Tuesday, 12 November 2013 Tuesday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time St. Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr (c.1580-1623) - Memorial Commentary of the day Saint Patrick : We are unprofitable servants Wisdom 2:23-24.3:1-9. God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him. But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world, and they who are in his possession experience it. But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble; They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever. Those who trust in him shall understand truth, and the faithful shall abide with him in love: Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones, and his care is with the elect. Ps 34(33):2-3.16-17.18-19. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; The lowly will hear me and be glad. The LORD has eyes for the just, And ears for their cry. The LORD confronts the evildoers, To destroy remembrance of them from the earth. When the just cry out, the LORD hears them, And from all their distress he rescues them. The is close to the brokenhearted; And those who are crushed in spirit he saves. Lk 17:7-10. Jesus said to the Apostles: “Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? Would he not rather say to him, Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished? Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? So should it be with you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Patrick (c.385-c.461), missionary monk, Bishop Confession, 12-14 ; SC 249 (trans. ©Philip Freeman, 2004) We are unprofitable servants Once I was a crude and ignorant exile who didnt even know how I would take care of myself in the future. This much I know for certain “before I was afflicted” I was like a stone stuck deep in a mud puddle. But then the Lord, the mighty one, came along and in his compassion reached down and pulled me out, raised me up, and placed me on top of a wall. Because of this I must proclaim my good news, I must pay God back in some way for all that he has done for me here on earth and what he will do in eternity - blessings no one can even imagine. So listen to me well, “all of you, small and great, everyone who has any fear of God”, and especially you wealthy landowners so proud of your education, listen and consider this carefully: God chose foolish little me from among all of you who seem so wise and so expert in the law and “so mighty in deed and word”. He picked ignorant me ahead of all of you, even though I am not worthy. He picked me to go forth “with reverence and awe”... to serve the people faithfully. The love of Christ carried me here to be a help to these people for the rest of my life, if I may be worthy, and to work for them with humility and in sincerity. “According to the measure of my faith” in the Trinity... I must choose to proclaim the gift of God and his “everlasting ecouragement” confidently and without fear. I must make known Gods name everywhere, so that even after I die it might be a kind of spiritual legacy left behind for my brothers and sons, so many thousands I baptized for God. (Biblical references : Eccl 4,13 Vulg; Ps 119[118],67; Lk 1,49; Rv 19,5; Lk 24,19; Heb 12,28; Rm 12,6; 2Th 2,16)
Posted on: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 18:47:54 +0000
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