Resources for Sunday Mass, Feb 6 (Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms)

This post contains resources (mostly biblical) for the Ordinary and Extraordinary Forms of the Roman Rite. Some further resources may be added before Sunday, these will be marked UPDATE. Please keep in mind that the readings for the two forms differ from one another.

ORDINARY FORM
FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Readings.

Father Callan on 1 Cor 2:1-5.

Bernardin de Piconio (Picquigny) on 1 Cor2:1-5.

Cornelius a Lapide on 1 Cor 2:1-5.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Matt 5:13-16.

Maldonado on Matt 5:13-16.

Bishop MacEvily on Matt 5:13-16.

Catholic Matters. The readings with brief explanation.

Dr. Scott Hahn Podcast. Brief audio, does good job of highlighting the themes, text also available.

St Martha’s Podcast. An audio study of the readings, usually very thorough.

Father Robert Barron Podcast. Audio homily on the Gospel.

Franciscan Sisters Bible Study Podcast. New episodes are usually published on Thursday.

Word Sunday:

• MP3 PODCAST In this audio podcast, we’ll discuss the almost universal metaphors of salt and light, and how Jesus gave those metaphors a direction.
• FIRST READING Isaiah 58 spoke to a callous and dejected populace: “Share with others and you will see the light of YHWH.”
• PSALM In Psalm 112, the author addressed immature spirituality, a view of God’s blessings as immediate gratification or somehow earned. The psalmist pointed to a spirituality that was greater than the self.
• SECOND READING St. Paul told his audience in Corinth that the power of his preaching did not come from his eloquence or his insight, but from the power of the message: Christ crucified.
• GOSPEL In Matthew 5, Jesus used the metaphors of salt and light to describe the true disciple, the one who lived out the Beatitudes.
• CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, we compare selfless Sandy to selfish Jerry. Who let’s their light shine and not live in the dark? In the story for the gospel, we hear the true story of Billy the high school wrestler, the handicapped boy who’s gritty determination was a light to all who saw him compete.
• CATECHISM LINK In the Catechism Link for this week, we explore the Communion of Saints.
• FAMILY ACTIVITY In this week’s family activity, experiment with salt and dirt to show the power of the salt metaphor.

Catholic Mom Resources. Can be printed out for use.

• Sunday’s Gospel
• Catechists’ Corner Forum
• Coloring Page
• Lesson Plan
• Mass Worksheets –ages 7-10, ages 11-14
• Word Search – Puzzle, Solution
• Crossword – Puzzle
• Solution –  Across: 2.Mountain; 3.Heavenly; Down:  1.Basket; 4.Earth
• Catholic Quiz of the Week Questions and Solutions

• Current CatholicMom.com Contests
• Pre K Lesson Plans – Updated Regularly
• Religious Education Articles by Laura Grace
• Homeschooling Resources
• Puppet/skit scripts at CatholicMom.com
• Teaching Catholic Kids - Our Sunday Visitor
• To Teach – USCCB

Meditation on the Gospel.

Lector Notes. Brief theological and historical background, can be printed out for use as bulletin inserts.

Historical Cultural Context. Interesting information on the salt and light images.

Thoughts From the Early Church. An excerpt from the Saint’s Eighth Baptismal Catechesis.

Scripture in Depth. Brief but with a good bit of information.

Gospel Summary With Life Implications. St Vincent’s Archabbey.

Today’s Good News. Brief commentary on the Gospel.

A Lectio Divina reading of the Gospel. Meditation, prayer, reflection in the Carmelite tradition.

Sunday Reflections. Father Eugene Lobo, S.J.

Bible Study. St Charles Borromeo Parish.

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EXTRAORDINARY FORM
FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

Online Missal. Prayers and readings in both Latin and English.

Bernardin de Piconio on Colossians 3:12-17.

Father Callan on Colossians 3:12-17.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Matt 13:24-30.

Father Mass on Matt 13:24-30.

The Omission of the Punishment of Sin is a Participation in its Guilt. Homily on the Gospel by Fr. Augustine Wirth.

The Sleep of the Sinner. Homily on the Gospel by Fr. Augustine Wirth.

Homily on the Epistle. Bishop Bonomelli.

Homily on the Gospel. Bishop Bonomelli.

MORE RESOURCES COMING SOON

Father Callan on 1 Corinthians 14:7-20

THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS NOT USEFUL TO THE FAITHFUL WITHOUT THE GIFT OF INTERPRETATION
A Summary of 1 Corinthians 14:7-20.

By examples drawn from two musical instruments and from the daily use of language St. Paul now shows the uselessness of the gift of tongues, so far as the faithful in general are concerned. If, therefore, one has this gift, he should pray that he may also receive the power of interpreting what he says to others.

7. Even things without life that give sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction of sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8. For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
9. So likewise you, except you utter by the tongue plain speech, how shall it be known what is said? For you shall be speaking into the air.

