August 24, 2002
The Poor of London
Here's a poem from Hilaire Belloc, imploring God's judgment on our indifference. What does it mean when one's favorite poet in English is Belloc? The poetry Steven Riddle is posting over at Flos Carmeli seems opaque to me, while Belloc makes my heart sing. Then again, poetry has never been high on my list of reading.
Anyway, this is best read aloud :-)
From Verses and Sonnets, 1896.
The Poor of London
Almighty God, whose justice like the sun
Shall coruscate along the floors of Heaven,
Raising what's low, perfecting what's undone,
Breaking the proud and making odd things even,
The poor of Jesus Christ along the street
In your rain sodden, in your snows unshod,
They have nor hearth, nor sword, nor human meat,
Nor even the bread of men: Almighty God.
The poor of Jesus Christ whom no man hears
Have waited on your vengeance much too long.
Wipe out not tears but blood: our eyes bleed tears.
Come smite our damnéd sophistries so strong
That thy rude hammer battering this rude wrong
Ring down the abyss of twice ten thousand years.
Blogger Challenge: Divine Mercy
I read a lot of bloggers when I can, but I think Bill Cork is the first to mention (tangentially) what happened in Poland last weekend. Yes, there were some beatifications and the largest crowds in Poland's history, but I'm talking about what really happened: the Pope solemnly consecrated the world to Divine Mercy.
I've been meaning to write up a little entry on it but I haven't had time to read the sources and do it justice. Your assignment, thou good Blogger, is to fill us in on the consecration and what it might mean for all of us. Meanwhile, I have to get the house in shape before Lisa's parents get here!
Illinois homeschooling update
The Governor's Commission on Revising the Illinois School Code held its second public hearing Thursday evening, 22 August, in Carterville, way down south near Carbondale.
Fifteen people attended the first hearing in Godfrey and 6 spoke against changes to the school code that would adversely affect homeschooling in Illinois. One week later, 95 people attended the second meeting and 27 spoke against the changes. The next hearing is in Decatur on Thursday 29 August - if you live in central Illinois please plan to attend:
Richland Community College, 1 College Park, Decatur, IL
Shilling Center, Salon 1 & 2, 1st Floor
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Parking: Lot in front of College
Using this handy page, I've contacted local TV stations and newspapers about the hearing in Decatur; let's hope a few of their reporters show up to keep the bureaucrats honest.
Feast of Bartholomew, Apostle
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for August 24, Feast of Bartholomew, Apostle
Saint Bartholomew was born at Cana. He was brought to Jesus by the apostle Philip. After the ascension of the Lord, he is said to have preached the Gospel in India where he was rewarded with the crown of martyrdom.
From a homily on the first letter to the Corinthians by St. John Chrysostom, bishop
(Hom. 4, 3. 4: PG 61, 34-36)
The weakness of God is stronger than men
It was clear through unlearned men that the cross was persuasive, in fact, it persuaded the whole world. Their discourse was not of unimportant matters but of God and true religion, of the Gospel way of life and future judgment, yet it turned plain, uneducated men into philosophers. How the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and his weakness stronger than men!
In what way is it stronger? It made its way throughout the world and overcame all men; countless men sought to eradicate the very name of the Crucified, but that name flourished and grew ever mightier. Its enemies lost out and perished; the living who waged a war on a dead man proved helpless. Therefore, when a Greek tells me I am dead, he shows only that he is foolish indeed, for I, whom he thinks a fool, turn out to be wiser than those reputed wise. So too, in calling me weak, he but shows that he is weaker still. For the good deeds which tax-collectors and fishermen were able to accomplish by God's grace, the philosophers, the rulers, the countless multitudes cannot even imagine.
Paul had this in mind when he said: The weakness of God is stronger than men. That the preaching of these men was indeed divine is brought home to us in the same way. For how otherwise could twelve uneducated men, who lived on lakes and rivers and wastelands, get the idea for such an immense enterprise? How could men who perhaps had never been in a city or a public square think of setting out to do battle with the whole world? That they were fearful, timid men, the evangelist makes clear; he did not reject the fact or try to hide their weaknesses. Indeed he turned these into a proof of the truth. What did he say of them? That when Christ was arrested, the others fled, despite all the miracles they had seen, while he who was leader of the others denied him!
How then account for the fact that these men, who in Christ's lifetime did not stand up to the attacks by the Jews, set forth to do battle with the whole world once Christ was dead--if, as you claim, Christ did not rise and speak to them and rouse their courage? Did they perhaps say to themselves: "What is this? He could not save himself but he will protect us? He did not help himself when he was alive, but now that he is dead he will extend a helping hand to us? In his lifetime he brought no nation under his banner, but by uttering his name we will win over the whole world?" Would it not be wholly irrational even to think such thoughts, much less to act upon them?
It is evident, then, that if they had not seen him risen and had proof of his power, they would not have risked so much.
RESPONSORY - 1 Cor. 1:23-24; 2 Cor. 4:8; Rom. 8:37
We preach Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to the Jews
and an absurdity to the Gentiles,
but to those who have heard his call,
--Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
We are afflicted in every way possible,
but in all of these trials the victory is ours,
because of Christ who loves us.
--Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
PRAYER
Lord,
sustain within us the faith
which made St. Bartholomew ever loyal to Christ.
Let your Church be the sign of salvation
for all the nations of the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
The Twenty-fourth Day of August
St. Bartholomew the Apostle, who preached the Gospel of Christ in India; he then went into Greater Armenia. When he had converted many people there to the faith, he was flayed alive by the barbarians, and by command of King Astyages he fulfilled his martyrdom by being beheaded. His holy body was taken first to the Isle of Lipari, then to Benevento, and lastly to Rome, to the island in the Tiber, where it is honored with pious veneration by the faithful. A totum duplex feast of the second class.
At Lima in Peru, the birthday of St. Rose of St. Mary, virgin, of the Third Order of St. Dominic. Her festival is observed on August 30.
At Nepi (in Italy), St. Ptolemy, bishop, disciple of St. Peter the Apostle, by whom he was sent into Tuscany to preach the Gospel. He died at Nepi, a glorious martyr for Christ.
