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Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings 30-May-2022
Universalis/Jerusalem Bible ^

Posted on 05/30/2022 6:39:13 AM PDT by annalex

30 May 2022

Monday of the 7th week of Eastertide



St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church – A Traditional Latin Mass Parish in the Diocese of Boise

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: White.


First readingActs 19:1-8 ©

The moment Paul laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul made his way overland as far as Ephesus, where he found a number of disciples. When he asked, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ they answered, ‘No, we were never even told there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.’ ‘Then how were you baptised?’ he asked. ‘With John’s baptism’ they replied. ‘John’s baptism’ said Paul ‘was a baptism of repentance; but he insisted that the people should believe in the one who was to come after him – in other words, Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them, and they began to speak with tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of these men.
  He began by going to the synagogue, where he spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. He did this for three months.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 67(68):2-7 ©
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
or
Alleluia!
Let God arise, let his foes be scattered.
  Let those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is blown away so will they be blown away;
  like wax that melts before the fire,
  so the wicked shall perish at the presence of God.
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
or
Alleluia!
But the just shall rejoice at the presence of God,
  they shall exult and dance for joy.
O sing to the Lord, make music to his name;
  rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence.
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
or
Alleluia!
Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,
  such is God in his holy place.
God gives the lonely a home to live in;
  he leads the prisoners forth into freedom.
Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God.
or
Alleluia!

Gospel AcclamationJn16:28
Alleluia, alleluia!
I came from the Father
and have come into the world,
and now I leave the world
to go to the Father.
Alleluia!
Or:Col3:1
Alleluia, alleluia!
Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ,
you must look for the things that are in heaven, where Christ is,
sitting at God’s right hand.
Alleluia!

GospelJohn 16:29-33 ©

Be brave, for I have conquered the world

His disciples said to Jesus, ‘Now you are speaking plainly and not using metaphors! Now we see that you know everything, and do not have to wait for questions to be put into words; because of this we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them:
‘Do you believe at last?
Listen; the time will come – in fact it has come already –
when you will be scattered,
each going his own way and leaving me alone.
And yet I am not alone,
because the Father is with me.
I have told you all this
so that you may find peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but be brave: I have conquered the world.’

The readings on this page are from the Jerusalem Bible, which is used at Mass in most of the English-speaking world. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.

You can also view this page with the Gospel in Greek and English.



TOPICS: Catholic; General Discusssion; Prayer; Worship
KEYWORDS: catholic; easter; jn16; prayer
For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

1 posted on 05/30/2022 6:39:13 AM PDT by annalex
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To: All
Blessed Memorial Day!

KEYWORDS: catholic; easter; jn16; prayer;

2 posted on 05/30/2022 6:40:15 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: nickcarraway; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ArrogantBustard; Catholicguy; RobbyS; marshmallow; ...
Alleluia Ping

Please FReepmail me to get on/off the Alleluia Ping List.


3 posted on 05/30/2022 6:41:04 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex
Prayer thread for Salvation's recovery
Pray for Ukraine
4 posted on 05/30/2022 6:41:36 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex
John
 English: Douay-RheimsLatin: Vulgata ClementinaGreek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
 John 16
29His disciples say to him: Behold, now thou speakest plainly, and speakest no proverb. Dicunt ei discipuli ejus : Ecce nunc palam loqueris, et proverbium nullum dicis :λεγουσιν αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου ιδε νυν παρρησια λαλεις και παροιμιαν ουδεμιαν λεγεις
30Now we know that thou knowest all things, and thou needest not that any man should ask thee. By this we believe that thou camest forth from God. nunc scimus quia scis omnia, et non opus est tibi ut quis te interroget : in hoc credimus quia a Deo existi.νυν οιδαμεν οτι οιδας παντα και ου χρειαν εχεις ινα τις σε ερωτα εν τουτω πιστευομεν οτι απο θεου εξηλθες
31Jesus answered them: Do you now believe? Respondit eis Jesus : Modo creditis ?απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιησους αρτι πιστευετε
32Behold, the hour cometh, and it is now come, that you shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. ecce venit hora, et jam venit, ut dispergamini unusquisque in propria, et me solum relinquatis : et non sum solus, quia Pater mecum est.ιδου ερχεται ωρα και νυν εληλυθεν ινα σκορπισθητε εκαστος εις τα ιδια και εμε μονον αφητε και ουκ ειμι μονος οτι ο πατηρ μετ εμου εστιν
33These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world. Hæc locutus sum vobis, ut in me pacem habeatis. In mundo pressuram habebitis : sed confidite, ego vici mundum.ταυτα λελαληκα υμιν ινα εν εμοι ειρηνην εχητε εν τω κοσμω θλιψιν εχετε αλλα θαρσειτε εγω νενικηκα τον κοσμον

