From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 22:1-14
At that time, Jesus spoke by parables unto the chief priests and Pharisees, and said: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son. And so on.
Homily by Pope St. Gregory the Great.
38th on the Gospels.
I remember that I have often said that, in the Holy Gospel, the Church as she now is, is called the kingdom of heaven, for the kingdom of heaven is indeed the assembly of the righteous. The Lord hath said by the mouth of His Prophet: The heaven is My throne. Isa. lxvi. 1. Solomon saith: The throne of wisdom is the soul of the righteous. And Paul saith that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. i. 24. From these passages we may clearly gather that if wisdom be God, and wisdom's throne be the soul of the righteous, and God's throne be the heaven, then the soul of the righteous is heaven. Hence also the Psalmist saith, speaking of holy preachers: The heavens declare the glory of God. xviii. 2.
V. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
R. Thanks be to God.
Te Deum
"I meet you, O Christ, face to face. I see you in your Sacraments." Saint Ambrose (Photo of Haditha Dam, Iraq.)
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Sunday, September 23, 2018
Dominica XVIII Post Pentecosten: "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven you."
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 9:1-8
At that time: Jesus entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His own city. And so on.
Homily by St. Peter Chrysologus, Archbishop of Ravenna.
Sermon 50.
This day's reading hath shown us an instance of how Christ, in those things which He did as Man, worked deep works of God, and by things which were seen wrought things which were not seen. The Evangelist saith Jesus "entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His Own city." Was not This He Who had once parted the waves hither and thither, and made the dry ground appear at the bottom of the sea, so that His people Israel passed dry-shod between masses of water standing still, as through an hollow glen in a mountain? Was not This He Who made the depths of the sea solid under the feet of Peter, so that the watery path offered a firm way for human footsteps?
Matt 9:1-8
At that time: Jesus entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His own city. And so on.
Homily by St. Peter Chrysologus, Archbishop of Ravenna.
Sermon 50.
This day's reading hath shown us an instance of how Christ, in those things which He did as Man, worked deep works of God, and by things which were seen wrought things which were not seen. The Evangelist saith Jesus "entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into His Own city." Was not This He Who had once parted the waves hither and thither, and made the dry ground appear at the bottom of the sea, so that His people Israel passed dry-shod between masses of water standing still, as through an hollow glen in a mountain? Was not This He Who made the depths of the sea solid under the feet of Peter, so that the watery path offered a firm way for human footsteps?
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Dominica XVII post Pentecosten: "Which is the great commandment in the law?"
From the Holy Gospel according to Matthew
Matt 22:34-46
At that time, the Pharisees came unto Jesus, and one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, saying: Master, which is the great commandment in the Law? And so on.
Homily by St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople.
72nd on Matthew.
When the Pharisees had heard that Christ had put the Sadducees to silence, they gathered themselves together for a fresh attack just when it behoved them to be quiet, they willed to contend and so they put forward one of themselves who professed skill in the law, not wishing to learn, but to lay a snare. This person therefore proposed the question: "Which is the great commandment in the law?” The first and great commandment is: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God," but they expected that He would make some exception or addition to this in His Own case, since He made Himself God. John x. 33. With this expectation they asked Him the question, but what said Christ? To show that they had adopted this course, because they were loveless, and sick with envy, He answered: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
Matt 22:34-46
At that time, the Pharisees came unto Jesus, and one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, saying: Master, which is the great commandment in the Law? And so on.
Homily by St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople.
72nd on Matthew.
When the Pharisees had heard that Christ had put the Sadducees to silence, they gathered themselves together for a fresh attack just when it behoved them to be quiet, they willed to contend and so they put forward one of themselves who professed skill in the law, not wishing to learn, but to lay a snare. This person therefore proposed the question: "Which is the great commandment in the law?” The first and great commandment is: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God," but they expected that He would make some exception or addition to this in His Own case, since He made Himself God. John x. 33. With this expectation they asked Him the question, but what said Christ? To show that they had adopted this course, because they were loveless, and sick with envy, He answered: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."