Nativity of the Virgin Mary – Feast

From the Gospel according to Matthew

16 Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, from whom was begotten Jesus, who is called Christ. 17 The whole number of the generations is therefore: from Abraham to David, fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to Christ, fourteen generations. 18 Now this is how Jesus Christ was born: Mary, his mother, was given in marriage to Joseph; before they lived together, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.

18 Now this is how Jesus Christ was born: Mary his mother was given in marriage to Joseph, and before they lived together she was with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 But Joseph, her husband, being a just man, did not wish to make a public accusation against her, and decided to send her away in secret. 20 While he was planning to do this, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, « Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home, for the child that is born in her is from the Holy Spirit;

21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus (that is, The Lord-savior), for he will save his people from their sins. » 22 All this happened so that the word of the Lord spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled: 23 « Behold, the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which is translated ‘God-with-us’ (Mt 1, 1-16, 18-23)

Human and divine origin of the Messiah

The purpose of Matthew’s Gospel is to show the intimate and living relationship of the two covenants, to show in Jesus Christ the fulfilment of the whole history of his people.  This purpose was manifested by Matthew from the very first lines of his book, by that genealogy whose significance was marked by the two great names of David and Abraham; David, in whose family, according to prophecy, the one whose kingship would be eternal was to be born. Abraham, in whose seed all the families of the earth were blessed.

The Son of God came to take his place in this seed of Abraham and in our humanity, which he renewed. The blessing promised to Abraham was realised in his seed and consisted of a new creation, begun in the very person of the Deliverer. Hence a genealogy which was intended to establish his historical filiation. Matthew took particular care to rule out the paternity of Joseph, and he preserves the genealogy, going back to David and Abraham, and indicating the genealogical origin of Mary, mother of Jesus.

Joseph’s genealogy was not useless for any Israelite. Throughout his life, Jesus was regarded as Joseph’s son, and this was done in accordance with the highest standards of propriety. Joseph gave his adopted son a theocratic legal right to kingship, firstly because he was himself a descendant of David and secondly because, by marrying Mary who was heir to the family name, he legally entered into his wife’s line and took her name.

Matthew’s purpose was to establish the double origin of Jesus Christ, as revealed by the unanimous testimony of the New Testament, namely, his descent from David and at the same time his supernatural birth.  Jesus, the same name as Joshua Jehovah is Saviour. Christ, in Hebrew Maschiach, means Anointed One. In the Old Testament, this name indicated the royal dignity, because kings were anointed with oil, symbol of the Spirit of God, who were thus consecrated for their office. The same was true of the priests and prophets.
esus Christ, who, in order to realise the idea of the old covenant in the new, fulfilled these three offices, was the Lord’s anointed. He himself, by preaching from the very beginning of his ministry a kingdom of God of which he was the Head, gave to this notion all its truth and spirituality. In his Church, the title Christ gradually became a proper name, but without losing any of its high significance. It is not without intention that the sacred writers sometimes call him Jesus, sometimes Christ, or give him the double name of Jesus Christ, as the Gospel according to Luke does from the first line.

The exegetes took great pains to find the division according to which Matthew established these three series of fourteen generations. The generations of the first period, from Abraham to David, were listed without omission; they are fourteen. In the second period, Matthew subtracted four kings of Judah: Ahaziah, Joash, Amaziah, between Jehoram and Uzziah, and Jehoiakim, between Josiah and Jechonias. The third series, consisting largely of unknown names, was not taken from biblical sources and included only thirteen names.

Another peculiarity of this genealogy is the mention of four women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bath-Sheba. Matthew’s intention was to point out that these women were only admitted by a very exceptional dispensation to the honour of being counted among the ancestors of Jesus, their natural situation seeming to exclude them absolutely. The economy of grace was thus shown to be in germ in the Old Covenant.

