Obligatory and Optional Memorials (June 26)

In the liturgy of the hours, the majority of Saints celebrated on a specific day are either celebrated as an obligatory or an optional memorial. For the special days of the Lord and the Blessed Mother, some are celebrated as Feasts or Solemnities. Feasts and Solemnities are more infrequent, but they are more important than the obligatory and optional memorials. Obligatory and optional memorials are more frequent.

June 26 is an optional memorial for St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer.

St. Josemaria is the founder of Opus Dei. To know more about St. Josemaria and the writings he published, visit this blog post.

Other saints honored on June 26 can be found in another blog post. Visit the page.

Memorial of Saints (June 25)

on June 25: William of Vercelli, abbot; Febronia, virgin and martyr; Gallicanus; Prosper of Aquitaine; Prosper of Reggio, bishop; Maximus of Turin, bishop; Moloc or Luan, bishop; Adalbert of Egmond; Eurosia, virgin and martyr; Gohard, bishop, and Companions, martyrs

William of Vercelli (1085-1142 A.D.) became a hermit on Monte Virgiliano and attracted so many disciples that he organized them into a community that by 1119 A.D. became known as the Hermits of Monte Vergine. There were conflicts within that community and so he organized other communities. He founded more monasteries at Conza, Guglietto, and Salerno opposite the palace where he became adviser to King Roger I of Naples.

Febronia (d. ca. 304 A.D.) refused a marriage and remained constant in her Christian faith. She was scourged, roasted, had her teeth pulled out and her breasts and limbs cut off, and then was axed to death.

Gallicanus (d. ca. 352 A.D.) became famous for his charity and good works, and was forced into exile by Emperor Julian the Apostate when he refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods.

Prosper of Aquitaine (ca. 390-465 A.D.) was probably a layman who may have been married. He wrote poetry and treatises, notably his Chronicle, a universal history from creation to the Vandal capture of Rome in 455 A.D.

Prosper of Reggio (d. ca. 466 A.D.) was bishop of Reggio, Emilia, Italy, who was known for his charities and ruled his see for twenty-two years until his death.

Maximus of Turin (ca. 380-467 A.D.) was born probably at Vercelli, Rhaetia, Italy. He attended the synod of Milan in 451 A.D. and the Council of Rome in 465 A.D. He is mainly remembered for his writings - sermons, homilies and ascetical writings.

Moloc or Luan (d. ca. 572 A.D.) may have been born in Scotland of a noble family, educated at Birr, Ireland, and was trained by St. Brendan the Elder. He returned to Scotland to work as a missionary bishop near Lismore.

Adalbert of Egmond (d. ca. 705 A.D.) accompanied St. Egbert to Ireland and became a deacon at Rathmelsigi Monastery. Miracles were reported at his tomb, which became a center of pilgrimage.

Eurosia (8th century A.D.) may have been a native of Bayonne, France, who was murdered by the Saracens at Jaca in the Pyrenees of Aragon near the French border when she refused to marry a Moorish leader.

Gohard and Companions (d. 843 A.D.) was murdered with a large number of priests, monks, and laypeople while saying Mass in Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Nantes by marauding Normans, who then pillaged and destroyed the entire city.

Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) Solemnity of the Birth of St. John the Baptist (B), June 24, 2012

Isaiah 49:1-6
Psalm 139
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-66, 80

"His name is John"

As with the events surrounding the birth and naming of Jesus, it was also the angel Gabriel who appeared to Zechariah to announce the birth and naming of John the Baptist. The Scriptures present the truth that, unlike some present-day trends, names are sacred; and not only names of persons but also of places - like where Moses encountered Yahweh, and where Jacob had a dream of angels ascending and descending from heaven. The name John given by the angel Gabriel denotes a special mission for the child to be born of Zechariah and Elizabeth (for no one in their family's tradition has that name).

As with the birth of Jesus, the birth of John the Baptist was also a miracle. Jesus was born of a virgin, while John was born from Elizabeth, who was already way advanced in years, and known by her community as barren. The parallelism of the birth narratives of Jesus and John makes all see the importance of their mission - that both would call the people back to God and His commands. In their mission, John would baptize by water, while Jesus will baptize in the Holy Spirit. And since John the Baptist's mission introduces the mission of Jesus, he is honored well in Catholic tradition: his name appears in the Litany of Saints right after the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the angels.

We can reflect on the events surrounding the birth of St. John the Baptist. What does it mean when God overrides a family tradition of naming? What was the reason for the Lord to strike Zechariah with speechlessness until his son was born? And how can a woman so advanced in years still find strength to bear a child? We can derive many truths from these questions for reflection. One truth that can be derived is the majesty and greatness of God. And since John's birth has a mission entrusted by God, his name is sacred (John means "graced by God"). It relates to the mystery of God as the Author of all life and all that is good.

Memorials of Saints: John the Baptist, Simplicius, Bartholomew (June 24)

The Birth of John the Baptist: This feast, dating from the 4th c. A.D. in both East and West, came to be celebrated, in accord with Lk 1:36, six months before the Lord’s birth; quoting Jn 3:30, Augustine found this date (near summer solstice) appropriate for the birth of John, when the daylight begins to grow shorter, whereas after Jesus’ birth, it begins to increase. (June 24)

also on June 24: The martyrs under Nero; Simplicius, bishop; Bartholomew of Farne

St. John the Baptist is one of the great saints honored by the Catholic Church. His preeminence is verified by the fact that in the Litany of the Saints, he ranks just below the Blessed Mother and the angels, and above all the other saints. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets, and heralds Christ as the Messiah.

Below are just some of the Scripture passages where he is mentioned:

• Luke 1:57-66, birth of John the Baptist
• Mark 1:1-6, Matthew 3:1-6, Luke 3:1-6, John the Baptist's proclamation
• Matthew 3:7-10, Luke 3:7-9, John's preaching on repentance
• Luke 3:10-14, John's preaching to special groups
• Matthew 3:11-12, Mark 1:7-8, Luke 3:15-18, John's Messianic preaching
• Luke 3:19-20, John's imprisonment
• Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, Baptism of Jesus by John
• Matthew 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22, Luke 5:33-39, mention of John in the question of fasting
• Luke 7:18-23, John's question to Jesus
• Matthew 11:7-19, Luke 7:24-35, Jesus' words about John
• Matthew 14:1-2, Mark 6:14-16, Luke 9:7-9, Herod thinks Jesus is John risen

Simplicius was elected bishop of Autun in 390 A.D. Details of his life are not certain but it is believed that he signed the decrees of the Council of Sardica in 347 A.D.

Bartholomew of Farne became a monk at Durham. He then became a solitary in the desolate island of Farne off the coast of Northumbria, where he spent the next forty-two years. Bartholomew was reputed to have performed miracles.

12th Sunday of the Year (B)

(Edited) Reflections for the 12th Sunday of the Year, Year B

"Why are you lacking in faith?"

In this Sunday's gospel, Jesus displayed His divine power over the storm, and commented on the lack of faith expressed by his apostles. His followers, as the gospel described, were quite alarmed and thought that all of them will drown due to the strong storm. This story of Jesus stilling the storm in the gospel of Mark is before that point in the gospel when the identity of Jesus was known through the confession of Peter ["You are the Christ"], which is in Chapter 8. So in the experience of the storm, the apostles only had a vague knowledge of who Jesus is. This vague knowledge was expressed in the comment: "Who can this be that the wind and the sea obey him?" Since they do not as yet know who Jesus was, they had no faith in Him in that storm incident.