On the same day, St. Eutychius, who was a disciple of St. John the Evangelist. For his preaching the Gospel in many countries, he endured imprisonment, scourging, and fire, but finally died a peaceful death.
At Nepi, St. Romanus, bishop of that city. He was both a disciple of St. Ptolemy and a companion in his suffering.
At Carthage, three hundred holy martyrs, at the time of Valerian and Gallienus. The governor ordered to be prepared -- among other tortures -- a crater of burning lime, and also, in his presence, some coals and incense (for offering sacrifice). Then he said to these magnanimous Christians: "Choose one of these two things: either offer incense on these coals to Jupiter, or be plunged into the lime." The Christians, armed by their faith and proclaiming their belief that Christ is the Son of God, were moved by a sudden impulse and cast themselves into the fiery mass. They were soon burned to ashes in the smoking lime. Hence, this white-robed army of blesseds merited to be called the White Mass (Massa Candida).[1]
In Isauria, St. Tation, martyr, who received a crown of martyrdom, being slain with the sword in the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Urban.
Likewise, St. George Limniota, monk, who reproved the wicked Emperor Leo for breaking the holy images and burning the relics of the saints. At the latter's command, his hands were cut off and his head burned; he thus went as a martyr to the Lord.
At Ostia, on the Tiber, St. Aurea, virgin and martyr, who was drowned in the sea with a stone tied to her neck. Blessed Nonnus buried her body when it was washed up on the shore.
At Rouen, St. Ouen, bishop and confessor.
At Nevers in Gaul, St. Patrick, abbot.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Footnotes: [1] Self-destruction is not permissible unless God unmistakably demands it. St Pollonia (and certain other martyrs) evidently acted under divine inspiration. St. Thomas, Summa Theol., IIa-IIae, Q. 64, art 5, ad 4.
August 23, 2002
Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy
The Vatican has issued a wonderful text, the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy.
See Bill Cork's blog for an analysis of the doctrinal parts, and don't miss the document's listings of popular devotions!
Big thanks to Bill Cork for the heads-up.
The Pelagian Drinking Song
Well, if bloggers are going to start posting Belloc poems, I'll join right in! Sing this one loud at your Protestant friend's house while swinging a beer around wildly. Not horse piss, my boy; I said beer.
Pelagius lived at Kardanoel
And taught a doctrine there
How, whether you went to heaven or to hell
It was your own affair.
It had nothing to do with the Church, my boy,
But was your own affair.
No, he didn't believe
In Adam and Eve
He put no faith therein!
His doubts began
With the Fall of Man
And he laughed at Original Sin.
With my row-ti-tow
Ti-oodly-ow
He laughed at original sin.
Then came the bishop of old Auxerre
Germanus was his name
He tore great handfuls out of his hair
And he called Pelagius shame.
And with his stout Episcopal staff
So thoroughly whacked and banged
The heretics all, both short and tall --
They rather had been hanged.
Oh he whacked them hard, and he banged them long
Upon each and all occasions
Till they bellowed in chorus, loud and strong
Their orthodox persuasions.
With my row-ti-tow
Ti-oodly-ow
Their orthodox persuasions.
Now the faith is old and the Devil bold
Exceedingly bold indeed.
And the masses of doubt that are floating about
Would smother a mortal creed.
But we that sit in a sturdy youth
And still can drink strong ale
Let us put it away to infallible truth
That always shall prevail.
And thank the Lord
For the temporal sword
And howling heretics too.
And all good things
Our Christendom brings
But especially barley brew!
With my row-ti-tow
Ti-oodly-ow
Especially barley brew!
Ballade of the Heresiarchs
Heretics all, whoever you may be,
In Tarbes or Nimes, or over the sea,
You never shall have good words from me.
Caritas non conturbat me.
But Catholic men that live upon wine
Are deep in the water, and frank, and fine;
Wherever I travel I find it so,
Benedicamus Domino.
On childing women that are forelorn,
And men that sweat in nothing but scorn:
That is on all that ever were born,
Miserere Domine.
To my poor self on my deathbed,
And all my dear companions dead,
Because of the love that I bore them,
Dona Eis Requiem.
Hilaire Belloc
September 11, 2002
So what will you be doing on September 11 this year? I've read some suggestions in my email lists: wear red, white and blue, drive with your headlights on and whatnot. How about praying the Office of the Dead and listening to Mozart's Requiem?
That Makes Two of Us
I've never understood the Bruce Springsteen cult...come to think of it, I've never understood the man himself, what with his moaning groaning monotone and three-chord ditties. Finally, I've found a kindred spirit: Mark Gauvreau Judge.
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Welcome to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, which was designedf rom its inception (September 1995) as a dynamic reference work. In a dynamicr eference work, each entry is maintained and kept up to date by an expert or group of experts in the field. These authors are given remote electronic access to copies of their entries on our server and they can update those copies any time the need arises. Moreover, all entries and updates are refereed by the members of a distinguished Editorial Board before they are made public. Whenever an author uploads a new entry or modifies an existing entry, the new material is stored off-line until it is approved by the Editorial Board member in charge of that entry. Consequently, our dynamic reference work is responsive to new research, for it can change at any time with the addition of new entries or the modification of existing entries. You can, however, cite fixed editions which are made on a quarterly basis and stored in our Archives. Thank you for your patience as our Encyclopedia develops. (Many of the assigned entries below have not yet been written.) See the Unabridged Table of Contents for the complete list of projected and assigned entries.
Memorial of Rose of Lima
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for August 23, Optional Memorial of Rose of Lima, virgin
Saint Rose was born at Lima, Peru in 1586. She led a virtuous life at home and, after receiving the habit of the Third Order of Saint Dominic, she made great progress in a life of penance and contemplation. She died August 24, 1617.
From the writings of Saint Rose of Lima, virgin
(Ad medicum Castillo: edit. L. Getino, La Patrona de America, Madrid 1928, pp. 54-55)
Let us know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge
Our Lord and Savior lifted up his voice and said with incomparable majesty: "Let all men know that grace comes after tribulation. Let them know that without the burden of afflictions it is impossible to reach the height of grace. Let them know that the gifts of grace increase as the struggles increase. Let men take care not to stray and be deceived. This is the only true stairway to paradise, and without the cross they can find no road to climb to heaven."
