A Holy Cross~by Fr. Bryan Wolf

obama-administration-no-christians-allowed1Today we celebrate The Exaltation of the Holy Cross.  Symbolic of the discovery of the Cross upon which Christ was crucified by St. Helena in 326, today is a holy day which transcends many Christian denominations. Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, and Eastern Orthodox among others, proclaim the significance of the Holy Cross. For Christians the Cross becomes the symbol in which to reconcile ourselves to God. The Catholic practice of “making the sign of the Cross” itself becomes a prayer.  Indeed, there is no other more recognizable symbol of Christianity than the Cross.  From car bumper stickers, to jewelry, to cemetery markers and gravestones; even to ornate and sublime churches of every kind- we can easily know who is Christian.  Is this becoming a problem?

In the beginning of Christianity many suffered for their belief and faith in Christ. Many became martyrs, and eventually, saints. Throughout history, even to modern times, many have been persecuted for their Christian faith. During World War II, more than 2600 Catholic priests were executed in the Dachau Nazi Concentration Camp alone. Rebel organizations throughout Central America have used the kidnapping and execution of vowed religious as a means of intimidation. Coptic Christians in Egypt have recently witnessed their churches being damaged, looted and burned.  Most recently extremist there paraded three captured nuns from a Franciscan school they burned, like prisoners of war. So dire are the circumstances in Egypt, that for the first time in 1600 years this past August, prayers and Mass were suspended at the Virgin Mary Monastery for fear of violence.

Now horrifically, the world is confronted by ISIL. Before I continue, I need to convey a little research here. This Islamic terrorist organization, is just that- a terrorist organization. It is not representative of Islamic peoples or the message of their founding prophet Muhammad; for even he considered Jesus a fellow prophet of God and Muhammad preached peace. First known as ISIS (The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), they desire now to be referred to as ISIL- the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (the Levant being an old French term which refers to all the lands of the Eastern Mediterranean region.) – or to be simple known as The Islamic State.  Their means of influence are barbaric and brutal; so much so that even al-Qaeda, as reported by The Washington Post, has distanced themselves and severed political ties. According to the Human Rights Watch, “they (ISIL) stand to a global jihadist principle for the purification of Islamic and Muslims lands, even to the point of excess for their defense.”

“Open Doors”, a world wide Christian organization based in The Netherlands, tracks Christian persecution throughout the world. Releasing their 2014 list of countries in which Christians are at risk of biased attacks all, except for North Korea, are in Islamic countries. At the top of the list- Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt and Sudan.  To dispel the appearance of a “holy war against Christians” ISIL itself maintains “Christians have options”, as reported by Catholics Online. “To avoid death, Christians may convert to Islam or pay a jizya.” A Jizya, is a monetary tax under Islamic law which allows “infidels” (someone who does not profess Islam) to remain in an Islamic country. Usually their homes are marked with a red cross, which itself can bring violence.

Without dispute, we have all witnessed the violence and brutality of late. From the barbaric beheading of journalists to the marched execution of Syrian soldiers in the desert. There indeed does seem to be a holy war brewing. Or more exactly in the words of a Bishop friend of mine, “an unholy war”.

What does this all have to do with The Exaltation of the Holy Cross?  It is a stark reminder of what may need be endured for our Christian faith.  Each day we must affirm our faith and evangelize for our faith. To live by and profess the message of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  Whether it is in the face of radical Islamic extremists or radical Christian extremists, such as the Westboro Baptist Church.  There are fundamental extremists in all denominations who have lost the basic message of their religions- God is peace.

At all peril, we must hold true to the message of the Cross. We must carry our own individual crosses, as Christ carried his before us, (and he helps us carry ours now.) There is indeed a war brewing. A war in which we will be challenged to the foundation of our faith. We pray for God’s mercy and peace. We pray for God’s justice. Indeed, we may find ourselves being God’s instrument of intervention for those who are persecuted and oppressed. For today, it is becoming more apparent that that is the reality behind The Holy Cross.

“Onward Christians soldiers, marching as to war. With the Cross of Jesus, going on before.”

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way the prophets were persecuted who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12

 

Saint John Chrysostom

john-chrysostomJohn was born in Antioch, Syria in 349 to Greco-Syrian parents. Pope Benedict XVI describes his mother, Anthusa, as a Christian, and his father as a high ranking military officer. John’s father died soon after his birth and he was raised by his mother, who instilled in him a very human sensitivity and a deep Christian faith.[i]

He was baptized in 368 or 373 and tonsured as a reader (one of the minor orders of the Church).  As a result of his mother’s influential connections in the city, John began his education under the pagan teacher Libanius. From Libanius, John acquired the skills needed for a career in rhetoric, as well as a love of the Greek language and literature.  As he grew older, however, he became more deeply committed to Christianity and went on to study theology under Diodore of Tarsus, founder of the re-constituted School of Antioch.[ii] He lived with extreme asceticism and became a hermit in about 375; he spent the next two years continually standing, scarcely sleeping, and committing the Bible to memory.  He continued living in this way for six years.   As a consequence of these practices, his stomach and kidneys were permanently damaged and poor health forced him to return to Antioch.[iii]