The necessity of intelligible language for purposes of utility is illustrated even by inanimate things. If a musical instrument, like the pipe or harp, gives only a confusion of sounds, makes only noise, who can perceive any melody or meaning in its music? It would not, in fact, be music at all. Likewise if the trumpet gives not a distinct and intelligible sound, how shall the soldier, who waits upon its signal, know whether to prepare for battle or not? The same rule holds with regard to the gift of tongues. Unless one speaks in such a way as to be understood by others, he can be of no verbal profit to them, he may as well speak to the winds.

To the battle (verse 8) should be “for battle,” as in the Greek.

10. There are, for example, so many kinds of tongues in this world; and none is without voice.
11. If then I know not the power of the voice, I shall be to him to whom I speak a barbarian; and he that speaketh, a barbarian to me.

Another example is drawn from the use of foreign languages. The Apostle says there is a certain number of different languages in the world, none of which is without its own determined signification. But if one knows not the power of the voice, i.e., the meaning of the language, he will be a barbarian, etc., i.e., he will be making only unintelligible sounds. The ancients called everyone who did not understand their own language, or who spoke a language they did not understand, a barbarian.

12. So you also, forasmuch as you are zealous of spirits, seek to abound unto the edifying of the church.

The practical conclusion for the Corinthians then, is that since they are anxious to possess spiritual gifts, they should try to abound in those which especially contribute to the edification of the Church, such as prophecy.

Spirits means the gifts of the Spirit.

13. And therefore he that speaketh by a tongue, let him pray that he may interpret.

Since, therefore, the gift of tongues by itself does not edify or help the Church, he who has it ought to pray that he may also obtain the gift of interpreting his language. A less probable meaning of let him pray, etc., is that he should pray in a language which he already understands and can thus interpret to others.

14. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is without fruit.

If the gift of interpretation were joined to that of tongues, the latter would be more useful not only to others, but also to its possessor. For if one prays in a strange language which he does not understand, his spirit, i.e., his soul with its affections, indeed, prays under the impulse of the Holy Ghost; but his understanding, i.e., his mind and human faculties, do not grasp the meaning of his prayer and of the words he is using.

15. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, I will pray also with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, I will sing also with the understanding.

What is it then? i.e., what are we to conclude from the foregoing? This, that we should try to have not only the gift of speaking strange languages, but also the further gift of interpreting them. Thus we shall be able to pray both affectively and understandingly.

There is no argument here against the use of Latin by the Church in her liturgy, or by nuns in the recitation of their office. For very wise reasons the Church has adopted a uniform and unchangeable language for her liturgy, and the faithful through their prayer books, as also the nuns in their office books, are supplied with vernacular translations of everything that is said in Latin.

16. Else if thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that holdeth the place of the unlearned say, Amen, to thy blessing? because he knoweth not what thou sayest.

A further argument is now given against the gift of tongues taken alone. If in the public religious assemblies of the faithful anyone, under the impulse of the Holy Ghost, shall bless with the spirit, i.e., shall praise God in an unintelligible language, how shall the unofficial person who is assisting the speaker be able to give the proper response to what he does not understand?

If thou shalt bless (ευλογησης, with Rec, F G, Vulg., and most
copies of Old Latin). Better, “If thou bless” (ευλογñς, with B, A, D, E).

Unlearned (ιδιωτου) means ordinarily a private person as opposed to one holding a public office, or an unskilled person as opposed to one having technical knowledge (Acts 4:13; 2 Cor 11:6). The meaning here is one who unofficially represented the listeners in responding to the prayers of the person speaking in a tongue (Estius).

Amen. Literally, “The Amen,” i.e., the response to prayers, meaning: So be it, or So it is. Justin Martyr (c. 150 a.d) says this response was used in answer to the Eucharistic prayer in his day.

Thy blessing. Literally, “Thy thanksgiving,” i.e., your prayer.

17. For thou indeed givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

Thou indeed givest thanks well, etc., i.e., he who speaks with the strange language prays worthily to God, but the other, i.e., his neighbor, is not helped because he does not understand.

18. I thank my God I speak with all your tongues.
19. But in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may instruct others also; than ten thousand words in a tongue.

To show his readers that he does not despise the gift of tongues, St. Paul now says he thanks God that he speaks in a tongue more than all of them. Literally, the best Greek is : “I thank God, I speak in a tongue more than you all” (γλωσσαις λαλω with N D E F G, Old Latin, and Vulg. against the rendering of B and Peshitto). Nevertheless, he adds that in the church, i.e., in the religious assemblies of the faithful, he prefers to speak five words which he and his hearers understand than ten thousand words which, while they would edify himself, would not be

20. Brethren, do not become children in sense : but in malice be children, and in sense be perfect.

Closing now what he has said about the in-utility of tongues for the faithful, the Apostle exhorts the Corinthians not to be children in sense (ταις φρεσιν), i.e., in mind and intelligence, but to become perfect (τελειοι), i.e., full grown men and women, who are not carried away by showy things like the gift of tongues, but prize rather things of greater usefulness like the gift of prophecy. If they wish to be children in any respect, he tells them, let it be in regard to malice and sin, as our Lord Himself commanded (Matt 18:3).

