FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT.
GOSPEL: Matt. iv. 1,-i 1.
At that time: Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterwards hungry. And the tempter coming; said to Him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Who answered and said: It is written, ' Not by bread alone doth man live, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.' Then the devil took Him into the holy city, and set Him upon a pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him: If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down; for it is written: He hath given His angels charge over Thee, and in their hands shall they bear Thee up, lest perhaps Thou dash Thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to Him: It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.' Again the devil took Him up into a very high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and said to Him: All these will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and adore me. Then Jesus said to him: Begone, Satan; for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and Him only shalt thou serve.' Then the devil left Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.
HOMILY BY POPE ST. GREGORY, PREACHED IN THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN LATERAN
SIXTEENTH HOMILY ON THE GOSPELS.
I. It is often asked by some people what spirit it was by which Jesus was led into the wilderness, on account of the words a little further On: Then the devil took Him into the holy city; and again: The devil took Him up into a very high mountain. But in truth, and without any further searching, we may believe it was the Holy Ghost who led Him up into the wilderness. His own Spirit led Him where the evil spirit found Him to tempt Him. However, when it is said that He, God and Man, was taken up by the devil, either into a very high mountain or into the holy city, the mind shrinks from believing, and the ears of man tingle when hearing it. Yet we know that these things are not incredible, when we consider certain other things concerning Him. Indeed, the devil is the head of all the wicked, and every wicked man is a member of that body, of which the devil is the head. Was not Pilate a limb of Satan? Were not the Jews who persecuted, and the soldiers who crucified Christ, likewise limbs of Satan? Is it then strange that He should allow Himself to be led up into a mountain by the head, Who allowed Himself to be crucified by the members? Therefore it is not unworthy of our Redeemer, Who came to be slain, that He should he willing to be tempted. It was meet that He should thus overcome our temptations by His own, even as He came to overcome our death by His own. We ought to know that temptation works under three forms. There is first the suggestion, then the delectation, or pleasure, and, lastly, the consent. When we are tempted, it often happens that we fall into delectation, and even into consent, because in the sinful flesh of which we are begotten, we carry in ourselves matter to favour the attack. But God, when He took flesh in the womb of the Virgin, and came into the world without sin, did so without having in Himself anything of this lusting of the flesh against the spirit. It was possible, therefore, for Him to be tempted in the first stage, namely, suggestion; but there was nothing in His mind, in which delectation could fix its teeth. Thus all the temptation He endured from the devil was without, and none within Him.
II. If, now, we consider the order of the temptations attacking the Redeemer of the world, we see with what power our Saviour delivered us from the snares prepared for us by the enemy 'of our salvation. For, when the old Serpent rose against the first man, the father of the human race, he attacked him with three kinds of temptations, namely, intemperance, vain-glory and avarice. And being thus tempted, he was overcome by the devil, for he gave his consent. When Satan showed to man the forbidden fruit, and persuaded him to eat of it, he attacked him with the weapon of intemperance; then he tempted him with vain-glory, saying that he would be like to God; lastly, avarice was his weapon, since he assured him that he would possess the knowledge of good and evil. For avarice consists not only in the inordinate love of riches, but also in the desire of exaltation; and we are in reality avaricious, when in an ambitious manner we desire to obtain dignities to which we cannot lay claim. This is also the teaching of St. Paul, who, speaking of Jesus Christ, says: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal to God; but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant (Phil. ii. 6, 7). The devil, therefore, attacked our first parent with the arrows of avarice, for he awakened in him the desire of exalting himself.
III. But this tempter, the old dragon, who by his artifice had overcome the first man, was in his turn overcome by another Man, with the very same weapons he had used in former times. For our Redeemer, the Man-God, was assailed by the devil in the same manner as our first parent; first, with the sensual appetite, since he said to Him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Then he tempted Him with vain-glory, asking Him to cast Himself down from a pinnacle of the temple, and so to show that He was the Son of God, saving His life by a miracle. Lastly, he tempted Him with avarice, when he showed Him all the kingdoms of the world, and promised to give them to Him, if falling down He would adore him. But our Saviour overcame this enemy by the same means that He had employed to tempt the father of the human race. And after this defeat he was enchained by our Lord, and forced by Him to go out of our heart by the same door by which he had entered to enslave us. Yet, beloved brethren, there is another lesson contained in this temptation of our Lord. He could cast His tempter into the eternal abyss by one single word, He being the Eternal Word. But He only answered with the commandments contained in Holy Scripture, so as to give us an example of His patience and moderation, instead of a brilliant sign of His almighty power. By this He teaches us that, when our sufferings are caused by the wicked, we should make good use of such persecutions, and be instructed by them, rather than take revenge. But are we not ashamed, when we consider, on one side God's patience, and on the other our own impatience, when suffering injustice? It often happens, when we are unjustly treated or despised, that anger fills our heart at once. We try to take revenge, as far as lies in our power, and even threaten with a revenge of which we are powerless. Our Lord overcame the temptations of the devil through His patience and meek words. He bore an enemy who deserved the arrows of His justice, and He is thus the more worthy of our admiration and praise, since He was victorious over that enemy by His moderation rather than by the stripes of His anger.
IV. Take notice of the fact that, as soon as the devil left Jesus, Angels came and ministered unto Him. Thereby we are given to understand that there are two natures in Jesus Christ. By the temptation of the devil we know that He was true Man, whilst the coming of the Angels and their ministering to Him, teach us that He is also true God. Let us, then, recognise our own nature in our Saviour, for the devil would not have dared to tempt Him, had he not perceived in Him our humanity. At the same time we bring Him our adorations, for the Angels would not have considered it their duty to minister unto Him, were He not as God exalted over them and all creatures.
