Category Archives: Patristiblogging

Today’s first reading for Mass (in the Novus Ordo) is from Hosea 11. The reading ends… My heart is overwhelmed, my pity is stirred. I will not give vent to my blazing anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again; For … Continue reading →

Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew 10:1-7 concerns the mission Jesus gives to the Twelve and their instructions for that mission.  He tells the Apostles to preach to the Jews but not to go to the towns of the pagans, the … Continue reading →

In the ancient world books were rare. If you had a book, you were probably wealthy. If you got your hands on a book, you had to remember what you read because you might not ever see that particular book … Continue reading →

While not always very original, St. Ambrose of Milan (+397) was a stemwinder delivering spellbinder.  His Latin is elegant and his thought leads the careful listener down fascinating paths.  I say "listener", because these things should always be read aloud.  … Continue reading →

The second reading for Holy Mass today, Sunday, is from 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10.   We hear about Paul who was tormented by the Devil with God’s permission and given his proverbial “thorn in the flesh”.   This was to bring Paul … Continue reading →

When I in Rome I often pop into the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi just to have a quick glance at the St. Matthew cycle by Caravaggio.  I think right next to the church, so this is easy.  One … Continue reading →

Attention patristibloggers!   St. John Chrysostom has a nice riff on Christ healing the paralytic taken from today’s Gospel reading for Holy Mass in the Novus Ordo (Matthew 9:1-8): Only God could know what is in another’s mind.  That Jesus has … Continue reading →

In every day and age people make attempts to figure out the "deeper meaning" of the events related in Holy Scripture.  Today in the Gospel reading for Holy Mass we have the episode of the Gadarene (or Gerasene) demoniacs (Matthew … Continue reading →

Today for the First Reading for Mass we have a pericope from the Book of Amos, the prophet (3:1-8, 4:11-12).  There is an image of a lion. Augustine expands on Amos’s lion (s. 55.3):  ”Lord, You have been our refuge.”  … Continue reading →

“Love is the eye and to love is to see.”  Thus taught Richard of St. Victor.  A fitting way to introduce a brief piece of a sermon by St. Augustine of Hippo about "doubting" Thomas the Apostle, whose feast is … Continue reading →