📜St. Raymond of Penyafort, born in Catalonia around 1175, stood out as a giant of jurisprudence and priestly holiness, uniting rigorous legal discipline with the deepest pastoral mercy. Entering the Order of Preachers, he succeeded St. Dominic himself and became famous for compiling the Decretals of Gregory IX, a monumental work that systematized Canon Law and governed ecclesiastical discipline for centuries. Beyond his erudition, he was confessor to King James I of Aragon and played a crucial role in the foundation of the Order of Mercy for the redemption of captives, demonstrating that the law must always serve the liberation of souls. Famous for the miracle in which he crossed the sea from Mallorca to Barcelona on his cloak, after refusing to condone the monarch's sin, Raymond died as a centenarian in 1275, leaving a legacy of order, penance, and apostolic zeal.
📖Introit (Ps 36, 30-31; ib., 1)
Os justi meditábitur sapiéntiam, et lingua ejus loquétur judícium: lex Dei ejus in corde ipsíus. Ps. Noli æmulári in malignántibus; neque zeláveris faciéntes iniquitatem.
The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment: the law of his God is in his heart. Ps. Be not emulous of evildoers; nor envy them that work iniquity.
✉️Epistle (Ecclus 31, 8-11)
Beátus vir, qui invéntus est sine mácula, et qui post aurum non ábiit, nec sperávit in pecúnia et thesáuris. Quis est hic, et laudábimus eum? Fecit enim mirabília in vita sua. Qui probátus est in illo, et perféctus est, erit illi glória ætérna: qui pótuit tránsgredi, et non est transgréssus: fácere mala, et non fecit: ideo stabilíta sunt bona illius in Dómino, et eleemósynas illíus enarrábit omnis ecclésia sanctórum.
Blessed is the man that is found without blemish: and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures. Who is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful things in his life. Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory eternal. He that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed: and could do evil things, and hath not done them: therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the church of the saints shall declare his alms.
✝️Gospel (Lk 12, 35-40)
In illo témpore: Dixit Jesus discípulis Suis: “Sint lumbi vestri præcíncti, et lucérnæ ardéntes in mánibus vestris, et vos símiles homínibus exspectántibus dóminum suum, quando revertátur a núptiis: ut, cum vénerit, et pulsáverit, conféstim apériant ei. Beáti servi illi, quos cum vénerit dóminus, invénerit vigilántes: amen dico vobis, quod præcínget se, et fáciet illos discúmbere, et tránsiens ministrábit illis. Et si vénerit in secúnda vigília, et si in tértia vigília vénerit, et ita invénerit, beáti sunt, beati sunt servi illi. Hoc autem scitóte, quóniam si sciret paterfamílias, quia hora fur vénerit, vigiláret útique, et non síneret pérfodi domum suam. Et vos estóte paráti, quis qua hora non putátis. Fílius hóminis véniet.”
At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands. And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come.
🔥The Divine Law and the Vigilance of the Faithful Servant
🕯️Today's liturgy presents us with a profound connection between the ecclesiastical legal order and eschatological vigilance, personified in St. Raymond of Penyafort. As an expert canonist, he understood that the law is not an end in itself, but an instrument of charity and salvation to keep the "house of God" ordered until the Lord's return. Saint Augustine reminds us that "where there is no justice, there is no republic," and analogously, in the Church, canon law serves as a bulwark against the chaos of sin, allowing grace to flow in an orderly manner (De Civitate Dei, XIX). The Gospel describes the servants with "loins girt" and "lamps burning"; theologically, girding the loins symbolizes the mortification of disordered passions, an essential virtue for one who, like Raymond, must judge and legislate with equity, without allowing himself to be corrupted by the "gold" mentioned in the Epistle. The burning lamp is the glow of orthodox doctrine and wisdom that is not extinguished in the watches of history. St. Raymond, by compiling the Decretals, ensured that the lamp of justice illuminated the Church, protecting the faithful from arbitrariness. He embodies the man who "could have transgressed and did not transgress," for, holding immense power and influence with popes and kings, he used his authority to serve, washing the feet of the Church through legal organization and penitential mercy. Thus, Christian vigilance is not a passive waiting, but a diligent action of one who organizes the interior and exterior house so that, when the Master arrives, He finds everything disposed according to His holy will.
See English version of the critical articles here.
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