Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings 27-June-2022

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

KEYWORDS: catholic; mt8; ordinarytime; prayer;

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Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 8
18.	And Jesus seeing great multitudes about him, gave orders to pass over the water.	Videns autem Jesus turbas multas circum se, jussit ire trans fretum.	ιδων δε ο ιησους πολλους οχλους περι αυτον εκελευσεν απελθειν εις το περαν
19.	And a certain scribe came and said to him: Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou shalt go.	Et accedens unus scriba, ait illi : Magister, sequar te, quocumque ieris.	και προσελθων εις γραμματευς ειπεν αυτω διδασκαλε ακολουθησω σοι οπου εαν απερχη
20.	And Jesus saith to him: The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests: but the son of man hath not where to lay his head.	Et dicit ei Jesus : Vulpes foveas habent, et volucres cæli nidos ; Filius autem hominis non habet ubi caput reclinet.	και λεγει αυτω ο ιησους αι αλωπεκες φωλεους εχουσιν και τα πετεινα του ουρανου κατασκηνωσεις ο δε υιος του ανθρωπου ουκ εχει που την κεφαλην κλινη
21.	And another of his disciples said to him: Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.	Alius autem de discipulis ejus ait illi : Domine, permitte me primum ire, et sepelire patream meum.	ετερος δε των μαθητων αυτου ειπεν αυτω κυριε επιτρεψον μοι πρωτον απελθειν και θαψαι τον πατερα μου
22.	But Jesus said to him: Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.	Jesus autem ait illi : Sequere me, et dimitte mortuos sepelire mortuos suos.	ο δε ιησους ειπεν αυτω ακολουθει μοι και αφες τους νεκρους θαψαι τους εαυτων νεκρους

Jesus Christ Extreme Humility

Fr. William McNichols, iconographer

8:18–22

18. Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side.

19. And a certain Scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

20. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

21. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

22. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

CHRYSOSTOM. Because Christ not only healed the body, but purified the soul also, He desired to shew forth true wisdom, not only by curing diseases, but by doing nothing with ostentation; and therefore it is said, Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he commanded his disciples to cross over to the other side. This He did at once teaching us to be lowly, softening the ill-will of the Jews, and teaching us to do nothing with ostentation.

REMIGIUS. Or; He did this as one desiring to shun the thronging of the multitude. But they hung upon Him in admiration, crowding to see Him. For who would depart from one who did such miracles? Who would not wish to look upon His open face, to see His mouth that spoke such things? For if Moses’ countenance was made glorious, and Stephen’s as that of an Angel, gather from this how it was to have been supposed that their common Lord must have then appeared; of whom the Prophet speaks, Thy form is fair above the sons of men. (Ps. 45:2.)

HILARY. The name disciples is not to be supposed to be confined to the twelve Apostles; for we read of many disciples besides the twelve.

AUGUSTINE. (ubi sup.) It is clear that this day on which they went over the lake was another day, and not that which followed the one on which Peter’s mother-in-law was healed, on which day Mark and Luke relate that He went out into the desert.

CHRYSOSTOM. Observe that He does not dismiss the multitudes, that He may not offend them. He did say to them, Depart ye, but bade His disciples go away from thence, thus the crowds might hope to be able to follow.

REMIGIUS. What happened between the command of the Lord given, and their crossing over, the Evangelist purposes to relate in what follows; And one of the Scribes came to him and said, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

JEROME. This Scribe of the Law who knew but the perishing letter, would not have been turned away had his address been, ‘Lord, I will follow Thee.’ But because he esteemed the Saviour only as one of many masters, and was a 1man of the letter (which is better expressed in Greek, γραμματεὺς) not a spiritual hearer, therefore he had no place where Jesus might lay His head. It is suggested to us that he sought to follow the Lord, because of His great miracles, for the sake of the gain to be derived from them; and was therefore rejected; seeking the same thing as did Simon Magus when he would have given Peter money.

CHRYSOSTOM. Observe also how great his pride; approaching and speaking as though he disdained to be considered as one of the multitude; desiring to shew that he was above the rest.

