Sunday

**This week Knox translation of Ephesians and Confraternity Commentary

He FOUND YOU dead men; such were your transgressions, such
were the sinful ways you lived in. That was when you followed
the fashion of this world, when you owned a prince whose
domain is in the lower air, that spirit whose influence is still at
3 work among the unbelievers. We too, all of us, were once of their
company; our life was bounded by natural appetites, and we did
what corrupt nature or our own calculation would have us do, with
4 God’s displeasure for our birthright, like other men. How rich
5 God is in mercy, with what an excess of love he loved us! Our
sins had made dead men of us, and he, in giving life to Christ,
6 gave Hfe to us too; it is his grace that has saved you; raised us
7 up too, enthroned us too above the heavens, in Christ Jesus. He
would have all future ages see, in that clemency which he shewed
8 us in Christ Jesus, the surpassing richness of his grace. Yes, it
was grace that saved you, with faith for its instrument; it did not
come from yourselves, it was God’s gift, not from any action of
9 yours, or there would be room for pride.

Prayer:   For as many have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ…Alleluia

Monday
Commentary

All Brought into Christ’s Life. The recipients of
this Epistle to whom St. Paul adverts principally are converted pagans. He draws of the pagan society from which they came a picture something like that of Rom. 1. 2 f. They were
before their conversion subject to the prince of the power of the air about us, i.e., the devil. They had been subject not only to him, but to the desires of their own unregenerate nature. Hence they were children of wrath, i.e., the wrath of God was upon them. But not only the Gentiles, but the Jews also had incurred the wrath of a just God. 4 ff. But God who is rich, in mercy, by reason of the great love wherewith he has loved us, even when we were dead (spiritually) by reason of our sins, brought us to life together with Christ. Those who are thus quickened share in the privileges of their divine Head. They sit with Him in heavenly places: already their glorification has begun. The Apostle, however, has said that we are called to holiness {1, 4). Here he tells us that we must bring forth good fruits: God has made good works ready beforehand that we might walk therein.

Prayer:  Our Father, Who art in  Heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

 

Tuesday
Commentary continued…

By grace we are saved and not through works. We are not justified by the observance of the Mosaic Law or of any other law. Nothing done before we became Christians could save us from wrath. A soul in mortal sin cannot merit. It cannot of itself even believe: the very beginnings of faith require grace. Once justified, however, men are able to perform meritorious works and St. Paul constantly urges us to live worthy of the vocation to which we are called (4, 1). If our natural works had been enough to transfer us from the state of sin to the state of grace, we might be proud of ourselves. But St. Paul insists that we should not boast.

Prayer:  O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

 

Wednesday
Ephesians 2: 9 No, we are his design;
10 God has created us in Christ Jesus, pledged to such good actions
as he has prepared beforehand, to be the employment of our lives.
11 Remember, then, what you once were, the Gentiles, according to
all outward reckoning; those who claim an outward circum-
12 cision which is man’s handiwork call you the uncircumcised. In
those days there was no Christ for you; you were outlaws from
the commonwealth of Israel, strangers to every covenant, with no
13 promise to hope for, with the world about you, and no God. But
now you are in Christ Jesus; now, through the blood of Christ, you
14 have been brought close, you who were once so far away. He is
our bond of peace; he has made the two nations one, breaking
15 down the wall that was a barrier between us, the enmity there
was between us, in his own mortal nature.

Prayer:   Create in me a clean heart of God and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not from thy presence nor take thy Holy Spirit from me.    Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and by thy governing spirit establish me.
Thursday

Ephesians 2: 15 He has put an end to
the law with its decrees, so as to make peace, remaking the two
16 human creatures as one in himself; both sides, united in a single
body, he would reconcile to God through his cross, inflicting death,
x7 in his own person, upon the feud. So he came, and his message
was of peace for you who were far off, peace for those who were
18 near; far off or near, united in the same Spirit, we have access
19 through him to the Father. You are no longer exiles, then, or
aliens; the saints are your fellow-citizens, you belong to God’s
20 household. Apostles and prophets are the foundation on which
you were built, and the chief corner-stone of it is Jesus Christ him-
21 self. In him the whole fabric is bound together, as it grows into
22 a temple, dedicated to the Lord; in him you too are being built
in with the rest, so that God may find in you a dwelling-place for
his Spirit.
Prayer:  Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears! Turn, then, O most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
*Salve Regina

Friday
Commentary… Gentile and Jew United. St. Paul recalls that the Gentiles for whom he writes were formerly sinners, devoid of the privileges granted Israel. They were not cheered by the hope of a Messias as the Jews were; and although they had worshipped many gods they were as a matter of fact without a God in this world. From this condition they were saved by the blood of Christ; through Him, the wall of separation between Jews and Gentiles had been broken down. Jews and Gentiles were made fellow-citizens. Jesus had caused His gospel to be proclaimed throughout the world; salvation is accessible to all without dis¬ tinction of race. They are all members of God’s household. 20. This verse refers more likely to the prophets of the New Testament, so closely connected with the Apostles

Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and in the hour of our death.

 

Saturday
Tomorrow is Septuagesima

Septuagesimatide, or pre-Lent, is the three Sundays before Ash Wednesday. It starts with Septuagesima Sunday (about 70 days before Easter), followed by Sexagesima (about 60 days before Easter) and Quinquagesima (about 50 days before Easter).

Septuagesima helps ease the shift from the joy of Christmas to the seriousness of Lent. It takes on a more somber tone without being as strict as the Lenten fast, yet already taking some of the Lenten liturgical practices, like omitting the Alleluia and wearing Violet vestments.

Each Sunday during Septuagesimatide focuses on a different figure from the Old Testament to help prepare the faithful for the unfolding of the Paschal mystery that is remembered in the liturgies of the Holy Triduum: of Holy Thursday, of Good Friday, and of Holy Saturday leading up to Easter.

On Septuagesima Sunday, we remember Adam; on Sexagesima Sunday, Noah; and on Quinquagesima Sunday, Abraham. This pattern continues into Lent: the Second Sunday remembers Jacob, the Third Sunday Joseph, and the Fourth Sunday Moses. The goal of this progression is to help us understand the full importance and reasons for the Cross, which can be a stumbling block in the world’s understanding.

On Septuagesima, the readings about Adam teach us about original sin. On Sexagesima, the story of the Flood shows us how wicked people can be. On Quinquagesima, the sacrifices of Abraham and Melchizedek point to Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross.

Septuagesima offers valuable lessons: that Lent should be approached gradually, not abruptly; that sacred words, like “Alleluia,” are a privilege; that sin exiles us from our True Home; and that the Old Testament remains relevant to Christians. The practice of suppressing the Alleluia for seventy days before Easter makes its return on Easter Sunday even more joyful.

Further, Sexagesima Sunday urges joy amid suffering and Quinquagesima Sunday leans into the teaching of Saint Paul’s first Letter to the Corinthians which emphasizes that acts of mortification and almsgiving are meaningless without love (1 Cor. 13:3). In all, Septuagesimatide offers a perfect preparation for the purgative season of Lent.

 

Prayer:  Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost.  As it was in the beginning it is now and ever shall be, world without end.  Amen.