Each one is journeying together with the Church further on into a deeper and greater knowledge of who Christ is. Most often, the "storms" experienced in life come when one does not yet have a deeper personal knowledge of Christ, or when one has forgotten Christ in his way of life and work. "Storms" come and arrive. They are part of the seasons of life in the world: economic storms, wars, stormy relationships, great losses in life [a loved one, a job, a relationship, divorce, bankruptcy in business], illness, etc. It often comes not only to test our faith in Jesus, but to deepen our knowledge and rootedness in His will. The best response to "storms" is to be proactive - spiritually. We are called always to be vigilant, to watch and pray, so that we do not get mired in fears, worries and anxieties. Anxieties can blind us like the apostles, who only then saw and realized that Jesus was with them, and when awakened, surprisingly stilled the storm.

In all the storms of life, there is a call to be "proactive" spiritually. To discipline ourselves spiritually and avoid that blindness that makes us forget that the Lord is with us. He is always present. Much of our time are often delegated to matters which does not integrate our life in the Spirit, or which distracts us to that interior life cultivated often in times of retreats and recollections. We are then called to live a more balanced life, spiritually and temporally, so that when stormy circumstances arrive, we act in faith and not paralyzed by fear. We are called to always water that mustard seed of faith in our soul, that it may grow to a great tree of faith, rooted deeply in Christ, His Word and Sacrament. And He is always there in every Blessed Sacrament of any parish. He is also within us in our baptismal consecration. Jesus is present to us through the members of the family, and through friends and loved ones. He can even be present through mere acquaintances, who, being moved by the Spirit at unexpected times, are there to be "God-is-with-us" for us.

And so at this time of our history, when we are faced with difficulties in the global scene, storms will be daily fare. St. John Paul II has a message that will get us through: "Be not afraid". His intercession will help humanity see that Christ is One who has power even over a "global storm" that may be impending: one that could disrupt even the peace of our world. Each one's respective Christian task is simple. Keep faith in Jesus. We take responsibility for nurturing our faith in Him. We make it strong by cultivating a personal relationship with Him that is rooted in strongly bonded relationships with family and with the institutions of our society, particularly, our parish, with our religious communities, and our local government, and the country's relationship with the rest of the world. The task and discipline is simple: humbly practice a "proactive" way of life, prayer, and work with Jesus and with others.

Memorial of Saints (June 22)

Paulinus of Nola: (died 431 A.D.); husband and father who gave his possessions to the poor; a dedicated bishop, especially during the Visigoth invations.

He used the ground floor of his house as a guest house for pilgrims, debtors, and others who were down on their luck. On the upper floor, he and his wife and a few friends began a semimonastic way of life. They all prayed the Divine Office together on a daily basis. He also had a special devotion to the Saints, writing poems and letters to some of the most important Christians of the day: Ambrose of Milan, Jerome, Augustine of Hippo, and Martin of Tours. (June 22)

John Fisher: (beheaded 22 June 1535 A.D.); chancellor of Cambridge University; bishop of Rochester; dedicated pastor of souls; renowned for his preaching and educational reforms; defender of Church tradition against Luther, and of the Roman primacy against Henry VIII. (June 22)

Thomas More: (beheaded 6 July 1535 A.D.); humanist and chancellor of England; close friend of Erasmus; wrote “Utopia”; refused to support Henry VIII’s divorce of Queen Catherine and his Act of Supremacy; patron of lawyers, statesmen and politicians. (June 22)

also on June 22: Alban, martyr; Nicetas of Remesiana, bishop; Eberhard, bishop

To follow the other Saints whose feasts and memorials occur in the month of June, visit this link

St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Jesuit Scholastic (June 21)

Aloysius Gonzaga: (died 1591 A.D.); Jesuit scholastic, died at age 23 caring for the sick; from the princely family of Castiglione; a page at the court of Medicis and of Philip II of Spain; renounced inheritance to enter Jesuits; Robert Bellarmine was his spiritual director; strongly devoted to the Eucharist, interior prayer, and charitable service; patron of youth and of students in Jesuit colleges and universities.

His prayer is featured in the book, "Hearts on Fire": Praying with Jesuits", edited by Michael Harter, SJ. It is a prayer addressed to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Holy Mary, my Queen, I recommend myself to your blessed protection and special keeping, and to the bosom of your mercy, today and every day and at the hour of my death. My soul and my body I recommend to you. I entrust to you my hope and consolation, my distress and my misery, my life and its termination. Through your most holy intercession and through your merits may all my actions be directed according to your will and that of your Son. Amen.

The prayer of St. Aloysius of Gonzaga is joined by many other prayers in the book "Hearts on Fire". That book is a good meditative guide for praying in the spirit of the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. The presentation of the prayers and other prose is a contemporary translation of the method into popular literary forms: the actual prayers and prose written by Jesuits - both "classic", like St. Aloysius of Gonzaga and Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ, and contemporary, like Anthony de Mello, SJ.

Learn more

To follow the other Saints whose feasts and memorials occur in the month of June, visit this link

St. Cornelius, Pope-Martyr and St. Cyprian, Bishop-Martyr

St. Cornelius d. ca. 253 A.D., St. Cyprian d. ca. 258 A.D.

Latin Fathers of the Church

Historical background

St. Cornelius, Pope, and St. Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, were friends who guided the Church through a difficult period in history. It was a time when the persecution of Christians under Emperor Decius reached its most violent peak. Such a severe persecution led many Christians to betray their faith. St. Cyprian proposed to welcome back these Christians who were repentant, but only after the proper penance was fulfilled. St. Cornelius backed up St. Cyprian in this proposal and decided to accept them back.

A priest, whose name was Novatian, was a strong leader among his fellow priests. Novatian set himself against St. Cornelius, and declared himself Pope - becoming the first antipope of the Church.Novatian also had set up Felicissimus, as an antibishop to St. Cyprian. This situation led to the schism regarding the lapsi, those Christians who have apostasized and lapsed from the Christian faith.

Before we examine how this schism developed in the early years of Christianity, let us learn about the backgrounds of both St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian of Carthage.

St. Cornelius

St. Cornelius was a Roman priest at first. He was elected Pope to succeed Pope Fabian, who was martyred by Emperor Decius in 250 A.D. The election to the papacy of St. Cornelius was delayed by fourteen months, because of Decius' persecution of the Christians. When however St. Cornelius eventually ascended to the papacy, he had to solve the issue of Christians who had apostasized during the persecution. He condemned those confessors who were lax in not demanding penance from the apostates. St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian of Carthage were in agreement as regards this matter and both were opposed to the faction of the antipope Novatian.

St. Cyprian of Carthage (ca. 200-258 A.D.)

A.k.a. Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus, St. Cyprian was probably born at Carthage, and became a pagan rhetorician, lawyer, and teacher. He was converted to Christianity by Caecilius, an old priest, about 246 A.D., became a profound scholar of the Bible, and the great religious authors - particularly Tertullian. Cyprian was ordained priest, and in 248 A.D., was elected to the episcopate of Carthage. More on St. Cyprian

The issue of the lapsi

The serious issue that St. Cornelius and St. Cyprian had to face was Novatus' reception of those who lapsed from the faith (the lapsi), without a proper penance. St. Cyprian denounced Novatus for his undue leniency and convened a Council at Carthage in 251 A.D. In this Council, St. Cyprian set forth the terms under which the lapsi could be received back into the Church. He excommunicated the schismatic leaders, and asserted the supremacy of the Pope. It was at this Council that St. Cyprian read his famous De unitate ecclesiae. Novatus then went to Rome and joined the antipope, Novatian, against Pope St. Cornelius, whom St. Cyprian actively supported, rallying the African bishops behind Pope St. Cornelius.

