Doctors of The Church for September; John Chrysostom

 John Chrysostom appeals to me today as there is so much unbelief in the world. His commentary on the Acts of the Apostles reveals a sharp understanding of the lack of faith compared with those who have the eyes of faith.

Christ was teaching the Apostles humility by His exhortation for them to wait for the Holy Spirit. The Apostles had to prepare themselves for the Gifts.

Do we not, on our road to perfection, have to do the same? Wait, pray, be humble...

But why did He appear not to all, but to the Apostles only?¹⁵ Because to the many it would have seemed a mere apparition, inasmuch as they understood not the secret of the mystery. For if the disciples themselves were at first incredulous and were troubled, and needed the evidence of actual touch with the hand, and of His eating with them, how would it have fared in all likelihood with the multitude? For this reason therefore by the miracles [wrought by the Apostles] He renders the evidence of His Resurrection unequivocal, so that not only the men of those times—this is what would come of the ocular proof—but also all men thereafter, should be certain of the fact, that He was risen. Upon this ground also we argue with unbelievers. For if He did not rise again, but remains dead, how did the Apostles perform miracles in His name? But they did not, say you, perform miracles? How then was our religion (ἔθνος) instituted? For this certainly they will not controvert nor impugn what we see with our eyes: so that when they say that no miracles took place, they inflict a worse stab¹⁶ upon themselves. For this would be the greatest of miracles, that without any miracles, the whole world should have eagerly come to be taken in the nets of twelve poor and illiterate men. For not by wealth of money, not by wisdom of words, not by any thing else of this kind, did the fishermen prevail; so that objectors must even against their will acknowledge that there was in these men a Divine power, for no human strength could ever possibly effect such great results. For this He then remained forty days on earth, furnishing in this length of time the sure evidence of their seeing Him in His own proper Person, that they might not suppose that what they saw was a phantom. And not content with this, He added also the evidence of eating with them at their board: as to signify this, the writer adds, “And being at table¹⁷ with them, He commanded.”¹⁸ (v. 4.) And this circumstance the Apostles themselves always put forth as an fallible token of the Resurrection; as where they say, “Who did eat and drink with Him.” (Acts x. 41.)

And what did He, when appearing unto them those forty days? Why, He conversed with them, says the writer, “concerning the kingdom of God.” (v. 3.) For, since the disciples both had been distressed and troubled at the things which already had taken place, and were about to go forth to encounter great difficulties, He recovered them by His discourses concerning the future. “He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father.” (v. 4.) First, He led them out to Galilee, afraid and trembling, in order that they might listen to His words in security. 6Afterwards, when they had heard, and had passed forty days with Him, “He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem.” Wherefore? Just as when soldiers are to charge a multitude, no one thinks of letting them issue forth until they have armed themselves, or as horses are not suffered to start from the barriers until they have got their charioteer; so Christ did not suffer these to appear in the field before the descent of the Spirit, that they might not be in a condition to be easily defeated and taken captive by the many. Nor was this the only reason, but also there were many in Jerusalem who should believe. And then again that it might not be said, that leaving their own acquaintance, they had gone to make a parade among strangers, therefore among those very men who had put Christ to death do they exhibit the proofs of His Resurrection, among those who had crucified and buried Him, in the very town in which the iniquitous deed had been perpetrated; thereby stopping the mouths of all foreign objectors. For when those even who had crucified Him appear as believers, clearly this proved both the fact of the crucifixion and the iniquity of the deed, and afforded a mighty evidence of the Resurrection. Furthermore, lest the Apostles should say, How shall it be possible for us to live among wicked and bloody men, they so many in number, we so few and contemptible, observe how He does away their fear and distress, by these words, “But wait for the promise of the Father, which ye have heard of Me.” (v. 4.) You will say, When had they heard this? When He said, “It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you.” (John xvi. 7.) And again, “I will pray the Father, and He shall send you another Comforter, that He may abide with you.” (ib. xiv. 16.)

Doctors of The Church for September; St. John Chrysostom

  Sadly, some of my Doctors of the Church postings disappeared in 2013, but I have found other references to the work of perfection through prayer from St. John Chrysostom, whose feast day is September 13th.

Prayer is the light of the soul

"There is nothing more worthwhile than to pray to God and to converse with him, for prayer unites us with God as his companions. As our bodily eyes are illuminated by seeing the light, so in contemplating God our soul is illuminated by him. Of course the prayer I have in mind is no matter of routine, it is deliberate and earnest. It is not tied down to a fixed timetable; rather it is a state which endures by night and day.

Our soul should be directed in God, not merely when we suddenly think of prayer, but even when we are concerned with something else. If we are looking after the poor, if we are busy in some other way, or if we are doing any type of good work, we should season our actions with the desire and the remembrance of God. Through this salt of the love of God we can all become a sweet dish for the Lord. If we are generous in giving time to prayer, we will experience its benefits throughout our life.

Prayer is the light of the soul, giving us true knowledge of God. It is a link mediating between God and man. By prayer the soul is borne up to heaven and in a marvellous way embraces the Lord. This meeting is like that of an infant crying on its mother, and seeking the best of milk. The soul longs for its own needs and what it receives is better than anything to be seen in the world.

Prayer is a precious way of communicating with God, it gladdens the soul and gives repose to its affections. You should not think of prayer as being a matter of words. It is a desire for God, an indescribable devotion, not of human origin, but the gift of God's grace. As Saint Paul says: we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words.

Anyone who receives from the Lord the gift of this type of prayer possesses a richness that is not to be taken from him, a heavenly food filling up the soul. Once he has tasted this food, he is set alight by an eternal desire for the Lord, the fiercest of fires lighting up his soul.

To set about this prayer, paint the house of your soul with modesty and lowliness and make it splendid with the light of justice. Adorn it with the beaten gold of good works and, for walls and stones, embellish it assiduously with faith and generosity. Above all, place prayer on top of this house as its roof so that the complete building may be ready for the Lord. Thus he will be received in a splendid royal house and by grace his image will already be settled in your soul.