Matthew’s purpose in recapitulating the members of the genealogy in three series of fourteen was to bring out God’s plan in the way he conducted the destinies of the chosen people. Fourteen generations had succeeded one another from Abraham, to whom the promise was made, to David, to whom it was renewed, with the statement that Jesus was born of his seed. Fourteen generations succeeded one another from the foundation of the theocratic kingship until its collapse at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

This quality of righteousness attributed to Joseph imposed on his conscience two contradictory duties, sources of painful struggles. On the one hand, he could not marry Mary, not knowing or not believing the mystery of her pregnancy; on the other hand, he did not want to expose her publicly to ignominy and even less to the rigours of the law, which pronounced the death penalty in this case. He therefore resolved to separate from her secretly, probably by a letter of divorce which would not have indicated the cause of the separation.

In this way Mary would have escaped the penalty prescribed by law and public proceedings, but not the opprobrium of her situation. Humbly resigned to all the will of God, will she be abandoned by Him in this trial? No. This quality of righteousness attributed to Joseph imposed on his conscience two contradictory duties, sources of painful struggles. On the one hand, he could not marry Mary, not knowing or not believing the mystery of her pregnancy; on the other hand, he did not want to expose her publicly to ignominy and even less to the rigours of the law, which pronounced the death penalty in this case.

He therefore resolved to separate from her secretly, probably by a letter of divorce which would not have indicated the cause of the separation. In this way, Mary would have escaped the penalty prescribed by law and public proceedings, but not the opprobrium of her situation. Was she humbly resigned to all the will of God and abandoned by Him in this trial? No. This term son of David reminded Joseph of the promises made to the house of that king of Israel, which were fulfilled. His faith in the Word of God helped him in his doubts.

This divine fact was revealed to Joseph by an angel of God, with the special purpose of dispelling all his doubts. Of or by the Holy Spirit indicates the efficient cause of Jesus’ human existence. This Spirit of God who « moved over the waters » of chaos to create life and harmony, this Spirit, the source of all existence, was the agent of the miracle by an act of his own creative power.

The Church has always believed in this miracle, not only because it is so simply recounted in Luke’s Gospel as a historical fact, but because it is a necessary fact in the divine work of the redemption of the world. Whoever believes with St. John that the eternal Word was made flesh, that the Son of God became the son of man, that Jesus Christ was perfectly holy, that, as the second Adam, He was the origin of a new humanity, will also admit that it took this unique exception in our corrupt race to break the filiation of natural generations.

Redemption, which is a new creation, could not come out of our humanity, though it had to be accomplished in it by a being who was part of it. To save from sin means first to deliver from the consequences of that sin, that is, from condemnation and death ; then, from the power of sin, from bondage, through the gift of freedom and new life.

Thz Deacon Michel Houyoux

Additional information

◊   Thz Deacon Michel Houyoux :clik here to read the paper → Feast of Christ’s nativity

Links to other Christian websites

◊ Nativity  : clik here to read the pâper →  LITURGICS>ORTHODOX PRAYERS

◊ Antiochian Ortthodix Christian  : clik here to read the pâper → CHRISTIAN – ARCHDIOCESE OF NORTH AMERICA

♥   Is the Face of Jesus Christ a True Image?

Nativité de la Vierge Marie — Fête

 

De l’évangile selon Matthieu

16 Jacob engendra Joseph, l’époux de Marie, de laquelle fut engendré Jésus, que l’on appelle Christ. 17 Le nombre total des générations est donc : depuis Abraham jusqu’à David, quatorze générations ; depuis David jusqu’à l’exil à Babylone, quatorze générations ; depuis l’exil à Babylone jusqu’au Christ, quatorze générations. 18 Or, voici comment fut engendré Jésus Christ : Marie, sa mère, avait été accordée en mariage à Joseph ; avant qu’ils aient habité ensemble, elle fut enceinte par l’action de l’Esprit Saint.

