Tumgik
pamphletstoinspire · 6 hours
Text
Tumblr media
The Last Supper - Maudy Thursday - 3/28/2024
8 notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
Tenebrae - Spy Wednesday Services - 3/27/2024
3 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 2 days
Text
Tumblr media
Quote by St. Padre Pio:
"Even in the midst of so much suffering, I am happy because it seems as if my heart is beating with Jesus' heart!"
3 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 4 days
Text
Tumblr media
Divine Mercy Novena - Recited from 3/29/2024 until 4/06/2024
3 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 4 days
Text
Tumblr media
Story about Palm Sunday - 3/24/2024
5 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 6 days
Text
Tumblr media
Pamphlet on how to recite the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the Sick and Dying with an Apostolic Blessing - Daily Prayer'
2 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 6 days
Text
youtube
0 notes
pamphletstoinspire · 6 days
Text
Tumblr media
Prayer of Entrustment to the Divine Mercy - Recited Daily
0 notes
pamphletstoinspire · 7 days
Text
Tumblr media
Feast of St. Benedict - Latin Calendar - March 21st
1 note · View note
pamphletstoinspire · 9 days
Text
Tumblr media
Feast of St. Joseph - Patron Saint of the Universal Church - March 19th
5 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 11 days
Text
Tumblr media
Quote by St. Padre Pio:
"Love our Lady and make her loved - Always recite the Rosary." [daily]
1 note · View note
pamphletstoinspire · 18 days
Text
Tumblr media
Quote by St. Padre Pio:
"You say you are anxious about the future - but don't know that the Lord is with you always and that our enemy has no power over one who has resolved to belong entirely to Jesus?"
3 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 24 days
Text
Tumblr media
Commentary on the Book of Wisdom
1 note · View note
pamphletstoinspire · 24 days
Text
Tumblr media
Commentary on the Book of Psalms
0 notes
pamphletstoinspire · 25 days
Text
Tumblr media
Commentary on the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. Mark – Chapter 16
St. Mark, the disciple and interpreter of St. Peter (as noted by St. Jerome.) according to what he heard from St. Peter himself, wrote at Rome a brief Gospel at the request of the Brethren (fellow Christians), about ten years after our Lord's Ascension; which when St. Peter had heard, he approved of it, and with his authority he published it to the Church to be read. Baronius and others maintain, that the original was written in Latin: but the more general opinion is that the Evangelist wrote it in Greek.
Christ appears, first, to Mary Magdalen and the other holy women. Second (v. 12), to two disciples going to Emmaus. Third (v. 14), to the eleven Apostles, whom He sends to evangelize the whole world, adding that signs and miracles will be granted to those who believe. Finally (v. 19), ascending into heaven, He sits at the right hand of God.
And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought sweet spices, that coming, they might anoint Jesus. 2 And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they come to the sepulcher, the sun being now risen. 3 And they said one to another: Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulcher? 4 And looking, they saw the stone rolled back. For it was very great. 5 And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe: and they were astonished. 6 Who saith to them: Be not affrighted; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified: he is risen, he is not here, behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee; there you shall see him, as he told you. 8 But they going out, fled from the sepulcher. For a trembling and fear had seized them: and they said nothing to any man; for they were afraid. 9 But he rising early the first day of the week, appeared first to Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 10 She went and told them that had been with him, who were mourning and weeping. 11 And they hearing that he was alive, and had been seen by her, did not believe. 12 And after that he appeared in another shape to two of them walking, as they were going into the country. 13 And they going told it to the rest: neither did they believe them. 14 At length he appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen him after he was risen again. 15 And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues. 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. 19 And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God. 20 But they going forth preached everywhere: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.
Commentary: Saint Mark - Chapter 16
Verse 1. And when the Sabbath was past. That is to say, at the beginning of the night before the Lord’s day. “After a sad week comes the radiance of a happy day,” says the Scholiast in S. Jerome.
Mary of Jacob (Vulgate), i.e., Mary, the mother of James the Less and Jude, as the Arabic version gives it, and the wife of Cleophas.
And Salome, the wife of Zebedee, and mother of the Apostles James the Great and John.
That coming, they might anoint Jesus. According to the custom of the Jews, says Theophylact; that the body might remain sweet-smelling and be preserved. Spices are of a drying nature. They did not realize the dignity of Christ’s divinity, nor of His resurrection. But they loved Jesus very tenderly, as a man and a prophet, although now dead.