5 posted on 05/30/2022 6:44:58 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex

Catena Aurea by St. Thomas Aguinas

16:29–33

29. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

30. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

31. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

32. Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. lxxix) The disciples were so refreshed with the thought of being in favour with the Father, that they say they are sure He knows all things: His disciples said unto Him, Now speakest Thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

AUGUSTINE. (Tr. ciii) But why do they say so, when the hour in which He was to speak without proverbs was yet future, and only promised? Because, our Lord’s communications still continuing proverbs to them, they are so far from understanding them, that they do not even understand their not understanding them.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. lxxix. 2) But since His answer met what was in their minds, they add, Now we are sure that Thou knowest all things. See how imperfect they yet were, after so many and great things now at last to say, Now we are sure &c. saying it too as if they were conferring a favour. And needest not that any man should ask thee; i. e. Thou knowest what offends us, before we tell Thee, and Thou hast relieved us by saying that the Father loveth us.

AUGUSTINE. (Tr. ciii. 2) Why this remark? To one Who knew all things, instead of saying, Thou needest not that any man should ask Thee; it would have been more appropriate to have said, Thou needest not to ask any man: yet we know that both of these were done, viz. that our Lord both asked questions, and was asked. But this is soon explained; for both were for the benefit, not of Himself, but of those whom He asked questions of, or by whom He was asked. He asked questions of men not in order to learn Himself, but to teach them: and in the case of those who asked questions of Him, such questions were necessary to them in order to gain the knowledge they wanted; but they were not necessary to Him to tell Him what that was, because He knew the wish of the enquirer, before the question was put. Thus to know men’s thoughts beforehand was no great thing for the Lord, but to the minds of babes it was a great thing: By this we know that Thou camest, forth from God.

HILARY. (vi. de Trin. c. 34) They believe that He came forth from God, because He does the works of God. For whereas our Lord had said both, I came forth from the Father, and, I am come into the world from the Father, they testified no wonder at the latter words, I am come into the world, which they had often heard before. But their reply shews a belief in and appreciation of the former, I came forth from the Father. And they notice this in their reply: By this we believe that Thou camest forth from God; not adding, and art come into the world, for they knew already that He was sent from God, but had not yet received the doctrine of His eternal generation. That unutterable doctrine they now began to see for the first time in consequence of these words, and therefore reply that He spoke no longer in parables. For God is not born from God after the manner of human birth: His is a coming forth from, rather than a birth from, God. He is one from one; not a portion, not a defection, not a diminution, not a derivation, not a pretension, not a passion, but the birth of living nature from living nature. He is God coming forth from God, not a creature appointed to the name of God; He did not begin to be from nothing, but came forth from an abiding (manente) nature. To come forth, hath the signification of birth, not of beginning.

AUGUSTINE. (Tr. ciii) Lastly, He reminds them of their weak tender age in respect of the inner man. Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?

BEDE. Which can be understood in two ways, either as reproaching, or affirming. If the former, the meaning is, Ye have awaked somewhat late to belief, for behold the hour cometh, yea is now come, that ye shall be scattered every man to his home. If the latter, it is, That which ye believe is true, but behold the hour cometh, &c.

