First Reading — Sirach 6:5-17
George Leo Haydock
On 6:5
Appeaseth. Greek, “and an eloquent tongue multiplies good words.” (Haydock) — The affable gain our affections. Gideon pacified the incensed Ephraimites by a mild answer, Judges viii. (Worthington)
On 6:6
Counsellor. Only few are capable of this office, (Haydock) or of keeping a secret. Yet we must have peace, if possible, with all, Romans xii. 18. (Calmet) — The Scythians condemned many friends, no less than many wives, (Luc. Tox.) and Aristotle (Eth. ix. 10.) commends this maxim of Hesiod: mete poluxeinos met azeinos ; “neither to have too many guests, or intimate friends, nor to be without any.”
On 6:7
Get. Literally, “dost possess a friend, possess him in trial,” (Haydock) as the Greek also has it. But the Hebrew term kanah, means likewise, “to acquire,” and a friend ought to be chosen with judgment. It is too late to try him after he has been received. (Calmet) — One must try much before a companion be chosen, that he may be afterwards preserved. (Plut.[Plutarch?]) — “Possess not friends quickly, but those whom thou hast obtained, reject not with disgrace.” (Solon; Laertius i., and ii. 8.)
On 6:8
Trouble. Such are interested friends; but true friendship is a kind and perfect agreement in all divine and human affairs.” (Cicero) (St. Augustine, contra Acad. iii.) — Religion must be the foundation.
On 6:9
Reproaches. Disclosing all your imperfections. (Calmet) — “The closest alliances, being broken, produce the most bitter enmities.” (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxxvii. 4.)
On 6:13
Friends. Such as have been just described. Of these the maxim of Bias may be true, that people should “love as if they were to hate,” at some future period. (Laertius i.) — Entire confidence becomes those who are friends indeed.
On 6:16
And immortality, is not in Greek. (Calmet) — But shews the meaning of life is this place; as a true friend will not cease to give good advice for eternity. (Haydock) — But even in this world, nothing can be more advantageous. (Calmet) — Amicus magis necessarius est quam ignis et aqua. (Cicero) (St. Ambrose, off iii.) — Him. Cicero himself says, “friendship can subsist only among the virtuous.” Yet these, judging others by themselves, are more easily imposed upon, and ought, therefore, to address themselves to God. (Calmet)
On 6:17
Be. He will instill into his friend sentiments of piety, if he have them not before. Amicitia similes invenit aut facit. “Pythagoras desires that in friendship one should be formed of many.” (Cicero v. 11.) (Haydock)
Responsorial Psalm — Psalm 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35
Hippolytus of Rome
On 118:30
He who loves truth, and never utters a false word with his mouth, may say, "I have chosen the way of truth." Moreover, he who always sets the judgments of God before his eyes, and remembers them in every action, will say, "Thy judgments have I not forgotten." And how is our heart enlarged by trials and afflictions! For these pluck out the thorns of anxious thoughts within us, and enlarge the heart for the reception of the divine laws. For, says he, "in affliction Thou hast enlarged me." Then do we walk in the way of God's commandments, well prepared for it by the endurance of trials.
Gospel — Mark 10:1-12
John Chrysostom
On 10:1
(ubi sup.) Being framed out of one root, they will join into one body. It goes on: So then they are no more twain, but one flesh.
On 10:4
(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. et v. Chrys. Hom. 62) For being asked, whether it is lawful, he does not immediately reply, it is not lawful, lest they should raise an outcry, but He first wished them to answer Him as to the sentence of the law, that they by their answer might furnish Him with what it was right to say. Wherefore it goes on, And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And afterwards, And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. They put forward indeed this that Moses had said either on account of the question of our Saviour, or wishing to excite against Him a multitude of men. For divorce was an indifferent thing among the Jews, and all practised it, as though it were permitted by the law.
On 10:7
(ubi sup.) If however he had wished one wife to be put away and another to be brought in, He would have created several women. Nor did God only join one woman to one man, but He also bade a man quit his parents and cleave to his wife. Wherefore it goes on: And he said, (that is, God said by Adam,) For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife. From the very mode of speech, shewing the impossibility of severing marriage, because He said, He shall cleave.
On 10:9
(ubi sup.) After this, bringing forward an awful argument, He said not, do not divide, but He concluded, What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
On 10:9
(non occ.) But if two persons, whom God has joined together, are not to be separated; much more is it wrong to separate from Christ, the Church, which God has joined to Him.