HILARY. Otherwise; This Scribe being one of the doctors of the Law, asks if he shall follow Him, as though it were not contained in the Law that this is He whom it were gain to follow. Therefore He discovers the feeling of unbelief under the diffidence of his enquiry. For the taking up of the faith is not by question but by following.

CHRYSOSTOM. So Christ answers him not so much to what he had said, but to the obvious purpose of his mind. Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head; as though He had said;

JEROME. Why do you seek to follow Me for the sake of the riches and gain of this world, when My poverty is such that I have neither lodging nor home of My own?

CHRYSOSTOM. This was not to send him away, but rather to convict him of evil intentions; at the same time permitting him if he would to follow Christ with the expectation of poverty.

AUGUSTINE. (Serm. 100. 1.) Otherwise; The Son of man hath not where to lay his head; that is, in your faith. The foxes have holes, in your heart, because you are deceitful. The birds of the air have nests, in your heart, because you are proud. Deceitful and proud follow Me not; for how should guile follow sincerity?

GREGORY. (Mor. xix. 1.) Otherwise; The fox is a crafty animal, lying hid in ditches and dens, and when it comes abroad never going in a straight path, but in crooked windings; birds raise themselves in the air. By the foxes then are meant the subtle and deceitful dæmons, by the birds the proud dæmons; as though He had said; Deceitful and proud dæmons have their abode in your heart; but my lowliness finds no rest in a proud spirit.

AUGUSTINE. (Quæst. in Matt. q. 5.) He was moved to follow Christ because of the miracles; this vain desire of glory is signified by the birds; but he assumed the submissiveness of a disciple, which deceit is signified by the foxes.

RABANUS. Heretics confiding in their art are signified by the foxes, the evil spirits by the birds of the air, who have their holes and their nests, that is, their abodes in the heart of the Jewish people. Another of his disciples saith unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

JEROME. In what one thing is this disciple like the Scribe? The one called Him Master, the other confesses Him as his Lord. The one from filial piety asks permission to go and bury his father; the other offers to follow, not seeking a master, but by means of his master seeking gain for himself.

HILARY. The disciple does not ask whether he shall follow Him; for he already believed that he ought to follow, but prays to be suffered first to bury his father.

AUGUSTINE. (Serm. 100. 1.) The Lord when He prepares men for the Gospel will not have any excuse of this fleshly and temporal attachment to interfere, therefore it follows; Jesus said unto him, Follow me, and, leave the dead to bury their dead.

CHRYSOSTOM. This saying does not condemn natural affection to our parents, but shews that nothing ought to be more binding on us than the business of heaven; that to this we ought to apply ourselves with all our endeavours, and not to be slack, however necessary or urgent are the things that draw us aside. For what could be more necessary than to bury a father? What more easy? For it could not need much time. But in this the Lord rescued him from much evil, weeping, and mourning, and from the pains of expectation. For after the funeral there must come examination of the will, division of the inheritance, and other things of the same sort; and thus trouble following trouble, like the waves, would have borne him far from the port of truth. But if you are not yet satisfied, reflect further that oftentimes the weak are not permitted to know the time, or to follow to the grave; even though the dead be father, mother, or son; yet are they not charged with cruelty that hinder them; it is rather the reverse of cruelty. And it is a much greater evil to draw one away from spiritual discourse; especially when there were who should perform the rites; as here, Leave the dead to bury their dead.

AUGUSTINE. (ubi sup.) As much as to say; Thy father is dead; but there are also other dead who shall bury their dead, because they are in unbelief.

CHRYSOSTOM. This moreover shews that this dead man was not his; for, I suppose, he that was dead was of the unbelieving. If you wonder at the young man, that in a matter so necessary he should have asked Jesus, and not have gone away of his own accord, wonder much more that he abode with Jesus after he was forbidden to depart; which was not from lack of affection, but that he might not interrupt a business yet more necessary.

HILARY. Also, because we are taught in the beginning of the Lord’s prayer, first to say, Our Father, which art in heaven; and since this disciple represents the believing people; he is here reminded that he has one only Father in heaven (Mat. 23:9.), and that between a believing son and an unbelieving Father the filial relation does not hold good. We are also admonished that the unbelieving dead are not to be mingled with the memories of the saints, and that they are also dead who live out of God; and the dead are buried by the dead, because by the faith of God it behoves the living to cleave to the living (God.)

