Author name: Sani Militante

Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor

c. 339–c. 397; Patron Saint of beekeepers, bishops, candlemakers, domestic animals, geese, honey cake bakers, learning, livestock, police officers, schoolchildren, security personnel, starlings, and wax refiners; Pre-Congregation canonization

 In 1298, Pope Boniface VIII named today’s saint as one of the four original Doctors of the Church, along with Saints Augustine, Jerome, and Gregory the Great, cementing his importance in the history of the Church. Ambrose was born into a prominent family, with his father, Aurelius, serving as the Praetorian Prefect governing Gaul, France, and beyond. Ambrose was raised in a household of faith and learning. While his father was governor, his mother took Ambrose to Rome to receive a strong education in rhetoric, law, and literature to prepare him for an important political career. A legend from his infancy states that a swarm of bees landed on his face and left a drop of honey, which his parents interpreted as a sign of future greatness and eloquence. As was common at that time, Ambrose was not baptized as an infant but remained a catechumen even into his adult years.

When Ambrose was around the age of thirty, he was appointed as Governor of the Provinces of Emilia and Liguria, a region that included Milan. This position was considered a stepping stone to higher political roles. While Ambrose served as governor, the Church was suffering from internal divisions due to the ongoing effects of the Arian heresy. Despite Arianism’s condemnation in 325 at the Council of Nicaea, many laity, clergy, and even bishops refused to reject the heresy and accept the Nicene Creed. 

In 374, when Ambrose was about thirty-five, the Arian Bishop of Milan passed away. The city found itself in religious turmoil between the Arians and the Catholics. Ambrose, concerned for the peace of the city, personally offered to supervise the election of a new bishop. The eloquence with which he handled the situation had an unexpected effect. Both sides respected him—Catholics for his faith and Arians for his honor. As a result, the crowd began chanting “Ambrose for bishop!” Frightened, Ambrose fled. He argued that he had no theological training and had not even been baptized. However, when Emperor Gratian approved his appointment, Ambrose reluctantly agreed. He was baptized, ordained as a priest, and then consecrated a bishop.

After his consecration, Bishop Ambrose began an intense period of theological and scriptural study. Because he was already well versed in Greek, Latin, and the classics, he quickly mastered Catholic theology. He was also quick to learn the Old Testament and the progression of salvation history. His approach to the Scriptures was unique in that he often read it silently, reflecting upon the meaning in his heart. At that time, Scripture was normally read aloud. This practice of interiorly reading Scripture is known today as lectio divina and has become the standard method of praying with the Scriptures. This interior reading of Scripture, coupled with his  training in rhetoric, proved invaluable when he became a preacher, drawing large crowds to packed churches. Ambrose fully committed himself to his new ecclesiastical mission. He quickly realized that he not only needed to learn and proclaim the orthodox faith, he also needed to live it. Shortly after his ordination, he gave away most of his wealth and land, only keeping what was necessary to ensure the well-being of his sister and family.

Though the Arians had hoped they could win him over to support their side, Bishop Ambrose quickly took the orthodox position, rejecting Arianism. He saw that the Arians were divisive in the community and that he must be the source of true unity and the leader of the faith. He spent much time shepherding the people of his diocese and the rest of his time praying and studying the Word of God.

As Bishop Ambrose’s reputation spread, he caught the attention of Augustine of Hippo, who followed the philosophy of Manichaeism. Augustine moved to Milan to take up a teaching position and began to listen to Bishop Ambrose preach. Augustine’s mother, Monica, had relentlessly prayed for her son’s conversion and asked Bishop Ambrose to intervene. Though Bishop Ambrose’s preaching and teaching had a powerful effect upon Augustine, it was the bishop’s personal life that affected Augustine the most. Augustine later wrote of the bishop:

I arrived in Milan and encountered Bishop Ambrose, a man celebrated globally as one of the finest individuals and a devout servant of Yours. His eloquent sermons richly provided Your people with the core teachings of Your wisdom, the joy of Your grace, and a profound spiritual enrichment akin to uplifting wine. Unbeknownst to me, it was by Your guidance that I was led to him, so that through him I could knowingly be led to You. This man of God welcomed me with fatherly warmth and extended to me the kindness befitting a bishop upon my arrival (Confessions Book V)

Augustine saw in Bishop Ambrose not only a man filled with wisdom and understanding, which were qualities that Augustine had been searching for his whole life, but also a man who cherished those eternal truths in his heart and lived them out. For example, when he saw the bishop reading the Scriptures silently, he sensed he was truly internalizing the message. This led Augustine to open the Scriptures and ponder them himself, leading to his conversion and baptism and to his being celebrated as one of the most influential saints in the history of the Church and even upon the whole of Western culture.

