St. Pius V, Our Lady of the Rosary, and the Battle of Lepanto

St. Pius V and the Battle of Lepanto

St. Pius V was the great reform pope after the Council of Trent. His greatest triumph is in international politics - the naval victory of the Catholic fleet against the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto. Victory was attributed to the aid of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Brief biographical sketch

St. Pius V (1504-1572 A.D.), was born at Bosco near Alessandria, Italy, on January 17. His real name was Antonio Michael Ghislieri. He entered the Dominican Order at fourteen years of age and was ordained in 1528 A.D. After teaching philosophy and theology for many years, he was appointed bishop of Nepi and Butri by Pope Paul IV in 1556 A.D. When in January 7, 1566 A.D., he was elected pope, he set at once into effect the decrees of Trent.

A saintly Dominican pope and achiever

As pope, St. Pius V continued to live the ascetic life and the virtuous practices he learned as a Dominican. He combined mystical union with God in prayer and a fervent zeal to reform the Church. He was known for his charity - especially of giving large sums to the poor. He also visited the sick in hospitals. In his work on Church reform, three are attributed to him: the Catechismus Romanus (1566 A.D.), the revised Roman Breviary (1568 A.D.), and a new Missale
Romanum (1570 A.D.). It was these achievements that gave him the honor as the great reform pope after the Council of Trent.

His international politics

Though St. Pius was able to reform the internal structure of the Church, he did not do as well in the realm of international politics. Especially noted was his excommunication (1570 A.D.) of Elizabeth of England. This only increased the persecution and oppression of English Catholics. Also, his conduct towards Spain and France brought about unfortunate outcomes.

The Battle of Lepanto

The greatest triumph of St. Pius V in international politics was the naval victory over the Turks at Lepanto (October 7, 1571 A.D.) - a naval battle fought off the coast of Lepanto, Greece. This was the first major defeat of the Muslims. The victory is attributed to the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose aid was invoked through praying the rosary. To commemmorate the victorious event, St. Pius V instituted on October 7 the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary and inserted the title Help of Christians in the Litany of the Virgin Mary.

Historical details of the Battle

The naval Battle of Lepanto was a battle between the Catholic fleet against the fleet of the Ottoman Empire. The Catholic armada consisted of 200 galleys, mostly Venetian and Spanish, and was commanded by Don Juan of Austria. This Catholic armada engaged in battle with the Turkish fleet of 300 ships inside the entrance to the Gulf of Lepanto. The Turks suffered a crushing defeat in spite of their superior numbers. This victory the Catholics attributed to the aid of strength provided them through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Death of St. Pius V

After the naval victory at Lepanto, St. Pius attempted to form an alliance of the Italian cities, France, Poland, and other Christian nations of Europe to march against the Turks. However, he died in Rome on May 1, 1572 A.D. He was canonized in 1712 A.D.

Related resources:

• "A History of the Church", by August Franzen and John P. Dolan
• "A Year with the Saints", by Don Bosco Press Inc.
• "Dictionary of Saints", by John J. Delaney
• Encyclopedia International, volume 10

The Knowledge of God through the Spiritual Experience of the Mystics

The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism

Edited and with an Introduction by Bernard McGinn

Christian Mysticism defined
Author John A. Hardon, S.J., in his book, Pocket Catholic Dictionary, defines Christian mysticism as:

"The supernatural state of soul in which God is known in a way that no human effort or exertion could ever succeed in producing. There is an immediate, personal experience of God that is truly extraordinary, not only in intensity and degree, but in kind. It is always the result of a special, totally unmerited grace of God. Christian mysticism differs essentially from the non-Christian mysticism of the Oriental world. It always recognizes that the reality to which it penetrates simply transcends the soul and the cosmos; there is no confusion between I and Thou, but always a profound humility before the infinite Majesty of God. And in Christian mysticism all union between the soul and God is a moral union of love, in doing His will even at great sacrifice to self; there is no hint of losing one's being in God or absorption of one's personality into the divine.

