Daily Bible Readings Monday January 26 2009 Memorial of Saint Timothy and Saint Titus, bishops with Catholic Commentary

January 26 2009 Monday Memorial of Saint Timothy and Saint Titus, bishops
Saint of the Day – Sts. Timothy and Titus

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/012609.shtml

2 Timothy 1:1-8
Haydock New Testament

PAUL, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus: To Timothy, most beloved son, grace, mercy, peace from God the Father, and from Christ Jesus, our Lord.

I give thanks to God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience, that without ceasing I have a remembrance of thee in my prayers, night and day. Desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy, Calling to mind that faith which is in thee unfeigned, which also dwelt first in thy grandmother, Lois, and in thy mother, Eunice, and I am certain that in thee also. For which cause I admonish thee, that thou stir up the grace of God, which is in thee, by the imposition of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of sobriety. Be not thou, therefore, ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner: but labour with the gospel, according to the power of God:

OR
Titus 1:1-5
Haydock New Testament

PAUL, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the elect of God, and the acknowledging of the truth, which is according to piety: Unto the hope of life everlasting, which God, who lieth not, hath promised before the times of the world: But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed to me according to the commandment of God, our Saviour.

To Titus, my beloved son, according to the common faith, grace and peace from God, the Father, and from Christ Jesus, our Saviour. For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldst ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee.

Responsorial Psalm 95:1-3, 7-8a, 10 (Ps 96 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle:
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing ye to the Lord and bless his name:
shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the Gentiles:
his wonders among all people.
Bring ye to the Lord, O ye kindreds of the Gentiles,
bring ye to the Lord glory and honour:
Bring to the Lord glory unto his name.
Say ye among the Gentiles, the Lord hath reigned.
For he hath corrected the world, which shall not be moved:
he will judge the people with justice.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Mark 3:22-30
Haydock New Testament

And the Scribes, who were come down from Jerusalem, said:

He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils he casteth out devils.

And after he had called them together, he said to them in parables:

How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan be risen up against himself, he is divided, and cannot stand, but hath an end.

No man can enter into the house of a strong man, and rob him of his goods, unless he first bind the strong man, and then shall he plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, that all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and the blasphemies wherewith they shall blaspheme: But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, shall never have forgiveness, but shall be guilty of an everlasting sin.

Because they said:

He hath an unclean spirit.

Haydock Commentary 2 Timothy 1:1-8
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 3. Whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience. That is, have always served and worshipped the one true God, as my forefathers had done, which was true, even when he persecuted the Christians; though this he did not with a pure conscience, but with a false mistaken zeal; and his ignorance could not excuse him, after he might have known Christ. Wi.
• Ver. 5. Thy grandmother, Lois. The principal intention S. Paul seems to have had in writing this second epistle to Timothy, was, to comfort him under the many hardships under which he laboured for the faith of Christ. To this end he endeavours first to strengthen his faith, by calling to his mind the example given him in his grandmother, as also in his mother, Eunice. Some likewise think S. Paul is here exhorting Timothy to a desire of martyrdom in the perfect discharge of his ministry, by his own example; as the same writers think it most probable that he was confined in prison at Rome, or at Laodicea, at the time he wrote this epistle. Dionysius Carthus. — Certain[1] that in thee also. Wi.
• Ver. 6. That thou stir up[2] the grace of God. In the Greek is a metaphor for fire that is blown up again. — Which is in thee by the imposition of my hands, when thou wast ordained bishop. Wi. — The grace, which S. Paul here exhorts Timothy to stir up in him, was the grace he had received by imposition of hands, either in his confirmation, or at receiving the sacrament of orders, being a bishop. This verse seems to shew that the imposition of hands is used in these two sacraments, as the essential matter of the sacraments, being the instrumental cause of the grace therein conferred. Dion. Carthus.
• Ver. 7. Of fear.[3] Of a cowardly fear, and want of courage. — Of sobriety.[4] Though the Protestants here translate of a sound mind, yet they translate the same Greek word by sobriety in divers other places, as Acts xxvi. 25. 1 Tim. ii. 9 and 15 and c. iii. 2. Tit. i. 8. &c. Wi.
• Ver. 8. Labour with[5] the gospel. That is, labour with me in preaching, &c. Or by the Greek, be partner with me in suffering. Wi.

