Ecce Homo
Cigoli
1607
Oil on canvas, 175 x 135 cm
Galleria Palatina (Palazzo Pitti), Florence
Posted on 07/19/2019 10:17:21 PM PDT by Salvation
KEYWORDS: catholic; mt12; ordinarytime; prayer;
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From: Exodus 12: 37-42
The Sons of Israel Leave Egypt
[40] The time that the people of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty
years. [41] And at the end of four hundred and thirty years, on that very day, all
the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. [42] It was a night of wat-
ching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt; so this same night is
a night of watching kept to the Lord by all the people of Israel throughout their
generations.
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Commentary:
12:37-42. Here we are given concrete details about the departure from Egypt.
They headed towards Succoth, a city which modern excavations locate some
15 kms (nine miles) south-east of Rameses, in the Nile delta. It seems to make
sense that they should have avoided trade routes, which would have been quie-
ter but busier and patrolled by Egyptian armies—the coast road to the country
of the Philistines (cf. 13:17), the road through the southern desert, which led to
Beer-sheba, or the trading route linking Egypt and Arabia. Even in this little thing
one can see God’s special providence at work: he has no need of beaten tracks
to show his people where to go.
The figure of 600,000 is an idealize one (cf. Num 1:46; 26:51), for it would imply
a total population of three million people, women and children included. Maybe
for the hagiographer’s contemporaries this figure had a significance which es-
capes us today; or perhaps it is just a way of indicating that there were very ma-
ny people—part of the epic style of the account, to highlight the power of God.
The figure of 430 years for the time the sons of Israel had been in Egypt (v. 40)
is slightly different from the 404 years which appears more often in the Bible (cf.
Gen 15:13; Acts 7:6; Gal 3:16-17). In the Pentateuch numbers often have a more
symbolic than chronological meaning (cf. the note on Gen 5:1-32). The 400 years
would mean that the chosen people lived in Egypt for ten generations (forty years
per generation: cf. the note on Ex 7:9), that is, a complete period of the history
of Israel.
“Night of watching” (v. 42): if the darkness causes any misgiving, God will trans-
form it into a time of salvation. Because God looks out for them, the Israelites
will also commemorate the night of their deliverance by keeping watch. Christian
liturgy celebrates the Lords’ resurrection with a solemn vigil, commemorating the
deliverance of the Israelites, the redemption of Christians, and Christ’s victory
over death—three stages in God’s intervention to save souls; as the Church sings:
“This is the night when first you saved our fathers: you freed the people of Israel
from their slavery. [...] This is the night when Christians everywhere (are) washed
clean of sin and freed from all defilement. [...] This is the night when Jesus Christ
broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave” (”Roman Missal”,
Exultet).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States
From: Matthew 12:14-21
Jesus, the Suffering Servant of Yahweh
[18] “Behold my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon Him,
and He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
[19] He will not wrangle or cry aloud,
nor will any one hear His voice in the streets;
[20] He will not break a bruised reed
or quench a smoldering wick,
till He brings justice to victory;
[21] and in His name will the Gentiles hope.”
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
17-21. Once again the sacred text points out the contrast between the contem-
porary mistaken Jewish notion of a spectacular messianic kingdom and the dis-
cernment which Jesus asks of those who witness and accept His teaching and
miracles. By providing this long quotation from Isaiah (42:1-4), the Evangelist is
giving us the key to the teaching contained in Chapters 11 and 12: in Jesus the
prophecy of the Servant of Yahweh is fulfilled: the lovable and gentle teacher
has come to bring the light of truth.
When narrating the passion of our Lord, the Gospels will once again remind us
of the figure of the Servant of Yahweh, to show that in Jesus the suffering and
expiatory aspect of the death of the Servant finds fulfillment (cf. Matthew 27:30,
with reference to Is 50:6; Matthew 8:17 and Isaiah 53:4; John 1:38 and Isaiah
53:9-12; etc.).
17. Isaiah 42:1-4 speaks of a humble servant, beloved of God, chosen by God.
And in fact Jesus, without ceasing to be the Son of God, one in substance with
the Father, took the form of a servant (cf. Philippians 2:6). This humility led him
to cure and care for the poor and afflicted of Israel, without seeking acclaim.
