INSTRUCTION FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER EASTER,
by Leonard Goffine, 1871
The Church continues to encourage us in joy because of Christ's resurrection, and sings at the Introit of this day's Mass: Shout with joy to God all the earth, Alleluia: Sing ye a psalm to His name, Alleluia. Give glory to his praise. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia. (Ps. lxv.) Say unto God: How terrible are thy works, O Lord! Thy great power shall convict thy enemies of a lie. Glory, &c.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, who shewest the light of Thy truth to such as go astray, that they may return to the way of righteousness: grant that all, who profess the Christian name, may forsake whatever is contrary to that profession, and closely pursue what is agreeable to it. Through, &c.
EPISTLE. (i. Peter ii. 11 - 19.) Dearly Beloved: I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to refrain yourselves from carnal desires, which war against the soul, having your conversation good among the Gentiles: that whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may, by the good works which they shall behold in you, glorify God in the day of visitation. Be ye subject therefore to every human creature for God's sake: whether it be to kings as excelling: or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of the good: for so is the will of God, that by doing well you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: as free, and not as making liberty a cloak for malice, but as the servants of God. Honor all men: love the brotherhood: fear God: honor the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thanks-worthy in Jesus Christ our Lord.
EXPLANATIONSt. Peter here urges the Christians to regard themselves as strangers and pilgrims upon this earth, looking upon temporal goods only as borrowed things, to which they should not attach their hearts, for death will soon deprive them of all. He then admonishes them as Christians to live in a Christian manner, to edify and lead to truth the gentiles who hated and calumniated them. This should be especially taken to heart by those Catholics who live among people of a different religion; for they can edify them by the faithful and diligent practice of their holy religion, and by a pure, moral life lead them to the truth; while by lukewarmness and an immoral life, they will only strengthen them in their error, and thus injure the Church. St. Peter also requires the Christians, because it is God's will (Rom. xiii. 1.), who has Himself instituted it, to obey the lawful authority, and, therefore, to pay all duties and taxes faithfully. Christ paid the customary tribute for Himself and Peter (Matt. xvii. 26.), and St. Paul expressly commands, that toll and taxes should be paid to whomsoever they are due. (Rom.xiii. 7.) St. Peter finally advises servants to obey their masters whether these are good or bad, and by so doing be agreeable to God who will one day reward them for it.
ASPIRATION. Grant me the grace, O Jesus! to consider myself, as long as I live, as a pilgrim and as such to use all temporal goods. Give me patience in adversities, and so strengthen me, that I may willingly obey the lawful authority, though its laws and regulations should come hard and its tribute press upon me.
GOSPEL. (John xvi. 16 - 22.) At That Time: Jesus said to His disciples: A little while, and now you shall not see Me: and again a little while, and you shall see Me: because I go to the Father. Then some of His disciples said one to another: What is this that He saith to us: A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again a little while, and you shall see Me, and, because I go to the Father? They said therefore: What is this that He saith: A little while? we know not what He speaketh. And Jesus knew that they had a mind to ask Him; and He said to them: Of this do you inquire among yourselves, because I said: A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again a little while and you shall see Me. Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall lament and weep, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be made sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labour, hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but when she hath brought forth the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. So also you now indeed have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice; and your joy no man shall take from you.
What is the meaning of Christ's word: A little while and you shall not see me; and again a little while and you shall see me?
St. Chrysostom applies these words, which Christ spoke to His apostles a few hours before His passion, to the time between the death of Jesus and His resurrection; but St. Augustine to the time between the resurrection and the ascension, and then to the Last Judgment at the end of the world, and he adds: "This little while seems long to us living, but ended, we feel how short it is." In affliction we should console ourselves by reflecting, how soon it will end, and that it cannot be compared with the future glory, that is ever awaiting in heaven him who patiently endures.
How are we to know if we are among the sheep of Christ, that is, His chosen ones?
By this, if we willingly listen to the voice of the shepherd in sermons and instructions, in spiritual books and conversations, are obedient to it, and especially give ear and follow the rules of the Church through which the good Shepherd speaks to us (Luke x. 16.), "for he," says St. Augustine, "who has not the Church for his mother, will not have God for his father;" if we gladly receive the food of the good Shepherd, that is, His sacredbody and blood in holy Communion; if we are patient and meek as a lamb, freely forgiving our enemies; if we love all men from our heart, do only good to them, and seek to bring them to Jesus.
Why did our Saviour tell His disciples of their future joys and sufferings?
That they might the more easily bear the sufferings that were to come, because we can be prepared for sufferings we know are coming; because they knew that their sufferings were only slight and momentary in comparison with the everlasting joy which awaited them; like the pains of a woman in giving birth to a child, which are great indeed, but short, and soon forgotten by the mother in joy at the birth of the child. "Tell me," says St. Chrysostom, "if you were elected king but were obliged to spend the night preceding your entrance into your capital city, where you were to be crowned, with much discomfort in a stable, would you not joyfully endure it in the expectation of your kingdom? And why should not we in this valley of tears live willingly through adversities, in expectation of one day obtaining the kingdom of heaven?
PETITION Enlighten me, O Holy Spirit! that I may realize that this present life and all its hardships are but slight and momentary, and strengthen me to patiently endure the adversities of life in the hope of future heavenly joys.
CONSOLATION IN TRIALS AND ADVERSITIES
You shall weep and lament (John xvi. 20.)
That Christian is most foolish who fancies, that the happiness of this world consists in honors, wealth, and pleasures, while Christ, the eternal Truth, teaches the contrary, promising eternal happiness to the poor and oppressed, and announcing eternal affliction and lamenting to those rich ones who have their comfort in this world. How much, then, are those to be pitied who as Christians believe, and yet live as if these truths were not for them, and who think only how they can spend their days in luxury, hoping at the same time to go to heaven where all the saints, even Christ the Son of God Himself, have entered only by crosses and sufferings.
PRAYER IN TRIBULATION: O best Jesus! who hast revealed, that we can enter heaven only by many tribulations (Acts xiv. 21.), hast called them blessed who in this world are sad, oppressed, and persecuted, but patiently suffer, and will therefore be consoled and rejoiced, and who hast also taught us, that without the will of Thy Heavenly Father, not the slightest evil is done, not one hair of our head can be bent (Luke xxi. 13.): I firmly believe, that I shall become the more happy the more I am persecuted and oppressed, if I only patiently suffer. I therefore submit entirely to Thy divine will, for I know that even though all hell, with its adherents, should rise against me, it could do me not the slightest injury without Thy permission.
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Topic: Third Sunday After Easter (Read 496 times)