Daily Bible Readings Wednesday April 15 2009 Octave of Easter

April 15 2009 Wednesday in the Octave of Easter
Saint of the Day – Blessed Caesar de Bus

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/041509.shtml

Acts 3:1-10
Haydock New Testament

NOW Peter and John went up to the temple at the ninth hour of prayer.And a certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb, was carried; whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple, which is called the Beautiful, that he might beg alms of them that went into the temple. He, when he had seen Peter and John about to go into the temple, begged to receive an alms. But Peter, with John, fixing his eyes upon him, said;

Look upon us.

But he looked earnestly upon them, hoping he should receive something from them. But Peter said;

Silver and gold I have none: but what I have, I give thee: in the name of Jesus Christ, of Nazareth, rise up, and walk.

And having taken him by the right hand, he lifted him up, and forthwith his feet and sole became firm. And he leaping up, stood, and walked: and entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. And they knew him, that it was he who sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened to him.

Responsorial Psalm 105:1-4, 6-9 (Ps 104 NAB)
DR Challoner

Give glory to the Lord, and call upon his name: declare his deeds among the Gentiles.
Sing to him, yea sing praises to him: relate all his wondrous works.
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
Seek ye the Lord, and be strengthened: seek his face evermore.
O ye seed of Abraham his servant; ye sons of Jacob his chosen.
He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
He hath remembered his covenant for ever:
the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
Which he made to Abraham; and his oath to Isaac:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Luke 24:13-35
Haydock New Testament

And behold, two of them went that same day to a town which was sixty furlongs from Jerusalem, named Emmaus. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that while they talked and reasoned with one another, Jesus himself also drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were held, that they should not know him. And he said to them:

What are these discourses that you hold one with another, as you walk, and are sad?

And the one, whose name was Cleophas, answering, said to him:

Art thou alone a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things that have been done there in these days?

He said to them:

What things?

And they said:

Concerning Jesus, of Nazareth, who was a prophet, mighty in work and word, before God, and all the people: And how our chief priests and rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we hoped that it was he who should have redeemed Israel: and now, besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company, affrighted us, who, before it was light, were at the sepulchre, And not finding his body, came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of Angels, who say that he is alive. And some of our people went to the sepulchre, and found it so as the women had said; but him they found not.

Then he said to them:

O foolish, and slow of heart, to believe in all the things which the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory?

And beginning from Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures, the things that were concerning him. And they drew nigh to the town whither they were going: and he made as though he would go farther. But they constrained him, saying:

Stay with us, because it is towards evening, and the day is now far spent.

And he went in with them. And it came to pass, whilst he was at table with them, he took bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him: and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to the other:

Was not our heart burning within us, whilst he was speaking in the way, and opened to us the Scriptures?

And rising up the same hour they went back to Jerusalem: and they found the eleven gathered together, and those that were with them, Saying:

The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

And they told what things were done in the way: and how they knew him in the breaking of bread.

