Dominica V post Epiphaniam: “call even the heretics a seed of evil-doers because they have sprung up from the seed of the Gospel, and been begotten in the Name of Christ, though afterwards they have turned after crooked ways and lying doctrines.”

From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 13:24-30
At that time, Jesus said to the people a parable: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seeds in his field. And so on.

Homily by St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo.
Quest. Evang. Matth. xi, Bk. 4
When the Shepherds of the Church wax careless, and since the Apostles sleep the sleep of death, cometh the devil, and soweth them whom the Lord calleth a seed of evil-doers. Now, are these seed of evil-doers the heretics, or Catholics of bad lives? It is possible to call even the heretics a seed of evil-doers because they have sprung up from the seed of the Gospel, and been begotten in the Name of Christ, though afterwards they have turned after crooked ways and lying doctrines.

4th Sunday after Epiphany: "... but he was asleep"

From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 8:23-27
"At that time, when Jesus entered into the boat, his disciples followed him: And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep..."

Homily on Matthew 8:23-27 by St Augustine: “What is the Meaning of Jesus is Asleep?”

This ship, in which Jesus was asleep, and which was on the point of being swallowed up by the waves, is a figure of the dangers threatening man’s life, compared to a sea continually agitated by winds and storms. The waves rising in the sea are the daily temptations of our life, assailing our fragile ship and threatening it with dismal wreck and destruction. And whence comes such impending danger, but because Jesus is asleep? Were not Jesus asleep within you, you would not be exposed to all these storms; but interior peace and perfect calm would be your happy lot, through Jesus watching with you. For what is the meaning of Jesus is asleep? Your faith in Jesus has fallen asleep. The tempests of the sea arise; you see evil men flourishing, good and just men in trouble and misery; your faith is shaken and tossed about as by furious waves. And in this temptation your soul says: Is this Thy justice, O God, that the wicked should flourish, whilst the just are in trouble and misery? You say to God: Is this Thy justice? And God says to you: Is this your faith? Have I promised you the perishable things of the world? Have I called you to be My followers, that is, Christians, that you should flourish in this life? Are you grieving because you see the wicked enjoying all earthly pleasures, who shall hereafter be tormented with the devil? But why all these complaints? Why are you disturbed by the waves of the sea and the storm? Because Jesus is asleep; that is, because your faith in Jesus has been laid asleep in your hearts. How will you be delivered from this great danger? Awaken Jesus, and say to Him: Lord, save us, we perish; the waves of temptation rise against us and threaten our souls with impending death. And Jesus will awake, that is, your faith will return to you. And with His help you will recognise that the happiness the wicked enjoy will not abide with them. For, either it will be taken from them while they live, or they will be forced to leave it when they die. But the happiness promised to you will abide for ever and ever. What is granted to the wicked for a time, will soon be taken away; for they flourish like the flower of the grass. All flesh is as grass ; the grass is withered, and the flower thereof is fallen away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever (1 Pet 1:24-25). Turn, therefore, your back upon that which falls and is perishable, and your face to that which abides to the end. Now that Jesus is awake, the storm shall no more shake your hearts, the waves shall not fill your barque (boat). Your faith commands the winds and the waves, and the danger shall pass away, when a great calm will follow the storm. To all this, beloved brethren, belongs what the Apostle says about putting off the old man. Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go do wn upon your anger. Give not place to the devil (Eph 4:26-27). The old man did give place; let not the new man do the same. He that stole, let him now steal no more (ver. 28). The old man, then, did steal; not so the new. It is the same man, it is one man. It was Adam, let it be Christ; it was the old man, let it be the new man.

Sanctae Familiae Mariae Jesu Joseph: God was subject to man

From the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Luke 2:42-52
And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not. And so on.

Homily of St. Bernard Abbot
Homilia super Missus est, n. 7-8
And he was subject unto them. Who was subject? And to whom? God to man! God, I repeat, to whom the Angels are subject, whom the Principalities and Powers do obey, was subject to Mary; and not only to Mary, but to Joseph also for Mary's sake. Marvel, therefore, both at God and man, and choose that which giveth greater wonder, whether it be the most loving condescension of the Son, or the exceeding great dignity of his Mother. Both amaze us, both are marvellous. That God should obey a woman is lowliness without parallel, that woman should rule over God, an elevation beyond comparison. In praise of virgins it is sung of them alone, that they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. Of what praise do ye judge that woman to be worthy who is thus placed before the Lamb of God.