18 Or, voici comment fut engendré Jésus Christ : Marie, sa mère, avait été accordée en mariage à Joseph ; avant qu’ils aient habité ensemble, elle fut enceinte par l’action de l’Esprit Saint. 19 Joseph, son époux, qui était un homme juste, et ne voulait pas la dénoncer publiquement, décida de la renvoyer en secret. 20 Comme il avait formé ce projet, voici que l’ange du Seigneur lui apparut en songe et lui dit : « Joseph, fils de David, ne crains pas de prendre chez toi Marie, ton épouse, puisque l’enfant qui est engendré en elle vient de l’Esprit Saint ;

21 elle enfantera un fils, et tu lui donneras le nom de Jésus (c’est-à-dire : Le-Seigneur-sauve), car c’est lui qui sauvera son peuple de ses péchés. » 22 Tout cela est arrivé pour que soit accomplie la parole du Seigneur prononcée par le prophète : 23 Voici que la Vierge concevra, et elle enfantera un fils ; on lui donnera le nom d’Emmanuel, qui se traduit : « Dieu-avec-nous »  (Mt 1, 1-16.18-23)

Origine humaine et divine du Messie

+Le but de l’Évangile de Matthieu est de mettre en évidence le rapport intime et vivant des deux alliances, de montrer en Jésus-Christ l’accomplissement de toute l’histoire de son peuple.  Ce but, Matthieu le manifesta dès les premières lignes de son livre, par cette généalogie dont la signification fut marquée par les deux grands noms de David et d’Abraham ; David, dans la famille duquel devait, selon la prophétie, naître celui dont la royauté serait éternelle. Abraham, dans la postérité duquel furent bénies toutes les familles de la terre.

Le Fils de Dieu vint prendre sa place dans cette postérité d’Abraham et dans notre humanité qu’il renouvela. La bénédiction promise à Abraham se réalisa dans sa postérité et consister en une création nouvelle, commencée dans la personne même du Libérateur. De là une généalogie qui eut pour but d’établir la filiation historique de celui-ci. Matthieu mit un soin particulier à écarter la paternité de Joseph et il conserve la généalogie.En remontant jusqu’à David et jusqu’à Abraham, il indiqua l’origine généalogique de Marie, mère de Jésus.

La généalogie de Joseph n’était pas inutile pour tout Israélite. Durant tout le temps de sa vie, Jésus fut envisagé comme fils de Joseph et il le fut en vertu des plus hautes convenances. Joseph conféra à son fils adoptif un droit légal théocratique à la royauté, d’abord parce qu’il était lui-même descendant de David et ensuite parce que, en épousant Marie qui était, héritière du nom de sa famille,  il entra légalement dans la lignée de sa femme et en prenait le nom.

Le but de Matthieu fut de constater la double origine de Jésus-Christ, telle qu’elle est révélée par le témoignage unanime du Nouveau Testament, savoir, sa descendance de David . et en même temps sa naissance surnaturelle.  Jésus, même nom que celui de Josué Jéhova est Sauveur. Christ, en hébreu Maschiah, signifie OINT. Ce nom indiquait dans l’Ancien Testament la dignité royale, parce qu’on oignait d’huile, symbole de l’Esprit de Dieu, les rois, qui étaient ainsi consacrés pour leur charge. Il en était de même des sacrificateurs et des prophètes.

Jésus-Christ qui, pour réaliser l’idée de l’ancienne alliance dans la nouvelle,  remplit ces trois charges,  il fut l’oint de l’Éternel. Lui-même, en prêchant dès l’entrée de son ministère un royaume de Dieu dont il était le Chef, donna à cette notion toute sa vérité et sa spiritualité. Dans son Église, le titre de Christ devint peu à peu un nom propre, mais sans rien perdre de sa haute signification. Ce n’est pas sans intention que les écrivains sacrés l’appelèrent tantôt Jésus, tantôt le Christ, ou lui donnent ce double nom de Jésus-Christ, comme le fait  l’évangile selon Luc dès la première ligne.

Les exégètes se donnèrent beaucoup de peine pour retrouver la division d’après laquelle Matthieu établissait ces trois séries de quatorze générations. Les générations de la première période, d’Abraham à David, furent énumérées, sans omission ; elles sont au nombre de quatorze. Dans la seconde période, Matthieu retrancha quatre rois de Juda : Achazia, Joas, Amazia, entre Joram et Ozias et Jojakim, entre Josias et Jechonias. La troisième série, composée en grande partie de noms inconnus, ne fut pas prise dans des sources bibliques, ne comprit que treize noms.

