First Reading — Sirach 50:22-24
George Leo Haydock
On 50:23
Prayer. Greek, “adoration, that they might receive a blessing from the Most High.” (Haydock) — Power. In keeping Philopator out of the temple. God granted his request, (Calmet. litaneios ) “and scourged him who was so insolent and bold…throwing him like a reed, unable to move, and speechless on the pavement,” 2 Machabees ii. 26. After Philopator’s guards had removed him, the high priest congratulated the people, (ver. 26.) expressing his abhorrence of their enemies in general, though he only mentions three neighbouring nations which had shewn a particular enmity to the Jews, when a contrary behaviour might have been expected, ver. 28. (Haydock)
On 50:24
Now. At the sight of these wonders, the author exhorts the people to be grateful, and full of hope. (Calmet)
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11
Gregory of Nyssa
On 144:3
Now if any one should ask for some interpretation, description and explanation of the divine essence, we are not going to deny that we are unlearned in this kind of wisdom, acknowledging only so much as this, that it is not possible that which is by nature infinite should be comprehended in any conception expressed by words. The fact that the divine greatness has no limit is proclaimed by prophecy, which declares expressly that of his splendor, his glory and his holiness, "there is no end." If his surroundings have no limit, much more is he himself in his essence, whatever it may be, comprehended by no limitation in any way. If then interpretation by way of words and names implies by its meaning some sort of comprehension of the subject, and if, on the other hand, that which is unlimited cannot be comprehended, no one could reasonably blame us for ignorance, if we are not bold in respect of what none should venture on. For by what name can I describe the incomprehensible? By what speech can I declare the unspeakable? Accordingly, since the Deity is too excellent and lofty to be expressed in words, we have learned to honor in silence what transcends speech and thought. If he who "thinks more highly than he ought to think" tramples on this cautious speech of ours making a jest of our ignorance of things incomprehensible, and recognizes a difference of unlikeness in that which is without figure, or limit, or size or quantity (I mean in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) and brings forward to reproach our ignorance that phrase that is continually alleged by the disciples of deceit, " 'You worship you know not what,' if you know not the essence of that which you worship," we shall follow the advice of the prophet. We shall not fear the reproach of fools or be led by their reviling to talk boldly of things unspeakable. That unpracticed speaker Paul we make our teacher in the mysteries that transcend knowledge. He is so far from thinking that the divine nature is within the reach of human perception that he calls even the judgments of God "unsearchable" and his ways "past finding out." He affirms that the things promised to them that love him, for their good deeds done in this life, are above comprehension so that it is not possible to behold them with the eye, or to receive them by hearing or to contain them in the heart.
On 144:3
Instead of speaking of him [God the Father] as "ungenerated," it is permissible to call him the "First Cause" or "Father of the Only-Begotten," or to speak of him as "existing without cause," and many such expressions that lead to the same thought. In that case Eunomius confirms our doctrines by the very arguments in which he brings charges that we do not know any name indicative of the divine nature. We are taught the fact of its existence, while we assert that a name of such breath as to include the unspeakable and infinite nature either does not exist at all or at any rate is unknown to us. Let him then abandon his usual fictive language, and show us the names that signify the real meanings and then proceed further to divide the subject by the divergence of their names. But as long as the statement of the Scripture is correct that Abraham and Moses were not capable of the knowledge of the name, and that "no one has seen God at any time," and that "no one has seen him, nor can see," and that the light around him is unapproachable and "there is no end of his greatness," so long can we say and believe these things. This is similar to an argument that promises any comprehension and expression of the infinite nature by means of the meaning of names to one who thinks that he can enclose the whole sea in his own hand! Just as the hollow of one's hand is comparable to the entire depth of the sea, so is all the power of language comparable to that nature that is unspeakable and incomprehensible.
Second Reading — 1 Corinthians 1:3-9
Polycrates Of Ephesus
On 1:7
It is surely noteworthy that nobody doubted that it was kept by a Christian and Apostolic ordinance. So St. Paul argues from its Christian observance, in his rebuke of the Corinthians.
Gospel — Luke 17:11-19
Titus of Bostra
On 17:11
saying, And it came to pass, shewing that the Samaritans were indeed well disposed towards the mercies above mentioned, but the Jews not so. For there was enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans, and He to allay this, passed into the midst of both nations, that he might cement both into one new man.
On 17:11
They pronounce the name of Jesus, and gain to themselves the reality. For Jesus is by interpretation Saviour. They say, Have mercy upon us, because they were sensible of His power, and sought neither for gold and silver, but that their bodies might put on again a healthful appearance.
On 17:12
They associated together from the sympathy they felt as partakers of the same calamity, and were waiting till Jesus passed, anxiously looking out to see Him approach. As it is said, Which stood afar off, for the Jewish law esteems leprosy unclean, whereas the law of the Gospel calls unclean not the outward, but the inward leprosy.
On 17:16
When he found that he was cleansed, he had boldness to draw near, as it follows, And fell down on his face at his feet giving him thanks. Thus by his prostration and prayers shewing at once both his faith and his gratitude.
It follows, And he was a Samaritan.
On 17:19
Wherein it is shewn, that strangers were more ready to receive the faith, but Israel was slow to believe; and so it follows, And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way, thy faith has made thee whole.