The exile of St. Cornelius

The antipope Novatian claimed that the Church did not have the power to forgive apostasy - the sin of giving up the Christian faith. He also stated that the Church also did not have the power to forgive certain other sins, no matter how repentant the sinner might be. As this conflict intensified, Emperor Gallus exiled Pope St. Cornelius to Centum Cellae (Civita Vecchia), and the persecutions of Christians began anew in 253 A.D. St. Cornelius died in Civita Vecchia a martyr, probably due to the hardships he was forced to endure. His body was later buried in the Cemetery of St. Callistus. St. Cyprian wrote him that he was able to suffer for Christ. He also noted that, in the persecution during the reign of Gallus, not a single Christian had apostasized from the Church.

Carthage stricken with a plague

In the years 252-254 A.D., Carthage was stricken with a terrible plague. With kindness and courage, vigour and steadiness, St. Cyprian urged his people to care for everyone: both their fellow Christians and their enemies and persecutors. Much was accomplished under St. Cyprian's leadership. The wealthy donated a lot of their money and the others gave a lot of their time for the care of the plague's victims.

St. Cyprian's martyrdom

In the reign of Emperor Valerian, the Christian persecution reached Africa in 257 A.D. St. Cyprian was arrested and sent into exile to Curubis, a small town near Carthage. When St. Cyprian refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, he was sentenced to death and beheaded on September 14. St. Cyprian wrote numerous theological treatises on the Church, ministry, the Bible, virginity, and the lapsi. Together with Pope St. Cornelius, they are among the great Fathers of the Church.

References of this post

• Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon, S.J.
• A Year with the Saints, by Don Bosco Press Inc.
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom

St. Romuald of Ravenna (June 19)

St. Romuald is one of the Saints who continued to spearhead the monastic movement of St. Benedict in Europe. He founded the Camaldolese Order, which was basically the Rule of St. Benedict and the integration of an eremitical life within the Rule. There is a short blog post about St. Romuald and the Camaldolese Order in this blog.

If you want a more comprehensive article, you can read about his contribution to the growth of the Catholic faith in Europe in Wikipedia.

St. Maximus the Confessor, Abbot of Chrysopolis

Abbot and Confessor: 580-662 A.D.

Greek Father of the Church

Introduction

Although listed as a Greek Father of the Church, St. Maximus Homologetes was the last common Father of both the East and the West. He lived in Rome for many years and collaborated with the popes and other Western leaders to overcome the heresy of Monothelitism (the teaching that Christ had only one will).

The struggle against Monothelitism

St. Maximus was born of a noble family at Constantinople and became secretary to Emperor Heraclitus. He however resigned to become a monk at nearby Chrysopolis (Skutari), where he became abbot. He led the struggle against Monothelitism and Emperor Constans II, who favored the heresy. He defended Pope Honorius (who was charged with the heresy); supported very much papal authority; and in 645 A.D., refuted Pyrrhus who was influenced to abjure the heresy.

Continuing the struggle against the heresy

Emperor Constans issued a decree, Typhos, which favored Monothelitism. St. Maximus was at the Lateran Council of 649 A.D. at the time - a Council that was convened by Pope St. Martin I, to condemn the decree. Due to this struggle, Pope St. Martin I was exiled to Chersonese in 653 A.D. and died a martyr's death due to ill treatment. St. Maximus too suffered from this struggle. He was seized at Rome, brought to Constantinople where he was charged with conspiracy against the Empire. He was then exiled to Bizya, Thrace.

In exile

In his exile, St. Maximus lived next to a monastery at Rhegium, and then spent the next six years at Perberis, with two of his supporters also subjected to great hardships. These two who supported also the cause against Monothelitism were then brought back to Constantinople, tortured and mutilated, and sentenced to life imprisonment. St. Maximus died after a terrible journey to Skhemaris on the Black Sea.

Byzantine mysticism

St. Maximus was a foremost exponent of Byzantine mysticism and wrote prolifically, theological, mystical, and ascetical treatises, biblical commentaries, a dialogue on the spiritual life between two monks, and Mystagogia, a treatise on liturgical symbolism.

Some of St. Maximus' Greek writings were translated by John Scotus Eriugena in the ninth century and thus became available to Latin thinkers. In his Mystagogia and in his speculative writings, St. Maximus transformed the mystical teaching of Evagrius and Dionysius, through an ontology (a branch of philosophy), that centered on his insight: "on account of Christ, that is the mystery of Christ, all the ages, and all things in the ages, take in Christ their beginning and end of being". (Questions to Thalassius, question 60).

Author's note: Below is the result made to a prompt made at Gemini.google.com (June 18, 2024, 1500h MLA time) to understand this theological issue which began in the Eastern Church of Christianity:

St. Maximus the Confessor was a key figure in defending the orthodox position, known as dyothelitism, against the monothelite heresy. Dyothelitism affirms that Jesus Christ possesses two wills:

Divine will: Perfect and unchanging, reflecting his divine nature.
Human will: Real and free, reflecting his human nature.
These two wills are believed to coexist in perfect harmony without conflict or confusion. This concept was seen as essential for upholding both the full divinity and full humanity of Christ.

References of this article

• Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon, SJ
• The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, by editor Bernard McGinn
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney

St. Cyprian of Carthage, Bishop and Martyr

St. Cyprian of Carthage, c. 200-258 A.D.

[Author's note: Carthage, great city of antiquity on the north coast of Africa, now a residential suburb of the city of Tunis, Tunisia. Built on a promontory on the Tunisian coast, it was placed to influence and control ships passing between Sicily and the North African coast as they traversed the Mediterranean Sea. (Britannica.com)]

A convert to Christianity in his middle age

St. Cyprian was originally known as Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus. Professionally a teacher, orator and lawyer, he became a Christian when he was in his middle aged years. As he converted to the Christian faith, he studied comprehensively the Scriptures and the works of religious writers like Tertullian. He strongly advocated Christianity through his writing talents and soon became a priest. In 248 A.D., he was named bishop of Carthage.

St. Cyprian against Novatus

As bishop of Carthage, St. Cyprian had to contend with the schismatic Novatus [who did not want Cyprian to be named as bishop of Carthage]. Novatus caused a schism because he accepted all apostates, known at the time as lapsi, with no requirement of penance. St. Cyprian denounced Novatus for this undue leniency and convened a council at Carthage in 251 A.D. to set forth the terms under which the apostates or lapsi, should be received back in the Church. In retaliation, Novatus went to Rome and joined the antipope, Novatian. St. Cyprian however asserted the supremacy of Pope [St.] Cornelius and actively supported him by rallying the African bishops on the side of Pope Cornelius. There thus were two schisms at the time: St. Cyprian against Novatus, and St. Cornelius [Pope] against the antipope Novatian.

A terrible plague in Carthage and St. Cyprian's martyrdom

In the years 252-254 A.D., Carthage was stricken with a terrible plague. Under the leadership of St. Cyprian, people all around Carthage cared for those smitten with the plague - including among enemies and persecutors. Wealthy people gave money for the care of the plague victims, while others of simple means gave much of their time.

Despite the success of St. Cyprian's leadership in alleviating the effects of the plague, the Christians were still blamed for the plague and hatred against St. Cyprian and the Christians started to build up again. St. Cyprian was arrested amidst all these schisms, trouble, turmoil, and persecutions, and was exiled to Curubis, which was 50 miles away from Carthage. In the following year after his exile, a decree came out sentencing Christian clergy to death. In his trial, St. Cyprian persisted in his Christian faith and refused to honor and sacrifice to the Roman gods. He was thus beheaded on September 14.

St. Cyprian's teaching on unity

Known for his writing talents, St. Cyprian wrote numerous theological treatises on the Church. The late pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI, asked the faithful to place particular attention to St. Cyprian's teaching on Church unity. He mentions that according to St. Cyprian, the unity in the Church has its foundation in St. Peter and its perfect fulfillment in the Eucharist. Since the Church during St. Cyprian's time was filled with schisms and divisive elements, the bishop-martyr and saint "strongly affirm that the Church is one, [and] founded on Peter".