He was ordained as a deacon in 381 by Saint Meletius of Antioch. Further, he was ordained as a  priest in 386 by Bishop Flavian I of Antioch who was also not then in communion with Rome. Over the course of twelve years, he gained popularity because of the eloquence of his public speaking, especially his insightful expositions of Bible passages and moral teaching. The most valuable of his works from this period are his homilies on various books of the Bible, whose aim was induce repentance and conversion.[iv] He emphasized charitable giving and he was concerned with the spiritual and temporal needs of the poor. He also spoke out against abuse of wealth and personal property

One incident that happened during his service in Antioch illustrates the influence of his homilies. When Chrysostom arrived in Antioch, the bishop of the city had to intervene with Emperor Theodosius I on behalf of citizens who had gone on a rampage mutilating statues of the Emperor and his family. During the weeks of Lent in 387, John preached twenty-one homilies in which he entreated the people to see the error of their ways. These made a lasting impression on the general population of the city: many pagans converted to Christianity as a result of the homilies.[v]

In 397, John was requested, against his will, to take the position of Archbishop of Constantinople. He deplored the fact that Imperial court protocol would now assign to him access to privileges greater than the highest state officials.  During his time as Archbishop he adamantly refused to host lavish social gatherings, which made him popular with the common people, but unpopular with wealthy citizens and the clergy. His reforms of the clergy were also unpopular with these groups. He told visiting regional preachers to return to the churches they were meant to be serving, and he set about to be an example:  the austerity of the episcopal residence was meant to be an example for all:  clergy, widows, monks, courtiers, and the rich.[vi]

His time in Constantinople was more tumultuous than his time in Antioch. Theophilus, the Patriarch of Alexandria, wanted to bring Constantinople under his sway and opposed John’s appointment to Constantinople. Being an opponent of Origen‘s teachings, he accused John of being too partial to the teachings of Origen.

Theophilus had excommunicated four Egyptian monks, known as “the Tall Brothers,” over their support of Origen’s teachings. They fled to. and were welcomed by, John. He made another enemy in Aelia Eudoxia, the wife of the eastern Emperor Arcadius, who assumed (perhaps with justification) that his denunciations of extravagance in feminine dress, and extravagance,  were aimed at herself, and he considered such to be pagan.[vii]

Depending on one’s outlook, John was either tactless or fearless when denouncing offences in high places. An alliance was soon formed against him by Eudoxia, Theophilus and others of his enemies. They held a synod in 403 (the Synod of the Oak) to charge John, in which his connection to Origen was used against him. It resulted in his deposition and banishment.[viii]

He was called back by Arcadius almost immediately, as the people became “tumultuous” over his departure. There was also an earthquake the night of his arrest, which Eudoxia took for a sign of God‘s anger, prompting her to ask Arcadius for John’s reinstatement.

The peace was short-lived. A silver statue of Eudoxia was erected near his cathedral. John denounced the dedication ceremonies. He spoke against her in harsh terms.  Once again he was banished, in 404, this time to the Caucasus in Armenia.[ix]

Faced with exile John Chrysostom wrote an appeal for help.   Pope Innocent I protested at this banishment, but to no avail. Innocent sent a delegation to intercede on behalf of John in 405, but he was unable to prevail against the emperor.[x]

In Armenia, John continued to win fame for his preaching and his counsel, further enraging his enemies.  This convinced the emperor to send him further into exile, into a deeper wilderness on the Black Sea.  Never in good health, he was forced to march long distances under horrible weather conditions, and it was in route to this more distant exile, in the city of Comana, at the age of sixty, that he died in 407.  There his relics remained until 438 when, thirty years after his death, they were transferred to Constantinople during the reign of the Empress Eudoxia‘s son, the Emperor Theodosius II (408–450).  Theodosius went to greet John’s coffin upon its entry into Constantinople, and begged forgiveness for his mother.[xi]   As a result of his death, the pope and the Western Church broke off communion with the sees that had persecuted John, and restored this communion only when they had repented.[xii]

John came to be venerated as a saint soon after his death. His disciple, Saint Proclus, Patriarch of Constantinople (434-447), during services in the Church of Hagia Sophia, preached a homily praising his teacher. He said, “O John, your life was filled with sorrow, but your death was glorious. Your grave is blessed and reward is great, by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, O graced one, having conquered the bounds of time and place! Love has conquered space, unforgetting memory has annihilated the limits, and place does not hinder the miracles of the saint.”

These homilies helped to mobilize public opinion, and the patriarch received permission from the emperor to return Chrysostom’s relics to Constantinople, where they were enshrined in the Church of the Holy Apostles.

Most of John’s relics were looted from Constantinople by Crusaders in 1204 and taken to Rome, but some of his bones were returned to the Orthodox Church on 27 November 2004 by Pope John Paul II.[xiii]   They are now enshrined in the Church of St. George, Istanbul.

However, the skull of Saint John, having been kept at the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos in northern Greece, was not among the relics that were taken by the crusaders in the 13th century. In 1655, at the request of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the skull was taken to Russia, for which the monastery was compensated in the sum of 2000 rubles. In 1693, having received a request from the Vatopedi Monastery for the return of Saint John’s skull, Tsar Peter the Great ordered that the skull remain in Russia, but that the monastery was to be paid 500 rubles every four years. The Russian State Archives document these payments up until 1735.

