1962 Missal - Commentary on the Mass Readings: Tue, Mar 10

2. Tuesday, March 10

The lesson from 2nd Kings, chapter 4, verses 1 through 7.

In those days, a certain woman cried to the prophet Elishseus, saying,

�Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant was one who feared

God, and behold, the creditor is come to take away my two sons to serve him.

And Elishseus said to her, �What will you have me to do for you? Tell me what have

you in your house.� And she answered, �I, your hand-made, have nothing in my house,

but a little oil, to anoint me.� And he said to her, �Go borrow of all your neighbors

empty vessels, not a few, and go in and shut your door when you are within and your sons,

and pour out thereof into all those vessels, and when they are full, take them away.�

So the woman went and shut the door upon her, and upon her sons. They brought her the

vessels, and she poured in. And when the vessels were full, and she said to her son, �Bring

me yet a vessel, and he answered, �I have no more.� And the oil stood, and she

came and told the man of God, and he said, �Go sell the oil and pay your creditor,

and you and your sons live off the rest.�

The Gospel from Matthew chapter 18 verses 15 through 22.

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples, �If your brother sin against you, go and

show him his fault between you and him alone. If he listened to you, you have won your

brother. But if he do not listen to you, take with you one or two more, so that on the

word of two or three witnesses, every word may be confirmed. And if he refused to hear

them, appeal to the church. But if he refused to hear even the church, let him be to you

as the heathen and the public in.

Ah, man, I say to you, �Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed also in heaven.�

I say to you further that, �If two of you shall agree on earth about anything at all

for which they ask, it shall be done for them by my father in heaven.�

Four where two or three are gathered together for my sake, there am I in the midst of them.

Then Peter came up to him and said, �Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me,

and I forgive him, up to seven times.�

Jesus said to him, �I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.�

Hey, that commentary.

Fraternal correction is a duty not only when our brother offends us, but likewise when

he offends against his neighbor, and much more when he offends God. It is more over a duty

not peculiar to the injured, but common to all. When the offense is not personal, our advice

will be less interested. This precept, though positive, is only obligatory when it is likely

to profit your brother, as charity is the only motive for observing it. Therefore, it

not only may, but ought to be omitted when the contrary effect is likely to ensue, whether

it be owing to the perversity of the sinner or the circumstances of the admonisher.

If he refused to hear them, appeal to the church. This not only shows the order of fraternal

correction, but also every man's duty in submitting to the judgment of the church. There

cannot be a planar condemnation of those who make particular creeds, and will not submit

the articles of their belief to the judgment of the authority appointed by Christ.

The power of binding and losing, which in a more eminent manner was promised to St. Peter,

is here promised to the other apostles and their successors, bishops and priests. The

power of binding and losing conferred on St. Peter excelled that granted to the other

apostles, in as much as to St. Peter, who was head and pastor of the whole church,

was granted jurisdiction over the other apostles, while these received no power over each other,

much less over St. Peter. If two of you shall agree on earth about anything

at all for which they ask, it shall be done for them by my Father in heaven. From these

words we learn how superior is public to private prayer, the efficacy of the former is attributed

to the presence of Christ in those assemblies. The Father for his sons' sake will grant

petitions thus offered. The fervor of one will supply for the weakness and distractions

of the other. There am I in the midst of them. This is understood of such assemblies only

as are gathered in the name and authority of Christ, and in unity of the Church of Christ,

so says St. Cyprian. St. John Chrysostom Theophylactus and Euthymius

explain the words in his name, thus, assembled by authority received from Christ in the manner

appointed by him or for his sake, and seeking nothing but his glory. Hence we may see what confidence

we may place in an ecumenical counsel lawfully assembled. So says St. Gregory.

St. Peter knew the Jews to be much given to revenge. He therefore thought it a great proof

of superior virtue to be able to forgive seven times. It was for this reason he proposed

this question to our Lord, who to show how much he esteemed charity immediately answered

not only seven times, but 70 times, seven times. He does not mean to say that this number

must be the bounds of our forgiving. We must forgive to the end and never take revenge,

however often our brother offend against us. There must be no end of forgiving poor culprits

that sincerely repent, either in the sacrament of penance or one man another, his offenses.

To recommend this great virtue more forcibly, he subjoins the parable of the king taking

his accounts. And from the great severity there exercised, he intimates how rigid will his

heavenly father be to those who forgive not their enemies. By 70 times seven or 490 times

is meant an unlimited number to signify we must pardon private injuries, though even

so often done to us. When our brother sins against us, we must grieve for his sake over

the evil he has committed. But for ourselves, we ought greatly to rejoice, because we are

thereby made like our heavenly father, who bids this unto shying upon the good and the

bad. But if the thought of having to imitate God alarm us, though it should not seem

difficult to a true lover of God, let us place before our eyes the examples of his favorite

servants. Let us imitate Joseph, who though reduced to a state of the most abject servitude

by the hatred of his unnatural brethren, yet in the affection of his heart employed all

his power to sucker them in their afflictions. Let us imitate Moses, who after a thousand

injuries raised his fervent supplications on behalf of his people. Let us imitate the

blessed Paul, who though daily suffering a thousand afflictions from the Jews still

wish to become an anathema for their salvation. Let us imitate Stephen, who when the stones

of his persecutors were covering him with wounds, prayed that the Almighty would pardon their

sin. Let us follow these admirable examples, then shall we extinguish the flames of anger,

then will our heavenly father grant us the forgiveness of our sins through the merits

of our Lord Jesus Christ, so say St. John Chrysostom.