Book of Ezra 9,5-9. breski1 At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God. I …More
Book of Ezra 9,5-9. breski1
At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God.
I said: "My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven.
From the time of our fathers even to this day great has been our guilt, and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered over, we and our kings and our priests, to the will of the kings of foreign lands, to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace, as is the case today.
"And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the LORD, our God, who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place; thus our God has brightened our eyes and given us relief in our servitude.
For slaves we are, but in our servitude our God has not abandoned us; rather, he has turned the good will of the kings of Persia toward us. Thus he has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.
Book of Tobit 13,2.3-4a.4bcd.5.8.
He scourges and then has mercy;
he casts down to the depths of the nether world,
and he brings up from the great abyss.
No one can escape his hand.
Praise him, you children of Israel, before the Gentiles,
for though he has scattered you among them,
He has shown you his greatness even there.
Exalt him before every living being,
because he is the Lord our God,
our Father and God forever.
He scourged you for your iniquities,
but will again have mercy on you all.
He will gather you from all the Gentiles among whom you have been scattered.
Celebrate days of gladness, and give him praise.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9,1-6.
Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."
Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407)
priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
4th Homily on 1 Corinthians; PG 61, 34-36 (trans. Mary Hallies)
“Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings you have fashioned praise” (Ps 8:3)
“The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor 1:25). Yes, the cross is a foolishness and weakness in appearance only (…). It was through unlearned men that the Cross brought conviction, and drew the world to itself. It spoke to men, not of chance things, but of God, and of piety in the truth, of the Gospel polity, of future judgment, and it made uncouth and illiterate men philosophers. This is how “the foolishness of God is wiser than man, and His weakness stronger,” (1 Cor. 1:25). How is it stronger? It is stronger in that it spread over the whole earth and seized all men by force, and whereas thousands and thousands did their utmost to stamp out the name of the Crucified One, just the contrary came to pass. For this name took root and was propagated all the more, whereas its enemies were destroyed and consumed, and living men fighting a dead One, gained not a stroke. (…) For publicans and fishermen set up those very things by the goodness of God which philosophers, and orators, and despots, and the whole world vainly striving with all its might could not even devise. (…) This was in Paul's mind when he said: “the weakness of God is stronger than all men put together.” How, otherwise, was it that twelve unlettered men attempted things of this importance?
At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God.
I said: "My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven.
From the time of our fathers even to this day great has been our guilt, and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered over, we and our kings and our priests, to the will of the kings of foreign lands, to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace, as is the case today.
"And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the LORD, our God, who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place; thus our God has brightened our eyes and given us relief in our servitude.
For slaves we are, but in our servitude our God has not abandoned us; rather, he has turned the good will of the kings of Persia toward us. Thus he has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.
Book of Tobit 13,2.3-4a.4bcd.5.8.
He scourges and then has mercy;
he casts down to the depths of the nether world,
and he brings up from the great abyss.
No one can escape his hand.
Praise him, you children of Israel, before the Gentiles,
for though he has scattered you among them,
He has shown you his greatness even there.
Exalt him before every living being,
because he is the Lord our God,
our Father and God forever.
He scourged you for your iniquities,
but will again have mercy on you all.
He will gather you from all the Gentiles among whom you have been scattered.
Celebrate days of gladness, and give him praise.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 9,1-6.
Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.
Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them."
Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Saint John Chrysostom (c.345-407)
priest at Antioch then Bishop of Constantinople, Doctor of the Church
4th Homily on 1 Corinthians; PG 61, 34-36 (trans. Mary Hallies)
“Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings you have fashioned praise” (Ps 8:3)
“The foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor 1:25). Yes, the cross is a foolishness and weakness in appearance only (…). It was through unlearned men that the Cross brought conviction, and drew the world to itself. It spoke to men, not of chance things, but of God, and of piety in the truth, of the Gospel polity, of future judgment, and it made uncouth and illiterate men philosophers. This is how “the foolishness of God is wiser than man, and His weakness stronger,” (1 Cor. 1:25). How is it stronger? It is stronger in that it spread over the whole earth and seized all men by force, and whereas thousands and thousands did their utmost to stamp out the name of the Crucified One, just the contrary came to pass. For this name took root and was propagated all the more, whereas its enemies were destroyed and consumed, and living men fighting a dead One, gained not a stroke. (…) For publicans and fishermen set up those very things by the goodness of God which philosophers, and orators, and despots, and the whole world vainly striving with all its might could not even devise. (…) This was in Paul's mind when he said: “the weakness of God is stronger than all men put together.” How, otherwise, was it that twelve unlettered men attempted things of this importance?