A reading from the homilies of St John Chrysostom (Hom 6 on Prayer)

And, attributed to St. John Chrysostom, are these short prayers, one to be said each hour of every day.

O Lord, of Thy heavenly bounties, deprive me not.

O Lord, deliver me from the eternal torments.

O Lord, forgive me if I have sinned in my mind or my thought, whether in word or in deed.

O Lord, free me from all ignorance and forgetfulness, from despondency and stony insensibility.

O Lord, deliver me from every temptation.

O lord, enlighten my heart which evil desires have darkened.

O Lord, as a man have I sinned, have Thou mercy on me, as the God full of compassion, seeing the feebleness of my soul.

O Lord, send down Thy grace to help me, that I may glorify Thy name.

O Lord Jesus Christ, write me down in the book of life and grant unto me a good end.

O Lord my God, even if I had not done anything good before Thee, do Thou help me, in Thy grace, to make a good beginning.

O Lord, sprinkle into my heart the dew of Thy grace.

O Lord of heaven and earth, remember me, Thy sinful servant, full of shame and impurity, in Thy kingdom. Amen.

---

O Lord, receive me in penitence.

O Lord, forsake me not.

O Lord, lead me not into misfortune.

O Lord, quicken in me a good thought.

O Lord, give me tears and remembrance of death, and contrition.

O Lord, make me solicitous of confessing my sins.

O Lord, give me humility, chastity, and obedience.

O Lord, give me patience, magnanimity, and meekness.

O Lord, implant in my the root of all good--Thy fear in my heart.

O Lord, vouchsafe that I may love thee from all my soul and mind and in everything do Thy will.

O Lord, shelter me from certain men, from demons and passions, and from any other unbecoming thing.

O Lord, Thou knowest that Thou dost as Thou wilt, let then Thy will be done in me, a sinner, for blessed art Thou unto the ages. Amen.

 

Doctors of The Church in September; Bellarmine

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Part 108: Doctors of the Church and Perfection: Robert Bellarmine

Posted by Supertradmum

Part of the road to perfection, as one has seen in this long series, is the formation of the mind to the Mind of Christ. When I have taught this, some have said to me, "How can I know the Mind of Christ?" The answer is simple, one follows the Teaching Magisterium of the Church, receiving the sacraments frequently, and forming an adult conscience. We must do this. We have no option to ignore the formation of conscience in our lives.

It is the duty of parents to teach this method to their children. The formation of children begins as early as possible, depending on the child, but by seven, when a child can discern good and evil (for many it is earlier), the method of daily examen can begin. Do you want your children to become saints? Do you want them to walk in the way to perfection?

Here is Bellarmine at his Jesuit best


But some one may reply: "What advice do you give to teach us to watch as we ought, and by 
watching to prepare for a good death?" Nothing more useful occurs to me, than for us frequently and 
seriously to examine our conscience, that so we may prepare for death...

In fine, there are hardly any Catholics, who, when near death, do not confess 
their sins. But what shall we say of those who are snatched away by a sudden death? 
What of those who are afflicted with madness, or fall into delirium before confession? What of those 
who, being grievously afflicted by their disease, cannot even think of their sins ? What of those who 
sin whilst dying, or die in sin, as they do who engage in an unjust war, or in a duel, or are killed in 
the act of adultery? 

It is extremely important for those who live in the world to develop this habit. Do not wait until your children are teens, start when they are in preparation for the sacrament of Confession at the latest.

Prudently to avoid these and other like misfortunes, nothing can be imagined more useful than for 
those who value their salvation, , twice every day, morning and night, diligently to examine their 
conscience; what they have done during the night, or the preceding day; what they have said, 
desired, or thought of, in which sin may have entered; and if they shall discover anything mortal, let them not defer seeking the remedy of true contrition, with a resolution to approach the sacrament of penance on the very first opportunity. 
Wherefore, let them ask of God the gift of contrition, let them ponder on the enormity of sin, let them 
detest their sins from their heart, and seriously ask themselves who is the "offended and the 
offenders." Man, a worm, offends God the Almighty; a base slave, the Lord of heaven and earth! 
Spare not then your tears, nor cease to strike your breast: in fine, make a firm resolution never more 
to offend God, never more to irritate the best of Fathers. If this examination be continued morning 
and night, or at least once in the day, it can scarcely happen that we shall die in sin, or mad, or 
delirious. Thus it will be, that every preparation being made for a good death, neither its uncertainty will trouble us, nor the happiness of eternal life fail us.

To be continued...

Doctors of The Church in September: Bellarmine

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Part 107: Doctors of the Church and Perfection: Robert Bellarmine

Posted by Supertradmum

In the former section, Bellarmine writes about Faith. Here, he continues looking at the necessity of Hope and Love, those Theological Virtues, all three, we receive in baptism. There are many good Catholics who do not think we should admonish the wicked or even those among us who are weak. This idea is a false charity. Read on... Bellarmine describes exactly the need for the purgation state, the state of purification. Real love, that is the virtue of charity, must be connected to a pure heart and a pure mind., as well as a pure soul.

Without this purity, we cannot enter into the life of the virtues, given to us. Sadly, many Catholics desire to blur distinctions between sin and goodness, impurity and purity.

Hear what the wise man thinks of the hope of the wicked: "The hope of the wicked is as dust, which 
is blown away with the wind, and as a thin froth which is dispersed by the storm: and a smoke that 
is scattered abroad by the wind; and as the remembrance of a guest of one day that passeth by."
(Wisdom v. 15.). 



Thus the wise man admonishes the wicked, that their hope is weak not strong; short not lasting; they may indeed, whilst they are alive, entertain some hopes, that someday they will repent and be reconciled to God: but when death overtakes them, unless the Almighty by a special grace move their heart, and inspire them with true sorrow, their hope will be changed into despair, and they will exclaim with the rest of the wicked: "Therefore we have erred from the way of truth, and the light of justice hath not shined unto us, and the sun of understanding hath not risen upon us. What hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us? All those things are passed away like a shadow," &c. (Wisdom v. 6 8.) Thus doth the wise man admonish us, that if we wish to live well and die well, we must not dare to remain in sin, even for one moment, nor allow ourselves to be deceived by a vain confidence, that we have as yet many years to live, and that time will be given to us for repentance. 

