Podcast & Webcast | Liturgy

Saint Luke 4:31-37.

by Daily Gospel | Source: Daily Gospel

First Letter to the Thessalonians 5:1-6.9-11.

Concerning times and seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.
When people are saying, "Peace and security," then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,and they will not escape.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.
For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him.
Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do.

Psalms 27(26):1.4.13-14.

Of David The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom do I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom am I afraid?
One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the LORD'S house all the days of my life, To gaze on the LORD'S beauty, to visit his temple.
But I believe I shall enjoy the LORD'S goodness in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!


Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 4:31-37.

Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority.
In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice,
Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!
Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm.
They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."
And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

    
Commentary of the day
Baldwin of Ford (?-c.1190), Cistercian abbot
Tractate 6, on Hebrews 4,12 ; PL 204, 451-453 (©Cistercian Fathers series, 38)

"He spoke with authority"

God is living and effective, more piercing than any two-edged sword»(Heb 4,12).What greatness of power, what wealth of wisdom in the Word of God is shown by these words of the Apostle to those that seek Christ, who is himself the word, the power, and the wisdom of God.  In the beginning, this word was with God, coeternal with him (Jn 1,1); in his time he was revealed to the prophets, proclaimed by them, and received humbly in the faith of his believing people...

The Word of God is living, and the Father granted to him that he should have life in himself as the Father has life in himself (Jn 5,26). On this account, he is not only living, but life, as he says of himself: «I am the way, the truth and the life» (Jn 14,16). Because he is life, he lives in such a way that he is able to give life, for «as the Father raises up the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom he will» (Jn 5,21). He gives life when he calls Lazarus from the tomb and says: «Come forth!» (Jn 11,43). When this word is proclaimed, the voice of him who proclaims it gives to the voice which is heard outwardly the voice of power which is heard inwardly, and it is by this voice that life is given to the dead and, by awakening faith, raises up true children to Abraham (Mt 3,9). This word, therefore, is living in the heart of the Father, living in the mouth of him who proclaims it, and living in the heart of him who believes and loves it.