READING OF THE DAY First reading from the Book of Jeremiah JER 20:10-13
Jeremiah said: “I hear the whisperings of many: ‘Terror on every side! Denounce! let us denounce him!’ All those who were my friends are on the watch for any misstep of mine. ‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail, and take our vengeance on him.’ But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph. In their failure they will be put to utter shame, to lasting, unforgettable confusion. O LORD of hosts, you who test the just, who probe mind and heart, let me witness the vengeance you take on them, for to you I have entrusted my cause. Sing to the LORD, praise the LORD, for he has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked!”
Second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans ROM 5:12-15
Brothers and sisters: Through one man sin entered the world, and through sin, death, and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned— for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world, though sin is not accounted when there is no law. But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam, who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, how much more did the grace of God and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflow for the many.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY From the Gospel according to Matthew MT 10:26-33
Jesus said to the Twelve: “Fear no one. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER Christians must not lose hope, thinking that they have been abandoned. Jesus assures his disciples: “even the hairs on your head are all numbered” (Mt 10:30); as if to say that none of man’s suffering, not even that which is most minute and hidden, is invisible to the eyes of God. God sees and certainly protects; and he will give his redemption. (General Audience, 28 June 2017)
S. FAUSTI - "Do not fear, says Jesus to the Apostles, after sending them as sheep among the wolves. Fear is the first engine of human action, it should instead be only the brake! Avoiding the dangers of life is right, but do not become the worry that distracts from all occupation. The instinct of self-preservation in itself is healthy. It serves to avoid evil. But it is an insufficient principle to live, if at the same time there is no confidence in good. Without trust man is blocked and desperate, without fear he is foiled and reckless, only the unconscious, besides dictators, are not afraid; but there is to be afraid for them and of them! Trust and fear are two antagonistic principles, both necessary. The second principle abounds, the first, however, is in short supply. The Lord has come to give us a confidence in Him that frees us from the fear of death, with which the enemy keeps us in slavery for the rest of our lives (Heb 2:15). Death is a natural event . It is not evil, even if, because of sin, we live it badly! It is right not to seek it, but it is demonic to reject it. We are mortal, but our limit is not the end of ourselves, as our selfishness fears, but the beginning of the Other and of our communion with Him. The beginning and the end of our life is not the nothing we fear, but the Father who loves us and that we love. Perfect love drives out all fear (1 Jn 4:18). As long as we live our love is not yet perfect. That is why we are also afraid, but we are not dominated by it. The Apostle, although feeling fear and uncertainty (1 Cor 2:3), does not permit himself to be guided by them, but by the Spirit of the One who gave His life for all (2 Cor 5:14). Fear of death should not become a philosophy of life. Let our "philosophy" be the "love of wisdom" of the Father. Man is always contended between two loves: that of the wisdom of the flesh, which closes in fear of death, and that of the wisdom of the Spirit, which opens to trust and life. Each time he must decide which one to marry. The passage is marked by three imperatives. "Do not fear", followed by motivations. Fear makes one do what one fears, only trust makes one do what one wishes. God's judgment I do myself here on earth. If, in the quotidian nature of actions and in the extraordinary nature of persecutions, I recognize the Son as a brother, I am recognized by the Father. I recognize Him as a gratitude of love. He first loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal 5:20); and I, in my youngest brother, recognize Him (18:5) who, in order to recognize all, became the last and servant of all (Mk 9:35). My eternal future before the Father depends on my now recognizing before men the Son, who, in the flesh of the last, will be present until the end of the world to save us: God's "tremendous" judgment, the only thing that counts and remains of history, is placed in my hands, entrusted to my responsibility. I am the judge of him, and therefore of myself! Recognizing is not just a matter of lips. It is to belong to Him with heart and with life. "Whoever recognizes me in front of men" I myself carry out God's judgment here on earth: if, in the daily actions and in the extraordinariness of persecutions, I recognize the Son as my brother, I am recognized by the Father. I recognize Him through gratitude of love. He first loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal 5:20); and I, in my youngest brother, recognize Him who, in order to recognize all, became the last and servant of all (Mk 9:35). My eternal future before the Father depends on my now recognizing before men the Son, who, in the flesh of the last, will be present until the end of the world to save us. To recognize is not only a matter of lips: it is to belong to Him with the heart and with life.
->"Who will deny me..." To deny is to say you don't know, like Peter (26,70...) Whoever denies the Son is not His brother and denies being a son, loses himself! "Certain is this word: if we die with Him, we will also live with Him; if we persevere with Him, we will also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He too will deny us." (2Tim. 2.11). Thanks be to God, He who denies us is the One who gave His life for us sinners, from whose Love nothing can separate us (Rom 8:38). For "if we lack faith, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself" (2 Tim 2:13). His faithfulness without end is the reason why our Amen rises to God (2 Cor 1:20). Even if we deny Him, like Peter we can always count on His fidelity to us, which never fails. This is our faith, certain and sure.
READING OF THE DAY
RispondiEliminaFirst reading from the Book of Jeremiah
JER 20:10-13
Jeremiah said:
“I hear the whisperings of many:
‘Terror on every side!