Such a vain confidence hath deceived many, and will deceive many more, unless they wisely learn 
whilst they have time the Art of dying well. “There now remaineth charity, the third virtue, which is justly called the “queen of virtues;" with this no one can perish, without it no one can live, either in this life or in the next. But that alone is true charity which springs from a " pure heart: " it is "from God," as St. John saith; and also more clearly St. Paul, "The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us." (Epist. to Romans v. 5.) Charity is therefore said to come from a "pure heart," because it is not enkindled in an impure heart, but in one purified from its errors by faith, according to the words of the apostle Peter: "purifying their hearts by faith: " and by divine hope, it is also purified from the love and desire of earthly things. 

For as a fire cannot be enkindled in wood that is green or damp, but only in dry wood; so also the fire of charity requires a heart purified from earthly affections, and from a foolish confidence in its own strength. 

Bellarmine does not mince words, nor should we. The misunderstanding of the nature of real love keeps many from following the way of perfection. As Bellarmine notes above, we must be purified of errors concerning the Faith.  One of the problems with today's Catholics, for example, is that too many want to compromise regarding the Teachings of the Church, with contraception, for example. Just as many Evangelicals practice brith control, these Catholics are held back in their walk to Christ, not allowing God to purify their hearts and minds and souls. Many problems, including the proliferation of sin, occurs. 

From this explanation we can understand what is true charity, and what false and feigned. For should we delight to speak of God, and shed even tears at our prayers should we do many good works, give alms and often fast; but yet allow impure love to remain in our heart, or vain glory, or 
hatred to our neighbour, or any other of those vices that make our hearts depraved this is not true 
and divine charity, but only its shadow. With the greatest reason then does St. Paul, when speaking 
of true and perfect justice, not mention simply, faith, hope, and charity: but he adds, “Now the end of the commandment is charity from a pure heart, and a good conscience, and an unfeigned faith." This is the true Art of living and dying well, if we persevere till death in true and perfect charity

There is a false faith, a "feigned faith" if we do not allow our selves to be conformed to the mind of the Church regarding Faith and Morals. Bellarmine sees this plainly, writing at the greatest time of chaos concerning the Protestant Revolt.

We must each decide not to live in the shadowland of feigned faith.

To be continued...

Four Doctors of The Church in September

I shall repost four of the Doctors of the Church from the perfection series on them, as these have feast days this month.

The first I chose is from September 17th, a Jesuit Doctor of the Church, Robert Bellarmine. His other feast is May 13th.

Tuesday, 9 April 2013

Part 106: Doctors of the Church and Perfection-the Jesuits: Robert Bellarmine

Posted by Supertradmum

One may be surprised that only two Doctors of the Church are Jesuits, but they do belong to a new order than, for example, the Franciscans and Benedictines.

St. Robert Bellarmine has been "bad-mouthed" in the past decades because of his part in the Galileo Controversy. Saints are not infallible and remember, that the issue concerning Galileo was not his idea that the earth goes about the sun, but that he stated in matters of truth, science trumps Scripture. That was his mistake, and one can study this on one's own.

Robert Bellarmine arrived at a crucial time in the history of the Church. The confusion following the Protestant Revolt demanded theologians and Church leaders with brilliance and the ability to write. He has both.

For my purposes, I shall be looking at one document carefully which is connected to the ideals of perfection. Bellarmine wrote The Art of Dying Well, a title which should appeal to many of my readers.

One of the biggest problems I have encountered in Catholics concerning the road to perfection is that many simply do not believe we are all called to start upon and come to the goal of this journey.

How many people I have met in a short period of time who believe only in universal salvation; that is, the salvation of all people regardless of their lives. It is as if the idea of the Merciful Saviour has deadened some Catholics view of consequences for evil, or merely, tepidity. The way of perfection begins with orthodoxy and faith. Bellarmine makes an excellent point on the difference between real faith and fake faith. His words are echoed later, down the centuries, in Bonhoeffer.

Let me start with this section from the cited book:

Let us begin with faith, which is the first of all the virtues that exists in the heart of a justified man. 
Not without reason, doth the apostle add " unfeigned" to faith. For faith begins justification, provided 
it be true and sincere, not false or feigned. The faith of heretics does not begin justification, because it 
is not true, but false; the faith of bad Catholics does not begin justification, because it is not sincere, 
but feigned. It is said to be feigned in two ways: when either we do not really believe, but only 
pretend to believe; or when we indeed believe, but do not live, as we believe we ought to do. 
In both these ways it seems the words of St. Paul must be understood, in his Epistle to Titus: "They 
profess that they know God: but in their works they deny him." (chap. i. 16.) Thus also do the holy 
fathers St. Jerome and St. Augustine, interpret these words of the apostle. 
Now, from this first virtue of a just man, we may easily understand, how great must be the multitude of those who do not live well, and who therefore die ill. I pass by infidels, pagans, heretics, and atheists, who are completely ignorant of the Art of dying well. And amongst Catholics, how many are there who in words, " profess to know God, but in their works deny him?" Who acknowledge the mother of our Lord to be a virgin, and yet fear not to blaspheme her? Who praise prayer, fasting, alms deeds, and other good works, and yet always indulge in the opposite vices ? I omit other things that are known to all. Let not those then boast that they possess “unfeigned” faith, who either do not believe what they pretend to believe, or else do not live as the Catholic Church commands them to do; and therefore they acknowledge by this conduct, that they have not yet begun to live well: nor can they hope to die happily, unless by the grace of God they learn the Art of living well. 

