Joseph Kenny OP: Readings Lent Friday 5

READINGS: LENT FRIDAY V

Invitatory Psalm & BACK

PSALMS and BACK
שׁוּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם — כִּי־חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם הוּא

Even Years: Numbers 22:1-8a,20-35
1 וַיִּסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּעַרְבוֹת מוֹאָב מֵעֵבֶר לְיַרְדֵּן יְרֵחוֹ׃ ס
2 וַיַּרְא בָּלָק בֶּן־צִפּוֹר אֵת כָּל־אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל לָאֱמֹרִי׃
3 וַיָּגָר מוֹאָב מִפְּנֵי הָעָם מְאֹד כִּי רַב־הוּא וַיָּקָץ מוֹאָב מִפְּנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
4 וַיֹּאמֶר מוֹאָב אֶל־זִקְנֵי מִדְיָן עַתָּה יְלַחֲכוּ הַקָּהָל אֶת־כָּל־סְבִיבֹתֵינוּ כִּלְחֹךְ הַשּׁוֹר אֵת יֶרֶק הַשָּׂדֶה וּבָלָק בֶּן־צִפּוֹר מֶלֶךְ לְמוֹאָב בָּעֵת הַהִוא׃
5 וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֶל־בִּלְעָם בֶּן־בְּעוֹר פְּתוֹרָה אֲשֶׁר עַל־הַנָּהָר אֶרֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּוֹ לִקְרֹא־לוֹ לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה עַם יָצָא מִמִּצְרַיִם הִנֵּה כִסָּה אֶת־עֵין הָאָרֶץ וְהוּא יֹשֵׁב מִמֻּלִי׃
6 וְעַתָּה לְכָה־נָּא אָרָה־לִּי אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה כִּי־עָצוּם הוּא מִמֶּנִּי אוּלַי אוּכַל נַכֶּה־בּוֹ וַאֲגָרְשֶׁנּוּ מִן־הָאָרֶץ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־תְּבָרֵךְ מְבֹרָךְ וַאֲשֶׁר תָּאֹר יוּאָר׃
7 וַיֵּלְכוּ זִקְנֵי מוֹאָב וְזִקְנֵי מִדְיָן וּקְסָמִים בְּיָדָם וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־בִּלְעָם וַיְדַבְּרוּ אֵלָיו דִּבְרֵי בָלָק׃
8 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם לִינוּ פֹה הַלַּיְלָה וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי אֶתְכֶם...
20 וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹהִים אֶל־בִּלְעָם לַיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אִם־לִקְרֹא לְךָ בָּאוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים קוּם לֵךְ אִתָּם וְאַךְ אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תַעֲשֶׂה׃
21 וַיָּקָם בִּלְעָם בַּבֹּקֶר וַיַּחֲבֹשׁ אֶת־אֲתֹנוֹ וַיֵּלֶךְ עִם־שָׂרֵי מוֹאָב׃
22 וַיִּחַר־אַף אֱלֹהִים כִּי־הוֹלֵךְ הוּא וַיִּתְיַצֵּב מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה בַּדֶּרֶךְ לְשָׂטָן לוֹ וְהוּא רֹכֵב עַל־אֲתֹנוֹ וּשְׁנֵי נְעָרָיו עִמּוֹ׃
23 וַתֵּרֶא הָאָתוֹן אֶת־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה נִצָּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה בְּיָדוֹ וַתֵּט הָאָתוֹן מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ וַתֵּלֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיַּךְ בִּלְעָם אֶת־הָאָתוֹן לְהַטֹּתָהּ הַדָּרֶךְ׃
24 וַיַּעֲמֹד מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה בְּמִשְׁעוֹל הַכְּרָמִים גָּדֵר מִזֶּה וְגָדֵר מִזֶּה׃
25 וַתֵּרֶא הָאָתוֹן אֶת־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה וַתִּלָּחֵץ אֶל־הַקִּיר וַתִּלְחַץ אֶת־רֶגֶל בִּלְעָם אֶל־הַקִּיר וַיֹּסֶף לְהַכֹּתָהּ׃
26 וַיּוֹסֶף מַלְאַךְ־יְהוָה עֲבוֹר וַיַּעֲמֹד בְּמָקוֹם צָר אֲשֶׁר אֵין־דֶּרֶךְ לִנְטוֹת יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאול׃
27 וַתֵּרֶא הָאָתוֹן אֶת־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה וַתִּרְבַּץ תַּחַת בִּלְעָם וַיִּחַר־אַף בִּלְעָם וַיַּךְ אֶת־הָאָתוֹן בַּמַּקֵּל׃
28 וַיִּפְתַּח יְהוָה אֶת־פִּי הָאָתוֹן וַתֹּאמֶר לְבִלְעָם מֶה־עָשִׂיתִי לְךָ כִּי הִכִּיתַנִי זֶה שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים׃
29 וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם לָאָתוֹן כִּי הִתְעַלַּלְתְּ בִּי לוּ יֶשׁ־חֶרֶב בְּיָדִי כִּי עַתָּה הֲרַגְתִּיךְ׃
30 וַתֹּאמֶר הָאָתוֹן אֶל־בִּלְעָם הֲלוֹא אָנֹכִי אֲתֹנְךָ אֲשֶׁר־רָכַבְתָּ עָלַי מֵעוֹדְךָ עַד־הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה הַהַסְכֵּן הִסְכַּנְתִּי לַעֲשׂוֹת לְךָ כֹּה וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא׃