V. This Gospel, calling to our mind the forty days and forty nights of fasting spent by our Lord in the desert, entirely agrees with the fast we observe during this holy season. But why was this number of forty days' fasting sanctified? We read in the history of the Israelites that Moses prepared himself for the reception of the Law by fasting forty days; that Elias observed the same fast; that Jesus, before beginning His public life, abstained from food for forty days and forty nights; and lastly, that we also, as far as lies in us, observe this abstinence and fasting during the time of Lent. Though several motives may be set forth to explain this law of the Church, we can say in all truth that, by observing this commandment, we offer to God the tenth part of the year granted to us for satisfying our corporeal necessities. After living solely for ourselves during the course of the year, we now in Lent live for God, offering Him by our abstinence a part of that year. Now, after deducting from the six weeks of Lent the Sundays—on which we do not fast,—we find that there remain thirty-six days, so to speak, the tenth part of the year that we offer to God. The Lord God, beloved brethren, commands you in the Old Law to offer to Him the tithe (tenth part) of your possessions; it is, therefore, just that you should give Him the tithe of your days. For this reason it is everybody's duty to mortify his body, according to his strength, to crucify his desires and subdue his sinful passions, that he may be, as St. Paul says, a living sacrifice (Rom. xii. i). For we are a living sacrifice when, as long as we live, we mortify the desires of the flesh. Just as the lust of the flesh led us to commit sin, true penance must bring us back to God. Consider, again, that since by the eating of the forbidden fruit we were shut out of heaven, so we must endeavour to re-enter these gates by that temperance and abstinence which will atone for all the offences against God committed by our intemperance.
VI. Yet, let us not think that our fasting will be sufficient to appease God, if it is not accompanied by the merits of almsgiving; for He said to us: Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? Loose the bonds of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress, let them that are broken go free, and break asunder every burden. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and harbourless into thy house; when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh (Isa. lviii. 6, 7). This testimony teaches us that the fasting most pleasing to God is the one accompanied by alms offered by our hands, that is, by the love for our neighbour, perfected through works of mercy. Of whatsoever you deprive yourselves, give it to your poor neighbour, to relieve him; and these goods, of which you deprive yourselves by mortifying your appetite, will rejoice your neighbour who is in need. Hear the Lord's complaint: When you fasted and mourned, did you keep a fast unto Me? And when you did eat and drink, did you not eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves? (Zach. vii. 5, 6). Now, we eat for ourselves when the needy has no share in the food we are taking, which, being a gift of God, has been created for all men. And he keeps a fast for himself, who, depriving himself for a time of the food he used to take, preserves it to satisfy his desires later on, instead of giving it to the poor. The prophet Joel exhorts us to sanctify a fast (Joel i. 14), teaching us, if we wish to make our abstinence worthy of God the Almighty, to unite the mortification of our flesh with the practice of other virtues; to refrain from anger and banish hatred from our heart. In vain do we chastise our body, if the mind is not subdued by our victory over sinful passions. God Himself declares this through His prophet: Behold, in the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors. Behold, you fast for debates and strife, and strike with the fist wickedly (Isa. lviii. 3, 4). No injustice is committed when you ask your debtors to pay what is owed you. Yet you easily understand that he, who practises penance, will even abstain from exacting that which is owed to him in justice. When he mortifies himself in this manner and feels real sorrow for his sins, then God will be ready to forgive the debts due to His justice, seeing that for His sake the sinner forgives to others what they owe him in justice.
March 2009 Archives
St John the Baptist
44 School Street
Quincy, MA 02169
617-773-1021
www.stjohns@stjohnsquincy.org
Thursday, March 12, 2009 at 7 PM
Fr. James Fryar, FSSP
Topic: "At the Foot of the Cross with Our Lady"
Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7 PM
Mr. Richard W. Cross, Ph.D.
Topic: "Fasting and acetical Practices in Catholic Life"
March 26, 2009 at 7 PM
Fr. Michael McCormick O.P.
Topic: "What Jesus Saw from the Cross"
Refreshments in Parish hall immediately following.
Immaculate Conception Parish
59 Walnut Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
Bishop Martino of Scanton, PA: My Job is to Promulgate the Authentic Teaching of the Catholic Church
There are several churches that we know of that have weekday Traditional Latin Masses:
At Holy Innocents Church, W37th St. between Broadway and 7th Ave, Manhattan, the Wednesday evening 5:15 Mass will be in the Extraordinary Form during Lent.
St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT has a Wednesday evening Traditional Latin Mass at 7:00 and first Fridays at 8 pm (all year).
At the Church of the Guardian Angel, 193 Tenth Avenue at 21st Street, Manhattan, a Traditional Latin Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus will be offered on the first Friday, March 6, at 6:30 PM, presented by the Oratory of the Sacred Heart.
Low Masses in the Extraordinary Form are offered at St. Lawrence Church in Shelton, CT most Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Occasionally, there is also a sung Sunday Mass. The schedule varies from week to week. To be notified by e-mail of the weekly schedule, contact Rachele Kuzma at RaeKuzma@hotmail.com.
www.hughofcluny.blogspot.com
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The first film produced by St. Benedict Center located in Still River, MA, "The Pearl of York", a film about St. Margaret of Clitherow has been selected as one of the films to be shown for the Boston International Film Festival. Of the 2,500 entries received and 100 were selected. The screening date is April 19 @ 11am in Boston at the Loew's theater on Tremont St. The film also received a Merit award from the Indie Festival
All that is required for Evil to Prevail is for the Vatican to do Nothing: Karen Hall: Some Have Hats Blog
Section XI. You will, perhaps, say to me, it suffices, then, to hear one single Mass to strike off the heaviest debts due to God through many committed sins, because, Mass being of infinite value, we can therewith pay to God an infinite satisfaction. Not so fast, by your leave; because, though indeed Mass is of infinite value, you must know, nevertheless, that Almighty God accepts it in a manner limited and finite, and in degrees conformable to the greater or less perfection in the dispositions of him who celebrates or who assists at the sacrifice.
