Short Meditation On The Gospel For Feast Of St. Bartholomew

TIEPOLO, Giovanni Battista 

The Martyrdom of St. Bartholomew 

1722

GOSPEL Luke 6.12-19

And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and he passed the whole night in the prayer of God. And when day was come, he called unto him his disciples; and he chose twelve of them (whom also he named apostles). Simon, whom he surnamed Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon who is called Zelotes, And Jude, the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who was the traitor. And coming down with them, he stood in a plain place, and the company of his disciples, and a very great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast both of Tyre and Sidon, Who were come to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases. And they that were troubled with unclean spirits, were cured. 

 How our Saviour did choose the twelve Apostles, and sent them abroad to preach through Jewery. Mt.10.1.Mk.6.7.Lk.6.12

1. Consider how when our Saviour had spent a whole night in praying to God his Father, he made all his disciples come before him and out of seventy or fourscore that they were, he did choose only twelve which he called Apostles.

2. Consider how sending them abroad to preach penance, and to gather the fruits that the Patriarchs and Prophets had sowen, he did forbid them to carry any thing that was superfluous, were it apparel, money, or other like provision, to the end that they should put all their hope in him that sent them.

3. Consider how he did advertise them to be simple as doves, & wise as serpents, and above all to beware of men.

Let us learn,

1. Not to begin or undertake any work without commending it first to Almighty God by prayer.

2. Wholly to rely and hope in God without seeking after so many commodities in temporal things.

3. Not to trust easily those persons that we have never tried nor known.

Vincenzo Bruno S. J. 1614