JEROME. But if the dead shall bury the dead, we ought not to be careful for the dead but for the living, lest while we are anxious for the dead, we ourselves should be counted dead.

GREGORY. (Mor. iv. 27.) The dead also bury the dead, when sinners protect sinners. They who exalt sinners with their praises, hide the dead under a pile of words.

RABANUS. From this we may also take occasion to observe, that lesser goods are to be sometimes forfeited for the sake of securing greater.

AUGUSTINE. (De Cons. Ev. ii. 23.) Matthew relates that this was done when He gave them commandment that they should go over the lake, Luke, that it happened as they walked by the way; which is no contradiction, for they must have walked by the way that they might come to the lake.

Catena Aurea Matthew 8

St. Cyril of Alexandria

Feast day: Jun 27

On June 27, Roman Catholics honor St. Cyril of Alexandria. An Egyptian bishop and theologian, he is best known for his role in the Council of Ephesus, where the Church confirmed that Christ is both God and man in one person. The Eastern churches celebrate St. Cyril of Alexandria on June 9.

Cyril was most likely born in Alexandria, the metropolis of ancient Egypt, between 370 and 380. From his writings, it appears he received a solid literary and theological education. Along with his uncle, Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria, he played a role in an early fifth-century dispute between the Egyptian and Greek churches. There is evidence he may have been a monk before becoming a bishop.

When Theophilus died in 412, Cyril was chosen to succeed him at the head of the Egyptian Church. He continued his uncle's policy of insisting on Alexandria's preeminence within the Church over Constantinople, despite the political prominence of the imperial capital. The two Eastern churches eventually re-established communion in approximately 418.

Ten years later, however, a theological dispute caused a new break between Alexandria and Constantinople. Cyril's reputation as a theologian, and later Doctor of the Church, arose from his defense of Catholic orthodoxy during this time.

In 428, a monk named Nestorius became the new Patriarch of Constantinople. It became clear that Nestorius was not willing to use the term “Mother of God” (“Theotokos”) to describe the Virgin Mary. Instead, he insisted on the term “Mother of Christ” (“Christotokos”).

During the fourth century, the Greek Church had already held two ecumenical councils to confirm Christ's eternal preexistence as God prior to his incarnation as a man. From this perennial belief, it followed logically that Mary was the mother of God. Veneration of Mary as “Theotokos” confirmed the doctrine of the incarnation, and Christ's status as equal to the God the Father.

Nestorius insisted that he, too, held these doctrines. But to Cyril, and many others, his refusal to acknowledge Mary as the Mother of God seemed to reveal a heretical view of Christ which would split him into two united but distinct persons: one fully human and born of Mary, the other fully divine and not subject to birth or death.

Cyril responded to this heretical tendency first through a series of letters to Nestorius (which are still in existence and studied today), then through an appeal to the Pope, and finally through the summoning of an ecumenical council in 431. Cyril presided over this council, stating that he was “filling the place of the most holy and blessed Archbishop of the Roman Church,” Pope Celestine, who had authorized it.

The council was a tumultuous affair. Patriarch John of Antioch, a friend of Nestorius, came to the city and convened a rival council which sought to condemn and depose Cyril. Tension between the advocates of Cyril and Nestorius erupted into physical violence at times, and both parties sought to convince the emperor in Constantinople to back their position.

During the council, which ran from June 22 to July 31 of the year 431, Cyril brilliantly defended the orthodox belief in Christ as a single eternally divine person who also became incarnate as a man. The council condemned Nestorius, who was deposed as patriarch and later suffered exile. Cyril, however, reconciled with John and many of the other Antiochian theologians who once supported Nestorius.

St. Cyril of Alexandria died on June 27, 444, having been a bishop for nearly 32 years. Long celebrated as a saint, particularly in the Eastern Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, he was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1883.

catholicnewsagency.com

NAVARRE BIBLE COMMENTARY (RSV)

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

From: 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21

From: Amos 2:6-10, 13-16

Against Israel
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[6] Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four. I will not revoke the punishment; because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes – [7] they that trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth, and turn aside the way of the afflicted; a man and his father go in to the same maiden, so that my holy name is profaned; [8] they lay themselves down beside every altar upon garments taken in pledge; and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.