Excellent reference for Christian mysticism
A good book to learn more in detail about Christian mysticism is, "The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism", by editor Bernard McGinn. This book is an accessible anthology of the Western Christian mystical tradition. It is very comprehensive, apt in its selection of texts, and is intelligently organized in one handy and easy to carry volume.

St. Athanasius of Alexandria, whose feast is celebrated on May 2, is featured in Part One of the book, while St. Catherine of Siena, whose feast is celebrated in April 29, is featured in Part Three of the book.

Book is divided into three main parts
In nearly one hundred selections spanning seventeen centuries, the book explores how human life is transformed through the search for direct contact with God. Uniquely organized by subject, this book includes accessible headnotes for each section, biographical sketches of the mystics, and a selected bibliography.

• Part one examines the preparation for encountering God through biblical interpretation and prayer;
• part two focuses on the mystics' actual encounters with God;
• and part three addresses the implications of the mystical life - showing how mystics have been received over time, and how they practice their faith through private contemplation and public ministry or apostolate.

Outline of the book


• Part One: Foundations of Mystical Practice
Mystics featured in Part One: Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Augustine of Hippo, Bernard of Clairvaux, Meister Eckhart, Madame Guyon, Athanasius of Alexandria, Evagrius Ponticus, James of Vitry, Catherine of Genoa, John of the Cross, Ephrem the Syrian, John Cassian, Symeon the New Theologian, Hadewijch of Antwerp, John Tauler, Teresa of Avila, Guigo I, Aelred of Rievaulx, Miguel de Molinos, Richard of St. Victor, Bonaventure, Marguerite Porete, Walter Hilton
• Section 1: Biblical Interpretation
• Section 2: Asceticism and Purgation
• Section 3: Prayer, Liturgy, and Sacraments
• Section 4: Inner and Outer Practices
• Section 5: Mystical Itineraries
• Part Two: Aspects of Mystical Consciousness
Mystics featured in Part Two: Augustine, William of Saint-Thierry, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Gregory Palamas, John of the Cross, Bernard of Clairvaux, Francis of Assisi, Henry Suso, Julian of Norwich, Simone Weil, Nicholas of Cusa, Johann Arndt, Dionysius, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Gregory the Great, Symeon the New Theologian, Hildegard of Bingen, Hugh of St. Victor, Richard Rolle, Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, George Fox, Angela of Foligno, John Tauler, John of the Cross, Therese of Lisieux, Maximus the Confessor, Meister Eckhart, Macarius, John Ruusbroec, Francis de Sales, Marie of the Incarnation
• Section 6: Living the Trinity
• Section 7: Encountering Christ
• Section 8: Love and Knowledge
• Section 9: Positive and Negative Ways to God
• Section 10: Vision, Contemplation, and Rapture
• Section 11: Distress and Dereliction
• Section 12: Deification and Birthing
• Section 13: Union with God
• Part Three: Implications of the Mystical Life
Mystics featured in Part Three: Francois Fenelon, Gregory the Great, Bernard of Clairvaux, Meister Eckhart, Catherine of Siena, Thomas Merton
• Section 14: Mysticism and Heresy
• Section 15: Contemplation and Action

St. Catherine of Siena, Patroness of Europe

On the life, writings and spirituality of St. Catherine of Siena, virgin and doctor

St. Catherine of Siena, 1347-1380 A.D.: together with St. Teresa of Avila, was declared a doctor of the Church in 1970 A.D.; she is the patron saint of Italy, of fire prevention, and of nursing.

Biographical sketch

Catherine Benincasa, now known as St. Catherine of Siena, was the youngest of 25 children - born in Siena to Giacomo [a prosperous cloth-dyer] and Lapa Benincasa. At six years of age, because of her spiritual giftedness, St. Catherine began to have mystical experiences - experiences that will mark her mission in the Church throughout her life.

Though urged by her parents to marry, St. Catherine resisted and instead entered the Third Order Dominicans [the Mantellata] in 1365 A.D. She was sixteen years old at the time. As a Third Order Dominican (Dominican tertiary), she began to lead a life of penance and prayer - according to the spirituality of her time (which was rigorous and severe compared to modern practices). At 18 years of age, St. Catherine mystically espoused Christ. Besides her mystical experiences and intense life of prayer, she ministered to the sick in hospitals - caring for those with leprosy and other distressing sickness.