AUGUSTINE. (Tr. ciii) For they did not only with their bodies leave His body, when He was taken, but with their minds the faith.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. lxxix) Ye shall be scattered; i. e. when I am betrayed, fear shall so possess you, that ye will not be able even to take to flight together. But I shall suffer no harm in consequence: And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

AUGUSTINE. (Tr. ciii) He wishes to advance them so far as to understand that He had not separated from the Father because He had come forth from the Father.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. lxxix. 2) These things have I said unto you, that ye might have peace: i. e. that ye may not reject Me from your minds. For not only when I am taken shall ye suffer tribulation, but so long as ye are in the world: In the world ye shall have tribulation.

GREGORY. (xxvi. Moral. c. xi.) As if He said, Have Me within you to comfort you, because you will have the world without you.

AUGUSTINE. (Tract. ciii. 3) The tribulation of which He speaks was to commence thus, i. e. in every one being scattered to his home, but was not to continue so. For in saying, And leave Me alone, He does not mean this to apply to them in their sufferings after His ascension. They were not to desert Him then, but to abide and have peace in Him. Wherefore He adds, Be of good cheer.

CHRYSOSTOM. (Hom. lxxx) i. e. raise up your spirits again: when the Master is victorious, the disciples should not be dejected; I have overcome the world.

AUGUSTINE. When the Holy Spirit was given them, they were of good cheer, and, in His strength, victorious. For He would not have overcome the world, had the world overcome His members. When He says, These things have I spoken to you, that in Me ye might have peace, He refers not only to what He has just said, but to what He had said all along, either from the time that He first had disciples, or since the supper, when He began this long and wonderful discourse. He declares this to be the object of His whole discourse, viz. that in Him they might have peace. And this peace shall have no end, but is itself the end of every pious action and intention.

Catena Aurea John 16

6 posted on 05/30/2022 6:46:29 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex


The Ascension

Benjamin West

1801
Denver Art Museum

7 posted on 05/30/2022 6:47:44 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex

Joan of Arc's Life - Brief Overview

Joan of Arc ("Jeanne d'Arc" in modern French; "Jehanne Darc" in medieval French) was born circa 6 January 1412 in the village of Domremy, France, during the series of conflicts which we now call the Hundred Years War.

The English launched a new invasion in 1415 at a time when the French were divided into hostile "Armagnac" and "Burgundian" factions, a situation which would be an important factor during Joan of Arc's campaigns and trial. The Armagnacs were originally led by the Duke of Orleans and Count of Armagnac before becoming linked with the uncrowned "Dauphin" (claimant to the throne), who would be anointed as Charles VII with Joan of Arc's help. The Burgundians were supporters of the Duke of Burgundy, who allied himself with the English in 1420. Joan would later be captured by pro-Burgundian troops and put on trial by pro-English and Burgundian clergy.

Joan said that around the summer of 1424 she began receiving visions of the Archangel Michael, St Catherine [of Alexandria], St. Margaret [of Antioch], and occasionally others such as the Archangel Gabriel. She said these visions ordered her to lift the siege of Orleans on behalf of its captive Duke and to bring the Dauphin to Rheims for his coronation.

Military Campaigns

In February 1429 she convinced Lord Robert de Baudricourt to provide an escort of soldiers to bring her to the Royal Court at Chinon. After an eleven-day journey through enemy-held territory, she was allowed to present her case to the Dauphin Charles. He was encouraged by her words but sent her to the city of Poitiers to be examined by a group of high-ranking clergy, including the Archbishop of Rheims, the Inquisitor of Toulouse, several Bishops, and a number of prominent theologians. They told Charles that "nothing improper has been found in her, only good, humility, chastity, piety, propriety, simplicity."