31 וַיְגַל יְהוָה אֶת־עֵינֵי בִלְעָם וַיַּרְא אֶת־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה נִצָּב בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלֻפָה בְּיָדוֹ וַיִּקֹּד וַיִּשְׁתַּחוּ לְאַפָּיו׃
32 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה עַל־מָה הִכִּיתָ אֶת־אֲתֹנְךָ זֶה שָׁלוֹשׁ רְגָלִים הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי יָצָאתִי לְשָׂטָן כִּי־יָרַט הַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּי׃
33 וַתִּרְאַנִי הָאָתוֹן וַתֵּט לְפָנַי זֶה שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים אוּלַי נָטְתָה מִפָּנַי כִּי עַתָּה גַּם־אֹתְכָה הָרַגְתִּי וְאוֹתָהּ הֶחֱיֵיתִי׃
34 וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם אֶל־מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה חָטָאתִי כִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אַתָּה נִצָּב לִקְרָאתִי בַּדָּרֶךְ וְעַתָּה אִם־רַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ אָשׁוּבָה לִּי׃
35 וַיֹּאמֶר מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה אֶל־בִּלְעָם לֵךְ עִם־הָאֲנָשִׁים וְאֶפֶס אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר־אֲדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ אֹתוֹ תְדַבֵּר וַיֵּלֶךְ בִּלְעָם עִם־שָׂרֵי בָלָק׃

1 The Israelites then set out and pitched their camp in the Plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan opposite Jericho. 2 Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified of the people, because there were so many of them. Moab was afraid of the Israelites; 4 he said to the elders of Midian, 'This horde will soon have cropped everything round us as closely as an ox crops grass in the countryside.'
Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at the time. 5 He sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, at Pethor on the River, in the territory of the Amawites, saying, 'Look, a people coming from Egypt has overrun the whole countryside; they have halted at my very door. 6 I beg you come and curse this people for me, for they are stronger than I am. We may then be able to defeat them and drive them out of the country. For this I know: anyone you bless is blessed, anyone you curse is accursed.'
7 The elders of Moab and the elders of Midian set out, taking the fee for the divination with them. They found Balaam and gave him Balak's message. 8 He said to them, 'Stay the night here, and I will answer as Yahweh directs me.'
20 God came to Balaam during the night and said to him, 'Have not these men come to summon you? Get up, go with them, but do only what I tell you to do.' 21 Balaam got up and saddled his donkey and set out with the chiefs of Moab. 22 His going kindled Yahweh's anger, and the angel of Yahweh took his stand on the road to bar his way. Balaam was riding his donkey and his two servants were with him. 23 Now the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, and she turned off the road into the open country. Balaam then struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. 24 The angel of Yahweh then went and stood on a narrow path among the vineyards, with a wall to the right and a wall to the left. 25 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh and scraped against the wall, scraping Balaam's foot against it, so he struck her again. 26 The angel of Yahweh then moved and stood in a place so narrow that there was no room to pass either to right or left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, she lay down under Balaam. Balaam flew into a rage and struck the donkey with his stick.