Bishop Ambrose also held great influence over the Roman emperors. Emperor Gratian had a good friendship with Ambrose and was the one who told him to accept his election as bishop. Bishop Ambrose later successfully encouraged the emperor to remove the pagan Altar of Victory from the Roman Senate. When Emperor Valentinian II came to power as a youth, his Arian mother, Empress Justina, acted as his regent. In her support of Arianism, Justina ordered Bishop Ambrose to turn over a church in Milan to the Arian bishop. He refused, writing to her, “If you demand my person, I am ready to submit: carry me to prison or to death, I will not resist; but I will never betray the Church of Christ.” Bishop Ambrose and his people locked themselves in the church and refused to leave. Saint Augustine wrote of this incident in the Confessions, saying, “The devout people kept watch in the Church, ready to die with their Bishop Thy servant” (Book IX). Seeing no way to convince the bishop and his people, the empress acquiesced.

In 380, Emperor Theodosius issued the Edict of Thessalonica, making Nicene Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, outlawing Arianism. Though Theodosius was an orthodox Christian, in 390 he committed a horrible atrocity, ordering a massacre in Thessalonica. When Bishop Ambrose found out, he wrote to Theodosius, demanding he do public penance and informing him he was forbidden to receive the Sacraments until he did so. The emperor complied.

In addition to being an outstanding pastor to his people and a powerful preacher, Saint Ambrose left behind a wealth of writings that have had a great impact on the Church’s theological tradition. In his writings, he is especially known for his refutation of Arianism and his teaching on the true nature of Christ and the Holy Spirit. He also wrote on the Sacraments, virginity, ethics, penance, and the duties of the clergy, and penned commentaries on Sacred Scripture. He left behind many letters of great importance, composed hymns, and wrote beautifully about our Blessed Mother.

As we ponder the life of Saint Ambrose, reflect upon his sudden and unexpected election as Bishop of Milan. Though he had his eyes on an important political career, God’s will was different; therefore, Ambrose cooperated with the divine will. As you ponder his life, consider any ways that your own will differs from God’s will for you. As you do, try to imitate Saint Ambrose by choosing the divine will and letting go of your own preferences and plans.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/7-december-saint-ambrose-bishop-and-doctor–memorial/

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Matthew 9:37-38

On Mission From Christ

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

Reflection:

What does God want of you? What is your mission? Some fervent Christians may dream of becoming a popular evangelist. Some may dream of doing heroic acts of charity that are praised by all. And others may wish to live a very quiet and hidden life of faith, close to family and friends. But what does God want of YOU?

In the passage above, Jesus exhorts His disciples to pray for “laborers for his harvest.” You can be certain that you are among the “laborers” of which our Lord speaks. It’s easy to think that this mission is for others, such as priests, religious and full-time lay evangelists. It’s easy for many to conclude that they do not have much to offer. But nothing could be further from the truth.

God wants to use you in exceptionally glorious ways.  Yes, “exceptionally glorious!” Of course, that does not mean that you will be the next most popular YouTube evangelist or enter the spotlight like Saint Mother Teresa did. But the work God wants of you is just as real and just as important as any of the greatest saints of old or who are alive today.

Holiness of life is discovered in prayer but also in action. As you pray each and every day and grow closer to Christ, He will exhort you to “Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons” (Matthew 10:8), as today’s Gospel goes on to state. But He will call you to do this in the unique way within your own vocation. Your daily duty is not to be ignored. So who in your daily encounters are those who are the sick, the dead, the lepers and the possessed? Most likely they are all around you, to one extent or another. Take, for example, those who are “lepers.” These are those who are the “rejects” of society. Our world can be harsh and cruel, and some may find themselves feeling lost and alone. Who do you know who may fall into this category? Who needs a bit of encouragement, understanding and compassion? God has given you a daily duty that He has not given to another, and, for that reason, there are some who need your love. Look for them, reach out to them, share Christ with them, be there for them.

Reflect, today, upon this exceptionally glorious calling you have been given to be Christ to another. Embrace this duty of love. See yourself as one called to be a laborer for Christ and commit yourself to the full and glorious fulfillment of this mission, no matter how it is to be lived out in your life.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/12/06/on-mission-from-christ-4/

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Saint Nicholas, Bishop

c. 270–c. 346; Patron Saint of children, sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, brewers, pawnbrokers, unmarried people, Russia, and numerous countries and cities; Pre-Congregation canonization

Saint Nicholas of Myra, also known as Nicholas of Bari, Nicholas the Wonderworker, and Saint Nick, was a fourth-century bishop in Myra, Asia Minor, modern-day Demre, Turkey. His life is also the origin of the legend of Santa Claus. By the sixth century, his tomb had become widely venerated because of the numerous reported miracles worked through his intercession. In the eleventh century, his body was transferred to Bari, Italy, where it remains today. To this day, his bodily remains excrete a liquid, at first thought to be an oil but now believed to be water, which is collected, mixed with holy water, and distributed to the faithful in bottles every May 9, the day his remains arrived in Bari. The liquid is commonly referred to as the “Manna of Saint Nicholas” and is believed to contain miraculous healing power. For this reason, along with the mythical character of Santa Claus, he remains a highly venerated saint within the Church. 