At St. Mary Church, Norwalk, CT:
A low Mass in the Extraordinary Form in honor of St. Patrick offered in St. Patrick’s Chapel (lower level of the church) on Tuesday, March 17 at 5:30 pm.
A Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form in honor of St. Joseph in the Church at 5:30 pm on Thursday, March 19.
Directions to St. Mary's:http://www.stmarynorwalk.net/
At St. Cecilia Church, 84 Herbert St., Brooklyn, NY:
A Solemn Mass in the Extraordinary Form for the Feast of St. Joseph on Thursday, March 19th, at 7 PM. Full directions to the church can be found on our website: http://hughofcluny.blogspot.com/2009/03/solemn-mass-to-honor-st-joseph-in.html
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 627 East 187th Street, the Bronx, N.Y.
A Solemn High Mass in the Extraordinary Form on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25. The Rosary will be recited at 7 pm followed by Mass at 7:30. The Mass will be offered for the sanctity of life and an end to abortion. More information and directions:
http://hughofcluny.blogspot.com/2009/03/traditional-masses-for-feast-of.html
St. Matthias Church, 58-15 Catalpa Ave. Ridgewood, NY 11385.
A Traditional Missa Cantata (Palestrina) will be offered on the Feast of the Annunication, March 25 at 7 P.M.
The Sociey of St. Hugh of Cluny
http://www.hughofcluny.blogspot.com/
Pope Defends Himself and Decries the Moral Lynching of Traditionalists: Rorate Caeli
LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THE REMISSION OF THE EXCOMMUNICATION OF THE FOUR BISHOPS CONSECRATED BY ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE
A letter of Pope Benedict XVI to all Bishops of the world on the removal of the excommunication of the Bishops of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX) and on all aspects involving the subsequent problems related to Bishop Richard Williamson is set to be released tomorrow (Thursday). Several Italian news sources provide some excerpts of the letter this morning, and we will provide a translation as soon as possible. Excerpts: The letter will announce that the Pontifical Commission "Ecclesia Dei" will be placed under the authority of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (though, as of this moment, it is not clear if only regarding doctrinal matters). The Pope makes clear for Traditionalists that it is not possible to "freeze" the Magisterial authority of the Church in 1962 - but he also chides those who proclaim themselves to be "great defenders of the Council" but who do not wish to understand that Vatican II carries with it "the entire doctrinal history of the Church". The Pope is frank with those who proclaim ecumenism, but who do not wish to follow through with it with the Fraternity: "May we consign to utter indifference a community in which there are 491 priests, 215 seminarians, ... 117 brothers, 164 sisters, and thousands of faithful? Should we truly let them drift away from the Church? Are we allowed to simply exclude them, as representatives of a radical and marginal group, from the search for unity and reconciliation?"...
"A mishap unpredictable to me was the fact that the Williamson affair was placed above the remission of the excommunication. The discreet gesture of mercy towards the four Bishops, ordained validly but not licitly, appeared unexpectedly as a completely different matter: as a denial of the reconciliation of Christians and Jews, and thus as a repeal of that which the Council had clarified for the path of the Church regarding this matter."
...
"I am saddened by the fact that even Catholics, who in the end should have known better how things stand, considered having to assail me with a hostility ready for attack. For this, I thank even more the Jewish friends who have helped to promptly remove the misunderstanding and to reestablish an atmosphere of friendship and trust."
Some of the concluding words are strong: "The impression is often given that our society feels the need for at least one group to which no tolerance is to be granted; which one may perfectly abuse with hatred. And if anyone - in this case the Pope - dares to approach them, he also loses his right to tolerance and he also may be treated with hatred, with no fears or reservations."
SECOND SUNDAY IN LENT
GOSPEL: Matt. xvii. 1-13. At that time: Jesus taketh unto Him Peter and James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart; and He was transfigured before them. And His face did shine as the sun; and His garments became as white as snow. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him. Then Peter answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be here; if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a white cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. And the disciples hearing, fell upon their faces, and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said unto them: Arise, and fear not. And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of Man shall be risen from the dead.
HOMILY BY POPE ST. LEO THE GREAT
HOMILY ON THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS
I. The Gospel you have just heard, and which demands your whole attention, invites you to the knowledge of a great mystery. We shall attain this purpose more surely and with less trouble, if we consider what is written in Holy Scripture just before this event (Matt. xvi.). Indeed, our Lord, the Redeemer of all men, when He began to introduce His doctrine into the world, namely, His Divine doctrine, which gives life to the dead and leads the wicked to justice, instructed His disciples no less by the wonders of His Almighty power than by the words of His eternal wisdom and truth. He wished to convince them that He was both the Son of God and the Son of Man; for one without the other of these prerogatives could not save the world. It would have been as dangerous to believe that Jesus was only God, as to think that He was only man. It was necessary to believe that He was at the same time the one and the other, since the real humanity was in God, as the real Divinity was in man. Therefore, in order to confirm His disciples in the necessary knowledge of and faith in this mystery, our Lord asked them what they thought of Him, and what were the opinions of men concerning Him. St. Peter, one of the Apostles, enlightened by God the Almighty, rose above all that which was human and sensual, and recognised in Jesus the Son of the living God. With a loud voice he confessed the glory of His Divinity, revealed to the eyes of his soul, whilst the eyes of his body only saw the corporeal presence of his Divine Redeemer. And this testimony of the Apostle to truth was so pleasing to our Saviour, that, to reward his faith, He called him blessed, and at the same time appointed him a firm rock, upon which He would build His Church, against which the gates of hell should never prevail. Jesus Christ even promised Peter that, whatever sentence he pronounced on earth, it would be ratified in heaven.
