaving the multitude below, and ascending the heights with His disciples, signifies, that lesser precepts are to be given to beginners, higher to the more matured. His refreshing the people shortly before the Passover signifies our refreshment by the bread of the divine word; and the body and blood, i.e. our spiritual passover, by which we pass over from vice to virtue. And the Lord's eyes are spiritual gifts, which he mercifully bestows on His Elect. He turns His eyes upon them, i.e. has compassionate respect to them.

AUG. The five barley loaves signify the old law; either because the law was given to men not as yet spiritual, but carnal, i.e. under the dominion of the five senses, (the multitude itself consisted of five thousand:) or because the Law itself was given by Moses in five books. And the loaves being of barley is also an allusion to the Law, which concealed the soul's vital nourishment, under carnal ceremonies. For in barley the corn itself is buried under the most tenacious husk. Or, it alludes to the people who were not yet freed from the husk of carnal appetite, which cling to their heart.

BEDE. Barley is the food of cattle and slaves: and the old law was given to slaves and cattle, i.e. to carnal men.

AUG. The two fishes again, that gave the pleasant taste to the bread, seem to signify the two authorities by which the people were governed, the Royal, viz. and the Priestly; both of which prefigure our Lord, who sustained both characters.

BEDE. Or, by the two fishes are meant the saying or writings of the Prophets, and the Psalmist. And whereas the number five refers to the five senses, a thousand stands for perfection. But those who strive to obtain the perfect government of their five senses, are called men, in consequence of their superior powers: they have no womanly weaknesses; but by a sober and chaste life, earn the sweet refreshment of heavenly wisdom.

AUG. The boy who had these is perhaps the Jewish people, who, as it were, carried the loaves and fishes after a servile fashion, and did not eat them. That which they carried, while shut up, was only a burden to them; when opened became their food

BEDE. And well is it said, But what are these among so many? The Law was of little avail, till He took it into His hand, i.e. fulfilled it, and gave it a spiritual meaning. The Law made nothing perfect.

AUG. By the act of breaking He multiplied the five loaves. The five books of Moses, when expounded by breaking, i.e. unfolding them, made many books.

AUG. Our Lord by breaking, as it were, what was hard in the Law, and opening what was shut, that time when He opened the Scriptures to the disciples after the resurrection, brought the Law out in its full meaning.

AUG. Our Lord's question proved the ignorance of His disciples, i.e. the people's ignorance of the Law. They lay on the grass, i.e. were carnally minded, rested in carnal things, for all flesh is grass. Men are filled with the loaves, when what they hear with the ear, they fulfill in practice.

AUG. And what are the fragments, but the parts which the people could not eat? An intimation, that those deeper truths, which the multitude cannot take in, should be entrusted to those who are capable of receiving them, and afterwards teaching them to others; as were the Apostles. For which reason twelve baskets were filled with them.

ALCUIN. Baskets are used for servile work. The baskets here are the Apostles and their followers, who, though despised in this present life, are within filled with the riches of spiritual sacraments. The Apostles too are represented as baskets, because, that through them, the doctrine of the Trinity was to be preached in the four parts of the world. His not making new loaves, but multiplying what there were, means that He did not reject the Old Testament, but only developed and explained it.

15. When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

BEDE. The multitude concluding, from so great a miracle, that He was merciful and powerful, wished to make Him a king. For men like having a merciful king to rule over them, and a powerful one to protect them. Our Lord knowing this, retired to the mountain: When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take Him by force to make Him a king, He departed again into a mountain Himself alone. From this we gather, that our Lord went down from the mountain before, where He was sitting with His disciples, when He saw the multitude coming, and had fed them on the plain below. For how could He go up to the mountain again, unless He had come down from it.

AUG. This is not at all inconsistent with what we read, that He went up into a mountain apart to pray: the object of escape being quite compatible with that of prayer. Indeed our Lord teaches us here, that whenever escape is necessary, there is great necessity for prayer.

AUG. Yet He who feared to be made a king, was a king; not made king by men, (for He ever reigns with the Father, in that He is the Son of God,) but making men kings: which kingdom of His the Prophets had foretold. Christ by being made man, made the believers in Him Christians, i.e. members of His kingdom, incorporated and purchased by His Word. And this kingdom will be made manifest, after the judgment; when the brightness of His saints shall be revealed. The disciples however, and the multitude who believed in Him thought that He had come to reign now; and so would have taken Him by force, to make Him a king, wishing to anticipate His time, which He kept secret.