Very little is known about Saint Nicholas that is historically verifiable. What we do know is that he was the Bishop of Myra, most likely suffered imprisonment during the persecution of Roman Emperor Diocletian, and was one of the bishops who attended the Council of Nicaea in 325. In addition to these historical details, many later legends have developed about his life. 

Nicholas was born into an affluent and devout Christian family. When Nicholas was young, his parents died from an epidemic, leaving him an orphan and heir to his family wealth. Conscious of the exhortation Jesus gave to the rich young man to “sell what you have and give to the poor,” Nicholas did exactly that. He sold his inheritance and distributed it to those in need. Some accounts of his life state that his uncle instead was the Bishop of Myra and that he ordained Nicholas a priest.

One popular legend is that among the recipients of his wealth were three girls whose father could not afford dowries for them to be married. Their future options were grim and included the possibility of their resorting to prostitution to survive. When Nicholas found out about this dire situation, he threw a bag of gold through the window of their home that the father used as a dowry for his first daughter. Nicholas then did this a second time. After the second daughter was married, the father stayed up all night waiting for a third bag of money. When Nicholas threw the third bag through the window, the father ran out and thanked him. Nicholas asked him not to tell anyone. One version of the story states that each night, the bag of gold landed in stockings hung by the fire to dry, leading to the Christmas tradition of placing stockings out for Saint Nick, who secretly fills them.

In another popular story, Nicholas was traveling to the Holy Land by ship. A storm suddenly arose, and the crew were fearful for their lives. Nicholas prayed, and the storm ceased. For this reason, Saint Nicholas is patron saint of sailors and those taking sea voyages.

How Nicholas became a bishop is a mystery. One version of the story is that shortly after Father Nicholas’ return from the Holy Land, the bishop of Myra died. The clergy of Myra then gathered to pick a successor. During their meeting, God inspired them to pick the first person to enter their church the following morning. Because Father Nicholas had spent the entire night in prayer, he was the first person in the church and was chosen bishop.

During his time as Bishop of Myra, a great persecution broke out in the Roman Empire under Emperor Diocletian. In 303, Diocletian, Maximian, Galerius, and Constantius—who made up a tetrarchy that governed the whole Roman Empire—issued a series of edicts outlawing Christianity and imposing the penalties of torture and death on those who practiced the faith. This was the last and the most violent persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire. At some point, between the years of 303 and 306, Bishop Nicholas was among those arrested and tortured. In 305, Diocletian renounced the throne, and in 306, Caesar Constantius died. Constantius’ son, Constantine, then became Caesar in his place and ordered Bishop Nicholas’ release. In 312, Constantine is said to have seen a vision of the Cross with the words, “In this sign, you will conquer.” In 313, he and his co-emperor ​​Licinius issued the Edict of Milan, granting religious tolerance to Christians.

An early list of the bishops who attended the Council of Nicaea in 325 includes Bishop Nicholas. That council was called to address the heresy of Arianism that denied the full divinity of Christ, asserting that the Son was a created being and not co-eternal with the Father. Some legends relate that Bishop Nicholas was so appalled by the Arians at the council that he slapped one of them across the face, was imprisoned for that act, but was released by Jesus and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Other accounts state that the heretic he slapped was Arius himself. The slap is a common motif in sacred art, including Orthodox iconography.

Other legends abound about Saint Nicholas. He is said to have won the release of various individuals unjustly condemned to death, going so far as to stay the sword of the executioner. During a famine, an evil butcher killed three children and pickled their remains to sell them as ham. Bishop Nicholas intervened and raised the pickled children from the dead. While shocking to the modern hearer, the story was widely told in the Middle Ages. An image of that miracle is found in sacred art and is one of the reasons many came to consider Saint Nicholas as the patron saint of children. Still another story relates that during another famine, a ship full of wheat for the emperor arrived in Myra. Bishop Nicholas convinced the sailors to give him enough to feed the people for two years, promising them that the emperor would still receive all his wheat. When the trusting sailors delivered the rest of the wheat to the emperor, it weighed the same as when it was loaded, despite much of it having been given to the people of Myra.

Bishop Nicholas died on or around December 6, 346 (the year of death varies by source), and was canonized by popular acclaim. His feast day became a day when the faithful performed charitable works, especially toward children, a custom that continues today. In 1054, the Catholic Church split between the East and West, resulting in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. This left the remains of Saint Nicholas in the hands of the Orthodox. In 1071, the Seljuk Turks captured Orthodox-controlled Myra. In 1087, fearful that the Turks would mistreat the relics of their revered saint, Catholic Italian sailors from Bari took part of Saint Nicholas’s remains from his Myra tomb and brought them to Bari, Italy, where the pope later had a church built in the saint’s honor.