Haydock Commentary Titus 1:1-5

• Ver. 1. According to the faith of the elect of God; that is, of the Christians, now the elect people of God. — Truth, which is according to piety: because there may be truth also in things that regard not piety. By truth, S. Chrys. here understands the truth of the Christian religion, as distinguished from the Jewish worship, which consisted in a great measure in the figures and types of truth. Wi.
• Ver. 2. Who[1] lieth not, or who cannot lie, being truth itself. — Hath promised; that is, decreed to give life everlasting to his faithful servants. — Before the times of the world.[2] Lit. before secular times. Wi.
• Ver. 3. Manifested his word. S. Jerom understands the word incarnate; others, the word of God preached, which S. Paul says, was committed to him, &c. See S. Chrysostom, p. 383. Wi.
• Ver. 4. To Titus, my beloved, (in the Greek, my true and[3] genuine son, . . . grace and peace. In the present ordinary Greek copies is added mercy, which the Prot. translators followed; but it is judiciously omitted by Dr. Wells, as not found in the best manuscripts nor in S. Chrys. Greek edition, nor in the ancient Greek and Latin Fathers. Wi.
• Ver. 5. That thou shouldst,[4] &c. The sense cannot be, that he was to change any thing S. Paul had ordered, but to settle things which S. Paul had not time to do; for example, to establish priests[5] in the cities, that is to say, bishops, as the same are called bishops v. 7; and, as S. Chrys. and others observe, it is evident from this very place, that the word presbyter was then used to signify either priests or bishops. If S. Jerom here meant that bishops were only placed over priests by ecclesiastical and not by divine institution, as some have expounded his words, his singular opinion against so many others is not to be followed. Wi. — That the ordaining of priests belongs only to bishops, is evident from the Acts and from S. Paul’s epistles to Timothy and Titus. It is true, S. Jerom seems to express himself as if in the primitive Church there was no great difference between priests and bishops, yet he constantly excepts giving holy orders, (ep. 85) as also confirming the baptized, by giving them the Holy Ghost by imposition of hands and holy chrism; (dial. cont. Lucif. c. iv.) which pre-eminence he attributes to bishops only. To assert that there is no distinction between a priest and bishop is an old heresy, condemned as such by the Church. See S. Epiphanius, hær. 75. S. Austin, hær 53.

Haydock Commentary Mark 3:22-30

• Ver. 22. From S. Matt. xii. 22. et dein. we learn that it was on the occasion of the delivery of a possessed person, this blasphemy was uttered.
• Ver. 24. Kingdom against kingdom. As this is true in all kingdoms and states where civil dissensions obtaineth, so it is especially verified in heresies and heretics which have always divisions among themselves, as a punishment for their abandoning the Church, the pillar and ground of truth, the only centre of peace and unity.
• Ver. 29. See S. Matt. xii. 32. — Of an everlasting sin; i.e. of eternal punishment. Wi. — What is here called everlasting offence, is (as S. Matt. expresseth it) that which shall neither be remitted in this life, nor in the life to come; which words would not be true, says S. Austin, if some sins were not forgiven in the world to come. Now, as no mortal sin can be forgiven after death, there must necessarily be smaller transgressions, which we call venial; though many of our separated brethren will needs have all sins to be mortal; which is very far from a comfortable tenet.