Tropologically, they anoint Jesus, who for love of Him perform acts of piety, humility, obedience, patience and especially works of mercy and charity toward their neighbors, who are mystical members of Jesus. That is why they deserve to be the first to see Jesus risen, so that by recognizing Him and by His grace, merits, and glory they might be strengthened, as though by a new, reviving fervor, and thus become proficient and be perfected. Thus S. Gregory and others. (See commentary on Matthew 26:7.)
Verse 2. The first day of the week [Vulg., una sabbatorum]. That is, Sunday, as verse 9 explains. (See commentary on Matthew 28:1.)
Verse 6. Who was crucified: he is risen: he is not here. “The angel is not ashamed of the cross,” says Theophylact, “for in it is the salvation of men.” The Interlinear adds, “The cross’ bitter root is gone; the flower of life with its fruits, which lay in death, has arisen in glory.”
Verse 7. Go, tell his disciples. “The women are bid,” says the Interlinear, “to announce it to the Apostles, because as by a woman (Eve) death was announced, by a woman it might be told that life had risen again.” And Peter. “That him whom a woman had made deny, a woman might make confess,” says Druthmar. The Scholiast in S. Jerome adds that Peter was named especially because “he counted himself unworthy of being a disciple, because he had thrice denied his Master. But past sins are not harmful when they are no longer approved.” And S. Gregory (hom. 21 in Evang.) says, “If the angel had not named Peter, he would not have dared to come among the disciples. He is called, therefore, by name, that he might not despair on account of his denial.” I have explained other details at Matthew 28:1 ff.
Verse 8. For a trembling (of body) and fear (of mind) had seized them. In Greek, ἔκστασις, i.e., “astonishment,” says Theophylact, “at the sight of the angel and from dread of the resurrection.” But this astonishment was mingled with intense joy. For they were astounded and were glad at the wonderful and joyful things which they heard, even that Jesus their beloved was risen from the dead. This is evident from Matthew 28:8.
For they were afraid. Not only because of the vision of angels, but also “on account of the Jews,” says Euthymius, “lest they themselves should appear to have stolen away Jesus; lest they should kill them when they heard that they had proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus.” Shortly afterwards the Jews placed Mary Magdalen, Martha, and Lazarus in a ship without oars or sail, and sent them to what would have been certain destruction had not God brought them in safety to Marseilles.
Verse 9. The first day of the week. That is, the first day after the Sabbath, or Sunday. Mary Magdalen, out of whom he had cast seven devils. Compare Luke 8:2. Mark adds this to show the power of repentance and love. With these was Magdalen the sinner so inflamed, that she deserved first to see Christ risen again, so that from her, sinners might learn not to despair, but vehemently to love; for so they shall surpass the innocent saints in grace and glory. Thus Bede. Because where sin abounded, grace did more abound (Romans 5:20). Bede adds, “A woman (Eve) was the beginner of transgression. A woman firsttasted death, but (in Magdalen) woman first saw the resurrection, that woman might not bear the perpetual guilt of transgression among men.” Moreover seven devils are the seven capital sins contrary to the seven principal virtues, sins over which devils preside. Thus S. Gregory, Theophylact, and others. This apparition of Christ to Mary Magdalen is narrated at length in John 20:11 ff. (See commentary on Luke 8:2.)
Verse 12. And after that he appeared in another shape (Arabic, “garment,” i.e., of a traveler) to two of them (the disciples) walking, as they were going into the country. Arabic, “to the village”; Greek, “into the field,” i.e., to a country house at Emmaus. For, as S. Augustine says (de Consensu Evangel.), “by the name of "country" were called not only villages, but towns and boroughs outside the capital, which was the mother city of all.” These disciples, therefore, were going from the city of Jerusalem into the country, that is, into the neighboring small town of Emmaus. This place later was made a famous city by the Romans, and called Nicopolis, as a monument to their victory in the capture of Jerusalem. Thus Adrichomius and others. This appearance of Christ is the same as that related in Luke 24:13, as is plain from the circumstances, which are the same in both cases. So commentators generally. Euthymius is almost alone in thinking that this was different from the one in Luke, because Mark adds that the Apostles did not believe them when they told them that Christ was risen, while Luke intimates the contrary, that they did believe. But the answer is easy, that some believed, but others did not believe; or, as Theophylact says, the Apostles believed, but the other disciples did not.