This approval prompted Charles to allow her to accompany an army to Orleans. She arrived on April 29th. Her troops took the English fortress built around the Church of St. Loup on May 4th, followed by the fortress of the Augustinians on May 6th, followed by Les Tourelles on the 7th. The English cancelled the siege the next day. This victory was followed by the capture of Jargeau on June 12th, the bridge at Meung-sur-Loire on the 15th, and the town of Beaugency on the 17th. The next day witnessed a larger victory when the English lost over half their field army near Patay on June 18th.

These events opened the way for a campaign designed to bring Charles VII to Rheims, the traditional site of Royal coronations. After accepting the surrender of the city of Troyes and other towns along the way, the army entered Rheims on July 16th. The coronation took place the following day.

At this point the Royal government negotiated a fifteen-day truce with the Duke of Burgundy, followed by a four-month truce concluded on August 21st which served little purpose other than to prevent the Royal army from seizing additional locations at this crucial time.

The army did attempt an unsuccessful attack against English-held Paris on September 8th, during which Joan was wounded by a crossbow arrow. Charles decided to abandon the campaign immediately afterward and ordered the troops to return to the Loire Valley. The army was disbanded on September 21st.

Joan of Arc took part in a brief campaign that autumn during which Royal troops captured the town of St-Pierre-le-Moutier on November 4 and then unsuccessfully tried to besiege La-Charite-sur-Loire in late November and early December.

During the winter she resided at various Royal estates, then returned to the field the following spring. She received little direct support from the Royal government, which was still hoping to establish a permanent peace. This may be the context for a letter she dictated to a scribe on 23 March 1430, in which she threatens to lead a crusading army against the Hussites unless they "return to the Catholic Faith and the original Light". [See Joan of Arc's Letter to the Hussites for a translation of the full text]

At Lagny-sur-Marne in April 1430, Joan accompanied an army which defeated a small force led by a pro-English mercenary named Franquet d'Arras.

She was then spurred to more desperate action when the Duke of Burgundy launched a campaign against the city of Compiegne, which had refused to place itself under his jurisdiction as required by the terms of the treaty established the previous August. Joan was present when a small Armagnac force tried to capture the bridge at Pont-l'Eveque c. May 16th in order to sever Burgundy's line of supply. This attack failed.

As the Burgundian army laid siege to Compiegne itself, Joan made a fateful decision to go to the city's aid despite having predicted that she would be captured "before St. John's Day" (June 24th).

She brought a small number of troops into Compiegne on the morning of May 23rd. Later that day she was present during an attack against the Burgundian camp at Margny north of the besieged city. Burgundian troops which were concealed behind the Mont-de-Clairoix hill suddenly emerged and forced her soldiers to retreat, then surrounded her small group when the nearest drawbridge leading into Compiegne was shut, thereby blocking her only route of escape. She refused to surrender until a Burgundian archer rode up behind her and pulled her off her horse. Lionel of Wandomme, a member of John of Luxembourg's contingent, pushed his way through the crowd and convinced her to surrender to him.

After spending four months imprisoned in the chateau of Beaurevoir, Joan was transferred to the English in exchange for 10,000 livres to compensate the Burgundians for the ransom money they were being asked to forego. She was brought to Rouen, the headquarters of the English army in Normandy. English government documents provide information about the process of selecting the tribunal members - chosen from a group of clergy who had supported them in the past - and the payments issued to finance the trial [click here to see a summary of some of these records]. The English appointed Pierre Cauchon to serve as the judge, since Cauchon had long served as an advisor to the English occupation government. Many members of the tribunal later admitted that the English ordered them to convict Joan on "any pretense that could be devised" and the transcript was falsified on a number of crucial points [click here to see some of this testimony].

Although Inquisitorial procedure required female prisoners to be guarded by nuns rather than male guards in order to reduce the likelihood of rape, Joan was held in a secular fortress and guarded by English soldiers. According to several eyewitnesses, she said these soldiers attempted to rape her on a number of occasions, prevented mainly by the fact that she "securely laced and tied" her soldiers' outfit, which had dozens of thick cords that allowed her to tie together the long hip-boots, hosen and tunic, unlike a dress which would have left her vulnerable. The judge ignored this context in order to claim that her actions violated the prohibition against cross-dressing, although the medieval Church granted an exemption in such cases of necessity. The eyewitnesses said that Joan asked to be placed in a Church prison with women (nuns) to guard her so she could safely wear a dress; but Cauchon refused.

