Fragmenda

Scripture

Matthew 19 · Mark 10

Matthew 19

Christ declares matrimony to be indissoluble: he recommends the making one’s self an eunuch for the kingdom of heaven; and parting with all things for him. He shews the danger of riches, and the reward of leaving all to follow him.

1 

And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these words, he departed from Galilee and came into the coasts of Judea, beyond Jordan.

2 

And great multitudes followed him: and he healed them there.

3 

And there came to him the Pharisees tempting him, saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?

4 

Who answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that he who made man from the beginning, made them male and female? And he said:

5 

For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.

6 

Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

7 

They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away?

8 

He saith to them: Because Moses by reason of the hardness of your heart permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

9 

And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.

10 

His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry.

11 

Who said to them: All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given.

12 

For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother’s womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it.

13 

Then were little children presented to him, that he should impose hands upon them and pray. And the disciples rebuked them.

14 

But Jesus said to them: Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.

15 

And when he had imposed hands upon them, he departed from thence.

16 

And behold one came and said to him: Good master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting?

17 

Who said to him: Why askest thou me concerning good? One is good, God. But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

18 

He said to him: Which? And Jesus said: Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness.

19 

Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

20 

The young man saith to him: All these have I kept from my youth, what is yet wanting to me?

21 

Jesus saith to him: If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

22 

And when the young man had heard this word, he went away sad: for he had great possessions.

23 

Then Jesus said to his disciples: Amen, I say to you, that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

24 

And again I say to you: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

25 

And when they had heard this, the disciples wondered much, saying: Who then can be saved?

26 

And Jesus beholding, said to them: With men this is impossible: but with God all things are possible.

27 

Then Peter answering, said to him: Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have?

28 

And Jesus said to them: Amen I say to you, that you who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 

And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.

30 

And many that are first, shall be last: and the last shall be first.


Mark 10

Marriage is not to be dissolved. The danger of riches. The ambition of the sons of Zebedee. A blind man is restored to his sight.

1 

And rising up from thence, he cometh into the coasts of Judea beyond the Jordan: and the multitude flocked to him again. And as he was accustomed, he taught them again.

2 

And the Pharisees coming to him asked him, tempting him: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife?

3 

But he answering, saith to them: What did Moses command you?

4 

Who said: Moses permitted to write a bill of divorce and to put her away.

5 

To whom Jesus answering, said: Because of the hardness of your heart, he wrote you that precept.

6 

But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.

7 

For this cause, a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife.

8 

And they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh.

9 

What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

10 

And in the house again his disciples asked him concerning the same thing.

11 

And he saith to them: Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another committeth adultery against her.

12 

And if the wife shall put away her husband and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

13 

And they brought to him young children, that he might touch them. And the disciples rebuked them that brought them.

14 

Whom when Jesus saw, he was much displeased and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

15 

Amen I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter into it.

16 

And embracing them and laying his hands upon them, he blessed them.

17 

And when he was gone forth into the way, a certain man, running up and kneeling before him, asked him: Good Master, what shall I do that I may receive life everlasting?

18 

And Jesus said to him: Why callest thou me good? None is good but one, that is God.

19 

Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, bear not false witness, do no fraud, honour thy father and mother.

20 

But he answering, said to him: Master, all these things I have observed from my youth.

21 

And Jesus, looking on him, loved him and said to him: One thing is wanting unto thee. Go, sell whatsoever thou hast and give to the poor: and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.

22 

Who being struck sad at that saying, went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

23 

And Jesus looking round about, saith to his disciples: How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

24 

And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus again answering, saith to them: Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God?

25 

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

26 

Who wondered the more, saying among themselves: Who then can be saved?

27 

And Jesus looking on them, saith with men it is impossible; but not with God. For all things are possible with God.

28 

And Peter began to say unto him: Behold, we have left all things and have followed thee.

29 

Jesus answering said: Amen I say to you, there is no man who hath left house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,

30 

Who shall not receive an hundred times as much, now in this time: houses and brethren and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions: and in the world to come life everlasting.

31 

But many that are first shall be last: and the last, first.

32 

And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem: and Jesus went before them. And they were astonished and following were afraid. And taking again the twelve, he began to tell them the things that should befall him.