Catena Aurea Mark 3:22-30
From Catechetics Online

• Bede: Now there is a great difference between those who do not understand the word of God from slowness of intellect, such as those who are here spoken of, and those who purposely blaspheme, of whom it is added, “And the Scribes which came down from Jerusalem, &c.” For what they could not deny they endeavour to pervert by a malicious interpretation, as if they were not the works of God, but of a most unclean spirit, that is, of Beelzebub, who was the God of Ekrom. For ‘Beel’ means Baal himself, and ‘zebub’ a fly; the meaning of Beelzebub therefore is, the man of flies, on account of the filth of the blood which was offered, from which most unclean rite, they call him prince of the devils, adding, “and by the prince of the devils casteth He out devils.”
• Pseudo-Jerome: But mystically, the house to which they came, is the early Church. The crowds which prevent their eating bread are sins and vices; for he who eateth unworthily, “eateth and drinketh damnation to himself.” [1 Cor 11:29]
• Bede: The Scribes also coming down from Jerusalem blaspheme. But the multitude from Jerusalem, and from other regions of Judaea, or of the Gentiles, followed the Lord, because so it was to be at the time of His Passion, that a crowd of the people of the Jews should lead Him to Jerusalem with palms and praises, and the Gentiles should desire to see Him; but the Scribes and Pharisees should plot together for His death.
• Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: The blasphemy of the Scribes having been detailed, our Lord shews that what they said was impossible, confirming His proof by an example. Wherefore it says, “And having called them together unto Him, He said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?” As if He had said, A kingdom divided against itself by civil war must be desolated, which is exemplified both in a house and in a city. Wherefore also if Satan’s kingdom by divided against itself, so that Satan expels Satan from men, the desolation of the kingdom of the devils is at hand. But their kingdom consists in keeping men under their dominion. If therefore they are driven away from men, it amounts to nothing less [p. 66] than the dissolution of their kingdom. But if they still hold their power over men, it is manifest that the kingdom of evil is still standing, and Satan is not divided against himself.
• Gloss.: And because He has already shewn by an example that a devil cannot cast out a devil, He shews how he can be expelled, saying, “No man can enter into a strong man’s house, &c.”
• Theophylact: The meaning of the example is this: The devil is the strong man; his goods are the men into whom he is received; unless therefore a man first conquers the devil, how can he deprive him of his goods, that is, of the men whom he has possessed? So also I who spoil his goods, that is, free men from suffering by his possession, first spoil the devils and vanquish them, and am their enemy. How then can ye say that I have Beelzebub and that being the friend of the devils, I cast them out?
• Bede, in Marc., 1, 17: The Lord has also bound the strong man, that is, the devil: which means, He has restrained him from seducing the elect, and entering into his house, the world; He has spoiled his house, and his goods, that is men, because He has snatched them from the snares of the devil, and has united them to His Church. Or, He has spoiled his house, because the four parts of the world, over which the old enemy had sway, He has distributed to the Apostles and their successors, that they may convert the people to the way of life. But the Lord shews that they committed a great sin in crying out that which they knew to be of God, was of the devil, when He subjoins, “Verily, I say unto you, All sins are forgiven, &c.” All sins and blasphemies are not indeed remitted to all men, but to those who have gone through a repentance in this life sufficient for their sins; thus neither is Novatus right [ed. note: Novatus was a Carthaginian presbyter, who, after having abetted Felicissimus in his schism against St. Cyprian, came to Rome and joined Novatian against Pope Cornelius, A.D. 251. His error, which is here opposed to Origen's, consisted in denying that Christ had left with His Church the power of absolving from certain sins, especially from apostasy.], who denied that any pardon should be granted to penitents, who had lapsed in time of martyrdom; nor Origen, who asserts that after the general judgment, after the revolution of ages, all sinners will receive pardon for their sins, which error the following words of the Lord condemn, when He adds, “But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, &c.”
• Pseudo-Chrys., Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: He says indeed, that blasphemy concerning Himself was pardonable, because He then seemed to be a man despised and of the most lowly birth, but, that contumely against God has no remission. Now blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is against God, for the operation of the Holy Ghost is the kingdom of God; and for this reason, He says, that blasphemy against the Holy Ghost cannot be remitted. Instead, however, of what is here added, “But will be in danger of eternal damnation,” another Evangelist says, “Neither in this world, nor in the world to come.” By which is understood, the judgment which is according to the law, and that which is to come. For the law orders one who blasphemes God to be slain, and in the judgment of the second law he has no remission. However, he who is baptized is taken out of this world; but the Jews were ignorant of the remission which takes place in baptism. [ed. note: A few words are left out in the Catena, which occur in Victor, and which do away with the obscurity of the passage. The missing of the whole is, that though there is no remission either in this world or in the next, yet that baptism is, as it were, a space between the two worlds, where remission can be obtained. The reason, therefore, why this blasphemy could not be remitted, was, because the Jews would not come to Christ's baptism.] He therefore who refers to the devil miracles, and the casting out of devils which belong to the Holy Ghost alone, has no room left him for remission of his blasphemy. Neither does it appear that such a blasphemy as this is remitted, since it is against the Holy Ghost. Wherefore he adds, explaining it, “Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.”
• Theophylact: We must however understand, that they will not obtain pardon unless they repent. But since it was at the flesh of Christ that they were offended, even though they did not repent, some excuse was allowed them, and they obtained some remission.
• Pseudo-Jerome: Or this is meant; that he will not deserve to work out repentance, so as to be accepted, who, understanding who Christ was, declared that He was the prince of the devils.
• Bede: Neither however are those, who do not believe the Holy Spirit to be God, guilty of an unpardonable blasphemy, because they were persuaded to do this by human ignorance, not by devilish malice.
• Augustine, Serm., 71, 12, 22: Or else impenitence itself is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which hath no remission. For either in his thought or by his tongue, he speaks a word against the Holy Ghost, the forgiver of sins, who treasures up for himself an impenitent heart. But he subjoins, “Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit,” that he might shew that His reason for saying it, was their declaring that He cast out a devil by Beelzebub, not because there is a blasphemy, which cannot be remitted, since even this might be remitted through a right repentance; but the cause why this sentence was put forth by the Lord, after mentioning the unclean spirit, (who as our Lord shews was divided against himself,) was, that the Holy Ghost even makes those whom He brings together undivided, by His remitting those sins, which divided them from Himself, which gift of remission is resisted by no one, but him who has the hardness of an impenitent heart. For in another place, the Jews said of the Lord, that He had a devil [John 7:20], without however His saying any thing there about the blasphemy against the Spirit; and the reason is, that they did not there cast in His teeth the unclean spirit, in such a way, that spirit could by their own words be shewn to be divided against Himself, as Beelzebub was here shewn to be, by their saying, that it might be he who cast out devils. [ed. note: St. Augustine explains his meaning by going on to say, that as the Devil was proved by the words of the Jews to be the author of division, so the Holy Ghost was the author of unity, so that one form of blasphemy of the Holy Ghost was rending the unity of the Church, without which there is no remission. St. Ambrose, something in the same way, applies the text to the Arians, as dividing the Holy Trinity, de Fide, i, 1.]