Daily Bible Readings Thursday January 8 2009 Christmas Weekday

January 8 2009 Thursday Christmas Weekday
Saint of the Day – Blessed Angela of Foligno

About the sources used. The readings on this site are from the Haydock Bible according to the daily Lectionary readings for the American Roman Catholic Church. The Haydock Bible contains traditional Catholic commentary and is free from copyright. Due to verse numbering differences and pastoral deletions in the actual Lectionary, these readings may at times vary from the actual readings.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/010809.shtml

1 John 4:19–5:4
Haydock New Testament

Let us, therefore, love God, because God first hath loved us. If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not? And this commandment we have from God, that he who loveth God, love also his brother.

EVERY one who believe that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God. And every one that loveth him that begot, loveth him also who was born of him. In this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the charity of God that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not heavy. For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith.

Ps 71:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17 (Ps 72 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

Give to the king thy judgment, O God,
and to the king’s son thy justice:
To judge thy people with justice,
and thy poor with judgment.
He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity:
and their names shall be honourable in his sight.
For him they shall always adore:
they shall bless him all the day.
Let his name be blessed for evermore:
his name continueth before the sun.
And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed:
all nations shall magnify him.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 4:14-22
Haydock New Testament

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and the fame of him went out through the whole country. And he taught in their synagogues, and was extolled by all. And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up, and he went into the synagogues, according to his custom, on the sabbath day, and he rose up to read. And the book of Isaias, the prophet, was delivered unto him. And as he unfolded the book, he found the place where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: wherefore he hath anointed me, to preach the gospel to the poor he hath sent me, to heal the contrite of heart, To preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of reward.

And when he had folded the book, he restored it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them:

This day is fulfilled this Scripture in your ears.

And all gave testimony to him: and they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth, and they said:

Is not this the son of Joseph?

Haydock Commentary 1 John 4:19–5:4
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 20. He that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not? By this is signified, that it is more easy and natural to love the things that we see, and that enter by the senses. Pretend not then to love the invisible God, whose perfections are hidden from you in this life, unless you love your brother whom you see. But he adds another reason to prove that no man can love God unless he love his brother; because saith he, (v. 21.) this is God’s express command, that he who loveth God love also his brother: so that a man cannot love God unless he also love his neighbour. Wi.
• Ver. 1. That Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messias, the Redeemer of the world, is born of God, is made his adoptive son by his grace in baptism. Wi. — Is born of God; that is, is justified, and become a child of God by baptism; which is also to be understood, provided the belief of this fundamental article of the Christian faith is accompanied with all the other conditions, which, by the word of God and his appointment, are also required for justification; such as a general belief of all that God has revealed and promised; hope, love, repentance, and a sincere disposition to keep God’s holy law and commandments. Ch. — Loveth him[1] that begot; i.e. the eternal Father. — Loveth him also who was born of him; i.e. loveth him who is his only begotten and eternal Son. Wi.
• Ver. 2. In this we know that we love the children of God, (that is, all men, and especially the faithful, who are made his adoptive children) when we love God, and keep his commandments, for these two branches of charity, the love of God and of our neighbour, are inseparable: the one is known and proved by the other. Wi.
• Ver. 3. And his commandments are not heavy; not burdensome. Not but that they comprehend what seems hard to human frailty, and especially to men carried away with the love of vanities in this world, who think it hard to comply with Christ’s doctrine of self-denials, of renouncing their inclinations, of suffering death, sooner than to sin against God, or to renounce their faith: but the love of God, and the promises of an eternal happiness in the next life, with the assistances which God gives them, make the yoke of Christ sweet, and his burden light. See Mat. xi. 30. How different is this doctrine from that of those late heretics, who pretend that God’s commandments are impossible, even to just men, when they employ all their endeavours. See the first proposition of Jansenius, and this heresy of Calvin condemned by the council of Trent, sess. 6, cap. xi. can. 18. Wi.
• Ver. 4. This is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith. That is, a lively faith, working by charity, makes a man victorious over the greatest temptations, and over all the adversaries of his salvation. Wi. — Our faith; Not a bare speculative or dead faith, but a faith working by charity. Gal. v. 6. Ch.

