Daily Bible Readings Saturday January 17 2009 First Week in Ordinary Time

January 17 2009 Saturday First Week in Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day – St. Anthony of Egypt

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/011709.shtml

Hebrews 4:12-16
Haydock New Testament

For the word of God is living and effectual, and more penetrating than any two-edged sword: and reaching unto the division of the soul and the spirit, of the joints also, and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature invisible in his sight: but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him, to whom our speech is. Having, therefore, a great high priest who hath penetrated into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest, who cannot have compassion on our infirmities: but one tempted in all things like as we are, without sin. Let us go, therefore, with confidence to the throne of grace: that we may obtain mercy, and find grace in seasonable aid.

Responsorial Psalm 18:8-10, 15 (Ps 19 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

The law of the Lord is unspotted,
converting souls:
the testimony of the Lord is faithful,
giving wisdom to little ones.
The justices of the Lord are right,
rejoicing hearts:
the commandment of the Lord is lightsome,
enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is holy,
enduring for ever and ever:
the judgments of the Lord are true,
justified in themselves.
And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please:
and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight.
O Lord, my helper and my Redeemer.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 2:13-17
Haydock New Testament

And he went forth again to the sea side: and all the multitude came to him, and he taught them. And when he was passing by, he saw Levi, the son of Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom; and he saith to him:

Follow me.

And rising up, he followed him. And it came to pass, that as he sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat down together with Jesus and his disciples: for they were many, who also followed him. And the Scribes and Pharisees, seeing that he did eat with publicans and sinners, said to his disciples:

Why doth your master eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

Jesus hearing this, saith to them:

They that are well have no need of a physician, but they that are sick: for I came not to call the just, but sinners.

Haydock Commentary Hebrews 4:12-16
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 12. For the word of God is living, &c. Some understand by the word of God, the eternal word, or Son of God: (to whom may apply all in the 12th and 13th verses) but others rather expound it of the words, promises, and menaces of God, either foretold by the prophets, or preached by the apostles. Wi. — All this language is metaphorical, but perfectly well understood by the Jews. In their sacrifices, the Levites made use of a two-edged knife to separate from the victim what was for God, what was for the priests, and what was for the people. Thus in sacrificing sinners to the justice of God, Jesus Christ, like a two-edged knife, will separate what is for God, and what is for man; i.e. whatever is good or evil in the whole of man’s conduct.
• Ver. 13. In his sight, or to the eyes, must signify in the sight of God. Wi. — If the word of God in Jesus Christ be so terrible, what will Jesus Christ be himself, when he comes to judge us according to the severity of his justice?
• Ver. 14. Having, therefore, as I told you before, a great high priest, Christ, who ascended into heaven, who can compassionate our infirmities, let us with a firm confidence approach the throne of grace, by faith, hope, charity, and good works. Wi.
• Ver. 16. Le us often contemplate Jesus Christ on his two thrones, that of his mercy, and that of his justice; of his mercy, where at present he is seated as our compassionate high priest, to bestow on us the riches of his grace; of his justice, where he will one day sit as judge, to examine most rigorously both our faith and our practice. Our separated brethren pretend to prove from this text that we need no help of saints to obtain any favour. But by this argument they may as well take away the helps and prayers of the living for one another. For we do not require the help of either the saints in heaven, or of our brethren on earth, through any mistrust of God’s mercy, but on account of our own unworthiness, convinced that the prayer of a just man availeth more with Him, that the desire of a grievous sinner; and of a number making intercession together, rather than of one alone. This they cannot deny, except they deny the holy Scriptures. Neither do we come less to Him, or with less confidence, when we come accompanied with the prayers of Angels, saints, priests, or just men, with us, as they fondly imagine and pretend; but with much more confidence in his grace, mercy, and merits, than if we prayed ourselves alone. B.

Haydock Commentary Mark 2:13-17

• Ver. 14. To follow Christ, is to imitate him; wherefore this apostle, that he might be able to follow Christ, the model of poverty, not so much by his bodily steps, as by the inward affections of his soul, forsook all; he not only forsook his present goods, but despised all danger, which he incurred by leaving his business abruptly, and without rendering any account of it to his employers or governors. Ven. Bede. — The person to whom Christ addresses the words, follow me, was Matthew: see infra ix. 9.
• Ver. 17. The Greek printed copies, and some MSS. add to penance, as we read in Luke v. 33.