The skull was kept at the Moscow Kremlin, in the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God, until 1920, when it was confiscated by the Soviets and placed in the Museum of Silver Antiquities. In 1988, in connection with the 1000th Anniversary of the Baptism of Russia, the head, together with other important relics, was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and kept at the Epiphany Cathedral, until being moved to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior after its restoration.

However, today, the Vatopedi Monastery posits a rival claim to possession of the skull of Saint John Chrysostom, and there a skull is venerated by pilgrims to the monastery as that of St John.

The right hand of Saint John is preserved on Mount Athos, and numerous smaller relics are scattered throughout the world.

Churches of the Western tradition, including the Roman Catholic Church, some Anglican provinces, and parts of the Lutheran Church, commemorate him on 13 September. Some Lutheran and many Anglican provinces commemorate him on the traditional Eastern feast day of 27 January. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria also recognizes John Chrysostom as a saint (with feast days on 16 Thout and 17 Hathor).   The Eastern Orthodox Church commemorates him as a “Great Ecumenical Teacher”, together with Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian. These three saints, in addition to having their own individual commemorations throughout the year, are commemorated together on 30 January, a feast known as the Synaxis of the Three Hierarchs.

There are several feast days dedicated to him:

27 January, Translation of the relics of Saint John Chrysostom from      Comana to Constantinople

30 January, Synaxis of the Three Great Hierarchs

13 September, Repose of Saint John Chrysostom

13 November, Saint John Chrysostom the Archbishop of Constantinople

Saint John Chrysostom is remembered because of his eloquence in  preaching and public speaking, and was given the name “Chrysostom” because of it.  The name “Chrysostom” is Greek for “golden-mouthed.”  His writings bear witness to this today.  An anonymous copyist left in writing that his writings “cross the whole globe like flashes of lightening.”[xiv]  John is known in Christianity chiefly as a preacher, theologian and liturgist. Among his homilies, eight directed against Judaizing Christians remain controversial for their impact on the development of Christian anti-Semitism.[xv] His straightforward understanding of the Scriptures – in contrast to the Alexandrian tendency towards allegorical interpretation – meant that the themes of his talks were practical, explaining the Bible’s application to everyday life.

John’s homilies have been one of his greatest lasting legacies.[xvi]   Chrysostom’s extant homiletical works are vast, including many hundreds of exegetical homilies on both the New Testament (especially the works of Saint Paul) and the Old Testament (particularly on Genesis). Among his extant exegetical works are sixty-seven homilies on Genesis, fifty-nine on the Psalms, ninety on the Gospel of Matthew, eighty-eight on the Gospel of John, and fifty-five on the Acts of the Apostles.[xvii]   The homilies were written down by the audience and subsequently circulated, revealing a style that tended to be direct and greatly personal, but was also formed by the rhetorical conventions of his time and place. In general, his homiletical theology displays much characteristic of the Antiochian school (i.e., somewhat more literal in interpreting Biblical events), but he also uses a good deal of the allegorical interpretation more associated with the Alexandrian school.[xviii]

John’s social and religious world was formed by the continuing and pervasive presence of paganism in the life of the city. One of his regular topics was the paganism in the culture of Constantinople, and in his homilies he thunders against popular pagan amusements: the theatre, horse races, and the revelry surrounding holidays.[xix]

John’s homilies on Saint Paul‘s Epistles proceed linearly, methodically treating the texts verse by verse, often going into great detail. He shows a concern to be understood by laypeople, sometimes offering colorful analogies and practical examples. At other times, he offers extended comments clearly intended to address the theological subtleties of a heretical misreading, or to demonstrate the presence of a deeper theme.

One of the recurring features of John’s homilies is his emphasis on care for the needy.[xx]  Echoing themes found in the Gospel of Matthew, he calls upon the rich to lay aside materialism in favor of helping the poor, often employing all of his rhetorical skills to shame wealthy people to abandon conspicuous consumption:

It is not possible for one to be wealthy and just at the same time.  Do you pay such honor to your excrements as to receive them into a silver chamber-pot when another man made in the image of God is perishing in the cold?[xxi]

Beyond his preaching, the other lasting legacy of John is his influence on Christian liturgy. Two of his writings are particularly notable. He harmonized the liturgical life of the Church by revising the prayers and rubrics of the Divine Liturgy, or celebration of the Holy Eucharist. To this day, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches of the Byzantine Rite typically celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom as the normal Eucharistic liturgy, although his exact connection with it remains a matter of debate among experts.[xxii]  These same churches also read his Catechetical Homily (Hieratikon) at every Easter, the greatest feast of the Church year.[xxiii]

John’s influence on church teachings is interwoven throughout the current Catechism of the Catholic Church (revised 1992). The Catechism cites him in eighteen sections, particularly his reflections on the purpose of prayer and the meaning of the Lord’s Prayer:

Consider how [Jesus Christ] teaches us to be humble, by making us see that our virtue does not depend on our work alone but on grace from on high. He commands each of the faithful who prays to do so universally, for the whole world. For he did not say “thy will be done in me or in us”, but “on earth”, the whole earth, so that error may be banished from it, truth take root in it, all vice be destroyed on it, virtue flourish on it, and earth no longer differ from heaven.[xxiv]

 

Christian clerics, such as R.S. Storr, refer to him as “one of the most eloquent preachers who ever since apostolic times have brought to men the divine tidings of truth and love”, and the 19th-century John Henry Newman described John as a “bright, cheerful, gentle soul; a sensitive heart.” [xxv]

The Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches honor him as a saint and count him among the Three Holy Hierarchs, together with Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzus. He is recognized by the Eastern Orthodox Church  and the Catholic Church as a saint, and at the Council of Chalcedon in 451 he was named as a Doctor of the Church.  Pope St. Pius X, in the twentieth century, named him patron of preachers.[xxvi]

[i] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 98.