 

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Matt 13:24-30 for Sunday Mass, Feb 6, Fifth Sunday After Epiphany (Extraordinary Form)

Ver 24. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:25. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.26. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.27. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field; from whence then hath it tares?28. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?29. But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.30. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

Chrys., Hom., xlvi: In the foregoing parable the Lord spoke to such as do not receive the word of God; here of those who receive a corrupting seed. This is the contrivance of the Devil, ever to mix error with truth.

Jerome: He set forth also this other parable, as it were a rich householder refreshing his guests with various meats, that each one according to the nature of his stomach might find some food adapted to him. He said not ‘a second parable,’ but “another;” for had He said ‘a second,’ we could not have looked for a third; but another prepares us for many more.

Remig.: Here He calls the Son of God Himself the kingdom of heaven; for He saith, “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that sowed good seed in his field.”

Chrys.: He then points out the manner of the Devil’s snares, saying, “While men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of he wheat, and departed.” He here shews that error arose after truth, as indeed the course of events testifies; for the false prophets came after the Prophets, the false apostles after the Apostles, and Antichrist after Christ. For unless the Devil sees somewhat to imitate, and some to lay in wait against, he does not attempt any thing. Therefore because he saw that this man bears fruit an hundred, this sixty, and this thirtyfold, and that he was not able to carry off or to choke that which had taken root, he turns to other insidious practices, mixing up his own seed, which is a counterfeit of the true, and thereby imposes upon such as are prone to be deceived.

So the parable speaks, not of another seed, but of tares which bear a great likeness to wheat corn. Further, the malignity of the Devil is shewn in this, that he sowed when all else was completed, that he might do the greater hurt to the husbandman.

Aug., Quaest in Matt., q. 11: He says, “While men slept,” for while the heads of the Church were abiding in supineness, and after the Apostles had received the sleep of death, then came the Devil and sowed upon the rest those whom the Lord in His interpretation calls evil children. But we do well to enquire whether by such are meant heretics, or  Catholics who lead evil lives. That He says, that they were sown among the wheat, seems to point out that they were all of one communion.

But forasmuch as He interprets the field to mean not the Church, but the world, we may well understand it of the heretics, who in this world are mingled with the good; for they who live amiss in the same faith may better be taken of the chaff than of the tares, for the chaff has a stem and a root in common with the grain. While schismatics again may move fitly be likened to ears that have rotted, or to straws that are broken, crushed down, and cast forth of the field.

Indeed it is not necessary that every heretic or schismatic should be corporally severed from the Church; for the Church bears many who do not so publicly defend their false opinions as to attract the attention of the multitude, which when they do, then are they expelled. When then the Devil had sown upon the true Church divers evil errors and false opinions; that is to say, where Christ’s name had gone before, there he scattered errors, himself was the rather hidden and unknown; for He says, “And went his way.” Though indeed in this parable, as we learn from His own interpretation, the Lord may be understood to have signified under the name of tares all stumbling-blocks and such as work iniquity.

Chrys.: In what follows He more particularly draws the picture of an heretic, in the words, “When the blade grew, and put forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.” For heretics at first keep themselves in the shade; but when they have had long license, and when men have held communication with them in discourse, then they pour forth their venom.

Aug., Quaest in Matt., q. 12: Or otherwise; When a man begins to be spiritual, discerning between things, then he begins to see errors; for he judges concerning whatsoever he hears or reads, whether it departs from the rule of truth; but until he is perfected in the same spiritual things, he might be disturbed at so many false heresies having existed under the Christian name, whence it follows, “And the servants of the householder coming to him said unto him, Didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares?

Are these servants then the same as those whom He afterwards calls reapers? Because in His exposition of the parable, He expounds the reapers to be the Angels, and none would dare to say that the Angels were ignorant who had sowed tares, we should the rather understand that the faithful are here intended by the servants.

And no wonder if they are also signified by the good seed; for the same thing admits of different likenesses according to its different significations; as speaking of Himself He says that He is the door, He is the shepherd.

Remig.: They came to the Lord not with the body, but with the heart and desire of the soul; and from Him they gather that this was done by the craft of the Devil, whence it follows, “And he saith unto them, An enemy hath done this.”

Jerome: The Devil is called a man that is an enemy because he has ceased to be God; and in the ninth Psalm it is written of him, “Up, Lord, and Let not man have the upper hand.” [Psa_9:19] Wherefore let not him sleep that is set over the Church, lest through his carelessness the enemy should sow therein tares, that is, the dogmas of the heretics.

Chrys.: He is called the enemy on account of the losses he inflicts on men; for the assaults of the Devil are made upon us, though their origin is not in his enmity towards us, but in his enmity towards God.

Aug.: And when the servants of God knew that it was the Devil who had contrived this fraud, whereby when he found that he had no power in open warfare against a Master of such great name, he had introduced his fallacies under cover of that name itself, the desire might readily arise in them to remove such men from out of human affairs if opportunity should be given them; but they first appeal to God’s justice whether they should so do; “The servants said, Wilt thou we go and gather them out?”

Chrys.: Wherein observe the thoughtfulness and affection of the servants; they hasten to root up the tares, thus shewing their anxiety about the good seed; for this is all to which they look, not that any should be punished, but that which is sown should not perish. The Lord’s answer follows, “And he saith unto them, Nay.”

