Friday 23: Of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22; Psalm 145; Matthew 22:34-40 Our first reading today comes from the Book of Ruth and in it we see Naomi returning to her own people for she has heard that the Lord is with them and looking after them. She herself has suffered the loss of her husband and her two sons and now one of her daughters-in-law is returning to her own people. But the second daughter-in-law – Ruth, a Gentile – will not leave her but clings to her and takes Naomi’s people as her people and Naomi’s God as her God. In the Gospel Jesus is questioned by the authorities as to what he saw as the greatest commandment. He quotes the Shema Israel (“Listen, Israel . . .” – Deuteronomy) as the core of the faith. He also adds love of neighbour as the second commandment. Our Lord then says that everything hangs on these two commandments because if we fulfil the letter of the Law but without love of God or love of neighbour, then our observance of the Law will be of little value to us. In all that we do we must work from a foundation of love. August 24: Feast of St Bartholomew the Apostle Very little is known about Bartholomew apart from his being listed among the Twelve in the Synoptic Gospels. Many scholars identify him as the Nathanael who came to visit Jesus under the cover of darkness in the first chapter of St John’s Gospel. Tradition holds that he preached the faith in India, though there is no evidence of this. Saturday 24: Feast of St Bartholomew the Apostle* Apocalypse (Revelations) 21:9-14; Psalm 144; John 1:45-51 Our first reading from the Book of the Revelations made to St John the Evangelist, speaks of the New Jerusalem which has twelve foundation stones. The New Jerusalem is a metaphor for the Church established by Christ and built on the foundation of the apostles themselves. The wall symbolises the people of God. In the gospel we see Nathanael (Nathaniel) being brought to Jesus and we read of his declaration of faith because of what Jesus said to him. It is believed that this Nathanael is the St Bartholomew we honour today.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 12:13:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015