In Epiphania Domini: "the Gentiles without, being as brutes, are roused not by a voice, but by a sign, that is, a star."

Homily by Pope St. Gregory the Great.
10th on the Gospels.
Dearly beloved brethren, hear ye from the Gospel lesson how, when the King of heaven was born, the king of earth was troubled? The heights of heaven are opened and the depths of earth are stirred. Let us now consider the question, why, when the Redeemer was born, an angel brought the news to the shepherds of Judea, but a star led the wise men of the East to worship Him. It seemeth as if the Jews as reasonable creatures received a revelation from a reasonable being, that is, an angel, but the Gentiles without, being as brutes, are roused not by a voice, but by a sign, that is, a star. Hence Paul hath it: a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 1 Cor. xiv. 22. So the prophesying, that is, of the angel was given to them that believed, and the sign to them that believed not.

Thus also we remark that afterwards the Redeemer was preached among the Gentiles not by Himself, but by His Apostles, even as, when a little Child, He is shown to them, not by the voice of angels, but merely by the vision of a star. When He Himself had begun to speak He was made known to us by speakers, but when He lay silent in the manger, by that silent testimony in heaven. But whether we consider the signs which accompanied His birth or His death, this thing is wonderful, namely, the hardness of heart of the Jews, who would not believe in Him either for prophesying or for miracles.

All things which He had made, bore witness that their Maker was come. Let me reckon them after the manner of men. The heavens knew that He was God, and sent a star to shine over where He lay. The sea knew it, and bore Him up when He walked upon it. The earth knew it, and quaked when He died. The sun knew it, and was darkened. The rocks and walls knew it, and rent at the hour of His death. Hell knew it, and gave up the dead that were in it. And yet up to this very hour the hearts of the unbelieving Jews will not acknowledge that He to Whom all nature testified is their God, and, being more hardened than the rocks, refuse to be rent by repentance.

Circumcision of the Lord

From the Sermons of Pope St. Leo the Great.
7th for Christmas
Dearly beloved brethren, whosoever will keep truly and honour piously this day's festival, it is necessary for him neither to think falsely of the Lord's Incarnation, nor meanly of the Lord's Godhead. For as there is danger, on the one hand, of denying the truth of Christ's participation of our nature, so is there no less danger, on the other, of doing despite to the equality of His glory with the glory of the Father. Wherefore, when we draw near to understand the mystery of Christ's Birth, wherein He was born of the Virgin Mary, we must leave the clouds of earthly imagination behind and pierce the fog of human wisdom with the eye of enlightened faith.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.

Dominica III Adventus: "While he humbly strove to confess his own weakness, he earned by his simplicity a part in the grandeur of his Master."

From the Holy Gospel according to John
John 1:19-28
In that time were sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to John, to ask him: Who art thou? And so on.

Homily by Pope St. Gregory (the Great)
7th on the Gospels
Dearly beloved brethren, the first thing which striketh us in today's Gospel is the lowly-mindedness of John. He was so great that it was thought he might be the Christ; yet he soberly chose rather to seem only what he really was, than to let the belief of men invest him with a dignity which did not belong to him; for he confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ, at the same time he would not deny what he was in reality; and thus his very truth-speaking made him a member of Him Whose title he would not by falsehood take. In that he arrogated not to himself the name of Christ, he became a member of Christ. While he humbly strove to confess his own weakness, he earned by his simplicity a part in the grandeur of his Master.

(Homily by Pope St. Gregory the Great)

Dominica I Adventus: "if we will not fear God in our prosperity, we may at least be scourged into fearing His judgment when it is at hand"

Reading 3
From the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Luke 21:25-33
In that time, Jesus said to his disciples: And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations. And so on.

Homily by Pope St. Gregory the Great,
1st on the Gospels.
Our Lord and Saviour wisheth to find us ready at His second coming. Therefore He telleth us what will be the evils of the world as it groweth old, that He may wean our hearts from worldly affections. Here we read what great convulsions will go before the end, that, if we will not fear God in our prosperity, we may at least be scourged into fearing His judgment when it is at hand.


Homily by Father Kevin M. Cusick

What is this "scourging" of which he speaks?

Scourges are suffering, another’s if not our own. Suffering can be accepted with merit as a sign of the detachment necessary even from this life and all that is a part of it if we are to be saved, share forever in the eternal life of God.

In the Holy Eucharist the Judge Himself becomes Savior through His own suffering, scourging and death, to prepare us for the life He promises and which awaits us.