Though most of what we know about Saint Nicholas’ life is legendary rather than historically certain, those legends have added much to the faith of the people of God throughout the centuries. These tales have inspired faith and hope and have led to numerous reported miracles.

As we honor this saintly bishop from 1,700 years ago, ponder the faith of the people of God throughout those centuries who have benefitted from the sacred art, pilgrimages to his tomb, and the miraculous Manna of Saint Nicholas. Allow the longtime devotion to him to inspire you, entrusting yourself more fully to his intercession, as well as the intercession of all the saints of Heaven.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/december-6—saint-nicholas-bishop–optional-memorial/

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Matthew 9:30-31

The True Messiah

And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.

Reflection:

Who is Jesus? This question is much more easily answered today than it was at the time Jesus walked the Earth. Today we are blessed with countless saints who have gone before us who have prayerfully and intelligently taught much about the person of Jesus. We know Him to be God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Savior of the World, the promised Messiah, the Sacrificial Lamb and so much more.

The Gospel above comes from the conclusion of the miracle in which Jesus healed two blind men. These men were overwhelmed with their cure, and their emotion overtook them. Jesus instructed them to “See that no one knows about this” miraculous healing. But their excitement could not be contained. It’s not that they were intentionally disobedient to Jesus; rather, they did not know how else to express their sincere gratitude other than to tell others about what Jesus had done.

One reason Jesus told them not to tell others about Him is because Jesus knew they did not fully understand Who He was. He knew that their testimony about Him would fail to present Him in the way that was most truthful. He was the Lamb of God. The Savior. The Messiah. The Sacrificial Lamb. He was the One Who came into this world to redeem us by the shedding of His blood. Many of the people, however, wanted a nationalistic “messiah” or a miracle worker alone. They wanted one who would save them from political oppression and make them a great earthly nation. But this was not Jesus’ mission.

Oftentimes we can also fall into the trap of misunderstanding Who Jesus is and Who He wants to be in our lives. We can want a “god” who will save us only from our daily struggles, injustices and temporal difficulties. We can want a “god” who acts in accord with our will and not vice versa. We want a “god” who will heal us and free us of every earthly burden. But Jesus taught clearly throughout His life that He would suffer and die. He taught us that we must take up our own crosses and follow Him. And He taught us that we are to die, embrace suffering, offer mercy, turn the other cheek, and find our glory in that which the world will never understand.

Reflect, today, upon whether Jesus would caution you about speaking too loudly about your vision of Who He is. Do you struggle with presenting a “god” who is not actually God? Or have you come to know the very Person of Christ our Lord to such an extent that you are able to give witness to Him Who died. Do you boast only in the Cross? Do you proclaim Christ crucified and preach only the deepest wisdom of humility, mercy and sacrifice? Recommit yourself to a true proclamation of Christ, setting aside any and all confused images of our saving God.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/12/05/the-true-messiah-3/

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Saint Sabbas of Mar Saba

Profile

Sabbas was a spiritual student of Saint Euthymius the Great at age 20. He was an anchorite from age 30. He was living in a cave and devoting himself to prayer and manual labor. He wove ten willow baskets each day. On Saturdays, he would take them to the local monastery, led by Saint Euthymius, and trade them for a week’s food, and a week’s worth of willow wands for more baskets. He took over leadership of the monks upon the death of Saint Euthymius. He becamse the co-superior with Saint Theodosius over 1,000 monks and hermits in the region.

Sabbas was a simple man with little education, but with a firm belief in the spiritual benefits of simple living. The combination of his lack of education and his severe austerities caused some of his charges to rebel. Sabbas was tired of the squabbling. He missed his time in prayer, so he fled to TransJordania. There he found a cave inhabited by a lion; the lion moved on, finding a new home, and giving the cave to the holy man. A distorted version of this tale reached the rebellious monks; they seized on it, reported to the patriarch that Sabbas had been killed by a lion, and requested a new leader be appointed. As this message was being formally presented to the patriarch, Sabbas walked into the room. This led to a confrontation during which the complaints of the monks were aired. However, the patriach took Sabbas’s side, and the two restored order and discipline to the lives of the anchorites.

Sabbas led a peaceful uprising of 10,000 monks who demanded the end of the persecutions of Palestinian bishops of Anastatius I.

At age 90, Sabbas travelled to Constantinople where he successfully pled for clemency from Justinian for Samarians who were in revolt.