CHRYS. See what the belly can do. They care no more for the violation of the Sabbath; all their zeal for God is fled, now that their bellies are filled: Christ has become a Prophet, and they wish to enthrone Him as king. But Christ makes His escape; to teach us to despise the dignities of the world. He dismisses His disciples, and goes up into the mountain. - These, when their Master had left them went down in the evening to the sea; as we read; And when even was now come, His disciples went down to the sea. They waited till evening, thinking He would come to them; and then, as He did not come, delayed no longer searching for Him, but in the ardor of love, entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. They went to Capernaum thinking they should find Him there.

Catena Aurea John 6
23 posted on 04/13/2018 4:08:13 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex


The miracle of the multiplication of 5 breads and 2 fish

From the Gospel of Tsar Johann the Bulgarian
1356

(The inscription in Old Slavonic, "contrary wind", is part of the text nearest to the illumination and refers to the next episode).

24 posted on 04/13/2018 4:08:50 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: Salvation

Today’s reading from Acts of Apostles:

A Pharisee in the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel,
a teacher of the law, respected by all the people,
stood up, ordered the Apostles to be put outside for a short time,
and said to the Sanhedrin, “Fellow children of Israel,
be careful what you are about to do to these men.
Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be someone important,
and about four hundred men joined him, but he was killed,
and all those who were loyal to him
were disbanded and came to nothing.
After him came Judas the Galilean at the time of the census.
He also drew people after him,
but he too perished and all who were loyal to him were scattered.

So we hear about those who followed man, the followers were disbanded.

Even today, we see many that follow a charismatic preacher often disbands when the leader dies or is exposed.

Such as Tammy & Jim Baker, Jimmy Swaggert and Ted Haggard and more.

So we need to be careful and follow God and His Church and not man.


25 posted on 04/13/2018 10:09:24 AM PDT by ADSUM
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To: ADSUM

LOL! So true!


26 posted on 04/13/2018 4:50:35 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Saint of the Day Ping for Saint Martin I!!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3543993/posts?page=4


27 posted on 04/13/2018 4:55:54 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
Pope St. Martin's exile and martyrdom commemorated April 13
SAINT MARTIN I, Pope and Martyr, (†655)
28 posted on 04/13/2018 5:06:01 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Information: St. Martin I

Feast Day: April 11

Born: Todi, Tuscany, Italy

Died: 655 at Cherson, Crimea

29 posted on 04/13/2018 7:03:39 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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St. Martin

Feast Day: April 13
Born: (around) 600 :: Died: 655

St. Martin was born at Todi, Tuscany, in Italy. He grew up with a very good education and became a priest in Rome who was also holy.

In the year 649 he became pope. During that time people began arguing over the truths about Jesus and Pope Martin called a meeting of bishops. This meeting was named the Council of the Lateran. It clearly explained some of the beliefs and truths of the Catholic faith. Pope Martin knew the Council's explanations were true and it was his duty as pope to teach people the truth.

However, some powerful Christians were not pleased about it. One such person was Emperor Constans II of Constantinople. He sent his soldiers to Rome to capture Martin and bring him to Constantinople. The soldiers kidnapped the pope.

They took him right out of the Lateran Cathedral and smuggled him onto a ship. Pope Martin got sick, but they continued their journey. In October, 653, he was put in jail in Constantinople for three months. He was given only a little food and water each day. He wasn't even allowed to wash himself.

Pope Martin was put on trial and condemned to death. But then he was sent back to the same prison for three more months. Patriarch Paul of Constantinople pleaded for the pope's life. So instead of death, the pope was exiled and sent away from Italy. Pope Martin was put on a ship that took him across the Black Sea. In April, 654, it landed on the Russian peninsula called the Crimea.

Pope Martin was shocked at suffering he was put through by those who were in charge of him. He wrote his own life story of those sad days. The pope said that he felt very sad to be forgotten by his relatives and members of the Church in Rome.

He knew they were afraid of the emperor. But at least, he said, they could have sent supplies of corn, oil and other basic needs. But they did not. They abandoned the pope because of fear.

The pope's exile lasted two years. He died around 656. Because of his terrible sufferings, he was proclaimed a martyr. He is the last of the popes so far to be considered a martyr.


30 posted on 04/13/2018 7:07:17 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Friday, April 13

Liturgical Color: White

The Church dedicates the month of April to
devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. We are
invited to come before the true presence of
Jesus with our prayers, a practice that dates
back over 1000 years.

