Thursday of the Thirty-second week in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates : St. Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr (c.1580-1623) – Memorial

See commentary below or click here
Saint Isaac the Syrian : “The kingdom of God is among you.”

Book of Wisdom 7:22-30.8:1.

for Wisdom, the artificer of all, taught me. For in her is a spirit intelligent, holy, unique, Manifold, subtle, agile, clear, unstained, certain, Not baneful, loving the good, keen, unhampered, beneficent, kindly, Firm, secure, tranquil, all-powerful, all-seeing, And pervading all spirits, though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle. For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion, and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity. For she is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty; therefore nought that is sullied enters into her. For she is the refulgence of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness. And she, who is one, can do all things, and renews everything while herself perduring; And passing into holy souls from age to age, she produces friends of God and prophets. For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom. For she is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars. Compared to light, she takes precedence; for that, indeed, night supplants, but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom. Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily and governs all things well.

Psalms 119:89.90.91.130.135.175.

Your word, LORD, stands forever; it is firm as the heavens.
Through all generations your truth endures; fixed to stand firm like the earth.
By your edicts they stand firm to this day, for all things are your servants.
The revelation of your words sheds light, gives understanding to the simple.
Let your face shine upon your servant; teach me your laws.
Let me live to praise you; may your edicts give me help.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 17:20-25.

Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.” Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ (or) ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be (in his day). But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day :

Saint Isaac the Syrian (7th Century), monk near Mosul
Ascetical Discourses, 1st part

“The kingdom of God is among you.”

The demons dread, but God and his angels desire the one who fervently seeks God day and night in his heart and repels far away the enemy’s attacks. The spiritual country of this person who is pure in soul is within himself: the sun that shines within him is the light of the Holy Trinity; the air breathed by the thoughts within him is the holy Spirit, the Comforter; and the holy angels abide with him. Their life, their joy, their gladness is Christ, light of the Father’s light. Such a one continually enjoys the contemplation of his soul, marvelling at the beauty he sees there, shining a hundred times more powerfully than the brightness of the sun.

This is Jerusalem. And it is «the Kingdom of God concealed within us», to use the Lord’s own words. This country is the cloud of the glory of God into which only pure hearts can enter to behold their Master’s face (Mt 5,8). Their understanding will be enlightened by the rays of his light.