Akismet, WordPress and Spam

This is a big thank you to the WordPress people. Very few systems control spam as well as Akismet and I’m very thankful for the work they do on this spam elimination software.

It’s so effective that it makes me wonder why spammers keep trying. Their messages have only made it through a couple of times, and then I was able to tell it that it was spam and delete them. In the 6 months or so that I’ve been doing this I’ve only had a couple/few messages. That’s a good track record. Everything else is getting deleted.

I suspect that the content of the site helps. When I see “Interesting article and it’s very helpful in rinsing your hair” I have a pretty good idea that it’s a spam comment. Akismet knows, too.
So thank you WordPress.  The site is reliable and the platform solid and the junk is dealt with. Who could ask for anything more?

Daily Bible Readings Monday February 4 2008

February 4 2008 Monday 4th Week Ordinary Time

About the sources used. The readings on this site are not official for the Mass of Roman Rite of the Catholic Church in the USA, but are from sources free from copyright. They are here to present the comparable readings alongside traditional Catholic commentary as published in the Haydock Bible. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/020408.shtml – Note. The Official Liturgical readings may not match the current NAB you may have.

2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13
Douay-Rheims Challoner

13 And there came a messenger to David, saying: All Israel with their whole heart followeth Absalom.
14 And David said to his servants, that were with him in Jerusalem: Arise and let us flee: for we shall not escape else from the face of Absalom: make haste to go out, lest he come and overtake us, and bring ruin upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
30 But David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, going up and weeping, walking barefoot, and with his head covered, and all the people that were with them, went up with their heads covered weeping.
5 And king David came as far as Bahurim: and behold there came out from thence a man of the kindred of the house of Saul named Semei, the son of Gera, and coming out he cursed as he went on,
6 And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people, and all the warriors walked on the right, and on the left side of the king.
7 And thus said Semei when he cursed the king: Come out, come out, thou man of blood, and thou man of Belial.
8 The Lord hath repaid thee for all the blood of the house of Saul: because thou hast usurped the kingdom in his stead, and the Lord hath given the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and behold thy evils press upon thee, because thou art a man of blood.
9 And Abisai the son of Sarvia said to the king: Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I will go, and cut off his head.
10 And the king said: What have I to do with you, ye sons of Sarvia? Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David: and who is he that shall dare say, why hath he done so?
11 And the king said to Abisai, and to all his servants: Behold my son, who came forth from my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now a son of Jemini? let him alone that he may curse as the Lord hath bidden him.
12 Perhaps the Lord may look upon my affliction, and the Lord may render me good for the cursing of this day.
13 And David and his men with him went by the way. And Semei by the hill’s side went over against him, cursing, and casting stones at him, and scattering earth.

The Gospel According to Saint Mark 5:1-20
Haydock NT

1 And they came over the strait of the sea into the country of the Gerasens. 2 And as he went out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit: 3 Who had his dwelling in the tombs, and no man now could bind him, not even with chains: 4 For having been often bound with fetters and chains, he had burst the chains, and broken the fetters in pieces, and no man could tame him. 5 And he was always day and night in the tombs, and in the mountains, crying and cutting himself with stones.

6 And seeing Jesus, afar off, he ran and adored him: 7 And crying with a loud voice, he said:

What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

8 For he said to him:

Go out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

9 And he asked him:

What is thy name?

And he saith to him:

My name is Legion; for we are many.

10 And he besought him much, that he would not drive him away out of the country. 11 And there was there near the mountain a great herd of swine, feeding. 12 And the spirits besought him, saying:

Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.

13 And Jesus immediately gave them leave. And the unclean spirits going out, entered into the swine: and the herd with great violence was carried headlong into the sea, being about two thousand, and were stifled in the sea. 14 And they that fed them fled, and told it in the city, and in the fields. And they went out to see what was done. 15 And they come to Jesus, and they see him that was troubled with the devil, sitting, clothed, and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

16 And they that had seen it, told them in what manner he had been dealt with who had the devil; and concerning the swine. 17 And they began to pray him to depart from their coasts. 18 And when he went up into the ship, he that had been troubled with the devil, began to beseech him that he might be with him. 19 And he admitted him not, but saith to him:

Go into thy house to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had mercy on thee.

