Daily Bible Readings Wednesday June 10 2009 Tenth Week of Ordinary Time

June 10 2009 Wednesday Tenth Week of Ordinary Time
Saint of the Day – Blessed Joachima

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/061009.shtml

2 Corinthians 3:4-11
Haydock New Testament

And such confidence we have, through Christ, towards God: Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is from God: Who also hath made us fit ministers of the new testament: not in the letter, but in the Spirit: for the letter killeth: but the Spirit giveth life.

Now if the ministration of death, engraven with letters upon stones, was glorious; so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which is done away: How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather in glory? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory: much more the ministration of justice aboundeth in glory? For even that which was glorious in this part was not glorified, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away, was glorious, much more that which remaineth is in glory.

Responsorial Psalm 98:5-9 (Ps 99 NAB)
DR Challoner Text Only

Exalt ye the Lord our God, and adore his footstool, for it is holy.
Moses and Aaron among his priests: and Samuel among them that call upon his name.
They called upon the Lord, and he heard them:
He spoke to them in the pillar of the cloud.
They kept his testimonies, and the commandment which he gave them.
Thou didst hear them, O Lord our God:
thou wast a merciful God to them, and taking vengeance on all their inventions.
Exalt ye the Lord our God, and adore at his holy mountain: for the Lord our God is holy.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ According to Saint Matthew 5:17-19
Haydock New Testament

Jesus said:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For amen, I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one joy or one tittle shall not pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever, therefore, shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Haydock Commentary 2 Corinthians 3:4-11
Notes Copied From Haydock Commentary Site

• Ver. 5-6. To think any thing of ourselves, that may deserve a reward in heaven. — But Christ hath made us fit ministers of his New Testament by the Spirit: for the letter of the Old Testament killeth, but the Spirit of the New Testament giveth life. Wi. — The letter. Not rightly understood, and taken without the spirit.  Ch. — This verse, (6th) refers to that in the last chapter, where he says: And for these things who is so fit? Who is so capable of such a ministry?  It is God alone who gives us strength, light and grace.   I am far from giving a part only to God, and a part ot myself.  It all exclusively belongs to him.  S. Chrys.
• Ver. 7. Now if the ministration of death: he meaneth the former[1] law, which by giving them a greater knowledge, and not giving graces of itself to fulfil those precepts, occasioned death, was notwithstanding glorious, accompanied with miracles on Mount Sinai, and so that the Israelites, when Moses came down from the mountain, could not bear the glory of his countenance, which he was forced to cover with a veil, when he spoke to them.  Shall not the ministration of the Spirit in the new law, which worketh our sanctification and salvation, abound with much greater glory? especially since the old law was to be made void, and pass away. — Neither was that glorified, or to be esteemed glorious, in comparison of the new law, the blessings of the new so far surpassing those of the old law.  Wi. — If the law of Moses, written on tables of stone, which was only able to cause death, inasmuch as it gave us light sufficient to know what was right, though it did not give us strength or graces to comply with the obligations imposed by it; if this law, nevertheless, was accompanied with so much glory, that Moses was obliged to put a veil over his face, what must we think of the ministry of the Spirit, and of the glorious duties of the apostleship?  How ought our glory to be manifest, and who is fit for such an undertaking.  If I thus extol the excellency of my ministry, do not imagine that I attribute any thing to myself.  I am unworthy of this office, which so far surpasseth that of Moses, that his glory (ver. 10.) could not be truly called glory, when compared with this of ours, which so far excelleth his.  Calmet. — The letter of the New Testament also, not truly taken or expounded by the Spirit of God, which is in his Church, must in the same manner be said to kill.  See S. Austin, serm. 70. & 100. de tempore. & l. de spirt. & lit. c. 5. 6. & dein.

Haydock Commentary Matthew 5:17-19

• Ver. 17. Not to destroy the law, &c.  It is true, by Christ’s coming, a multitude of ceremonies and sacrifices, and circumcision, were to cease; but the moral precepts were to continue, and to be complied with, even with greater perfection.  Wi. — To fulfil. By accomplishing all the figures and prophecies, and perfecting all that was imperfect.  Ch. — Our Saviour speaks in this manner, to prepare the minds of the Jews for his new instructions.  For although they were not very solicitous about fulfilling the law, still they were extremely jealous of any change exacted a more perfect morality.  Our Lord fulfilled the law three several ways: 1. By his obedience to the prescribed rites; therefore he says, it behoveth us to fulfil all justice: and who shall accuse me of sin?  2. He observes the law, not only by his own observance of it, but likewise by enabling us to fulfil it.  It was the wish of the law to make man just, but found itself too weak; Christ therefore came justifying man, and accomplished the will of the law.  3. He fulfilled the law, by reducing all the precepts of the old law to a more strict and powerful morality.  Chry. hom. xvi.
• Ver. 18. Amen. That is, assuredly, of a truth. This Hebrew word Amen, is here retained by the example and authority of all the four evangelists, who have retained it.  It is used by our Lord as a strong asseveration, and affirmation of the truth.  Ch. — Not one jot (or not one jota), nor one tittle, i.e. not the least letter, nor stroke of a letter; that is, not the least moral precept.  Besides every type and figure of the former law, now by my coming shall be fulfilled.  Wi. — Amhn, is retained in the Hebrew, Greek, Syriac, and Armenian languages, aw well as in all vulgar idioms.  It is a term of asseveration, and equivalent to an oath; and in many places, to make the asseveration still stronger, it is repeated.  S. Luke very accurately translates it into nai.  S. Paul and S. John unite them nai and amhn.  A.
• Ver. 19. He shall be called; i.e. (by a frequent Hebrew idiom) he shall be the least in the kingdom of heaven; that is, according to S. Augustine he shall not be there at all; for none but  the great in sanctity and virtue shall find admittance into heaven.  Wi. — Do not then imitate the Scribes and Pharisees, who content themselves with instructing other in the precepts of the law, without practising them themselves, or if they observe the letter, neglect the spirit of the law, performing what it ordain, not to please God, but to satisfy their vanity.  C.