When I heard these words, a strong force came upon me and seemed to place me in the middle of a street, so that I might say in a loud voice to people of every age, sex and status: "Hear, O people; hear, O nations. I am warning you about the commandment of Christ by using words that came from his own lips: We cannot obtain grace unless we suffer afflictions. We must heap trouble upon trouble to attain a deep participation in the divine nature, the glory of the sons of God and perfect happiness of soul."
That same force strongly urged me to proclaim the beauty of divine grace. It pressed me so that my breath came slow and forced me to sweat and pant. I felt as if my soul could no longer be kept in the prison of the body, but that it had burst its chains and was free and alone and was going very swiftly through the whole world saying:
"If only mortals would learn how great it is to possess divine grace, how beautiful, how noble, how precious. How many riches it hides within itself, how many joys and delights! Without doubt they would devote all their care and concern to winning for themselves pains and afflictions. All men throughout the world would seek trouble, infirmities and torments, instead of good fortune, in order to attain the unfathomable treasure of grace. This is the reward and the final gain of patience. No one would complain about his cross or about troubles that may happen to him, if he would come to know the scales on which they are weighed when they are distributed to men."
RESPONSORY - 1 Corinthians 1:27, 28-29; Psalm 138:6
To shame the wise, God chose what the world considers foolish.
God chose those who were nothing at all
to humble those who were everything
--so that no one might boast in his presence.
Though the Lord is exalted,
he cares for the lowly,
but the proud he looks down on from afar.
--So that no one might boast in his presence.
PRAYER
God our Father,
for love of you
Saint Rose gave up everything
to devote herself to a life of penance.
By the help of her prayers
may we imitate her selfless way of life on earth
and enjoy the fullness of your blessings in heaven
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
The Twenty-third Day of August
The Vigil of St. Bartholomew the Apostle.
At Mevania in Umbria, the birthday of the Blessed James, confessor, of the Order of Preachers. He put an end to the rebirth of the heresy of the Nicolaites in Umbria and he was renowned for many miracles. A semiduplex feast.
(At Todi), St. Philip Benizi, confessor, promoter of the Order of the Servants of Blessed Virgin Mary. He departed to the Lord on August 22.
At Ostia, the holy martyrs Quiriacus, bishop, Maximus, priest, Archclaus, deacon, and their companions, who suffered in the time of Alexander, under Ulpian the prefect.
At Antioch, the birthday of the holy martyrs Restitutus, Donatus, Valerian, and Fructuosa, with twelve others, who were crowned with the most noble honor of confessing the faith.
At Aegaea in Cilicia, the holy martyrs Claudius, Asterius, and Neon, brothers. They were accused of being Christians by their stepmother. At the time of the Emperor Diocletian and the governor Lysias, they were nailed to a cross, after severe tortures, and triumphed as victors with Christ. After them suffered Donvina and Theonilla.
At Rheims in Gaul, the birthday of SS. Timothy and Apollinaris, who, having completed their martyrdom there, merited a heavenly kingdom.
At Lyons in Gaul, the holy martyrs Minervus and Eleazar, with his eight sons.
Likewise, Luppus, martyr. Though he was a slave, he was endowed with the liberty of Christ, and was deemed worthy to the crown of martyrdom.
At Jerusalem, St. Zachaeus, bishop, who ruled the Church of Jerusalem; he was the fourth bishop (of that Church) after St. James the Apostle.
At Alexandria, St. Theonas, bishop and confessor.
At Utica in Africa, Blessed Victor' bishop.
At Autun (in Gaul), St. Flavian, bishop.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
August 22, 2002
Brand New Blog: Oblique House
Check out Ellyn vonHuben's brand-new blog, Oblique House. "Observations of an opinionated Catholic home-schooling mother."
Four New Beati
John Paul II, namer of saints, the canonizin' Pope, the Bishop of beati, the Prince of postulators, the Metropolitan of the martyrology, (OK, I'll stop now) proclaimed four more beati over the weekend. I'll post them on my Blesseds and Venerables page as soon as I figure out how their names should be spelled without Polish letters. Meanwhile, here's the Vatican's info on the new beati:
Homily for the beatification Mass
Biographies of all of John Paul II's blesseds and saints (the new Polish guys are at the top)
Be sure to ask the new beati for their intercession soon.
Memorial of the Queenship of Mary
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for August 22, Memorial of the Queenship of Mary
From a homily by St. Amadeus of Lausanne, bishop
(Hom. 7: SC 72, 188. 190. 192. 200)
Queen of the world and of peace
Observe how fitting it was that even before her assumption the name of Mary shone forth wondrously throughout the world. Her fame spread everywhere even before she was raised above the heavens in her magnificence. Because of the honor due her Son, it was indeed fitting for the Virgin Mother to have first ruled upon earth and then be raised up to heaven in glory. It was fitting that her fame be spread in this world below, so that she might enter the heights of heaven on overwhelming blessedness. Just as she was borne from virtue to virtue by the Spirit of the Lord, she was transported from earthly renown to heavenly brightness.
So it was that she began to taste the fruits of her future reign while still in the flesh. At one moment she withdrew to God in ecstasy; at the next she would bend down to her neighbors with indescribable love. In heaven angels served her, while here on earth she was venerated by the service of men. Gabriel and the angels waited upon her in heaven. The virgin John, rejoicing that the Virgin Mother was entrusted to him at the cross, cared for her with the other apostles here below. The angels rejoiced to see their queen; the apostles rejoiced to see their lady, and both obeyed her with loving devotion.
Dwelling in the loftiest citadel of virtue, like a sea of divine grace or an unfathomable source of love that has everywhere overflowed its banks, she poured forth her bountiful waters on trusting and thirsting souls. Able to preserve both flesh and spirit from death she bestowed health-giving salve on bodies and souls. Has anyone ever come away from her troubled or saddened or ignorant of the heavenly mysteries? Who has not returned to everyday life gladdened and joyful because his request had been granted by the Mother of God?