[9] Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and who was as strong as the oaks; I destroyed his fruit above, and his roots beneath. [10] Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and led you forty years in the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.

[13] “Behold, I will press you down in your place, as a cart full of sheaves presses down. [14] Flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong shall not retain his strength, nor shall the mighty save his life; [15] he who handles the bow shall not stand, and he who is swift of foot shall not save himself, nor shall he who rides the horse save his life; [16] and he who is stout of heart among the mighty shall flee away naked in that day, says the Lord.

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Commentary:

2:4-16. This passage contains a brief oracle on Judah (vv. 4-5) and another on Israel (vv. 6-16). The oracle against Judah is less severe than the previous ones and the one in vv. 6-16, which are more generic in tone; for this reason, some authors think that it must be a later addition. It reproaches Judah for breaking the commandments of the Law and for being unfaithful to God.

The oracle against Israel, on the other hand, is much longer and more explicit. It mentions Israel’s transgressions (and then punishment) and also the benefits that the people have received from God. These transgressions will be referred to throughout the book (cf. 3:1-9:10). They were largely to do with injustice towards the poor (synonymous with the righteous: cf. v. 6) and the needy (vv. 6-7); incest or idolatry (v. 7) and aberrant forms of worship (v. 8). They commit these crimes, forgetting how good God has been to them -- setting them free from bondage in Egypt (v. 10), giving them the promised land (v. 10), and providing them with prophets and Nazirites to be their guides (v. 11). But Israel is proud and ungrateful, and will be punished. This punishment will be so all-embracing and so sudden that none will be able to escape or resist it (vv. 14-16).

St Jerome, commenting on v. 14, considers the example of Israel’s pride for the benefit of his readers. Those will feel devoid of strength who “trust in their own strength and do not rely on the mercy of God, as Scripture tells us: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart’ (1 Cor 1:19; cf. Is 29:14). Authentic wisdom cannot be destroyed nor knowledge of the truth undone, but the wisdom of those who believe themselves to be wise and who trust only in their own understanding will perish. The mighty man who shall not save his life (cf. Amos 2:14) dies because he is not dressed in the armour of an apostle. He bears a shield, but it is not the shield of faith; he has girded his loins, but not with the truth; he wears a suit of armour, but it is not the armour of righteousness; he carries a sword, but it is not the sword of salvation. This mighty warrior cannot he made holy by his battles nor wage the war of the Lord” (St Jerome, Commentarii in Amos, 2, 13-16).

From: Matthew 8:18-22

Demands for Following Christ
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[18] Now when Jesus saw great crowds around Him, He gave orders to go over to the other side. [19] And a scribe came up and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." [20] And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." [21] Another of the disciples said to Him, "Lord let me first go and bury my father." [22] But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

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Commentary:

18-22. From the very outset of His messianic preaching, Jesus rarely stays in the same place; He is always on the move. He "has nowhere to lay His head" (Matthew 8:20). Anyone who desires to be with him has to "follow Him". This phrase "following Jesus" has a very precise meaning: it means being His disciple (cf. Matthew 19:28). Sometimes the crowds "follow Him"; but Jesus' true disciples are those who "follow Him" in a permanent way, that is, who keep on following Him: being a "disciple of Jesus" and "following Him" amount to the same thing. After our Lord's ascension, "following Him" means being a Christian (cf. Acts 8:26). By the simple and sublime fact of Baptism, every Christian is called, by a divine vocation, to be a full disciple of our Lord, with all that that involves.

The evangelist here gives two specific cases of following Jesus. In the case of the scribe our Lord explains what faith requires of a person who realizes that he has been called; in the second case—that of the man who has already said "yes" to Jesus--He reminds him of what His commandment entails. The soldier who does not leave his position on the battlefront to bury his father, but instead leaves that to those in the rearguard, is doing his duty. If service to one's country makes demands like that on a person, all the more reason for it to happen in the service of Jesus Christ and His Church.

