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CHAPTER XVII
Fourteenth Sunday
after Pentecost.
Sources of the liturgy : Introit, Ps. LXXXIII, 10-11 and 2.
Epistle, Gal., v, 16-24. Gradual, Ps. cxvn, 8-9. Alleluia,
Ps. xciv, 1. Gospel, St. Matthew, vi, 24-33. Offertory,
Ps. xxxni, 8-9. Communion, St. Matthew, vi, 33.
In the liturgy this Sunday is called the Sunday
of the two Masters, because of the passage in the Gos
pel in which our divine Lord declares that no man can serve
two masters. The other Lessons, or formulas, of this
Sunday all have reference to this teaching. They remind
us that on earth two. adversaries are contending for
the possession of our soul ; and hence we must take
part in this contest and fight
if we would remain faithful
to the covenant which we have entered into with God.
The two masters are Jesus Christ and Satan : Jesus Christ
the Master of all just men who yield obedience to God;
Satan, the master of all evil men who have rebelled against
God. These two masters are in perpetual opposition to
one another ;
the commandments of each being direct
ly opposed, and their servants continually waging
war one against the other. Hence it is that our divine
Saviour declares : "No man can serve two masters; for
either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he
will sustain the one, and despise the other.
These TWO MASTERS rule OVER TWO KINGDOMS : the
CHURCH and the WORLD. The Church is the society
of men who wish to serve the Lord ; it is the kingdom
13*
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