Related resources:

• "A History of the Church" by Franzen and Dolan
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• St. Polycarp, Martyr of the Early Centuries
• The Martyrs of the Early Christian Centuries

11th Sunday of the Year (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) 11th Sunday of the Year (B), June 17, 2012

Liturgical readings

Ezekiel 17:22-24
Psalm 92
2 Corinthians 5:6-10
Mark 4:26-34

"What image will help to present the reign of God?"

Jesus asked this question to the crowd: "What image will help to present the reign of God?" (Mark 4:30) Then He presented the parable of the mustard seed (Mark 4:31-32). Previous to this question and the parable of the mustard seed, He also presented another parable (Mark 4:26-29) for the people to understand in commonplace images what the reign of God is. Both parables used the element of "seed" in their presentation: the first parable used seeds that produced a wheat field ready for harvest, while the second parable used a mustard seed that grew into the largest of shrubs - sheltering the birds of the sky.

The first seeds in the first parable produced food, while the second seed in the second parable produced shelter. The gospel helps us to see that the reign of God provides food and shelter for all its children. The food it produces is an imperishable food, and the shelter it provides gives refuge from what can harm. Jesus wants us to see that the reign of God is like a father that provides for his family. It is God our Father who provides everything for all His children. So as "all in the family" receive His Kingdom's provisions, so should everyone also work to provide for others who want to be a part of it. By our good deeds done in the Spirit, God's kingdom grows and is built up in the strength of His mercy.

We are indeed privileged as Catholics to have a Church that has provided and still continues to provide generations with the imperishable food in the Eucharist and the refuge needed to be healed from the harm done by sin. As we receive nourishment and healing, so must we work so that others to can share in what we have received. It is by us that the reign of God extends to other families within our immediate social network. Let us "forward" the gift we have received to others. Our good deeds need not be big actions; just a kind remark or a charitable gesture as small as a mustard seed is enough to let God's Kingdom be present among us.

St. Maximus the Confessor

St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr

St. Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr: c. 69-155 A.D.

Bishop of Smyrna and Apostolic Father

St. Polycarp was a disciple of St. John the apostle and evangelist. He became bishop of Smyrna (now modern-day Izmir, Turkey), and was reputedly consecrated by St. John himself. Polycarp was a staunch defender of orthodoxy in the Church. He worked hard against the heresies of Valentianism and Marcionism. He is considered to be one of the second generation of Apostolic Fathers and an acknowledged leader of the Eastern Church.

Origins according to legend

Polycarp's name is one of a series borne by the slaves of the Roman Empire. And legend also tells us that he received the Christian faith as a slave boy in a Christian family. Though both these information have no basis in historical records, what is really recorded about Polycarp is:

• his being a youth-disciple of St. John;
• his being a middle-aged bishop of Smyrna,
• host of St. Ignatius of Antioch, and visitor to Rome;
• and his being an elderly teacher of St. Irenaeus.

Studied St. John's Gospel

Polycarp must have ardently studied John's gospel, and the letter of John to Polycarp's own Church of Smyrna in the book of Revelations. In the book of Revelations, Polycarp may be well have been the "angel" (or "presiding spirit" in the New American Bible translation) of whom John the Evangelist speaks:

"To the presiding spirit of the church in Smyrna, write this: The First and the Last who once died but now lives has this to say: I know of your tribulation and your poverty, even though you are rich. I know the slander you endure from self-styled Jews who are nothing other than members of Satan's assembly. Have no fear of the sufferings to come. The devil will indeed cast some of you into prison to put you to the test; you will be tried over a period of ten days. Remain faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life." (Revelations 2:8-10)

Arrested during the Christian persecution under Emperor Marcus Aurelius

It was under the persecution by Emperor Marcus Aurelius that soldiers were sent to the place where Polycarp was staying. Polycarp greeted the soldiers and their chief of police, Herod, and ordered supper for them - requesting on his part some time for prayer before he went with them. In his prayers, Polycarp prayed for his own people of Smyrna and for the whole Church with such intense devotion that some of his captors regretted the orders which they were carrying out.

Polycarp's martyrdom

Upon his arrest, the Romans wanted to sway Polycarp to sacrifice to their Roman gods and acknowledge the Emperor's divinity. Polycarp however refused and was then ordered to be burned to death at the stake. When the fire was lit, the flames swirled around Polycarp's body, and did not touch him. Seeing this happen, the Roman proconsul ordered Polycarp to be pierced with a lance. As the soldiers then speared Polycarp, a dove flew from his side and blood spewed forth to start quenching the fire. Polycarp eventually was burned to the stake and his death and martyrdom remembered by the universal Church.

Polycarp's writings and writings on his death

One of Polycarp's writings, his letter to the Philippians, is still in existence and was commended by St. Irenaeus, one of Polycarp's followers. As regards the narrative of Polycarp's martyrdom (Martyrium Polycarpi), this was taken from actual eyewitness accounts written by his followers. The narrative of Polycarp's martyrdom may well be the oldest authentic example of the acta of a martyr.

Polycarp's relics

Polycarp's martyrdom ends on a note of exultation. Though Polycarp's body eventually burned, his followers "afterwards took up his bones, [considering them to be] more valuable than precious stones and finer than refined gold, and laid them in a suitable place". The brethren of Polycarp would joyfully treasure these holy bones, honouring also all those who had triumphed in the contest, and preparing themselves also because they still had to endure the persecution. Though St. Polycarp is not named as a patron saint, he has been invoked to save those threatened by flames.

Farewell message

Polycarp belong to that Age of the Martyrs which inspired so many generations of Christians after them. On his farewell message, before he was pierced with a spear and burned to ashes at the stake, St. Polycarp said: "I bless You Father for judging me worthy of this hour, so that in the company of the martyrs I may share the cup of Christ."

References of this article

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• Saints for Our Time, by Ed Ransom
• The New American Bible, New Catholic Translation
• Saints Who Made History, Chapter I: The Age of the Martyrs
• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.

St. Macarius, Monk and Greek Father of the Church

St. Macarius, Monk: 300-390 A.D.

Introduction

There is a St. Macarius the Great listed as one of the Greek Fathers of the Church. And there is a Desert Father Macarius of Egypt (also ca. 300-390 A.D.) whom homilies are ascribed to. The context of these homilies is the early monasticism of Syria. Since St. Macarius is from Egypt, there is speculation that these homilies may not originally come from him. Nevertheless, the fifty homilies which comprise these writings, gave it great authority in the Christian East. It also influenced the West after it was translated into Latin and several vernaculars. Some of these sermons and homilies are among the most ecumenical of all Christian texts, and are treasured by Orthodox, Catholics and many Protestants. One of the homilies is Homily 10. And the title of this Homily 10 is: By Lowliness of Mind and Earnestness the Gifts of the Divine Grace are Preserved, But by Pride and Sloth they are Destroyed.

The life of St. Macarius

As regards his life, this St. Macarius the Great, may also have been referred to as St. Macarius the Elder, who also lived between ca. 300-390 A.D. Macarius the Elder was born in Upper Egypt. He was a cattle herder in his youth but early became a hermit, practicing a lot of austerities. He was accused of assaulting a woman but proved his innocence and became somewhat of a hero for his patience and humility during this trying ordeal. To escape the adulation he was receiving, he retired to the desert of Skete when he was thirty. He was also ordained and was very much sought after for his spiritual wisdom.

Then for a time, he was exiled on a small island in the Nile with Macarius the Younger (d. ca. 394 A.D.) and other monks, because the Arian Lucius of Alexandria tried to drive out the desert monks. Later though, he was allowed to return. St. Macarius the Great died after living in Skete for sixty years and is believed to be the first hermit to live there.

