St. Scholastica

(Mass at Montecassino, in the Crypt Chapel where Ss. Benedict and Scholastica are buried)

Twins often share the same interests and ideas with an equal intensity. Therefore, it is no surprise that Scholastica and her twin brother, Benedict, both established religious communities within a few miles from each other.

The twins were born in 480 of wealthy parents. Scholastica and Benedict were brought up together until he left for Rome to continue his studies.

We don’t know much about Scholastica's early life. She founded a religious community for women near Monte Cassino, five miles from where her brother was the abbot of a monastery.

The twins visited each other once a year in a farmhouse because Scholastica was not permitted inside the monastery. They spent these times discussing spiritual matters.

According to an account written by Pope St. Gregory, the brother and sister spent their last day together in prayer and conversation. Scholastica sensed her death was close at hand and she begged Benedict to stay with her until the next day.

He refused her request because he did not want to spend a night outside the monastery, thus breaking his own Rule. Scholastica asked God to let her brother remain and a severe thunderstorm broke out, preventing Benedict and his monks from returning to the abbey.

Benedict cried out, "God forgive you, Sister. What have you done?" Scholastica replied, "I asked a favor of you and you refused. I asked it of God and he granted it."

Brother and sister parted the next morning after their long discussion. Three days later, Benedict was praying in his monastery and saw the soul of his sister rising heavenward in the form of a white dove. Benedict then announced the death of his sister to the monks and later buried her in the tomb he had prepared for himself.

O God, who for a testimony to the path of innocency didst cause the soul of thy holy Virgin Saint Scholastica to enter heaven in the appearance of a dove; grant unto us, that by her merits and intercession we may walk in such innocency of life; that we may be worthy to attain everlasting felicity; Through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Crumbs that satisfy...

Jesus arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house, and would not have any one know it; yet he could not be hid. But immediately a woman, whose little daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, "Let the children first be fed, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." But she answered him, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." And he said to her, "For this saying you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter." And she went home, and found the child lying in bed, and the demon gone.

Mark 7:24-30

We do not presume to come to this thy Table, O merciful Lord, trusting in our own righteousness, but in thy manifold and great mercies. We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy Table. But thou art the same Lord, whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord, so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his Body, and our souls washed through his most precious Blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. Amen.

St. Jerome Emiliani

O God, the father of mercies, we pray thee, that like as thou didst raise up thy blessed Saint Jerome Emiliani to be the defender and father of the fatherless: so we, which by thy Spirit of adoption are called and are indeed thy children, may, by his merits and intercession, evermore continue steadfastly therein; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord; Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

St. Jerome Emiliani was born in the 15th century, and as a young man he became a soldier for the city-state of Venice. During that time he wasn’t terribly religious; in fact, he was fairly selfish, and didn’t think much about other people. He loved the life of a soldier, and was never happier than when he was heading off to do battle against someone else. One day, when he was engaged in a minor battle, Jerome was captured and chained in a dungeon. While he was in prison, Jerome had a lot of time to think. He began to think about his life, and he began to think about God, and gradually he learned how to pray. One day he managed to escape from prison. He returned to Venice to his family, and with nothing else to do, he took charge of the education of his nephews. At the same time, he began his own studies for the priesthood.

St. Jerome was eventually ordained, and settled into the life of a parish priest. But soon after his ordination, God began to call St. Jerome into a new ministry – not in a parish, but a ministry which would reach far beyond a single parish. A terrible plague was sweeping across Europe, and there was widespread famine throughout northern Italy where St. Jerome was. He began caring for the sick and feeding the hungry at his own expense. While serving the sick and the poor, he made the decision to devote himself and all his resources to assist others, particularly for the care of abandoned children. He founded three orphanages and a hospital.

In about the year 1532, Jerome and two other priests established a religious congregation dedicated to the care of orphans and the education of youth. Jerome died in 1537 from a disease he caught while tending the sick. He was eventually canonized, and was named the universal patron of orphans and abandoned children.

Nothing new under the sun...

The commemoration of St. Paul Miki and his twenty-five companions serves as a stark reminder of the fickle nature of secular powers. The beginning of the Catholic mission in Japan was in 1549, under an agreement with the daimyo, not because a new religion was particularly wanted, but because there was a hope of opening trade with the Europeans, and additionally, the shogunate wanted something to neutralize the growing influence of the Buddhist monks. Things didn’t develop to the satisfaction of those in the imperial government, and because there was no further usefulness in having Catholics in Japan, the great round-up began. Christianity was banned. Those who refused to abandon the Faith were killed.

It was on 5 February 1597 that twenty-six Christians – six European Franciscan missionaries, three Japanese Jesuits and seventeen Japanese laymen including three young boys – were executed by crucifixion in Nagasaki on the orders of the daimyo, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. Before they were raised up on crosses and pierced through with spears, they had been mutilated by each having an ear cut off, and then force-marched for some six hundred miles as a visible warning to any who might have been reluctant to give up the Faith. The government officials had decided the Catholics were expendable, so the final act was to make a public exhibition of that fact, on a hill overlooking Nagasaki.

The daimyo might now be called “Mr. President,” and the shogunate referred to as “honorable members of Congress,” but not much else has changed. As we’ve seen, even in this great nation of ours, as long as there was the possibility of the Catholic leadership serving some purpose by propping up a particular political platform, there was a certain level of tolerance. But now that the complete agenda of those in secular power is there for the world to see, and now that it has dawned on our ecclesiastical authorities that perhaps they had been pathetically credulous, just wait for it -- our current administration will be as merciless as a 16th century Japanese daimyo.

We can give thanks to God that our bishops have become unified as almost never before, as our president wields a hammer which threatens to smash our constitutional rights of freedom and conscience. Of course, word must translate into action, and on this there can be no compromise. Some of these very bishops will soon be raised to the office of Cardinal in the Church. The last time Pope Benedict XVI did this, he reminded them that the scarlet red of their vesture signifies the dignity of their new office and that they must be ready "even to the point of spilling your blood for the increase of the Christian faith, for peace and harmony among the people of God, for freedom and the spread of the Holy Roman Catholic Church."