Verse 13. Neither did they believe them. This happened by the permission and providence of God. For this incredulity of theirs “was not so much their weakness as it was to become our strength,” says Gregory (hom. 29 in Evang.). “For the resurrection itself was made manifest to them by many proofs, when they doubted of it. And when we read and acknowledge these things, what else is it but to be confirmed by their doubting?”
Verse 14. At length he appeared to the eleven as they were at table. The Vulgate has novissime, “last of all”; Greek, ὕστερον, i.e., afterward, then, subsequently. This was the last appearance of Christ on Easter, or the day of the resurrection, when He appeared in the evening to the eleven Apostles; for S. Mark relates only those appearances which took place on that day, omitting those which occurred later. You may say, “But if so, He did not appear to the eleven, but to ten Apostles only, for Thomas was absent.” Hence Maldonatus thinks that this appearance was that which took place on the eighth day afterward, when Thomas was present. But I say that they are here called the eleven, even in the absence of Thomas, who was the eleventh, because the college of the Apostles had been reduced to eleven after the treachery and hanging of Judas. That is why they are here called the eleven, although one of them, Thomas was not present. Thus the Decemvirs were called by that name when gathered together, even though one or another might be absent. There is a similar reference in Luke 24:33. Thus Bede and S. Augustine (lib. 3 de Consensu Evang. cap. 25).
At table (Vulg., recumbentibus, reclining). Observing this, S. Bernard infers (serm. de Ascensione Domini), “It is worthy of belief that He gladly heeds the prayers of those who apply themselves [incumbentibus], when He does not disdain to attend to those who are reclining.”
They did not believe. S. Jerome (lib. 2 contra Pelag.) writes that, in some Greek codices, after these words the following is added: “And they were content, saying, ‘Substance is that world of iniquity which by the agency of evil spirits suffers not the true power of God to be apprehended: therefore, now reveal Thy righteousness.’”
But the Church has expunged all this, for it savors of the Manichaean or Montanist heresy.
He upbraided their incredulity. Syriac, “little faith”; Arabic, “He upbraided them on account of the paucity of their faith.”
Verse 15. And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature. He said this, not on Easter day, when He appeared to the eleven as they sat at table, but afterwards, when He showed Himself to them and others on a mountain of Galilee, as related in Matthew 28:16 ff. Or it may be that He charged the Apostles with this chief and peculiar duty of preaching the gospel more than once, so that He introduced it to them on Easter day, as Luke 24:47 implies, and then repeated it on the mountain in Galilee, and finally confirmed it on the day when He ascended into heaven.
Into the whole world. That is to say, not into Judea only, as ye have done hitherto and as I commanded you (Matth. 10:5), but you shall proclaim the gospel far and wide throughout the world. For it does not seem probable that a few Apostles should have traversed and converted the whole world, especially because in America, lately discovered, no traces of the Christian Faith have been found.
To every creature. That is, to all nations, as Matthew 28:19 says. This is a synecdoche, for the genus is applied to the most noble species thereof, namely “creature” for “man.” Man indeed is the most noble creature, created in the image of God, the Creator Himself.
Verse 16. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemmed. This saying of Christ is misused to support their heresies: First, by the Lutherans, to prove that faith alone suffices for salvation, and that good works are not required. But I reply that the meaning of Christ, as Euthymius, Theophylact, and others have correctly noted, is: he that shall have believed, etc., as if to say, “he that, believing in Christ and receiving His baptism, has been washed from his sins, imbued with the grace of God, and sanctified, he shall be saved,” understand, “if he die a holy death in that state of grace, retaining the grace of God even unto death and not losing it through any sin.” But it is impossible for a baptized person to continue in this state of grace if he does not perform those good works which the law of Christ commands. Also, within the name of “belief,” or “faith and baptism,” as the prime requisites, and which at the beginning of the Church were chiefly to be inculcated upon the gentiles, all other things that follow must be understood, contained in them as in their root, such as hope, charity, good works, etc., as I have shown at length in the introduction to S. Paul’s epistles. See S. Augustine’s book, On Faith and Works.
Second, the Anabaptists infer from this saying of Christ that little children must not be baptized, because they cannot believe. But I answer, Christ is here speaking of adults. For only adults are able to believe, and all the preceding words apply to adults only. That little children ought to be baptized is plain from the perpetual tradition and practice of the Church, and from the words in John 3:5, Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
S. Augustine adds, and reiterates in various passages, that these words of Christ do refer to infants also in a way, for as they sinned by the will of Adam, not their own, and contracted Original Sin, so likewise they believe by the faith of the Church, of their parents, or of those who present them for baptism, not by their own.