She is a bride, so gentle and affectionate, and the mother of the only true bridegroom. In her abundant goodness she has channeled the spring of reason's garden, the well of living and life-giving waters that pour forth in a rushing stream from divine Lebanon and flow down from Mount Zion until they surround the shores of every far-flung nation. With divine assistance she has redirected these waters and made them into streams of peace and pools of grace. Therefore, when the Virgin of virgins was led forth by God and her Son, the King of kings, amid the company of exulting angels and rejoicing archangels, with the heavens ringing with praise, the prophecy of the psalmist was fulfilled, in which he said to the Lord: At your right hand stands the queen, clothed in gold of Ophir.
RESPONSORY
A great sign appeared in the heavens:
a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet,
--and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
The queen, clothed in cloth of gold,
stood on your right hand.
--And upon her head a crown of twelve stars.
PRAYER
Father,
you have given us the mother of your Son
to be our queen and mother.
With the support of her prayers
may we come to share the glory of your children
in the kingdom of heaven.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
The Twenty-second Day of August
Note: this martyrology was compiled in the 1950s and thus refers to the old liturgical calendar.
The Octave of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A solemn octave.
The Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the same Blessed Virgin Mary. A totum duplex feast of the second class.
At Rome, on the Via Ostia, the birthday of St. Timothy, martyr. He was arrested by Tarquin, prefect of the city, and suffered a long imprisonment because he refused to sacrifice to idols. He was scourged on three occasions and, after passing through the most painful tortures, was at last beheaded.
At Autun, St. Symphorian, martyr. In the reign of the Emperor Aurelian, he refused to offer sacrifice to idols; (for this) he was first beaten and then imprisoned. He at last completed his martyrdom by being beheaded. A memory.
At Portus Romanus, St. Hippolytus, bishop, a man of great renown for his learning. Under the Emperor Alexander, for his noble confession of the faith, his hands and feet were tied and he was thrown into a deep pit full of water, thus receiving the palm of martyrdom. His body was buried by the Christians at the same place.
At Todi in Umbria, the birthday of the Florentine St. Philip Benizi, confessor. He was a zealous promoter of the Order of the Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and was a man of great humility. The Sovereign Pontiff, Clement X, added his name to the list of the saints. His festival, however, is observed on August 23.
At Rome, St. Antoninus, martyr. He loudly declared himself to be a Christian, and was condemned by the judge Vitellius to capital punishment. He was buried on the Via Aurelia by Rufinus, a priest.
At Tarsus in Cilicia, the commemoration of the holy martyrs Athanasius, bishop, Anthusa, a noble lady whom he had baptized, and also her two servants Charisius and Neophytus. All of them suffered in the reign of the Emperor Valerian.
At Portus Romanus, the holy martyrs Martial, Saturninus, Epictetus, Maprilis, and Felix, with their companions.
At Nicomedia, the suffering of the holy martyrs Agathonicus, Zoticus, and their companions, under the Emperor Aurelian and the governor Eutholmius.
At Rheims in Gaul, the holy martyrs Maurus and his companions.
In Spain, the holy martyrs Fabrician and Philibert.
At Pavia (in Italy), St. Gunifort, martyr.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
August 21, 2002
On Misreading the Pope
United Press International's religion editor Uwe Siemon-Netto has a great article on Pope John Paul II:
Commentary: Misreading the Pope
By Uwe Siemon-Netto
UPI Religion Correspondent
From the Life & Mind Desk
Published 8/19/2002 3:53 PM
View printer-friendly version
WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- After an emotional four-day visit to
Poland, Pope John Paul II headed back to the Vatican.
No, he did not stay in his native Poland.
What's so surprising about this? Only one question: Why would
professional pope watchers think the 82-year old pontiff might
chicken out of his ministry at this late stage and not return to
Rome?
Did they really believe that this man who has stood up to the
Nazis, the Communists, and a potential assassin had suddenly
turned into a petit bourgeois, who says, "Ah, it's so cozy at
home. I'll stay. Let others worry now about evangelizing the
world."
Misreading this Pope is of course a quintessentially postmodern
malady. We live in a time when it's fashionable to abandon one's
responsibilities. Husbands and wives run away from each other at
the flimsiest excuses. Parents abandon their children or just
have them killed before birth when it seems inconvenient to carry
a pregnancy to term.
Ministers break their ordination vows when their faith has turned
wobbly. For some churches, mission has become superfluous, and
the will of God, though clearly articulated in Scripture,
optional.
The zeitgeist, or spirit of time, rejects and ridicules key
Christian tenets, such as discipleship, and the sovereignty of
God over all life. But John Paul II excels precisely by not
kowtowing to the zeitgeist for one second, never mind that some
trendy folk hate him for his hard-nosed stance that man has no
right to usurp God's place, as he told his fellow Poles last
weekend.
John Paul II is relentless in remaining true to himself and his
mission. This is what makes him such an extraordinary pope,
possibly the most impressive in almost 2,000 years of church
history.
This is also why wherever this severely handicapped man shows up,
his hands twitching, saliva dripping from the side of his mouth,
millions of young people flock to him.
Some 2.7 million attended his mass in Cracow, Poland. Alright, so
he is a great national figure in his homeland. But they wouldn't
have come had he been just a prominent old gentleman in a white
frock.
They came -- as did those youngsters in Toronto recently --
because at heart they understood that John Paul had a hugely
important message to convey, though they themselves might not
accept it for their own lives; after all, all are fallible.
But the divine law written upon every human being's heart told
them -- and tells us -- that this pope is right. And Scripture
tells us that true Christian discipleship requires taking up our
particular cross. Scripture also assures us that this cross will
never be heavier than we can carry. In John Paul's case it
happens to be weighty.
"Christ did not come down from his cross," John Paul II keeps
saying, implying that as one who emulates Christ he, the pope,
will not terminate his mission until God, the sovereign of all
life, will put an end to it.
Let's face it, those Pope watchers, who keep cooking up rumors
about their man shuffling about a Polish park in felt slippers
soon, like some retired postal clerk, are simply caught up in
their own postmodern narcissism. This is why they fail to grasp
the essence of this remarkable man.
He is a Christian determined to show the world what it is like to
follow Christ. If he gave up now he'd make a mockery of his
life's work. He'd betray all those young people who surround him
wherever he appears, seeking guidance for their own lives.
Pray, what is so difficult to understand here? As long as he is
still in control of his senses, he is not going to do it. Period.
A Dogmatic Poem
A dogmatic poem - doesn't that sound like something Belloc would come up with?