St. Catherine possessed supernatural gifts and had an outspoken support of the Pope. It is her support of the papacy that gained her both supporters and enemies. Her enemies brought St. Catherine before a chapter general of the Dominicans in 1374 A.D. at Florence. But upon investigation, accusations against her were dismissed.

Back in Siena, St. Catherine cared for those stricken by the plague. Aside from taking care of plague victims, she also ministered to prisoners. St. Catherine was widely acclaimed for her holiness and for her peacemaking abilities, that she was called to arbitrate feuds and misunderstandings.

In 1375 A.D., something very extraordinary happened to St. Catherine. She was praying in the Church of St. Cristina in Pisa, Italy, when she received the 'stigmata' from Christ - piercing her hands, feet and side. [The stigmata are the "wounds of Christ" which Christ shares with some of His chosen servants]. The other popular saints who was known to have this stigmata was St. Francis of Assisi.

In 1376 A.D., St. Catherine was instrumental in the return of the Papacy from Avignon, France, to Rome. She also helped reconcile the differences between the city-state of Florence and the Holy See.

In 1378 A.D., a great schism in the Church began with the dispute on Urban VI's papacy. A group against Urban VI, elected an antipope and set up a papal court in Avignon. St. Catherine worked unceasingly to secure support for Urban VI's papacy. Urban VI brought her to Rome and made her his advisor. St. Catherine then continued in her work of prayerful support until her death in 1380 A.D. at 33 years of age.

Before her death, St. Catherine of Siena spent the rest of her days composing "The Dialogues", a book which she wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It was told that without knowing how to read or write, and with no theological education, she dictated all that was put in "The Dialogues" - which became a reason for consecration her as a doctor of the Church. Besides "The Dialogues", she also dictated letters to popes, cardinals, princes and politicians. There are about 382 letters of great interest; remarkable for its beauty and spirituality.

St. Catherine of Siena was declared a saint in 1461 A.D. by Pope Pius II; she was declared a doctor of the Church in 1970 by Pope Paul VI; and in 1999 A.D., Pope John Paul II declared her, along with two other female saints (Bridget of Sweden and Teresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein]), as one of the six patrons of Europe (together with Sts. Benedict, Cyril and Methodius).

Teaching and spirituality

The main point of St. Catherine of Siena's thought and spirituality is this: God is truth/love - truth that is love and love that is truth - revealed in Jesus Christ and discovered in knowledge of oneself in God and of God in oneself. The symbol that captures the reality of this dynamic is the heart: more specifically, the heart of Jesus revealing God's heart, and the human heart responding to God's heart incarnated in Jesus.

For Catherine of Siena, it is charity, love springing from God, from which the human heart receives the source of life. And the means by which the human heart can "see and experience" God in this life, is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and embrace the truth/love He is. This emphasis of St. Catherine of Siena on truth/love, and the charity that springs forth from God, reveals her life and spirituality as ultimately a life of charity. She has truly lived a life of charity - giving her whole self and life for the work of the Church, especially the unity needed in the Church of her time.

Excerpts from writings

Oh boundless charity! I am not surprised that in your
blood I find the power of compassion, for I see that it
was out of divine compassion, not because you owed it
to us, that you shed your blood. And you took vengeance on
the cruelest of cruelties, the cruelty we inflicted on
ourselves when by sin we made ourselves worthy of death
(Letter T210, to Matteo Cenni).

You must love [others] with the same pure love with
which I love you. But you cannot do this for me because
I love you without being loved by you, even before you
existed...[Y]ou cannot repay me. But you must give this
love to other people, loving with without being loved by
them. You must love them without any concern for your
own spiritual or material profit, but only for the glory
and praise of my name, because I love them (The
Dialogues 88 165)

Edited from the following sources:

• Saints for Our Time
• Doctors of the Church
• Spiritualities of the Heart
• Catherine of Siena: Passion for the Truth, Compassion for Humanity, by Mary O' Driscoll, O.P.
• A Year with the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.
• The Friendship of God: Christianity as Friendship, by Segundo Galilea

5th Sunday of Easter (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 5th Sunday of Easter (B), May 6, 2009

First reading: Acts 4:26-31
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 22
Second reading: 1 John 3:18-24
Gospel reading: John 15:1-8

"For apart from Me you can do nothing."