Jerome: For room for repentance is left, and we are warned that we should not hastily cut off a brother, since one who is today corrupted with an erroneous dogma, may grow wiser tomorrow, and begin to defend the truth; wherefore it is added, “Lest in gathering together the tares ye root out the wheat also.

Aug., Quaest. in Matt., q. 12: Wherein He renders them more patient and tranquil. For this He says, because good while yet weak, have need in some things of being mixed up with bad, either that they may be proved by their means, or that by comparison with them they may be greatly stimulated and drawn to a better course. Or perhaps the wheat is declared to be rooted up if the tares should be gathered out of it, on account of many who though at first tares would after become wheat; yet they would never attain to this commendable change were they not patiently endured while they were evil. Thus were they rooted up, that wheat which they would become in time if spared, would be rooted up in them.

It is then therefore He forbids that such should be taken away out of this life, lest in the endeavour to destroy the wicked, those of them should be destroyed among the rest who would turn out good; and lest also that benefit should be lost to the good which would accrue to them even against their will from mixing with the wicked. But this may be done seasonably when, in the end of all, there remains no more time for a change of life, or of advancing to the truth by taking opportunity and comparison of others’ faults; therefore He adds, “Let both grow together until the harvest,” that is, until the judgment.

Jerome: But this seems to contradict that command, “Put away the evil from among you.” [1Co_5:13] For if the rooting up be forbidden, and we are to abide in patience till the harvest-time, how are we to cast forth any from among us? But between wheat and tares (which in Latin we call, ‘lolium’) so long as it is only in blade, before the stalk has put forth an ear, there is very great resemblance, and none or little difference to distinguish them by.

The Lord then warns us not to pass a hasty sentence on an ambiguous word, but to reserve it for His judgment, that when the day of judgment shall come, He may cast forth from the assembly of the saints no longer on suspicion but on manifest guilt.

Aug., Cont. Ep. Parm., iii. 2: For when any one of the number of Christians included in the Church is found in such sin as to incur an anathema, this is done, where danger of schism is not apprehended, with tenderness, not for his rooting out, but for his correction. But if he be not conscious of his sin, nor correct it by penitence, he will of his own choice go forth of the Church and be separated from her communion; whence when the Lord commanded, “Suffer both to grow together till the harvest,” He added the reason, saying, “Lest when ye would gather out the tares ye root up the wheat also.” This sufficiently shews, that when that fear has ceased, and when the safety of the crop is certain, that is, when the crime is known to all, and is acknowledged as so execrable as to have no defenders, or not such as might cause any fear of a schism, then severity of discipline does not sleep, and its correction of error is so much the more efficacious as the observance of love had been more careful.

But when the same infection has spread to a large number at once, nothing remains but sorrow and groans. Therefore let a man gently reprove whatever is in his power; what is not in let him bear with patience, and mourn over with affection, until He from above shall correct and heal, and let him defer till harvest-time to root out the tares and winnow the chaff. But the multitude of the unrighteous is to be struck at with a general reproof, whenever there is opportunity of saying aught among the people; and above all when any scourge of the Lord from above gives opportunity, when they feel that they are scourged for their deserts; for then the calamity of the hearers opens their ears submissively to the words of their reprover, seeing the heart in affliction is ever more prone to the groans of confession than to the murmurs of resistance.

And even when no tribulation lays upon them, should occasion serve, a word of reproof is usefully spent upon the multitude; for when separated it is wont to be fierce, when in a body it is wont to mourn.

Chrys.: This the Lord spake to forbid any putting to death. For we ought not to kill an heretic, seeing that so a neverending war would be introduced into the world; and therefore He says, “Lest ye root out with them the wheat also;” that is, if you draw the sword and put the heretic to death, it must needs be that many of the saints will fall with them.

Hereby He does not indeed forbid all restraint upon heretics, that their freedom of speech should be cut off, that their synods and their confessions should be broken up — but only forbids that they should be put to death.

Aug., Ep. 93, 17: This indeed was at first my own opinion, that no man was to be driven by force into the unity of Christ; but he was to be led by discourse, contended with in controversy, and overcome by argument, that we might not have men feigning themselves to be Catholics whom we knew to be declared heretics.

But this opinion of mine was overcome not by the authority of those who contradicted me, but by the examples of those that shewed it in fact; for the tenor of those laws in enacting which Princes serve the Lord in fear, has had such good effect, that already some say, This we desired long ago; but now thanks be to God who has made the occasion for us, and has cut off our pleas of delay.

Others say, This we have long known to be the truth; but we were held by a kind of old habit, thanks be to God who has broken our chains.

Others again; We knew not that this was true, and had no desire to learn it, but fear has driven us to give our attention to it, thanks be to the Lord who has banished our carelessness by the spur of terror.

Others, We were deterred from entering in by false rumours, which we should not have known to be false had we not entered in, and we should not have entered in had we not been compelled; thanks be to God who has broken up our preaching by the scourge of persecution, and has taught us by experience how empty and false things lying fame had reported concerning His Church.

