{"id":13574,"date":"2024-02-17T20:20:06","date_gmt":"2024-02-18T01:20:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/?p=13574"},"modified":"2024-02-11T06:00:33","modified_gmt":"2024-02-11T11:00:33","slug":"daily-devotional-for-february-18-24-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orthodoxinsight.com\/?p=13574","title":{"rendered":"Daily Devotional for February 18 – 24"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sunday
\nNavarre Commentary on the Passover…<\/p>\n

16 The words \u201cI shall not eat it [this Passover] with you before it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of heaven\u201d, as also those in v.18, \u201cI shall not drink of the fruit of this vine until the Kingdom of God comes\u201d, do not mean that Jesus Christ will eat the paschal lamb once his Kingdom is established, but simply that this was the last time he will celebrate the Jewish Passover. Announcing the New Passover, which is now imminent and which will last until his second coming, Jesus once and for all replaces the ancient rite with his redemptive sacrifice, which marks the beginning of the Kingdom.<\/p>\n

<\/a>17 The Passover meal always followed a very specific pattern. Before eating the lamb, the senior person explained, in reply to a question from the youngest present, the religious meaning of what was happening. Then the food was eaten, interspersed with hymns and psalms. At the end came a solemn prayer of thanksgiving. Throughout the meal, marking its main stages, the diners drank four glasses of wine mixed with water. St Luke refers to two of these, the second being that which our Lord consecrated.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Prayer:\u00a0 We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
\n*Sub Tuum Praesidium<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monday<\/p>\n

Luke 22:14<\/p>\n

14\u00a0<\/sup>When the hour had come, He sat down, and the [b<\/a>]<\/sup>twelve apostles with Him. <\/span> 15\u00a0<\/sup>Then He said to them, \u201cWith fervent<\/i> desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;<\/span> <\/span> 16\u00a0<\/sup>for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it<\/span> until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

17\u00a0<\/sup>Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, \u201cTake this and divide it<\/i> among yourselves;<\/span> <\/span> 18\u00a0<\/sup>for<\/span> I say to you,<\/span> [c<\/a>]<\/sup>I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

19\u00a0<\/sup>And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it,<\/i> and gave it<\/i> to them, saying, \u201cThis is My<\/span> body which is given for you;<\/span> do this in remembrance of Me.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

20\u00a0<\/sup>Likewise He also took<\/i> the cup after supper, saying, \u201cThis cup is<\/i> the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.<\/span> <\/span> 21\u00a0<\/sup>But behold, the hand of My betrayer is<\/i> with Me on the table.<\/span> <\/span> 22\u00a0<\/sup>And truly the Son of Man goes<\/span> as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

23\u00a0<\/sup>Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer:\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

Tuesday
\nNavarre Commentary on the Eucharist\/Lord’s Supper…<\/p>\n

19 We should note how plainly our Lord speaks: he does not say \u201chere is my body\u201d, or \u201cthis is the symbol of my body,\u201d but \u201cthis is my body\u201d: that is, this bread is no longer bread, it is my body. \u201cSome men, accordingly, not paying heed to these things, have contended that Christ\u2019s body and blood are present in this sacrament only as in a sign: this is to be rejected as heretical, since it is contrary to Christ\u2019s words\u201d (St Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae, III, q.75, a.1). Jesus\u2019 words when he promised the Eucharist (Jn 6:51, 54) reinforce what he says here: \u201cI am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh…. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day\u201d (Jn 6:51, 54).<\/p>\n

\u201cDo this in remembrance of me\u201d. The solemn Magisterium of the Church teaches us the meaning and scope of these words: \u201cIf anyone say that by the words, \u2018Do this in remembrance of me\u2019 Christ did not make his Apostles priests, or that he did not decree that they and other priests should offer his body and blood: let him be anathema\u201d (Council of Trent, De SS. Missae sacrificio, c. 2).<\/p>\n

Prayer:\u00a0 Holy angel of the Lord by guardian, pray to God for me.<\/p>\n

Wednesday
\nLuke 22:24\u00a0<\/sup>Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. <\/span> 25\u00a0<\/sup>And He said to them, \u201cThe kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called \u2018benefactors.\u2019<\/span> <\/span> 26\u00a0<\/sup>But not so among<\/i> you; on the contrary,<\/span> he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.<\/span> <\/span> 27\u00a0<\/sup>For who is<\/i> greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is<\/i> it not he who sits at the table? Yet<\/span> I am among you as the One who serves.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

