Thursday, September 30 : Saint Ambrose

As he sent out disciples into his harvest – which had, in truth, been sown by the Father’s Word but which required to be worked over, cultivated and carefully tended if the birds were not to ravage the seed – Jesus said to them: “Behold, I send you out like lambs among wolves”. (…) The Good Shepherd could not but fear wolves in his flock: these disciples were sent to spread grace abroad, not to become a prey. But the Good Shepherd’s care prevented the wolves from doing anything against the lambs he sends out. He sends them that Isaiah’s prophecy might be fulfilled: “The wolf and the lamb shall graze alike” (Is 65:25) (…) And besides, were not the disciples who were sent out ordered not even to carry a staff? (…) What our humble Lord laid down, his disciples also accomplished by practising humility. For he sends them out to broadcast the faith, not by force but by their teaching; not by exerting force of will but by exalting the doctrine of humility. And he thought good to link patience to humility since, according to Peter’s testimony: “When he was insulted, he returned no insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten” (1 Pt 2:23). This amounts to saying: “Be imitators of me: let go of your thirst for revenge; respond to the blows of pride, not by returning evil for evil but with the patience that forgives. No one should perform on their own account what they reprehend in others; gentleness confronts the arrogant with far greater strength”.

Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team