Born

  • 439 at Motalala, Cappadocia

Died

  • 532 of natural causes
  • relics enshrined in Venice, Italy

Canonized

  • Pre-Congregation

Representation

  • man holding the rule of his monastery in his hand
  • man seated at the edge of a cliff
  • man praying in a cave with a lion nearby

Source: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-sabbas-of-mar-saba/

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Matthew 7:21

Authentic Christians

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Reflection:

It’s frightening to think of those of whom Jesus is speaking. Imagine arriving before the throne of God upon your passing from this earthly life and you cry out to Him, “Lord, Lord!” And you expect Him to smile and welcome you, but instead you come face-to-face with the reality of your ongoing and obstinate disobedience to the will of God throughout your life. You suddenly realize that you acted as if you were a Christian, but it was only an act. And now, on the day of judgment, the truth is made manifest for you and for all to see. A truly frightening scenario.

To whom will this happen? Of course, only our Lord knows. He is the one and only Just Judge. He and He alone knows a person’s heart, and judgment is left only to Him. But the fact that Jesus told us that “Not everyone” who expects to enter Heaven will enter should grab our attention.

Ideally, our lives are directed by a deep and pure love of God, and it is this love and this love alone that directs our lives. But when a pure love of God is not clearly present, then the next best thing may be a holy fear. The words spoken by Jesus should evoke this “holy fear” within each of us.

By “holy,” we mean that there is a certain fear that can motivate us to change our lives in an authentic way. It’s possible that we fool others, and maybe even fool ourselves, but we cannot fool God. God sees and knows all things, and He knows the answer to the one and only question that matters on the day of judgment: “Did I fulfill the will of the Father in Heaven?”

A common practice, recommended over and over by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, is to consider all our current decisions and actions from the point of view of the day of judgment. What would I wish I had done in that moment? The answer to that question is of essential importance to the way we live our lives today.

Reflect, today, upon that important question in your own life. “Am I fulfilling the will of the Father in Heaven?” What will I wish I had done, here and now, as I stand before the judgment seat of Christ? Whatever comes to mind, spend time with that and strive to deepen your resolve to whatever God reveals to you. Do not hesitate. Do not wait. Prepare now so that the day of Judgment will also be a day of exceeding joy and glory!

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/12/04/authentic-christians-4/

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Saint John Damascene, Priest, Religious and Doctor

c. 676–749; Patron Saint of pharmacists, icon painters, and theology students; Pre-Congregation canonization; Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII in 1890

In the early seventh century, Damascus, Syria, was a thriving city within the Eastern (Byzantine) Roman Empire. Being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, the city enjoyed a rich cultural heritage and diversity. Being part of the Roman Empire, it was primarily Christian, with some Jews, small pockets of paganism, and heretical Christian sects. After the death of Muhammad in 632, Islamic conquerors expanded into the Roman Empire, capturing and occupying Damascus in 635. In 661, Damascus became the capital for the Umayyad Caliphate, leading to further Islamic influence in the region. Though Christians’ rights were restricted, they were permitted religious freedom under certain conditions and limitations, such as paying a special tax and wearing distinct clothing. They also occupied a lower legal status than Muslims. Some Christians, however, were given important roles in the government, especially financial administration, due to their Greek and Roman education and administrative skills that many Muslim leaders admired. It was into this historical situation that Saint John of Damascus (John Damascene) was born.

John was born to Christian parents who did not allow their Muslim rulers to affect their faith. In fact, John’s father was one of the Christians held in high esteem by the local rulers and was entrusted with important administrative responsibility by the Caliphate. During his early years, John is believed to have received an excellent education. He might have been educated in the faith by local clergy, also learning Greek and Roman philosophy. At some point, his father came across a slave named Cosmas for sale in the public market. Some records indicate that Cosmas was a highly educated monk from Sicily, who was captured on a raid. His father secured the monk’s release, perhaps by purchasing him at a high price, and entrusted his son’s education to Cosmas. Another youth, possibly an orphan whom John’s father cared for, studied alongside John. Cosmas was not only well-versed in theology, but also in philosophy, music, astronomy, and a variety of other subjects. John greatly advanced in learning under Cosmas. Given the Muslim control of Damascus, John also became well versed in Islamic law, culture, and theology.

When John’s father died, the Caliphate recognized John as a man of great learning and virtue. Like his father, John was given an important role in the city’s administration. John, however, became increasingly sensitive to the non-Christian environment and feared its influence. In his mid- to late-twenties, he resigned his position, sold his possessions, and retreated to the desert monastery of Mar Saba, near Jerusalem, taking Cosmas with him.

As a monk, John spent his first two decades growing in spiritual perfection. Under the guidance of his spiritual director, he embraced monastic disciplines, such as renouncing his own will, avoiding worldly attachments, dedicating all actions to God, rooting out pride, rejecting the seeking out of extraordinary spiritual experiences, eliminating worldly thoughts, and maintaining silence. He fulfilled every humble task his superiors assigned him. He studied, prayed, did penance, and continuously entrusted himself to His merciful God. He advanced so greatly in the spiritual life, humility, and learning, that his superiors deemed him worthy of priestly ordination, which was uncommon among the monks. They also believed that, as a priest, he could offer great service to the Church through ministry and writing. Thus, John was ordained and instructed by his superiors to address important theological issues within the Caliphate and Byzantine Empire.