33 

Saying: Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes and ancients. And they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles.

34 

And they shall mock him and spit on him and scourge him and kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

35 

And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come to him, saying: Master, we desire that whatsoever we shall ask, thou wouldst do it for us.

36 

But he said to them: What would you that I should do for you?

37 

And they said: Grant to us that we may sit, one on thy right hand and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

38 

And Jesus said to them: You know not what you ask. Can you drink of the chalice that I drink of or be baptized with the baptism wherewith I am baptized?

39 

But they said to him: We can. And Jesus saith to them: You shall indeed drink of the chalice that I drink of; and with the baptism wherewith I am baptized you shall be baptized.

40 

But to sit on my right hand or on my left is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared.

41 

And the ten, hearing it, began to be much displeased at James and John.

42 

But Jesus calling them, saith to them: You know that they who seem to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them: and their princes have power over them.

43 

But it is not so among you: but whosoever will be greater shall be your minister.

44 

And whosoever will be first among you shall be the servant of all.

45 

For the Son of man also is not come to be ministered unto: but to minister and to give his life a redemption for many.

46 

And they came to Jericho. And as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a very great multitude, Bartimeus the blind man, the son of Timeus, sat by the way side begging.

47 

Who when he had heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, began to cry out and to say: Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.

48 

And many rebuked him, that he might hold his peace; but he cried a great deal the more: Son of David, have mercy on me.

49 

And Jesus, standing still, commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying to him: Be of better comfort. Arise, he calleth thee.

50 

Who casting off his garment leaped up and came to him.

51 

And Jesus answering, said to him: What wilt thou that I should do to thee? And the blind man said to him: Rabboni. That I may see.

52 

And Jesus saith to him: Go thy way. Thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw and followed him in the way.

Catechism

Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part 4, Introduction, Sections 42-45

God And The Saints Addressed Differently

To remove, however, the possibility of error on the part of the unlearned it will be found useful to explain to the faithful the difference between these two kinds of invocation.

We do not address God and the Saints in the same manner, for we implore God to grant us blessings or to deliver us from evils; while we ask the Saints, since they are the friends of God, to take us under their patronage and to obtain for us from God whatever we need. Hence we make use of two different forms of prayer. To God, we properly say: Have mercy on us, Hear us; but to the Saints, Pray for us. Still we may also ask the Saints, though in a different sense, that they have mercy on us, for they are most merciful. Thus we may beseech them that, touched with the misery of our condition, they would interpose in our behalf their influence and intercession before God.

In the performance of this duty, it is strictly incumbent on all not to transfer to any creature the right which belongs exclusively to God. For instance, when we say the Our Father before the image of a Saint we should bear in mind that we beg of the Saint to pray with us and to obtain for us those favours which we ask of God, in the Petitions of the Lord's Prayer, ­­ in a word, that he become our interpreter and intercessor with God. That this is an office which the Saints discharge, St. John the Apostle teaches in the Apocalypse.

Preparation for Prayer

In Scripture we read: Before prayer, prepare thy soul, and be not as a man that tempteth God. He tempts God who prays well but acts badly, and while he converses with God allows his mind to wander.

Since, then, the dispositions with which we pray are of such vital importance, the pastor should teach his pious hearers how to pray.

Humility

The first preparation, then, for prayer is an unfeigned humility of soul, an acknowledgment of our sinfulness, and a conviction that, when we approach God in prayer, our sins render us undeserving, not only of receiving a propitious hearing from Him, but even of appearing in His presence.

This preparation is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures: He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble, and he hath not despised their petitions; the prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds. Many other passages of the same kind will suggest themselves to learned pastors. Hence we abstain from citing more here.

Two examples, however, at which we have already glanced in another place, and which are apposite to our purpose, we shall not pass over in silence. The publican, who, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes toward heaven, and the woman, a sinner, who, moved with sorrow, washed the feet of Christ the Lord, with her tears, illustrate the great efficacy which Christian humility imparts to prayer.

Sorrow For Sin

The next (preparation) is a feeling of sorrow, arising from the recollection of our past sins, or, at least, some sense of regret, that we do not experience that sorrow. If the sinner bring not with him to prayer both, or, at least one of these dispositions, he cannot hope to obtain pardon.