So let's talk about today's readings 5/8/09

[cheeto1]

usccb.org/nab/readings/050809.shtml

The first reading refers to today’s psalm and says,
“You are my son, this day I have begotten you”.
It seems that the psalms are often referring to David and Jesus
at once. When God chose David as the future king, He was
making him like His son, giving him various responsibilities
and inheritances, and it was a new and better Father for David.

But what was it like for Jesus? He was already one with God in heaven,
an equal. But one day God separated Him from Himself and made Him
His Son. This was not a new and improved existance for Jesus.
It had to be suffering for Him even before He suffered. In order to even
talk to God He had to pray like us. But first He had to be a helpless baby
who can’t pray until someone teaches them how… I guess He felt sorry for us,
living in a place that’s not heaven, or He wouldn’t have done this.

To those who believe in Jesus, these psalm words are for us, on the day we
first believe. “You are my son, this day I have begotten you”. Or on the day
we are baptised.

So how many dwelling places do you think there are in heaven? What do they
look like? When a new Christian is converted, does Jesus have to go and prepare
another place? I just imagine God already knowing before it happens the number
who will believe. What does Jesus have to do in heaven to prepare a place for us?
It can’t be painting, carpeting or making the beds?! I’d like to know what He’s doing
up there all this time?

So what struck you about today’s readings? :bible1::twocents:

 

[thevickinator16]

The houses that Jesus refers to, always meant to me, just how close you get to God. From all the descriptions I have heard that when you die, depending on your state of grace, you were allotted a level in heaven. Like the saints are closer to God and see His incomprehensibility clearly, while others are not afforded such a view. The concept of the angels is there are 9 choirs and not all of them have direct access to God. I think this is the same as with us. If you read about those babies that die without baptism, it is said they will know God and yet not be in heaven, due to there non-baptism. Yet they will be happy in there state of eternity.

I know that St Faustina made some references to these levels also. The holiest are the closest. The faithful have their place also, just not quite the same.

Can you imagine what being an apostle would have been like? When you read everything after jesus ascended, it is these selected few that laid the foundations of our church. It must have been a massive effort. I imagine their faith was totally charged by the Holy Spirit, still they were humans and this was a very large task to overcome. Without their relentless preaching of the Gospels, there would be no church.

They had such a burden losing Jesus and His contact. I do wonder if Jesus ever came to them after the Ascendsion? It wouldn’t have necessairly been recorded. How strong their faith!

God Bless!

 

[cheeto1]

The houses that Jesus refers to, always meant to me, just how close you get to God.

I do wonder if Jesus ever came to them after the Ascendsion?

God Bless!

I have also heard of the “levels” idea, but what do you suppose Jesus had to go and
do prepare this?

If He did come back in bodily form, wouldn’t this be His 2nd coming, the end of our
time here on earth?

 

[tobinatorstark]

From the Haydock Bible Commentary

Ver. 33. He then shews them that Jesus was their Messias, and the Son of God, begotten of his Father from eternity, who rose from the dead, and he applies these words, (Psalm ii. 7.) to prove Christ’s resurrection, thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. It is true, these words regard chiefly the eternal generation of Christ, as they are applied by St. Paul, (Hebrews v. 5.) but the resurrection was a necessary consequence of his divinity, since death could have no power over him. St. Paul here also proves Christ’s resurrection by the following predictions. (Witham) — Second psalm. The oldest copy reads, first psalm. The difference is merely in words; for the division of the psalter at present is very different from what it formerly was: sometimes a single psalm of ours being divided into many, and many of our divisions making only one, according to the Hebrews. The latter are not even now agreed among themselves on the same division of the psalms. (Calmet) — Some suppose, that what we call the first psalm was originally looked upon as a preface to the psalter; others, that our first and second psalms united in one. (Mat. Polus.)

 

[tobinatorstark]

Ver. 6. I am. Hebrew, “I have anointed…over Sion, my,” &c. St. Jerome and others have read in the first person, what the Septuagint translate in the third. The sense is much the same. (Calmet) — But the Vulgate seems to be better connected, and the same letters may have this sense, if we neglect the points, which were unknown to the Septuagint and of modern invention. These interpreters may also have read a v for i, as these letters are very similar. (Berthier) — “But I am anointed king by him over Sion, his holy mountain.” (Houbigant) — Theodoret, observing that Christ is king not only over Sion, but also over all, alters the punctuation: On Sion…preaching, &c., which is very plausible, since Isaias (ix. 3.) says, the law shall come forth from Sion, (Berthier) and [Isaias] chap. xxxvii. 32., and salvation from Mount Sion. Hence Christ preached frequently in the temple. It is certain David was not anointed here, but at Hebron; and the temple was not built till the reign of Solomon. See Psalm cix. 2.\

Ver. 7. Thee. Chaldean weakens this text. (Haydock) — “I love thee as my son, and look upon thee with the same affection, as if I had this day created thee;” which might be applied to David, now settled more firmly on the throne by his late victory. But it literally refers to Christ, either born in time, (ver. 1., St. Augustine; Calmet) or baptized; (St. Justin Martyr) or rather rising again, (Acts xiii. 33.) and born from all eternity, Hebrews i. 5. This shews him superior to the angels. The prophet had both these events in view. Eternity is always the same. (Berthier; Bossuet; Du Hamel) — He to whom God may speak thus to-day, at all times, must be God also. (Robertson, Lexic.) (John v. 25.) — To this Socinians can make no reply, without giving up the Epistle to the Hebrews or allowing that the apostle’s arguments were inconclusive. (Berthier) — The same text may thus have many literal senses. (Du Hamel) — The eternal birth seems here to be the chief, as from that source the nativity, baptism, priesthood, (Hebrews xv. 5.[v. 5.?]) and miraculous resurrection of Christ, necessarily spring. (Haydock)