Another virtue of a just man is hope, or "a good conscience," as St. Paul has taught us to call it. This 
virtue comes from faith, for he cannot hope in God who either does not know the true God, or does 
not believe Him to be powerful and merciful. But to excite and strengthen our faith, that so it may be called not merely hope, but even confidence, a good conscience is very necessary. For how can any one approach God, and ask favours from Him, when he is conscious of heaving committed sin, and of not having expiated it by true repentance ? Who asks a benefit from an enemy? Who can expect to be relieved by him, who he knows is incensed against him ? 

I have met many, many converts in the past two years here in England and some have formed good consciences and some have not. The latter group, mostly, has been, sadly, badly catechized. But, a good conscience is the beginning of the purification stage. Without this formation of conscience, perfection is, simply, impossible.

To be continued....

Perfection V: Part Six and A Half; Mary And The Wedding Feast

 THE WORLD'S FIRST LOVE (excerpt)
by Venerable Fulton J. Sheen

Everyone is interested in a marriage. If the human heart does not have enough love in its heart, it seeks out those who are in love. The most famous marriage in history was at Cana, because Our Blessed Lord was present there. A marriage in the East was always a time of great rejoicing. The bridegroom went to the home of the bride, and in those days it was never the bride who kept the bridegroom waiting, but rather the bridegroom, as in the parable, who kept the bride waiting. The bride was veiled, from head to foot, to symbolize her subjection as a wife. Both partners fasted the whole day before the marriage and confessed their sins in prayer as on the Day of Atonement. Ceremonies began at twilight, for it was a custom in Palestine, no less than in Greece: To bear away The bride from home at blushing shut of day.

The Cana marriage is the only occasion in Sacred Scripture where Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is mentioned before Him. It is very likely that it was one of her relatives who was being married, and possible that she was present at the wedding before Him. It is a beautiful and a consoling thought that Our Blessed Lord, Who came to teach. sacrifice, and urge us to take up our cross daily, should have begun His public life by assisting at a marriage feast. 

Sometimes these Eastern marriages lasted for seven days, but in the case of the poorer people, for only two. Whatever was the case, at Cana, at some period of the entertainment the wine suddenly ran out. This was very embarrassing because of the passionate devotion of the Eastern people to hospitality, and also because of the mortification it offered to the wedded pair. It is permitted us to conjecture why the wine should have failed. This was a wine country, and it is very likely that the host laid in an abundant supply. The explanation for the deficiency is probably the fact that Our Blessed Lord did not come alone. He brought with Him His disciples, and this apparently threw a heavy burden upon the store of wine. Our Lord and His disciples had already been journeying for three days and had covered a distance of ninety miles. The disciples were thus so hungry, and so thirsty, that it was a wonder that the food did not give out as well as the wine. Since wine was a symbol of mirth and health to the people, it was important that their need be filled-as an old Hebrew proverb put it: "Where wine is wanting, doctors thrive."

One of the most amazing features of this marriage is that it was not the wine servant, whose business it was to service the wine, who noticed the shortage, but rather Our Blessed Mother. (She notes our needs before we ourselves feel them.) She made a very simple prayer to her Divine Son about the empty wine pots when she said: "They have no wine." Hidden in the words was not only a consciousness of the power of her Divine Son, but also an expression of her desire to remedy an awkward situation. Perhaps the Blessed Mother had already seen Our Lord work many miracles in secret-although He had not yet worked a single one in public. For if there had not already been a consciousness of the truth that He was the Son of the Omnipotent God, she would not have asked for a miracle. Some of the greatest miracles of the world have similarly been done through the influence of a mother: "The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world." 

The answer of Our Blessed Lord was, "Woman what is that to me? My hour is not yet come."

Note that Our Lord said: "My hour is not yet come." Whenever Our Blessed Lord used that expression, "hour," it was in relation to His Passion and His Death. For example, the night that Judas crossed the brook of Cedron to blister His lips with a kiss, Our Lord said: "This is your hour and the powers of darkness." A few hours before, when seated at His Last Supper on earth and anticipating His Death, He said: "Father, the hour is come. Glorify Thy Son with the glory that He had with Thee before the foundations of the world were laid." Earlier, when a crowd attempted to take His Life by stoning, Scriptures say: "His hour was not yet come." Our Blessed Lord was obviously, at Cana, saying that the hour in which He was to reveal Himself had not yet come according to His Father's appointment. 

And yet, implicit in Mary's statement was a request that He actually begin it. Scriptures tell us: "So in Cana of Galilee, Jesus began His miracles, and made known the glory that was within Him, so that His disciples learned to believe in Him." (John 2:11.) In our own language, Our Lord was saying to His Blessed Mother: "My dear Mother, do you realize that you are asking me to proclaim my Divinity-to appear before the world as the Son of God, and to prove my Divinity by my works and my miracles? The moment that I do this, I begin the royal road to the Cross. When I am no longer known among men as the son of the carpenter, but as the Son of God, that will be my first step toward Calvary. My hour is not yet come; but would you have me anticipate it? Is it your will that I go to the Cross? If I do this, your relationship to me changes. You are now my mother. You are known everywhere in our little village, as the 'Mother of Jesus.' But if I appear now as the Saviour of men, and begin the work of Redemption, your role will change too. Once I undertake the salvation of mankind, you will not only be my mother, but you will also be the mother of everyone whom I redeem. I am the Head of humanity; as soon as I save the body of humanity you, who are the mother of the Head, become also the mother of the body. You will then be the universal mother, the new Eve, as I am the new Adam. 