If that’s what it takes, then that’s what it takes, and we’ll be ready to stand with them.

From Newman House Press...

Newman House Press announces the publication of

OREMUS
LET US PRAY
The Collects of the Roman Missal

Fr. Peter Stravinskas writes,

"...Newman House Press is pleased to fill a liturgical gap created by the new translation of the Mass. As you know, the collect of a day's Mass is normally that of the Divine Office as well. There is currently a "disconnect" between the text of the Mass and the old version found in the Liturgy of the Hours. To address that, we have "collected" the collects of the Roman Missal in common with the Office and put them into one volume. The book is 400 pages in length (texts in Latin and English on facing pages) and available within the month for $25, plus $5 for shipping and handling. Checks should be made out to Newman House Press. For one month, we are offering a pre-publication discount of five dollars. For orders of five or more to the same address, a reduced rate is also applicable."

You may contact:

Rev. Peter M. J. Stravinskas, Ph.D., S.T.D.
Newman House
601 Buhler Court
Pine Beach, New Jersey 08701

The Holy Martyrs of Japan

Confirmation and First Communion

So there are another ninety-six fully-fitted soldiers of Christ unleashed on the world!  The Mass and administration of Confirmation this morning was a beautiful occasion, and it's always wonderful to administer First Holy Communion to the newly-confirmed.  Forty-four of the confirmandi are our second graders, and they made their first confessions earlier in the week, all in preparation for this great day.  Now it's time to get all the red vestments put away, and lay out everything we need for the Sunday Masses.  Several of the first communicants promised they'd hold their heads up and be ready to receive Holy Communion tomorrow -- enough of the "little kids' blessings" for them!

By the intercession of St. Blaise...

The Mass this morning for the faculty and students of The Atonement Academy was especially beautiful. We celebrated it in Latin according to the Ordinary Form, with Gregorian chant provided by the schola comprised of young men in our Upper School. There was also a gorgeous anthem by one of our several school choirs...hauntingly lovely.

And, of course, there was the blessing of throats! More than six hundred of them, keeping St. Blaise very busy with his heavenly intercession. Every year on this day I love to see the really young ones coming to the rail for their blessing. Because they're accustomed to staying in their places every other day at the time of Holy Communion, there's a combination of excitement and hesitation on their little faces as they come forward. But it's a blessing they want, and most of them make sure they keep their heads up so those St. Blaise candles can hit the mark!

"By the intercession of Saint Blaise be healed of all ailments of the throat, and all other ailments, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

St. Blaise, Bishop & Martyr

St. Blaise was a physician and Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia. He lived in a cave on Mount Argeus and was a healer of men and animals. According to legend, sick animals would come to him on their own for help, but would never disturb him at prayer.

Agricola, governor of Cappadocia, came to Sebaste to persecute Christians. His huntsmen went into the forests of Argeus to find wild animals for the arena games, and found many waiting outside Blaise's cave. Discovered in prayer, Blaise was arrested, and Agricola tried to get him to recant his faith. While in prison, Blaise ministered to and healed fellow prisoners, including saving a child who was choking on a fish bone; this led to the blessing of throats on Blaise's feast day.

Thrown into a lake to drown, Blaise stood on the surface and invited his persecutors to walk out and prove the power of their gods; they drowned. When he returned to land, he was martyred by being beaten, his flesh torn with wool combs (which led to his association with and patronage of those involved in the wool trade), and then beheading.

St. Blaise has been extremely popular for centuries in both the Eastern and Western Churches and many cures were attributed to him. In 1222 the Council of Oxford prohibited servile labour in England on his feast. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. He is invoked for all throat afflictions, and on his feast two candles are blessed with a prayer that God will free from all such afflictions and every ill all those who receive this blessing.

— Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

The latest Crusader Bulletin

Read the latest issue of the Crusader Bulletin here.

Candlemas

It is a good and just king who obeys his own laws. And at the time of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, God was doing just that. As the Incarnate Word, He conformed Himself to all those laws which were meant to honour Him. And it took place in the very Temple which was built to worship Him. Old Simeon had waited for years and he had seen countless infants brought into the Temple, but by the stirring of the Holy Ghost within him he knew this was the One. The veil was lifted from Simeon’s eyes, foreshadowing the future day when the Temple veil would be torn in two. The Infant in Simeon’s arms was an image of the Victim on the arms of the Cross. And the aged prophet’s words to the Virgin Mother would be fulfilled when she stood beneath the cross, entering into her Son’s suffering.

This is a continuing epiphany, an ongoing revelation of our Lord. It reminds us of the importance of obedience as we see Christ’s obedience. It reminds us of the importance of waiting upon God as we hear of the waiting of Simeon and Anna. And it reminds us of the importance of offering our best love to God as we witness Joseph and Mary offering back to God the Beloved Infant entrusted to them, giving us a foretaste of the Mass itself, in which Christ is offered to the Father.

Almighty and Everliving God, we humbly beseech thee that, as thy only begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Archbishop's Letter

The recent HHS mandate requiring every employer (including the Catholic Church) to provide insurance which offers completely free sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs and contraception to all employees (whether they want it or not) has caused our bishops to speak out with one voice, and they say, "No!"  We have some difficult times ahead of us, and the bishops have asked that we fast and pray, with the intention of turning back this assault on faith and conscience.

Our own Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller has issued a letter which is to be read out at all Masses in the archdiocese this weekend.  I have uploaded a copy of it at this link.

Blinded by what is familiar...