Third, the Calvinists gather from these words of Christ that baptism is not necessary for salvation, but that faith only is sufficient, because of it alone, they say, Christ subjoins, But he that believeth not shall be condemned. I reply that under the word believe, i.e., under “faith,” baptism must be understood, which is the sacrament of faith, as well as all the other things which spring from and follow faith, as I have just said. For Mark, for brevity’s sake, left it to the reader to gather from what he had said immediately before, that these must be understood to mean: “or shall not be baptized.” For otherwise the antithesis would be maimed and imperfect. For it to be complete, we must read as follows: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not, or is not baptized, shall be condemned.” For that baptism is necessary for salvation is plain from the words of Christ in John 3:5, already cited.
Verse 18. They shall take up serpents (Vulg., tollent, which can also mean “take away”) from the places which they infested, and as Euthymius says, “They shall destroy them, kill them, or even take them up in their hands without harm,” as Paul did the viper (Acts 28:3 ff.). Hence the Arabic translates, “They shall take up serpents in their hands.”
And if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall drink poison unharmed, as the Apostles and many saints have done.
They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. Note that these signs were necessary in the early Church for proving and strengthening faith in Christ. Hence at that time almost all Christians wrought miracles, at least of certain kinds; as, for example, the expulsion of devils from energumens. This is plain from Justin's Dialogue against Trypho, Tertullian (Apolog.), Lactantius, and others. Many also at that time received at baptism the gift of tongues. See Acts 10:46 and 19:6.
Mystically, S. Bernard (serm. 1 de Ascens.) says, “The first work of faith which worketh by love is compunction of heart, by which, without doubt, devils are cast out when sins are rooted out of the heart. After that they who believe in Christ speak with new tongues when old things depart out of their mouth, and for the time to come they speak not with the old tongue of our first parents, who declined unto words of wickedness in making excuses for their sins. But when by compunction of the heart, and confession of the mouth, the former sins have been blotted out (in order that men may not backslide, and their latter end be worse than the beginning), it is needful that they take away serpents, that is, extinguish poisonous suggestions, etc. If they shall drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them. This means, when they feel the stings of concupiscence, they shall not consent. They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover. This means, they shall cover their evil affections by good works, and by this medicine they shall be healed.”
S. Gregory (homil. 29 in Evang.) gives a somewhat different reading. “The faithful who have left earthly words, and whose tongues sound forth the holy mysteries, speak a new language; they who by their good warnings take away evil from the hearts of others, take up serpents; and when they are hearing words of pestilent persuasion, without being at all drawn aside to evil doing, they drink a deadly thing, but it will never hurt them; whenever they see their neighbors growing weak in good works, and by their good example strengthen their life, they lay their hands on the sick, that they may recover. And all these miracles are that much greater, in that they are spiritual, and by them souls and not bodies are raised.”
Verse 19. The Lord Jesus. . . was taken up into heaven. By His divinity, by means of the quality of agility communicated from it to His body, on the fortieth day from His resurrection, that is, on the feast of the Ascension. I have dealt at length with Christ’s ascension at Act 1:9.
And sitteth on the right hand of God. In what manner He sitteth I have explained with many arguments at Colossians 3:1.
O kingdom of eternal blessedness, where youth never ages, where beauty never pales, where love never cools, where health never languishes, where joy never decreases, where life knows no end!” (S. Augustine, in Soliloq. c. 35).
For more stories, please visit our website:
2 notes · View notes
pamphletstoinspire · 25 days
Text
Tumblr media
Commentary on the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. Mark – Chapter 15
St. Mark, the disciple and interpreter of St. Peter (as noted by St. Jerome.) according to what he heard from St. Peter himself, wrote at Rome a brief Gospel at the request of the Brethren (fellow Christians), about ten years after our Lord's Ascension; which when St. Peter had heard, he approved of it, and with his authority he published it to the Church to be read. Baronius and others maintain, that the original was written in Latin: but the more general opinion is that the Evangelist wrote it in Greek.
First, Christ is handed by the high priests over to Pilate, is accused, rejected in favor of Barabbas, scourged, crowned with thorns, and mocked. Second (v. 21), He is crucified on Golgotha between two thieves; His garments are divided by lot; He is blasphemed by passers-by, and even by the thieves. Third (v. 33), darkness covers the whole earth, Jesus laments that He has been abandoned by the Father, and with a loud cry expires; hence the centurion says: Truly, this man was the Son of God. Fourth (v. 42), He is buried by Joseph.