Glory to God the Father
and to the Son, King of the universe.
Glory to the Spirit,
worthy of praise and all holy.
The Trinity is one God
who created and filled all things:
the heavens with heavenly beings,
the earth with creatures of earth,
the sea, the rivers and springs
with creatures of the waters,
giving life to all things by his Spirit,
that all creatures
might sing the praises of their wise Creator,
who alone gives life and sustains
all life in being.
Above all others, let the creature who reasons
celebrate him always
as the great King and good Father.
Saint Gregory Nazianzen, Dogmatic Poems, XXXI, Hymnus alias: PG 37, 510-511, referenced in Pope John Paul II's Bull of Indiction of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, Incarnationis Mysterium.
The Gift of Tears
Here you'll find an English translation of the Mass for the Gift of Tears, newly restored to the third edition of the Missale Romanum.
And here you'll find the gift of tears.
The Jesuits and the Witch
Witch hired to teach at London Jesuit college
The British Jesuits' Heythrop College, part of the University of London, has appointed Vivianne Crowley, who describes herself as a Wiccan high priestess, as a visiting tutor. ...
The Forever War
or at least 1,400 years and counting.
This article by historian Paul Johnson, quoted recently by Matthew Alexander, provides some historical background for the "war on terrorism." Of course, it isn't really a "war on terrorism"; it is (or should be) yet another battle in our 1,400-year struggle to preserve Western civilization.
The current battles between Israel and Palestine are another front in the war: Israel is defending its local outpost of civilization against the barbarians blowing themselves up at the gates.
The Memorial of Pius X, pope
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for August 21, Memorial of Pius X, pope
Saint Pius was born in 1835 in the village of Riese in the province of Venice. After he became a priest he performed his duties with distinction. He became bishop of Mantua and patriarch of Venice, and was elected pope in 1903. He took as the motto of his reign to renew all things in Christ. He fulfilled this task in the spirit of simplicity, poverty and courage, arousing the faithful to a Christian way of life and waging constant warfare against the errors of his age. He died August 20, 1914.
From the apostolic constitution Divino afflatu of Pope Saint Pius X
(AAS 3 [1911], 633-635)
The song of the church
The collection of psalms found in Scripture, composed as it was under divine inspiration, has, from the very beginnings of the Church, shown a wonderful power of fostering devotion among Christians as they offer to God a continuous sacrifice of praise, the harvest of lips blessing his name. Following a custom already established in the Old Law, the psalms have played a conspicuous part in the sacred liturgy itself, and in the divine office. Thus was born what Basil calls the voice of the Church, that singing of psalms, which is the daughter of that hymn of praise (to use the words of our predecessor, Urban VIII) which goes up unceasingly before the throne of God and of the Lamb, and which teaches those especially charged with the duty of divine worship, as Athanasius says, the way to praise God, and the fitting words in which to bless him. Augustine expresses this well when he says: God praised himself so that man might give him fitting praise; because God chose to praise himself man found the way in which to bless God.
The psalms have also a wonderful power to awaken in our hearts the desire for every virtue. Athanasius says: Though all Scripture, both old and new, is divinely inspired and has its use in teaching, as we read in Scripture itself, yet the Book of Psalms, like a garden enclosing the fruits of all the other books, produces their fruits in song, and in the process of singing brings forth its own special fruits to take their place beside them. In the same place Athanasius rightly adds: The psalms seem to me to be like a mirror, in which the person using them can see himself, and the stirrings of his own heart; he can recite them against the background of his own emotions. Augustine says in his Confessions: How I wept when I heard your hymns and canticles, being deeply moved by the sweet singing of your Church. Those voices flowed into my ears, truth filtered into my heart, and from my heart surged waves of devotion. Tears ran down, and I was happy in my tears.
Indeed, who could fail to be moved by those many passages in the psalms which set forth so profoundly the infinite majesty of God, his omnipotence, his justice and goodness and clemency, too deep for words, and all the other infinite qualities of his that deserve our praise? Who could fail to be roused to the same emotions by the prayers of thanksgiving to God for blessings received, by the petitions, so humble and confident, for blessings still awaited, by the cries of a soul in sorrow for sin committed? Who would not be fired with love as he looks on the likeness of Christ, the redeemer, here so lovingly foretold? His was the voice Augustine heard in every psalm, the voice of praise, of suffering, of joyful expectation, of present distress.
RESPONSORY - 1 Thessalonians 2:4, 3
God has found us worthy to be ministers of his Gospel,
and so when we speak,
--we strive to please God and not men.
Our preaching does not spring from error, or impure motives,
or a desire to deceive.
--We strive to please God and not men.
PRAYER
Father,
to defend the Catholic faith
and to make all things new in Christ,
you filled Saint Pius X
with heavenly wisdom and apostolic courage.
May his example and teaching
lead us to the reward of eternal life.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
The Twenty-first Day of August
St. Jane Frances Fremiot de Chantal, foundress of the Order of the Nuns of the Visitation of St. Mary, whose birthday is mentioned on December 13. A duplex feast.
At Rome, in the Veranus field, St. Cyriaca, widow and martyr. In the persecution of Valerian, she bestowed all her goods and her time in ministering to the saints. Then she freely gave her life also, undergoing martyrdom for the sake of Christ.
In the country of Gevaudan (in Gaul), St. Privatus, bishop and martyr, who suffered in the persecution of Valerian and Gallienus.
At Salona in Dalmatia, St. Anastasius, a law officer. Seeing Blessed Agapitus enduring his torments with constancy, he was converted to the faith. He was slain at the command of Aurelian the Emperor for confessing Christ's name, and passed to the Lord a martyr.
In Sardinia, the birthday of the holy martyrs Luxorius, Cisellus, and Camerinus, who were slain with the sword, under Delphius the govcrnor, in the persecution of Diocletian.
On the same day, the holy martyrs Bonosus and Maximian.
At Fundi in Latium, St. Paternus, martyr. He had come from Alexandria to Rome to visit the tombs of the Apostles. Departing thence to Fundi, he was seized by the tribune for burying the bodies of the martyrs and died in chains.