References of this article

• Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon, SJ
• The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, by editor Bernard McGinn
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney

St. Anthony of Padua, Franciscan and Doctor of the Church

For a comprehensive biography of St. Anthony of Padua, visit this link.

There is a prayer of praise in honor of St. Anthony of Padua. It was composed by St. Bonaventure, also a Franciscan and a doctor of the Church.

This prayer of praise is sung frequently in the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua and prayer every Tuesday throughout the world.

If then you ask for miracles,
Death, error, all calamities,
Leprosy and demons fly,
And health succeeds infirmities.

The sea obeys and fetters break,
And lifeless limbs do you restore;
While treasures lost are found again,
When young and old your aid implore.

All dangers vanish at your prayer,
And direst need does quickly flee;
Let those who know your power proclaim,
Let Paduans say: these are of thee.

To Father, Son, may glory be
And Holy Spirit, eternally.

Pray for us, blessed Anthony.
Make us worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
Lord God, may the votive commemoration of blessed Anthony, Your Confessor and Doctor, be a source of joy for Your people. May they always be strengthened with his spiritual assistance and deserve eternal rewards. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Memorial of Saints (June 12)

St. John of Sahagun was educated by the Benedictine monks. He was ordained in 1445 A.D., then spent some years studying at the University of Salamanca. He did a lot of work the next decade, but fell ill and had a serious operation. After this serious illness, he entered the Augustinians in 1463 A.D. St. John worked well as an Augustinian, and was known for his gift of reading men's souls (died ca. 1479 A.D.).

St. Antonina was tortured and martyred during Diocletian's persecution of Christians. Tradition reports her martyrdom to have happened at Nicaea, Bithynia, during the governorship of Priscillian. Many places aside from Nicaea, Bithynia also claim the honor of her martyrdom. She is also known by the name Antonia - the name listed in the Roman Martyrology (died ca. 304 A.D.).

St. Onuphrius was an Egyptian hermit. Originally a monk in a large monastery in the Thebaid, he felt called to a solitary life. Onuphrius lived as a hermit for sixty years after leaving the monastery in the Thebaid. Paphnoutious, a monk who wanted also to be a hermit, met Onuphrius in the desert. While with St. Onuphrius, Paphnoutius learned of the old hermit's life and wrote a biography on the Saint (died ca. 400 A.D.).

For the rest of the Saints honored on June 12, please visit this link.

St. Gregory of Nyssa, "Father of the Fathers"

Bishop: ca. 330-395 A.D.

Birth, family background, and early life

St. Gregory was the son of St. Basil the Elder and St. Emmilia. He was born at Caesarea, Cappadocia, and was cared for by his brother St. Basil (the Great), and his sister St. Macrina the Younger. Being well educated, St. Gregory became a rhetorician and entered into marriage with Theosebeia. He became a professor of rhetoric but became depressed because of his students. His friend St. Gregory Nazianzen, led him to enter religious life. Eventually, he was ordained a priest. In the first years of his priesthood, he lived in seclusion at Iris in Pontus. Then in 372 A.D., his brother St. Basil, who was bishop of Caesarea, was instrumental in Gregory's being named bishop of Nyssa, lower Armenia.

A staunch defender of the Church against heresies

When St. Gregory took his episcopal seat in the diocese of Nyssa, he found his see overrun by Arianism. Aside from this problem, he was then falsely accused of stealing Church property and was imprisoned. Although St. Gregory was able to escape from prison, he was deposed by a synod of bishops from Galatia and Pontus in 376 A.D., and was exiled until 378 A.D., when the Emperor Gratian restored him to the see of Nyssa. St. Gregory then became active in the council of Antioch (379 A.D.) and in the General Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.), which battled heresies and reaffirmed the orthodox teaching of the Church (especially as regards the decrees of the Council of Nicaea against Arianism). Together with other Fathers of the Church, St. Gregory of Nyssa was a pillar of orthodoxy and a great opponent of Arianism.

His writings and influence

Together with St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen, the three Cappadocian Fathers had an immense infuence in Eastern Christianity. Of these three Fathers, it was St. Gregory of Nyssa who was the most mystical in his writings. He wrote a commentary on the Song of Songs in the form of fifteen homilies dedicated to a wealthy Christian named Olympias. His other great mystical work, "The Life of Moses", is a rearrangement of the story of Moses, that presents the Old Testament patriarch as the model of mystical ascent to God. In this written work, St. Gregory was able to expound well on his original mystical teaching on the "epektasis" - the constant pursuit of God that is paradoxically at the same time, the enjoyment of His presence (confer Philippians 3:13).

St. Gregory of Nyssa also wrote his Catechetical Discourse, treatises against Eunomius and Appolinaris, a book on virginity, and commentaries on Scripture. The second General Council of Nicaea in 680-681 A.D., called him "Father of the Fathers."

Sources of this blog post:

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon, SJ
• The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, by editor Bernard McGinn

St. John Cassian, Abbot and Ascetical Writer

Latin Father of the Church: ca. 360-435 A.D.

Introduction

St. John Cassian was a monk who was able to connect Eastern monasticism and early Western monasticism. As an ascetical writer, his thought was influenced by the writings of Evagrius Ponticus. His two major writings were of great influence in the West for more than a millenium. These two writings were:

• "The Conferences (ca. 426-429 A.D.),
• and "The Institutes" (ca. 430 A.D.).

The life of St. John Cassian

The writer Gennadius in the fifth century A.D. says that St. John Cassian was born in Scythia, of wealthy parents, and that at 380 A.D., he went to Palestine with a friend named Germanus.

St. John Cassian and Germanus became monks at Bethlehem. Then they went to Egypt where they lived as hermits under Archebius. They continued on and visited the famous Fathers (abbas) of the desert until they arrived at Skete.

In about 400 A.D., John Cassian became a follower of St. John Chrysostom at Constantinople and was ordained a deacon by him. When John Chrysostom was deposed, together with others, John Cassian went to Rome in 405 A.D., to defend Chrysostom before Pope Innocent I. Several years later he went to Marseilles and lived there until his death in 435 A.D.

Founded monasteries

In about 415 A.D., St. John Cassian founded two monasteries, where he applied the spirit of Egyptian asceticism and monastic life. It was for his monks that he wrote "The Institutes" or "Institutes of the Monastic Life". Through this writing, he set forth the rules for monastic life - listing eight chief hindrances to a monk's perfection. St. John Cassian's "Institutes" greatly impressed St. Benedict that it influenced Benedict's own spirit of Western monasticism.

Other writings

"The Institutes" was St. John Cassian's second major work. His first major writing was "The Conferences" or "Conferences on the Egyptian Monks". This writing contains twenty-four recollections of conversations with noted abbas and leaders of Eastern monasticism - conversations on the interior spiritual practices of monastic life.

This writing was censured by Pope Pelagius for containing erroneous doctrine in some of its passages. His other writing, "De Incarnatione Domini", which was against Nestorian, was written at the request of an archdeacon who was later to become Pope St. Leo the Great. In this work, St. John Cassian denounces Pelagianism.

"Purity of heart"

Despite censure from Pope Pelagius, St. John Cassian's works was of great influence to Western monasticism. Especially important was his emphasis on "purity of heart" (puritas cordis: Mt 5:8) as the aim, or direction, the monk uses to attain the goal of the kingdom of heaven. Although St. John Cassian wrote for his fellow monastics, important parts of his teaching are also applicable to all devout Christians - especially his teaching on prayer.

Though coming from the East, St. John Cassian is listed also as one of the Latin Fathers of the Church.

References of this article

• Pocket Catholic Dictionary, by John A. Hardon, SJ
• The Essential Writings of Christian Mysticism, by editor Bernard McGinn
• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney

Five Important Documents in the Catholic Church

There are five very important types of documents in the Catholic Church. The most important is the Apostolic Constitution while the least important is the Papal Message. These five documents are all issued by the Pope [or council].