 
"To indicate the role that you will play in Redemption, I now bestow upon you that title of universal motherhood; I call you Woman. It was to you that I referred when I said to Satan that I would put enmity between him and the Woman, between his brood of evil and your seed, Which I am. That great title of Woman I dignify you with now. And I shall dignify you with it again when my hour comes and when I am unfurled upon the Cross, like a wounded eagle. We are in this work of Redemption together. What is yours is mine. From this hour on, we are not just Mary and Jesus, we are the new Adam and the new Eve, beginning a new humanity, changing the water of sin into the wine of life. Knowing all this, my dear Mother, is it your will that I anticipate the Cross and that I go to Calvary?" Our Blessed Lord was presenting to Mary not merely the choice of asking for a miracle or not; rather He was asking if she would send Him to His death. He had made it quite plain that the world would not tolerate His Divinity that if He turned water into wine, some day wine would be changed into blood. The answer of Mary was one of complete cooperation in the Redemption of Our Blessed Lord, as she spoke for the last time in Sacred Scripture. Turning to the wine steward she said, "Whatsoever He shall say to you, that do ye." (John 2:5.) What a magnificent valedictory! As Our Blessed Lord had said that He had come on earth to do His Father's Will, so Mary bade us do the Will of her Divine Son. "Whatsoever He shall say to you, that do ye." The waterpots are filled, are brought to Our Blessed Lord, and then, in the magnificent lines of the poet, Richard Crashaw, "The unconscious waters saw their God, and blushed." The first lesson from Cana is: "Aid yourself and Heaven will aid you." Our Lord could have produced wine out of nothing, as He had made the world from nothing, but He willed that the wine servants bring their pots and fill them with water. We must not expect God to transform us without our bringing something to be transformed. In vain do we say: "O Lord, help me overcome my evil habits or let me be sober, pure, and honest." What good are these prayers unless we bring at least our own efforts? God will, indeed, make us peaceful and happy again, but only on condition that we bring the water of our own feeble efforts. We are not to remain passive, while awaiting the manifestation of God's power; there must be the indispensable gesture of our own liberty, even though it brings to God something as unspirited as the routine waters of our insipid lives! Collaboration with God is essential if we are to be.; come the sons of God. 

The second lesson of Cana is that Mary intercedes to gain us what we need, without our always knowing our needs. Neither the wine steward nor the diners knew that the wine was failing; therefore, they could not ask for help. In like manner, if we do not know what our soul needs, how can we put such needs in our prayers? Often we do not know what is vital to our lives: St. James tells us that we do not ask aright, but seek to satisfy only our carnal and egotistic desires.

Surely we could go to Our Lord, as the wine steward, as the diners could have gone to Our Lord. But they did not go, and some of us would not go at all; or, if we did go, we would not always ask for the right thing. There are so few of us who know the reason for our unhappiness. We pray for wealth, to "break the bank," to win the Irish Sweepstakes; we ask for peace of mind, and then dash off to a psychoanalytic couch when we should ask for peace of soul, be on our knees bemoaning our sins and asking pardon. So few of us know that we need God. We are at the end of our strength and even of our hope; and we do not know that we ought to be asking for Divine strength and Divine Love.

That is where devotion to Mary comes in. The people at the table did not know what they needed to maintain the joy of the marriage feast, even when the Lord was in their midst. There are many of us who would not come to Our Lord, unless we had someone who knows our needs better than we know ourselves, and who will ask Our Lord for us. This role of Mary makes her acceptable to everyone. Those at the marriage table did not need to know she was the Mother of the Son of God in order to receive the benefit of her Divine Son. But one thing is certain no one will ever call on her without being heard, nor without being finally led to her Divine Son, Jesus Christ, for Whose Sake she alone exists for Whose Sake she was made pure  and for Whose Sake she was given to us.

The Marriage Feast of Cana also reveals how Mary makes up for our battered and weak wills; she does this by substituting herself for us. It is very hard for us to receive a Divine Favor unless we desire it. Until we love and serve God, we are inert and dead. It is impossible for most of us to ask for a soul-healing, for so few of us know that we are wounded. Mary comes into this crisis of life, to substitute for us in the same way that a mother substitutes for a sick child. The child cannot tell the mother its need. There may be a pin pricking it, it may be hungry, or it may be sick. The child may cry, but it is as vague a com- plaint as our own adult cries when we are unhappy and fearful, worried and frustrated. The mother in such a circumstance carries the child to the doctor. The mother thus puts herself in the place of the child, who does not have the knowledge to know what is best for it, or cannot will to do anything to help itself. She "doubles," as it were, for the freedom of the child. Thus does the mother dispose the child to receive what is best for it. And as the mother knows the needs better than the babe, so the Blessed Mother understands our cries and worries, and knows them better than we know ourselves. As the baby needs the doctor, so the Blessed Mother knows we need her Divine Son. As Our Lord mediates between us and the Heavenly Father, so the Blessed Mother mediates between us and Our Divine Lord. She fills our empty pots, she supplies the elixir of life, she prevents the joys of life from ebbing away. Mary is not our salvation let us not be absurd on that. The mother is not the doctor, and neither is Mary the Saviour. But Mary brings us to the Saviour!

Three years now pass, and all that Our Blessed Lord told His Mother at Cana is fulfilled. The hour is come, the wine has changed to blood. He has worked His miracles and men have crucified Him. Unfurled on either side of Him, as if to put Him in their class, are two thieves.

 The world will allow only the mediocre to live. It hates the very wicked, like the thieves, because they disturb its possessions and security. It also hates the Divinely Good, it hates Our Blessed Lord, because He disturbs its conscience, its heart, and its evil desires.

Our Blessed Lord now looks down from His Cross to the two most beloved creatures that He has on earth, John and His Blessed Mother. He picks up the refrain of Cana, and addresses Our Blessed Mother with the same title He gave her at the marriage feast. He calls her, "Woman." It is the second Annunciation. With a gesture of His dust filled eyes and His thorn crowned head, He looks longingly at her, who had sent Him willingly to the Cross, who is now standing beneath it as a cooperator in His Redemption and He says: "Behold thy son." Then, turning to John, He does not call him John; to do that would have been to address him as the son of Zebedee and no one else. But, in his anonymity, John stands for all of us.Our Lord thus says to His beloved disciple: "Son, behold thy mother."

Here is the answer, after all these years, to the mysterious words in the Gospel of the Incarnation which stated that Our Blessed Mother laid her "first born" in the manger. Did that mean that Our Blessed Mother was to have other children? It certainly did, but not according to the flesh. Our Divine Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the only Son of Our Blessed Mother by the flesh. But Our Lady was to have other children, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit!