And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2 And Pilate asked him: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, saith to him: Thou sayest it. 3 And the chief priests accused him in many things. 4 And Pilate again asked him, saying: Answerest thou nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse thee. 5 But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered. 6 Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they 7 And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. 8 And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them. 9 And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews? 10 For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy. 11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 And Pilate again answering, saith to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews? 13 But they again cried out: Crucify him. 14 And Pilate saith to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him. 15 And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 16 And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace, and they called together the whole band: 17 And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. 18 And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews. 19 And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him. 20 And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him. 21 And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross. 22 And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary. 23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh; but he took it not. 24 And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. 25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. 26 And the inscription of his cause was written over: THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: And with the wicked he was reputed. 29 And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days buildest it up again;
30 Save thyself, coming down from the cross. 31 In like manner also the chief priests mocking, said with the scribes one to another: He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32 Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. 33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35 And some of the standers by hearing, said: Behold he calleth Elias. 36 And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying: Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down. 37 And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. 39 And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost, said: Indeed this man was the son of God. 40 And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joseph, and Salome: 41 Who also when he was in Galilee followed him, and ministered to him, and many other women that came up with him to Jerusalem. 42 And when evening was now come, (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the Sabbath,) 43 Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counselor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. 44 But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead. 45 And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46 And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking him down, wrapped him up in the fine linen, and laid him in a sepulcher which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulcher. 47 And Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of Joseph, beheld where he was laid.
Commentary: Saint Mark - Chapter 15
Verse 25. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. The third, not beginning, but ending, and going on to the sixth. For that Christ was crucified at the sixth hour, or midday, appears from the verse 33. Some suspect that there is an error, and that the sixth ought to be read for the third. For the Hebrews had divided the day and also the night into four parts or “hours,” namely the first, the third, the sixth and the ninth, each of which contained three of our hours. The first began at sunrise, and lasted for three hours. When they were over, Terce began, and lasted for as many hours, or until midday, when Sext began, and ended three hours afterwards, when None began, and lasted till Vespers, or evening. When Sext or the sixth hour was beginning, Christ was crucified; and when None, or the ninth hour, was beginning, He died. I will say more on this subject at John 19:14.
Verse 28. And with the wicked he was reputed. Hebrew הנמנ, nimna, i.e., was numbered, was counted. (See commentary on Isaias 53:12.) The reason was, because Christ took upon Himself our place, our account and reckoning. But we were wicked. He, therefore, was reckoned with the wicked, that He might make us wicked men to be righteous, just, and holy instead.
Verse 42. Because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the Sabbath. Greek, which is the prosabbatum. For parasceve means preparation. Friday was so-called because on that day were prepared meals and things needed for the Sabbath, when it was not permitted to work. Hence it was called the pro-Sabbath, i.e., the day before, or the vigil of the Sabbath. Antesabbatum [in Latin, or “pre-Sabbath” in English], therefore, is the only word corresponding to the Greek, προσάββατον.
For more stories, please visit our website:
1 note · View note
pamphletstoinspire · 25 days
Text
Tumblr media
Commentary on the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. Mark – Chapter 14
St. Mark, the disciple and interpreter of St. Peter (as noted by St. Jerome.) according to what he heard from St. Peter himself, wrote at Rome a brief Gospel at the request of the Brethren (fellow Christians), about ten years after our Lord's Ascension; which when St. Peter had heard, he approved of it, and with his authority he published it to the Church to be read. Baronius and others maintain, that the original was written in Latin: but the more general opinion is that the Evangelist wrote it in Greek.
First, Mary Magdalen pours precious ointment upon Christ’s head; hence Judas, murmuring, plots with the Jews and the high priests to betray Christ for a price. Second (v. 12), Christ celebrates the supper of the Paschal lamb, in which He institutes the Eucharist; He also predicts that the Apostles will be scandalized and flee that same night, and that Peter will deny Him three times. Third (v. 32), in the garden He prays three times, is arrested, and when the Apostles flee, He alone is bound and led to Caiphas, where He is falsely accused, condemned as guilty of death, spat upon, buffeted, and denied.
