SHJIHM :: The Daily Word :: Daily Reading: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 ~ Runboard
"There are not over a hundred people in the United States who hate the Catholic Church. There are millions, however, who hate what they wrongly believe to be the Catholic Church, which is, of course, quite a different thing." -Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
Placating terrorists, meeting with dictators, compassion for murderers... but no humanity for the unborn... incredible.
OOT
Daily Reading: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 Memorial of the Martyrdom of Saint John the Baptist
Psalm: Wednesday 31
Reading I
1 Thes 2:9-13
9 For you remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you, we preached among you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and without blame, we have been to you that have believed: 11 As you know in what manner, entreating and comforting you, (as a father doth his children,) 12 We testified to every one of you, that you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13 Therefore, we also give thanks to God without ceasing: because, that when you had received of us the word of the hearing of God, you received it not as the word of men, but (as it is indeed) the word of God, who worketh in you that have believed.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 139:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab
Ps 138:7-8, 9-10, 11-12ab in Douay-Rheims
Domine, probasti. God's special providence over his servants.
R. (1) You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Whither shall I go from thy spirit?
or whither shall I flee from thy face?
If I ascend into heaven, thou art there:
if I descend into hell, thou art present.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
If I take my wings early in the morning,
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:
Even there also shall thy hand lead me:
and thy right hand shall hold me.
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me:
and night shall be my light in my pleasures.
But darkness shall not be dark to thee,
and night shall be light as day
R. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.
Gospel
[Mk 6:17-29
17 For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. 18 For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. 19 Now Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death, and could not. 20 For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him willingly.
21 And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper for his birthday, for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee. 22 And when the daughter of the same Herodias had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod, and them that were at table with him, the king said to the damsel: Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee. 23 And he swore to her: Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though it be the half of my kingdom. 24 Who when she was gone out, said to her mother, What shall I ask? But she said: The head of John the Baptist. 25 And when she was come in immediately with haste to the king, she asked, saying: I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish, the head of John the Baptist. 26 And the king was struck sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table, he would not displease her: 27 But sending an executioner, he commanded that his head should be brought in a dish. 28 And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish: and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 Which his disciples hearing came, and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
Note: 20 "And kept him"... That is, from the designs of Herodias; and for fear of the people, would not put him to death, though she sought it; and through her daughter she effected her wish.
Today's reading was prepared using the Douay-Rheims Bible.
Re: Daily Reading: Wednesday, August 29, 2007 From the Office of Readings for Wednesday, August 29:
From a homily by St. Bede the Venerable, Priest
Precursor of Christ in birth and death
As forerunner of our Lord’s birth, preaching and death, the blessed John showed in his struggle a goodness worthy of the sight of heaven. In the words of Scripture: Though in the sight of men he suffered torments, his hope is full of immortality. We justly commemorate the day of his birth with a joyful celebration, a day which he himself made festive for us through his suffering and which he adorned with the crimson splendour of his own blood. We do rightly revere his memory with joyful hearts, for he stamped with the seal of martyrdom the testimony which he delivered on behalf of our Lord.
There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: I am the truth? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ.
Through his birth, preaching and baptising, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer.
Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men; he was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ. John was baptised in his own blood, though he had been privileged to baptise the Redeemer of the world, to hear the voice of the Father above him, and to see the grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon him. But to endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward.
Since death was ever near at hand through the inescapable necessity of nature, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ’s name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake. He tells us why it is Christ’s gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.
Daily Reading: Wednesday, August 29, 2007