The five types of Church documents

The five important Church documents in order of importance:

• 1. Apostolic Constitutions
• 2. Encyclical Letters
• 3. Apostolic Exhortations
• 4. Apostolic Letters
• 5. Papal Messages

Apostolic Constitutions

The Apostolic Constitution is a Church document of the highest authority that is issued by a Pope or council. The two types of Apostolic Constitutions:

• Dogmatic Constitution
• Pastoral Constitution

The Dogmatic Constitution has something to do with dogma and the teachings of the Church. An example of a Dogmatic Constitution is the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium in Latin. This was issued during the Second Vatican Council, 21 November 1964 A.D.

The Pastoral Constitution has to do with the application of the doctrines of the Church. An example of this document is the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes in Latin. This document was also issued during the Second Vatican Council, 7 December 1965 A.D.

Encyclical Letters

Encyclical Letters are pastoral letters written by the Pope concerning matters of doctrine for the entire Church. The origin of these Encyclical Letters are based on the Letters of the Apostles in the New Testament. Pope John Paul II wrote a total of fourteen (14) encyclical letters. Two popular encyclicals he wrote:

• on the Blessed Mother [The Mother of the Redeemer, Redemptoris Mater, March 25, 1987 A.D.]
• and on the Eucharist [Ecclesia de Eucharistia, April 17, 2003 A.D.]

Apostolic Exhortations

These Church documents are written by the Pope as an encouragement for people to take practical action. Examples of this Apostolic Exhortation:

• Ecclesia in Asia.
• The document for religious that was issued by Pope Paul VI on 29 June 1971 A.D. - Apostolic Exhortation on the Renewal of Religious Life, Evangelica testificatio.

Apostolic Letters

Apostolic Letters are issued by the Pope for matters of lesser importance, such as the establishment of a new diocese. Examples of Apostolic Letters issued after the period of the Second Vatican Council:

• Apostolic Letter on Mixed Marriages [by Pope Paul VI, Matrimonia Mixta, 7 January 1970 A.D.],
• Apostolic Letter Containing Norms for the Order of the Diaconate [by Pope Paul VI, Ad pascendum, 15 August 1972 A.D.],
• Apostolic Letter Concerning Mass Stipends [by Pope Paul VI, Firma in traditione, 15 June 1974 A.D.

The late Holy Father, John Paul II, composed a total of forty-five (45) Apostolic Letters.

Messages of the Holy Father

These documents of the Holy Father are for various purposes. Examples of these during the pontificate of John Paul II: the Papal Message for the Celebration of the World Day of Peace, 1 January 1989 A.D., and the Message for the World Communications Day every Sunday before Pentecost Sunday.

St. Ephrem of Syria, Deacon and Doctor of the Church

The feast of St. Ephrem of Syria is celebrated every June 9. He is often called the "Harp of the Holy Spirit" because of his many composed hymns. To know his biography, visit this link.

St. Nilos of Soza and How to Fight Evil Suggestions

Introduction

This blog post is based on, "In Search of True wisdom: Visits to Eastern Spiritual Fathers", by Sergius Bolshakoff and M. Basil Pennington, OSCO. The book is filled with the spiritual wisdom of the Eastern Church Fathers - many of whom are from the Greek and Russian Orthodox traditions.

One method which these Eastern Church Fathers teach is the Jesus Prayer (a prayer which is based on Scripture, specifically found in the gospel passage on the healing Blind Bartimaeus). St. Nilos of Soza, one of the Eastern Church Fathers, teaches how the practice of the Jesus Prayer can be combined with his teaching on fighting evil suggestions (how to distinguish good thoughts from dangerous ones).

prilog

St. Nilos of Soza teaches that in one's spiritual life, an image or idea may appear in one's mind and heart. This is prilog. The idea or image can be a thought suggested by the devil, who tempts us to do one thing or another.

connection

Connection is the next stage. In this stage, one begins to discuss with the appearing thought or image. If one does not resist prilog, and begin to dialogue with the sinful suggestion or idea, a connection is made.

fusion

St. Nilos calls the third stage fusion. After a connection with the sinful image or suggestion, the person may finally decide to do what the thought urges him to do. This is called fusion. And fusion is of two types. The second type of fusion is when the person, who has decided to follow the devilish suggestion, but does not have the opportunity to act on the suggestion, will really truly act out the suggestion when the opportunity presents itself.

imprisonment

Imprisonment is the next stage of fusion. This stage has two degrees also - like fusion. The first degree is when the person is really overpowered by the devilish suggestion. In this first degree stage of imprisonment, through divine assistance, the person can still turn away from the devilish idea and suggestion, and return to his regular business of prayer and good works. The second degree of imprisonment is when the person's mind is overwhelmed as by a tempest or storm. The person then finds it very difficult and impossible to return to his former quiet and peace.

Degree of sinfulness

The degree of sinfulness is measured by the way the person is overpowered by the evil idea or suggestion. The person already becomes a slave of the devilish suggestion. He is led to, as an example, to a drinking spree, an act of fornication or adultery, an act of stealing, or any act that makes a person commit a serious or mortal sin that will weaken or destroy his relationship with God.

How to fight evil suggestions

The best method to fight an evil suggestion from the devil, is to cut off the very first prilog and to practice unceasing prayer. At the first sign of prilog, the person must reject it at once, and not enter into dialogue with it. The prilog distracts us from our regular way of prayer and good works. We must reject the prilog and look into the depths of our heart and say the Jesus Prayer:

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

One wise advice from the Eastern Spiritual Fathers is to be spiritually vigilant and alert. When an idea, thought, word, or image presents itself to us, even if it appears to be a good one, yet if we feel some uncertainty and hesitation about it, we must reject the prilog at once. The key to overcome this initial temptation is not to lose courage and persevere in the Jesus Prayer. If the temptation persists, we are to continue not to take notice of it, and pray and call on the Lord Jesus. If we feel ourselves weakening or in despair, we must still call on the Lord Jesus, asking for His help and never giving up prayer. If we are firm in our prayer and our calling on the Lord, the temptation will vanish. So the solution to fight evil suggestions is to practice vigilance and to pray constantly.

Knowing the Historical Jesus

Images of Jesus

Popular images of Jesus are often related to devotions - like the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Divine Mercy, the Infant Jesus of Prague, and the Black Nazarene. There are also popular images of Jesus like the image of Jesus the Good Shepherd, the image of Christ the King, the Risen Christ, the crucified Christ, and many more. These popular images of Jesus, and the devotions that were born from them, have a basis from the Bible. It is only when a particular aspect of the person of Jesus is emphasized that the images are given form and a devotion is born from the image.

The Historical Jesus

Realizing that the popular images of Jesus have some basis in Scripture, then it follows that knowing the Scriptural image of Jesus is as close as we can get to the historical Jesus. One biblical scholar stated that there are words in the gospel uttered by Jesus that are Aramaic in origin. One such Aramaic word is "Abba", which means Father. The result of this study suggests that Jesus was of Aramaic descent. Another plain understanding of what racial stock Jesus came from is from the genealogy given in the gospel of Matthew. From this genealogy, Jesus was a descendant from the Jewish family of David. And we can also gather that Jesus was brought up as a Jew by the observance of Joseph and Mary of the Jewish rituals when Jesus was young - like the offering of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

Jesus and table fellowship

One other aspect of the historical Jesus that is often overlooked, is that Jesus used the meal and the social gathering around these meals as occasions for his preaching and teaching. Sometimes focus is made on Jesus as the Crucified One that many Catholics forget that the entire ministry of Jesus was one of drinking and eating with both the Scribes and the Pharisees and with the sinners and the tax collectors. Being together in a meal in the time of Jesus meant table fellowship. If two men were not in good terms with one another, they would not eat together. But Jesus exactly used the context of a meal to create Christian relationships that bound people together. This is why the Last Supper was highly emphasized in the Gospel and soon became the source for the institution of the holy Eucharist.