Others say, We thought indeed that it was of no importance in what place we held the faith of Christ; but thanks be to the Lord who has gathered us together out of our division, and has shewn us that it is consonant to the unity of God that He should be worshipped in unity.

Let then the Kings of the earth shew themselves the servants of Christ by publishing laws in Christ’s behalf.

Aug., Ep. 185, 32 et 22: But who is there Of you who has any wish that a heretic should perish, nay, that he should so much as lose aught? Yet could the house of David have had peace in no other way, but by the death of Absalom in that war which he waged against his father; notwithstanding his father gave strict commands to his servants that they should save him alive and unhurt, that on his repentance there might be room for fatherly affection to pardon; what then remained for him but to mourn over him when lost, and to console his domestic affliction by the peace which it had brought to his kingdom.

Thus our Catholic mother the Church, when by the loss of a few she gains many, soothes the sorrow of her motherly heart, healing it by the deliverance of so many people. Where then is that which those are accustomed to cry out, That it is free to all to believe? Whom hath Christ done violence to? Whom hath He compelled? Let them take the Apostle Paul; let them acknowledge in him Christ first compelling and afterwards teaching; first smiting and afterwards comforting. And it is wonderful to see him who entered into the Gospel by the force of a bodily infliction labouring therein more than all those who are called by word only. [margin note: 1Co_15:10]

Why then should not the Church constrain her lost sons to return to her, when her lost sons constrained others to perish?

Remig.: It follows, “And in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them.” The harvest is the season of reaping which here designates the day of judgment, in which the good are to be separated from the bad.

Chrys.: But why does He say, Gather first the tares? That the good should have no fears lest the wheat should be rooted up with them.

Jerome: In that He says that the bundles of tares are to be cast into the fire, and the wheat gathered into barns, it is clear that heretics also and hypocrites are to be consumed in the fires of hell, while the saints who are here represented by the wheat are received into the barns, that is into heavenly mansions.

Aug., Quaest in Matt., q. 12: It may be asked why He commands more than one bundle or heap of tares to be formed? Perhaps because of the variety of heretics differing not only from the wheat, but also among themselves, each several heresy, separated from communion with all the others, is designated as a bundle; and perhaps they may even then begin to be bound together for burning, when they first sever themselves from the Catholic communion, and begin to have their independent church; so that it is the burning and not the binding into bundles that will take place at the end of the world.

But were this so, there would not be so many who would become wise again, and return from error into the Catholic Church. Wherefore we must understand the binding into bundles to be what shall come to pass in the end, that punishment should fall on them not promiscuously, but in due proportion to the obstinacy and wilfulness of each separate error.

Raban.: And it should be noted that, when He says, “Sowed good seed,” He intends that good will which is in the elect; when He adds, “An enemy came,” He intimates that watch should be kept against him; when as the tares grow up, He suffers it patiently, saying, “An enemy hath done” this, He recommends to us patience; when He says, “Lest haply in gathering the tares, &c.” He sets us an example of discretion; when He says, “Suffer both to grow together till the harvest,” He teaches us long-suffering; and, lastly, He inculcates justice, when He says, “Bind them into bundles to burn.”

Bernardin de Piconio on Colossians 3:12-17 for Sunday Mass, Feb 6~Fifth Sunday After Epiphany (Extraordinary Form)

12. Put you on, therefore, as elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercy, kindness, humility, modesty, patience;
13. Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if any against any has complaint; as the Lord forgave you, so also do you.

(12) Your real nationality, whatever it was originally, and your real state and condition, whatever it may be by the provisions of human law, is now the elect people of God, holy, and beloved of God, of angels, and of saints. Therefore put on, or exhibit in your life and conversation, the characteristics
of this condition, mercy and kindliness, humility and patience, bearing with and forgiving the faults and imperfections of one another (13), since you have so many of your own. Forgive, as the Lord (the Greek has, Christ) forgave you.

14. But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection,

Above all, have charity. The Greek has no verb, supplying put on from the previous sentence. Above all, because it is the highest grace. Charity is the love of God, and of man for God’s sake, and this is the highest motive for affection, for kindness, and well doing. The bond of perfection is a Hebraism for the most perfect bond, that which binds the souls of men together by the noblest and truest bond, the relation they bear to their Creator. And let the peace of Christ exult in your hearts.

15. And let the peace of Christ exult in your hearts, in which also you were called in one body: and be grateful.

The Greek verb (βραβευετω) might either mean, as the Vulgate understands it, carry off the prize of victory, be victorious over anger, or dissension, or cupidity, or pride. Or it may mean, adjudge the prize of victory, that is, preside, moderate, and rule. And if between you there arise controversy or difference, let the peace of Christ, not anger, or pride, or passorr, determine it. In this sense the word is understood by Saint Chrysostom and Theodoret, and this is the sense of the Syriac: Let the peace of Christ govern your hearts. For you all form one body, and the portions of one and the same body do not fight one with another. In peace, therefore, you are called. And be grateful, in the Syriac, give thanks to God. Saint Jerome, however, as quoted by Erasmus, understands it gracious, amiable, kind and easy, for this contributes to peace.