At Edessa in Syria, the holy martyrs Bassa and her three sons, Theogonius, Agapius, and Fidelis. In Maximian's persecution, their holy mother encouraged them and sent them before herself with their crowns of martyrdom. She herself was beheaded and joyfully followed them to the victory.
At Verona, St. Euprepius, bishop and confessor.
Likewise, St. Quadratus, bishop.
In Auvergne in Gaul, St. Sidonius, bishop, noteworthy for learning and holiness.
At Siena in Tuscany, Blessed Bernard Ptolomei, abbot, founder of the Congregation of Olivetans.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
August 20, 2002
Canticle addition
Tobacco and coffee, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt Him above all forever.
How on earth did Rome and Western civilization rise without tobacco and coffee?
How does she do it?
If you don't read Amy Welborn's blog, you're out of the loop. Does she have an intravenous news feed?
Military martyrs
Apropos of relapsed catholic's post on military saints, folks might be interested in David Woods' Military Martyrs website.
A sample: here's who Saint Christopher really was.
Memorial of Bernard, abbot and doctor
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for August 20, Memorial of Bernard, abbot and doctor
Saint Bernard was born in 1090 near Dijon in France. After a religious upbringing, he joined the Cistercians in 1111 and later was chosen abbot of the monastery of Clarivaux. There he directed his companions in the practice of virtue by his own good example. Because of schisms which had arisen in the Church, he traveled all about Europe restoring peace and unity. He wrote many theological and spiritual works. He died in 1153.
From a sermon by St. Bernard, abbot
(Sermo 83, 4-6: Opera omnia, Edit. Cisterc. 2 [1958], 300-302)
I love because I love, I love that I may love
Love is sufficient of itself, it gives pleasure by itself and because of itself. It is its own merit, its own reward. Love looks for no cause outside itself, no effect beyond itself. Its profit lies in its practice. I love because I love, I love that I may love. Love is a great thing so long as it continually returns to its fountainhead, flows back to its source, always drawing from there the water which constantly replenishes it. Of all the movements, sensations and feelings of the soul, love is the only one in which the creature can respond to the Creator and make some sort of similar return however unequal though it be. For when God loves, all he desires is to be loved in return; the sole purpose of his love is to be loved, in the knowledge that those who love him are made happy by their love of him.
The Bridegroom's love, or rather the love which is the Bridegroom, asks in return nothing but faithful love. Let the beloved, then, love in return. Should not a bride love, and above all, Love's bride? Could it be that Love not be loved?
Rightly then does she give up all other feelings and give herself wholly to love alone; in giving love back, all she can do is to respond to love. And when she has poured out her whole being in love, what is that in comparison with the unceasing torrent of that original source? Clearly, lover and Love, soul and Word, bride and Bridegroom, creature and Creator do not flow with the same volume; one might as well equate a thirsty man with the fountain.
What then of the bride's hope, her aching desire, her passionate love, her confident assurance? Is all this to wilt just because she cannot match stride for stride with her giant, any more than she can vie with honey for sweetness, rival the lamb for gentleness, show herself as white as the lily, burn as bright as the sun, be equal in love with him who is Love? No. It is true that the creature loves less because she is less. But if she loves with her whole being, nothing is lacking where everything is given. To love so ardently then is to share the marriage bond; she cannot love so much and not be totally loved, and it is in the perfect union of two hearts that complete and perfected marriage consists. Or are we to doubt that the soul is loved by the Word first and with a greater love?
RESPONSORY - Psalm 31:20; 36:9
Lord, how great are the hidden treasures of your goodness,
--which you have stored up for those who fear you.
They are filled with the bounty of your house;
and you give them to drink from the stream of your delights.
--Which you have stored up for those who fear you.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father,
Saint Bernard was filled with a zeal for your house
and was a radiant light in your Church.
By his prayers
may we be filled with this spirit of zeal
and walk always as children of light.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with joy and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
The Twentieth Day of August
In the country of Langres, the death of St. Bernard, first Abbot of Clairvaux, glorious in his life, teaching and miracles. The Sovereign Pontiff, Pius VIII, declared and confirmed that he was a Doctor of the Universal Church. A duplex feast.
At Monte Senario in Etruria, the birthday of St. Manettus, confessor, one of the seven founders of the Order of the Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He died as he was repeating a hymn to her. His feast, with that of his companions, is kept on February 12.
In Judea, St. Samuel the Prophet, whose holy relics (as St. Jerome writes), Arcadius the Emperor transferred to Constantinople, and buried near Septimum.
On the island of Cyprus, St. Lucius, a senator. He was converted to the faith of Christ by seeing the constancy of Theodore, Bishop of Cyrene, in his martyrdom. He also led to the faith Dignian the governor, with whom he went to Cyprus, where he saw other Christians crowned for confessing the Lord. He willingly offered himself and merited the same crown of martyrdom by beheading.
In Thrace, thirty-seven holy martyrs who, under the governor Apellian, were cast into a burning furnace for the Christian faith, after their hands and feet had been cut off.
In the same place, the holy martyrs, Severus and Memnon the centurion, who obtained their martyrdom by a similar death, and went as victors to heaven.
At Cordoba in Spain, the holy martyrs Leovigild and Christopher, monks. They were cast into prison for their defense of the Christian faith during the persecution of the Arabs. After their necks were broken, they were burned alive and thus obtained the crown of martyrdom.
On the island of Her (off the coast of Poitou), St. Philibert, abbot.
At Rome, Blessed Porphyry, who was a man of God. He taught the martyr St. Agapitus the faith and doctrine of Christ.
In the village of Chinon in Gaul, St. Maximus, confessor, a disciple of the Blessed Bishop Martin.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
August 19, 2002
The Three General Grants
No, not Ulysses. We're talking indulgences, baby! These are grants of indulgences from the 1969 Enchiridion of Indulgences:
First General Grant
A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, in the performance of their duties and in bearing the trials of life, raise their mind with humble confidence to God, adding--even if only mentally--some pious invocation.
So your son can't wipe his behind yet and calls out, "Daddy! I've pooped!" Raise your mind with humble confidence to God, mutter "Jesus, Mary and Joseph" and commence wiping.
Second General Grant
A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who in a spirit of faith and mercy give of themselves or of their goods to serve their brothers in need.