Jesus was not discriminatory

Although men counted more than women in Jewish culture, Jesus had women disciples following Him. He even permitted a woman to wipe her hair on his feet as an expression of her deep sorrow for her sins. And not only was Jesus not discriminatory to women, but He was very accepting of all people - the outcasts, the marginalized, the lepers, the sinners, the tax collectors, the widows, the orphans, the poor, the foreigner [the Samaritan woman], and many more. Even though Jesus was raised in Jewish culture, because of the mission entrusted to Him by the Father, He let love transcend the laws of His culture and created a culture that is specifically Christian.

Jesus was a man of prayer

The gospel of Luke especially heightens the person of Jesus as a man of prayer. There would always be references and allusions to Him as going out to a lonely place to pray. Also, in the gospel of Luke, he says and teaches a lot about the subject of prayer. It is in the gospel of Luke (and also to be found in Matthew) where He teaches the Our Father (Lk 11:2-4). Any serious decision that He had to make, He made it a point to pray. This can be seen also before He chose the twelve apostles. (Lk 6:12-16) This passage says that Jesus went out to the hills to pray; and He spent the whole night in prayer to God. And the next day he summoned His disciples and picked out twelve of them. Also, we have the gospel account of His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before His passion.

Jesus was a man of action

Although Jesus spent many times in prayer, He was also a man of action. His ministry is filled with many accounts of preaching, teaching, healing and the working of miracles. In fact, He was so active (as a Gospel passage states) that He leads a crowd to gather in a way that they could not even have a meal! (Mk 3:20-21). He went from town to town preaching about the Kingdom, teaching many things, and healing many people - making the blind see, the deaf hear, the mute speak, the lame walk, the lepers clean and driving evil and unclean spirits from the possessed.

The historical Jesus is the biblical Jesus

Those who study more in-depth the historicity of the bible accounts and also examine the cultural elements embedded in the text, discover more about the person of Jesus as He had lived as a Jew in His time. There are also other sources for knowing who Jesus is aside from the biblical texts. One other source is the Dead Sea Scrolls. Another is the Shroud of Turin. And the most popular ones are the gospels of Thomas and the other writings on Jesus not considered canonical by the Catholic Church. Although these other sources are not counted by the Catholic Church as official sources for knowing the historical and biblical Jesus, they can bring some light upon certain biblical passages that we may not know of without them.

Conclusion:

The more one prays and study the gospels, the more one becomes familiar with the biblical and the historical Jesus. The image of Jesus provided by the passages of the Gospel will help purify images of Him that have been popularized by the many devotions that have been handed down from folk religiosity. Also, one would benefit a lot from the meditation made on passages of the Gospels. Such prayer and meditations strengthen one's relationship with God.

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, Foundress of the RSCJ

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865 A.D.)

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat was called by God to found a religious order of women whose work is to educate young women for leadership roles and positions in society.

Praying to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865 A.D.) is the foundress of the Religious of the Sacred Heart. When she was just 10 years old in Joigny, Burgundy in France, she first knew of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of the Immaculate Heart of Mary through images in their own home. Her brother, Louis Barat, who was 21 years old at the time, was imprisoned during the Reign of Terror. This situation made their parents and Madeleine prayed fervent before those images - entrusting Louis Barat to God. This spiritual experience made such a deep impression on Madeleine Sophie. The Sacred Heart of Jesus then came to be the focus of her devotion.

Education in Paris

After the Reign of Terror, Louis Barat returned home as a priest. That was in 1795 A.D. When Louis noticed his sister to have grown and with much intelligence, he persuaded their parents to allow him to take Madeleine for a good education in Paris. Louis believed that she was destined for an outstanding service in the Church. Under the direction then of her brother in Paris, Madeleine Sophie devoted hours every day in studying the writings of the fathers of the Church, the classics of western spirituality, and the Scriptures.

Origins of the Religious of the Sacred Heart

As she studied in Paris, St. Madeleine Sophie felt attracted to the contemplative life and so planned to become a Carmelite. But Joseph Varin, a priest in Paris who got to know Madeleine Sophie, also believed as her brother Louis did, that her intelligence indicate that she is called to more active service in the apostolate. And since convent schools in France at the time had been destroyed, these priests urged St. Madeleine to establish an order that would work for the education of girls. At the time also, St. Madeleine Sophie was directed to lead the family of a French branch of the just started religious congregation of Dilette Gesú. Eventually, without intending it, she was already laying the foundation for a separate congregation - the Religious of the Sacred Heart.

The Spirituality and Thought of St. Madeleine Sophie

In the mind of St. Madeleine, devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was closely linked to devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. She followed the tradition of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and also emphasized reparation, the practice of the Holy Hour for the first Friday of the month, and the use of devotions and prayers intended to draw people to the worship of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. With her influence in these spiritual practices, the custom of making a half-hour of mental prayer daily before the Blessed Sacrament grew up in her congregation.

The Interior Life

Though St. Madeleine Sophie emphasized formal prayer, she also said that interior life is even more than prayer. And she points out the constant recollection of God's presence throughout the activities of the day as a good exercise to develop this interior life. She continues to add that this renewed recollection of God's presence is equivalent to the entire sacrifice of oneself. Such an action also makes a person truly given over to the action of God. St. Madeleine Sophie describes this reality to one of her sisters in her writing:

"Few give themselves over to the Holy Spirit, and what a mistake we make in not being among the privileged few! Believe me, it costs much more to stay in a miserable mediocrity in which one belongs neither to God nor to oneself. It is like swimming between two currents; it is difficult and dangerous. Hurry up and plunge into mid-stream. The Holy Spirit will then carry you and you will get to port much more quickly" (Letters 5 vols., II, 339)

Much of St. Madeleine Sophie's interior life was lived under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit drew her to an immersion and inner penetration of the gospels. She was much absorbed in the mysteries of Christ in the course of the liturgical year of the Church. This inner life that revolved around the mysteries of Jesus made St. Madeleine Sophie more aware of God's love and His guidance.

The Work of Education

The work by which St. Madeleine Sophie and her congregation was best known for in her lifetime and also years thereafter, was that of boarding schools for girls of affluent families. St. Madeleine Sophie saw the pressing need of good Christian education for young women who can become leaders in society. She wanted them to exercise a good influence by following ideals of service, self-sacrifice, and strong faith. Even with all the work that soon consumed the activities of all in the congregation, St. Madeleine Sophie never ceased to teach her spiritual daughters that prayer must not be of less importance than activities. She stresses that prayer must dominate and sustain all activities.

Old Age and Death

St. Madeleine thought that in old age the religious should give their major attention and energies to prayer, as she also wished for herself. However, despite her desire to do so, the Congregation she founded refused to release her from her duties as superior general at the age of 84. St. Madeleine Sophie accepted this as God's will for her. She therefore continued to the end until she totally gave herself to God upon her death in 1865 A.D.

Related resources:

• Spiritualities of the Heart

What Happened to the Apostles After Pentecost (Part four)

St. Simon

St. Simon the Zealot was one of the original followers of Jesus. Story-traditions from the West say that he preached in Egypt, and then went on to Persia with St. Jude Thaddeus. Both of them suffered martyrdom in Persia. Another tradition, this time from the East, tells a different story. It reports that St. Simon died peacefully at Edessa. Other story-traditions say that St. Simon also went in his missionary journeys to Libya and into present-day Tunisia. And there is also evidence that this apostle took the gospel with him to Britain, where Christianity took root because of him, before Britain became a colony of Rome in 42 A.D. The most popular tradition commonly believed by many, is that Simon died a martyr together with St. Jude Thaddeus. The two were stoned to death by a mob led by pagan leaders.