Jesus went away from there and came to his own country; and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house." And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

St. Mark 6:1-6

When Jesus came to Nazareth, it led to a difficult situation. He was coming to His home town. These were the people who had known Him since He was a boy among them, and because they had known Him for so long, there was no hesitation to criticize Him. The situation is well within the experience of most people – a member of our family, or someone we’ve known all our lives, moves on to some great success. At first we’re proud that we know him. But then people begin to pick at him and his new life. Observations like, “I remember when he used to get into things as a kid around here,” and “I used to babysit for him, and I remember changing his diapers,” pretty soon lead to statements like, “He sure thinks he’s important,” and “Look at him, coming back here and acting like he’s better than everybody else.” There’s an old saying: “Familiarity breeds contempt,” and that’s what happened to Jesus as He came back to Nazareth.

This wasn’t a casual visit meant to renew old acquaintances and to visit His mother Mary. No, He came this time accompanied by his disciples – that is to say, he came as a rabbi, a teacher. He went into the synagogue and He taught, and His teaching wasn’t received with enthusiasm, but instead they heard it with contempt – “…and they took offense at him.” He opened up the scriptures to them, and told them that the words of the prophets were being fulfilled, but all they could see in front of them was a man whom they had known for years, and who had worked in the local carpenter’s shop. They couldn’t imagine that a mere carpenter would have the kind of wisdom that seemed to be contained in his words.

And there’s another interesting thing in this passage. They said, “Is not this Mary’s son?” - a clear indication that Joseph had died by this time, which meant that His mother was simply a local widow being cared for by her extended family, with no particular position in society. And they said, “Don’t we know his brothers and sisters?” Now, of course, the words for brothers and sisters are really from the more generic idea of “family” or “cousins,” so it’s apparent that Jesus had plenty of relatives who were just ordinary residents of Nazareth.

So then, the people of Nazareth despised Him because they knew His family and He was just a working man. The result of all this was that Jesus could do no mighty works in Nazareth. The people wanted something more dramatic, they wanted someone more mysterious and perhaps more famous to give them the message Jesus was giving them. But God most often works through the familiar. Water, oil, bread, wine, even imperfect men can communicate to us the Living God. He became one of us so that we can become one with Him. If people refuse to understand that, then they are missing the opportunity of opening wide the door for our Lord Jesus Christ, who stands at that door and knocks.

St. John Bosco

St. John Bosco was born near Turin, Italy, in 1815. His father died when John was only two years old, but his mother made sure he received a good education. His early years were financially difficult but at the age of twenty he entered the major seminary, thanks to the financial help received from a benefactor. John Bosco was ordained a priest on June 5, 1846.

At this time the city of Turin was on the threshold of the industrial revolution and as a result there were many challenges and problems, especially for the young men who came there to work. Many of them had little or no education, and since they worked long hours, there were few opportunities to get an education. Gifted as he was as an educator and a leader, Don Bosco formulated a system of education based on "reason, religion and kindness." In spite of the criticism and violent attacks of the anti-clericals, he conducted workshops for the tradesmen and manual laborers, schools of arts and sciences for young workers, and schools of the liberal arts for those preparing for the priesthood. In 1868 there were 800 students involved in this educational system. To ensure the continuation of his work, Don Bosco founded the Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), which was approved in 1869. Also, with the help of Sister Mary Dominic Mazzarello, he founded the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Auxiliatrix.

He also found time to write popular catechetical pamphlets, which were distributed throughout Italy, as was his Salesian Bulletin. This great apostle of youth died on January 31, 1888, and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934. Pope John Paul II named him "teacher and father to the young."

O God, who didst raise up as a teacher and father unto the young thy holy Confessor St. John Bosco; we beseech thee that we likewise may be so set on fire of love, that we may seek diligently after souls, and give ourselves wholly unto thy service; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

"...in the Pope's house."

Here's a video taken at a recent Angelus address, where the Holy Father is releasing a couple of doves from his window.  As you can see, the birds aren't too eager to fly away, and one of them circles for a moment, and dives into the window, flying over the pope's head.  Pope Benedict, always unflappable, says, "Mama mia!  They want to be in the Pope's house!"

Apparently there are a lot of Anglicans who feel the same way.

96 Soldiers of Christ...

This will be a grace-filled and busy week.  On Saturday I will be presenting ninety-six candidates to Bishop Cantu, to receive the sacrament of Confirmation.  Forty-four of them are our second-grade children, who will also be receiving their First Holy Communion.  The remaining number of candidates are other children in the parish who are not enrolled in the school, and also a large number of adults -- converts to the Catholic faith, or reverts (baptized Catholics who fell away years ago, and who have now been called back to the practice of their faith). 

Fr Moore and I have begun hearing their confessions, but we have lots more scheduled throughout the week.  Please pray for all those who will be receiving the bountiful grace of God through the sacraments, that they all may be steadfast soldiers of Christ!

Epiphany IV

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and in our time grant us thy peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

There are increasing assaults being directed against the faith and consciences of Catholics in this country, and our bishops have asked us to pray for the freedom of the Church. Let us enlist the help of St. Michael the Archangel, by using this prayer daily:

St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

The Angelic Doctor

One of the greatest Catholic teachers in the history of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas is honored with the titles Doctor of the Church and Angelic Doctor.

His parents had plans for him. In the year 1230, when he was only five years old, they took him to the Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino, and it was their hope that he would choose to become a Benedictine there, and eventually become abbot. In 1239 he was sent to Naples to complete his studies. It was here that he was first attracted to philosophy of Aristotle, and he saw how that philosophy could be used in the service of Catholic theology.

Thomas abandoned his family's plans for him and he joined the Dominicans, much to his mother's dismay. In fact, she ordered one of her other sons to capture Thomas away from the Dominicans, and he was kept at home for over a year. Of course, that couldn’t last forever, and once he was free, he went to Paris and then to Cologne, where he finished his studies with St. Albert the Great. He eventually became a professor at the University of Paris, and was known throughout the Church as one of the great scholars of all time.