According to various early sources, the first issue arose from Yazid ibn Abd al-Malik, the Islamic Umayyad Caliph, who opposed the use of icons and sacred images in Christian churches. One story relates that a Jewish magician from Tiberias promised Yazid a long life of fortune if he banned Christian icons within his caliphate. The Jews followed the Torah, which banned using images of God. Yazid took his advice and, in 721, issued an edict by which Christian icons were destroyed in churches across the caliphate. Shortly afterward, between the years 726–729, Byzantine Emperor Leo III, a very religious man, also became convinced that the veneration of sacred images was idolatry. Therefore, he issued his own series of edicts by which he outlawed icons and sacred images throughout the Byzantine Empire. The Patriarch of Constantinople opposed Leo, so Leo appointed a new patriarch on his own authority. The pope also opposed Leo, so grave tensions arose between East and West.

Under obedience, Father John wrote his first great work, Apologetic Treatises against those Decrying the Holy Images, in which he articulated in three treatises the rationale for the use of icons in a profoundly theological way but also in a way that the common layman could understand. In these treatises, Father John was the first to distinguish between latreia (worship), which is due only to God, and proskynesis (veneration), which can be directed towards sacred images representing divine figures. Because the Old Testament forbade the worship of idols or any images of God, Father John’s explanation had the effect of reconciling the Christian use of sacred images with the Old Testament prohibition. He argued that veneration of images was proper because of the Incarnation of the Son of God. In Old Testament times, the Incarnation had not yet taken place. Therefore, it was forbidden to use any material means to represent the unseen and immaterial God. In Christ, however, the invisible God became visible and material, sanctifying the physical world, thus endowing the physical world with the ability to reflect the majesty of God. Father John extended this logic to the veneration of images of the saints who now share in the glory of God’s divine life (See quote above).

Tradition holds that the Byzantine Emperor was so outraged at Father John’s condemnation of his decrees that he forged a letter in Father John’s name that implicated him in a planned attack against Damascus. When the Caliph received the letter, he ordered that Father John’s hand be cut off and mounted on a pole. Once the deed was done, Father John beseeched the Mother of God to intervene so he could continue writing. The next day, his hand was miraculously restored.

Five years after his death, John’s treatise was condemned by the Council of Hieria in 754, which was called by the Byzantine Emperor. In 787, however, John was fully exonerated at the Second Council of Nicaea, which ruled in favor of icon veneration and declared that the Council of Hieria was illegitimate, given the absence of the five patriarchs.

In addition to his writings against the iconoclasts, Saint John Damascene is known for his summary of the doctrinal teachings of the Early Church Fathers, called De Fide Orthodoxa (An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith). Along with that work, he also wrote against heresies and on logic and philosophy. Further works include hymns, letters, commentaries, and sermons. Among his sermons is a series on the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was also critical of Islam, pointing out many of its flaws.

Saint John Damascene left behind a clear exposition of the faith of the Church that became a standard for study in the centuries to follow. None of that would have been possible, however, had he not first entered the monastery and perfected his spiritual life as a hermit. As we honor this great saint, reflect upon the foundation that you need to establish within your own spiritual life. Without that solid foundation of deep union with God, God will be limited in the ways He can use you. With that foundation established, great things can be done in and through you for the salvation of souls and the glory of God.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/december-4—saint-john-damascene-priest-and-doctor–optional-memorial/

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Matthew 15:36-37

A Miracle of Superabundance!

Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over–seven baskets full.

Reflection:

This line concludes the second miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes as told by Matthew. In this miracle, seven loaves and a few fish were multiplied to feed 4,000 men, not counting the women and children. And once everyone ate and was satisfied, seven full baskets remained.

It’s hard to underestimate the effect that this miracle had on those who were actually there. Perhaps many did not even know where the food came from. They just saw the baskets being passed, they took their fill, and passed the rest on to others. Though there are many important lessons we can take from this miracle, let’s consider one of them.

Recall that the crowds had been with Jesus for three days without food. They were amazed at Him as He taught and continually healed the sick in their presence. They were so amazed, in fact, that they showed no sign of leaving Him, despite the obvious hunger they must have been experiencing. This is a wonderful image of what we must seek to have in our interior life.

What is it that “amazes” you in life? What is it that you can do hour after hour without losing your attention? For these first disciples, it was the discovery of the very Person of Jesus that had this effect upon them. How about you? Have you ever found that the discovery of Jesus in prayer, or in the reading of Scripture, or through the witness of another, was so compelling that you became engrossed in His presence? Have you ever become so engrossed in our Lord that you thought of little else?

