Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop, Doctor
Memorial Bench for St. Cyril of Alexandria
Readings for Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Genesis 18:1-15
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the Terebinth of Mamre,
as Abraham sat in the entrance of his tent,
while the day was growing hot.
Looking up, he saw three men standing nearby.
When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them;
and bowing to the ground, he said:
"Sir, if I may ask you this favor,
please do not go on past your servant.
Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet,
and then rest yourselves under the tree.
Now that you have come this close to your servant,
let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves;
and afterward you may go on your way."
The men replied, "Very well, do as you have said."
Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah,
"Quick, three measures of fine flour!
Knead it and make rolls."
He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer,
and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.
Then Abraham got some curds and milk,
as well as the steer that had been prepared,
and set these before them;
and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.
They asked him, "Where is your wife Sarah?"
He replied, "There in the tent."
One of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year,
and Sarah will then have a son."
Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, just behind him.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years,
and Sarah had stopped having her womanly periods.
So Sarah laughed to herself and said,
"Now that I am so withered and my husband is so old,
am I still to have sexual pleasure?"
But the LORD said to Abraham: "Why did Sarah laugh and say,
'Shall I really bear a child, old as I am?'
Is anything too marvelous for the LORD to do?
At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you,
and Sarah will have a son."
Because she was afraid, Sarah dissembled, saying, "I didn't laugh."
But he replied, "Yes you did."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Gn 18:1-15
Abraham and Sarah encounter God and two messengers in this selection from Genesis. Abraham recognizes the Lord (we note his act of obeisance and form of address “’ădonāy”) and acts as is required by oriental hospitality providing rest, drink and food. It is clear that the Lord is the key figure in the story and the messengers are soon forgotten as Abraham hears God’s prediction that He would return and when he did Abraham and Sarah would have a son. When Sarah hears this she laughs, similar to Abraham’s reaction in Genesis 17: 17.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55
R. (see 54b) The Lord has remembered his mercy.
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.
"For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.
"He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.
"He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55
The responsorial is the Magnificat, the beautiful Canticle of Mary. Her song of thanksgiving and humility captures the saintliness that has become synonymous with our image of Mary the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of the Church. In her dedication of the service she offers to God as vessel of the Messiah she sets the stage for the humble birth of Jesus.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17
When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."
The centurion said in reply,
"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;
and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes;
and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven,
but the children of the Kingdom
will be driven out into the outer darkness,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
And Jesus said to the centurion,
"You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you."
And at that very hour his servant was healed.
Jesus entered the house of Peter,
and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
He touched her hand, the fever left her,
and she rose and waited on him.
When it was evening, they brought him many
who were possessed by demons,
and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick,
to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet:
He took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 8:5-17
St. Matthew’s Gospel provides us with the second and third healing episodes (out of nine). Once again these encounters serve as proofs of the Lord’s identity as the Messiah. Clear evidence is given of this purpose with the use of the quote “He took away our infirmities and bore our disease.” taken from the suffering servant oracle in Isaiah 53:4.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Sacred Scripture provides a nice contrast of attitudes today. In the first reading we hear the story of Abraham and Sarah’s encounter with God and two angels. In spite of the fact that Abraham had been told earlier that he and Sarah would have a son (and he laughed), when he is told a second time, we are told that Sarah laughs in disbelief (in some ways worse, she also denies that she laughed). In the case of Abraham and Sarah, God has established a covenant and in spite of the fact that they lack faith in this promise, the Lord will ultimately deliver upon his promise to them.
This encounter is contrasts violently with the account of Jesus’ encounter with the Centurion. In the second instance, the Centurion demonstrates immediately that he his faith in the identity of Christ and the ability of God to heal his servant. His faith is rewarded with Christ’s healing word; the faith of the Centurion is justified.
Also contrasting with Abraham and Sarah’s skepticism about God’s willingness to intervene in their lives is the Canticle of Mary that is used as the Psalm Response. Mary’s unconditional surrender to the will of God is the ultimate expression of faith as she offers her soul to God.
We are challenged by these tails of God’s interaction with his favorite creation. We ask God today to open our hearts to the miracles God offers us daily. We pray that like the Centurion, when we encounter the trials of this life we might offer our anxiety to the Lord, with faith that his will be done. We pray that like the Blessed Virgin, we might offer ourselves to God with complete confidence and accept his grace.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “The Faith of the Centurion” by Caspar Luiken (1712)
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Memorial Bench for St. Cyril of Alexandria
Readings for Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Genesis 18:1-15
The LORD appeared to Abraham by the Terebinth of Mamre,
as Abraham sat in the entrance of his tent,
while the day was growing hot.