Haydock Commentary Luke 4: 14-22

• Ver. 17. As he unfolded the book: and again, (v. 20) when he had folded the book. Books at that time where not like our now-a-days, but were skins or parchments, rolled or folded up. Wi. — Some are of opinion that the Jews of Nazareth, having heard of the miracles and fame of Jesus, and that he was accustomed to teach in the synagogues, though he had never been instructed in any learning, when he rose to speak, purposely gave him the book of Isaias, which was esteemed the most difficult to be explained, in order to try his learning; though it is probable that it was done by the all-directing interposition of Divine Providence. Maldonatus.
• Ver. 18. By the poor are to be understood the Gentiles; who might truly be called poor, since they possessed neither the knowledge of the true God, nor of the law, nor of the prophets. Origen. — Isaias in this place speaks of himself, as a figure of the Messias. The captivity of Babylon, which is the literal object of this prophecy, was a figure of the then state of mankind; the return from this captivity announced by the prophet, and effected by Cyrus, represented the redemption of man, effected by Jesus Christ. V.
• Ver. 19. To set at liberty them that are bruised, or oppressed. These words are not in the prophet; but are added by S. Luke, to explain the others. — To preach the acceptable year, as it were the jubilee year, when slaves used to be set at liberty. Wi.
• Ver. 20. To observe and admire a person that had never learned letters, and who stood up amongst them an experienced teacher. Menochius. See John vii. 15. and Maldonatus.
• Ver. 21. By this Christ wished to shew that he was the Messias foretold by the prophet Isaias, whom they so anxiously expected: he declares himself to be the person pointed out by the prophet. There seems also to be a secret reprehension in these words of Christ; as if he were to say: Why are you so desirous to behold the Messias, whom, when he is before your eyes, you will not receive? Why do you seek him in the prophets, when you neither understand the prophets, nor perceive the truth of their predictions, when they are fulfilled before you eyes? Maldonatus.

Sunday Bible Readings for Mass January 11 2009 The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

January 11 2009 The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

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 for your own personal study. Readings vary depending on your local calendar.

Official Readings of the Liturgy at – http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/011109.shtml

Variant Readings Included
Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Douay-Rheims Challoner

Behold my servant, I will uphold him: my elect, my soul delighteth in him: I have given my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor have respect to person, neither shall his voice be heard abroad. The bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench, he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not be sad, nor troublesome, till he set judgment in the earth, and the islands shall wait for his law. I the Lord have called thee in justice, and taken thee by the hand, and preserved thee. And I have given thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles: That thou mightest open the eyes of the blind, and bring forth the prisoner out of prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

OR
Isaiah 55:1-11
DR Challoner

All you that thirst, come to the waters: and you that have no money make haste, buy, and eat: come ye, buy wine and milk without money, and without any price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which doth not satisfy you? Hearken diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness. Incline your ear and come to me: hear and your soul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the faithful mercies of David.

Behold I have given him for a witness to the people, for a leader and a master to the Gentiles. Behold thou shalt call a nation, which thou knewest not: and the nations that knew not thee shall run to thee, because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified thee.

Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found: call upon him, while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God: for he is bountiful to forgive. For my thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts. And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it.

Responsorial Psalm 28:1-4, 3, 9-10 (Ps 29 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only (rearranged in Lectionary readings)

Bring to the Lord, O ye children of God:
bring to the Lord the offspring of rams.
Bring to the Lord glory and honour:
bring to the Lord glory to his name:
adore ye the Lord in his holy court.
The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
The Lord is upon many waters.
The voice of the Lord is in power;
the voice of the Lord in magnificence.
the God of majesty hath thundered,
and in his temple all shall speak his glory.
The Lord maketh the flood to dwell:
and the Lord shall sit king for ever.

