4 FEBRUARY – SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY

Epistle – 2 Corinthians xi. 19 to xii. 9

Brethren, you gladly suffer the foolish, whereas yourselves are wise. For you suffer if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes from you, if a man is lifted up, if a man strikes you on the face. I speak according to dishonour, as if we had been weak in this part, therein if any man dare (I speak foolishly), I dare also. They are Hebrews. So am I. They are Israelites. So am I. They are the seed of Abraham. So am I. They are the ministers of Christ: (I speak as one less wise). I am more; in many, more labours, in prisons more frequently, in stripes above measure, in deaths often. From the Jews five times did I receive forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I was in the depth of the sea. In journeying often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils from my own nation, in perils from the Gentiles, in perils in the, city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils from false brethren. In labour and painfulness, in much watchings, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness. Besides these external things, there is my daily concern, the solicitude for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is scandalised, and I am not on fire? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things that concern my infirmity. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I lie not. At Damascus the governor of the nation under Aretas the king, guarded the city of the Damascenes to apprehend me, and through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and so escaped his hands. If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed), but I will come to the visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or but of the body, I know not. God knows): such an one rapt even to the third heaven. And I know such a man (whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell. God knows), that he was caught up in paradise and heard secret words which it is not granted to man to utter. For such an one I will glory, but for myself I will glory nothing but in my infirmities. For though I should have a mind to glory, I will not lie foolish, for I will say the truth. But I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees in me, or anything he hears from me. And lest the greatness of the revelations should exalt me: there was given me a sting in my flesh, an Angel of Satan, to buffet me. Wherefore thrice I besought the Lord that it might depart from me. And he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in infirmity. Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Thanks be to God.

Dom Prosper Guéranger:

The Epistle is that admirable passage from one of Saint Paul’s Epistles in which the great Apostle, for the honour and interest of his sacred ministry, is necessitated to write his defence against the calumnies of his enemies. We learn from this his apology what labours the Apostles had to go through in order to sow the Word of God in the barren soil of the Gentile world and make it Christian.

Gospel – Luke viii. 4‒15

At that time, when a very great multitude was gathered together and hastened out of the cities to Him, He spoke by a similitude. “The sower went put to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And other some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And other some fell among thorns; and the thorns growing up with it, choked it. And other some fell upon good ground, and being sprung up, yielded fruit an hundredfold.” Saying these things, He cried out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” And his disciples asked Him what this parable might be. To whom He said, “To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that seeing, they may not see, and hearing, may not understand. Now, the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. And they by the wayside are they that hear; then the devil comes and takes the word out of their heart, lest believing they should be saved. Now they upon the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, and these have no roots, for they believe for a while, and in time of temptation they fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they who have heard, and going their way, are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and yield no fruit. But that on good ground are they who, in a good and very good heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.”

Praise be to you, O Christ.

Dom Prosper Guéranger:

Saint Gregory the Great justly remarks that this parable needs no explanation since Eternal Wisdom Himself has told us its meaning. All that we have to do is to profit by this divine teaching and become the good soil in which the heavenly seed may yield a rich hardest. How often have we not, hitherto, allowed it to be trampled on by them that passed by, or to be torn up by the birds of the air? How often has it not found our heart like a stone that could give no moisture, or like a thorn plot that could but choke? We listened to the Word of God. We took pleasure in hearing it. And from this we argued well for ourselves. Nay, we have often received this Word with joy and eagerness. Sometimes, even, it took root within us. But, alas, something always came to stop its growth. Henceforth it must both grow and yield fruit. The seed given to us is of such quality that the Divine Sower has a right to expect a hundred-fold. If the soil, that is, if our heart, be good — if we take the trouble to prepare it. by profiting of the means afforded us by the Church — we will have an abundant harvest to show our Lord on that grand day when, rising triumphant from His tomb, He will come to share with His faithful people the glory of His Resurrection.