Parenthood in a spirit of faith and mercy = constant partial indulgence
Third General Grant
A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who in a spirit of penance voluntarily deprive themselves of what is licit and pleasing to them.
Sometimes with little kids around, the "voluntary" part is difficult. Do your best.
St. Blog's Parish Bulletin
Does anyone know how movabletype's syndication thingie works? I'm doing some reading this afternoon to try to figure it out. From what I gather so far, syndicating a blog somehow makes the blog's entries available to email and news reader programs:
...checking email...
"Hey - Mark Shea has a new blog entry!"
...surf to Mark's blog...
The Memorial of John Eudes, priest
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for August 19, the Optional Memorial of John Eudes, priest
Saint John Eudes was born in the diocese of Séez in France in the year 1601. After his ordination to the priesthood he spent several years in giving missions. Then he founded congregations dedicated to improving priestly formation and to encouraging morally endangered women to lead Christian lives. He also fostered great devotion to the hearts of Jesus and Mary. He died in 1680.
From a treatise on the admirable Heart of Jesus by Saint John Eudes, priest
(Lib. 1, 5; Opera omnia 6, 107. 113-115)
The source of salvation and true life
I ask you to consider that our Lord Jesus Christ is your true head and that you are a member of his body. He belongs to you as the head belongs to the body. All that is his is yours: breath, heart, body, soul and all his faculties. All of these you must use as if they belonged to you, so that in serving him you may give him praise, love and glory. You belong to him as a member belongs to the head. This is why he earnestly desires you to serve and glorify the Father by using all your faculties as if they were his.
He belongs to you, but more than that, he longs to be in you, living and ruling in you, as the head lives and rules in the body. He desires that whatever is in him may live and rule in you: his breath in your breath, his heart in your heart, all the faculties of his soul in the faculties of your soul, so that these words may be fulfilled in you: Glorify God and bear him in your body, that the life of Jesus may be made manifest in you.
You belong to the Son of God, but more than that, you ought to be in him as the members are in the head. All that is in you must be incorporated into him. You must receive life from him and be ruled by him. There will be no true life for you except in him, for he is the one source of true life. Apart from him you will find only death and destruction. Let him be the only source of your movements, of the actions and the strength of your life. He must be both the source and the purpose of your life, so that you may fulfill these words: None of us lives as his own master and none of us dies as his own master. While we live, we are responsible to the Lord, and when we die, we die as his servants. Both in life and death we are the Lord's. That is why Christ died and came to life again, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Finally, you are one with Jesus as the body is one with the head. You must, then, have one breath with him, one soul, one life, one will, one mind, one heart. And he must be your breath, heart, love, life, your all. These great gifts in the follower of Christ originate from baptism. They are increased and strengthened through confirmation and by making good use of other graces that are given by God. Through the holy eucharist they are brought to perfection.
RESPONSORY - Romans 14:9, 8, 7
Christ died and rose to life,
that he might be the Lord of the living and the dead.
--Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
None of us lives just for himself,
and none of us dies for himself alone.
--Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
PRAYER
Father,
you chose the priest John Eudes
to preach the infinite riches of Christ.
By his teaching and example
help us to know you better
and live faithfully in the light of the gospel.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
The Nineteenth Day of August
At Vercelli (in Italy), the holy virgin Emily Bicchieti, a nun of our Order, who, living in prayer, was inflamed with the desire of experiencing the sufferings of Christ. A semi-duplex feast.
At Rome, St. Julius, senator and martyr. He was given over to the judge Vitellius, who cast him into prison. At the command of the Emperor Commodus, he was beaten with clubs until he died. His body is buried in the cemetery of Calepodius on the Via Aurelia.
At Anagni, St. Magnus, bishop and martyr, who was slain in the persecution of Decius.
In Cilicia, the birthday of the tribune St. Andrew, and his fellow soldiers. When a victory had been obtained by divine power over the Persians, Andrew and his companions were converted to the faith of Christ. In the reign of the Emperor Maximian, having been accused of being Christians, they were slain in a pass of Mount Taurus by the army of the governor Seleucus.
In Palestine, St. Timothy, martyr. In the persecution of Diocletian, under the governor Urban, Timothy was burned alive after he had endured many tortures. Thecla and Agapius suffered at the same place. The former was exposed to the beasts and, torn by their teeth, passed to her heavenly Spouse; but Agapius, after suffering many tortures, was reserved for greater trials.[1]
At Rome, St. Sixtus III, pope and confessor.
In Provence, at the village of Brignoles, the death of St. Louis, Bishop of Toulouse, of the Order of Friars Minor. He was a man renowned for holiness of life and for his miracles. His body was taken to Marseilles and honorably buried in the Church of the Friars Minor; afterward it was taken to Valencia in Spain and enshrined in the cathedral.
Near Sisteron in Gaul, Blessed Donatus, priest and confessor. From his earliest years he was wondrously endowed with God's grace, and led for many years the life of a hermit. He went to Heaven renowned for glorious miracles.
In the neighborhood of Bourges, St. Marianus, confessor. St. Gregory, Bishop of Tours, highly praised his virtues and miracles.
At Mantua, St. Rufinus, confessor.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Footnotes:
[1] See his entry under November 20.
August 18, 2002
Protestants and Humanae Vitae
Here's Kathryn Jean Lopez's review of Open Embrace: A Protestant Couple Rethinks Contraception.
More works from Kathryn Jean Lopez and a quick biography.
Ollie, Who Ya?
Oh boy. It's tempting to rant about the music you hear at Mass, and I shouldn't, but...
Ollie Ollie Ollie
Lou Ooo Yuh
Ollie Ollie Ollie
Lou Ooo Yuh
Ollie Ollie Ollie
Lou Ooo Yuh
Ollie-looyuh, Alleluia.
It's bouncy, don't 'cha know?
Saint Brady :-)
Remember Dan Schutte's little hymn-ditty-thing, "Here I Am, Lord"? Well, you should since you probably sang it this weekend at Mass. Anyway, doesn't it remind you of another song you know by heart?
Here I am, Lord
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
Here's the story
Of a lovely lady
Who was bringing up three very lovely girls...
Old Thunder
My wife is awesome. After my all-nighters early in the week, she rewarded me with Joseph Pearce's new biography of Hilaire Belloc, Old Thunder.