A Treat for The Eyes

St John's Co-Cathedral Malta - The chapel of the Langue of Aragon

Worth Sharing...

http://wdtprs.com/blog/2014/08/guest-post-i-celebrated-the-latin-mass-before-todays-exorcism/

See How They Love One Another

 

The pagans became Christians for three reasons: one, they heard the apostles and disciples preach, and were touched by grace.

Two, they were sick of the decadence around them and the Gospel truly was and is "good news".

Three, because they saw the difference between how the pagans acted toward each other and how the Christians loved each other.

One cannot be nice or good without God, and one cannot grow in virtues, gain merit, love without Christ.

What I have been witnessing for the past two years is the lack of love among Catholics.

Catholics have become their own worst enemy...why?

There are many reasons for the lack of love, the first being gross egotism and narcissism. The self-centered Catholics cannot love, and only want to use people for their own gains.

Another reason is false religion, or the religion of the Pharisees, which is the use of religion to attain jobs, glory, fame, attention.

The main reason is the lack of real conversion. Those who love Christ will love others and those who do not love Christ cannot love others.

Simple, really.

The immigrant Catholic Church in America was healthier than this middle-class Church, which does not love, only conforms. There is such conformity in Great Britain as well.

One reason why Catholics are not successful in evangelization is the lack of love, of sacrifice.

Who can stand back and say "See how they love one another!"

Please, no more anonymous

I cannot deal with the number of people not getting blog names. Really, just put a name on your comment. No more anonymous. Most of those who are anonymous have good comments, but some are horrid. Please get a name....to be anonymous is not to be nice.

UPDATE:
You do not have to use your own, real name, but A NAME....Thanks. And, not a gross name. Those who insist on using rude names do not get published, of course.

No Middle Ground; No Neutral Territory

One thing I learned the hard way, although I was taught this truth by the good nuns, was that in this world there is no middle ground, no neutral territory.

The nuns told us in grade school that the world's people either chose for Christ or against Christ. I lived like this for a long time, joining a community in my twenties and choosing good friends in my thirties. I chose Mass-goers, those who were moral, and those who prayed as friends. This was my "list" for dating as well. I refused to date Protestants or wishy-washy Catholics.

Because of good friends, I managed to grow in my faith and slowly, but surely, learn to pursue Christ daily. For a few years, I forgot how bad enemy territory really was, but then again, God showed me.

Soon, I could see that most entertainment, most places of entertainment, and many parties were just plain evil. To put one's self in the presence of temptation was the sin of presumption. How could one expect Christ to protect one from evil when one went to taverns, even sports bars, or anything but PG13 movies? How could one expect to grow in discernment by going to parties where people drank to much? And so on...

No middle ground, no neutral territory. I learned that in the work-world, one was mostly in enemy territory and one always, always had to be on guard.

The home had to be good, better, best; a place of prayer, worship, solace, studying the faith and honesty. The home had to be the breeding ground for the virtues.

Thankfully, before I was married, I figured out that schools were mostly enemy territory and decided to home school.

No neutral territory...

And, these were decisions I made a long time ago. Now, folks, it is worse. The good is better and the bad is hellishly worse.

No neutral territory...

If you are a young person and do not believe this, pray to see this reality.

If you are middle-aged and have one foot in enemy territory, you are mocking God.

If you are old, you probably see this, or sadly, have completely fallen into enemy territory.

No middle ground. A reader shared with this morning that her "hippy priest" has awakened and now sees that the Christian life is one of suffering and decision.

Wonderful. He can see the lines that have been drawn clearly.

If you are compromising and entering enemy territory regularly, God will demand a decision soon.

Are you like a mercenary soldier who is only fighting for pay, and not from the heart?

Are you not sure what side of this very real battle you want to be?

Choose, as there is no middle ground, no neutral territory.

The saints know this, and knew this while on earth.

Now, they are in the safe havens. We are not. We are the Church Militant.

Perfection Series V: Part Six; Mary

 A Meditation on Perfection:

Perfection Series V: Part Five; Mary

One has a hard time writing about things which are so sublime and holy. Our Lady's role in our lives is a mystery, as she is Bride, Mother and Virgin.

I hope all seminarians and priests find out how to make Mary their "Lady" in the old, Medieval sense of the word.

A Lady in chivalric times was the honored woman for whom the knight fought and for whom he sought glory.

His glory was her glory, and her glory was his glory. She was his "ideal" maiden.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux understood Mary as his "Lady".

Lady Mary can be the center of a man's life, his reason for valor and holiness.

Mary leads us to Christ.

I challenge all sems and priests to make Mary your Lady. She will lead you to great holiness, simplicity, humility.

Mary, as Our Sorrowful Mother, was given to St. John, the most innocent of all the apostles and the one whom Jesus loved the most.

And, St. John was given to her.

Pray, dear priests and sems, to be like St. John and take Mary into your home.

Prayers, Please

Supertradson is experiencing regular migraines. I would ask all my readers to pray for him to be completely healed. Thank you.

STM

Pray for Peace

And real peace is only found in Jesus...

http://news.yahoo.com/polish-president-warns-germany-putins-empire-ambitions-103652284.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2738469/Forced-watch-crucifixions-stonings-beheadings-taught-fire-machine-guns-big-How-Islamic-State-training-camps-children-swelling-ranks-junior-jihadis.html

From A Reader

http://www.marquette.edu/magazine/recent.php?subaction=showfull&id=1318951203&archive=

Repeat Post Two for Today

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

Simplicity of Life Is Not Enough

Posted by Supertradmum

There is a fallacy among Americans, at least, that simplifying a lifestyle is enough for happiness.

It is a start, but the search for Zen-like gardens and minimalist furnishings in a house, which has been so popular for the past twenty years or so. is a mere deception.

Simplicity of life means nothing if the goal is not holiness. If we merely want to avoid tremendous responsibilities and clutter, simplicity is a temporary not eternal solution.

In and of itself, there is nothing salvific about a simple life.

