Daily Bible Readings Friday May 29 2009 Seventh Week of Easter

May 29 2009 Friday Seventh Week of Easter
Saint of the Day – St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

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/052909.shtml

The Acts of the Apostles 25:13b-21
Haydock New Testament

King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Cæsarea, to salute Festus. And as they stayed there many days, Festus told the king of Paul, saying;

There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix, Concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests, and the ancients of the Jews, came to me, desiring judgment against him. To whom I answered: It is not the custom of the Romans to condemn any man, before that he who is accused have his accusers present, and have liberty of making his defence, to clear himself of the things laid to his charge. When, therefore, they were come hither, without any delay, on the day following, sitting on the judgment-seat, I commanded the man to be brought forth. Against whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no cause wherein I suspected evil: But had certain questions of their own superstition against him, and of one Jesus deceased, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. And as I was in doubt of this manner of question, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of those things. But Paul appealing to be reserved to the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept, till I might send him to Cæsar.

Responsorial Psalm 102:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab
DR Challoner Text Only

For David himself. Bless the Lord, O my soul:
and let all that is within me bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and never forget all he hath done for thee.
For according to the height of the heaven above the earth:
he hath strengthened his mercy towards them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far hath he removed our iniquities from us.
The Lord hath prepared his throne in heaven:
and his kingdom shall rule over all.
Bless the Lord, all ye his angels:
you that are mighty in strength,
and execute his word

The Gospel According to Saint John 21:15-19
Haydock NT

When, therefore, they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter;

Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these?

He saith to him;

Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith to him;

Feed my lambs.

He saith to him again;

Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?

He saith to him;

Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.

He saith to him;

Feed my lambs.

He saith to him the third time;

Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved, because he said to him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said to him;

Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee.

He said to him;

Feed my sheep.

Amen, amen, I say to thee: when thou wast younger thou didst gird thyself, and didst walk where thou wouldst: But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldst not.

And this he said, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had said this, he saith to him;

Follow me.

Haydock Commentary Acts 25:13b-21
Notes copied from Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 13. Agrippa. This was son of the king of the same name, who imprisoned S. Peter, and put S. James to death.  Bernice was his sister, and one of the most infamous of women.  Her character has merited her a place in one of Juvenal’s satires, 5th.
• Ver. 19. Their own superstition.[3]  Their particular religion, and manner of worshipping their God.  Wi.
• Ver. 21. Augustus Nero, who was then the Roman emperor.

Haydock Commentary John 21:15-19

• Ver. 15. Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? That is, more than any one of these love me.  Christ puts this question thrice to S. Peter, that this triple protestation of love, says S. Aug. might correspond to his triple denial.  S. Peter did not answer that he loved him more than the rest did, which he could not know, but modestly said: yea, Lord, thou knowest I love thee: and the third time, thou knowest all things, and the hearts of all men, thou knowest how much I love thee. At each protestation, Jesus answered, feed my lambs; and the third time, feed my sheep. To feed, in the style of the Scriptures, is to guide, rule, and govern.  S. Ambrose and some others take notice, as if by the lambs, might be understood the people, and by the sheep, those placed over them, as bishops, priests, &c. but others make no such difference in this place, betwixt lambs and sheep, only as comprehending all the members of Christ’s Church, of what condition soever, even the rest of the apostles.  For here it was that Christ gave to S. Peter that power which he had promised him, (Matt. xvi. 18.) that is, He now made S. Peter head[1] of his whole Church, as he had insinuated at the first meeting, when S. Andrew brought him to our Saviour, when he changed his name from Simon to Peter: again, when he chose him, and made him the first of his twelve apostles; but particularly, when he said, thou art Peter, (a rock) and upon this rock will I build my Church, &c.  Upon this account the Catholic Church, from the very first ages, hath always reverenced, and acknowledged the supreme power of the successors of S. Peter, in spirituals, over all Christian Churches.  This appears also by the writings of Tertullian, of S. Irenæus, of S. Cyprian, of the greatest doctors and bishops, both of the west and east, of S. Jerom, S. Augustin, of S. Chrysostom, in several places, of the first general Councils, particularly of the great Council of Chalcedon, &c.  Wi. — Simon (son) of John. The father’s name is here added, to discriminate him from Simon Thaddeus, that every one might know that the chief care of the universal Church was not given to any other apostle but Peter.  This Simon of John is the same as Simon Bar-jona.  See Matt. xvi. 17.  Menochius. — S. Peter had three times renounced his master; and Jesus, to give him an opportunity of repairing  his fault by a triple confession, three several times demanded of him, if he loved him more than these?  That, as S. Augustin remarks, he who had thrice denied through fear might thrice confess through love. Calmet.
• Ver. 16-17. The lambs and the sheep of our Saviour here mean the faithful, who compose his Church, without any distinction of Jew or Gentile.  S. Peter, by these words, is appointed to take charge of the whole flock, as being the chief and prince of the apostles.  He is, in some manner, the pastor, not of the sheep only, but of the pastors themselves.  They have each their own flock to look after; but to him is committed the care of all; he alone is the pastor of all.  Calmet. — Feed my sheep. Our Lord had promised the spiritual supremacy to S. Peter; (S. Matt. xvi. 19.) and here he fulfils that promise, by charging him with the superintendency of all his sheep, without exception; and consequently of his whole flock, that is, of his whole Church.  Ch.
• Ver. 18. Thou shalt stretch forth thy hands . . . signifying by what death he should glorify God; that is, that a cross should be the instrument of his death and martyrdom. — Whither thou wouldst not: which is no more than to say, that a violent death is against the natural inclination of any man, even though he be ever so willing, and disposed to undergo it.  Wi. — By this is meant the martyrdom of S. Peter, which took place thirty-four years after this.  He was first cast into prison, and then led out to punishment as Christ had foretold him.  He stretched out his arms to be chained, and again he stretched them out, when he was crucified; for he died on the cross, as the ancients assure us.  Calmet.