The gospel passage for the 5th Sunday of Easter, is taken from the 15th chapter of John, verses 1-8. In the passage, Jesus gives a discourse on how our lives and good works are really rooted in our relationship with Him. He says that He is the vine, the Father is the vine-grower, and all His followers are the branches. If anyone is not rooted in Jesus, he would be like a barren branch. But those who are in a personal relationship with Jesus, will bear fruit, and increase the yield of good in their life and work.

Jesus speaks about imagery in His parables which the people of His time are familiar with: shepherd-sheep, sower-seed, and wedding banquet-wedding guests. For it is in such simple parables, and things of nature which His people can easily relate with: the mustard seed, faith that can move mountains, the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, etc. In today's passage from the gospel of John, He speaks of vine-branches imagery. He uses this image to make a very essential point in life: without God, all life and successes in work are empty and barren. However, if all life and work are rooted in God (like branches to the vine), the fruits produced will overflow not only with the material essentials needed for life, but with a spirit of joy in doing God's will.

In the course of a lifetime, all people experience both successes and failures: some more intensely than others, while others with less severity or tragedy. All that is part of being human and living in a world also filled with both positive and negative realities. Before their conversion, many of the Church's Saints sought the pleasures of life without realizing that it can make an opposite turn. But this was exactly the time God sought the opportunity to make Himself real for them. He used such experiences to help His children mature with an attitude akin to His Son Jesus. It is in their relationship with God that one can see God's Hand as the Vine-grower trimming their souls to bear the spiritual fruit that is building His Kingdom: joy, fortitude, charity, perseverance, fidelity, generosity, and wisdom. These are good fruits needed in the midst of the darkness of their centuries, and also the good fruits needed up to this time in our world.

St. Louis-Marie de Montfort Writes on the Theme of Holiness

The Writings and Teachings of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort on the Theme of Christian Holiness

Feast day of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, April 28

Introduction

St. Louis-Marie reveals

• (1) the source of holiness (the Most Blessed Trinity);
• (2) describes its origin (the Christian vocation);
• (3) indicates its authors (the Holy Spirit working through the Mother of the Redeemer);
• (4) reveals its marvelous secret (the true devotion to Mary);
• (5) proposes models of holiness (Christ, Mary, and the saints);
• (6) reminds us of the necessity of mankind's cooperation in order to acquire it (the virtues);
• (7) traces the development of its intensity (the three stages of the spiritual life); and
• (8) speaks to us of its final goal (eternal life in God).

(1) the source of holiness

The source of all holiness is the Most Blessed Trinity - the One and indivisible Triune Being who we know through the person of Christ our Lord. Montfort emphasizes the central role that Jesus plays in making us see that "in Him alone dwells the entire fullness of the divinity (Colossians 2:9) and the complete fullness of grace, virtue and perfection...in Him alone we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)


In a hymn dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Montfort invites all Christians to draw on the source of holiness in God our Savior: "This is the source of life / On whom all the saints have drawn, / This is the beautiful fire / In which their hearts were embraced / ... Here the most imperfect soul / Can easily become the most holy" (Montfortian Hymns: 40,
16, 18)

(2) the origin of holiness

Montfort reminds all who follow his spirituality that God wishes us to become saints on earth, like Christ, and to become a part of God's glory for all eternity. He says, "It is certain that growth in the holiness of God is your (Christian) vocation...Otherwise you are resisting God in not doing the work for which he is even now keeping you in being" (Secret of Mary: 3).