Ver. 8. Ask. The Messias must be invested with human nature, and merit all graces for man. When did David ask for such an extensive dominion? (Berthier) — But Christ’s kingdom extends over the world. His Church cannot fail, as St. Augustine proved hence against the Donatists, and his arguments confute Protestants as well. (Worthington) — Our doctors used to refer this psalm to the Messias, said R. Solomon; but it is better to apply it to David, on account of “Christians.” (Du Hamel)

Ver. 9. Rule, as a shepherd, (Greek: poimaneis) as it is cited [in] Apocalypse ii. 26. But he is speaking of vengeance taken on the rebellious; and we might translate, “Thou shalt break,” &c. (Calmet) — Yet this is not necessary, as a shepherd sometimes beats with severity, to prevent his sheep from straying. (Haydock) — The Church guides also use coercion, but for the good of the flock. (Calmet) — God brought the murderers of his Son to an evil end, and destroyed their city. (Haydock) — He broke the Gentiles, to make them a more noble vessel, Jeremias xviii. 4. (St. Hilary) — He will execute judgment at the last day, Apocalypse xix. 11. (Calmet) — When the clay is still soft the vessel may easily be repaired; so the sinner may be reclaimed, when he has only just fallen . (St. Jerome) — Even the most obdurate, are as clay in God’s hands. (Worthington)

Ver. 10. And. Here the prophet may address kings, unless the Father or the Messias continue to speak. It is evident these words are not to be understood of David’s dominions alone. Fear and joy keep the Christian in proper order, Philippians ii. 12., and iii. 1. (Berthier) — “The love of God pushes us forward, and the fear of God makes us take care where we walk.” (St. Theresa [of Avila?]) — The one guards us against despair, the other against presumption. Kings are here instructed to support the Church, for which some have been styled, “Most Christian,” “Catholic,” or “Defenders of the Faith.” The Donatists falsely asserted, that they were ever found enemies to religion, because of Constantine, &c., attempted to repress their errors. But Julian favoured them, to increase dissensions. See St. Augustine, contra Pet. et contra Gaud. ii. 26. (Worthington)

Ver. 11. Trembling, with reverential awe and humility, (1 Corinthians ii. 3.; Amama) as none is sure of salvation. (Bell.[Bellarmine?]) — More are list by presumption than by trembling. (Amama)

 

[tobinatorstark]

Ver. 1. After having answered the questions of St. Peter, Jesus again addresses himself to his disciples, and bids them not to be afflicted or troubled, at what he says to them. Many Greeks and Latins begin this chapter thus: Jesus said to his disciples, let not your hearts be troubled. (St. Chrysostom) — Euthymius; Leont.; Theophylactus; Theodor.; &c. agree, that our Saviour wished to encourage his apostles, who were so much troubled, because he had said, that Peter should deny him. They thought within themselves, if Peter, who is the strongest, and most resolute amongst us, shall so far forget himself, as to deny his master, what will become of us? Jesus seeing their anxiety, tells them not to be troubled; but to believe in him, and in his words, for he had said, that he would not lose any, whom his Father had given him; (John chap. vi, ver. 39.) and that whosoever should believe in him, should have life everlasting. (chap. iii, ver. 15.) — Let not your heart be troubled. Christ here begins those incomparable discourses to his apostles, which are set down in the four next chapters. His sufferings and death now approaching, he forewarns them not to be troubled. You believe in God, and put your trust in him; believe also, and trust in me, no less than in him. (Witham)

Ver. 2. In my Father’s house. He does not say of your Father: for though God be the Father of all by creation, and of the just, by the grace of adoption; yet Christ in several places, calls him his Father, in a quite different sense, that is, as he was his eternal Father, as the ancient interpreters observe. (Witham) — These many mansions signify different degrees of glory in heaven. (St. Jerome, lib. ii. adv. Jovin.)

Ver. 3. I will come again: not only by rising the third day, but at your death, and at the day of judgment: that where I am, you also may be, and may receive the reward of eternal happiness in my kingdom.

Ver. 4. And whither I go, you know, and the way you know. Thomas replied, we know neither. Jesus saith to him, I am the way. They knew it, says St. Augustine, (tract. 69.) but they did not know, that they knew it: they knew their Master, Jesus Christ, and he was the way: they also knew, that is, believed, the kingdom of heaven, but they knew not, that he was returning thither: for as yet their imaginations were upon a temporal kingdom. — I am the way, by my doctrine and example: I am the Truth, by my promises; and I am Life, by the graces I offer and give. (Witham)

 

[cheeto1]

Thank you for this Haydock bible commentary, tobinator. There is a lot here to
digest. It is very helpful for those of us who don’t have it, since it seems widely
quoted here on the forums. But for you, personally, is there anything in today’s
readings that really struck you and stays on your mind?

 

[tobinatorstark]

Thank you for this Haydock bible commentary, tobinator. There is a lot here to
digest. It is very helpful for those of us who don’t have it, since it seems widely
quoted here on the forums. But for you, personally, is there anything in today’s
readings that really struck you and stays on your mind?

In regards to Acts. The Holy Spirit just takes my breath away. Christ sent the Holy Spirit to help us preach the Gospel. The whole books of Acts in general is reminding us that Christ died, rose from the dead, sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost and distinguished those who were early converters and who actually gave there lives just to follow Christ.