Now the feast of the Pasch, and of the Azymes was after two days; and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might by some wile lay hold on him, and kill him. 2 But they said: Not on the festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people. 3 And when he was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, and was at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard: and breaking the alabaster box, she poured it out upon his head. 4 Now there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said: Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5 For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 6 But Jesus said: Let her alone, why do you molest her? She hath wrought a good work upon me. 7 For the poor you have always with you: and whensoever you will, you may do them good: but me you have not always. 8 She hath done what she could: she is come beforehand to anoint my body for burial. 9 Amen, I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she hath done, shall be told for a memorial of her. 10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests, to betray him to them. 11 Who hearing it were glad; and they promised him they would give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. 12 Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Pasch, the disciples say to him: Whither wilt thou that we go, and prepare for thee to eat the Pasch? 13 And he sendeth two of his disciples, and saith to them: Go ye into the city; and there shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him; 14 And whithersoever he shall go in, say to the master of the house, The master saith, Where is my refectory, where I may eat the Pasch with my disciples? 15 And he will show you a large dining room furnished; and there prepare ye for us. 16 And his disciples went their way, and came into the city; and they found as he had told them, and they prepared the Pasch. 17 And when evening was come, he cometh with the twelve. 18 And when they were at table and eating, Jesus saith: Amen I say to you, one of you that eateth with me shall betray me. 19 But they began to be sorrowful, and to say to him one by one: Is it I? 20 Who saith to them: One of the twelve, who dippeth with me his hand in the dish.
21 And the Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed. It were better for him, if that man had not been born. 22 And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body. 23 And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them: This is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many. 25 Amen I say to you, that I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God. 26 And when they had said an hymn, they went forth to the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus saith to them: You will all be scandalized in my regard this night; for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep shall be dispersed. 28 But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. 29 But Peter saith to him: Although all shall be scandalized in thee, yet not I. 30 And Jesus saith to him: Amen I say to thee, today, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shall deny me thrice. 31 But he spoke the more vehemently: Although I should die together with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner also said they all. 32 And they came to a farm called Gethsemani. And he saith to his disciples: Sit you here, while I pray. 33 And he taketh Peter and James and John with him; and he began to fear and to be heavy. 34 And he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death; stay you here, and watch. 35 And when he was gone forward a little, he fell flat on the ground; and he prayed, that if it might be, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he saith: Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee: remove this chalice from me; but not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping. And he saith to Peter: Simon, sleepest thou? Couldst thou not watch one hour? 38 Watch ye, and pray that you enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 39 A going away again, he prayed, saying the same words. 40 And when he returned, he found them again asleep, (for their eyes were heavy,) and they knew not what to answer him. 41 And he cometh the third time, and saith to them: Sleep ye now, and take your rest. It is enough: the hour is come: behold the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise up, let us go. Behold, he that will betray me is at hand. 43 And while he was yet speaking, cometh Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve: and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients. 44 And he that betrayed him, had given them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he; lay hold on him, and lead him away carefully. 45 And when he was come, immediately going up to him, he saith: Hail, Rabbi; and he kissed him. 46 But they laid hands on him, and held him. 47 An one of them that stood by, drawing a sword, struck a servant of the chief priest, and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus answering, said to them: Are you come out as to a robber, with swords and staves to apprehend me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not lay hands on me. But that the scriptures may be fulfilled. 50 Then his disciples leaving him, all fled away. 51 And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and they laid hold on him. 52 But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked.
53 And they brought Jesus to the high priest; and all the priests and the scribes and the ancients assembled together. 54 And Peter followed him from afar off, even into the court of the high priest; and he sat with the servants at the fire, and warmed himself. 55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for evidence against Jesus, that they might put him to death, and found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, and their evidences were not agreeing. 57 And some rising up, bore false witness against him, saying: 58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days I will build another not made with hands. 59 And their witness did not agree. 60 And the high priest rising up in the midst, asked Jesus, saying: Answerest thou nothing to the things that are laid to thy charge by these men? 61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said to him: Art thou the Christ the Son of the blessed God? 62 And Jesus said to him: I am. And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming with the clouds of heaven. 63 Then the high priest rending his garments, saith: What need we any further witnesses? 64 You have heard the blasphemy. What think you? Who all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him: Prophesy: and the servants struck him with the palms of their hands. 66 Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest. 67 And when she had seen Peter warming himself, looking on him she saith: Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68 But he denied, saying: I neither know nor understand what thou sayest. And he went forth before the court; and the cock crew. 69 And again a maidservant seeing him, began to say to the standers by: This is one of them. 70 But he denied again. And after a while they that stood by said again to Peter: Surely thou art one of them; for thou art also a Galilean. 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying; I know not this man of whom you speak. 72 And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me. And he began to weep.