II. This sublime knowledge of the Divinity of Jesus was also to be united with that of the mystery of His humanity, so that the Apostles, after confessing their belief in the Divinity of the Saviour, should not think it unbecoming to God, unable to suffer, to unite Himself with our weak human nature. Again, they should not cherish the belief that His humanity was so glorified, as to be unable either to be subject to death or even to suffer torments. Indeed, we know that our Lord said to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the ancients and scribes and chief priests, and be put to death, and the third day rise again (Matt. xvi. 21). We see also that Peter, filled with love after proclaiming the Divinity of Jesus Christ, and certainly animated by a true zeal for the honour of his Divine Teacher, rebuked Him, saying: Lord, be it far from Thee; this shall not be unto Thee (Matt. xvi. 22). But our Lord, by a gentle reproof, changed the aversion of the Apostle to the ignominy of His sufferings, into a generous desire to take part in these very sufferings. This was also the motive and the effect of the advice given by Jesus to all of His disciples: If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. And He continued: He that will save his life, shall lose it, and he that shall lose his life for My sake, shall find it (Matt. xvi. 24, 25). And the more to strengthen them in this unmovable firmness, by which they were prompted to embrace without fear even the sharpest crosses; to prevent them from being ashamed of the capital sentence He was to undergo; and lastly, to instruct them not to be scandalized at the patience He was going to show during His Passion, when the brilliant signs of His almighty power would be hidden, He took Peter and James, and John his brother, and brought them up into an exceeding high mountain apart, and there made manifest the brightness of His glory.
Hitherto, though they understood that there was in Him the majesty of God, they knew not the power of that body which veiled the Godhead; and therefore He had individually and expressly promised to some of His disciples, who had stood with Him, that they should not taste death, till they saw the Son of Man coining in His kingdom (Matt. xvi. 28); that is, in the kingly splendour which is the right of the humanity taken into God, and which He desired to make visible to those three men. This is what they saw, for the unspeakable and inaccessible vision of the Godhead Himself, which will be the everlasting life of the pure of heart (Matt. v. 8), no man, who is still burdened with a mortal body, can see and live. Our Lord, therefore, manifested His glory before the witnesses He had chosen, and allowed His body, which is like to ours, to appear in such brilliant light, that His face did shine as the sun, and His garments became as white as snow. However, the principal reason for this transfiguration was to banish the scandal of the cross from the hearts and minds of His disciples; also, after showing them the perfection and dignity hidden in His person, He wished to prevent their faith from being weakened by the sight of the humiliations He would so willingly endure. This mystery was also to be the foundation of His Church. For the Church, being the mystic body of Jesus Christ, recognised in this glory surrounding Him, the promise of that glory which she expects to be adorned with when, united to the Head in the happy dwellings, she will participate in His own everlasting felicity. Our Lord Himself said so, when speaking of His coming: Then shall the just shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father (Matt. xiii. 43). And this is confirmed by St. Paul, saying: I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us (Rom. viii. 18). And again: You are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ shall appear, Who is your life, then you also shall appear with Him in glory (Col. iii. 3, 4).
III. Now, the more to strengthen the faith of His Apostles, and to instruct them in a more perfect manner, our Lord, at the miracle of the Transfiguration, let Moses and Elias appear, talking with Him and representing the Law and the Prophets respectively. The presence of these two personalities was to justify what is prescribed by the law: In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand (Deut. xix. 15). Can there be anything more certain and credible than the word of truth confirmed by the testimony of both the Old and the New Testament? The doctrine of the Gospel, preached by Jesus Christ, perfectly agrees with the prophecies of the old law, and He, Who was foreshadowed by the types and figures of the Old Testament, is manifested in the glory of His Transfiguration. The law was given by Moses; grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John i. 17). By His coming He fulfilled all promisors made by the Almighty to His people, and in His person were verified the commands and legal ceremonies by which He was announced. Lastly, He gave us to understand by His coming into this world that the prophecies concerning Him were true, and, by means of the grace He gives us, He makes the fulfilling of the commandments very easy to us. Through the knowledge of this truth St. Peter felt in himself new life, and began to despise the things of this world; he was disgusted with earthly things, and all his desires were then directed to heaven. In the excess of his joy at this beatific vision of our Redeemer's glory, he cried out: Lord, it is good for its to be here. If Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. Our Lord did not answer these words; He wished the Apostle to understand that his request, though not sinful in itself, was untimely, since the world was to be redeemed by the death of the Saviour. Again, our Redeemer wished to teach all the faithful that, though it be unlawful to doubt the promise of eternal happiness, they should ask Him for the necessary patience to bear the trials of this life, rather than for the happiness that is to be their reward; for the time of reigning with Him in heaven cannot precede the time of fighting and suffering.
IV. Peter was yet speaking, when a bright cloud overshadowed them. And lo, a voice out of the cloud, saying: This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. They plainly heard Him say: This is My Son, Whose it is to be of Me, and with Me without all time. For neither is He that begets before Him that is begotten, nor He that is begotten after Him that begets. This is My Son, between Whom and Me, to be God is not a point of difference, to be Almighty, a point of separation; nor to be Eternal, a point of distinction. This is My Son, not by adoption, but My very own; not created from, or of another substance, or out of nothing, but begotten of Me; not of another nature, and made like to Me, but of My own Being, born of Me, equal to Me. This is My Son, by Whom all things are made, and without Whom was made nothing that was made; Who makes likewise all things whatsoever I make; and whatsoever things I do He does likewise, inseparably and indifferently. This is My Son, Who thought it not robbery, nor took it by violence, to be equal with Me, but, abiding still in the form of My glory, that He may fulfill the common decree for the restoration of mankind, bowed the unchangeable Godhead even to the form of a servant (Phil. ii. 6, 7).
