July 16, 2009 Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL
«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68


Thursday, 16 July 2009
Thursday of the Fifteenth week in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates : Our Lady of Mount Carmel


Book of Exodus 3:13-20.

"But," said Moses to God, "when I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' if they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?" God replied, "I am who am." Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you." God spoke further to Moses, "Thus shall you say to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. "This is my name forever; this is my title for all generations. "Go and assemble the elders of the Israelites, and tell them: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey. "Thus they will heed your message. Then you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us word. Permit us, then, to go a three days' journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God. "Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless he is forced. I will stretch out my hand, therefore, and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of wondrous deeds there. After that he will send you away.

Psalms 105:1.5.8-9.24-25.26-27.

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the peoples his deeds!
Recall the wondrous deeds he has done, his signs and his words of judgment,
He remembers forever his covenant, the pact imposed for a thousand generations,
Which was made with Abraham, confirmed by oath to Isaac,
God greatly increased his people, made them too many for their foes.
He turned their hearts to hate his people, to treat his servants unfairly.
He sent his servant Moses, Aaron whom he had chosen.
They worked his signs in Egypt and wonders in the land of Ham.


Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 11:28-30.

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."


Commentary of the day :

"Come to me"


Let anyone who would find their soul's true rest learn humility! Let them understand that all joy, all glory, all rest are to be found in it just as the opposite is to be found in pride. For how, indeed, is it that we have come to all these tribulations? Why have we fallen into all this misery? Isn't it because of our pride, our foolishness? Isn't it because we followed our own evil counsel and were attached to the bitterness of our own wills? And why so? Wasn't man created in perfect equanimity, in complete happiness, rest and glory? Wasn't he in Paradise? He was commanded: Don't do this, yet he did it. Don't you note his pride, his arrogance, his insubordination? «Man is a foolish creature,» said God, when he saw this insolence; «he has no idea how to be happy. Unless he experiences evil days he will be lost forthwith. Unless he learns what affliction is, he will never know the meaning of rest.» And so God gave him what deserved by driving him out of Paradise...

And yet, as I often say to you, God's goodness has not failed his creature but keeps turning towards it, calling it back: «Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.» That is to say: See, how weary you are, how unhappy! You have learned by experience the evil of your disobedience. Come along then, be converted; come along, recognise your powerlessness and shame so that you can return to the rest and glory that is yours. Come on, you who were dead from pride: live by humility. «Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart, and you shall find rest for your souls.»