 

[ii] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 98.

 

[iii] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 98.

 

[iv] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 99.

 

[v] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 99.

 

[vi] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 102.

 

[vii] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 103.

 

[viii] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 103.

 

[ix] Aquilina, Mike, The Fathers of the Church, (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1999) p. 178.

 

[x] Aquilina, Mike, The Fathers of the Church, (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1999) p. 178.

 

[xi] Aquilina, Mike, The Fathers of the Church, (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1999) p. 179.

 

[xii] Aquilina, Mike, The Fathers of the Church, (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1999) p. 179.

 

[xiii] Pope John Paul II. “Letter to the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His Holiness Bartholomew I. Available online.  Accessed 14 October 2011.

 

[xiv] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 97.

 

[xv] Laqueur, Walter Laquer, The Changing Face of Antisemitism: From Ancient Times To The Present Day, (Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 2006) p. 48.

 

[xvi] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 99.

 

[xvii] Catholic Encyclopedia

 

[xviii] Pope Benedict XVI, Church Fathers, (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, 2008) p. 99.

 

[xix] Aquilina, Mike, The Fathers of the Church, (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1999) p. 181.

 

[xx] Aquilina, Mike, The Fathers of the Church, (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1999) p.  181.

 

[xxi] Aquilina, Mike, The Fathers of the Church, (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1999) p. 181.

 

[xxii] Parry, David; David Melling (eds.) The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. (Oxford: Blackwell Press, 2011).

 

[xxiii] Parry, David; David Melling (eds.) The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. (Oxford: Blackwell Press, 2011).

 

[xxiv] Newman, John Henry, “St. Chrysostom” in The Newman Reader (Rambler:1859) available online (see esp. chapter 2). retrieved October 13, 2011.

 

[xxv] Newman, John Henry, “St. Chrysostom” in The Newman Reader (Rambler:1859) available online (see esp. chapter 2). retrieved October 13, 2011.

 

[xxvi] Aquilina, Mike, The Fathers of the Church, (Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, Inc., 1999) p. 179.

 

Jesus, Our Lord and Optician ~ Br. Jay Van Lieshout, Postulant

blind leading the blind

Jesus told his disciples a parable:
“Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?  How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’  when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

Jesus loved parables; and rightfully so, they are an excellent way of teaching, of conveying concepts and are a continuation of the techniques in the Torah.  Today’s gospel shows how well this teaching technique can be used to present ideas in a way that withstands the cloudy nature of time.  But there is another side to parables, a side again well used in this gospel: you can critique people without ever pointing a finger or mentioning names and yet it will be clear about who or what the parable is referencing; it is in this manner that Jesus aims strip us of our arrogant ways so that we may begin to walk in his footsteps.

Jesus has found the perfect “teaching moment” for his disciples and one that they and all of us need if we hope to spread the good news.  We know that Jesus thought of the practices of the  Pharisees and Sadducees, and one can imagine that his disciples would gossip and lambaste  the church leaders  among themselves as well as to those they encountered.   We also know that this type of behavior is contrary to Jesus’ methods of conflict resolution and the path to salvation.  Thus, we have the parable of the blind leading the blind.  It’s important to note that Jesus prefaces this parable with teachings on loving one’s enemies and the perils of judging and condemning others the result of which will be return judgment and condemnation.  But if you love your enemy and forgive them their transgressions, this favor will be returned and “A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Now the parable begins with Jesus rhetorically asking his disciples “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?”  On the surface this seems to be an almost comic image about the visually impaired, but underneath the disciples understood Jesus was referencing the blind of faith, those who know and enforce the law but are blinded to their own transgressions, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the pit isn’t a hole in the ground, but is the eternal grave that such arrogance digs here on Earth.  It is very likely that the disciples immediately understood the implications of this parable and, before one of them could utter the standard “but Rabbi” , Jesus turns his attention to his followers and says “No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.”  This is clearly meant quell their growing self righteousness and remind them they still have a long journey, much to learn and even more to change before they are ready to fill his shoes.

I surmise that there must have been some discussion and perhaps even rumblings among the disciples after Jesus so aptly adjusted their attitudes, though any such parlay has was not recorded by the writer of Luke.  Yet the next few stanzas  of this gospel are a pointed critique and chastisement of one or more of his student’s seemingly lofty and pretentious behavior.  “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?  You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”  I imagine the wide eyed and astonished look on his disciples faces in response to this stern tongue lashing by their Mentor. But, like all of us now and then, they needed to learn an important message if they ever hoped to emulate their teacher:  don’t judge other’s behavior until you are sure that your behavior is above reproach!