V. Instantly, therefore, hear ye Him, in Whom I am in all things well pleased, by Whose preaching I am manifested, and by Whose lowliness I am glorified. For He is the Truth and the Life (John xiv. 6), My Power and My Wisdom (i Cor. i. 24). Hear ye Him, Whom the Law prefigured, Whom the prophets constantly announced; Him, Who redeemed the world by the merit of His Blood, Who subdued the power of the devils, and rendered their efforts and assaults useless; Who destroyed the sentence pronounced against man, who by his disobedience was truly guilty. Hear ye Him, Who opened to you the road to heaven, and Who by the punishment on the Cross erected the steps leading you up to Me. Why are you afraid of Him, since He offers you salvation? Why do you distrust Him? See, He offers Himself to deliver you from your miseries! Do, then, the will of My Anointed, which agrees with My own. Get rid of that fear, with which the weakened nature fills you, and arm yourselves with that courage, which ought to be awakened in you by faith. For it would' be unbecoming in you to feel depressed at the sight of our Redeemer's sufferings, which, by His help, you will share one day, when it will be necessary to give your life for His sake.
VI. It was not only for the benefit of the witnesses of these events that these truths were declared, but the whole Church received them in the person of the three disciples, to whom they were revealed by God. We must, therefore, ground our faith upon the teaching of the Gospel, so that no one may be scandalized by the Cross on which Jesus deigned to redeem the world. Let no one among you be afraid of suffering for justice' sake; let no one doubt the revelations promising an eternal reward; for through labour we are made sure of rest, and through death we come to life. Since our Saviour willed to take upon Himself our weakness, we, on our side, being faithful to Him, and persevering in His love, shall surely overcome our enemies, and infallibly receive the crown prepared for us, specially if we listen to the voice of the Father, Who, to arm us against all adversities, and encourage us to observe His commandments, says: This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him. The same He is Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost reigneth forever and ever. Amen.
THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT
GOSPEL: Luke xi. 14-28. At that time: Jesus was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb; and when He had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke, and the- multitude were in admiration at it. But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. And others tempting, asked of Him a sign from heaven. But He, seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. Now, if I cast out devils by Beelzebub, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils, doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth. But if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him, he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me, scattereth. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, seeking rest; and not finding, sayeth: I will return into my house whence I came out. And when he come he findeth it swept and garnished. Then he goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and entering in they dwell there; and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. And it came to pass, as He spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to Him: Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the breasts that gave Thee suck. But He said: Yea, rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and keep it.
HOMILY BY THE VENERABLE BEDE, PRIEST
BOOK IV., CHAPTER XLVIII., ON LUKE XI.
I. In Matthew (xii. 22) we read that the devil by whom this poor creature was possessed, was, not only dumb, but also blind; and that, when he was healed by our Lord, he saw as well as he spoke. Three miracles, therefore, were performed on this one man: the blind saw, the dumb spoke, and the possessed was delivered. This mighty work was then wrought carnally indeed; but it is still wrought spiritually in the conversion of believers, when the devil is cast out of them, so that their eyes see the light of faith, and the lips, which before were dumb, are opened that their Mouth may utter the praise of God. But some of them said: He casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. These some were not of the multitude, but were liars among the Pharisees and Scribes, as we are told by the other Evangelist (Matt. xii. 24). While the multitude, who seemed to be less instructed, wondered at the work of the Lord, the Pharisees and Scribes, on the other hand, denied the facts when they could, and, when they were not able to do so, twisted them by an evil interpretation, and asserted that the works of God were the works of an unclean spirit.
II. And others, tempting, asked of Him a sign from heaven. They wished Jesus either to call down fire from heaven, like Elias (4 Kings i. so), or, like Samuel (s Kings viii so), to make thunder roll, and lightning flash, and rain fall at mid-summer. Yet, had He done so, they would have tried to explain away these signs also, as being the natural result of some unusual, though till then unremarked, state of the atmosphere. 0 thou, who stubbornly deniest what thy eye sees, thy hand holds, and thy sense perceives, what wilt thou say to a sign from heaven? Perhaps thou wilt say that the magicians in Egypt also wrought many signs from heaven (Exod. vii., viii.). But He, seeing their thoughts, said to them: Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. He answered not their words, but their thoughts, as though He would compel them to believe in His power, since He sees the secrets of the heart. But if every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, then the kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, is not divided, since His is a kingdom that, without all contradiction, shall never be brought to desolation by any shock, but shall abide unchanged and unchangeable forever. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. Saying this, He sought to draw from their own mouth a confession that they had chosen for themselves fathers referred that power to Beelzebub, the prince of devils.