31 posted on 04/13/2018 7:12:26 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Catholic Culture

Easter: April 13th

Optional Memorial of St. Martin I

MASS READINGS

April 13, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Grant, almighty God that we may withstand the trials of this world with invincible firmness of purpose, just as you did not allow your Martyr Pope Saint Martin the First to be daunted by threats or broken by suffering. 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.

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Old Calendar: St. Hermenegild, martyr

St. Martin was born in Todi, Italy. He was elected pope in 649 during the period of the last christological controversy. For his defense of Christ as true God and true man, he was exiled by the Byzantine emperor Constans II to Crimea where he died, broken by his sufferings.

According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today is the feast of St. Hermenegild, son of the king of the Visigoths in Spain, who married the daughter of the king of the Franks. Despite the opposition of his father, who was an Arian, he was converted to Catholicism. He was imprisoned and then was put to death. The feast of St. Martin I is celebrated on November 12.


St. Martin I
The unfortunate victim of Constans' wrath was the virtuous Martin. Born in Todi of noble birth, he had served as nuncio to Constantinople under Pope Theodore, gaining experience in dealing with the Byzantine court and familiarizing himself with the Monothelite teachings so prevalent in the East. Without waiting for the necessary imperial mandate, Martin proceeded with his consecration on July 5, 649. This independent act so enraged the emperor that he refused to acknowledge Martin as the legitimate pope.

A staunch defender of the orthodox, Martin immediately convened a synod in the Lateran. Attended by 105 Western bishops, the synod studied all aspects of Monothelitism and the emperor's Type. After nearly a month, the synod reached a conclusion. They determined that there were two wills in Christ, condemned the One Will heresy, and further condemned Constans' Type for boldly prohibiting the truthful teachings of the apostles. In an effort to pacify the emperor, Martin acknowledged Constans' good intentions in trying to unify the Church and placed the burden of responsibility on the poor advice of Constantinople's patriarchs.

Constans, far from appeased, was determined that his religious policies would not be ignored. Appointing his chamberlain Olympius as exarch to Italy, he dispatched him with the order to obtain the signatures of acceptance from all Italians without exception. Olympius proved to be a dismal failure, both in his mission and in an attempted assassination of the popular pope. The exarch prudently abandoned his post and fled to Sicily to fight the invading Muslims.

In the summer of 653, the furious emperor appointed yet another exarch, Theodore Calliopas, with orders to escort the inflexible pontiff to Constantinople. Calliopas and his officers boldly entered the Lateran, arrested the bedridden Martin, and presented the clergy with Constans' edict deposing the pope who had been consecrated illegally. The voyage, which took nearly three months, subjected the sickly pope to humiliation and abuse. Arriving in Constantinople, racked with dysentery and disabled by gout, Martin was placed in solitary confinement. On December 19, 653, Martin was brought to trial on trumped-up charges of treason and sacrilege. The pope, near death and realizing his position futile, could only laugh at the ridiculous accusations and beg the emperor to excuse the fumbling witnesses before they added perjury to false witness! Constans pronounced the predetermined verdict of guilty on the pontiff and sentenced him to public flogging and death. The disapproving crowd watched, horrified; and it was only by the dying Patriarch Paul's intercession that Martin's sentence of public execution was commuted to banishment.

For nearly three months, the pope suffered under the worst conditions in a Byzantine prison before he was exiled to the Crimea. There, on September 16, 655, suffering from cold and starvation, Pope Martin gratefully met his God. Pious Martin had been disgraced in life but later became honored as a martyr. Today he is venerated as a saint; his feast is celebrated by both the Roman and Greek Churches on April 13. — The Popes: A Papal History, J.V. Bartlett

Symbols: Pope holding money; Pope with geese around him (possible confusion by artist with Martin of Tours); Pope in a prison cell.

Things to Do:


St. Hermenegild
Leovigild, Arian King of the Visigoths, had two sons, Hermenegild and Recared, who were reigning conjointly with him. All were Arians, but Hermenegild married a zealous Catholic, the daughter of Sigebert, King of France, and by her holy example was converted to the faith. His father, on hearing the news, denounced him as a traitor, and marched to seize his person. Hermenegild tried to rally the Catholics of Spain in his defense, but they were too weak to make any stand; and after a two years’ fruitless struggle, Hermenegild surrendered on the assurance of a free pardon. Once he was safely in the royal camp, the king had him loaded with fetters and cast into a foul dungeon at Seville.