The trial hearings lasted from February 21st through the end of March 1431. No witnesses were called, violating the normal Inquisitorial requirement that any fact needed to be confirmed by at least two witnesses. The tribunal members later admitted that the court therefore resorted to trying to trick Joan into saying something that could be used against her. Standard Inquisitorial rules also required trials to be conducted by a balanced or neutral group of clergy, another rule that was violated in this case. Eyewitnesses said Joan repeatedly objected to the pro-English nature of the tribunal and asked to be brought before either the Pope or a neutral group of clergy. This created another key issue during the trial: the judge claimed she refused to submit to the Church because she refused to accept a pro-English tribunal, which misrepresents her statements and distorts medieval theology. Medieval doctrine held that a partisan tribunal would automatically nullify the trial [click here [page unavailable] for more information about this issue].

Since English soldiers had developed the belief that Joan was defeating them through black magic, the tribunal attempted to link her to witchcraft by alleging that she had used her banner to work magic or had used various other methods such as pouring wax on the heads of small children, but the witchcraft charge was essentially dropped before the final set of accusations were written on April 5th.

There were at least four (unsuccessful) rescue attempts conducted by units of Charles VII's army, one of which reached within a few miles of Rouen before being defeated. This seems to have led the English government to put pressure on Cauchon to quickly finish the trial. On May 24 Cauchon brought her to Saint-Ouen cemetery and threatened her with immediate execution unless she agreed to sign a confession and give up the soldiers' clothing she was relying on as a protection against rape. She agreed to a short confession, which the eyewitnesses said was later replaced with a longer, more damaging one without her knowledge. She was given a dress to wear. According to three eyewitnesses, "a great English lord" attempted to rape her, evidently in an attempt to scare her into returning to the soldiers' clothing that had been deliberately left in her cell. The bailiff said the guards finally took away her dress and left her nothing else to wear except the soldiers' outfit. Joan and the guards argued "until noon", but she finally put on the forbidden clothing and was then promptly displayed to the judge. Cauchon pronounced her a "relapsed heretic", condemned her to death, then left her cell exclaiming "Farewell, be of good cheer, it is done!" to English commanders waiting outside.

On the morning of May 30th she was brought to the Old Market square in Rouen and tied to a pillar that was set so high that the executioner, Geoffroy Therage, complained that he couldn't reach her to quickly stab her through the heart as was the common practice. She asked for a cross, which was provided by one of the tribunal members, Friar Martin Ladvenu. She told him to hold it in front of her as the flames rose. Several eyewitnesses said that she repeatedly screamed "in a loud voice the holy name of Jesus, and implored and invoked without ceasing the aid of the saints of Paradise". After screaming "Jesus!" one last time, she went limp.

The executioner said shortly afterward that "he had a great fear of being damned, [as] he had burned a saint."

Rouen was finally retaken by Charles VII in November 1449, which allowed an investigation into the trial. The first stage was conducted by a clergyman named Guillaume Bouille in March 1450, followed by a more thorough investigation by the Inquisitor-General, Jean Brehal, in May 1452, then a full appellate trial from November 1455 to July 1456. A total of 115 witnesses were questioned by a group of inquisitors and bishops, leading the appellate court to overturn the verdict on 7 July 1456. The ruling described Joan as a "martyr" who had been convicted by a corrupt tribunal dominated by a secular government. The Inquisitor-General denounced the tribunal for "manifest malice against the Roman [Catholic] Church, and indeed heresy". In the 16th century the Catholic League used her image on their banners. She was later beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920, shortly after a renewal of public interest during World War I when Allied soldiers had carried her image into battle.


joan-of-arc.org
8 posted on 05/30/2022 7:08:13 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: annalex

9 posted on 05/30/2022 7:09:40 AM PDT by annalex (fear them not)
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To: All

Unfortunately I will be away from my computer most of the day and will not be able to post the Navarre Bible commentary for today’s readings until this afternoon. Please check back later. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thanks.