III. Then, to confirm this truth, and to justify the great wonders He performed, our Saviour continued His discourse with these words: But if I by the finger of God cast out devils, doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you. It was the finger of God, which was recognised by the magicians of Pharaoh, when they played their tricks or enchantments before Moses; for, seeing the unheard-of wonders of this man sent by God, they exclaimed: This is the finger of God (Exod. viii. 9). By this finger of God the Commandments were written on the tables of stone on Mount Sinai. All this teaches us that the. Holy Ghost is that finger of God proceeding, as it were, from the hand of the Son, Who is the arm of the", Almighty Father, whilst the Father has one and the same nature with the Son and the Holy Ghost. Should you be scandalized by this comparison of the members which seem unequal, the unity of the body formed by them will edify and even encourage you. It may also be said that the Holy Ghost is called the finger of God, on account of the special graces bestowed by Him to angels and men for no other limb points like the finger at the different parts composing the body. When our Lord said: The kingdom of God is come upon you, He meant by this kingdom the happy dispositions of those who no o penance for their sins, and are, even in this life, separated from the wicked condemned by them. When the step man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth. This strong man is the devil; his court is the world, which he continually guards, which is thoroughly corrupted through his wickedness, and over which this unclean spirit ruled powerfully before the coming of the Saviour; for he reigned without opposition over idolatrous nations, his worshippers. Holy Scripture therefore calls him the prince of this world, and our Lord says of him to His disciples: The prince of this world shall be cast out (John xii. 35). And the better to describe the defeat and flight of this prince of darkness, our Lord added these words: But if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him, he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute the spoils. We are thus taught by our Lord that He is the stronger One, more powerful than the devil, whose dominion was overcome, from whose tyranny He delivered mankind by the strength of His almighty arm, and not by a deceiving or with Beelzebub-concerted deliverance, as by their calumnies the Jews tried to make the multitude believe. The cunning artifices of this wicked spirit are the armour wherein the enemy of our salvation trusted, and men deceived by him, are the spoils taken from him and distributed by Jesus after His victory. For, according to the prophet, He will take with Him, on the day of His triumph, a multitude of prisoners up to heaven, where He grants His gifts in abundance, setting up in the Church, some as Apostles, others as prophets, and choosing some as shepherds or as teachers.
IV. He that is not with Me, is against Me- and he that gathereth not with Me, scattereth. Though these words may be applied to heretics and apostates, they specially refer to the devil; for, according to the words following, our Lord wished the multitude to understand that there cannot be any comparison between His works and those of hell. What does the devil desire but to keep souls in his slavery? whilst Jesus offers them freedom. The devil presents idols and false gods for our adoration; Jesus teaches us to adore the one and true God. The devil praises sin and vice, and Jesus encourages us to practice virtue, therefore, there cannot be anything in common between Jesus and Satan, for their works are in direct opposition. The Redeemer of the world says that, when the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through places without water, and thus teaches us the difference between His works and those of the devil. This latter endeavours to defile that which is clean, whereas the Redeemer cleanses what is defiled. Nevertheless, by these words may also be understood heretics and apostates, and even wicked Christians who, after receiving the grace of Baptism, making profession of the true Catholic faith, and renouncing the pomps and vanities of the world, banished the devil from their hearts. And to this unclean spirit, who finds his former house swept and garnished, and the dwelling of the Holy Ghost, one place only remains—a dry and barren land, to the approaches to which he goes, trying to take the soul by surprise, and to re-enter his former home. It may be said in all truth that this infernal spirit is seeking rest therein, and cannot find it. For this unclean spirit, who shuns the proximity of pure and innocent souls, can only make his abode in the souls of the wicked and godless, offering him an agreeable refuge and a place of rest. This enemy of the human race, according to Holy Scripture, sleeps in the shadow, in the covert of the reed, and in moist places (Job xl. 56). This shadow hiding him, represents the darkness of a sinful soul , by the reed, smooth outwardly, yet inwardly hollow, are meant the hypocrites, who cover the emptiness of their merits with the appearance of virtue ; lastly, sensual and lascivious souls are represented by the moist places into which the devil retires.
He sayeth: I will - return into my house whence I came out. Such resolution on the part of our enemy must make us fear lest our passions and vices, which we thought destroyed, return with greater force to overthrow and take possession of us at the very moment when we but carelessly resist them. Though the enemy on his return will find our soul sanctified by the grace of Baptism and adorned with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, he will also find in it a dry and desolate place, as the Gospel says, when we do not endeavour to increase these graces and merits by practising virtues and good works, or when we do not try to obtain the spiritual goods of which we were at one time deprived. And should our soul only seem to be adorned with virtues, these will be but apparent virtues, brought forth by our hypocrisy.
V. And the devil goeth and taketh with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and, entering in, they dwell there. By these wicked spirits, seven in number, are meant all sins and vices. For those who, after being sanctified in Baptism, let their faith be perverted by error and heresy, or give themselves up to the sinful desires of the children of the world, will soon, by the blandishments of Satan, be thrown into the abyss of all wickedness. These other devils, taking possession of the souls, are justly called more wicked than the first, not only because they introduce into them the seven capital sins, opposed to the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, but also because these souls, by their hypocrisy, preserve the exterior appearance of virtues, which they no longer possess. In all truth we can say with the Gospel, that the last state becometh worse than the first, since it would be better, had these souls never known the way of justice, than to forsake it when once recognised. This happened to Judas, the traitor, to Simon, the magician, and to many others mentioned in Holy Scripture. Moreover, our Lord had also another object in view when He spoke this parable, namely, to apply it in a special manner to the Jews, and to teach them that, what He said about one man would be fulfilled in the whole nation. For in St. Matthew He concludes the same parable with these words: So shall it be also to this wicked generation (Matt. xii. 45). This truth is confirmed in a most astonishing manner, when we bear in mind that the Jews, accepting the Divine law, forced the devil to go out of their hearts. This unclean spirit, driven out of his house, took refuge among the pagans, as in a desert, and there he found rest. But when these idolatrous nations began to believe in the Saviour of the world, then the devil, again driven out of this house, purposed to return to the Jews, where he had formerly taken up his abode. He returned into the house he had left, and found it again deserted, for Jesus, Who had foretold the Jews that their house would be desolate, no longer dwelt in their temple. This, however, still seemed to be adorned; but these ornaments were but exterior and meaningless observances, introduced by the Pharisees. This house was deprived of the assistance both of God and of the angels, and the enemy, accompanied by seven other spirits, entered without difficulty, and secured to himself the conquest of this nation, whose unfortunate end was worse than its beginning. For, since this unbelieving people has been blaspheming Jesus Christ! is possessed by devils in a more cruel manner than it was in Egypt before the promulgation of the Law. At the time, when the Jews did not believe in the coming Messiah, they were less guilt than when, after His coming, they refused to acknowledge and to receive Him.