Tortures and bribes were in turn employed to shake his faith, but Hermenegild wrote to his father that he regarded the crown as nothing, and preferred to lose scepter and life rather than betray the truth of God. At length, on Easter night, an Arian bishop entered his cell, and promised him his father’s pardon if he would receive Communion from his hands. Hermenegild indignantly rejected the offer, and knelt with joy for his death-stroke, praying for his persecutors. The same night a light streaming from his cell told the Christians keeping vigil nearby that the martyr had won his crown and was celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord with the Saints in glory.

King Leovigild, on his death-bed, was changed interiorly. He had been witness to the miracles that had occurred after his son’s cruel death, and he told his son and successor Recared to seek out Saint Leander, whom he himself had persecuted. Recared should follow Hermenegild’s example, said the king, and be received by the bishop into the Church. Recared did so; and although his father himself had not had the courage to renounce the false faith publicly, after his father’s death the new king labored so earnestly for the extirpation of Arianism that he brought over the whole nation of the Visigoths to the Church. “Nor is it to be wondered,” says Saint Gregory, “that he came thus to be a preacher of the true faith, since he was the brother of a martyr, whose merits helped him to bring so many into the haven of God’s Church.” — Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints

Patron: Converts.

Symbols: Young prince in armour being borne to heaven while contemplating the crucifix while around him angels carry an axe; chains; royal regalia; a palm; and a rose wreath and heretical bishops and king stand below him; prince with an axe.

Things to Do:


32 posted on 04/13/2018 8:29:44 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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The Word Among Us

Meditation: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

Saint Martin I, Pope and Martyr (Optional Memorial)

The Lord is . . . (Psalm 27:1)

There are so many ways to pray. We can intercede, recite the Rosary, adore the Eucharist, or ponder Scripture. But we can also spend our prayer time praising the Lord. We may not be so comfortable with this type of prayer, but its blessings are innumerable. Praising God can lift up your heart. It can make the truths of his gospel come alive for you. It can deepen your faith as you recall all of his goodness and mercy.

Praising God is not difficult! At its heart, it is simply recalling and proclaiming the truths about who God is.

Let’s take today’s psalm and see how we can use it to praise God today:

The Lord is my light: You can thank the Lord that he is not just the light, he is your light. Think of all the ways his word dispels darkness for you. By his own example, he shows you how to live as a child of God. His light helps you make decisions during the day: you begin to understand how to handle a sticky situation. If you are confused and don’t know what to do, the light of his word in Scripture can cut through the darkness and give you insight. His light can lead you in righteousness because he himself is righteous.

The Lord is my salvation: You can praise the Lord for having saved you from sin. When it was impossible for you to do it on your own, Jesus reconciled you to your Father in heaven. He gladly took on, not just “the sins of the world,” but your own sins and failings. Jesus has redeemed and saved you. He has opened up heaven for you to enter. How can you not praise him for such a generous gift?

The Lord is my refuge: You can give glory to God because he is your protector, your refuge. He is strong and dependable and trustworthy. You can cling to him when life throws one of its curve balls at you. He can shield you when you are buffeted by temptation. Jesus has promised to be with you always, and he is faithful to all of his promises. So you can always trust him to be there for you.

Practice praising the Lord today. Recall his goodness, and praise him for his love.

“Lord, teach me how to praise you today.”

Acts 5:34-42
John 6:1-15

33 posted on 04/13/2018 8:35:40 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for April 13, 2018:

(Reader’s Tip) It’s important to remember your priorities in your marriage. Never sweat the small things that may get on your nerves about your spouse.

34 posted on 04/13/2018 8:37:41 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Regnum Christi

April 13, 2018 – Our Meager Gifts to God

Friday of the Second Week of Easter
Father Steven Reilly, LC

John 6:1-15

After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So, the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So, they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

Introductory Prayer: I come before you, Lord, poor and unworthy. Yet you welcome me with such love. With my effort during this meditation I want to make a small return on your great kindness.

Petition: Lord, help me to understand the trials you send me and to value your gift of grace.

1. The Trials of Life: The Gospel tells us that Jesus “tests” the disciples, watching the reaction they have to seemingly impossible situations. This test in the shortage of food may well have induced a panic. As the apostles looked out at the vast crowd, they felt totally inadequate in the face of such need. Perhaps in that sense, they passed the test. Christ wanted them to experience that human ingenuity alone could not be the foundation of the Church. No matter how smart the apostles or their successors are, the needs of the souls and the world will always vastly outstrip our human capacity. So, what’s the answer? There’s only one: The Lord!