Une autre particularité de cette généalogie est la mention de quatre femmes : Thamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bath-Scheba. L’intention de Matthieu fut de relever le fait que ces femmes ne furent admises que par une dispensation très exceptionnelle à l’honneur d’être comptées parmi les ancêtres de Jésus, leur situation naturelle paraissant les en exclure d’une manière absolue. L’économie de la grâce se montra ainsi en germe dans l’ancienne alliance.

Le but de Matthieu, dans cette récapitulation des membres de la généalogie en trois séries de quatorze, fut de faire ressortir le plan suivi par Dieu dans la manière dont il  conduisit les destinées du peuple élu. Quatorze générations s’étaient succédé depuis Abraham, à qui la promesse fut faite, jusqu’à David, à qui elle fut renouvelée, avec cette affirmation que Jésus naquit de sa race. Quatorze générations se succédèrent depuis la fondation de la royauté théocratique jusqu’à son effondrement, lors de la déportation à Babylone.

Cette qualité de juste attribuée à Joseph imposait à sa conscience deux devoirs contradictoires, sources de douloureux combats. D’une part, il ne pouvait pas épouser Marie, ne sachant pas ou ne croyant pas le mystère de sa grossesse ; d’autre part, il ne voulait pas l’exposer publiquement à l’ignominie et moins encore aux rigueurs de la loi qui prononçait dans ce cas la peine de mort. Il résolut donc de se séparer d’elle secrètement, sans doute par une lettre de divorce qui n’aurait pas indiqué la cause de la séparation.

Par là, Marie aurait échappé à la peine prescrite par la loi et à une procédure publique, mais non à l’opprobre de sa situation. Humblement résignée à toute la volonté de Dieu sera-t-elle abandonnée de lui dans cette épreuve ? Non. Cette qualité de juste attribuée à Joseph imposait à sa conscience deux devoirs contradictoires, sources de douloureux combats. D’une part, il ne pouvait pas épouser Marie, ne sachant pas ou ne croyant pas le mystère de sa grossesse ; d’autre part, il ne voulait pas l’exposer publiquement à l’ignominie et moins encore aux rigueurs de la loi qui prononçait dans ce cas la peine de mort.

Il résolut donc de se séparer d’elle secrètement, sans doute par une lettre de divorce qui n’aurait point indiqué la cause de la séparation. Par là, Marie aurait échappé à la peine prescrite par la loi et à une procédure publique, mais non à l’opprobre de sa situation. Humblement résignée à toute la volonté de Dieu  fut-t-elle abandonnée de lui dans cette épreuve ? Non Ce terme fils de David rappela à Joseph les promesses faites à la maison de ce roi d’Israël et qui s’accomplirent. Sa foi à la Parole de Dieu  lui vint en aide dans ses doutes

Ce fait divin fut révélé à Joseph par un ange de Dieu, dans le but spécial de dissiper tous ses doutes. De ou de par l’Esprit-Saint indique la cause efficiente de l’existence humaine de Jésus. Cet Esprit de Dieu qui « se mouvait sur les eaux » du chaos, pour y créer la vie et l’harmonie, cet Esprit, source de toute existence, fut, par un acte de la puissance créatrice qui lui est propre, l’agent du miracle.

Ce miracle, l’Église y a toujours cru, non seulement parce qu’il est si simplement raconté dans l’Évangile de Luc comme un fait historique, mais parce qu’il est une donnée nécessaire dans l’œuvre divine de la rédemption du monde. Quiconque croit avec saint Jean que la Parole éternelle a été faite chair, que le Fils de Dieu est devenu fils de l’homme, que Jésus-Christ a été parfaitement saint, que, second Adam, il a été a l’origine d’une humanité nouvelle, admettra aussi qu’il a fallu cette exception unique dans notre race corrompue pour briser la filiation des générations naturelles.