16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you abundantly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, in grace singing in your hearts to God.

Let the word of Christ, that is the teaching of Christ, which you have received from Epaphras and other instructors, dwell in your minds and hearts liabitually and abundantly  so as to make you rich in all wisdom, often
speaking of it to one another. The words with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs may perhaps be more fitly taken with the participle cantantes which follows them. For the distinction between these see on Eph 5:19, 20. Singing in grace, that is, in thanksgiving, or otherwise, with sweetness, care, and correctness, so as to give pleasure to yourselves and those who hear you. In your hearts, that is, with your hearts, heartily, sincerely, not with the voice only, and the heart not in harmony with what you sing.

17. All you do in word or work, all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to the God and Father through him.

In all you say or do, in word or work, invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, not the names of angels, like the followers of Simon; and through him, and not through angels, give thanks to God the Father. So Theodoret and Saint Chrysostom understand it. Saint Thomas says that the precept is also to be taken in a directly affirmative sense, but that to fulfil it, it is not necessary that everything should be formally and in act referred to God, but in the habit of the mind, and is satisfied when our words and deeds are such as to promote God’s glory. Whoever acts or speaks against the glory or the commands of God, acts in opposition to this precept of the Apostle. The perfection of charity is when all things are actually, or at least effectually, referred to God’s glory in the name and power of Christ. For then all we do will be God,s praise, and pious and meritorious in his sight. Do all through Christ, as your mediator and pontiff; with Christ, as your head; in Christ, in his spirit, motive, and intention.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Mark 5:21-43

Mar 5:21  And when Jesus had passed again in the ship over the strait, a great multitude assembled together unto him, and he was nigh unto the sea.
Mar 5:22  And there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue named Jairus: and seeing him, falleth down at his feet.
Mar 5:23  And he besought him much, saying: My daughter is at the point of death, come, lay thy hand upon her, that she may be safe, and may live.
Mar 5:24  And he went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged him.
Mar 5:25  And a woman who was under an issue of blood twelve years,
Mar 5:26  And had suffered many things from many physicians; and had spent all that she had, and was nothing the better, but rather worse,
Mar 5:27  When she had heard of Jesus, came in the crowd behind him, and touched his garment.
Mar 5:28  For she said: If I shall touch but his garment, I shall be whole.
Mar 5:29  And forthwith the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the evil.
Mar 5:30  And immediately Jesus knowing in himself the virtue that had proceeded from him, turning to the multitude, said: Who hath touched my garments?
Mar 5:31  And his disciples said to him: Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou who hath touched me?
Mar 5:32  And he looked about to see her who had done this.
Mar 5:33  But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
Mar 5:34  And he said to her: Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole: go in peace, and be thou whole of thy disease.

Theophylact: After the miracle of the demoniac, the Lord works another miracle, namely, in raising up the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue; the Evangelist, before narrating this miracle, says, “And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto Him.”

Augustine, de Con. Evan., 2, 28: But we must understand, that what is added of the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, took place when Jesus had again crossed the sea in a ship, though how long after does not appear; for if there were not an interval, there could be no time for the taking place of that which Matthew relates, concerning the feast at his own house; after which event, nothing follows immediately, except this concerning the daughter of the chief of the synagogue. For he has so put it together, that the transition itself shews that the narrative follows the order of time.

It goes on, “There cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, &c.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: He has recorded the name on account of the Jews of that time, that it might mark the miracle.

It goes on, “And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet, and besought Him greatly, &c.”

Matthew indeed relates that the chief of the synagogue reported that his daughter was dead, but Mark says that she was very sick, and that afterwards it was told to the ruler of the synagogue, when our Lord was about to go with him, that she was dead. The fact then, which Matthew implies, is the same, namely, that He raised her from the dead; and it is for the sake of brevity, that he says that she was dead, which was evident from her being raised.

Augustine: For he attaches himself not to the words of the father, but to what is of most importance, his wishes; for he was in such despair, that his wish was that she should return to life, not thinking that she could be found alive, whom he had left dying.

Theophylact: Now this man was faithful in part, inasmuch as he fell at the feet of Jesus, but in that he begged of Him to come, he did not shew as much faith as he ought. For he ought to have said, ‘Speak the word only, and my daughter shall be healed.’

There follows, “And He went away with him, and much people followed Him, and thronged Him; and a woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, &c.”

Chrys., see Chrys., Hom. in Matt., 31: This woman, who was celebrated and known to all, did not dare to approach the Saviour openly, nor to [p. 98] come to Him, because, according to the law, she was unclean; for this reason she touched Him behind, and not in front, for that she durst not do, but only ventured to touch the hem of His garment. It was not however the hem of the garment, but her frame of mind that made her whole.

There follows, “For she said, “If I may but touch His clothes, I shall be whole.”

Theophylact: Most faithful indeed is this woman, who hoped for healing from His garments. For which reason she obtains health.
Wherefore it goes on, “And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: Now the virtues of Christ are by His own will imparted to those men, who touch Him by faith.

