Daily Bible Readings Wednesday May 27 2009 Seventh Week of Easter

May 27 2009 Wednesday Seventh Week of Easter
Saint of the Day – St. Augustine of Canterbury

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/052709.shtml

The Acts of the Apostles 20:28-38
Haydock New Testament

Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. I know, that after my departure, ravenous wolves will enter in among you, not sparing the flock. And of your own selves will rise up men speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, keeping in memory, that for three years I ceased not night and day, with tears admonishing every one of you. And now I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, who is able to build up, and to give an inheritance among all the sanctified.

I have not coveted any man’s silver, gold, or apparel, as You yourselves know: that as for such things as were needful for me, and for them that are with me, these hands have furnished. I have shewed you all things, how that laboring so you ought to support the weak, and remember the word of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is more blessed to give, than to receive.

And when he had said these things, kneeling down, he prayed with them all. And there was much weeping among them all: and falling on Paul’s neck, they kissed him, Being grieved most of all for the word which he had said, that they should see his face no more. And they conducted him to the ship.

Responsorial Psalm 67:29-30, 33-35a, 35bc-36ab
DR Challoner Text Only

Command thy strength, O God confirm,
O God, what thou hast wrought in us.
From thy temple in Jerusalem,
kings shall offer presents to thee.
Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth:
sing ye to the Lord: Sing ye to God,
Who mounteth above the heaven of heavens, to the east.
Behold he will give to his voice the voice of power:
Give ye glory to God for Israel,
his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds.
God is wonderful in his saints:
the God of Israel is he
who will give power and strength to his people.
Blessed be God.

The Gospel According to Saint John 17:11b-19
Haydock New Testament

Jesus said:

Holy Father, keep them in thy name, whom thou hast given me: that they may be one, as we also are. While I was with them, I kept them in thy name. Those whom thou gavest me, I have kept: and none of them hath perished, but the son of perdition, that the Scripture may be fulfilled. And now I come to thee: and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy filled in themselves.

I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world: as I also am not of the world. I do not ask that thou take them away out of the world, but that thou preserve them from evil. They are not of the world: as I also am not of the world.

Sanctify them in truth. Thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for them do I sanctify myself: that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Haydock Commentary Acts 20:28-38
Notes copied from Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 28. Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock. The ministers of the gospel must in the first place take care of the salvation of their own souls: and in the next place of the salvation of their flock, of the souls committed to their care, and to the Church; especially such ministers of God as are bishops,[2] placed, by divine institution, to govern the Church, or the churches under them.  The word bishop, by its derivation, signifies overseers, or superintendants; but the signification is to be taken and expressed by the custom and ecclesiastical use of words.  Wi.
• Ver. 32. To the word of his grace, to the protection of God’s grace, given to those that preach the gospel, and administer the sacraments instituted by Christ. — Who is able to build up, to finish that building, of which the foundation is laid by my preaching.  Wi.
• Ver. 34. These hands have furnished, by labouring to maintain myself, &c.  Wi.
• Ver. 35. It is more blessed to give than to receive. We find not these words of Christ in the gospels.  S. Paul might have them from the apostles.  Wi. — Among the many excellent examples of good things our dear Lord said, and which are not mentioned in the gospel, this is one: “it is a more blessed thing to give, than to receive;” which did men justly weigh, they would be more ready to give alms, were it only for their own account.  Thrice happy then are they who assist their indigent neighbour to the utmost of their power, and for the pure love of God!  A.
• Ver. 37. They kissed him. These marks of tenderness are dictated by nature, and have always been used between friends, who were separating from each other, or who meet after a long absence.  The Scripture furnishes us with numberless examples of it.  Calmet. — He likewise prayed, as he usually did, when he bade his last farewell.  See his last adieus with the Tyrians, (c. xxi. 5. 6.) were they all kneeled down to pray on the shore.  This is also reasonable, and becoming a Christian.  It is a sign of communion and mutual charity, and implores a prosperous voyage for those who were departing, whilst those who remained, cherish in their mind the remembrance of the virtues of their absent friend.  Menochius. — The mind of man cannot conceive a finer subject for the painter than this melting separation.  After the discourse, we see S. Paul falling on his knees, and praying with them all for the last time; an general burst of tears takes place, when they are told that they are to see their father’s face no more; they fall upon his neck and kiss him; and with hearts full of grief and gratitude, they accompany him on his way to the very ship which is to transport their father, friend, and benefactor, to other souls, who wanted the charitable assistance of the man of God.