La rédemption, qui est une création nouvelle, ne pouvait pas sortir de notre humanité, bien qu’elle dût s’accomplir en elle par un être qui en fit partie. Sauver des péchés signifie délivrer d’abord des conséquences de ces péchés, c’est-à-dire de la condamnation et de la mort ; puis, de la puissance du péché, de la servitude, par le don de la liberté et d’une vie nouvelle.

Diacre Michel Houyoux

Liens avec d’autres sites web chrétiens

◊ Nominis : cliquez ici pour lire l’article → Nativité de la Vierge Marie

◊ Aletaia   : cliquez ici pour lire l’article → La fête du jour

♥  Homélie pour la messe de la Nativité de la Vierge Marie

Twenty-fourth day of Ordinary Time – Year B

Posted by diaconos on 6 September 2021

Tu es Petrus is a Latin phrase from the Gospel of St Matthew, chapter 16, verse 18. The three words are the first of the verse which, according to the Catholic Church, Jesus Christ entrusts to the Apostle Peter to govern his Church: « You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church ». The verse, set to music in the form of a motet or liturgical hymn, is commonly sung at celebrations attended by the Pope.

This verse from the Gospel of Matthew is the scriptural argument often presented by the Catholic Church to attest to the primacy of Peter among the apostles. Others are taken from the book of Acts (Acts 15:2, 14, 15:7) where it is clear that Peter had a special place in the early Church. Since Peter became bishop of Rome, the Catholic Church ensures that Peter’s successors in the episcopal see of Rome enjoy the same primacy in the college of bishops of the Church. For Catholics, the episode of Peter and John’s visit to the tomb (Jn 20:3-8) confirms the primacy of the disciple Peter.

While the various Christian Churches as a whole recognise the apostolic primacy of the successor of Peter in the episcopal see of Rome, the way in which this ministry has developed over the centuries and is exercised today by Pope Francis is not accepted by these same non-Catholic Christian Churches and communities. At the base of the dome of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome one can read Tu es Petrus and the words of Jesus Christ to Peter recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (Mt 16, 18,19). The letters are very large (two metres high each) and are black on a golden background.

The scripture verse is illuminated by the 16 stained glass windows of the dome, a typical architectural work by Michelangelo. In Christianity, the keys are the keys to the kingdom of heaven for St Peter: « And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven » (Mt 16, 18-19).

From the Gospel according to Mark

27 Jesus went with his disciples to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, « Who do people say that I am? « 28 They answered him, « John the Baptist, » others, « Elijah, » and others, « one of the prophets. 29 He asked them, « What do you say? Who do you think I am ? Peter answered, « You are the Christ. 30 Then he forbade them emphatically to speak of him to anyone.

31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 Jesus spoke these words openly. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him sharply. 33 But Jesus turned and, seeing his disciples, called Peter sharply, « Get away from me, Satan! Your thoughts are not of God, but of men.

34 Calling the crowd together with his disciples, he said to them, « If anyone wishes to follow me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. (Mk 8, 27-35)

Jesus recognised as the Christ by Peter

On the way to Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples about the opinions that had been expressed about him. They told him some of them. Jesus asked them how they felt about him. Peter proclaimed him to be the Christ. Jesus forbade the disciples to say so. Jesus then began to announce categorically his death and resurrection. Peter tried to rebuke him, but was in turn rebuked by Jesus.

Jesus called the crowd together with his disciples and said that to follow him one must take up one’s cross: « Whoever wants to save his life will lose it. Now the soul is of such price that the whole world cannot compensate for its loss, for we must look forward to the time when Jesus, coming to judgement, will be ashamed of everyone who has been ashamed of him. Many will not die until they see the kingdom of God come with power.

After Peter’s confession, Jesus addressed to him the words that have become famous in the history of the Church: « Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah ». In his preaching, Peter did not recount what could have elevated him in the eyes of his hearers. Rather, he recalled what would have humbled him.