But along with him fame as a scholar, he remained modest, a perfect model of childlike simplicity and goodness. He was known for his mild in speaking and for his great kindness. Whatever clothing or other items he could give away, he gladly did. He kept nothing superfluous in his efforts to alleviate the needs of others.

His great Summa – which was his last and, unfortunately, uncompleted work, is a compendium of the whole of Catholic theology. He stopped work on it after celebrating Mass on December 6, 1273. When asked why he stopped writing, he replied, "I cannot go on.... All that I have written seems to me like so much straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me." He died just a few months later.

Almighty God, who hast enriched thy Church with the singular learning and holiness of thy servant St. Thomas Aquinas: Enlighten us more and more, we pray thee, by the disciplined thinking and teaching of Christian scholars, and deepen our devotion by the example of saintly lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

St Angela Merici

Although she was called to the celibate life, and therefore had no children of her own, St Angela Merici had the heart of a mother. Born in 1474 in Verona, and it being a time when the education of children was scarcely a consideration, St Angela had a great concern for the Catholic formation of the children of poor families. She began classes for them, teaching them their catechism. Over the years more young women joined her in teaching, and the concentration came to center more on the forming of young girls, preparing them to be strong in their faith and so be able to pass this on to their own children. Eventually the community of teachers was organized as the Sisters of St Ursula, who have had an important role in the history of Catholic education.

O Almighty God, who hast compassed us about with so great a cloud of witnesses: Grant that we, encouraged by the good example of thy servant St. Angela Merici, may persevere in running the race that is set before us, until at length, through thy mercy, we may with her attain to thine eternal joy; through Jesus Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Ss. Timothy & Titus

Almighty God, who didst call Ss. Timothy and Titus to do the work of evangelists and teachers, and didst make them strong to endure hardship: Strengthen us to stand fast in adversity, and to live godly and righteous lives in this present time, that with sure confidence we may look for our blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A most wonderful blessing...

Yesterday something really wonderful happened right after the students' Mass. A young girl who is in her senior year was baptized. That by itself is tremendous. What makes this particularly special is that she travelled here from China to go to the Atonement Academy Upper School. She found our school by searching on the internet, and made all the arrangements to come to this country -- not an easy process! She was raised with no religion, and when she arrived she didn't speak any English. Now she is getting ready to graduate, speaks fluent English, has done very well academically, and has freely embraced the Catholic faith. Today, she received her first Holy Communion. Her name is Tara (a shortened form of her Chinese name) but she has taken Maria as her baptismal name (after Maria Goretti). What a time to rejoice!

What thrill it was to hear the students of the Upper School, gathered to witness the baptism of their classmate, joining in this prayer from our baptismal rite:

Almighty and everlasting God, heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace, and faith in thee: increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy Holy Spirit to this thy Servant, that she may be born again, and be made an heir of everlasting salvation; through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the same Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Conversion of St. Paul

O God, who, by the preaching of thine apostle St. Paul, hast caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we beseech thee, that we, having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, may show forth our thankfulness unto thee for the same by following the holy doctrine which he taught; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Last Day of the Octave

That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Today's intention is that missionary zeal will conquer the world for Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

St. Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales was known as the “gentleman saint” because of his gracious and gentle nature. In fact, it was he who said, “A spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrelful of vinegar.” But it wasn’t always so with him. By his own admission, he had a very quick temper, and although it took him more than twenty years to master it, no one suspected he had such a problem because he worked so hard to suppress it. With the “let it all hang out” attitude which is so prevalent today, probably psychologists and counselors wouldn’t think that was such a good idea – but by exercising self-control under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, St. Francis was able to achieve great sanctity.

O God, who for the salvation of souls didst cause thy blessed Confessor Saint Francis de Sales to become all things to all men: pour into our hearts, we pray thee, the sweetness of thy charity; that by the direction of his counsels and the succor of his merits we may attain to the joys of life everlasting; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Seventh Day of the Octave

That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Today's intention is that the Jewish people will be converted and find their inheritance in the Catholic Faith.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Here's the latest Crusader Bulletin...

Catch up on all the Academy activities -- read the Crusader Bulletin here.  By the way, we have received a record number of applications for the next academic year.  If you're hoping for a place for your child, but haven't yet applied, go here for instructions.

Sixth Day of the Octave

That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Today's intention is that lapsed Catholics will return to the Sacraments of the Church.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Fifth Day of the Octave

That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Today's intention is that Christians in America may be one, in union with the Chair of Saint Peter.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

+ + + + +

"My dear friends, we want to realize in our lives that, when we work, we should work in such a way as to earn the rewards of eternal life. Many men work and they work hard, but they do not have a supernatural motive behind them. Some men work very hard, but they work so hard for six days in the week that they are too tired to go to church on Sunday. Now that work is not laying up treasure in Heaven. There is the possibility of doing everything you do in this world for the constraining love of Christ, and then you put a supernatural motive behind it. Not even a cup of water given to a thirsty traveler in Christ’s name goes without its reward."

- Fr Paul of Graymoor

Bless the unborn children...

O Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians,
we beg you to protect all mothers of the unborn
and the children within their wombs.

God's Little Lamb

Almighty and everlasting God, who dost choose those whom the world deemeth powerless to put the powerful to shame: Grant us so to cherish the memory of thy youthful martyr St. Agnes, that we may share her pure and steadfast faith in thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Today is St. Agnes' Day, when we commemorate the young girl who was martyred for her faith in c.304.  We know little of her life, other than her pure dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ and her willingness to lay down her life out of love for Him. 

Every year on this day, the Holy Father blesses the lambs whose wool will be used to make the pallium which is given to each metropolitan archbishop. The pallium is a sign of the special bond each archbishop has with the Successor of St. Peter.

Fourth Day of the Octave

Pictured: The Corpus Christi Cross at Graymoor

That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Today's intention is for the return of all Protestants throughout the world to the unity of the Catholic Church.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

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More than one hundred years ago, Fr Paul Wattson carried a sixteen-foot cedar cross through the wilds of Graymoor to the summit of the Holy Mountain where it still stands today, weathering time and the elements. It is a testament to the vision of At-One-Ment of mankind with God and with one another.