20 And he went his way, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men wondered.

Haydock Commentary 2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13

• Ver. 13. Absalom. How came they to abandon a king, appointed by heaven, and adorned with so many virtues? God was resolved to punish him. Many are always desirous of novelty. David had lately been guilty of two scandalous crimes. Joab remained unpunished, and arrogant; the judges neglected their duty, &c. v. 3. Some had still a partiality for the family of Saul. C. Grotius.
• Ver. 14. Ruin, of a house falling. Heb. “evil.” David gives way to the fury of the rebels, hoping that they will enter into themselves, without bloodshed. He departs on foot, like a penitent, acknowledging the justice of God. Fear does not prompt him to leave Jerusalem, which was a place of such strength, (C. v. 6.) nor are his attendants abandoned on a sudden by that courage, which made some of them a match for a whole army. David disposes of all things with great coolness and prudence. C.—He wishes to appease God. M.
• Ver. 30. Weeping, &c. David on this occasion wept for his sins, which he knew were the cause of all his sufferings. Ch.—Barefoot, like a criminal, or one in mourning. Isaiah 20:4, Ezec. 24:17. C.—Covered, that the people might not see him. W.
• Ver. 5. Bahurim, a fortress of Benjamin, about an hours walk east of Bethania. Adric. xxviii.—It signifies, “chosen youths;” and it is called Almut, or Almon, “youth.” 1 Par. vi. 60. &c. Hither Phaltiel conducted Michol. C. iii. 16. C.
• Ver. 7. Belial; a contemner of the laws, and murderer. M.
• Ver. 9. Dog. David’s nephew was moved with indignation. He could easily have punished the insolence of Semei. H.
• Ver. 10.—11. Hath bid him curse. Not that the Lord was the author of Semei’s sin, which proceeded purely from his own malice, and the abuse of his free-will: but that knowing and suffering his malicious disposition to break out on this occasion, he made use of him as his instrument to punish David for his sins. Ch.—He adored the justice of God; who is often said to do what he does not hinder, or what he only permits. E.—David is here a noble figure of Jesus Christ, excusing his executioners, (H.) and receiving the insults of the Jews, without complaining. C.—If Semei had not been guilty of sin, but acted according to God’s will, he could not have been justly punished. 3 K. ii. W.
• Ver. 12. Affliction, of which he makes a sort of sacrifice, being convinced that God will not reject the contrite and humble heart. Ps. l. 19. C.
• Ver. 13. Earth, like a man in fury. Acts xxii. 23.

 

Haydock Commentary 5:1-20

• Ver. 2. Ven. Bede gives a beautiful explanation of this miracle. He says that it represents the Gentiles, who were converted to the faith by the apostles. The legion represents the innumerable vices to which they were subject, neither restrained by the laws of God nor man, but breaking through every restraint, and wallowing in all kinds of uncleanness. Ven. Bede.—The three evangelists agree in the expulsion of the legion of devils, except that S. Matthew makes mention of two demoniacs, and SS. Mark and Luke only of one. The difficulty is thus solved by S. Austin. S. Mark and S. Luke only mention one, as being more generally known, and particularly frightful in the neighborhood. S. Aug.
• Ver. 7. I adjure thee by God. The same is, I earnestly beg of thee not to torment me, by sending me into hell, and confining me in the abyss,  there to be more tormented than I am at present. See S. Luke viii. 31. Wi.
• Ver. 9. My name is Legion. Spirits have no names, only with regard to our language. These devils says their name is Legion, because they are many. Wi.
• Ver. 13. Jesus Christ permitted the devil to destroy these swine, that from their destruction, the men of that country might take the alarm, and be converted. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 17. Astonished at the miracle that had been performed, and displeased with the loss of their herds, they refused the Saviour of the world entrance into their country. Theophy.—It is observed that all Christ’s miracles, except this, and the blasted fig-tree, were of the beneficent kind. We cannot buy pity the wretched blindness of the Gerasens, in driving Jesus from their coasts. As a just judgment of God, their city was the first that fell into the hands of the Romans, in the fatal war under Vespasian.
• Ver. 18. That he might be with him; i.e. as one of his disciples. S. Amb. says Christ did not grant his request, lest they might thing that he sought to be glorified by men, in having always in his company a man out of whom he had cast so many devils. Chris himself seems to give us another reason, that the man might go, and publish in his own country the miracles done by Jesus. Wi.
• Ver. 19. And he admitted him not: By Christ’s conduct on this occasion, he teaches his disciples that they ought sometimes to make known their own good works, when either the glory of God or the edification of their neighbor were likely to be advanced by such a manifestation: otherwise they ought to conceal them, out of a spirit of humility. Dion. Carth.
• Ver. 20. Decapolis, is a territory on the eastern borders of the sea of Tiberias, and is so called, from ten principal towns that compose it. V.