I have known two wealthy people seek out the simple life. One went to live in the mountains of upper state New York. He lived in a small château at the edge of the mountains. He learned hunting and shooting and read Japanese and New Age spirituality on the simple life.

Yet, he lived without repenting of some serious sins. He was not a happy man. He was trying to simplify his life in order to find meaning. The meaning was not in the simplicity but in his facing the need to become a new man in Christ. I hope he found Christ.

One thing which can cause us to lose simplicity is too much activity. We do not have to do everything we think we must do. Busyness can be a sign of a lack of inner simplicity. Part of real simplicity is seeing what is around you, paying attention to details and then moving into the peace which only God can give in giving up those details. That is part of contemplation-letting God purify the imagination and our hearts.

The second person, a millionaire, did something similar. This very good person simplified his life and dropped membership in the country club and pulled back from what he saw as the empty pursuit of California social life at the very top echelons  He did simplify, but could not believe in Christ. He tried to deal with the reality of the Incarnation and live a moral, generous life, but he never became a Christian. Simplification did not lead him to Christ. It lead him to a new level of clarity of thinking, but not to the step of accepting Christ as his Saviour and God.

Simplicity is a beginning, but never an end in itself. This is true of so many things we choose to do, but if the goal is not oneness with Christ, we shall never find true meaning.

Part of the mystery here is that Faith is a gift. Some people strive and strive, and never take that step in admitting that Christ is True God and True Man.

The desert fathers lived extremely simple lives, but not for the sake of simplicity. They lived day to day in poverty for one reason.They were in love with God.

If we seek the means to become holy, we must fall in love with God. Then, simplicity becomes an act of worship and a sharing in the mystery of love.

Simplicity then becomes a means to concentrate on Christ, the Beloved more and more without distractions. Suffering pares away the excess.

One of the saddest days of my life was when I was in Mississippi helping out after Katrina. If one did not see the horror of that storm, the damage and disruption, one cannot understand what people experienced. The sad thing I saw was not the devastation, but a person I met who immediately built a bigger and better, more extravagant house than he had before the storm. He was very wealthy, but had learned nothing by losing all his belongings. To make the point more pathetic, he established his new house in an area of destruction in the style of a Roman villa. with Zen influences. It was as if a survivor of the Fall of the Roman Empire just moved to another area and built another pagan temple to the same gods who had not protected him-those gods who cannot see and cannot speak. The entire project seemed so futile and empty to me. Had this person learned nothing from his huge loss except to build something bigger and more outrageously elegant? Yet, he did it in a Zen style, as if to say that he had learned simplicity. A hut would have been more appropriate. Everyone else at the party was praising his project. I felt sick and saddened that he was still in the dark,  but was covering his grief with a panacea which would not cure his inner emptiness.

There were so many stones in the house, I was afraid to turn around and start an avalanche.

Only love changes us. If we can reach through the suffering and loss and find God Who waits for us in the ruin, we have learned the lesson of dying to self.  Then we find love.            

If I love someone, do I not want to be in his presence and just be there?

Simplicity allows us space to love God, not merely space.

The Eucharist is our example of extreme simplicity. So is the Babe in the manger. We can approach the God Who gave up all in order to be like us. Therefore, we can give up all to be like Him.

Repeat Post from 2012

Two people lied to a friend of mine today before Mass, and this couple is in their older middle ages. They lied easily and willingly. We knew they were lying about a situation which happened last week. Sadly, they did not know we knew the whole story, so they lied. Why?

A young man lied to me about two months ago in the parish, seriously. His lie was exposed two months later; duplicity, dissimulation, and hypocrisy.

A young man and a young woman in a shop lied to me two weeks ago about the service on my phone. When I called customer service in Delhi, I was told the truth about the phone usage. When I tried to return the phone as it was not sold to purpose, I was told there was a no return policy. I had the phone for two weeks when I attempted to return it.

Customer service in Bombay told me one thing, phone shop in Kent another. Then, I went in another day and another young man told me that the other sales persons were wrong, but he still could not take back the phone. I have a phone which is not suited to my needs.

An optometrist lied to me last week. He told me my eyes had changed to the point where I needed to change the prescription taken in the shop seven days before. He lied to cover up a mistake from his co-worker, who did not do a good job on the first eye test or the makers, who did not follow the prescription. I knew the glasses were wrong as soon as I put them on, but could not get back to the shop until morning and had picked them up at the end of the day, thinking my eyes had to adjust. The sight test or the writing down of the test was in error. Yet, the man lied.

I knew this to be a lie and in order to get the glasses changed, as they are wrong and I paid megabucks for them, with the help of a friend. I just went along with the pretense in order to get these fixed and was polite and just listened. I said nothing to agree or disagree. Arguing gets one nowhere in England. The customer is not considered as having any rights or even a brain.

How much nicer it would have been for him to say, "I am sorry, but we made a mistake on your prescription and we will take care of this immediately."

A real estate agent lied to me about his houses he was fixing up and selling.

Lying is the status quo here and perhaps in other places, like certain areas in the States. I have been lied to by young people and old, but Catholics and pagans, by lay people and clergymen.

Why and how did this happen? How is it that when I was in Ireland, many adults instructed me to lie about residency and work, saying they do this all the time-lying to get jobs or to stay in America for long stretches of time? This happened just over a year ago.

Deceit starts within a person. We cannot lie even teeny tiny white lies and expect Truth, Who is a Person to come and dwell within us.

I am amazed. I was amazed. Lies destroy marriages, communities, parishes, if people care.

One cannot trust liars, especially those who lie easily and consistently. A community or society cannot function when those who serve it lie consistently with intent to deceive. 

I know some Catholics who lie about their taxes. They tell me they do not have to claim money made in cash. I have pointed this out, but now realize this is a habit with these people.

The British Government and the American Government seem to be making a habit out of lying. Our prime minister told us no clergyman who in conscience disagrees with SSM will have to perform a marriage. There are no safeguards in the bill for such. There is vague language and I highlight the dubious phrases which open up judicial interpretation in The Hague.