In Heaven, our eternity will be spent in a perpetual adoration and “amazement” of the glory of God. And we will never tire of being with Him, in awe of Him. But too often on Earth, we lose sight of the miraculous action of God in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Too often, instead, we become engrossed in sin, the effects of sin, hurt, scandal, division, hatred and those things that lead to despair.

Reflect, today, upon these first disciples of Jesus. Ponder, especially, their wonder and awe as they stayed with Him for three days without food. This draw of our Lord must take hold of you and overwhelm you so much that Jesus is the one and only central focus of your life. And when He is, all else falls into place and our Lord provides for your many other needs.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/12/03/a-miracle-of-superabundance-3/

Matthew 15:36-37 Read More »

Saint Francis Xavier, Priest

1506–1552; Patron Saint of foreign missions, missionaries, navigators, and parish missions; Invoked against plague epidemics; Canonized by Pope Gregory XV on March 12, 1622

Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta (Francis) was born into a noble family at the Castle of Xavier in the Kingdom of Navarre, the youngest of several children. His father was seneschal (administrator) to the royal court of the King of Navarre, giving him important administrative, financial, and judicial authority. In 1512, when Francis was six, the King of Aragon and regent of Castile attacked the Kingdom of Navarre, with devastating consequences for Francis’ family’s wealth and power. Three years later, Francis’ father died. At the age of nineteen, Francis moved to Paris to study philosophy and the arts. As was common at that time, he went by the name Francis Xavier, identifying himself with his place of origin, the Castle of Xavier.

Francis entered the University of Paris with secular ambitions. After being at the university for four years, Francis and his roommate, Peter Favre, welcomed a new student who was fifteen years older: Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius had moved to Paris to study theology in preparation for priestly ordination after experiencing a radical conversion. After his conversion, Ignatius began to write down his experiences in what would become one of the greatest programs of conversion ever written: The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. After becoming roommates with Peter and Francis, Ignatius worked on the two men, attempting to convert them and encouraging them to join him in a new religious society he desired to form. Peter was receptive, but Francis was not. Through Ignatius’ persistence, Francis’ heart underwent conversion, and he sensed a call to embrace the priestly ministry.

After four years of study, Francis earned a master’s degree in 1530 and began teaching at the university. Four years later, Ignatius and six companions, including Francis, embraced a common mission to consecrate themselves to God and to live as companions. On the hill of Montmartre, overlooking the city of Paris, these seven men made private vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the Roman pontiff, with a commitment to convert the infidels in the Holy Land. Following these private vows, Francis spent the next three years studying theology before his ordination as a priest in 1537, at the age of thirty-one. Together with his companions, Ignatius drew up a formal rule of life for their new company in 1539, which was approved by Pope Paul III the following year, formally establishing the Society of Jesus, later referred to as the Jesuits, which means “Companions of Jesus.”

Central to Jesuit spirituality are Saint Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises, based on his own conversion. Francis Xavier was among the first to use the exercises to deepen his prayer life and communion with God. The exercises, along with the spiritual support and encouragement from his brothers—especially Ignatius—transformed him into one of the greatest missionaries in the history of the Church.

During his first three years as a priest, Father Francis Xavier cared for the poor and sick and deepened his prayer life, first in Venice and then in Rome. Decades earlier, Portuguese explorers had captured and colonized Goa, a city on India’s western coast. In 1540, the King of Portugal, upon hearing reports of immoral behavior among the Portuguese colonizers of Goa, petitioned the pope to send missionaries to Goa to assist. Seeing that the Society of Jesus was newly formed and young, the pope identified the Jesuits as the ideal group to send. Upon receiving the request, Father Ignatius of Loyola chose two of his first companions for the mission. When one became ill, Ignatius chose Father Francis instead, sending him to Portugal to have an audience with the king and queen. In 1541, at the age of thirty-five, after being named apostolic nuncio to the East by the pope, Father Francis and two Jesuits companions set sail to Mozambique and then to Goa, arriving on May 6, 1542.

For the next ten years, Father Francis’ missionary activity of traveling, preaching, converting, catechizing, building churches, baptizing, and miracle working were so extensive that he has since been referred to as another Saint Paul and the “Apostle to the East.” In 1904, Pope Pius X named him the patron saint of foreign missions. In addition to his ordinary missionary work of preaching, teaching, and administration of the Sacraments, stories abound about Father Francis healing the sick, calming a storm at sea, raising the dead, and preaching in tongues, a charism which enabled him to preach in his language while others heard him in their language.

Upon arriving at his first mission in Goa, Father Francis and his companions ministered to the Portuguese settlers. Though a bishop and diocesan priests were present, there was a need for preachers who would call the people to repentance. He began by tending the sick, which won the esteem of the people. He also called the children to himself by walking through town ringing a bell, inviting them to follow him to the church where he taught them about Jesus. The children, in turn, shared the faith with their family and friends. After several months, Father Francis became aware of numerous indigenous people along the southern coast and on the southern tip of India who had been baptized years earlier but were never catechized and formed in the faith. In a desire to minister to these natives, Father Francis and local priests from the seminary in Goa traveled south, teaching, offering the sacraments, and building dozens of churches with the help of the natives. Many unbaptized were converted, and thousands were baptized on that two-year mission. Though many welcomed him, others fiercely opposed him. At times, attempts were made on his life, but he persevered.