Whatever Mark’s reason for not mentioning the promise of Jesus to Peter, we cannot fail to find this reflection of Theodore de Bèze very apt: « Who will believe that neither Peter nor Mark would have omitted the famous You are Peter », if they had considered that the foundation of the Church consisted in these words?

Peter rebuked Jesus and Jesus rebuked Peter. As Jesus turned away from Peter and walked toward his disciples, he sensed the impression they might have received from Peter’s careless words, and feared that they shared his feelings too much; so he gave a salutary severity to his rebuke. All must lose their lives for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel.

What use is it to each one to have preserved his life and to have conquered the whole world, if Jesus, on the day when he will come in his glory to regulate the final destiny of all, declares him unworthy to have a part in his kingdom and excludes him from it?

Deacon Michel Houyoux

Links to other Christian websites

◊ Catholic for live  HOMILY FOR THE 24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

◊  My Catholic Live  The Divine Law of Our Lord The Divine Law of Our Lord 

♥  John MacArthur : « The Marks of a Real Church (Matthew 16) »

Martedì della ventitreesima settimana del Tempo Ordinario – Anno dispari

# Il Nuovo Testamento usa la parola « apostolo » diverse volte. Si applica a diverse categorie distinte di persone: i testimoni della risurrezione di Gesù, inviati ad annunciare questo evento; uno dei ministeri della Chiesa primitiva; due volte nei Vangeli (Mt 10,2 e Lc 6,13): il gruppo dei Dodici scelti da Gesù, prima per mandarli fuori (Mt 10,5-42), e infine « per essere con lui » e per significare simbolicamente il popolo della fine del tempo (Mt 19,28) Paolo, che non era uno dei Dodici Apostoli, è chiamato l’Apostolo senza ulteriori specificazioni, o l’Apostolo dei Gentili, e la parola « apostolo » si riferisce a uno dei dodici discepoli di Gesù Cristo.

È anche usato per riferirsi a persone che insegnano e diffondono la religione alla maniera degli apostoli di Gesù. Per estensione, si riferisce anche a coloro che propagano una dottrina, un’opinione o una causa. Nel vocabolario colloquiale, « apostolo » si riferisce a una persona che va ciecamente ad ascoltare il suo maestro e propaga attivamente le sue idee. Il Nuovo Testamento testimonia anche un apostolato che fu concepito nella Chiesa primitiva come uno dei ministeri essenziali. Le lettere di Paolo (ad esempio 2 Cor 11,13) parlano di « falsi apostoli ».

Il primo esempio di testo apostolico è probabilmente la lettera apostolica inviata alla chiesa di Antiochia in seguito ai discorsi di Pietro (At 15,7-12) e Giacomo (At 15,13-21) sulla decisione del Concilio di Gerusalemme sull’osservanza delle regole tradizionali ebraiche, soprattutto la circoncisione (ca. 50). I testi non sono sempre espliciti sul contenuto di questo ministero, che può aver incluso una dimensione missionaria itinerante: la Didaché (11,3-6) attesta la loro esistenza in Siria all’inizio del secondo secolo. L’apostolato, a differenza dell’episcopato, non si esercita in un territorio circoscritto e preciso: ha una dimensione universale.

Pietro ha presieduto prima la Chiesa di Antiochia e poi la Chiesa di Roma. La tradizione della Chiesa, seguendo i testi degli Atti degli Apostoli, adotta un collegio apostolico modificato dopo la defezione e il tradimento di Giuda Iscariota. Lo sostituisce con Mattia e soprattutto con Paolo (apostolo). Il più delle volte, questi due apostoli supplementari appaiono insieme tra i Dodici a scapito di uno degli undici chiamati da Gesù Cristo. In ogni caso, Paolo appare sempre nel collegio apostolico, al secondo posto dopo Pietro. La Tradizione Apostolica è stata definita da Ippolito di Roma all’inizio del terzo secolo. È sull’esistenza di questo ministero della chiesa antica che Calvino ristrutturerà i ministeri delle chiese della Riforma. Dopo il periodo apostolico nella prima storia del cristianesimo, il termine « apostolo » è applicato ai missionari che evangelizzarono un popolo o un paese, spesso al di fuori del loro luogo di origine, e fondarono così un cristianesimo locale.