Our Christian vocation to holiness will be provided by the grace and help of God so that we can attain it: and Montfort lists the means of doing so - sincere humility, unceasing prayer, complete self-denial, abandonment to divine Providence, and obedience to the will of God. (Secret of Mary: 4-5)

(3) the authors of holiness

Montfort teaches that the authors of holiness is rooted in the "hidden relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the influence they exert on the Church. Montfort is noteworthy among spiritual theologians for his efforts to make this vital relationship between the Holy Spirit and Mary visible.

His teaching on this subject can be known through what he writes in his book The True Devotion to Mary: "God the Holy Spirit wishes to fashion his chosen ones in and through Mary...the formation and the education of the great saints who will come at the end of the world are reserved to her...when the Holy Spirit finds (the spirit of Mary) in the soul, He hastens there and enters fully into it. (True Devotion: 34-36)

(4) a secret of holiness

In his writings, Montfort proposes and recommends a special form of holiness that he calls "perfect devotion to Mary", the keynote of his own spirituality and teaching. Here is how he describes this secret of holiness. Montfort says that he has seen many devout souls searching for means and ways to obtain holiness but having worked so hard and so many times, they often end up with nothing. But according to Montfort, if we follow the immaculate path of Mary, we will work very little, but we will achieve a quality of holiness that is incomparable to others - because Mary is a holy place, a holy of holies, in which saints are formed and molded in her womb to the likeness and image of Christ. (True Devotion: 218)

(5) the models of holiness

Montfort provides us with very good models of holiness: Jesus Christ, Mary, and the saints.

Jesus is the teacher and the exemplar of all Christian sainthood. Christ alone brings all the works of God to perfection, especially the saints, for he shows them what they must do and teaches them to appreciate and put into practice all he has taught them (Love of Eternal Wisdom: 56)

For Montfort also, Mary is the perfect model of every virtue and perfection, fashioned by the Holy Spirit for us to imitate, as far as our limited capacity allows (True Devotion: 260). We Christians can imitate her ten primary virtues: "deep humility, lively faith, blind obedience, unceasing prayer, constant self-denial, surpassing purity, ardent love, heroic patience, angelic kindness, and heavenly wisdom." (True Devotion: 108). To these basic ten virtues, Montfort also adds: poverty, silence and ability to listen, modesty, thankfulness, and abandonment to divine Providence.

The saints are also exemplary models of Christian perfection. Montfort teaches that among the virtues of the saints that we must imitate are: the splendor of their humility, the charm of their tenderness, the excellence of their obedience, their strength of patience, the beauty of their virginity, the necessity of their penance, the tenderness of their brotherly charity, their joy of pardon, their blessed solitude, the frequency of their prayer, their power of fasting, the generosity of their alms, their love for the Cross, the treasures of their poverty, the flame of their zeal, the wisdom of their silence, their experience of the presence of God, the pleasant appeal of their modesty, their thankfulness, and their abandonment to Providence.

Montfort spoke prophetically of the Marian secret of sainthood and had a natural sympathy for saints who, like himself; had followed the virginal and immaculate way of Mary to grow in wisdom, maturity, and holiness.

(6) the necessity of mankind's cooperation

Everyone in the Church is called to sainthood. But to do this we must cooperate with the action of God's grace and abandon the worldly spirit that prevents us from becoming holy. Among the numerous virtues that Montfort considers part of our cooperation with God's saving and sanctifying graces, two in particular should be emphasized: obedience, which is the foundation and unshakeable support of all holiness; and charity, which in itself contains the most perfect holiness.

(7) the development of intensity in holiness

The spirituality of Montfort is dynamic. It guides the Christian through the stages of (a) purification, (b) illumination, and (c) union. In the stage of purification, God liberates us from the worldly spirit that is counter to the Spirit of Jesus Christ. After going through this purgative process, the spiritual journey and experience intensifies to the level of illumination. This is the stage where the charismatic knowledge of Mary and of her way of living, dynamic presence in the mystery of Christ and the Church, and thus in the spiritual life of the Christian, is better known and loved. Finally, once this stage has been fully experienced, the third and most intense level of holiness is union with God and His will. This is the stage and level where the Christian is filled with the very fullness of Jesus Christ Himself by the very means and intercession of the Blessed Mother.