So far, Hilaire has met Elodie and his monthly magazine Paternoster Review has just gone under after six issues. Pearce is sparing with the details of Belloc's early life, but the ones he chooses are quite good, pointing the way toward his subject's later works and proclivities.
Catholic Authors
CatholicAuthors.com . You'll find some excellent introductions to a large list of writers. Print out the lists and take them to your library!
Blessed Anna Maria Taigi
http://users.erols.com/saintpat/ss/0609.htm#anna
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta0n.htm
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14430b.htm
http://www.fcsn.k12.nd.us/Shanley/broanth/taigi.htm
A biography, Wife, Mother and Mystic
Her shrine is in the church of St Chrysogonus, 44 Piazza Sonnino, Rome
Illinois Homeschool Alert
The Governor's Commission on Revising the Illinois School Code has proposed changes to the school code that would violate the privacy of homeschooling families, significantly expand the jurisdiction of the state's authority over our children and potentially limit parental choice.
For more information and to see what you can do, visit http://members.wri.com/billw/illinois-school-code/
The Eighteenth Day of August
At Savigliano in Piedmont, Blessed Aimo Taparelli confessor, of our Order. He was outstanding by the holiness of his life, his learning, and his prolonged and extraordinary labors for the preservation of the Catholic faith. He was taken to Heaven on the Feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, for whom he had an extraordinary devotion. A semi-duplex feast.
At Palestrina (in Italy), St. Agapitus, martyr. He was only fifteen years old but already fervent in the love of God when he was arrested by order of the Emperor Aurelian. He was savagely flogged with raw sinews. Later, under the governor Antiochus, he underwent more grievous sufferings. Then, by command of the Emperor, he was thrown to the lions. When these did not harm him, he was put to the sword and thus gained his crown. A memory.
At Rome, blessed John and Crispus, priests. In the persecution of Diocletian, they dutifully buried the bodies of many saints. Later, they themselves shared with them the merit of martyrdom and thus procured for themselves the joys of life eternal.
Also at Rome, the holy martyrs Hermas, Serapion, and Polyaenus, who were dragged through narrow, rocky, and rough places until they rendered up their souls to God.
In Illyria, the holy martyrs Florus and Laurus, stone-cutters. When their masters Proculus and Maximus had met their deaths by martyrdom under the governor Lician, they themselves were, after many sufferings, drowned in a deep well.
At Myra in Lycia, the holy martyrs Leo and Juliana.
At Metz in Gaul, St. Firminus, bishop and confessor.
At Rome, on the Via Lavicana, St. Helen, the mother of that religious emperor, Constantine the Great. He was the first to show to other princes an excellent example of the manner in which the Church should be protected and multiplied.
V. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
R. Thanks be to God.
Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Second Reading from the Office of Readings of the Liturgy of the Hours for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
From a homily on Matthew by St. John Chrysostom, bishop
(Hom. 15, 6. 7: PG 57, 231-232)
Salt of the earth and light of the world
You are the salt of the earth. It is not for your own sake, he says, but for the world's sake that the word is entrusted to you. I am not sending you only into two cities only or ten to twenty, not to a single nation, as I sent the prophets of old, but across land and sea, to the whole world. And that world is in a miserable state. For when he says: You are the salt of the earth, he is indicating that all mankind had lost its savor and had been corrupted by sin. Therefore, he requires of these men those virtues which are especially useful and even necessary if they are to bear the burdens of many. For the man who is kindly, modest, merciful and just will not keep his good works to himself but will see to it that these admirable fountains send out their streams for the good of others. Again, the man who is clean of heart, a peacemaker and ardent for truth will order his life so as to contribute to the common good.
Do not think, he says, that you are destined for easy struggles or unimportant tasks. You are the salt of the earth. What do these words imply? Did the disciples restore what had already turned rotten? Not at all. Salt cannot help what is already corrupted. That is not what they did. But what had first been renewed and freed from corruption and then turned over to them, they salted and preserved in the newness the Lord had bestowed. It took the power of Christ to free men from the corruption caused by sin; it was the task of the apostles through strenuous labor to keep that corruption from returning.
Have you noticed how, bit by bit, Christ shows them to be superior to the prophets? He says they are to be teachers not simply for Palestine but for the whole world. Do not be surprised, then, he says, that I address you apart from the others and involve you in such a dangerous enterprise. Consider the numerous and extensive cities, peoples and nations I will be sending you to govern. For this reason I would have you make others prudent, as well as being prudent yourselves. For unless you can do that, you will not be able to sustain even yourselves.
If others lose their savor, then your ministry will help them regain it. But if you yourselves suffer that loss, you will drag others down with you. Therefore, the greater the undertakings put into your hands, the more zealous you must be. For this reason he says: But if the salt becomes tasteless, how can its flavor be restored? It is good for nothing now, but to be thrown out and trampled by men's feet.
When they hear the words: When they curse you and persecute you and accuse you of every evil, they may be afraid to come forward. Therefore he says: "Unless you are prepared for that sort of thing, it is in vain that I have chosen you. Curses shall necessarily be your lot but they shall not harm you and will simply be a testimony to your constancy. If through fear, however, you fail to show the forcefulness your mission demands, your lot will be much worse, for all will speak evil of you and despise you. That is what being trampled by men's feet means."
Then he passes on to a more exalted comparison: You are the light of the world. Once again, "of the world": not of one nation or twenty cities, but of the whole world. The light he means is an intelligible light, far superior to the rays of the sun we see, just as the salt is a spiritual salt. First salt, then light, so that you may learn how profitable sharp words may be and how useful serious doctrine. Such teaching holds in check and prevents dissipation; it leads to virtue and sharpens the mind's eye. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor do men light a lamp and put it under a basket. Here again he is urging them to a careful manner of life and teaching them to be watchful, for they live under the eyes of all and have the whole world for the arena of their struggles.
RESPONSORY - Acts 1:8; Matthew 5:16
You will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
--and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.
Your light must shine before men,
so that they may see your good works
and give praise to your Father in heaven.
--And you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth.
PRAYER
God our Father,
may we love you in all things and above all things
and reach the joy you have prepared for us
beyond all our imagining.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Let us praise the Lord.
--And give him thanks.