OR
Responsorial Psalm Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
DR Challoner Text Only

Behold, God is my saviour,
I will deal confidently, and will not fear:
because the Lord is my strength, and my praise,
and he is become my salvation.
Thou shall draw waters with joy out of the saviour’s fountains:
Praise ye the Lord, and call upon his name:
make his works known among the people:
remember that his name is high.
Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath done great things:
shew this forth in all the earth.
Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Sion:
for great is he that is in the midst of thee,
the Holy One of Israel.

Readings II – Acts of the Apostles 10:34-38
Haydock New Testament

Then Peter, opening his mouth, said:

In truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons. But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh justice, is acceptable to him. God sent the word to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all). You know the word which hath been published through all Judea: for it began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached, Jesus, of Nazareth: how God anointed him with the Holy Ghost, and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed by the devil: for God was with him.

OR Readings II
1 John 5:1-9
Haydock New Testament

EVERY one who believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God. And every one that loveth him that begot, loveth him also who was born of him. In this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the charity of God that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not heavy.

For whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world: and this is the victory which overcometh the work, our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not in water only, but in water and blood. And it is the spirit that testifieth, that Christ is the truth. For there are three that give testimony in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that give testimony on earth: the spirit, and water, and blood: and these three are one. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater: for this is the testimony of God, which he greater, because he hath testified of his Son.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 1:7-11
Haydock New Testament

John the Baptist spoke:

There cometh after me one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee; and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And forthwith coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit as a dove descending, and remaining on him. And there came a voice from heaven:

Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.

Haydock Commentary Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 1. My servant. Christ, who, according to his humanity, is the servant of God, (Ch.) and Redeemer of others; none else being able to satisfy for themselves. W. Phil. ii. 7. C. — This passage clearly refers to the Messias, (Chal. Kimchi) who was prefigured by Cyrus. v. 6. C. Hugo. — It is quoted by S. Mat. (xii. 18.) who has some variations both from the Heb. and the Sept. (C.) particularly the first part of v. 4. which the Sept. renders, “He shall shine, and shall not be broken.”
• Ver. 4. Islands. Sept. and S. Mat. “the Gentiles shall hope in his name.” H.
• Ver. 6. Gentiles. This was literally verified in Christ. Cyrus is also styled the just, (C. xli. 26.) and gave liberty to many nations.
• Ver. 7. House. The Jews out of captivity, prefigured the redemption of mankind. These miracles proved that Jesus was the Messias. Lu. vii. 22.

Haydock Commentary Isaias 55:1-11

• Ver. 1. Waters, which in that country are very scarce. — Milk. Sept. “fat.” C. — In the western Churches, wine and honey were given to the new baptized. C. vii. 15. S. Jer. — Christ invites all to come to him. John iv. 14,. and vii. 37. The establishment of the Church is described under the figure of the return from Babylon. C. — Grace is offered to all. But only those are justified who thirst, and do their best. Mat. v. 6. W.
• Ver. 3. David. I will be equally faithful to you. Ps. lxxxviii. 29. Sept. “the holy things of David faithful.“ Acts xiii. 34. The resurrection of Christ fully accomplished the promise made to David.
• Ver. 4. Him. David, who continually proclaimed the divine mercies, (Ps. xvii. 1.) or rather Christ; though Grotius alone would refer it to Jeremias. C.
• Ver. 5. Not with approbation. H. — The Gentiles are converted.
• Ver. 6. Near. He will shortly (C.) turn to the Gentiles. John xii. 35. Acts xiii. 46. H.
• Ver. 7. Way. This is a necessary preliminary to God’s service. W.
• Ver. 8. My ways. I am not vindictive, but require a sincere conversion. C. — We cannot serve both God and the world. We must therefore adhere to the former. W.
• Ver. 11. Sent it. I will assuredly bring you from Babylon; and the rain shall sooner return upwards than I will break my promise.