(8) the final goal of holiness

According to Montfort, the final goal of holiness is to follow the path of Mary's obedience to the will of God. If any Christian follows this path, he will be blessed with the abundance of grace and sweetness that Mary imparts to all. They will be happy at the hour of death which is sweet and peaceful - for Mary is usually present to lead these devoted souls to the home of everlasting joy and eternal life. They will be happy for all eternity because no servant of Mary who followed her path of obedience to God's will and who imitated her virtues during their life has ever been lost. They will surely be guided to their proper end: eternal life with God in heaven.

Context of this article

God Alone: The Complete Collected Writings of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort

The Prayers of St. Catherine of Siena (feast April 29)

The prayers of St. Catherine of Siena are in the form of prose, yet its poetic spirit lies in the fondness of her repeating words and phrases - addresses she makes to God.

Examples of her repetitive words are as follows:

Godhead!
Godhead!
Ineffable Godhead!

Gentle Jesus!
Jesus love!

O immeasurable love!
O gentle love!
Eternal fire!

In your light I have seen light;
in your light I have come to know the light.
In your light we come to know the source of light...

O eternal Trinity,
my sweet love!
You, light,
give us light.
You, wisdom,
give us wisdom.
You, supreme strength,
strengthen us.

O Mary!
Mary!
Temple of the Trinity!
O Mary, bearer of the fire!
Mary, minister of mercy!
Mary, seedbed of the fruit!

Twenty-six of these prayers of St. Catherine have been preserved for the Catholic Church. It is said that these prayers were transcribed by one or more of her followers who were present as she prayed aloud (refer to the exclamatory addresses to God, Jesus, and Mary).

One can see the passion that runs deep in these prayers. She intercedes and pleads passionately to God for all: for the world, for the Church, for the Pope, for her friends and followers, and all who are in need. This is one evidence of her spiritual greatness.

The simplicity also of her prayers teach us to trust in God completely and have confidence in His Providence for all that we need. Below is an example of this prayer:

O Holy Spirit, come into my heart;
by your power draw it to yourself, God,
and give me charity with fear.
Guard me, Christ, from every evil thought,
and so warm and inflame me again
with your most gentle love
that every suffering may seem light to me.
My holy Father and my gentle Lord,
help me in my every need.
Christ love! Christ love!

Key to Understanding Mark's Gospel: Peter's Confession of Faith

Who Do You Say That I Am?

Understanding the Gospel of Mark through the Confession of Peter

The Gospel of Mark

The gospel of Mark is the shortest of the four canonical gospels. Bible scholars describe the gospel of Mark like a long passion narrative. Compared to the other gospels, the presentation of the ministry of Jesus in Mark is brief and concise; the rest of the gospel flows directly to His passion, death and resurrection.

There are many ways of understanding the gospel of Mark. One way to understand is to know its key passage - the confession of Peter at Mark 8:27-30. This passage describes how Peter confessed Jesus as, "... the Christ". If the reader were to see this passage as a turning point and central axis of the gospel, then it will be easier to understand the passages before and after this turning point.

Dividing the gospel of Mark

• theme of passages before Mark 8:27-30: Who Am I?
• central point: You Are The Christ (Mark 8:27-30)
• theme of passages after Mark 8:27-30: What Does This Imply?

This construction of the gospel of Mark leads its readers to see that before Peter's confession all that Jesus did was a general thematic trend-question of who and what the identity of the Jesus is. One of the signs Jesus performed was the multiplication of the bread and many healing miracles. These signs make the people aware of the person of Jesus; the signs and miracles invites them to reflect and question: who is this? As the gospel stories then lead to the turning point, the confession of Peter, Peter gives the right answer under the inspiration of the Spirit. From this central point in Peter's confession, the readers are then led to the general thematic trend that being the Christ, the Messiah, means suffering and death. Being the Christ implies the Cross.

The main thematic passages of the Gospel of Mark

Below is the structure of the gospel of Mark according to the themes before the turning point, and the themes after the turning point.