The Society of the Atonement

A brief video telling of the beginning of the Society of the Atonement, founded by Fr Paul and Mother Lurana...

Third Day of the Octave

That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Today's intention is for the return of Anglicans to the authority of the Vicar of Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

Can't say it better than this...

A thought for this time of prayer for Christian unity:

"...there is no unity without truth. Truth first, unity afterwards, truth the cause, unity the effect. To invert this order is to overthrow the Divine procedure. The unity of Babel ended in confusion; the union of Pentecost fused all nations into one Body and one dogma of the Faith….Truth alone generates unity.”

- Henry Edward Cardinal Manning

Second Day of the Octave

That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Today's intention is for the return of the Eastern Orthodox Christians to communion with the Apostolic See.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

+ + + + +

"My dear friends, we see all around us saintly souls, not merely in the priesthood or in the religious life. We meet them in the daily walk of life as we come in contact with pious, holy Christian men and women of prayer, men and women who from their childhood have always been most anxious to do the things that pleased God, to listen to that still, small voice, who never undertook any important thing in life until they first sought wisdom and guidance by prayer or taking counsel with some godly servant of the Most High, and we admire those fellow-Christians, and why should it not be so with all of us?"

- Fr Paul of Graymoor

Praying twice...

It was tremendously inspiring at Mass today, to hear 550 students singing this hymn to the wonderful hymn tune "Thaxted," from Gustav Holst's "The Planets." On the way out of Mass a second grader plucked on my chasuble and said, "That was a really pretty song, Father." One of the little joys of having a parish school...


To thee, O gracious Father, we lift our loving hearts;
to us the Bread of Heaven eternal life imparts.
We thank thee for thy favor that marks us as thine own;
Lord, keep us ever faithful, who come before thy throne.
What love thou hast bestowed on us,
a love which makes us free!
It cleanses us from ev'ry sin,
and keeps us close to thee.

To thee, O Christ our Savior, we come for saving grace;
we see how tender love is, by looking on thy face.
Keep us from all things hurtful by the power of thy Cross;
and help us to remember our gain comes from thy loss.
What heav'nly Food is ours, Lord,
this Food which makes us free!
It fills our hearts and makes us whole,
and keeps us close to thee.

To thee, O Holy Spirit, we whisper our desire;
our lives are empty vessels: Lord, fill them with thy fire.
Make us thy faithful people who seek to do thy will;
give us thy gifts of power, our empty hearts to fill.
What peace that passes ev'ry thought,
that peace which makes us free!
It banishes each doubt and fear,
and keeps us close to thee.

From thee, O Triune Godhead, salvation is come down;
Atonement now is given, mankind receives his crown.
In Sacrament tremendous we touch eternity;
we love thee, God our Savior: thou art our destiny.
O Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
our faith shall never cease!
In thee we have eternal life,
and never-ending peace.

Text: Fr. Christopher G. Phillips, 1990
Music: “Thaxted” by Gustav Holst, 1874-1934

Our Lady and Unity

Statue originally from Graymoor, now in our Lady Chapel.

Closely associated with the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity is the Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of the Atonement. In her we see complete unity with God, and unity with us as members of the Church. Through her obedience she became one with His divine Will; as she stood beneath the cross, we were given to her as her children; and as she was with the apostles on Pentecost, she was shown to be a type of the Church.

Fr. Paul of Graymoor, who established the Octave, had a great devotion and deep love for Our Lady of the Atonement. Here are some of his words about her:

Since the time that Christ Jesus walked this earth as the God-Man, there have been, over the centuries, numerous titles which have arisen to give honor to his most holy mother. In the early centuries of the Church, she was known as Theotokos, or God-bearer, and as time passed, the Blessed Virgin Mary was honored with many other titles. Some of these titles are more widely known than others, but all convey a distinct attribute of Mary as a person who has found favor with God. Some of these titles describe her state of life, such as Our Lady of Grace. Others denote a location where she may have spoken spiritually to an individual, such as Our Lady of Fatima. In some titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she is associated with the redeeming work of her Son, and there are many such examples of this. But perhaps no other title in the world better describes the fullness of Mary's relationship with her Son as does the title of Our Lady of the Atonement.

The title embraces two mysteries of our faith: first, the atonement -- the wonderful at-one-ment which was achieved by our Lord Jesus Christ as He shed His Most Precious Blood upon the Cross at Calvary, through which came the reconciliation of man with God, and of man with man, making us "at one" in His Sacred Heart; and second, the role of Our Lady in the atonement wrought by God -- her coöperation with the Divine Will at the annunciation, and her participation in her Son's sufferings and death as she stood at the foot of the Cross. These words which Simeon spoke to her came to pass: "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." The crowning act of Redeeming Love -- the Atonement upon the Cross of Jesus Christ is for all of us the means whereby mankind finds salvation. Here Jesus gave us the greatest gift -- His precious life. Here he gave us His Blessed Mother. Here Mary stood -- here we stand, next to Her, at the foot of the Cross. We are children of the Atonement and the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, is Our Lady who bears witness to Christ's Atonement.

Octave begins today...

That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

Today's intention is for the return of the "other sheep" to the One Fold of our Lord Jesus Christ.

O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

+ + + + +

"As the Immaculate Heart of Mary, His Mother, beats in perfect union with the Sacred Heart of her divine Son, we can readily perceive how dear the cause of Catholic unity is to her also. It should be your desire, as loving Children of the Atonement, to be united in all things with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and, therefore, we too should ardently desire the return of the 'other sheep,' particularly those of the Anglican household of faith, to the unity of the one fold under the one supreme shepherd, the Pope of Rome."