Clause 2 provides for a number of protections for religious organisations:

• No person could be compelled to opt in to any involvement in same sex marriages, or from opting out of any involvement in same sex marriages (clause 2 also defines what are opt in and opt-out activities);
• No person could be compelled to conduct a same sex marriage; be present at, carry out, or otherwise participate in, a same sex marriage; or consent to a relevant marriage being conducted;
• The Equality Act 2010 would be amended to prevent discrimination claims under the Act from being brought against people who refuse to do any of the activities referred to above.

Clause 3 amends section 26 of the Marriage Act 1949 to authorise civil same sex marriages and without any opting in necessary. The revised section 26 will therefore authorise:

• religious marriages for opposite sex couples only in registered buildings;
• civil marriages for all couples in a register office;
• civil marriages for all couples in, for example, a hotel or other approved premises;
• religious marriages for opposite sex couples by the Quakers or the Jewish religion;
• marriages opposite sex couples, one of whom is house-bound or detained;
• civil marriages for all couples, one of whom is house-bound or detained;
• marriages for opposite sex couples in a church or chapel of the Church of England or the Church in Wales.

Clause 4 and Schedule 1 insert a new section 26A into the Marriage Act 1949 which would allow religious organisations to opt in to performing same sex marriages. The religious organisation would have to apply to the Registrar General for a building certified as a place of religious worship to be registered as authorised to solemnise same sex marriage. If the necessary conditions are met, the Registrar General would then have to register the building. The Church of England and the Church of Wales would not, however, be allowed to opt in under this provision, although the Church in Wales would be able to conduct same sex marriages under clause 8.

Clause 5 inserts a new section 26B to the Marriage Act 1949 which would allow for religious same sex marriages to take place without any opt in necessary in certain circumstances:

• Marriages in accordance with the religious practices of Quakers, as long as the recording clerk of the Society of Friends in London has consented to marriages of same sex couples;
• Marriages in Jewish religious ceremony, as long as the relevant governing authority has consented to marriages of same sex couples (the relevant governing authority would be the person or persons designated as such by the secretary of the synagogue); and
• Marriages for all religions, except the Church of England and Church in Wales, where one or both of the same sex couples is house-bound or detained, and the relevant governing authority has given consent to same sex marriages.

Clause 6 amends Part 5 of the Marriage Act 1949 to permit same sex marriages in naval, military and air force chapels. Under Part 5, a marriage may take place in such a chapel which has been licensed for the solemnisation of marriages according to the rites of the Church of England or the Church in Wales, or registered for the solemnisation of other marriages. Clause 6 also amends Part 5 allow for the registration of military chapels for the solemnisation of marriages of same sex couples, with an exception for the Church of England and the Church in Wales.

Clause 7 amends section 1 of the Marriage (Registrar General’s Licence) Act 1970 so that the Registrar General can only authorise a religious marriage of a same sex couple if the relevant governing authority has consented to marriages of same sex couples. Section 1 does not apply to the Church of England or the Church in Wales.

Clause 8 sets out the procedure by which the Church in Wales could opt in to performing same sex marriages. The Lord Chancellor would have to be satisfied that the Governing Body of the Church in Wales had resolved that the law should be changed to allow for the marriage of same sex couples according to the rites of the Church in Wales. He would then be able to make an order permitting the Church in Wales to perform same sex marriages.

Clause 9 would permit couples in a civil partnership to convert them into marriages.

There is not a word of protection from The Hague.

Lying creates mistrust. Lying indicates something is wrong with the soul. Lying may be connected to serious self-deceit.  Here is the CCC.


ARTICLE 8
THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.²⁵³It was said to the men of old, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn."²⁵⁴

2464 The eighth commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others. This moral prescription flows from the vocation of the holy people to bear witness to their God who is the truth and wills the truth. Offenses against the truth express by word or deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness: they are fundamental infidelities to God and, in this sense, they undermine the foundations of the covenant.
I. LIVING IN THE TRUTH
2465 The Old Testament attests that God is the source of all truth. His Word is truth. His Law is truth. His "faithfulness endures to all generations."²⁵⁵ Since God is "true," the members of his people are called to live in the truth.²⁵⁶
2466 In Jesus Christ, the whole of God's truth has been made manifest. "Full of grace and truth," he came as the "light of the world," he is the Truth.²⁵⁷ "Whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness."²⁵⁸ The disciple of Jesus continues in his word so as to know "the truth [that] will make you free" and that sanctifies.²⁵⁹ To follow Jesus is to live in "the Spirit of truth," whom the Father sends in his name and who leads "into all the truth."²⁶⁰ To his disciples Jesus teaches the unconditional love of truth: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes or No.'"²⁶¹
2467 Man tends by nature toward the truth. He is obliged to honor and bear witness to it: "It is in accordance with their dignity that all men, because they are persons . . . are both impelled by their nature and bound by a moral obligation to seek the truth, especially religious truth. They are also bound to adhere to the truth once they come to know it and direct their whole lives in accordance with the demands of truth."²⁶²
2468 Truth as uprightness in human action and speech is called truthfulness, sincerity, or candor. Truth or truthfulness is the virtue which consists in showing oneself true in deeds and truthful in words, and in guarding against duplicity, dissimulation, and hypocrisy.
2469 "Men could not live with one another if there were not mutual confidence that they were being truthful to one another."²⁶³ The virtue of truth gives another his just due. Truthfulness keeps to the just mean between what ought to be expressed and what ought to be kept secret: it entails honesty and discretion. In justice, "as a matter of honor, one man owes it to another to manifest the truth."²⁶⁴
2470 The disciple of Christ consents to "live in the truth," that is, in the simplicity of a life in conformity with the Lord's example, abiding in his truth. "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth."<sup>265

and there is more in the CCC. Take time to read the section.</sup>

2482 "A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving."²⁸¹ The Lord denounces lying as the work of the devil: "You are of your father the devil, . . . there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."²⁸²