I. Who Am I?

• Mark 1:1 - "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ,
  the Son of God"
• Mark 6:30-34 - First multiplication of the loaves
• Mark 7:31-37 - Healing of deaf-mute
• Mark 8:1-10 - Second multiplication of loaves
• Mark 8:22-26 - Healing of blind man of Bethsaida

II. You Are The Christ? - Mark 8:27-30

III. What Does This Imply?

• Mark 8:31 - First prediction of the passion
• Mark 9:31 - Second prediction of the passion
• Mark 10:32-34 - Third prediction of the passion
• Mark 10:35-45 - The Sons of Zebedee
• Mark 10:46-52 - Healing of blind Bartimaeus
• Mark 15:39 - Confession of the centurion: "Truly this
  man was the Son of God."

The main message of the Gospel of Mark

From this presentation, the gospel of Mark wants to present to the readers that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. The first part of the gospel speaks on the signs performed by Jesus during His public ministry. Many people wondered who this Jesus was because of the great signs He was performing. It then came to that point when the apostolic group gathered at Caesarea Philippi, and Jesus turned to His apostles and questioned them, "Who do people say that I Am?". The first answers were answers in line with what prophets do, and so some say that Jesus was Elijah, or John the Baptist who came back from the dead, or just one of the prophets. When Jesus turned to His own apostles and asked them, "Who do you say that I Am?", it was Peter who gave the inspired answer. This confession of Peter was echoed and reaffirmed by the confession of the centurion towards the end of the gospel when the centurion confessed, "Truly this man was the Son of God".

The main message of the gospel of Mark is that Jesus is the Christ who is to suffer, die and be resurrected again. The gospel of Mark makes readers aware that the Christ is not a Messiah in the manner by which the Jewish world understands what a Messiah is - a political leader to free them from foreign oppression (a glorified king like David). Rather, Jesus is the Christ, whose Kingdom is one where His disciples preach His gospel of repentance from sins, save the world from a direction of destruction and self-destruction, and live according to the peace Jesus exemplified by His life and mission.

4th Sunday of Easter (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 4th Sunday of Easter (B), May 6, 2006

"...The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep"

We have seen in the Holy Week that has just passed how Jesus truly lived his mission to be the Good Shepherd. He called people to listen to His word and be counted as members of His flock. And the closest to Him in His inner circle were the apostles. When the time came for Jesus to lay down His life in obedience to the will of the Father, the apostles and all disciples who followed His counsels, fled and were scattered. This fulfills what is said in Scripture: when "the Shepherd is struck down, the flock scatters". But Jesus, with a strength and faith that is only fit of Him as God's Son, truly exemplified for us what it means to the Good Shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life life for his sheep.

As Catholics in the Latin Rite of the Church, we have the privilege of having the centralized leadership of a papacy. The late Holy Father, John Paul II, followed the example of Christ, and despite suffering a long illness, showed us very well what the role of leaders in the Church are called to be: good shepherds in the manner of Christ. How does this "shepherding" apply to lay people? Shepherding can mean simply as follows: to bear the ordinary sufferings of earning a living for a family; of doing liturgical ministry on weekends; of caring for a sick family member, or to perform sick or prison apostolate for the parish. Simply dying to one's self daily in view of the greater good is what is called of us. This is already leading by good example; of being good shepherds in the manner and example of Christ. Faithfully living out this call, and acting with endurance and patience in doing God's will is already proclaiming the Good Shepherd gospel to all.

This Good Shepherd Sunday, we can ask and pray to Christ, our Good Shepherd, to grant us His Spirit, that we may obtain the strength to imitate Him in his mission to shepherd the respective flocks entrusted to us. It is not easy at first, but with discipline, patience and the help and grace of God, it can be done well.

3rd Sunday of Easter (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 3rd Sunday of Easter (B), April 24, 2009

First reading: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 4
Second reading: 1 John 2:1-5
Gospel reading: Luke 24:35-48

"You are witnesses of this."