Following Christ, then, means we should make ourselves totally available to Him; whatever sacrifice He asks of us we should make: the call to follow Christ means staying up with Him, not falling behind; we either follow Him or lose Him. In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) Jesus explained what following Him involves--a teaching which we find summarized in even the most basic catechism of Christian doctrine: a Christian is a man who believes in Jesus Christ--a faith he receives at Baptism--and is duty bound to serve Him. Through prayer and friendship with the Lord every Christian should try to discover the demands which this service involves as far as he personally is concerned.

20. "The Son of Man": this is one of the expressions used in the Old Testament to refer to the Messiah. It appeared first in Daniel 7:14 and was used in Jewish writings in the time of Jesus. Until our Lord began to preach it had not been understood in all its depth. The title "the Son of man" did not fit in very well with Jewish hopes of an earthly Messiah; this was why it was Jesus' favorite way of indicating that He was the Messiah--thereby avoiding any tendency to encourage Jewish nationalism. In the prophecy of Daniel just mentioned this messianic title has a transcendental meaning; by using it Jesus was able discreetly to proclaim that He was the Messiah and yet avoid people interpreting His role in a political sense. After the Resurrection the Apostles at last realized that "Son of Man" meant nothing less than "Son of God".

22. "Leave the dead to bury their own dead": although this sounds very harsh, it is a style of speaking which Jesus did sometimes use: here the "dead" clearly refers to those whose interest is limited to perishable things and who have no aspirations towards the things that last forever.

"If Jesus forbade him," St. John Chrysostom comments, "it was not to have us neglect the honor due to our parents, but to make us realize that nothing is more important than the things of Heaven and that we ought to cleave to these and not to put them off even for a little while, though our engagements be ever so indispensable and pressing" ("Hom. on St. Matthew", 27).

Source: Daily Word for Reflection—Navarre Bible Commentary

How Heaven is a Way of Life - Monday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time

The St. Paul Center's daily audio scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Thirteenth Week of Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn.

Being Ready and Willing - Monday, June 27, 2022

These daily audio reflections come from the "Catholic Daily Reflections Series" which is available in online format from their website. They are also available in e eBook or paperback format. May these reflections assist you on your journey of personal conversion!

Prayer of Thanksgiving for an end to Roe v. Wade!

On June 24, 2022, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The ruling, Dobbs v. Jackson, now returns the decisions on abortion to the state legislators. Therefore, prayer is needed more than ever so that each state will work to eliminate abortion and protect the rights and dignity of every unborn child. Below are some prayers and resources to help.

Let us pray…

Father in Heaven, today we rejoice and give You glory as we celebrate the end of Roe v Wade. We thank You that many unborn children will now be saved. We thank You for the many pro-life leaders who have worked tirelessly over the years to accomplish this goal. We thank You for the courageous legislators and especially for the Supreme Court justices who acted in accord with Your divine Law.

Please continue to inspire many to stand up for the right to life. As decisions on abortion are now returned to each state to decide, we pray that every state legislator will act with honesty, integrity, dignity, compassion, and truth. Fill their minds and wills with Your will. Give them the courage they need to protect life from the moment of conception until natural death. Convict their hearts with Your truth.

Lord Jesus, Savior of the World, in Your most holy name we bind satan and all demons who desire the sacrifice of countless victims of abortion. Bind every diabolical spirit. Forbid them from acting. Dispel their evil activity. Protect all people from their lies. Free our nation from their oppression.

Mother Mary, you were the most glorious instrument of the Son of God in this world. You carried the Eternal Son within your sacred womb. Please pray for us. Please pray for all pregnant mothers. Inspire them to love and care for their children. Free them from fear and anxiety. Give them the help they need to embrace their vocation as mothers.

Saint Joseph, guardian of the Redeemer, you were given a special duty to protect and care for Jesus. Please extend that care to all children, born and unborn. Please inspire every father to have the same love for their children that You had for Jesus.

Come Holy Spirt! Consume our nation and all the nations of the world. First and foremost, direct us to salvation. Lead us to Heaven. Free us from evil. Protect every soul from sin and save every human life from the horror of abortion.

Amen.

Source: My Catholic Life! Page

Readings at Mass

Because of your crimes I will crush you into the ground

The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head

St. Cyril of Alexandria

Feast day: Jun 27