Catena Aurea Mark 2:13-17
From Catechetics Online

• Bede: After that the Lord taught at Capernaum, He went to the sea, that He might not only set in order the life of men in towns, but also might preach the Gospel of the kingdom to those who dwelt near the sea, and might teach them to despise the restless motions of those things which pass away like the waves of the sea, and to overcome them by the firmness of faith. Wherefore it is said, “And He went forth again to the sea, and all the multitude, &c.”
• Theophylact: Or else, after the miracle, He goes to the sea, as if wishing to be alone, but the crowd runs to Him again, that thou mightest learn, that the more thou fliest from glory, the more she herself pursues thee; but if thou followest her, she will fly from thee. The Lord passing on from thence called Matthew. Wherefore there follows, “And as He passed by, He saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting, &c.”
• Chrys.: Now this is the same publican who is named by all the Evangelists; Matthew by Matthew; simply Levi by Luke; and Levi, the son of Alphaeus, by Mark; for he was the son of Alphaeus. And you may find persons with two names in other parts of Scripture; as Moses’ father in law is sometimes called Jethro, sometimes Raguel.
• Bede, in Marc., 11: So also the same person is called Levi and Matthew; but Luke and Mark, on account of their reverence and the honour of the Evangelist, are unwilling to put the common name, while Matthew is a just accuser of himself, and calls himself Matthew and publican. He wishes to shew to his hearers that no one who is converted should despair of his salvation, since he himself was suddenly changed from a publican into an Apostle. but he says that he was sitting at the ‘teloneum,’ that is, the place where the customs are looked after and administered. For ‘telos’ in Greek is the same as ‘vectigal,’ customs, in Latin.
• Theophylact: For he sat at the receipt of custom, either, as is often done, exacting from some, or making up accounts, or doing some actions of that sort, which publicans are wont to do in their abodes, yea this man, who was raised on high from this state of life that he might leave all things and follow Christ. Wherefore it goes on, “And He saith to him, Follow Me, &c.”
• Bede: Now to follow is to imitate, and therefore in order to imitate the poverty of Christ, in the feeling of his soul even more than in outward condition, he who used to rob his neighbour’s wealth, now leaves his own. And not only did he quit the gain of the customs, but he also despised the peril, which might come from the princes of this world, because he left the accounts of the customs imperfect and unsettled. For the Lord Himself, Who externally, by human language, called Him to follow, inflamed him inwardly by divine inspiration to follow Him the moment that He called him.
• Pseudo-Jerome: Thus then Levi, which means Appointed, followed from the custom-house of human affairs, the Word, Who says, “He who doth not quit all that he has, cannot be My disciple.”
• Theophylact: But he who used to plot against others becomes so benevolent, that he invites many persons to eat with him.Wherefore it goes on: “And it came to pass, that as Jesus sat at meat in his house.”
• Bede, in Marc. i, 12: The persons here called publicans are those who exact the public customs, or men who farm the customs of the exchequer or of republics; moreover, those also, who follow after the gain of this world by business, are called by the same name. They who had seen that the publican, converted from his sins to better things, had found a place of pardon, even for this reason themselves also do not despair of salvation. And they come to Jesus, not remaining in their former sins, as the Pharisees and Scribes complain, but in penitence, as the following words of the Evangelist shew, saying, “For there were many who followed Him.” For the Lord went to the feasts of sinners, that He might have an opportunity of teaching them, and might set before His entertainers spiritual meats, which also is carried on in mystical figures. For he who receives Christ into his inward habitation is fed with the highest delights of overflowing pleasures. Therefore the Lord enters willingly, and takes up His abode in the affection of him who hath believed on Him; and this is the spiritual banquet of good works, which the rich cannot have, and on which the poor feast.
• Theophylact: But the Pharisees blame this, making themselves pure. Whence there follows: “And when the Scribes and Pharisees saw Him eat, &c.”
• Bede: If by the election of Matthew and calling of the publicans, the faith of the Gentiles is expressed, who formerly were intent on the gains of this world; certainly the haughtiness of the Scribes and Pharisees intimates the envy of the Jewish people, who are vexed at the salvation of the Gentiles. It goes on: “When Jesus heard it, He saith unto them, They that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick.” He aims at the Scribes and Pharisees, who, thinking themselves righteous, refused to keep company with sinners. He calls Himself the physician, Who, by a strange mode of healing, was wounded on account of our iniquities, and by His wound we are healed. And He calls those whole and righteous, who, wishing to establish their own righteousness, are not subject to the righteousness of God. Moreover He calls those rich and sinners, who, overcome by the consciousness of their own frailty, and seeing that they cannot be justified by the Law, submit their necks to the grace of Christ by repentance. Wherefore it is added, “For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners, &c.”
• Theophylact: Not indeed that they should continue sinners, but be converted to that repentance.