28 Yahweh then gave the donkey the power to talk, and she said to Balaam, 'What harm have I done you, for you to strike me three times like this?' 29 Balaam answered the donkey, 'Because you have been making a fool of me! If I had been carrying a sword, I should have killed you by now.' 30 The donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your donkey, and have I not been your mount all your life? Have I ever behaved like this with you before?' 'No,' he replied.
31 Yahweh then opened Balaam's eyes and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head and threw himself on his face. 32 And the angel of Yahweh said to him, 'Why did you strike your donkey three times like that? I myself had come to bar your way; while I am here your road is blocked. 33 The donkey saw me and turned aside because of me three times. You are lucky she did turn aside, or I should have killed you by now, though I would have spared her.'
34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, 'I have sinned. I did not know you were standing in the road to stop me. But if what I am doing displeases you, I will go home again.' 35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, 'Go with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.' So Balaam went on with the chiefs sent by Balak.
Odd Years: Hebrews 12:14-29
      εἰρήνην διώκετε μετὰ πάντων, καὶ τὸν ἁγιασμόν,
      οὗ χωρὶς οὐδεὶς ὄψεται τὸν κύριον,
      ἐπισκοποῦντες μή τις ὑστερῶν ἀπὸ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ θεοῦ,
      μή τις ῥίζα πικρίας ἄνω φύουσα ἐνοχλῇ καὶ δι' αὐτῆς μιανθῶσιν πολλοί,
      μή τις πόρνος ἢ βέβηλος ὡς Ἠσαῦ, ὃς ἀντὶ βρώσεως μιᾶς ἀπέδετο τὰ πρωτοτόκια ἑαυτοῦ.
      ἴστε γὰρ ὅτι καὶ μετέπειτα θέλων κληρονομῆσαι τὴν εὐλογίαν ἀπεδοκιμάσθη,
      μετανοίας γὰρ τόπον οὐχ εὗρεν,
      καίπερ μετὰ δακρύων ἐκζητήσας αὐτήν.

οὐ γὰρ προσεληλύθατε ψηλαφωμένῳ καὶ κεκαυμένῳ πυρὶ
καὶ γνόφῳ καὶ ζόφῳ καὶ θυέλλῃ
καὶ σάλπιγγος ἤχῳ καὶ φωνῇ ῥημάτων,
ἧς οἱ ἀκούσαντες παρῃτήσαντο μὴ προστεθῆναι αὐτοῖς λόγον:
οὐκ ἔφερον γὰρ τὸ διαστελλόμενον, κἂν θηρίον θίγῃ τοῦ ὄρους, λιθοβοληθήσεται:
καί, οὕτω φοβερὸν ἦν τὸ φανταζόμενον, Μωϋσῆς εἶπεν, ἔκφοβός εἰμι καὶ ἔντρομος.
      ἀλλὰ προσεληλύθατε Σιὼν ὄρει καὶ πόλει θεοῦ ζῶντος,
      Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπουρανίῳ, καὶ μυριάσιν ἀγγέλων πανηγύρει
      καὶ ἐκκλησίᾳ πρωτοτόκων ἀπογεγραμμένων ἐν οὐρανοῖς,
      καὶ κριτῇ θεῷ πάντων,
      καὶ πνεύμασι δικαίων τετελειωμένων,
      καὶ διαθήκης νέας μεσίτῃ Ἰησοῦ,
      καὶ αἵματι ῥαντισμοῦ κρεῖττον λαλοῦντι παρὰ τὸν Ἁβελ.
βλέπετε μὴ παραιτήσησθε τὸν λαλοῦντα:
εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι οὐκ ἐξέφυγον ἐπὶ γῆς παραιτησάμενοι τὸν χρηματίζοντα,
πολὺ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς οἱ τὸν ἀπ' οὐρανῶν ἀποστρεφόμενοι:
οὗ ἡ φωνὴ τὴν γῆν ἐσάλευσεν τότε, νῦν δὲ ἐπήγγελται λέγων,
ἔτι ἅπαξ ἐγὼ σείσω οὐ μόνον τὴν γῆν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν οὐρανόν.