- Fr Paul of Graymoor

Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity

On January 18th begins the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, a period of eight days set apart for the express purpose of seeking “that unity which was prayed for by Christ Himself.” This was the inspiration given by God to Fr. Paul of Graymoor who, with Mother Lurana, founded the Society of the Atonement in Graymoor, New York. An excellent history of this work is found on the site of Centro Pro Unione.

Known more familiarly today as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the traditional prayers set by Fr. Paul are as follows:

ANTIPHON: That they all may be one, as Thou, Father, in me and I in Thee; that they also may be one in Us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.

V. I say unto thee, thou art Peter;
R. And upon this rock I will build my Church.

[Here is brought to mind the intention for the day's prayer.]

January 18: For the return of the "other sheep" to the One Fold of our Lord Jesus Christ.

January 19: For the return of the Eastern Orthodox Christians to communion with the Apostolic See.

January 20: For the return of the Anglicans to the authority of the Vicar of Christ.

January 21: For the return of all Protestants throughout the world to the unity of the Catholic Church.

January 22: That Christians in America may be one, in union with the Chair of Saint Peter.

January 23: That lapsed Catholics will return to the Sacraments of the Church.

January 24: That the Jewish people will be converted to the Catholic Faith.

January 25: That missionary zeal will conquer the world for Christ.

Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who saidst unto Thine Apostles: Peace I leave you, My peace I give to you; regard not our sins, but the faith of Thy Church, and grant unto her that peace and unity which are agreeable to Thy Will; Who livest and reignest ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

+  +  +  +  +

Father Paul considered the Octave as the greatest project which came from Graymoor, and even though it was overshadowed by the less-specific "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" during his own lifetime, he rejoiced that those separated from the Catholic Church felt called to observe the January period as a time of prayer for unity. Even though their concept of unity differs from that of the Catholic Church, it is significant that so many pray for the unity which God desires for His people.

The Octave, as originally conceived by Father Paul, reflects the unchanging truth that there can be no real unity apart from union with that Rock, established by Christ Himself, which is Peter and his successors. For that reason, St. Peter is considered the special Patron of the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity.

The trip of a lifetime...

January 17th is an anniversary of sort. It was exactly thirty years ago that my family and I arrived in San Antonio from Rhode Island. We had driven for almost five days, having left New England in the midst of a near-blizzard. Before we left, I had taken our rather decrepit Volkswagen to a mechanic, and when I asked him if we’d make it to Texas his reply was, “Hell, Mister, I don’t think you’ll make it out of town!” We did, though. We arrived with our (then) three very young children, our dog and a hamster, along with whatever supplies we could pack in around them.

On the day we left Rhode Island I was removed from the clerical ranks of the Episcopal diocese – officially deposed. My salary had been terminated, we were immediately stricken from all diocesan insurance policies, and even my small pension plan had been confiscated. As we approached San Antonio, we were entering the unknown. I wasn't sure even how to start a new work, and I had no idea how to be a pioneer. Of course, God had a plan. It would have been nice at the time to have known what it was, but I suppose He wanted us to learn to walk in faith, which we did.

Looking back, those were some tough days. Fortunately, I was (and still am) blessed with a wife who understood as I did: God had called us to become Catholics and to cooperate with Him in establishing this parish. And it was fortunate, too, that she was able to create a meal out of next to nothing, since we had virtually no money. But as difficult as those times were, they were exciting, too. We were doing something worthy, something that hadn’t been done before. Big challenges led to little victories, as we worked and waited for a year an a half in the hope that the Holy Father would grant my petition and allow my ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. Happily, he did.

A lot of memories can get packed into thirty years, but of all of them perhaps the most vivid is when we caught sight of the sign that said "Entering San Antonio." Actually, it probably should have said, "Entering the most exciting and blessed time of your life!"

Digging Into God's Word...

For more than a quarter of a century I’ve been teaching an on-going scripture course at the parish for anybody who wants to come. Back in the early years we had classes on Sunday mornings between Masses – those were the days when there was such a thing as “between Masses.” As the parish has grown, so has the Mass schedule, so we moved the scripture study to Wednesday evenings. It’s not one of those "sit-around-and-share-your-ignorance" kinds of classes. It involves real teaching and real learning.

I’ve loved studying the scriptures from the time I was very young. When I finally settled down into my undergraduate program (after my first-year detour into organ performance and church music), I majored in Biblical Studies. Interesting though it was, something wasn’t really clicking with me. I listened carefully. I took meticulous notes. I did well on the exams. I graduated in fine shape with a combined Biblical Studies/Philosophy degree, and then I went off for further studies in England. But my study of the scriptures seemed to be missing something. There was a hole there, a void. I got used to it, though, and so I thought that it must be all right. I assumed that must be what everyone experiences.

It was after becoming a Catholic that I decided to go back, on my own, and have another look at the Bible in a systematic way. Since I’m quite convinced that the best way to learn is to teach, that’s what I decided to do, so for better or for worse, the parish got a “Pastor’s Bible Study” injected into its schedule.

Actually, it seems that it was “for better.” I prepared, and people came. And I discovered what had been missing before. I had been reading the Bible with protestant eyes. But to read it as a Catholic with a Catholic understanding, it all came together in a way which was utterly profound. For the more than twenty-five years I’ve been teaching the course, we have been criss-crossing between Old Testament and New, and for all that time I have been seeing the Catholic Church gazing off the pages at me. Sacrifice and sacrament, the spread of the Church with the spread of the Gospel, the Gospel accounts of the life of Christ, all the teaching of St. Paul – when you read it with Catholic eyes, it all comes together, and it makes wonderful, eternal sense.

This discovery excited me when I was a young Catholic priest, just starting out, and it has continued to be one of the joys of my life as a pastor, to help open up the Scriptures to others. As St. Jerome said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Brother, you can say that again!

For those who might be interested, you can hear some of the sessions on podcast here.  We're studying St. Luke's Gospel right now, so those sessions will be uploaded as they're available.