2. The Insufficient Gift: While the disciples are confused, a little boy is generous. With innocence and simplicity, he walks up with his basket. With this food, the Lord will do something wonderful. Perhaps Our Lord was thinking about this boy when he said, “Unless you become like a child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The disciples are being given a beautiful lesson in this trusting child: give everything over to Christ; it doesn’t matter how little it may seem to you or others — with his divine power, wonderful things can happen with our five loaves and two fish.

3. Let Nothing Be Wasted: It’s interesting that Our Lord sends out the disciples as a cleanup crew after this big meal. One insight that we can draw from this is the value of God’s grace. Even though the Lord’s power is infinite, we should not become complacent and view his grace as some commodity in oversupply. It is precious and should not be wasted. Yet, that would seem to be exactly what happens. We have received so many sacraments, but we are far from being saints. This speaks to us again of the marvelous patience of the Lord. Even when we don’t fully appreciate the value of his gifts, he doesn’t stop giving them.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, I see the compassion in your eyes when you look out at the vast crowd. They are hungry, but I am poor and weak in the face of such need. Come to my aid! Give the grace I need to cooperate generously with you in the ongoing work of redemption.

Resolution: I will be generous in helping others, trusting more in God’s grace than in myself.

35 posted on 04/13/2018 8:42:59 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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Homily of the Day
April 13, 2018

After they had eaten, the people were so happy and wanted Jesus to be made their king. It made sense. Imagine a person who could multiply bread and fish. This was the end of poverty, of starvation, of hunger. There would be no need for planting crops or fishing for food anymore. Here was a person who could miraculously provide food!

But Christ shunned away from this type of glory and politics. Christ’s mission was neither to eradicate poverty completely nor merely solve human problems. He was here for a greater mission, and the danger was that people did not understand this greater and higher mission. They simply dwelled on the problem of food, their physical and material needs.

Jesus did not want to become a king. He wanted to be our servant and savior. Christ wanted to feed our souls and give us food that would last forever. We can see that Jesus can clearly provide for us, but he does this in his time and according to what we need. Christ knows exactly what and when we need something, and he decides on the manner to provide it. We need faith to wait and to accept what the Lord will give.

This multiplication of loaves and fish prefigured the Eucharist that sustains and feeds us in our daily lives, for eternal life. What greater gift could our Lord have left us!


36 posted on 04/13/2018 8:55:31 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Espa�ol

All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 3

<< Friday, April 13, 2018 >> Pope St. Martin I
 
Acts 5:34-42
View Readings
Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 John 6:1-15
Similar Reflections
 

MULTIPLICATION TESTS

 
"He knew well what He intended to do but He asked this to test Philip's response." �John 6:6
 

When Jesus saw several thousand people "coming toward Him, He said to Philip, 'Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?' " (Jn 6:5) "He asked this to test Philip's response" (Jn 6:6).

Jesus sees over four billion people who don't know Him personally and therefore don't even have the chance to love Him. Then, to test you, Jesus says to you: "Where will you and I obtain hundreds of thousands of workers for this harvest?" (see Mt 9:37) What will you say to Jesus? What will you do? Will you pass the test?

Jesus sees over nine million babies being killed by surgical and chemical abortion in the USA each year. To test you, He says to you: "What are we going to do about it?" Will you pass the test, or be bogged down in the apparent statistical impossibility of stopping Planned Parenthood and its henchmen?

Jesus sees countless broken marriages, single parents, fatherless children, broken hearts, abused people, refugees, oppressed people, sick people, etc. To test you, you know what Jesus is saying. What are you and Jesus going to do about it? Don't tell Jesus that you're only one person, you don't have much money, you're not famous, you're too old or too young, or nobody else is doing anything. Give Jesus all your loaves, all your fish, and all your life.

 
Prayer: Father, I give You my seemingly insignificant "all" to be multiplied into Your sufficiency.
Promise: "Day after day, both in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news of Jesus the Messiah." —Acts 5:42
Praise: Pope St. Martin I endured inhumane treatment in prison, public insults, and floggings for the sake of the Truth of the Faith.

37 posted on 04/13/2018 8:57:12 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All

Especially about Catholics and Catholicism!

38 posted on 04/13/2018 9:04:14 PM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

Somehow having 30,000 choices to follow God seems ridiculous.

I saw the movie “I can only imagine” and we see how God works in ways to change us.

God Bless you.


39 posted on 04/14/2018 5:29:45 AM PDT by ADSUM
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