February 28, 2026 Saturday of the First Week of Lent Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48 A Counsel to Upright Conduct
Today is the Saturday of the First Week of Lent. The Gospel passage continues Jesus’ counsel on the conduct of Christians.
In life, it is difficult to avoid living in isolation, and even more so to refrain from relating to others, for human beings are not meant to be solitary. When we interact with others, we often follow the logic of the world and its laws. The law of the world is this: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth; love your neighbour and hate your enemy.
We have all received Christian Baptism and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, becoming children of God. So, what should we do in the face of enemies, or those who persecute us? Jesus tells us: “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for He makes His sun rise on the bad and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”(cf. Mt 5:44-45).
Perhaps we find this almost impossible. We feel it is impossible because we struggle to set aside our own positions, humble ourselves, and choose to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us—just as Jesus Christ did. Let us consider how Jesus acted. When He was crucified, He prayed to the Father: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”(cf. Lk 23:34). Through receiving Christian Baptism, we are united with Christ; thus, we must love our enemies and pray always for those who harm us, just as Christ did.
Even more, we must love our neighbours from the depths of our hearts—including brothers and sisters who, for various reasons, no longer associate with us. We must take the initiative to reconcile with those who have been hurt in body or spirit by our bad example and sin against God, so that they may see again the merciful face of the heavenly Father through our actions. In this way, we become perfect.
Turn our hearts to you, eternal Father, and grant that, seeking always the one thing necessary and carrying out works of charity, we may be dedicated to your worship. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever
今天教會慶祝納雷科的聖額我略院長聖師的自由紀念敬禮日。納雷科的聖額我略（Saint Gregory of Narek）於945年至950年間，誕生於凡湖（Lake Van）之畔的一座村莊。雙親辭世後，聖額我略與其兄長由一位學識淵博的叔父撫育成人，叔父安排他們在自己修行的納雷科修道院接受教育，其本人亦為該修道院之修士。該修道院乃當時著名的學術重鎮，坐落于現今土耳其境內。額我略亦入修道院修行，並於977年領受聖秩聖事。
關於納雷科聖額我略（Saint Gregory of Narek）之生平事蹟，世人所知甚少，僅知其于11世紀初辭世，並安息于畢生修行的納雷科修道院之內。2015年，值奧斯曼帝國亞美尼亞大屠殺百年紀念之際，教皇方濟各（Pope Francis）於梵蒂岡與塔爾穆尼宗主教納爾塞斯·貝德羅斯十九世（Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni）共祭彌撒，宣佈亞美尼亞使徒教會之修士、詩人、聖人納雷科聖額我略（Gregory of Narek）為教會聖師。聖座禮儀及聖事部於2021年1月25日頒佈法令，將聖額我略院長聖師列入羅馬禮儀通用日曆。
今天教会庆祝纳雷科的圣额我略院长圣师的自由纪念敬礼日。纳雷科的圣额我略（Saint Gregory of Narek）于945年至950年间，诞生于凡湖（Lake Van）之畔的一座村庄。双亲辞世后，圣额我略与其兄长由一位学识渊博的叔父抚育成人，叔父安排他们在自己修行的纳雷科修道院接受教育，其本人亦为该修道院之修士。该修道院乃当时著名的学术重镇，坐落于现今土耳其境内。额我略亦入修道院修行，并于977年领受圣秩圣事。
关于纳雷科圣额我略（Saint Gregory of Narek）之生平事迹，世人所知甚少，仅知其于11世纪初辞世，并安息于毕生修行的纳雷科修道院之内。2015年，值奥斯曼帝国亚美尼亚大屠杀百年纪念之际，教皇方济各（Pope Francis）于梵蒂冈与塔尔穆尼宗主教纳尔塞斯·贝德罗斯十九世（Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni）共祭弥撒，宣布亚美尼亚使徒教会之修士、诗人、圣人纳雷科圣额我略（Gregory of Narek）为教会圣师。圣座礼仪及圣事部于2021年1月25日颁布法令，将圣额我略院长圣师列入罗马礼仪通用日历。
February 27, 2026 Friday of the First Week of Lent / Memorial of St. Gregory of Narek Gospel: Matthew 5:20-26 A Counsel to Upright Conduct
Today the Church celebrates the optional memorial of St. Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church. St. Gregory of Narek (c. 945–950) was born in a village on the shores of Lake Van. After his parents’ death, he and his brother were raised by a learned uncle, who arranged for them to be educated at the Narek Monastery where he himself was a monk. The monastery, a renowned centre of learning located in present-day Turkey, became Gregory’s home. He entered monastic life there and received Holy Orders in 977.
As a theological professor, Gregory wrote a mystical commentary on the Song of Songs, and a mystical long poem entitled The Book of Prayer for The Book of Lamentations. He likened this work to “an encyclopaedia of prayer for all nations.” A classic of Armenian literature, it has been translated into 30 languages. A Russian version of The Book of Lamentations was set to music in 1985.
Little is known of St. Gregory of Narek’s life beyond his death in the early 11th century, as he was laid to rest in the Narek Monastery where he had spent his life. In 2015, on the centenary of the Armenian Genocide under the Ottoman Empire, Pope Francis celebrated Mass with Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni of the Armenian Catholic Church in the Vatican, proclaiming Gregory of Narek—monk, poet, and saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church—a Doctor of the Church. On January 25, 2021, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments issued a decree inserting St. Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor, into the General Roman Calendar.
Today, the merciful Lord Jesus Christ, through the Gospel according to St. Matthew, exhorts us to upright conduct. He tells us: I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Mt 5:20). This means: if we choose to receive Christian Baptism and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, our observance of God’s law must not remain superficial but must flow from the heart, guided by the Holy Spirit, living out the true meaning of God’s law.
The true meaning of God’s law is love. It requires us to love Him from the depths of our being and to extend that love to our neighbours. Our neighbours include not only those who share our views but also those who differ from us. As we come before the altar of the Lord, let us reflect: Am I willing to accept them, just as Jesus Christ, crucified, opened His arms to all, even interceding for those who harmed Him?
Grant that your faithful, O Lord, we pray, may be so conformed to the paschal observances, that the bodily discipline now solemnly begun may bear fruit in the souls of all. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever
全属于祢 
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