18. See the note on Matthew 3:16.
[Note on Matthew 3:16 states:
16. Jesus possessed the fullness of the Holy Spirit from the moment of His con-
ception. This is due to the union of human nature and divine nature in the per-
son of the Word (the dogma of hypostatic union). Catholic teaching says that in
Christ there is only one person (who is divine) but two natures (divine and human).
The descent of the Spirit of God spoken of in the text indicates that just as Jesus
was solemnly commencing His messianic task, so the Holy Spirit was beginning
His action through Him. There are very many texts in the Old Testament which
speak of the showing forth of the Holy Spirit in the future Messiah. This sign of
the Spirit gave St. John the Baptist unmistakable proof of the genuineness of his
testimony concerning Christ (cf. John 1:29-34). The mystery of the Holy Trinity is
revealed in the baptism of Jesus: the Son is baptized; the Holy Spirit descends
on Him in the form of a dove; and the voice of the Father gives testimony about
His Son. Christians must be baptized in the name of the Three Divine Persons.
“If you have sincere piety, the Holy Spirit will descend on you also and you will
hear the voice of the Father saying to you from above: “This was not My son, but
now after Baptism he has been made My son” (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, “De Bap-
tismo”, 14).]
19. The justice proclaimed by the Servant, who is filled with the Holy Spirit, is
not a noisy virtue. We can see the loving, gentle way Jesus worked His miracles,
performing righteousness in all humility. This is how He brings about the triumph
of His Father’s Justice, His plan of revelation and salvation—very quietly and very
effectively.
20. According to many Fathers, including St. Augustine and St. Jerome, the
bruised reed and the smoldering wick refer to the Jewish people. They also stand
for every sinner, for our Lord does not seek the sinner’s death but his conversion,
and his life (cf. Ezekiel 33:11). The Gospels often bear witness to this reassuring
truth (cf. Luke 15:11-32), the parable of the prodigal son; Matthew 18:12-24, the
parable of the lost sheep; etc.).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Liturgical Colour: Green.
| First reading | Exodus 12:37-42 © |
|---|
| The sons of Israel leave Egypt hurriedly by night |
|---|
| Responsorial Psalm |
|---|
| Psalm 135(136):1,10-15,23-24 © |
| Gospel Acclamation | Ps118:27 |
|---|
| Or: | 2Co5:19 |
|---|
| Gospel |
|---|
| Matthew 12:14-21 © |
| He cured them all but warned them not to make him known |
|---|
| Matthew | |||
| English: Douay-Rheims | Latin: Vulgata Clementina | Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) | |
| Matthew 12 |
|||
| 14. | And the Pharisees going out made a consultation against him, how they might destroy him. | Exeuntes autem pharisæi, consilium faciebant adversus eum, quomodo perderent eum. | οι δε φαρισαιοι συμβουλιον ελαβον κατ αυτου εξελθοντες οπως αυτον απολεσωσιν |
| 15. | But Jesus knowing it, retired from thence: and many followed him, and he healed them all. | Jesus autem sciens recessit inde : et secuti sunt eum multi, et curavit eos omnes : | ο δε ιησους γνους ανεχωρησεν εκειθεν και ηκολουθησαν αυτω οχλοι πολλοι και εθεραπευσεν αυτους παντας |
| 16. | And he charged them that they should not make him known. | et præcepit eis ne manifestum eum facerent. | και επετιμησεν αυτοις ινα μη φανερον αυτον ποιησωσιν |
| 17. | That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaias the prophet, saying: | Ut adimpleretur quod dictum est per Isaiam prophetam, dicentem : | οπως πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος |
| 18. | Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul hath been well pleased. I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. | Ecce puer meus, quem elegi, dilectus meus, in quo bene complacuit animæ meæ. Ponam spiritum meum super eum, et judicium gentibus nuntiabit. | ιδου ο παις μου ον ηρετισα ο αγαπητος μου εις ον ευδοκησεν η ψυχη μου θησω το πνευμα μου επ αυτον και κρισιν τοις εθνεσιν απαγγελει |
| 19. | He shall not contend, nor cry out, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. | Non contendet, neque clamabit, neque audiet aliquis in plateis vocem ejus : | ουκ ερισει ουδε κραυγασει ουδε ακουσει τις εν ταις πλατειαις την φωνην αυτου |
| 20. | The bruised reed he shall not break: and smoking flax he shall not extinguish: till he send forth judgment unto victory. | arundinem quassatam non confringet, et linum fumigans non extinguet, donec ejiciat ad victoriam judicium : | καλαμον συντετριμμενον ου κατεαξει και λινον τυφομενον ου σβεσει εως αν εκβαλη εις νικος την κρισιν |