(A book by Fr. Felix Sarda y Salvany, published by Tan Books.)
What is liberalism? We hear and say, "so-and-so is a liberal," but what does it really mean? Is it a political label? Actually, liberalism was condemned by Ven. Pope Pius IX and many other popes long before Bill Clinton was born.
Here is an excellent book to help Catholics restore Traditional thinking on the duty of man, and of the state, to obey Jesus Christ and His True Church. Written in 1886, Fr. Sarda defines liberalism, details its causes, provides the Church's condemnations of it, and warns us of its consequences. Here are some excerpts:
Liberalism is the dogmatic affirmation of the absolute independence of the individual and of the social reason. Catholicity is the dogma of the absolute subjection of the individual and of the social order to the revealed law of God. One doctrine is the exact antithesis of the other. They are opposites in direct conflict. (p. 28)
From the Irish Catholic but this came to our attention via the blog Ulster Taig.
A high-profile Vatican office has ordered Bishop John Fleming to make provision for the traditional Latin Mass in his Killala diocese. [emphasis mine] The move, from the powerful 'Ecclesia Dei' Commission comes after the Killala Council of Priests decided that no provision should be made for the celebration of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form.
In July 2007, Pope Benedict's letter, Summorum Pontificum, eased restrictions on the pre-Vatican II Mass, the so-called Tridentine Rite and established that any Catholic priest can celebrate the traditional Latin Mass without first seeking the permission of his bishop. Prior to the coming into force of Summorum Pontificum bishops had the right to restrict access to the Latin Mass.
Initially, the Killala Council of Priests, an advisory body made up of both elected members and priests appointed by Bishop Fleming, advised that no provision should be made for the Latin Mass pending a request for clarification from the Vatican on aspects of the Pope's letter. This advice was accepted by Bishop Fleming and an announcement made that the Mass would be unavailable in the Killala diocese.
However, The Irish Catholic has learned that the matter came to the attention of the Holy See as a number of people in Killala wrote to the Vatican to express their frustration at the lack of provision. The Irish Catholic also understands that a number of diocesan priests who believed the decision countermanded papal legislation, contacted Bishop Fleming to register discontent.
The 'Ecclesia Dei' Commission, headed by Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos, then wrote to Bishop Fleming insisting that the restriction was forbidden under Church law since Pope Benedict had made universal provision for the availability of the Mass in the extraordinary form. In its letter, the Commission insisted that neither Bishop Fleming, nor the Council of Priests, had the right to place a restriction on a right approved by the Pope. Bishop Fleming has now designated the Church of the Assumption, Ardagh, Crossmolina, Co Mayo as the centre for the traditional Mass in the Killala diocese and the celebrant will be Fr John Loftus, a priest of the diocese.
[Interestingly, the power that a few letter writers had in bringing this about. Never underestimate what appealing to Rome will accomplish.]
I confess that I am still in shock at the news. I would not have thought it possible that Notre Dame could do this. I am gratified to hear that the switchboards have been overwhelmed, there are online petitions, people are writing letters and hopefully the blog outrage is just beginning.
Sancte Pater
The American Catholic
Best quote (from American Catholic):
Two ND alumni, Marc Brammer, Class of ’74 and MBA ’76 and Michael Voris ’83, both founders of www.RealCatholicTV.com, expressed their disbelief at what had occurred:
“It is beyond sinful that a University dedicated to the Mother of God, in whose womb the salvation of the world became incarnate, would give a platform to the biggest enemy of life in the womb this country has ever seen.”
“This is a direct slap in the face to all who venerate the Mother of God. To be honoring a man who continues to do everything in his power to destroy the fundamental essence of motherhood through abortion,” said Brammer, “shows just how far the University has lost its moral bearings.”
And the Cardinal Newman Society has begun a website: Notre Dame Scandal dedicated to generating a response to this scandal. Sign the petition. Call Fr. Jenkins. Send a letter.
What I find so astonishing about this is not only is Barack Obama completely dedicated to making sure as many abortions are committed as possible but he is also trying to destroy the Catholic Church and yet Notre Dame celebrates and honors him.
The following is a commentary written by Mrs. Leila Lawler for Catholic Culture. This is extremely well written and much to the point.
Let’s take a moment to try to understand what’s going on in Boston, shall we?
To recap:
Caritas Christi, the health-care agency administered by the Archdiocese of Boston, has joined in a successful bid for a government contract to provide health services for low-income clients. The program requires coverage for abortion, sterilization, and contraception.
Cardinal Sean O'Malley says:
"While I appreciate the opportunity given to Caritas Christi to serve the poor through this agreement, I wish to reaffirm that this agreement can only be realized if the moral obligations for Catholic hospitals as articulated in the Ethical and Religious Directives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are fulfilled at all times and in all cases. In order to assure me that this agreement will provide for the integrity of the Catholic identity and practices of Caritas Christi Health Care System, I have asked the National Catholic Bioethics Center to review the agreement and to assure me that it is faithful to Catholic principles." [This is the cardinal's statement in its entirety, made on March 12, 2009.]
First, about serving the poor.
Caritas Christi is a failing business, the mission of which, in this bid, is to shore up an eroding bottom line. Serving the poor isn’t the issue. Winning a large government contract is.
