Matthew [8:18-22] Would-Be Followers of Jesus Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 8,18-22. When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side. A scribe …More
Matthew [8:18-22] Would-Be Followers of Jesus
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 8,18-22.
When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side.
A scribe approached and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
Another of (his) disciples said to him, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But Jesus answered him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
8th sermon for the octave of Christmas
"The Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head"
God is his own abundance because he is infinite goodness (...). This God who is so rich made himself poor by becoming man so as to make us rich, miserable sinners that we are. This is the apostle Paul's express teaching: “Jesus became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). What is this ?! A God (...) going so far as to make himself poor ! What was he thinking of ? Let us try to understand. Earthly goods cannot be anything but dust and clay. But this filth blinds people to such an extent that they fail to perceive what true goods are any more. Before Jesus Christ's coming the world was in deep darkness because full of sin: “All mortals led depraved lives” (Gn 6:12). That is to say: people had turned into darkness within them the natural law God had engraved in their soul: they were living like beasts, solely preoccupied with acquiring the pleasures and goods of this world, in complete carelessness of eternal goods. It is by an effect of the divine mercy that the Son of God himself has come to disperse these dark shadows: “Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone” (Is 9:1) (...). But this divine Master was to teach us not only in word but also, and above all, by the example of his life: “Poverty,” Saint Bernard says, “was not to be found in heaven; it could only be found on earth. Unfortunately, man had no idea of its worth and, leaving it behind, failed to seek it out. To make of it something precious in our eyes and worth our wanting, what did the Son of God do? He descended from heaven to earth and chose it as his companion for the length of his life.”
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 8,18-22.
When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side.
A scribe approached and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
Jesus answered him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head."
Another of (his) disciples said to him, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."
But Jesus answered him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead."
Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori (1696-1787)
Bishop and Doctor of the Church
8th sermon for the octave of Christmas
"The Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head"
God is his own abundance because he is infinite goodness (...). This God who is so rich made himself poor by becoming man so as to make us rich, miserable sinners that we are. This is the apostle Paul's express teaching: “Jesus became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). What is this ?! A God (...) going so far as to make himself poor ! What was he thinking of ? Let us try to understand. Earthly goods cannot be anything but dust and clay. But this filth blinds people to such an extent that they fail to perceive what true goods are any more. Before Jesus Christ's coming the world was in deep darkness because full of sin: “All mortals led depraved lives” (Gn 6:12). That is to say: people had turned into darkness within them the natural law God had engraved in their soul: they were living like beasts, solely preoccupied with acquiring the pleasures and goods of this world, in complete carelessness of eternal goods. It is by an effect of the divine mercy that the Son of God himself has come to disperse these dark shadows: “Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone” (Is 9:1) (...). But this divine Master was to teach us not only in word but also, and above all, by the example of his life: “Poverty,” Saint Bernard says, “was not to be found in heaven; it could only be found on earth. Unfortunately, man had no idea of its worth and, leaving it behind, failed to seek it out. To make of it something precious in our eyes and worth our wanting, what did the Son of God do? He descended from heaven to earth and chose it as his companion for the length of his life.”