| 21. | And in his name the Gentiles shall hope. | et in nomine ejus gentes sperabunt. | και τω ονοματι αυτου εθνη ελπιουσιν |
According to tradition, Saint Peter sent Apollinaris to Ravenna, Italy, as its first bishop. His preaching of the Good News was so successful that the pagans there beat him and drove him from the city. He returned, however, and was exiled a second time. After preaching in the area surrounding Ravenna, he entered the city again. After being cruelly tortured, he was put on a ship heading to Greece. Pagans there caused him to be expelled to Italy, where he went to Ravenna for a fourth time. He died from wounds received during a savage beating at Classis, a suburb of Ravenna. A beautiful basilica honoring him was built there in the sixth century.
Following Jesus involves risks—sometimes the supreme risk of life itself. Martyrs are people who would rather accept the risk of death than deny the cornerstone of their whole life: faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone will die eventually—the persecutors and those persecuted. The question is what kind of a conscience people will bring before the Lord for judgment. Remembering the witness of past and present martyrs can help us make the often small sacrifices that following Jesus today may require.
Pray for Pope Francis.
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July 20, 2019 (Readings on USCCB website)
Direct your faithful, Lord, in the way of eternal salvation, which the Bishop Saint Apollinaris showed by his teaching and martyrdom, and grant, through, his intercession, that we may so persevere in keeping your commandments as to merit being crowned with him. 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. Jerome Emiliani, confessor; St. Margaret of Antioch, virgin and martyr; Ellias the Prophet (Eastern Church and Carmelite Order)
Early accounts report that Saint Apollinaris was ordained Bishop by Saint Peter himself and sent as a missionary bishop to Ravenna during the reign of the emperor Claudius. Renowned for his powers to heal in the name of Christ, he was frequently exiled, tortured and imprisoned for the faith, and finally martyred.
This optional memorial is new to the USA liturgical calendar and will be inscribed on July 20. It was dropped from the General Roman Calendar in 1968, at that time this feast was celebrated on July 23. This was the feast of St. Jerome Emiliani whose optional memorial is now celebrated on February 8. Today was also the commemoration of St. Margaret of Antioch, probably a virgin martyr of the third century. Her veneration spread from the East to the West at the time of the crusades. She is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Elias the Prophet's feast is celebrated today by the Eastern Church. He is revered as the spiritual Father and traditional founder of the Catholic religious Order of Carmelites. In addition to taking their name from Mt. Carmel where the first hermits of the order established themselves, the Calced Carmelite and Discalced Carmelite traditions pertaining to Elijah focus upon the prophet’s withdrawal from public life.[33][34] The medieval Carmelite Book of the First Monks offers some insight into the heart of the Orders' contemplative vocation and reverence for the prophet.
St. Apollinaris
Apollinaris came to Rome from Antioch with the prince of the apostles, by whom he was consecrated bishop, and sent to Ravenna to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He converted many to the faith of Christ, for which reason he was seized by the priests of the idols and severely beaten. At his prayer, a nobleman named Boniface, who had long been dumb, recovered the power of speech, and his daughter was delivered from an unclean spirit; on this account a fresh sedition was raised against Apollinaris. He was beaten with rods, and made to walk barefoot over burning coals; but as the fire did him no injury, he was driven from the city.
He lay hidden some time in the house of certain Christians, and then went to Aemilia. Here he raised from the dead the daughter of Rufinus, a patrician, whose whole family thereupon believed in Jesus Christ. The prefect was greatly angered by this conversion, and sending for Apollinaris he sternly commanded him to give over propagating the faith of Christ in the city. But as Apollinaris paid no attention to his commands, he was tortured on the rack, boiling water was poured upon his wounds, and his mouth was bruised and broken with a stone; finally he was loaded with irons, and shut up in prison. Four days afterwards he was put on board ship and sent into exile; but the boat was wrecked, and Apollinaris arrived in Mysia, whence he passed to the banks of the Danube and into Thrace.