We all must consider how our actions are perceived in the eyes of those around us.  To them we are no better than the way we act and if our actions do not reflect our words we are no better than a liar and a fraud.  Jesus is reminding us that we must focus on KNOWING and CHANGING ourselves on the inside and only then could we be like the teacher and lead by example.  Jesus finishes this lesson with a charge to his disciples to actively respond to his words for “someone who listens and does nothing is like the man who built a house on soil, with no foundations; as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!”

Like the original disciples, we must see our own flaws, hear the words of Jesus and with them build a foundation of love and mercy, of openness, forgiveness and unity and equality.  Only then will our eyes be clear enough to guide the blind in faith past the perilous pit and follow in the footsteps of our Lord and Teacher.

The Birth of the Virgin Mary ~ The Very Rev. Lady Elizabeth Sherwood, OPoc

Nativity_of_the_Mother_of_GodThere are many Marian feast days celebrated in the Catholic Church, but the principal ones are the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, the Annunciation, the Assumption, the Immaculate Conception and the Nativity of our Lady.  The Feasts of our Lady are dear to us. Before we are born, our mothers are our entire world; they enfold, nourish, and protect us. When we are born they continue to care for us, by comforting, nursing, and teaching us as we grow. Mothers do not stop being mothers just because we are grown. Our mother will always be our mother. So it is with our Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary. She will always be Jesus’ Mother, and she will always be our Mother with Jesus our brother. And if, for whatever reason, our own birth mother is not quite all we would like her to be, our Blessed Mother stands ready, with arms open to take us in. As our Mother, she will continue to nourish, protect, comfort, and teach us as we grow. Daily prayers that greet and thank her for her love and care, and intercessory prayers that ask for her aid, ensure her place in our families, our homes, and our hearts. She is the Mother of God, the Queen of the Saints, the humble spouse of the Church, and attentive patron of hundreds. It is not surprising that there are So many feast days dedicated, to Mary.

The feast of the Nativity of Mary celebrated on the 8th of September is closely connected with the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Mary who is prepared by divine providence to be the Mother of Jesus the son of God, is conceived in the womb of her mother Anna, her father being Joachim, without the stain of sin and her birth is considered by the Church as a Solemn event.  Our Lady’s birthday has been described as “the hope of the entire world and the dawn of salvation”. That is why the Liturgy of the day says: “Let us celebrate with joy the birth of the Virgin Mary, of who was born the Sun of Justice…. Her birth constitutes the hope and the light of salvation for the whole world…. Her image is light for the whole Christian people”. St. Augustine connects Mary’s birth with Jesus’ saving work. He tells the earth to rejoice and shine forth in the light of her birth. “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.” The opening prayer at Mass speaks of the birth of Mary’s Son as the dawn of our salvation and asks for an increase of peace.

The origin of this Feast is thought in Syria or Palestine at the beginning of the 6th century. It goes back to the consecration of a church in Jerusalem, which tradition identifies as that of the present basilica of St. Ann. At Rome the Feast began to be kept toward the end of the 7th century, brought there by Eastern monks. Gradually and in varied ways, it spread to the other parts of the West in the centuries that followed. From the 13th century on, the celebration assumed notable importance, becoming a Solemnity with a major Octave and preceded by a Vigil calling for a fast. The Octave was reduced to a simple one during the reform of St. Pius X and was abolished altogether under the reform of Pius XII in 1955. The present Calendar characterizes the Birth of Mary as an important “Feast.”

This Feast provides us with an occasion for praise and thanksgiving in honour of the personal sanctity and vocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the mother of the Lord Jesus. There is nothing contained in Scripture about the birth of Mary or her parentage, though Joseph’s lineage is given in the first chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. The names of Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anna, appear in the apocryphal “Gospel of James”, a book dating from the 2nd Century AD, not part of the authentic canon of Scripture. According to this account, Joachim and Anna were also beyond the years of child-bearing, but prayed and fasted that God would grant their desire for a child.  God listened to their prayers and granted them the child. According to tradition, the house in which Mary was born in Nazareth is the same one in which the Annunciation took place.  As a child she was offered in God’s holy temple and remained there, showing to all a great example of zeal and holiness, withdrawn from frivolous society. When, however, she reached full age and the law required that she should leave the temple, she was entrusted by the priests to Joseph, her bridegroom, as the guardian of her virginity, a steadfast observer of the law from his youth.

In celebrating the nativity of Mary, Christians anticipate the Incarnation and the birth of her Divine Son, and give honour to the mother of Our Lord and Saviour. This Feast provides us with an occasion for praise and thanksgiving in honour of the personal sanctity and vocation of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the mother of Jesus. The Church’s calendar observes the birthdays of only three persons: St. John the Baptist and Mary, Mother of Jesus, and that of Jesus, Son of God. John the Baptist was sanctified even before his birth. Luke tells us that Elizabeth felt the infant John “leap in her womb” when Mary approached her soon after the Annunciation.

