The Daily Gospel

DAILY GOSPEL Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 3,7-12. Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people (followed) from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, "You are the Son of God." He warned them sternly not to make him known. God did not create man to be lost but so that he might live eternally; this intention remains unchanging… For he "wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth," (1Tm 2,4). It is the will of your Father in heaven, says Jesus, "that not one of these little ones be lost," (Mt 18,14). It is also written elsewhere: "Neither will God have a soul to perish, but recalleth, meaning that he that is cast off should not altogether perish," (2Sm 14,14 Vulg [Douai]; cf. 2Pt 3,9). God is true; he does not lie when he promises on oath: "As I live! I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, but rather in the wicked man's conversion, that he may live," (Ez 33,11). Can we then think, without gross sacrilege, that he might not want the salvation of all in general but only of a few? Anyone who is lost, is lost contrary to God's will. He cries out to him every day: "Turn, turn from your evil ways! Why should you die, O house of Israel?" (Ex 33,11). And again, he protests: "Why do these people rebel with obstinate insistence? They set their faces harder than stone and refuse to return," (Jr 8,5; 5,3).The grace of Christ is therefore always available to us. Since he desires that all men should be saved, he calls to all without exception: "Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened, and I will give you rest," (Mt 11,28).