Today, June 2
Feast of the Day
No feast of the day
Saint of the Day
Marcellinus and Peter lived in Rome during the time of the Emperor Diocletian. Little is known about them. Peter is said to have been an exorcist who ministered under Marcellinus, a well-known priest. Legend has it that, while in prison, they converted their jailer and his family. They were put to death for their faith about the year 304 and are commemorated in the canon of the Mass. There are accounts of miracles which resulted when their remains were moved to a monastery in Germany in 827.©2011 Living with Christ, Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/. Reprinted with permission.
Readings of the Day
second Letter of Peter 3,12-15a.17-18.
Beloved: Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, also wrote to you, Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipled and to fall from your own stability. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. (Amen.)
Psalms 90(89),2.3-4.10.14.16.
Before the mountains were begotten And the earth and the world were brought forth, From everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn man back to dust, Saying, "Return, O children of men." For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. Seventy is the sum of our years, Or eighty, if we are strong, And most of them are fruitless toil, For they pass quickly and we drift away. Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. Let your work be seen by your servants And your glory by their children.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12,13-17.
Some Pharisees and Herodians were sent to Jesus to ensnare him in his speech. They came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you are not concerned with anyone's opinion. You do not regard a person's status but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not? Should we pay or should we not pay?" Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them, "Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius to look at." They brought one to him and he said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They replied to him, "Caesar's." So Jesus said to them, "Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." They were utterly amazed at him.
Daily Reflection
Moses wrote in the Law that: “God created man in his image and likeness” (Gn 1,26). I would ask you to reflect on the importance of this saying. God, who is almighty, invisible, incomprehensible and without compare, when he fashioned man of clay, ennobled him by the image of his own greatness. What is there in common between man and God, clay and spirit? For “God is spirit” (Jn 4,24). Therefore is represents a great sign of his esteem for man that God should have rewarded him with the image of his eternity and the likeness of his own life. The greatness of man lies in his likeness to God, so long as he preserves it... So long as a soul makes good use of the virtues sown in it, it remains like God. All the virtues God placed in us at our creation he has taught us to repay to him. In the first place he requires us to love God with all our heart (Dt 6,5) since, from the beginning, even before we existed, “he loved us first” (1Jn 4,10). To love God, then, is to restore his image within us. Now, he loves God who keeps his commandments... Therefore it is for us to reflect to our God, to our Father, the unsullied image of his own holiness since he is holy and has said: “Be holy as I am holy” (Lv 11,45); with love since he is love and John has said: “God is love” (1Jn 4,8); with kindness and in truth since God is good and true. Let us not become depicters of a false image... And lest we insinuate the image of pride within ourselves let us allow Christ to paint his image within us.