Haydock Commentary Acts 10:34-38

• Ver. 35. In every nation, &c. That is to say, not only Jews, but Gentiles also, of what nation soever, are acceptable to God, if they fear him, and work justice. But then true faith is always to be presupposed, without which, (saith S. Paul, Heb. xi. 6.) it is impossible to please God. Beware then of the error of those, who would infer from this passage, that men of all religions may be pleasing to God. For since none but the true religion can be from God, all other religions must be from the father of lies; and therefore highly displeasing to the God of truth. Ch. — He that feareth him, and worketh justice. So he call the prayers, alms-deeds, and charitable works of this Gentile Cornelius. Wi.
• Ver. 36. God sent the word.[3] By this word, some understand the eternal Word, the Son of God; but by the next verse, we may rather expound it of the word of the gospel preached. Jesus Christ . . . he is Lord of all things. A proof of Christ’s divinity. Wi.
• Ver. 37. For it began, or its beginning was, &c.

Haydock Commentary 1 John 5:1-9

• Ver. 1. That Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messias, the Redeemer of the world, is born of God, is made his adoptive son by his grace in baptism. Wi. — Is born of God; that is, is justified, and become a child of God by baptism; which is also to be understood, provided the belief of this fundamental article of the Christian faith is accompanied with all the other conditions, which, by the word of God and his appointment, are also required for justification; such as a general belief of all that God has revealed and promised; hope, love, repentance, and a sincere disposition to keep God’s holy law and commandments. Ch. — Loveth him[1] that begot; i.e. the eternal Father. — Loveth him also who was born of him; i.e. loveth him who is his only begotten and eternal Son. Wi.
• Ver. 2. In this we know that we love the children of God, (that is, all men, and especially the faithful, who are made his adoptive children) when we love God, and keep his commandments, for these two branches of charity, the love of God and of our neighbour, are inseparable: the one is known and proved by the other. Wi.
• Ver. 3. And his commandments are not heavy; not burdensome. Not but that they comprehend what seems hard to human frailty, and especially to men carried away with the love of vanities in this world, who think it hard to comply with Christ’s doctrine of self-denials, of renouncing their inclinations, of suffering death, sooner than to sin against God, or to renounce their faith: but the love of God, and the promises of an eternal happiness in the next life, with the assistances which God gives them, make the yoke of Christ sweet, and his burden light. See Mat. xi. 30. How different is this doctrine from that of those late heretics, who pretend that God’s commandments are impossible, even to just men, when they employ all their endeavours. See the first proposition of Jansenius, and this heresy of Calvin condemned by the council of Trent, sess. 6, cap. xi. can. 18. Wi.
• Ver. 4. This is the victory which overcometh the world, our faith. That is, a lively faith, working by charity, makes a man victorious over the greatest temptations, and over all the adversaries of his salvation. Wi. — Our faith; Not a bare speculative or dead faith, but a faith working by charity. Gal. v. 6. Ch.
• Ver. 6. Came by water and blood. The sense seems to be, by water, with which he ordered every one to be baptized and made Christians; 2ndly, by his blood shed on the cross for our redemption. Wi. — Blood: not only to wash away our sins by the water of baptism, but by his own blood. Ch. — And it is the Spirit that testifieth that Christ[2] is the truth. By the Spirit, which is not here called the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, as in the next verse, is either meant the Spirit or soul of Christ, which dying he recommended into the hands of his Father, and which shewed that he was truly man, against Cerinthus, and some heretics of those times; or else it may signify the spirit of grace, given in this world to the faithful, in the same sense as S. Paul says, (Rom. viii. 16.) that the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our Spirit, that we are the sons of God: and of which may be understood what is said here, (v. 10.) He that believeth in the Son of God, hath the testimony of God in himself. Wi.
• Ver. 7. There are three that give testimony in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one: i.e. one in nature, in substance, and in all perfections, in the same sense as when Christ himself said, (Jo. x. 30.) I and the Father are one, or one thing. The Socinians object that this verse is wanting in many Greek manuscripts; and even Erasmus in one edition, and Mr. Simon in his Critics, have questioned it, or rejected it, as a false reading, but without any sufficient proofs and grounds, as hath been shewn by many learned Catholics, and also by Protestant writers, who receive in their translations this verse as canonical. It is easy to account for the omission of this verse; for as both the seventh and eighth verse begin and end with the same words, this gave occasion to the oversight and omission of the transcribers, whereas it is not credible that such a whole verse could be added. And that it was only by the mistake and oversight of transcribers may further appear, because we find part of the seventh verse, to wit, and these three are one, cited by Tertul. l. cont. Praxeam. c. xxiii. p. 515. Ed. Rig. and twice by S. Cyprian, Epist. 73. ad Jubaianum. p. 125. Ed. Rig. in the Oxford Edition, p. 310. and in his Treatise de Unit. Ecclesiæ, p. 181. Ed. Rigal. and in the Oxford Ed. p. 79, where also Dr. Fell defends this verse of S. John to be genuine. Tertul. and Cyp. wrote long before the dispute with the Arians. The Socinians also object that this passage is not brought by S. Athanasius and some other fathers against the Arians, which they could scarce have omitted had they read this verse, but this only proves that this omission had happened in some MSS. in their time, or, as some conjecture, that the Arians had corrupted some copies. S. Fulgentius made use of it against the Arians, and also others about that time. See the Benedictines of S. Maur against Mr. Simon, in the first tome of S. Jerom, p. 1670. Both Catholics and Protestants, after diligent examination, have received this verse, which is found in the best MSS. See Greek Test. at Amsterdam, an. 1711. The three divine Persons, who are present everywhere, though said to be in heaven, gave testimony concerning Christ. The Father by a voice from heaven, both at his baptism (Mat. iii. 17.) and at his transfiguration, (Mat. xvii. 5.) saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him:” and also by all the miracles wrought by the same power of all the three divine Persons. 2. The Son testified to the Jews on many occasions, that he was sent from God, that he was the only Son of God, that he and his Father were one, &c. as in the annotations on John iii. The Holy Ghost confirmed the same, particularly by coming down upon the disciples on the day of Pentecost, and inspiring them to teach the same doctrine concerning Jesus Christ. Wi. — An express proof of the three distinct persons and unity of nature and essence in the blessed Trinity.
• Ver. 8. And there are three that give testimony on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three are one.[3] This is a repetition of what was before said, v. 6, to be expounded in the same manner. But when it is added, these three are one, the sense is, that they witness one and the same truth. Wi. — As the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, all bear witness to Christ’s divinity; so the spirit, which he yielded up, crying out with a loud voice upon the cross, and the water and blood that issued from his side, bearing witness to his humanity, and are one; that is, all agree in one testimony. Ch.