τὸ δέ, ἔτι ἅπαξ δηλοῖ τὴν τῶν σαλευομένων μετάθεσιν ὡς πεποιημένων,
ἵνα μείνῃ τὰ μὴ σαλευόμενα.
διὸ βασιλείαν ἀσάλευτον παραλαμβάνοντες ἔχωμεν χάριν,
δι' ἧς λατρεύωμεν εὐαρέστως τῷ θεῷ μετὰ εὐλαβείας καὶ δέους:
καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον.
14 Seek peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord. 15 Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin to grow and make trouble; this can poison a large number. 16 And be careful that there is no immoral person, or anyone worldly minded like Esau, who sold his birthright for one single meal. 17 As you know, when he wanted to obtain the blessing afterwards, he was rejected and, though he pleaded for it with tears, he could find no way of reversing the decision. 18 What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or gloom or total darkness, or a storm; 19 or trumpet-blast or the sound of a voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them. 20 They could not bear the order that was given: If even a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned. 21 The whole scene was so terrible that Moses said, 'I am afraid and trembling.' 22 But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, 23 with the whole Church of first-born sons, enrolled as citizens of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and to the spirits of the upright who have been made perfect; 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to purifying blood which pleads more insistently than Abel's. 25 Make sure that you never refuse to listen when he speaks. If the people who on earth refused to listen to a warning could not escape their punishment, how shall we possibly escape if we turn away from a voice that warns us from heaven? 26 That time his voice made the earth shake, but now he has given us this promise: I am going to shake the earth once more and not only the earth but heaven as well. 27 The words once more indicate the removal of what is shaken, since these are created things, so that what is not shaken remains. 28 We have been given possession of an unshakeable kingdom. Let us therefore be grateful and use our gratitude to worship God in the way that pleases him, in reverence and fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.

Even Years: Augustine of Hippo, De catechizandis rudibus, 31-32,33,39 (PL 40, 333.334.338)
Duae itaque civitates, una iniquorum, altera sanctorum, ab initio generis humani usque in finem saeculi perducuntur, nunc permixtae corporibus, sed voluntatibus separatae, in die iudicii vero etiam corpore separandae.
Omnes enim homines et omnes spiritus humiliter Dei gloriam quaerentes, non suam, et eum pietate sectantes, ad unam pertinent societatem. Et tamen Deus misericordissimus, et super impios homines patiens est, et praebet eis paenitentiae atque correctionis locum. Nam et quod omnes diluvio delevit, excepto uno iusto cum suis, quos in arca servari voluit, noverat quidem, quod non se correcturi essent: verumtamen, cum per centum annos arca fabricata est, praedicabatur utique eis ira Dei ventura super eos: et si converterentur ad Deum, parceret eis; sicut pepercit postea Ninive civitati agenti paenitentiam, cum ei per prophetam futurum interitum praenuntiasset Praenuntiabatur tamen etiam diluvii sacramento, quo per lignum iusti liberati sunt, futura Ecclesia, quam rex eius et Deus Christus mysterio suae crucis ab huius saeculi submersione suspendit. Neque enim Deus ignorabat, quod etiam ex illis qui fuerant in arca servati, nascituri erant mali, qui faciem terrae iniquitatibus iterum implerent: sed tamen et exemplum futuri iudicii dedit, et sanctorum liberationem ligni mysterio praenuntiavit
Neque tunc sane defuerunt iusti, qui Deum pie quaererent, et superbiam diaboli vincerent, cives illius sanctae civitatis, quos regis sui Christi ventura humilitas per Spiritum revelata sanavit. Ex quibus Abraham pius et fidelis Dei servus electus est, cui demonstraretur sacramentum Filii Dei, ut propter imitationem fidei omnes fideles omnium gentium, filii eius futuri dicerentur. Ex illo natus est populus, a quo unus Deus verus coleretur, qui fecit caelum et terram; cum ceterae gentes simulacris et daemoniis servirent. In eo plane populo multo evidentius futura Ecclesia figurata est. Erat enim ibi multitudo carnalis, quae propter visibilia beneficia colebat Deum. Erant ibi autem pauci futuram requiem cogitantes et caelestem patriam requirentes, quibus prophetando revelabatur futura humilitas Dei, regis et Domini nostri Iesu Christi, ut per eam fidem ab omni superbia et tumore sanarentur. Horum sanctorum qui praecesserunt tempore nativitatem Domini, non solum sermo, sed etiam vita et coniugia et filii et facta prophetia fuit huius temporis, quo per fidem passionis Christi ex gentibus congregatur Ecclesia Et in his tamen omnibus mysteria spiritalia significabantur, quae ad Christum et Ecclesiam pertinerent: cuius Ecclesiae membra erant etiam illi sancti, quamvis in hac vita fuerint, antequam secundum carnem Christus Dominus nasceretur
Tunc enim et lex impletur, dum non cupiditate rerum temporalium, sed caritate illius qui praecepit, fiunt quaecumque praecepit. Quis autem non redamare affectet iustissimum et misericordissimum Deum, qui prior sic amavit iniustissimos et superbissimos homines, ut propter eos mitteret unicum Filium, per quem fecit omnia, qui non sui mutatione, sed hominis assumptione homo factus, non solum cum eis vivere, sed etiam pro eis et ab eis posset occidi?