Dal Vangelo secondo Luca

12 In quei giorni Gesù uscì sulla montagna a pregare e passò tutta la notte a pregare Dio. 13 Quando fu giorno, chiamò i suoi discepoli e ne scelse dodici, ai quali diede il nome di apostoli: 14 Simone, al quale diede il nome di Pietro; Andrea suo fratello; Giacomo; Giovanni; Filippo; Bartolomeo; 15 Matteo; Tommaso; Giacomo figlio di Alfeo; Simone, detto lo Zelota; 16 Giuda figlio di Giacomo; e Giuda Iscariota, che divenne traditore.

17 Gesù scese con loro dalla montagna e si fermò su un luogo pianeggiante. C’erano molti dei suoi discepoli e una grande moltitudine di persone provenienti da tutta la Giudea, da Gerusalemme e dalla costa di Tiro e Sidone. 18 Erano venuti ad ascoltarlo e ad essere guariti dalle loro malattie; quelli che erano tormentati da spiriti impuri erano stati rimessi in salute. 19 E tutta la folla cercava di toccarlo, perché la potenza usciva da lui e li guariva tutti. (Lc 6,12-19)

Gesù scelse dodici apostoli

In quei giorni Gesù passò una notte in preghiera sulla montagna. Quando venne il giorno, riunì i suoi discepoli intorno a sé e scelse dodici di loro, ai quali diede il titolo di apostoli. Quando Gesù tornò dalla folla, fece delle guarigioni. Gesù e i suoi discepoli scesero su un altopiano della montagna. Lì trovò una grande moltitudine di persone provenienti da tutta la Palestina. Un potere divino uscì da lui e li guarì.

Da un lato, Gesù aveva raggiunto l’apice della sua attività e potenza divina. D’altra parte, l’odio dei suoi avversari e i loro disegni omicidi stavano accelerando la crisi che già prevedeva come inevitabile. In queste gravi circostanze, prese i dodici apostoli tra i suoi discepoli e li nominò come suoi testimoni e ambasciatori per continuare la sua opera nel mondo dopo di lui.

Si è preparato per questo atto solenne pregando in un luogo remoto.    Luca riferisce spesso che Gesù si ritirò in solitudine per pregare. Solo Luca aggiunse che Gesù diede loro il titolo di apostoli, inviati alla nostra umanità per continuare la sua opera predicando il Vangelo. Il nome Jude, figlio di Giacomo, è unico per Luca. L’esistenza di un apostolo con questo nome fu confermata da Giovanni. Gli evangelisti ricordano che Giuda denunciò Gesù per farlo arrestare.

Matteo, nella sua lista di apostoli, li nomina a due a due: Pietro e Andrea, Giacomo e Giovanni, ecc. Questo raggruppamento corrispondeva alla realtà storica, ogni coppia era così unita, o da legami familiari o in qualche altro modo.

Che pubblico era riunito lì per ascoltare il discorso di Gesù! La gente si radunava spesso per ascoltarlo, una grande moltitudine di persone da tutte le parti del paese, sia per ascoltarlo che per essere guariti dalle loro malattie; molti di quegli sfortunati che erano in preda al potere delle tenebre: ed erano guariti. Anche coloro che non potevano attirare l’attenzione di Gesù, in mezzo a questa folla, cercavano di toccarlo, e sentivano che una potenza divina usciva da lui e li guariva tutti.

Il Diacono Michel Houyoux

link ad altri siti web cristiani

◊ La Parola (Italia) : clicca qui per leggere l’articolo →  Martedì della 23.a Settimana del Tempo Ordinario – Anno Dispari

◊ Parrocclia di San Maximo all Adige  : clicca qui per leggere l’articolo → Martedì della XXIII settimana del Tempo Ordinario (Anno dispari)

Vocazione degli Apostoli Pietro e Matteo