10 posted on 05/30/2022 9:41:01 AM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia! )
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To: fidelis
NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY (RSV)

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

From: Acts 19:1-8

Disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus
----------------------------------------
[1] While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples. [2] And he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said, "No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." [3] And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" They said, "Into John's baptism." [4] And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus." [5] On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. [7] There were about twelve of them in all.

Paul's Preaching and Miracles at Ephesus
----------------------------------------
[8] And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, arguing and pleading about the kingdom of God.

***********************************************************************

Commentary:

1-7. This presence in Ephesus of a group of disciples who had received only John's baptism is open to various interpretations. The text seems to imply that they were not, properly speaking, Christians but people who followed the Baptist's teaching and whom Paul regarded as incipient Christians, to the point of calling them disciples. We say this because in the New Testament being a Christian is always connected with receiving Baptism and having the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 3:5; Rom 8:9; 1 Cor 12:3; Gal 3:2; Acts 11:17; etc.).

2. Leaving aside questions as to the origin and composition of this group of disciples, their simple statement about knowing nothing about the Holy Spirit and his part in fulfilling the messianic promises points to the need to preach Christian doctrine in a systematic, gradual and complete way.

Christian catechesis, John Paul II reminds us, "must be systematic, not improvised but programmed to reach a precise goal; it must deal with essentials, without any claim to tackle all disputed questions or to transform itself into theological research or scientific exegesis; it must nevertheless be sufficiently complete, not stopping short at the initial proclamation of the Christian mystery such as we have in the kerygma; it must be an integral Christian initiation, open to all the other factors of Christian life" ("Catechesi Tradendae", 21).

3-4. "The whole teaching and work of John," St Thomas Aquinas writes, "was in preparation for Christ, as the helper and under-craftsman are responsible for preparing the materials for the form which the head-craftsman produces. Grace was to be conferred on men through Christ: 'Grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ' (Jn 1 :17). And therefore, the baptism of John did not confer grace, but only prepared the way for grace in a threefold way--in one way, by John's teaching, which led men to faith in Christ; in another way, by accustoming men to the rite of Christ's Baptism; and in a third way, through penance, which prepared men to receive the effect of Christ's Baptism" ("Summa Theologiae", III, q. 38, a. 3).

5. "They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus": the view of most commentators is that this does not mean that the Trinitarian formula which appears in Mt 28:19 (cf. note on Acts 2:38) ("in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit") was not used. The reference here may simply be a way of distinguishing Christian Baptism from other baptismal rites which were features of Judaism in apostolic times--particularly John the Baptist's rite. Besides, Christian Baptism was administered on Jesus Christ's instructions (cf. Mt 28:19), in union with him and using his power: Jesus' redemptive action is initiated by the Father and expresses itself in the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

6. This passage speaks of the laying on of hands, something distinct from Baptism, as seen already in Acts 8:14-17, whereby the Holy Spirit is received. This is the sacrament which will come to be called Confirmation and which has been conferred, from the beginnings of the Church, as one of the sacraments of Christian initiation.

Referring to Confirmation, John Paul II has said: "Christ's gift of the Holy Spirit is going to be poured out upon you in a particular way. You will hear the words of the Church spoken over you, calling upon the Holy Spirit to confirm your faith, to seal you in his love, to strengthen you for his service. You will then take your place among fellow-Christians throughout the world, full citizens now of the People of God. You will witness to the truth of the Gospel in the name of Jesus Christ. You will live your lives in such a way as to make holy all human life. Together with all the confirmed, you will become living stones in the cathedral of peace. Indeed you are called by God to be instruments of his peace [...].