Odd Years: Augustine of Hippo, Treatise 84 on John, 1-2 (CCL 36, 536-538)
Plenitudinem dilectionis qua nos inuicem diligere debemus, fratres carissimi, definiuit dominus dicens: maiorem hac dilectionem nemo habet, ut animam suam ponat quis pro amicis suis fit ex hoc consequens, quod idem iste euangelista iohannes in epistola sua dicit: ut quemadmodum christus pro nobis animam suam posuit, sic et nos debeamus pro fratribus animas ponere; diligentes utique inuicem sicut ipse dilexit nos, qui pro nobis animam suam posuit.
Nimirum hoc est quod legitur in prouerbiis salomonis: si sederis coenare ad mensam potentis, considerans intellege quae apponuntur tibi; et sic mitte manum tuam, sciens quia talia te oportet praeparare. nam quae mensa est potentis, nisi unde sumitur corpus et sanguis eius qui animam suam posuit pro nobis? et quid est ad eam sedere, nisi humiliter accedere? et quid est considerare et intellegere quae apponuntur tibi, nisi digne tantam gratiam cogitare? et quid est sic mittere manum, ut scias quia talia te oportet praeparare, nisi quod iam dixi, quia sicut pro nobis christus animam suam posuit, sic et nos debemus animas pro fratribus ponere? sicut enim ait etiam apostolus petrus: christus pro nobis passus est, relinquens nobis exemplum, ut sequamur uestigia eius. hoc est talia praeparare. hoc beati martyres ardenti dilectione fecerunt; quorum si non inaniter memorias celebramus, atque in conuiuio quo et ipsi saturati sunt, ad mensam domini accedimus, oportet, ut quemadmodum ipsi, et nos talia praeparemus.
Ideo quippe ad ipsam mensam non sic eos commemoramus, quemadmodum alios qui in pace requiescunt, ut etiam pro eis oremus, sed magis ut ipsi pro nobis, ut eorum uestigiis adhaereamus; qui impleuerunt ipsi caritatem qua dominus dixit non posse esse maiorem. talia enim suis fratribus exhibuerunt, qualia de domini mensa pariter acceperunt.
Neque hoc ita dictum sit, quasi propterea domino christo pares esse possimus, si pro illo usque ad sanguinem martyrium duxerimus. ille potestatem habuit ponendi animam suam, et iterum sumendi eam; nos autem nec quantum uolumus uiuimus, et morimur etiamsi nolumus; ille moriens mox in se occidit mortem, nos in eius morte liberamur a morte; illius caro non uidit corruptionem, nostra post corruptionem, in fine saeculi per illum induetur incorruptionem; ille nobis non indiguit ut nos saluos faceret, nos sine illo nihil possumus facere; ille se nobis palmitibus praebuit uitem, nos habere praeter illum non possumus uitam.
Postremo etsi fratres pro fratribus moriantur, tamen in fraternorum peccatorum remissionem nullius sanguis martyris funditur, quod fecit ille pro nobis; neque in hoc quid imitaremur, sed quid gratularemur contulit nobis. quatenus ergo martyres pro fratribus sanguinem suum fuderunt, hactenus talia exhibuerunt, qualia de mensa dominica perceperunt diligamus ergo inuicem, sicut et christus dilexit nos, et tradidit semetipsum pro nobis.

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