Wherefore there follows, “And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that virtue had gone out of Him, turned Him about in the press, and said, Who touched My clothes?” The virtues indeed of the Saviour do not go out of Him locally or corporally, nor in any respect pass away from Him. For being incorporeal, they go forth to others and are given to others; they are not however separated from Him, from whom they are said to go forth, in the same way as sciences are given by the teacher to his pupils.

Therefore it says, “Jesus, knowing in Himself the virtue which had gone out of Him,” to shew that with His knowledge, and not without His being aware of it, the woman was healed. But He asked, “Who touched me?” although He knew her who touched Him, that He might bring to light the woman, by her coming forward, and proclaim her faith, and lest the virtue of His miraculous work should be consigned to oblivion.

It goes on, “And His disciples said unto Him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched Me?”

But the Lord asked, “Who touched Me,” that is in thought and faith, for the crowds who throng Me cannot be said to touch Me, for they do not come near to Me in thought and in faith.

There follows, “And He looked round about to see her that had done this thing.”

Theophylact: For the Lord wished to declare the woman, first to give His approbation to her faith, secondly to urge the chief of the synagogue to a confident hope that He could thus cure his child, and also to free the woman from fear. For the woman feared because she had stolen health.
Wherefore there follows, “But the woman fearing (p. 99) and trembling, &c.”

Bede, in Marc., 2, 22: Observe that the object of His question was that the woman should confess the truth of her long want of faith, of her sudden belief and healing, and so herself be confirmed in faith, and afford an example to others.

“But He said to her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.”

He said not, Thy faith is about to make thee whole, but has made thee whole, that is, in that thou hast believed, thou hast already been made whole.

Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc., see Chrys., Hom. in Matt., 31: He calls her “daughter” because she was saved by her faith; for faith in Christ makes us His children.

Theophylact: But He saith to her, “Go in peace,” that is, in rest, which means, go and have rest, for up to this time thou hast been in pains and torture.

Pseudo-Chrys.: Or else He says, “Go in peace,” sending her away into that which is the final good, for God dwells in peace, that thou mayest know, that she was not only healed in body, but also from the causes of bodily pain, that is, from her sins.

Pseudo-Jerome: Mystically, however, Jairus comes after the healing of the woman, because when the fulness of the Gentiles has come in, then shall Israel be saved. (Rm 11) Jairus means either illuminating, or illuminated, that is, the Jewish people, having cast off the shadow of the letter, enlightened by the Spirit, and enlightening others, falling at the feet of the Word, that is, humbling itself before the Incarnation of Christ, prays for her daughter, for when a man lives himself, he makes others live also. Thus Abraham, and Moses, and Samuel, intercede for the people who are dead, and Jesus comes upon their prayers.

Bede: Again, the Lord going to the child, who is to be healed, is thronged by the crowd, because though He gave healthful advice to the Jewish nation, He is oppressed by the wicked habits of that carnal people; but the woman with an issue of blood, cured by the Lord, is the Church gathered together from the nations, for the issue of blood may be either understood of the pollution of idolatry, or of those deeds, which are accompanied by pleasure to flesh and blood. But whilst the word of the Lord decreed salvation to Judaea, the people of the Gentiles by an assured hope seized upon the health, promised and prepared for others.

Theophylact: Or else, by the woman, who had a bloody flux, understand human nature; for sin rushed in upon it, which (p. 100) since it killed the soul, might be said to spill its blood. It could not be cured by many physicians, that is, by the wise men of this world, and of the Law and the Prophets; but the moment that it touched the hem of Christ’s garment, that is, His flesh, it was healed, for whosoever believes the Son of man to be Incarnate is he who touches the hem of His garment.

Bede: Wherefore one believing woman touches the Lord, whilst the crowd throngs Him, because He, who is grieved by divers heresies, or by wicked habits, is worshipped faithfully with the heart of the Catholic Church alone. But the Church of the Gentiles came behind Him; because though it did not see the Lord present in the flesh, for the mysteries of His Incarnation had been gone through, yet it attained to the grace of His faith, and so when by partaking of His sacraments, it merited salvation from its sins, as it were the fountain of its blood was dried up by the touch of His garments. And the Lord looked round about to see her who had done this, because He judges that all who deserve to be saved are worthy of His look and of His pity.

Mar 5:35  While he was yet speaking, some come from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying: Thy daughter is dead: why dost thou trouble the master any further?
Mar 5:36  But Jesus having heard the word that was spoken, saith to the ruler of the synagogue: Fear not, only believe.
Mar 5:37  And he admitted not any man to follow him, but Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
Mar 5:38  And they cone to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he seeth a tumult, and people weeping and wailing much.
Mar 5:39  And going in, he saith to them Why make you this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Mar 5:40  And they laughed him to scorn. But he having put them all out, taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
Mar 5:41  And taking the damsel by the hand, he saith to her: Talitha cumi, which is, being interpreted: Damsel (I say to thee) arise.
Mar 5:42  And immediately the damsel rose up, and walked: and she was twelve years old: and they were astonished with a great astonishment.
Mar 5:43  And he charged them strictly that no man should know it: and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Theophylact: Those who were about the ruler of the synagogue, thought that Christ was one of the prophets, and for this reason they thought that they should beg of Him to come and pray over the damsel. But because she had already expired, they thought that He ought not to be asked to do so.
Therefore it is said, “While He yet spake, there came messengers to the ruler of the synagogue, which said, Thy daughter is dead; why troublest thou the Master any further?”