St. Jude Thaddeus

St. Jude was a relative of Jesus. He preached the gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, Armenia, and Libya. He is the author of a New Testament epistle bearing his name. As he preached in many places, he strongly attacked the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics. It was in Armenia (which was under Persian rule) where he suffered martyrdom. His death as a martyr however bore much fruit, because Armenia was finally converted to Christianity in the third century A.D. St. Jude is known to have performed many miracles. These were due to his powerful intercession. He has been made the patron saint of lost causes and hopeless cases.

St. Matthias

We all know what happened to Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus to the chief priests. After the Ascension of Jesus, St. Peter addressed the assembly of Christ's followers and said that someone must take the place of Judas Iscariot to fulfill the Scripture. At first, the choice was narrowed down to two: Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias. After the whole assembly prayed for guidance before drawing lots, Matthias was selected. A story-tradition handed down by historians Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius, and St. Jerome, report that St. Matthias first preached in Judaea, then to Cappadocia, and to the shores of the Caspian Sea. In his preaching, he was remarkably insistent upon the necessity of mortifying the flesh to subdue temptations - an important lesson he learned from Jesus and which he himself practiced faithfully. Because of this, he suffered great persecutions and ill-treatment and was eventually martyred in Colchis.

Summary and conclusion

Writers have repeated many times in their works that Jesus is not a myth nor a legend but walked with the people of His time and became part of human history. One truth that attests strongly to what these writers report, is the zeal by which the apostles preached the Gospel, and their readiness to suffer even death for their love of Christ. After this era of the apostles, the early Christians who knew the apostles likewise did what the apostles have taught them by both word and deed. The first centuries of early Christianity were marked by strong martyrs who sacrificed their lives, in the same spirit as Jesus, so that the Good News of salvation may be brought to as many people as possible. This tradition of martyrdom that began with the apostles, continues to this day. Those who are called by God to witness to the saving power of Jesus, through death as martyrs, are all great gifts to the Church - influencing the Church to become stronger in their faith in God.

Resources of these blog posts

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney
• A Year with the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.
• Saints for Our Times, by Ed Ransom

Memorial of Saints (June 5)

St. Boniface was influenced early in life to commit himself to God. After his ordination, he became a very inspiring preacher. In 718 A.D., Boniface was authorized by the Pope to be a missionary to Germany. Boniface had to convert the people from pagan superstitions. He built new churches and new convents all over Germany. He was then named Bishop of Mainz and Primate of Germany. In 754 A.D., while quietly reading in his tent, he was killed by a band of pagans. St. Boniface is known in Catholic tradition as the Apostle of Germany (died ca. 754 A.D.).

St. Dorotheus of Tyre was a scholar and a priest who was exiled during Emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians. After the persecutions ended, Dorotheus returned and was made bishop of Tyre. He was able to attend the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., but had to flee again, this time to Varna in Bulgaria, because of another wave of persecutions. St. Dorotheus was arrested there at Varna and died of the beating he received (died ca. 362 A.D.).

St. Sanctius was born at Albi, France, and was captured by the Moors as a young boy. He was brought to Cordova where he was trained to be a member of the Turkish infantry corps. He however decided to declare his Christian faith. Because of this declaration, he was condemned by the authorities, was tortured and then impaled to death as a martyr for Christ (died ca. 851 A.D.).

What Happened to the Apostles after Pentecost (Part three)

St. Philip

St. Philip is listed among the apostles awaiting the Holy Spirit in the upper room - as mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles 1:13. After Pentecost, one story-tradition reports that Philip preached in Greece, and was crucified upside down (like St. Peter), in Hierapolis under Emperor Domitian. Another tradition says that Philip brought the gospel to Phrygia and Hierapolis, in Asia Minor and was crucified there. After his martyrdom, stories say that his remains were eventually brought to Rome and have been preserved in the basilica of the Apostles since the time of Pope Pelagius (ca. 561 A.D.).

St. Bartholomew

The Roman Martyrology says the apostle Bartholomew (called "Nathanael" in the gospel of John), preached in India, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt and Greater Armenia, where he was flayed and beheaded by King Astyages. The place of his martyrdom was at Abanopolis on the West Coast of the Caspian Sea. There are proofs that St. Bartholomew preached in India according to St. Pantaenus, who found there a copy of the gospel of Matthew in Hebrew in the 3rd century A.D. The peoples St. Bartholomew preached the gospel were the most barbaric in the East, so much so, that when war was declared on the new Christian communities formed by him, St. Bartholomew was beaten, his skin cut into strips and removed, leaving the apostle agonizing with his flesh open and bleeding for a long time. The dreadful manner of his martyrdom explains why in sacred art, St. Bartholomew is shown holding a knife in one hand, with his skin draped over his other arm.

St. Matthew

To Matthew was given the holy task to write one of the gospels. One story-tradition says that after Pentecost, Matthew preached in Judea and then in Ethiopia were he suffered martyrdom. Another tradition states that he preached in Persia and it was there that he was martyred. Many scholars believe that St. Matthew wrote his gospel around the year 70 A.D., in Antioch, Syria. Because of his profession in accounting, before Christ called him to be one of His Twelve apostles, Matthew's written account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, is the most precise, complete, and accurate. It is no wonder therefore that St. Matthew has been made the patron saint of accountants, bankers, and bookkeepers.

To be continued.

Solemnity of Corpus Christi (B)

(Edited) Reflections (from) Solemnity of Corpus Christi (B), June 10, 2012

Liturgical readings

Exodus 24:3-8
Psalm 116
Hebrews 9:11-15
Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

"He took bread and gave it to them; He likewise took a cup and passed it to them."

The passage from the book of Exodus presents the person of Moses offering sacrifices to Yahweh in behalf of the people Israel. The sacrifices involved the use of animals; their blood was splashed on the altar as part of the ritual. Now proceeding to the New Testament, the passage from Mark's gospel presents the Person of Jesus offering His very Self as a sacrifice for the redemption of the new Israel. As Moses used animals in the rite, Jesus used bread to signify His Body, and wine to signify His Blood in the Last Supper rite. The sacrifices offered by Moses and the priests of the Old Testament sealed the covenant between Yahweh and the 12 tribes of Israel. The sacrifice of Jesus' Body and Blood in the New Testament sealed the covenant between the God and the new Israel - signified by the 12 apostles.

The Last Supper marked the institution of the Eucharist in our history as children of God. The meal of bread and wine was an act of the Lord's mercy toward us. The Father provides us not only physical food from creation, but He provides us more important and real food - His very Son - to give life to our souls and spirit. The Eucharist calls us to elevate our minds and hearts to what is above, and to leave behind for awhile secular concerns that can weigh our minds, hearts, and souls down to earth. Examining closely the gospel passage, one will find that the Last Supper was held in an "upstairs room" - symbolic of what God wants of His children. Jesus calls us in the Eucharist to lift our sights and our hopes also to a spiritual level, besides temporal concerns.

Whenever one attends the Sunday Eucharist, let it be a reminder of the important sacrifice the Father had done to save us from earthly bondage to sins committed in the rush for power, money and sex. He has saved us, is saving us, and will always save us through the once-for-all sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, at Calvary. As the priest or bishop in the Sunday Eucharist elevates the bread and the wine during the consecration, we are invited to respond to the call to elevate our minds and hearts to this mystery of God's mercy. It is God's grace that ultimately lifts and elevates our spirit and souls to what is noble in us, what is best in us and what would influence us and others towards the greater good. For when we receive Christ Himself in communion, all are called to bring the spirit of Jesus to others: in word and deed.

Feasts and Memorials of Saints for the Month of June

For Feasts and Memorials of Saints for the Month of June, visit this link