Monday of the Twenty-fifth week in Ordinary Time

Saint Luke 8:16-18

by Daily Gospel | Source: Daily Gospel

Book of Ezra 1:1-6.

In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persia to issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom, both by word of mouth and in writing:
"Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia: 'All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me, and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
Whoever, therefore, among you belongs to any part of his people, let him go up, and may his God be with him!
Let everyone who has survived, in whatever place he may have dwelt, be assisted by the people of that place with silver, gold, goods, and cattle, together with free-will offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.'"
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and Levites--everyone, that is, whom God had inspired to do so--prepared to go up to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
All their neighbors gave them help in every way, with silver, gold, goods, and cattle, and with many precious gifts besides all their free-will offerings.

Psalms 126(125):1-2ab.2cd-3.4-5.6.

A song of ascents. When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, then we thought we were dreaming.
Our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD had done great things for them."
Our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD had done great things for them."
Our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD had done great things for them."

Our mouths were filled with laughter; our tongues sang for joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD had done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us; Oh, how happy we were!
Restore again our fortunes, LORD, like the dry stream beds of the Negeb.
Those who sow in tears will reap with cries of joy.

Those who go forth weeping, carrying sacks of seed, Will return with cries of joy, carrying their bundled sheaves.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 8:16-18.

Jesus said to the crowd : "No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed ; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away."

Commentary of the day
Saint Maximus the Confessor (c.580-662), monk and theologian
Question 63 to Thalassius ; PG 90, 667f.

«Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path» (Ps 119[118],105)

The lamp on the lampstand is our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Father's true light «who enlightens everyone coming into the world» (Jn 1,9): in other words, the Father's Wisdom and Word. Having accepted our flesh, he truly became, and was called, the «light of the world». By our faith and devotion he is honored and exalted in the Church. In this way he is made visible to all nations and shines out for «all the people in the house», namely the whole world, as he said: «They do not light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand , where it gives light to all in the house» (Mt 5,15).

As we have seen, Christ calls himself a lamp. God by nature, he became flesh according to the plan of salvation: a light held within the flesh as if in a vase... This is what David was thinking when he said: «Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path» (Ps 119[118],105). Since he causes the darkness of ignorance and the evil of men to vanish, my Savior and my God is called a lamp in Scripture. And since he is the only one able to obliterate the darkness of ignorance and disperse the shadows of sin, he has become the way of salvation for all. He leads towards the Father all those who, through understanding and virtue, walk with him along the path of the commandments as on a road of righteousness.

The lampstand is holy Church because the Word of God shines out through her preaching. This is how the beams of its truth can enlighten the whole world... On one condition, however: so long as it is not hidden under the letter of the Law. Anyone who clings to Scripture according to the letter only is living according to the flesh; he is placing the lamp under a bushel basket. But when, to the contrary, the Church is set on the lampstand, it enlightens everyone.

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