In the temple of Serapis the demon refused to utter his oracles so long as the disciple of the apostle Peter remained there. Search was made for some time, and then Apollinaris was discovered and commanded to depart by sea. Thus he returned to Ravenna; but on the accusation of the same priests of the idols, he was placed in the custody of a centurion. As this man, however, worshipped Christ in secret, Apollinaris was allowed to escape by night. When this became known, he was pursued and overtaken by the guards, who loaded him with blows and left him, as they thought, dead. He was carried away by the Christians, and seven days after, while exhorting them to constancy in the faith, he passed away from this life, to be crowned with the glory of martyrdom. His body was buried near the city walls.
Excerpted from Roman Martyrology
Patron: Ravenna, Italy.
Symbols: White vestments and black cross; club; hot coals; raven; crown; stones; cauldron of boiling water; chains; sword.
Often Portrayed As: Bishop with a club; standing or seated on hot coals; bearded, in a chasuble and pallium, with sheep around him; preaching to sheep.
Things to Do:
St. Margaret of Antioch, Virgin and Martyr
St. Margaret's feast has been suppressed because there is not much historical information about her life. There was great devotion to this saint, especially during the Middle Ages. She is one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers" and one of the saints that appeared and spoke to St. Joan of Arc.
"This same day brings before us a rival of the warrior-martyr, St. George: Margaret, like him victorious over the dragon, and like him called in the Menaea of the Greeks, the Great Martyr. The cross was her weapon; and, like the soldier, the virgin, too, consummated her trial in her blood. They were equally renowned in those chivalrous times when valor and faith fought hand in hand for Christ beneath the standard of the saints. So early as the seventh century our Western island rivaled the East in honoring the pearl drawn from the abyss of infidelity. Before the disastrous schism brought about by Henry VIII, the Island of Saints celebrated this feast as a double of the second class; women alone were obliged to rest from servile work, in gratitude for the protection afforded them by St. Margaret at the moment of childbirth—a favor which ranked her among the saints called in the Middle Ages auxiliaries or helpers. But it was not in England alone that Margaret was invoked, as history proves by the many and illustrious persons of all countries who have borne her blessed name."
Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.
Patron: against sterility; childbirth; dying; escape from devils; exiles; expectant mothers; falsely accused people; kidney disease; loss of milk by nursing mothers; Lowestoft, Suffolk, England; martyrs; nurses; peasants; people in exile; Queens College Cambridge; women; women in labour.
Symbols: Chained dragon; dragon burst asunder; girdle; sheep; garland of pearls; daisy; wreath of marguerites; long cross; crown.
Often Portrayed As: shepherdess; woman carrying a small cross in her hand; woman carrying a small girdle in her hand; woman leading a chained dragon; woman standing next to a cauldron or large vessel; woman standing with, on, or beside a dead dragon.
Philoxenes of Mabbug (?-c.523)
Bishop in Syria
Homily no.5, On simplicity, 137-139
"He will not contend or cry out"
Listen to the prophet announcing our Lord. He compares him to a lamb, a sheep, the most innocent of animals: “Like a lamb led to the slaughter, or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth” (Is 53:7)... Our Lord was not compared to a lion when he was led to death... Like a lamb, a sheep, he remained silent when he was led to his Passion and death. In his humiliation “he was silent and opened not his mouth”.
Confirming the word of prophecy by his actions, he remained silent when they led him out: he did not speak a word when they judged him, he did not complain when they scourged him, did not argue when they condemned him, was not angered when they bound him. He did not dissent when they struck him on the cheek, did not cry out when he was stripped of his garments like a sheep of it fleece. He did not curse them when they gave him sour wine and vinegar; was not angered with them when they nailed him to the tree.
Daily Marriage Tip for July 20, 2019:
Summer months are a great time for picking up new hobbies. Collaborate with your spouse and brainstorm ideas for new potential activities.
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