The Feast of the Nativity of Mary has two aspects: first, the Heaven’s view that enables us to enter into God’s plan for the salvation of the world; and the second, what happens on earth has the freshness of dawn and of a first morning. As seen from Heaven it is a Trinitarian Feast. On the other hand the Feast of the Nativity of Mary affects our Christian life and family. Her Birth is an event which belongs at the very heart of the History of Salvation. She is the symbol of the hope and expectation of God’s faithful people and at the same time she is the beginning of a new hope, the beginning of the dawn of that newness which her Son would bring for all creation. With Mary’s birth, sorrow and darkness begin to be dispersed. Each of us comes here with our hopes and aspirations, with our problems, concerns and anxieties which trouble our hearts. As we begin our pilgrimage we must allow Mary to change our hearts. We ask Mary for the gift of that freedom which she would show in her willingness to accept the word of the Angel.

Mary’s birth is the fulfillment of the faith of the Church. Faith is the gift that comes from God.  One of the favourite stories in the Gospels is the story told in the Gospel of Saint Mark chapter 5, is the visit of Jesus to his home town and his own people do not accept him.  They knew him too well and could not expect great things from so familiar a person. Jesus “was amazed at their lack of faith” and that therefore “he could work no miracle there”. But we have the response of Jesus when Mary and his cousins visit him and he says his family is the one which hears the word of God and keeps it. This applies to Mary who always listened to the word and meditated in her heart and is reflected in her nativity. Her total faith fulfills the faith of the Church.

St Paul speaking to the Romans tells us that Jesus descended from David according to the flesh that is he became a human person, and was declared to be Son of God by the Spirit.  Mary was created, gave birth to the Son of God in holiness, lived a holy life in the Presence of the Lord God and was taken to Heaven in the fullness of her holiness. Truly, she shall be blessed every generation. That message of faith given to us on the nativity of Mary challenges all of us. There are times when our self sufficient society would willingly banish the sight of suffering.  In Lourdes Mary has created a city where the sick and the weak are the privileged partners of our care and concern. That is a sign from Mary also of the type of society we should be building.  May we experience the presence and the faith of Mary in our lives in these days.

September 8 is specially remembered for social celebrations.  It marks the end of summer and beginning of fall, this day has many thanksgiving celebrations and customs attached to it. In the Old Roman Ritual there is a blessing of the summer harvest and fall planting seeds for this day. The winegrowers in France called this feast “Our Lady of the Grape Harvest”. The best grapes are brought to the local church to be blessed and then some bunches are attached to hands of the statue of Mary. A festive meal which includes the new grapes is part of this day. In the Alps section of Austria this day is “Drive-Down Day” during which the cattle and sheep are led from their summer pastures in the slopes and brought to their winter quarters in the valleys. This was usually a large caravan, with all the finery, decorations, and festivity. In some parts of Austria, milk from this day and all the leftover food are given to the poor in honour of Our Lady’s Nativity.

So with all this in mind, let us as Christians, as a church and as children of Mary through our Lord Jesus Christ rejoice in this Holy celebration of Our Blessed Heavenly Mother, who is and forever will be Mother of all!

Blessed Mother Mary, We celebrate your Wondrous birth, life and your eternal Motherhood Of Our Lord Jesus and of each of us. We praise thee, Thou that art “blessed amongst women.”

 

 

 

 

Resolving Conflict??? ~ Br. Jay Van Lieshout, Postulant

Conflict-photoCommentary on Matthew 18:15-20

In today’s world, just like in the time of Jesus and when the Gospel according to Matthew was written, interpersonal conflict resolution was a key theme.  And if we think about it, Jesus’ message is all about understanding, handling and resolving such conflict between people so that we may go to the Father with open arms and a loving heart.  The author of Matthew was living in a time of growth in the church and most of the converts were gentiles.  The clash of gentile with Hebrew culture and traditions must have fueled many a disagreement and given rise to a lot of hurt feelings.  In this gospel, Jesus prescribes a simple 4 step approach to handling when someone steps on your toes in life: 1) one on one, 2) bring mediators to the table, 3) elicit community support, 4) reindoctrination.

We have all unknowingly said or done something that others found offensive and yet nothing was said at the time.  Unfortunately these unaddressed events add up, snowball and fester until that one fateful day when the situation explodes and your relationship, and your life and theirs are forever changed; if only you had known, if only they has said something; you would have apologized, changed your behavior, made atonement, done the right thing.  How many times have lives so drastically changes because we were not offered, or we did not offer the chance to say “I’m sorry, I was wrong, please forgive me and allow me to change”?  Jesus knew the immediate, cleansing and healing nature of the one on one interaction, how “nipping it in the bud” usually resolves a transgression without escalation.  He also knew we can be unwilling to admit fault and this requires the involvement of unbiased witnesses in faith to evaluate, clarify and encourage repentance. And, sometimes our hearts are hard, and our minds are so unwilling that it requires the SUPPORT of the whole community in faith to guide us towards accepting our flaws and giving in to reconciliation.

One can imagine the apostles thinking, “and if all this is unsuccessful, then what do we do”?  Without prompting, Jesus tells us the answer without the question being asked: “If he also ignores the congregation, regard him as an unbeliever and a tax collector.”  Now many have interpreted this line as a justification for tossing someone out of the church and closing the doors on them.  I tell you from my heart this is not what Jesus intended!  Consider how Jesus treated the gentiles (and Matthew the tax collector); He called them to listen, to follow, and to learn anew.  Jesus never closed the door, He never gave up, and so neither should we.  Matthew codifies this need to be persistently forgiving by bookending this gospel with two parables: that of the lost sheep and, the unforgiving servant.  In the parable of the lost sheep which immediately precedes today’s gospel: a good shepherd leaves his flock of 99 to tirelessly search for the one that is lost and rejoices more in the reclaimed sheep than those 99 who never went astray.  Later, when Peter asks Jesus how many times to forgive someone who sins, Jesus says 77 times (i.e. a whole lot) and proceeds to tell the parable of the servant who asks for forgiveness from his master and yes fails to give forgiveness to one in his debt.  This parable reinforces how we as servants of God must forgive those who sin against us if we hope to have our sins forgiven.

