Dominica VIII post Pentecosten: “make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations”

From the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Luke 16:1-9
At that time, Jesus spake this parable unto His disciples: There was a certain rich man, which had a steward and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And so on.

Homily by St. Jerome, Priest at Bethlehem.
Letter 151. to Algasia.
The lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely though wickedly. The lord, although himself defrauded by it, could not but praise the shrewdness of his dishonest servant, because he had cheated him with profit to himself. How much more will our Master Christ, Who is above any defrauding by us, and is Himself the Great Forgiver, praise us if we win a blessing from Him by dealing indulgently with those who are to believe in Him?

Dominica VII post Pentecosten: “there are many in whom sheep's clothing is but a mask to hide wolfish ravening“

From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 7:15-21
At that time, Jesus said unto His disciples: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. And so on.

Homily by St. Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers.
Comment. on Matth. ch. vi.
“The Lord here warneth us that we must rate the worth of soft words and seeming meekness, by the fruits which they that manifest such things bring forth in their works, and that we should look, in order to see what a man is, not at his professions, but at his deeds. For there are many in whom sheep's clothing is but a mask to hide wolfish ravening. But "Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." Thus, the Lord teacheth us, is it with men also evil men bring not forth good fruits, and hereby are we to know them. Lip-service alone winneth not the kingdom of heaven, nor is every one that saith unto Christ: "Lord, Lord," an heir thereof.”

NB: And sometimes the ravening wolf is disguised in shepherd’s clothing, the evil fruits being the sin into which he lures the tempted by calling evil good and good evil.

Dominica VI Post Pentecosten: "I have compassion on the multitude, because they ... have nothing to eat."

From the holy Gospel according to Saint Mark

Mark 8:1-9
In those days, the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples unto Him, and saith unto them: I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with Me for three days, and have nothing to eat. And so on.

Homily by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan.
Bk. vi. on Luke ix.
After that woman, who is a type of the Church, was healed of the issue of blood Luke viii. 43-48; the Lord had sent His disciples to preach the kingdom of God ix. 2. His heavenly tenderness gave food. But consider who they were unto whom He gave it. He gave it not to such as dwell at ease, not to men in cities, not to such as sit in places of worldly splendour, but to men seeking Christ in a desert place. Such as are not given to niceness are they whom Christ receiveth, and unto whom the Word of God speaketh, not of earthly things, but of the kingdom of God 11. And if any bear in them the running sores of fleshly passion, He healeth them.