Commentary: Saint Mark - Chapter 14
Verse 3. A woman having an alabaster box of ointment of precious spikenard. “Nard,” says Pliny (lib. 12 cap. 12), “ is a shrub which has a heavy, thick root which is nevertheless short, black, and easily broken, however bulky. It has a strong smell, like cypress, and a pungent taste. The leaf is small and thick, and the tops unfold into ears, so that spikenard is noted for being doubly endowed with both leaves and ears.” From the leaves of nard ointment is made that ointment which is called foliated; but that made from the ears or spikes is called spiked, and this is superior to the foliated, because it has more substance and marrow, so to speak. Galen and the pharmacists following him call this kind spikenard. Hence Bede says, “Nard is an aromatic shrub, smelling like cypress, etc.”
Instead of nardus spicatus (Vulgate), the Syriac has “nardus capitalis,” i.e., chief, excellent, principal, for spikenard is superior to the foliated, as I have observed. The Greek has πιστικῆς, which the Vulgate of John 12:3 translates pistici. Pisticus is the same as spiked, as I shall show at that passage. Hence the Arabic translates that verse, of the best.
Verse 5. Three hundred pence. A penny or denarius is worth a Roman Julios or a Spanish reale. Therefore, three hundred denarii amounted to thirty Roman gold pieces, which is the equivalent of seventy-five Belgian florins. Thus the miserable, impious Judas sold Christ for thirty pieces of silver; this means that for the thirty gold pieces which he accounted as lost in the anointing of Christ, he received thirty silver pieces (i.e., seven and a half Belgian florins) for betraying Him. Therefore, Mary Magdalen was more generous in anointing Christ than Judas in betraying Him. See here how vile and sordid avarice is. About this Victor of Antioch says, “When the disciples remark that that ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred pence, it is left to us to divine how much work that woman had expended in preparing that ointment, and consequently how great a love for Christ and a willingness to serve Him she declared thereby.”
Verse 8. For the burial. Syriac, as though for the burial. Arabic, to lay Me to rest.
Verse 11. They were glad. “Not only that they were about to apprehend Him without tumult, being opportunely betrayed by Judas, but also because He was beginning to be hated by His own disciples,” says Euthymius.
Verse 13. There shall meet you. “Note the majesty of His divinity,” says S. Ambrose (in Luc. cap. 22 v. 8). “He is speaking with His disciples, and yet He knows what is about to happen elsewhere.”
Verse 14. Where is My refectory? That is, the place of My refreshment, or the room where I may refresh Myself with My disciples, and partake of the lamb. The Greek is κατάλυµα, or inn; Syriac, place of dwelling; Arabic, place in which I may eat the Passover.
Verse 15. Furnished. Provided with tables, couches, or beds and tapestry, decorated also with leaves and flowers, and all other requisites, prepared for celebrating the Passover, so that nothing might be lacking for the roasting, sacrificing and eating of the lamb. The Greek, Syriac, and Arabic add ἕτοιµον, i.e., prepared. For God had put it into the heart of the master of the house to prepare the supper-room for the sake of Christ, that He might find a place well adorned for the celebration of the Passover, that as soon as evening came there might be no delay, but that the lamb might be roasted and eaten, and all the other things accomplished which were to be done by Christ.
Verse 18. One of you . . . shall betray me. Syriac, one of you that eateth with Me, he shall betray Me.
Verse 23. Giving thanks. Syriac, He gave thanks and blessed.
And they all drank of it. Namely, after Christ had consecrated the chalice, saying, This is My blood, as it follows. There is, therefore, a prolepsis, or anticipation, which Mark makes use of to show that the disciples fulfilled the command of Christ. Drink ye all of this, as in Matthew 26:27.
Verse 33. He began to fear and to be heavy. Greek, ἐκθαµβεῖσθαι καὶ ἀδηµονεῖν, i.e., to be affrighted and sore distressed. Arabic, to be very sorrowful and afraid.