In the midst’s of these parables and at the end of today’s gospel is the most poignant and beautiful of Jesus’ teachings:  “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.   For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”  Jesus is ensuring the apostles, and us, that He and the Father are always there for us, helping us to walk the path of the righteous and as a result of his real presence we too have the power to call back the lost sheep with the powers of prayer, care and diligence. The reward for loving our neighbors as Jesus has loved us is clear, when we ask for and grant forgiveness to others, God grants this petition for them AND heaps on us the rewards His boundless love, grace and forgiveness.  Amen.

 

Blessed Bertrand of Garrique

Bl.Bertrand-of-Garrigue-smBertrand was a secular priest under the Cistercians, missioner, and ardent opponent of Albigensianism when he first met Saint Dominic in the party of Bishop Diego. Bertrand may have been the one to recruit Dominic in the battle against the French heretics because they worked closely together in this mission for the rest of their lives.

Bertrand joined the first Dominican friars by receiving the habit at Toulouse in 1216. Dominic left him in charge of the community when he traveled to Rome to seek papal approval of the order. Bertrand’s zeal and experience played an important role in the founding of the Friar Preachers. When the brothers were sent out in little groups on missions, Bertrand was left in Paris with Matthew of France, where he helped to form the Dominican tradition of learning and governed the first foundation at Paris.

While Bertrand’s advice and prayers helped to establish the order, he is best remembered as the closest friend and traveling companion of Saint Dominic, until he was appointed as provincial of Provence. He witnessed the miracles and heavenly favors bestowed upon his friend and provided us with insightful testimony about the heart and mind of the founder.

Bertrand himself was credited with many miracles, both during his life and after his death. Others considered him a “second Dominic” in austerity and holiness, but he humbly overlooked his own claims to sanctity in his loving insistence on those of his friend.

Bertrand was preaching a mission to the Cistercian sisters of Saint Mary of the Woods near Garrigue, when he fell sick and died. He was buried in the sisters’ cemetery until the frequency of miracles suggested that he should be given a more suitable shrine. His relics were lost and shrine destroyed during the religious wars, but pilgrimages were still made to “Saint Bertrand’s Cemetery” until the time of the French Revolution.

Born: at Garrigue, diocese of Nîmes, France, c. 1195

Died: In 1230 he died in Le Bouchet

Beatified: cultus confirmed by Pope Leo XIII in 1881

Blessed Catherine of Racconigi

crCatherine was born into poverty and hunger following the devastation of war. Her father, an unemployed locksmith, became despondent and quarrelsome as so many do when they lose their livelihood. Her mother supported the family by weaving coarse cloth at home. Catherine and her brother grew up in an atmosphere that was absent the peace of Christ.

Surprisingly, God reached the heart of little Catherine when she was only five. It was then that her mystical experiences began. Our Lady appeared to her while the tiny child was praying alone in her tiny room and told Catherine that Jesus wished to make her His spouse. Then as a child her own age, Jesus himself appeared, accompanied by many other saints including Catherine of Siena and Peter Martyr, and the Blessed Mother place the ring of espousal on her finger. Like the ring of Saint Catherine of Siena, it was visible to today’s saint but could not be seen by others.

Thereafter Catherine had frequent ecstasies and visions. Jesus always appeared to her as a man her own age. He talked with her, taught her how to pray, and several times took her heart away to cleanse it. When He appeared with His Cross, he offered to help Him. He let it rest on her should a moment, and it left a wound for the rest of her life. She also received the stigmata, though it too remained invisible to others and, at her request, it was only revealed by her confessor after her death.

And, of course, Jesus worked many miracles on behalf of His friend: made a broken dish whole again, and provided money and food when the family’s poverty was extreme. In times of trial, the heavenly hosts came to comfort the girl who received great consolation from the aspiration, “Jesus, my hope!”

Because her family opposed her becoming a Dominican, she took the habit of a tertiary. Her mystical experiences roused a storm of gossip among her neighbors, who were terrified at the lights and sounds that came from her home. The devil stirred up more trouble to mitigate her influence over other souls. Even the Dominican fathers ostracized her and eventually she was forced out of town and settled in Racconigi.

There rich and poor sought out Catherine for her wise counsel, prayers, and material assistance. She was almost continually in ecstasy. The particular object of Catherine’s prayers was the salvation of soldiers dying in battle. Numerous miracles occurred before and after her death, and a cult arose at her tomb almost immediately. Even her persecutors were aware of her sanctity and retracted their bitter words.

Born: in the diocese of Cuneo in the Piedmont, Italy, 1487

Died: 1574

Beatified: Pope Pius VII confirmed her holiness and cult in 1810

Blessed Guala

BlessedGualaGuala was one of the first disciples of Saint Dominic, attracted by the Dominican ideal in 1219, when he heard the founder preach. He received the habit from Dominic at the time the friary opened in Bergamo. After a short novitiate, he was appointed prior there.