Over his decade of missionary activity, Father Francis set up missions in Malacca, in modern-day Malaysia; the Spice Islands, in modern-day Indonesia; Cochin and the coastal areas of modern-day Kerala, India; and the island of Sri Lanka. In 1548, Father Francis wrote a letter to his Jesuit brothers in Europe saying, “All the Portuguese merchants coming from Japan tell me that if I go there I shall do great service for God our Lord, more than with the pagans of India, for they are a very reasonable people.” Father Francis took their advice and set sail for Japan, arriving on August 15, 1549, at Kagoshima, making him the first foreign missionary to reach that land. He was accompanied by a Japanese convert named Anjiro (whose Christian name was Paul), a fellow Jesuit priest, and a lay brother. After spending many months learning the Japanese language and translating the Gospel into Japanese, he was able to make a considerable number of converts. Father Francis’ initial success in Japan was due to the fact that he learned and respected the local customs and culture, allowing him to more effectively share the Gospel in a way that the Japanese would embrace. Because of his foundational effort, the Catholic faith grew to number over 300,000 Japanese converts within the next sixty-five years. Saint Francis Xavier later wrote about the Japanese people: “These are the best people so far discovered, and it seems to me that among unbelievers no people can be found to excel them.” By the end of the century, however, Japanese Christians had undergone decades of severe persecution and hundreds of thousands of martyrdoms, so the Church went underground. The faith, however, was passed on from generation to generation, emerging once again in the public eye in the mid-nineteenth century.

In 1552, Father Francis received an invitation to travel to China to bring the Gospel to that land for the first time. During the journey, he fell ill and died on the island of Shangchuan, just off the coast of mainland China, at the age of forty-six.

Within ten years of intense missionary work, it is estimated that Saint Francis Xavier traveled about 38,000 miles on land and sea, being the first to bring the Gospel to many parts of Asia, baptizing about 30,000 souls. Though he wrote extensively to those he left behind in Europe, he never returned; once he left his family at the age of nineteen, he never saw them again. His life was a true sacrifice. His body was eventually brought back to Goa where it is buried and venerated today. In honor of his numerous baptisms, his arm was removed from his body in 1614 and is venerated at the Gesù, the Jesuit church in Rome.

Saint Francis Xavier was truly another Saint Paul to the Asian peoples. His constant traveling and founding of mission churches planted the seeds of faith deep in the soil he traversed. Though persecution stifled Catholicism’s later growth in Japan, that stifling ultimately deepened the resolve and faith of those persecuted. As we honor this great apostle of Christ, ponder all that he accomplished in ten short years. As you do, consider the next ten years of your own life, and rededicate yourself to the mission Christ has for you.

Source: https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/december-3—saint-francis-xavier-priest–memorial/

Saint Francis Xavier, Priest Read More »

Luke 10:23-24

The Eyes of Faith

Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.
For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

Reflection:

What did the disciples see that made their eyes “blessed?” Clearly, they were blessed to see our Lord. Jesus was the One promised by the prophets and kings of old, and now He was there, in flesh and bone, present for the disciples to see Him. Though we do not have the privilege to “see” our Lord in the same way that the disciples did some 2,000 years ago, we are privileged to see Him in countless other ways in our daily lives, if we only have “eyes that see” and ears to hear.

Since the time of Jesus’ appearance on Earth, in the flesh, so much has changed. The Apostles were eventually filled with the Holy Spirit and sent forth on a mission to change the world. The Church was established, the Sacraments were instituted, the teaching authority of Christ was exercised, and countless saints have given witness to the Truth with their lives. The past 2,000 years have been years in which Christ was continually made manifest to the world in countless ways.

Today, Christ is still present and continues to stand before us. If we have the eyes and ears of faith, we will not miss Him day in and day out. We will see and understand the countless ways that He speaks to us, leads us and guides us today. The first step toward this gift of sight and hearing is your desire. Do you desire the Truth? Do you desire to see Christ? Or are you satisfied with the many confusions of life that seek to distract you from what is most real and most life-changing?

Reflect, today, upon your desire. The prophets and kings of old “desired” to see the Messiah. We are privileged to have Him alive in our presence today, speaking to us and calling to us continually. Foster within yourself a desire for our Lord. Allow it to become a blazing flame which longs to consume all that is true and all that is good. Desire God. Desire His Truth. Desire His guiding hand in your life and allow Him to bless you beyond what you can fathom.

Source: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2024/12/02/the-eyes-of-faith-4/

Luke 10:23-24 Read More »