Haydock Commentary Mark 1:7-11

• Ver. 7. One mightier than I. The precursor does not yet openly declare our Lord to be the Son of God, but only one mightier than himself. The Jews were not prepared to receive his coming; he therefore wisely led them by degrees to the knowledge of what divine Providence had designed them; he yet secretly assures them that he is the Son of God. I have baptized you with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. Not it is evident that none but God can bestow upon man the grace of the Holy Ghost. Ven. Bede.
• Ver. 9. See notes on our Saviour’s baptism, Matt. iii. — That Christ was baptized by immersion, is clear from the text; for he who ascended out of the water must first have descended into it. And this method was of general use in the Church for 1300 years, as appears from the acts of councils and ancient rituals. It is imagined by some, that in the very spot of the river Jordan, where the ark stood whilst the Israelites passed over, our Lord (the ark of the covenant of grace) was baptized by S. John.
• Ver. 10. Spirit. The epithet Holy is not found in most of the Greek MSS. but it is in John i. 32. and 33.
• Ver. 11. The Greek printed copies, and some MSS. read with S. Matt. (iii. 17.) in whom, en w, thus S. Chrys. Euthym. and Th. Some few, however, have en soi, in thee, with the Syriac and Latin text. P. — All the Fathers cite these verses for a proof of the Trinity: the testimony of the Father speaking, of the Son receiving the testimony, of the Holy Ghost descending in the shape of a dove. P. in Matt. iii. 17.