Haydock Commentary Acts 3:1-10
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 1. To the temple. Though the Jewish ceremonies wee shortly to cease, yet it was not unlawful to follow them; and they went to the temple as a proper place for prayer. Wi. — The ninth hour, that is, about three in the afternoon. But we must here observe, that the Hebrews divided the light into twelve hours, and the dark into twelve hours; so that their hours would be of unequal length: longer in summer, shorter in winter. Menochius. — The custom of praying three times in the day, is ancient among the Jews. Daniel at Babylon opened his window on the side which looked towards the temple of Jerusalem, and three times a day bent his knees before the Lord. The ancient Fathers of the Church have strongly recommended this established custom of praying three times in the day, morning, noon, and evening. It is indeed not a precept, but a religious observation, to which she invites all her children. See S. Clem. of Alex. Constit. lib. vii. c. 24. Tertullian de Jejuniis, &c. — In Catholic countries, the toll of a bell at morning, noon, and evening, announces the time for the recital of the Angelus Domini, a short prayer, in honour of the incarnation. At these moments, all, however employed, whether at labour in the field, or at home, all cease from their employment, till they have recited the prayer. The repetition of this, and similar practices, cannot be too strongly recommended to Catholics of the present day. They are of singular advantage in recalling the soul, which is too easily dissipated and distracted, to God, her first beginning, and her last end. A.
• Ver. 4. Look upon us. S. Peter said this to raise his attention and expectation, but the poor man thought of nothing but an alms. Wi.
• Ver. 6. But what I have, I give thee. Though S. Luke told us, (c. ii. 43.) that the apostles did many miracles and prodigies, yet this is the first specified. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, (known by that name, though of Bethlehem) arise, and walk. In the name of Jesus, lately nailed to a cross. Wi. — This is not the shadow of a great name, magni nominis umbra, but the truth of what it signifies, a Saviour. Not without reason is this name in the Canticles compared to oil, in its three-fold properties, of affording light, food, and medicine. When preached, it enlightens; thought on, it feeds us; and called on, it assuages our grief. Whence has such a sudden light of faith spread over the world, but in preaching the name of Jesus? How did this light shine, and attract the eyes of all, when proceeding like lightning from the mouth of Peter, it strengthened the weakness of the lame man’s feet, and enlightened the minds of many spiritually blind? Did he not then scatter fire, when he exclaimed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, arise and walk? This name is food too. Are you not refreshed, as often as you recall it to your mind? What is as powerful in consoling the mind? What so soon repairs our wearied senses, and gives new vigour to our strength; encourages virtues, cherishes chaste affections? All food is dry to me, if not seasoned with this oil; insipid, unless sprinkled with this salt. If you write, I relish it not, unless I read the name of Jesus. If your read, or speak, I take no pleasure in it, unless I hear the name of Jesus. Jesus is honey in the mouth, music to the ear, but ecstasy to the heart. This is also my medicine. Are you sad? let Jesus enter your heart, and thence ascend upon your tongue. And behold, at the rising of this star, every cloud will retire, and serenity return. Do you fall into a crime, or run on the brink of despair: call on this name of life, and you shall be restored to life, &c. S. Bernard, Serm. xv. super Cant. prope medium.

Haydock Commentary Luke 24:13-35

• Ver. 13. S. Jerom thinks the Cleophas, one of the two disciples, was a citizen of Emmaus, and that he invited Jesus to take meat in his house. His house was afterwards changed into a church, which the same Father says existed in his time. Some think Cleophas was brother to S. Joseph; others, that he was husband of Mary, sister of the blessed Virgin Mary, and father of S. James the less. Both the Latins and Greeks keep the feast of S. Cleophas, and give him the name of an apostle. Usuard says he was martyred by the Jews. Calmet.
• Ver. 16. But their eyes were held: either by our Saviour’s changing his features, or in what manner he pleased. Wi.
• Ver. 18. Art thou alone a stranger in Jerusalem? or, art thou the only stranger in Jerusalem? which was to signify, that every one must needs have heard of what had passed in regard to Jesus. Wi.
• Ver. 21. We hoped, &c. as if they had lost their former hopes, or now knew not what to hope for: but perhaps, as S. Aug. observes, they might use this caution speaking before a stranger. Wi. — These two disciples were in the same error as the other Jews; who expected that the Messias would deliver them from subjection to strangers, and re-establish them in their ancient liberty. The cross and passion had been a subject of scandal and fall to them. They say, we did hope; as if their hopes were now at an end. What increased their diffidence was, that Christ had promised to rise again the third day, and some of the women had said that he really had risen. But they expected as public and glorious a manifestation of his resurrection, as his death had been ignominious and known to the whole world. Behold, now this is already the third day since these things are passed:; if he had wished to manifest his power, he should have done it already. Thus the disciples reason, as if the third day were already past, and as if it were certain that he was not risen again. So difficult a thing is it to believe what we very ardently wish! Calmet.
• Proprium hoc miseros sequitur vitum
• Nunquam rebus credere lætis.
• Ver. 30. The ancient Fathers think our Saviour consecrated, on this occasion, and administered the Eucharist to the two disciples. In the Acts of the Apostles, this same term, breaking of bread, is explained without difficulty of the Eucharist. S. Luke seems fond of this manner of expression, to signify that sacrament. Calmet.