Haydock Commentary John 17:11b-19

• Ver. 11b+. Keep them in thy name, whom thou hast given me.[4]  Christ, as man, says S. Aug. asks of his Father, to preserve those disciples whom he had given him, who were to preach the gospel to the world. — That they may be one, as we also are. These words cannot signify an equality, nor to be one in nature and substance, as the divine persons are one, but only that they may imitate, as much as they are able, that union of love and affection.  See S. Chrys. S. Cyril, and S. Aug. on these word.  Wi. — Here Jesus Christ prays especially, that the apostles and his Church may be kept in unity of religion, and free from schism.
• Ver. 12. While I was with them, I kept them in thy name.[5]  He still speaks, says S. Chrys. as man, and after a human manner, by mentioning the advantage they seemed to enjoy, as long as he conversed visibly with them on earth, not that his invisible presence should be less beneficial to them. — And none of them hath perished, except the son of perdition, the wretched Judas, whose fall was foretold in the Scriptures.  Psal. cviii.  He hath perished, that is, now is about being lost, by his own fault, says S. Chrys. on this place.  And S. Aug. on Psal. cxxxviii.  How did the devil enter into the heart of Judas?  he could not have entered,  had not he given him place. Wi. — That the Scripture may be fulfilled: this does not any ways shew, that it was the will of God that Judas should be lost; but only that what happened to Judas was conformable to the prophecies, and not occasioned by them.  Who will doubt, says S. Aug. (lib. de Unit. Eccl. c. ix.) but that Judas might, if he pleased, have abstained from betraying Christ.  But God foretold it, because he foresaw clearly the future perversity of his disposition.  Calmet. —See above, (xiii. 18.) one of the principal passages of Scripture relative to the treachery of Judas, in which the traitor’s crime had been predicted.
• Ver. 14. He tells his Father the reason why the world hated them, because they were not of the world.  By generation, indeed, they were of the world; but by regeneration, they were not of the world.  Thus they became like to himself, being born again of that Holy Spirit, by whose all powerful operation, he took upon himself the form of a servant.  But although they were not of the world, still was it necessary that they should remain in the world; therefore he continues, I ask not that thou wouldst take them out of the world.  S. Aug. tract. 107. in Joan.
• Ver. 18. As thou hast sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. He speaks of that mission, which agreed with him, as man, and become man for the salvation of mankind, to which also the apostles, and their successors were to co-operate, as the ministers and instruments of Christ, by virtue of their mission for him.  Wi. — For the same intent as Christ himself was sent, were the apostles sent also: whence S. Paul says, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and he has placed in us the word of reconciliation.  2 Cor. v. 19.  Glossarium.
• Ver. 19. And for them do I sanctify myself[6].  S. Aug. expounds it, I sanctify them, who are my members, in myself.  The interpretation of S. Chrys. and S. Cyril, seems preferable, that to sanctify in the style of Scriptures, is oftentimes the same as to offer up a sacrifice: so the sense here is, I sacrifice, and offer up myself on the cross for them and all mankind.  Wi. — By this Christ shews, that he sanctified the apostles, by sanctifying himself; because they are the members of his body.  S. Aug. tract. 107. in Joan. — Or, according to S. Chrys. I offer myself up to be the victim in their behalf.  For victims, and whatever is dedicated to God, are called holy.  He, their head, was offered up, and they also are immolated, according to that of the apostle, Romans xii.  Exhibit your members a living sacrifice, holy, &c.  S. Chrys. hom. lxxxi. in Joan.