The Sunday gospels in the liturgical season of Easter, are mostly presentations of Christ's resurrection appearances to His Apostles and disciples. In this Sunday's resurrection appearance, Jesus appeared again to the disciples He walked with on the road to Emmaus. As He always does, His greeting begins with "Peace to you". When the disciples became alarmed at His presence - thinking He was a ghost - Jesus invited them to realize that He had flesh and bones. To assure them He was not a ghost, Jesus asked if they had anything to eat. When they were at table, He again opened their minds to the understanding of the Scriptures - with particular attention to the words written by the prophets about Him (that He would suffer and then be raised from the dead on the third day).

"You are witnesses of this."

Because the apostles and disciples were actual witnesses to the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, they were willing to suffer in the same way that their Master did. This is what baffles many non-Christians. If the apostles and those close to Jesus were willing to die as martyrs of the faith, then the impact of Christ's resurrection and the eventual sending of the Holy Spirit, was indeed a true reality they actually saw and experienced. And this spirit of Christ's self-sacrifice out of love for the Father and the world, flowed over not only to the Apostles and the disciples who actually saw Jesus, but also to all the members of the Church, in her growth and development in history. That is why throughout the history of the Church, she continues to give birth to many martyrs. And it is these martyrs that continue to witness to the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord.

Though we, and future generations, are not and will not be actual witnesses of the events that transpired in biblical times, we can be assured of the same quality of faith as the Apostles and the disciples had of Jesus. This is the faith we receive not only from our Baptism, but from what Jesus also said to Thomas: "Blest are they who have not seen and have believed". Our faith in the Risen Lord as an individual, a family, or community, is rooted in the context of the Eucharistic community we are part of and belong to. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist with the priest-presider, the readers, the communion ministers, the choir, and all who contribute to the worship of the Lord on Sunday, we also become witnesses of Jesus - as the bread and wine become His Body and Blood.

2nd Sunday of Easter (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 2nd Sunday of Easter (B), April 17, 2009

First reading: Acts 4:32-35
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 118
Second reading: 1 John 5:1-6
Gospel reading: John 20:19-31

"Peace be with you."

The gospel for the 2nd Sunday of Easter tells the story of Thomas, who did not at first believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. He was absent when Jesus, in His Risen body, appeared before His companions. But when Jesus came back, and Thomas was now with his companions, he came to believe in Jesus rising from the dead. Jesus told Thomas, "You became a believer because you saw me. Blest are they who have not seen and have believed".

That gospel for the 2nd Sunday of Easter is a gospel well studied by many bible scholars. One of the tools they use to interpret the meaning of that gospel passage is to count how many times a word or phrase is mentioned many times over in the passage. In this gospel passage, we find "Peace be with you" mentioned three times. Then the root word "believe", and all its word variants, are mentioned five times. With all these discoveries of the repetition of certain words, the bible scholars generally say that the themes the evangelist John wanted to convey and present to his readers are "peace" and "faith".

Peace and faith are the messages the Risen Lord wanted to convey to His apostles, and also to us in the present. Jesus knew this was the "solution" after He and everyone at Calvary experienced so much violence and abuse on His person. Jesus proved that peace and faith will always be victorious against violence and discord. God's mercy inspires all to believe and to practice peace in all life and work. Jesus shows us be His very example how, despite being crucified, forgave His executioners. And in His Risen body, He brings a message of peace. We are also called to forgive those who trespass against us, seek forgiveness for own trespasses, and amend our lives to be a herald of peace. It is God's grace in the Eucharist that gives us the strength to forgive as Jesus did and to bring peace to others as He did.

With faith in the Risen Person of Christ, we ought not to doubt like Thomas. It was Thomas' proximity to the Risen Jesus that eliminated all his doubt and brought him to faith again. In the same way, it is by our proximity to the Eucharist, our involvement and practice of its message in daily life and work, that will help us live in faith and believe always in the power of the Resurrection. We can be merciful and forgiving by being rooted in Christ, the Divine Mercy. This Divine Mercy is always in the Eucharist. We shall obtain the peace that only Christ can give (and which we are called to give in the same manner to the world as Jesus did). Together with our brothers in the Franciscan orders and congregations, we sing and pray, "Lord, make me an instrument of your peace."