Verse 36. Abba Father. In Greek, ἀββᾶ ὁ πατὴρ, where father is in the nominative, so that Mark interprets the Syriac word Abba by the Greek, πατὴρ. As if to say, “Abba, which in Greek is πατὴρ.” Or rather the nominative ὀ πατὴρ is put for the vocative ὦ πατὴρ. For by a mark of affection, with the deepest feeling of the heart, Christ repeated the word Abba, or Father. Hence the Syriac has Abba Abi, i.e., Father, My Father. The Arabic has O Father. Indeed, S. Augustine (lib. 3 de Consensu Evang. cap. 4) thinks that Christ used both the Greek and the Syriac word here; and that He spoke precisely as Mark has it namely, ἀββᾶ ὁ πατὴρ. For so the Apostle speaks, Whereby we cry, Abba Father (Rom. 8:15, cf. Galat. 4:6). “We must think,” says S. Augustine, “that the Lord said ‘Abba Father’ to intimate the mystery of His Church, which was to be gathered out of Jews and gentiles.” And the Scholiast in S. Jerome says, “He speaks in Hebrew and Greek, because there is no distinction between Jew and Greek.”
Verse 38. The spirit indeed is willing. Syriac, willing and prompt.
Verse 41. The hour is come. Syriac, the end (i.e., of My life) has arrived, and the hour is come. Arabic, the end is present, and the hour is come.
Verse 44. Carefully. In Greek, ἀσφαλῶς, i.e., securely, safely, surely. Arabic, Fear ye concerning Him, that is, lest He slip away out of your hands, as He has done upon other occasions.
Verse 47. One of them. Namely, Peter. “Mark does not mention Peter’s name,” says Theophylact, “that he may not seem to praise his teacher, Peter, for his greater zeal for Christ.”
Verse 51. And a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body. And they laid hold on him. That is, he was clothed (amictus) with a linen or a cloth made of linen over his naked body. It is plain, from the word amictus, that this piece of linen was a kind of linen garment, fitting the body, but so that it might easily be put on and off the back like a tunic. This is also clear from Pollux, who calls the linen cloth περιβόλαιον, i.e., a covering, a cloak, a garment, a mantle, a little cover. You will ask who this young man was? S. Epiphanius (hæres. 78) and S. Jerome (or whoever the author is) commenting on Psalm 37, think that he was James the Lord’s brother.
Second, Bede and the Gloss (in loco), S. Chrysostom (in Ps. 13), S. Ambrose (in ps. 36), S. Gregory (14. Moral. cap. 23), and Baronius think it was S. John; for he was a youth, and the youngest of the Apostles. But that it was neither John nor James, nor any of the Apostles, is plain from the fact that Mark has just before said, in verse 50, then His disciples (the Apostles), leaving Him, all fled away.
Third, Theophylact, Euthymius, and Victor think that this young man was some one from the house of John or Mark, in which Christ had eaten the Passover.
Fourth, and more probably, Cajetan (in Jentaculis) and others conjecture that this young man was a member or servant of a house adjacent to the garden where Christ prayed and was arrested, who, awakened by the noise made by the guards who were apprehending Christ as they passed by, rose up from his bed, and ran to see what was being done. That he was a favorer or disciple of Christ appears from what Mark says, he followed Him. Hence also the officers laid hold on him, i.e., they wished to hold him by seizing his garment. The Hebrew active verbs often signify commencement and effort, not a completed act. For the following verse says:
Verse 52. But he, casting off the linen cloth, fled from them naked. “As Joseph,” says the Scholiast in S. Jerome, “left his garment in the hand of his immodest mistress, and fled from her naked” (cf. Genesis 39:12).
Mark adds this incident in order to make it plain, from this hasty and violent flight of the young man, how great was the trepidation about Christ, how no one had dared to remain by Christ, and how intense was the hatred and fury of the Jews against Christ, who even tried to seize a stranger who was following Him. Hence it is evident that far more would they have seized the Apostles, if they had not immediately fled away.
Verse 70. For thou art also a Galilean. That is, by speaking in the idiom of the Galileans thou showest thyself to be a Galilean. Hence the Greek and Syriac add, And your speech is the same as the speech of Galileans. Arabic, And thy speech is similar to their speech.
Verse 72. And he began to weep. Greek, ἐπιβαλὼν ἔκλαιεν, which means literally, adding he was weeping, which you may translate, first, he began to weep; second, he added to weep, i.e., “he began to weep very violently,” says Theophylact. The Arabic is, and he betook himself to tears, not in the court before the Jews, that he might not betray himself to them, but when he was alone, having gone out of it, as is evident from Matthew 26:75.
For more stories, please visit our website:
1 note · View note