A Blissful Morning! A Daily Bread!

Today's texts
Monday 19 February 2018

Reading

Book of Leviticus 19:1-2.11-18.
The LORD said to Moses,
"Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them: Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy.
"You shall not steal. You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another.
You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the LORD.
"You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor. You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.
You shall not curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.
"You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment. Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty, but judge your fellow men justly.
You shall not go about spreading slander among your kinsmen; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor's life is at stake. I am the LORD.
"You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove your fellow man, do not incur sin because of him.
Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."

Psalms 19(18):8.9.10.15.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.

The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.

Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart
find favor before you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 25:31-46.
Jesus said to his disciples: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
Then they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'
He will answer them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'
And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary

Saint Caesarius of Arles (470-543), monk and Bishop
Sermon 25 (SC 243, p.75)

"Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"

If we consider it well, my brethren, the fact that Christ is hungry in those who are poor has something to say to us... Look: on one side a tiny coin and on the other, the Kingdom. What is the comparison? You give a small coin to a poor man and receive the Kingdom from Christ; you give a scrap of bread and receive eternal life from Christ; you give an item of clothing and receive forgiveness for your sins from Christ.

So let us not despise the poor but rather seek them out and make haste to present ourselves before them because the wretchedness of the poor is medicine to the rich, as our Lord himself said: “Give alms of what you have and everything will be clean for you” and again: “Sell your possessions and give alms” (Lk 11:41; 12:33). And the Holy Spirit calls out to us through the prophet: “Water quenches a flaming fire and alms atone for sins” (Sir 3:29).... And so, my brethren, do works of mercy and, with Christ's help, let us hold fast to the bond of his warranty, especially to what I reminded you of when he said: “Give and gifts will be given to you” (Lk 6:38) and again: “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy” (Mt 5:7).

Let each one of you, according to his means, try not to come to church empty handed: for anyone who hopes to receive must offer something. Let those who are able clothe the poor man with a new garment; let those who are unable at least offer him an old one. As for those who do not feel themselves to be sufficiently well off for that, let them offer a scrap of bread, let them welcome a traveller, prepare him a bed and wash his feet so that they may be worthy to hear Christ saying to them: “Come, you who are blessed, take possession of the Kingdom; for I was hungry and you gave me food, a stranger and you welcomed me.”

Thanks for reading! To God be the glory!☝☝

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