1962 Missal - Commentary on the Mass Readings: Tue, Apr 7 (Octave of Easter)

2nd April 7th, Tuesday in the octave of Easter

The epistle from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 13, verses 16 and 26 through 33.

In that time, Paul rising up, and with his hand bespeaking silence, said,

ye men of Israel, and you that fear God, give ear.

Man, brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fear God,

to you the word of this salvation is sent.

For they that inhabited Jerusalem, and the rulers thereof, not knowing him,

nor the voices of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, judging him, have fulfilled them.

And finding no cause of death in him, they desired of Pilate that they might kill him.

And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him,

taking him down from the tree, they laid him in a sepulcher.

But God raised him up from the dead the third day, who was seen for many days,

by them who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem,

who to this present are his witnesses to the people.

And we declare unto you that the promise which was made to our fathers,

this same God had fulfilled to our children, raising up Jesus,

as in the second psalm also is written,

Lawhart My Son, this day have I begotten thee.

Hey, that commentary.

St Paul shows them that Jesus was their Messiah and the Son of God,

begotten of his father from eternity, who rose from the dead,

and he applies these words from the second psalm to prove Christ's resurrection.

Lawhart My Son, this day have I begotten thee.

It is true that these words regard chiefly the eternal generation of Christ,

as they are applied by St Paul and Hebrews 5-5,

but the resurrection was a necessary consequence of his divinity,

since death could have no power over him.

The Gospel from Luke chapter 24 verses 36 through 47.

In that time, Jesus stood in the midst of them and saithed to them,

peace be to you, it is I, fear not.

But they, being troubled and frightened,

suppose that they saw a spirit.

And he said to them, why are you troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

See my hands and feet, that it is I myself,

handle and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me to have.

And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

But while they yet believed not and wondered for joy, he said,

have you anything to eat?

And they offered him a piece of broiled fish and a honeycomb.

And when he had eaten before them, taking the remains he gave to them.

And he said to them, these are the words which I spoke to you while I was yet with you,

that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses and in the prophets

and in the Psalms concerning me.

Then he opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures.

And he said to them, thus it is written and thus it be who of Christ to suffer and to rise again

from the dead the third day, and that penance and remission of sins should be preached in his name

unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, and you are witnesses of these things.

Hey dot commentary.

The apostles thought they saw a spirit, either good or bad,

that had taken the form of Jesus and was come to deceive them.

A spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me to have.

This was one argument of a true and real body.

We may take notice that Christ brought such proofs as he knew her sufficient to convince them of

his resurrection. Our senses may sometimes be deceived, as may be shown by several instances,

but the arguments which Christ made use of at this time to induce the apostles to believe his

resurrection are to be taken with all the circumstances, first with the corroborating testimonies

of the holy scriptures in which the resurrection was foretold. Second, that they called to their

minds what he himself had told them so often, that he would rise again the third day.

Third, concurred also the testimonies already given by the angels that he was risen.

Fourth, the miracles at his death and resurrection. And fifth, Christ at the same time opened

their understanding to know and believe this truth that he was truly risen.

Christ ate not because he stood in need of food to sustain himself after his resurrection,

as we sustain our bodies and lives by corporal refreshment, but he did it to show his disciples

that his body was really risen from the dead, so says venerable bead.

If after all the extraordinary opportunities of instruction which the apostles had had from

the mouth of our divine Savior, it was still necessary that he should instill into them a new light

by opening their minds to understand the scriptures. What are we to think of the presumptuous

attempts of the numerous tribe of modern self-inspired interpreters who are always ready to

descant on the word of the Lord, though so perfectly ignorant that their authority so far from

being emitted would be laughed to scorn where they do attempt to explain the slightest difficulty

on the most indifferent subject of profane literature.

Two such a degree has the spirit of seduction spread itself at the present day.