Denounce! let us denounce him!’
All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep of mine.
‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,
and take our vengeance on him.’
But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:
my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.
In their failure they will be put to utter shame,
to lasting, unforgettable confusion.
O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,
who probe mind and heart,
let me witness the vengeance you take on them,
for to you I have entrusted my cause.
Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,
for he has rescued the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked!”
Second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
ROM 5:12-15
Brothers and sisters:
Through one man sin entered the world,
and through sin, death,
and thus death came to all men, inasmuch as all sinned—
for up to the time of the law, sin was in the world,
though sin is not accounted when there is no law.
But death reigned from Adam to Moses,
even over those who did not sin
after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,
who is the type of the one who was to come.
But the gift is not like the transgression.
For if by the transgression of the one the many died,
how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew
MT 10:26-33
Jesus said to the Twelve:
“Fear no one.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
Christians must not lose hope, thinking that they have been abandoned. Jesus assures his disciples: “even the hairs on your head are all numbered” (Mt 10:30); as if to say that none of man’s suffering, not even that which is most minute and hidden, is invisible to the eyes of God. God sees and certainly protects; and he will give his redemption. (General Audience, 28 June 2017)
S. FAUSTI - "Do not fear, says Jesus to the Apostles, after sending them as sheep among the wolves. Fear is the first engine of human action, it should instead be only the brake! Avoiding the dangers of life is right, but do not become the worry that distracts from all occupation. The instinct of self-preservation in itself is healthy. It serves to avoid evil. But it is an insufficient principle to live, if at the same time there is no confidence in good. Without trust man is blocked and desperate, without fear he is foiled and reckless, only the unconscious, besides dictators, are not afraid; but there is to be afraid for them and of them!
RispondiEliminaTrust and fear are two antagonistic principles, both necessary. The second principle abounds, the first, however, is in short supply.
The Lord has come to give us a confidence in Him that frees us from the fear of death, with which the enemy keeps us in slavery for the rest of our lives (Heb 2:15).
Death is a natural event . It is not evil, even if, because of sin, we live it badly! It is right not to seek it, but it is demonic to reject it. We are mortal, but our limit is not the end of ourselves, as our selfishness fears, but the beginning of the Other and of our communion with Him.
The beginning and the end of our life is not the nothing we fear, but the Father who loves us and that we love. Perfect love drives out all fear (1 Jn 4:18).
As long as we live our love is not yet perfect.
That is why we are also afraid, but we are not dominated by it.
The Apostle, although feeling fear and uncertainty (1 Cor 2:3), does not permit himself to be guided by them, but by the Spirit of the One who gave His life for all (2 Cor 5:14).
Fear of death should not become a philosophy of life. Let our "philosophy" be the "love of wisdom" of the Father. Man is always contended between two loves: that of the wisdom of the flesh, which closes in fear of death, and that of the wisdom of the Spirit, which opens to trust and life. Each time he must decide which one to marry. The passage is marked by three imperatives. "Do not fear", followed by motivations.
Fear makes one do what one fears, only trust makes one do what one wishes.
God's judgment I do myself here on earth. If, in the quotidian nature of actions and in the extraordinary nature of persecutions, I recognize the Son as a brother, I am recognized by the Father. I recognize Him as a gratitude of love. He first loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal 5:20); and I, in my youngest brother, recognize Him (18:5) who, in order to recognize all, became the last and servant of all (Mk 9:35).
My eternal future before the Father depends on my now recognizing before men the Son, who, in the flesh of the last, will be present until the end of the world to save us: God's "tremendous" judgment, the only thing that counts and remains of history, is placed in my hands, entrusted to my responsibility. I am the judge of him, and therefore of myself! Recognizing is not just a matter of lips. It is to belong to Him with heart and with life. "Whoever recognizes me in front of men" I myself carry out God's judgment here on earth: if, in the daily actions and in the extraordinariness of persecutions, I recognize the Son as my brother, I am recognized by the Father.
I recognize Him through gratitude of love.
He first loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal 5:20); and I, in my youngest brother, recognize Him who, in order to recognize all, became the last and servant of all (Mk 9:35).
My eternal future before the Father depends on my now recognizing before men the Son, who, in the flesh of the last, will be present until the end of the world to save us.
To recognize is not only a matter of lips: it is to belong to Him with the heart and with life.
->"Who will deny me..." To deny is to say you don't know, like Peter (26,70...)
RispondiEliminaWhoever denies the Son is not His brother and denies being a son, loses himself!
"Certain is this word: if we die with Him, we will also live with Him; if we persevere with Him, we will also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He too will deny us." (2Tim. 2.11).
Thanks be to God, He who denies us is the One who gave His life for us sinners, from whose Love nothing can separate us (Rom 8:38).
For "if we lack faith, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself" (2 Tim 2:13). His faithfulness without end is the reason why our Amen rises to God (2 Cor 1:20).
Even if we deny Him, like Peter we can always count on His fidelity to us, which never fails. This is our faith, certain and sure.