Looking up, he saw three men standing nearby.
When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them;
and bowing to the ground, he said:
"Sir, if I may ask you this favor,
please do not go on past your servant.
Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet,
and then rest yourselves under the tree.
Now that you have come this close to your servant,
let me bring you a little food, that you may refresh yourselves;
and afterward you may go on your way."
The men replied, "Very well, do as you have said."
Abraham hastened into the tent and told Sarah,
"Quick, three measures of fine flour!
Knead it and make rolls."
He ran to the herd, picked out a tender, choice steer,
and gave it to a servant, who quickly prepared it.
Then Abraham got some curds and milk,
as well as the steer that had been prepared,
and set these before them;
and he waited on them under the tree while they ate.
They asked him, "Where is your wife Sarah?"
He replied, "There in the tent."
One of them said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year,
and Sarah will then have a son."
Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, just behind him.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years,
and Sarah had stopped having her womanly periods.
So Sarah laughed to herself and said,
"Now that I am so withered and my husband is so old,
am I still to have sexual pleasure?"
But the LORD said to Abraham: "Why did Sarah laugh and say,
'Shall I really bear a child, old as I am?'
Is anything too marvelous for the LORD to do?
At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you,
and Sarah will have a son."
Because she was afraid, Sarah dissembled, saying, "I didn't laugh."
But he replied, "Yes you did."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Gn 18:1-15
Abraham and Sarah encounter God and two messengers in this selection from Genesis. Abraham recognizes the Lord (we note his act of obeisance and form of address “’ădonāy”) and acts as is required by oriental hospitality providing rest, drink and food. It is clear that the Lord is the key figure in the story and the messengers are soon forgotten as Abraham hears God’s prediction that He would return and when he did Abraham and Sarah would have a son. When Sarah hears this she laughs, similar to Abraham’s reaction in Genesis 17: 17.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55
R. (see 54b) The Lord has remembered his mercy.
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.
"For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.
"He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.
"He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
The promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever."
R. The Lord has remembered his mercy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55
The responsorial is the Magnificat, the beautiful Canticle of Mary. Her song of thanksgiving and humility captures the saintliness that has become synonymous with our image of Mary the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of the Church. In her dedication of the service she offers to God as vessel of the Messiah she sets the stage for the humble birth of Jesus.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 8:5-17
When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully."
He said to him, "I will come and cure him."
The centurion said in reply,
"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a man subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;
and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes;
and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven,
but the children of the Kingdom
will be driven out into the outer darkness,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."
And Jesus said to the centurion,
"You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you."
And at that very hour his servant was healed.
Jesus entered the house of Peter,
and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
He touched her hand, the fever left her,
and she rose and waited on him.
When it was evening, they brought him many
who were possessed by demons,
and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick,
to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet:
He took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 8:5-17
St. Matthew’s Gospel provides us with the second and third healing episodes (out of nine). Once again these encounters serve as proofs of the Lord’s identity as the Messiah. Clear evidence is given of this purpose with the use of the quote “He took away our infirmities and bore our disease.” taken from the suffering servant oracle in Isaiah 53:4.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
Sacred Scripture provides a nice contrast of attitudes today. In the first reading we hear the story of Abraham and Sarah’s encounter with God and two angels. In spite of the fact that Abraham had been told earlier that he and Sarah would have a son (and he laughed), when he is told a second time, we are told that Sarah laughs in disbelief (in some ways worse, she also denies that she laughed). In the case of Abraham and Sarah, God has established a covenant and in spite of the fact that they lack faith in this promise, the Lord will ultimately deliver upon his promise to them.
This encounter is contrasts violently with the account of Jesus’ encounter with the Centurion. In the second instance, the Centurion demonstrates immediately that he his faith in the identity of Christ and the ability of God to heal his servant. His faith is rewarded with Christ’s healing word; the faith of the Centurion is justified.
Also contrasting with Abraham and Sarah’s skepticism about God’s willingness to intervene in their lives is the Canticle of Mary that is used as the Psalm Response. Mary’s unconditional surrender to the will of God is the ultimate expression of faith as she offers her soul to God.
We are challenged by these tails of God’s interaction with his favorite creation. We ask God today to open our hearts to the miracles God offers us daily. We pray that like the Centurion, when we encounter the trials of this life we might offer our anxiety to the Lord, with faith that his will be done. We pray that like the Blessed Virgin, we might offer ourselves to God with complete confidence and accept his grace.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used is “The Faith of the Centurion” by Caspar Luiken (1712)
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
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