Christ the Light

Almighty God, whose Son our Saviour Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that thy people, illumined by thy Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that He may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Spirit liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Great Rood

This story has been on the blog before, but I'm posting it again because it's one of the stories our parishioners should know as part of our history:

One of the striking features when entering our church is the almost life-sized crucifix (in earlier English useage, known as the "rood")surmounting the rood screen. It marks the boundary between the nave and the sanctuary. How it came to be here belongs to the lore of our parish.

When the church was built in 1987 there was but a simple wrought iron rail where people knelt to receive Holy Communion. When it was installed it was thought of as temporary, because the plan all along was to construct a rood screen with a communion rail incorporated into it. I found the right carpenter to build it, and plans were started. The search began for the great crucifix which would crown the screen. Catalogues were scoured, but I found nothing suitable. Word came that there was a large crucifix stored in the basement of a local convent. I went to look at it, but it wasn’t the right size. One day the idea came to me to call the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement in Graymoor. I spoke to Sr. Alexis Joseph, S.A., who was a good friend of the parish, and the godmother of one of my daughters.

“Sister, you don’t know of any large crucifixes looking for a home, do you?” I asked. “No, I don’t,” Sister replied, “but if I hear of anything I’ll let you know.” I hung up the phone, not feeling very hopeful. Scarcely had the receiver been replaced, and the phone rang. It was Sister Alexis Joseph. “You’re not going to believe this,” she said, and then went on to tell me, “I had just hung up the phone from our conversation, and when I happened to look out the window there was a truck with a trailer behind it coming into the convent driveway. I could see there was something wrapped up on the trailer, and when I went out to greet the two men in the truck, they told me that they had salvaged something from their church in upstate New York, which was undergoing ‘renovations.’ When I asked them what it was they told me that it was a really big crucifix.”

Apparently these faithful Catholic men couldn’t bear the thought of it being thrown out, so they decided to load it onto a trailer and drive to Graymoor because, in their words, “the Sisters will know what to do with it.” Sister Alexis Joseph went on to tell me, “I shouldn’t have been surprised that it arrived just as you were looking for it!”

So the Sisters shipped it to Texas, where it had a short wait for the screen to be built. When it was installed in the church it was as though it was put in the home for which it was always intended. Sister Alexis Joseph died a few years ago, but I think of her frequently as I pass under the great crucifix into the sanctuary, and I pray for the repose of her soul. She was such a delightful woman and a faithful religious, and she told me that her role in finding our crucifix was one of her truly unexpected joys. And I offer an occasional prayer of thanksgiving for those men, too, who like Simon of Cyrene, helped to carry the cross to where it belonged.

"Greater love hath no man than this..."

Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

The summary of the law. Come to Mass at Our Lady of the Atonement, and that’s one of the first things you hear. It gets right down to business. There’s nothing timid about what gets laid out in front of us, and if anybody doesn’t like it, then there’s no point in sticking around. It tells us that Christ’s religion is serious and practical business.

Jesus links the love of our neighbor with our love of God. We love God by loving our neighbor, even when it’s not convenient. The cup of water we give to someone who is thirsty, we’ve given to God. The food we give to the hungry, we’ve given to God. So if we haven’t given the cup of water or the morsel of food where it’s needed, and it’s within our ability to do so, then we’ve denied it to God.

We’re a people who are called to love. Not the squishy-fuzzy-warm feeling kind of love, but a manly and active love, a love that does the right thing. When we love, it’s because we have first been loved by God in Jesus Christ. Christ’s death and resurrection free us to love God and to love our neighbor. No longer do we love just because we have to; we love because now we’re actually able to love. We love because God has loved us in Christ with the greatest love we will ever know - the crucified love of Jesus Christ.

St. Benedict Biscop (c. 628 – 690)

I love telling the stories of the saints. Having Mass every day as we do at the school, it means our children get to know authentic heroes, men and women who show selflessness and genuine godliness in their lives. They are ordinary people made extraordinary by God’s grace. And as we meet them each year, it begins to dawn on many of the students, “if they could do it, maybe I can too.”

Today we commemorate St. Benedict Biscop. He’s not the best known saint, by any means. He didn’t suffer for his faith. He lived fairly comfortably when compared to his contemporaries. But he had a sense of destiny, not just for himself, but for his people. He was (as hagiographers are so fond of saying) “of noble birth,” whatever that means. I suppose it means he didn’t grow up in a hovel, and his parents must have had more than a couple of coins to rub together. He served his king and he was rewarded with his own land grant. The typical “local lad makes good” story.

It could have stopped there. A young man, a property owner, a good Catholic boy, who might have settled down and married the maiden next door, have a passel of children, pass into old age and a quiet death, unknown except to those closest to him. And that would have been fine, if God hadn’t had other plans for him.

Benedict Biscop wanted to travel. He wanted to go to Rome. There was a deep desire within him to make his own kind of ad limina. Saints had lived there, and they had died there, and he wanted to see it, experience it, soak it in for himself. He wanted to pray at the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul. He wanted to take in the beauty of it all. And he did, not only once, but several times. In fact, much of his life was spent traveling back and forth to Rome, and what he saw there he wanted to carry back to his own people. And that he did too. Art, liturgy, theology, music, everything he experienced in that great city of faith was something he knew would benefit his people in cold, far-away Northumbria.

Here’s part of the spiritual genius of St. Benedict Biscop. Great music, great art, great architecture isn’t just for the great centers of civilization. God intends it for us all. He has created us with a hunger for such things. The good abbot built the first stone structure his people had ever seen. He brought the finest continental glaziers to wild Northumbria to give his monastery unheard-of glass windows. He filled the place with paintings which served as poor men’s books. He established the expectation of learning amongst his monks, astonishing even them with what they could accomplish. His work reached even a young boy named Bede who came and never left.

When it comes to fitting out God’s house, and the worship offered within it, it takes godly imagination, obedience to Catholic tradition, a readiness to reach higher than one thought possible, a desire to do all things well for God. It was done by Benedict Biscop then, and we can do it now.