"You, too, are strengthened inwardly today by the gift of the Holy Spirit, so that each of you in your own way can carry the Good News to your companions and friends. [...]. The same Holy Spirit comes to you today in the sacrament of Confirmation, to involve you more completely in the Church's fight against sin and in her mission of fostering holiness. He comes to dwell more fully in your hearts and to strengthen you for the struggle with evil [...]. The world of today needs you, for it needs men and women who are filled with the Holy Spirit. It needs your courage and hopefulness, your faith and your perseverance. The world of tomorrow will be built by you. Today you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit so that you may work with deep faith and with abiding charity, so that you may help to bring to the world the fruits of reconciliation and peace. Strengthened by the Holy Spirit and his manifold gifts [...], strive to be unselfish; try not to be obsessed with material things" ("Homily at Coventry Airport", 30 May 1982).

As is the case with Baptism and Holy Orders, Confirmation imprints an indelible mark or character on the soul.

8-10. This summarized account of Paul's activity in Ephesus is filled out by the account we are given of the Apostle's farewell to the elders of that city (cf. 20: 18-35) and by information contained in his letters to the Corinthians. Paul made Ephesus the base for his missionary work in the surrounding region, for which he counted on help from Timothy, Erastus, Gaius, Titus and Epaphras of Colossae.

During his stay in Ephesus he wrote 1 Corinthians and the Letter to the Galatians.

8. Paul returns to the synagogue where he taught previously (cf. 18:19-21); the Jews' resistance and lack of understanding do not lessen his zeal.

11 posted on 05/30/2022 2:16:55 PM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia! )
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To: All
From: John 16:29-33

Fullness of Joy (Continuation)
------------------------------
[29] His (Jesus') disciples said, "Ah, now You are speaking plainly, not in any figure! [30] Now we know that You know all things, and need none to question You; by this we believe that You came from God." [31] Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? [32] The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave Me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with Me. [33] I have said this to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

***********************************************************************
Commentary:

25-30. As can be seen also from other passages in the Gospels, Jesus spent time explaining His doctrine in more detail to His Apostles than to the crowd (cf. Mark 4:10-12 and paragraph)— to train them for their mission of preaching the Gospel to the whole world (cf. Matthew 28:18-20). However, our Lord also used metaphors or parables when imparting instruction to the Apostles, and He does so in this discourse of the Last Supper--the vine, the woman giving birth, etc.: He stimulates their curiosity and they, because they do not understand, ask Him questions (cf. verses 17-18). Jesus now tells them that the time is coming when He will speak to them in a completely clear way so that they will know exactly what He means. This He will do after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 1:3). But even now, since He knows their thoughts, He is making it ever plainer to them that He is God, for only God can know what is happening inside someone (cf. 2:25). Verse 28, "I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father" summarizes the mystery of Christ's Person (cf. John 1:14; 20:31).

31-32. Jesus moderates the Apostles' enthusiasm, which expresses itself in a spontaneous confession of faith; He does this by asking them a question which has two dimensions. On the one hand, it is a kind of reproach for their having taken too long to believe in Him: it is true that there were other occasions when they expressed faith in the Master (cf. John 6:68-69; etc.), but until now they have not fully realized that He is the One sent by the Father. The question also refers to the fragility of their faith: they believe, and yet very soon they will abandon Him into the hands of His enemies. Jesus requires us to have a firm faith: it is not enough to show it in moments of enthusiasm, it has to stand the test of difficulties and opposition.

33. The Second Vatican Council teaches in connection with this passage: "The Lord Jesus who said `Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world' (John 16:33), did not by these words promise complete victory to His Church in this world. This sacred Council rejoices that the earth which has been sown with the seed of the Gospel is now bringing forth fruit in many places under the guidance of the Spirit of the Lord, who is filling the world" ("Presbyterorum Ordinis", 22).

Source: Daily Word for Reflection—Navarre Bible Commentary

12 posted on 05/30/2022 2:17:25 PM PDT by fidelis (Ecce Crucem Domini! Fugite partes adversae! Vicit Leo de tribu Juda, Radix David! Alleluia! )
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