But the Lord Himself persuades the father to have confidence.

For it goes on, “As soon as Jesus heard the word which was spoken, He saith to the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid; only believe.”

Augustine: It is not said that he assented to his friends who brought the tidings and wished to prevent the Master from coming, so that our Lord’s saying, “Fear not, only believe,” is not a rebuke for his want of faith, but was intended to strengthen the belief which he had already. But if the Evangelist had related, that the ruler of the synagogue joined the friends who came from his house, in saying that Jesus should not be troubled, the words which Matthew relates him to have said, namely, that the damsel was dead, would then have been contrary to what was in his mind.

It goes on, “And He suffered no man to follow Him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.”

Theophylact: For Christ in His lowliness would not do any thing for display.

It goes on, “And He cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.”

Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: But He Himself commands them not to wail, as if the damsel was not dead, (p. 102) but sleeping.

Wherefore it says, “And when He was come in, He saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.”

Pseudo-Jerome: It was told the ruler of the synagogue, Thy daughter is dead. But Jesus said to him, She is not dead, but sleepeth. Bother are true, for the meaning is, She is dead to you, but to Me she is asleep.

Bede: For to men she was dead, who were unable to raise her up; but to God she was asleep, in whose purpose both the soul was living, and the flesh was resting, to rise again. Whence it became a custom amongst Christians, that the dead, who, they doubt not, will rise again, should be said to sleep.

It goes on, “And they laughed Him to scorn.”

Theophylact: But they laugh at Him, as if unable to do any thing farther; and in this He convicts them of bearing witness involuntarily, that she was really dead whom He raised up, and therefore, that it would be a miracle if He raised her.

Bede: Because they chose rather to laugh at than to believe in this saying concerning her resurrection, they are deservedly excluded from the place, as unworthy to witness His power in raising her, and the mystery of her rising.

Wherefore it goes on, “But when He had put them all out, He taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with Him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.”

Chrys.: Or else, to take away all display, He suffered not all to be with Him; that, however, He might leave behind Him witnesses of His divine power, He chose His three chief disciples and the father and mother of the damsel, as being necessary above all. And He restores life to the damsel both by His hand, and by word of mouth.

Feb 1: Father Callan on Today’s First Reading (Heb 12:1-4)

EXHORTATION TO CONSTANCY
A Summary of Hebrews 12:1-13

The Apostle now applies to his readers what has just been said in the preceding Chapter. He exhorts them to remain steadfast in their faith, thus imitating those illustrious examples of the past, and especially Christ Himself (ver. 1-3). Our sufferings are a sign of God’s fatherly care for us as His sons; He knows that discipline is good and necessary for us, and He wants to lead us
to perfection (ver. 4-13).

1. And therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us;
2. Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God.

The writer describes the Christian life as a race, like the contests often witnessed in the Greek amphitheater. The metaphor is a familiar one with St. Paul (1 Cor 9:24-25; Phil 3:12-14; 2 Tim 4:7-8). The racers in the games were surrounded by spectators. They put off all superfluous clothing and reduced their flesh by training, so as to be able to exert their maximum strength and gain the greatest speed, and they kept their eyes steadily fixed on the goal.

In a similar manner the runners for the prize of eternal life must act. They are in the arena of life, and the heroes enumerated in the previous Chapter are watching their struggle. They must put away all the entanglements of sin and run with patient steadfastness the way before them, looking to Jesus as their goal, who is the author and perfecter of their faith, and who, for the joy that would be afforded by our redemption and His own glorification as man, gladly endured the sufferings and shame of His passion, and now sits in triumph at the right hand of the Father in heaven.

Which surrounds us, like an encircling robe. The Greek word for “surrounds” means, more literally, “easily besets.” It is found only here and is of uncertain meaning, but it surely refers to the internal and external encumbrances of sin, to the hampering effect of sin on the soul.

Now sitteth on the right hand, etc. This is the glorious reward which our Lord’s sufferings merited for His humanity. Note the difference in time of the verbs which express our Lord’s sufferings and His glorification, “endured,” “sitteth.” The former expresses something that was passing and that came to an end, while the latter (in the perfect tense in the Greek) signifies that Christ has taken His seat for all future time at the right hand of the Father.

3. For think diligently upon him that endured such opposition from sinners against himself; that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds.
4. You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin;

Meditation on the passion and sufferings of Christ would give greatest encouragement to the readers of the Epistle who were tempted to falter in their Christian loyalty and devotion under the pressure of persecution by their enemies. The writer has already shown in Heb 2:10 and Heb 5:8-9 that Christ Himself was made perfect and learned obedience by the things which He suffered. He, therefore, now exhorts his readers to follow the example of their Master. Surely their sufferings have not yet equalled His.