O God, by whose grace thy servant St. Benedict Biscop, enkindled with the fire of thy love, became a burning and a shining light in thy Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and may ever walk before thee as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Give thanks at all times...

And immediately Jesus left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered together about the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him pursued him, and they found him and said to him, "Every one is searching for you." And he said to them, "Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out." And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

- St Mark 1:29-39

Jesus is in Capernaum, and by His words and His actions He is manifesting His power, the power of God. Many people heard Him and witnessed what He was doing – it was no secret – and so in the evening there were crowds of people gathering outside the house of Simon Peter, where Jesus was staying. They had brought their sick loved ones for Him to heal, and we’re told that they came “that evening, at sundown,” because it had been the Sabbath, and because of that they would not have been able to carry the sick (which would have been considered to be work) until the Sabbath was ended.

In the account of this day, there are three circumstances in which Jesus healed: first, in the synagogue; second, in the house of Simon Peter; and third, outside in the street. As a result of these occasions of the manifesting His healing power, people now were flocking to Jesus because they recognized that here was someone who could actually do things. They had heard His words, yes – but here was someone who not only spoke, but who also acted. And yet, in their coming to Him, we see the beginnings of trouble, of misunderstanding. The crowds were coming, for the most part, because they wanted something from Him. They weren’t coming simply because they loved him; they weren’t coming because they had been moved by His words and wanted to hear more. They were coming because they wanted something from Him.

Unfortunately, all too often we approach God like that. For every time we remember to thank God, there are hundreds of times we are asking Him for something. We should not come to God only in bad times, when things are in a mess, or when some tragedy happens. Certainly, God is concerned for us then -- but we need to have gratitude and love for God, too. God isn’t someone to be used only in difficult times, but He is to be loved at all times, and remembered every day of our lives.

Word speaking word...

And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

- Mark 1:21-28

Our Lord Jesus Christ is God Incarnate – God come to earth in human flesh. And why did He do that? To set us free from all those things that hold us back from being what God intends us to be – that is, to be in complete communion with Him. In St. John’s Gospel, Christ is called “Logos,” the “Word.” God’s Word has power to set us free and to transform our lives. When Jesus taught He spoke with authority. He, as the Word, spoke the word of God as no one had spoken it before. When the Rabbis taught, it was necessary for them to quote other authorities. The prophets spoke with authority not their own, and they would begin their statements with, “Thus says the Lord.” When Jesus spoke He needed no other authorities to support His statements. He was authority Incarnate – the Word of God made flesh. When He spoke, God spoke. When He commanded even the demons obeyed.

We receive another lesson from this Gospel. We hear the demons acknowledge the power of Jesus – they knew who He was. But belief isn’t enough – just because they knew who He was, didn’t mean they had faith as we understand faith. And even faith, without carrying it out in works of love, isn't enough. Our faith must be made “incarnate” by doing what God commands. Even the demons we read about in the Gospels confessed a sort of faith, but they certainly had no love. Scripture tells us that true faith works through love. Our faith is made perfect in love because love directs our lives toward the supreme good which is God Himself, as well as towards the good of our neighbor, who is created in the image and likeness of God.

Faith is a free gift of God, and it is the conforming of our will to the whole truth that God has revealed. The Lord gives us His Holy Spirit to enlighten our minds so that we may grow in His truth and in the knowledge of His great love for each of us, which He has shown by coming to us as the Incarnate Word.

Faith

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen…”

Such a paradox, it seems. Eternal life is promised, but only in death is the promise fulfilled. Glorious resurrection is assured, but physical decay is the door through which it comes. In Christ we are made righteous, even as sin attracts us still. Happiness is our true destiny, but it is the gift of the Man of Sorrows. All these things tell us poignantly that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Here is faith: anticipating our complete union with God, in the sure hope that God waits to receive us. Here is faith: waiting upon God, knowing that He is unchanging and always merciful, the One who brings good out of every circumstance. Here is faith: accepting the truth that without God we are incomplete, we are restless, and that we will find no completeness, no rest, apart from Almighty God.

Into our midst He came...

Into our human condition Christ came. Into our tragedies and our sicknesses and our confusions, into our every need, He came. He chose to become, really and entirely, very Man. He took our flesh and blood. He breathed our breath of life. He was, while He was here, a man with men. And so that we might not feel Him to be in His situation and condition to be above any of us, He actually chose to be below most of us, on a level with the most humble and helpless. He asked for no privilege as the Son of God. He went through all that man must endure. He had no desire to be spared any burden of our mortal state. As each thing came in the course of years, He accepted it. He hurried nothing. He waited until the years changed the baby into the child, and the child into the boy, and the boy into the man. He came to be among us, not as a passing vision, not as something strange, but to be “bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh.”

He accepted what was most universal in human experience, including pain and suffering. He was willing to be man. A simple, plain man was He, unknown, unhonoured in the world, “made like in all things unto his brethren.” He came because mankind is so precious in God’s sight. He died as we do, and in dying, so He died for each of us. And we must remember, too, that as He came for the good and the blessing of each of us, so He came for all those around us. He came for our friends and neighbours. He came for those whom we love, and for those whom we don’t especially like. He came for those from whom we are estranged and for those against whom we might have done some wrong. He was incarnate and He died, not only for those who hope that they are in His grace, and who live in His peace, but He came, too, for those who are misguided and blinded by the things of this world. He came for the outcast and the forsaken and foolish and for those who are in ignorance. He came for all sinners, for criminals, for those who seem to have no hope. He came for them all. He was “for a little while made lower than the angels.” He came to heal all of the unspeakable agonies that the multitudes have suffered from war and from disease and from every torture; He came to alleviate all that has been endured throughout the ages by those faithful departed whom we remember by name at the altar. For all of us He came.

It is a pretty season, this time of birth and guiding stars, this time of gifts and good feelings. But He came not to make it pretty. He came to make us whole.