One doesn’t serve the poor by providing them with abortions at the taxpayer’s expense. Even before the present debacle, the archdiocese should have been at the forefront of the (nonexistent) fight to prevent a situation in which the state (meaning its citizens) would be funding abortions.
Now, although the meanest intellect can tell you that by contracting for abortions (and other immoral acts such as sterilizations), Caritas will violate Catholic principles, not only will Cardinal Sean, a bishop, refer the problem to the National Catholic Bioethics Center, he sits on the Board of Directors of that institution.
So he is going to ask himself what he thinks?
If only.
Who are the NCBC? As a friend of John Haas, the president, I regret to say the NCBC compromises and equivocates on the issue of vaccines developed using cells from aborted fetuses, and they refuse to acknowledge any ambiguity on organ donation.
More importantly, the NCBC is not the bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston.
What is the teaching authority of the NCBC?
None.
They have one function in this case, and may God forbid they use it: to provide safe cover under language of “remote proximity” and “lack of material cooperation.”
The faithful need to be clear. Even lacking advanced degrees in bioethics, an ordinary person can figure these things out.
And any person without even a passing knowledge of Directives, Ethical and otherwise, knows that if so-called Catholic hospitals engage in referring for abortions, sterilizations, in vitro fertilizations, etc., then Catholic doctors, nurses, other health care workers, and patients of good conscience will have nowhere to go.
Further, any attempt to safeguard conscientious objection will be rendered moot, sterile, useless, and futile. Such attempts on a national level, going on right now, would have no standing if Catholics in Massachusetts were in the business of providing “reproductive services.”
All the while, we will be able to accuse ourselves of removing the absolute last resort of Christian conduct, since retreat – which is what conscientious objection is – should be recognized as the final refuge of the battle, not its first stage.
The battle has indeed breached the walls of Catholic sanity, ethics, and right conduct. May Cardinal Sean wake up in time.
We hear much of the continuity of Vatican II with tradition these days, especially in light of pending discussions with the SSPX. Even His Holiness likes to press the point, using a Bill-Buckley-sized word, "hermeneutic." It's a pleasant idea, that V-II conserves tradition, except for the practical impossibility of demonstrating such a thing, and even more, the fact that before his elevation, Cardinal Ratzinger himself emphatically declared the opposite.
Let's take a closer look at the supposed continuity, first through the eyes of Cardinal Ratzinger, and then through the eyes of a post-Vatican-II Catholic, namely yourself, as you look back at the teaching of Pope Gregory XVI. While there are many examples of Fathers extolling the dramatic change wrought at the Council, such as Cardinal Suenens who exclaimed, “Vatican II is the French Revolution in the Church” (here), we find in Cardinal Ratzinger the most authoritative descriptions. The teaching of Gregory XVI serves as a "contrast agent," if you will, providing sound traditional doctrine, as well as proof that Pope Pius IX didn't invent the teachings in his Syllabus of Errors. The contrast in both voice and thinking vis-à-vis Vatican II might even be shocking to most Catholics today.
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The greatest event in the whole history of the world was the Incarnation of the Eternal Word by Whom the world was redeemed and peace was restored between God and men. St. Louis Marie
My daughter, I want you to know that no one can please me more than by saying the salutation which the Most Adorable Trinity sent to me and by which He raised me to the dignity of Mother of God. Our Lady to St. Mechtilde
From the glorious book by St. Louis Marie de Monfort
Jesus Christ, the divine Spouse of our souls and our very dear Friend wishes us to remember His goodness to us and all His gifts and wants us to prize them above all else. Whenever we meditate devoutly and lovingly upon the sacred mysteries of the Rosary, Our Lord has an accidental joy and so has Our Lady and all the saints in heaven.
These mysteries are the most signal results of Our Lord’s love for us and the greatest presents that He could possibly give us, because it is by virtue of such presents that the Blessed Virgin Herself and all the saints are in their glory in heaven.
One day Blessed Angela of Foligno begged Our Lord to let her know by which religious exercise, she could honor Him best. He appeared to her nailed to His Cross and said: “My daughter, look at My wounds.” She then realized that nothing pleases Our dear Lord more than meditation upon His sufferings. Then He showed her the wounds on His head and revealed still other sufferings to her and said: “I have suffered all this for your salvation. What can you ever do to return My love for you?”
Our hearts go out to the members of the Legion of Christ and Regnum Christi, who've recently learned that they are victims of a terrible deception. We hope that the leaders of the cult will somehow be removed and that honest men and women will enter to help members unravel the mind control that tears them up inside. Sad to say, there is no sign that this is taking place. Rather, the leadership is now turning the screws to keep their slaves more tightly bound.
Just last week, Fr. Alvaro Corcuera, the superior of the Legion, laid the burden on the members to atone for the persecution that the Legion is suffering! Excerpts form his speech can be found in an article entitled Like father, like son on life-after-rc.com along with the author's analysis, some of which is included here:
This is staggering blindness by a man who is called to lead. ...If one follows the thread, then this leader is suggesting that the members are being criticised for their mistakes. He says that the members have to dig deeper and do better. (Now we'll overlook the fact that for years members have done what their superiors asked, even to the point of deceiving others, using people, and promoting the Movement at the expense of the reputations of others -- but the methodology called for it.)
How Birth Control has Changed American for the Worse: Taking a Closer Look at Humane Vitae
Fr. Marc Montminy, Pastor of Ste. Marie Parish in Manchester (133 Wayne Street), New Hampshire
Tuesday, March 31st
7pm
Chapel of the North American Martyrs (enter at the front right corner of the church – vantage point being the front courtyard)
In 1968, Pope Paul VI issued his courageous Humane Vitae encyclical, the Church’s loving invitation to all mankind, but especially married couples, to embrace God’s precious gift of life.