28\u00a0<\/sup>\u201cBut you are those who have continued with Me in<\/span> My trials.<\/span> <\/span> 29\u00a0<\/sup>And<\/span> I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one<\/i> upon Me,<\/span> <\/span> 30\u00a0<\/sup>that<\/span> you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom,<\/span> and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer:\u00a0 Our Father, Who art in \u00a0Heaven, 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 the evil one.<\/p>\n

Thursday
\nNavarre Commentary on the Disciples contention…<\/p>\n

24-30 This was not the first time the Apostles brought up this question about which of them was the greatest. It came up when they were going towards Capernaum, after Jesus\u2019 second announcement of his Passion. At that time Jesus used a child as an example of humility (cf. Mt 18:1-5; Mk 9:33-37; Lk 7:46). A little later, when the mother of James and John made her special request, the same subject arose: the other Apostles were very annoyed with the sons of Zebedee, and our Lord intervened and put himself forward as an example: \u201cThe Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many\u201d (Mk 10:45; cf. Mt 20:25-27).<\/p>\n

The Apostles failed to grasp what Jesus meant. They continue to be blinded by their human outlook and the same argument starts again. Jesus had invited them to have a greater sense of responsibility by telling them that of their number was going to betray him (vv. 21 and 22) and by commissioning them to renew the Eucharistic sacrifice (v.19). As on other occasions when the Apostles boasted about their personal merits, Jesus reminds them again of the example of his own life: he was their Master and Lord (cf. Jn 13:13) and yet he acted as if he were the least among them and served them.<\/p>\n

Prayer:\u00a0 O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.<\/p>\n

Friday
\nLuke 22:31<\/sup>]<\/sup>And the Lord said, \u201cSimon, Simon! Indeed,<\/span> Satan has asked for you, that he may<\/span> sift you<\/i> as wheat.<\/span> <\/span> 32\u00a0<\/sup>But<\/span> I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me,<\/i><\/span> strengthen your brethren.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

33\u00a0<\/sup>But he said to Him, \u201cLord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

34\u00a0<\/sup>Then He said, \u201cI tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Commentary…<\/p>\n

31-34 Our Lord had previously told Peter that he was going to give him a specially important mission among the Apostles \u2014 that of being the cornerstone, the foundation of the Church he would found. \u201cSo you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas (which means Peter)\u201d (Jn 1:42), Jesus told him on the bank of the Jordan. Later, in Caesarea Philippi, after his profession of faith in the divinity of the Redeemer, Christ again referred to him as being a rock, as having a mission to strengthen the Church: \u201cAnd I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it\u201d (Mt 16:18). Now, at this very solemn moment, when his death approaches and he has just instituted the Sacrifice of the New Testament, our Lord renews his promise to Peter to give him the primacy: Peter\u2019s faith, despite his fall, cannot fail because it is supported by the efficacious prayer of our Lord himself.<\/p>\n

Prayer:\u00a0 Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3X)<\/p>\n

Saturday
\nNavarre Commentary on Peter continued…<\/p>\n

Jesus Christ is giving Peter a privilege which is both personal and transferable. Peter will publicly deny his Lord in the high priest\u2019s house, but he will not lose his faith. As St John Chrysostom comments, it is as if our Lord were saying to Peter, \u201cI have not prayed that you may not deny me but that your faith may not fail\u201d (Horn. on St Matthew, 3). And Theophlyact adds: \u201cFor, although St Peter would have to experience ups and downs he still had the hidden seed of faith, and he [Christ] adds, \u2018And when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren, as if to say, \u2018After you repent; confirm then your brethren, for I have made you the leader of the Apostles; this is the task given you: you with me are the strength and the rock of my Church\u2019. This should be taken not only as applying to the disciples who were present there, for them to be strengthened by Peter: it also refers to all the faithful who would follow, until the end of the world\u201d (Enarratio in Evangelium Lucae, in loc.).<\/p>\n

And, as it turned out, as a result of our Lord\u2019s prayer, Peter\u2019s faith did not fail and he recovered from his fall; he confirmed his brothers and was indeed the cornerstone of the Church.<\/p>\n

Our Lord\u2019s prayer was effective in respect not only of Peter but also of his successors: their faith will not fail.<\/p>\n

[Note:\u00a0 this does not mean there haven’t been wicked bishops and other church leaders…there have been many.\u00a0 But the Faith\/core teachings have not been damaged or changed from the time of Peter protected by the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. \u00a0Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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