Guala proved to be an able superior and a practical administrator and builder. He was on the committee that planed the convent of Saint Agnes in Bologna. During a delay in the construction of the convent because of the opposition of the family of Blessed Diana d’Andalò, who was financing the project, Guala was sent to Brescia to assume the position of its first prior.

During this period Guala had the revelation of Saint Dominic’s greatness that became the subject of many early legends. Although they were good friends, Guala did not know that Dominic was dying on their return from a chapter. Guala had fallen asleep with his head leaning against the belltower of the conventual church at Brescia when he had a vision of two ladders coming down from heaven. Our Lord was visible at the top of one ladder, and Our Lady at the top of the other. Angels were ascending and descending on them. As Guala watched, a friar, who sat at the foot of one ladder with his face covered was drawn up to heaven and great glory surrounded him. Guala awoke, deeply affected by the vision, and went immediately to Bologna, where he found that Saint Dominic had died at the time of his vision.

In 1226, Guala was named the prior of Bologna’s Saint Nicholas abbey, famous for its regularity and fervor. While there, Pope Honorius III appointed him arbiter between Bologna and Modena. Guala worked hard to forge a treaty that lasted 10 years. The following year Pope Gregory IX asked him to negotiate between Emperor Frederick II and the Lombard confederacy–an even more daunting diplomatic task. Guala was also commissioned to convince Frederick to keep his vow to lead a crusade. He was unable to resolve matters between the parties, but at least they maintained the status quo of an uneasy peace.

In 1228, Guala was consecrated bishop of Brescia. As such, he negotiated a number of treaties between warring cities. Frederick broke all the promises he had made and attacked the cities that had remained loyal to the pope. In 1238, Frederick’s army besieged Brescia, but the attackers had to withdraw within three months, which is credited to Guala.

Guala’s contemporaries described him as “a man of great prudence, well acquainted with the world, and of accomplished manners,” and said that “he governed the diocese entrusted to his care with such holiness that, both during his life and after his death, he wrought many wonders through God.”

The years of labor and civil strife wore him down. He resigned his see in 1242 in order to enter complete seclusion and pray without interruption in preparation for death. Therefore, he retired to the Vallumbrosan monastery of San Sepolcro d’Astino, where he lived as a hermit until his death. He was buried in the Benedictine church, and after many miracles at his tomb, his cause was promoted.

Born: in Bergamo, Italy

Died: in San Sepolcro d’Astino, Italy, in 1244

Beatified: cultus approved in 1868 by Pope Pius IX.

Saint Pope Gregory I (the Great) ~ Br. Michael Marshall, Postulant

Pope Gregory I, celebrated as Saint Gregory the Great, is a Doctor of the Church, and was born in 540 A.D. He was consecrated as Pope on September 3, 590 to become the 64th Pope. Even though he was a pope he preferred monastic life, after all he was a Benedictine monk.  He held important the foundation of monasteries and influenced the shape of the papacy during the early medieval period in the midst of corruption, and was able to consolidate all the land under papacy.  He also was responsible for liturgical reform and said to be the originator of the Gregorian Chant.

That being said, in the midst of the church politics and founding new monasteries, he felt it was important to reach out to the poor and the sick, especially those who suffered from the abuse of corruption.  His life was truly ministry, and it sets an example for how we should serve in ministry.  As we read the Scripture for today, it is very evident that Saint Gregory lived his true calling as a follower of Jesus, whether as a monk or as Pope.

1 Corinthians 3:1-9  Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants in Christ.  I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it.  Indeed, you are still not able, even now, for you are still of the flesh.  While there is jealousy and rivalry among you, are you not of the flesh, and walking  according to the manner of man?  Whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely men?  What is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul?  Ministers through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one.  I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth.  Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth.  He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive wages in proportion to his labor.  For we are God’s co-workers;  you are God’s field, God’s building.

Luke 4:38-44  After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon.  Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her.  He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her.  She got up immediately and waited on them.  At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him.  He laid his hands on each of them and cured them.  And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.”  But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.  At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.  The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them.  But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.”  And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

As I reflect upon the Scripture, and the life of Gregory the Great, I recall an experience I had roughly 10 years ago.  I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Jamaica, and while I was there I spent two days visiting a community served by the Missionaries of the Poor.  The religious brothers bathed and fed the poorest of the poor in Jamaica.  The founder, Father Ho Lung, believes that the poor must be looked out for because it is what Jesus calls for us to do.  The whole time I was visiting, I expressed that I had so much admiration for the brothers because it is not something I could be doing day in and day out.  I see a saint in Father Ho Lung because he cared about what mattered, while serving as a pastor of a parish in Papine, Jamaica.  He balanced the ministries of administrator, founder, and being hands-on, just as Saint Gregory was as pope.  All of his work has been because the focus being on Jesus as the focus.

Like Father Ho Lung, and like Gregory the Great, we must work to further the kingdom of our Lord.  God calls us to ministries that might be undesirable to others, even possibly to us at first.  Yet when we understand what the purpose of that ministry is, we are able to truly engage with and help those in need and people will possibly see the saint in us.