Monday, 26 October 2009

Monday of the Thirtieth week in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates : St. Demetrius,  St. Evaristus, Pope and Martyr (+ 112)

See commentary below or click here
Gregory of Narek : “She at once stood up straight and glorified God”

Letter to the Romans 8:12-17.

Consequently, brothers, we are not debtors to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, “Abba, Father!” The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Psalms 68:2.4.6-7.20-21.

God will arise for battle; the enemy will be scattered; those who hate God will flee.
Then the just will be glad; they will rejoice before God; they will celebrate with great joy.
Father of the fatherless, defender of widows– this is the God whose abode is holy,
Who gives a home to the forsaken, who leads prisoners out to prosperity, while rebels live in the desert.
Blessed be the Lord day by day, God, our salvation, who carries us. Selah
Our God is a God who saves; escape from death is in the LORD God’s hands.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 13:10-17.

He was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day.” The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?” When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day :

Gregory of Narek (c.944-1010), Armenian monk and poet
Book of prayers, n°18 (SC 78, p. 123 rev.)

“She at once stood up straight and glorified God”

There was a time when I was not, and you created me.
I had not prayed yet you made me.
I had not yet come into the light yet you saw me.
I had not appeared yet you took pity on me.
I had not invoked you yet you cared for me.
I had not signalled yet you looked at me.
I had not craved your pardon yet you had mercy on me.
I had not breathed a word yet you heard me.
I had not sighed yet you listened.

Even though you knew what would now happen to me
you did not despise me.
Even after considering with your foreseeing gaze
the offences of the sinner that I am,
you nonetheless formed me.
And even now may I, whom you created,
whom you saved,
who have been the object of such care,
not be lost forever by the wounds of sins
aroused in me by the Accuser!…

Bound, paralyzed,
bent double like the afflicted woman,
my poor soul is unable to stand upright.
It cleaves to the earth beneath the weight of sin
because of Satan’s heavy bonds…
Incline towards me, Merciful One,
poor fallen, thinking tree.
Make me flower again in beauty and splendor,
I who am withered and dry,
according to the divine words spoken by the holy prophet (Ez 17,22-24)…
You who alone are our Protector
deign to cast your glance at me
out of the concern of your inexpressible love…
and, out of nothing, you will create within me
light itself. (cf. Gn 1,3).