Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 18, 2012
Feast of St. Patrick, March 17, 2012
When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden they broke the one commandment God gave them, not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were expelled and condemned to earn their food by hard work to bring forth children in pain, and to grow old and die. They were given justice for their sin. They left the Garden of Eden, probably at the point of the Archangel Michael’s sword, and it wasn’t long before one of their children, Cain, murdered his brother, Abel. And it wasn’t all that long after, that the whole human race had become so corrupt that God destroyed all of them by flooding the world, all except for Noah and his small family. God restored mankind and in time He gave his children the Law of the Old Testament and the priesthood of Aaron, but then the majority of His priests and His chosen people again abandoned Him, choosing the pleasures of the world above the Divine promise of Heaven.
But still God labored in His love for the salvation of His children. His Son, Jesus, humbled Himself to be born a man, to become like us in all things except sin. Jesus gave us His Gospel and as a part of that Gospel He “opened to us a certain way of guarding our soul’s health, so that whatever the stains we may have contracted after our baptism, we may wash them away by the giving of alms.” (St. Cyprian, On Good Works and Almsdeeds) St. Raphael the Archangel tells us in Tobias 12: 8, 9 [KJV, missing] that “Prayer is good with fasting and almsdeeds; for alms delivereth from death, and the same purgeth away sins.” He shows us that prayer and fasting is not enough, and that they are to be assisted by almsdeeds; that prayer alone avails little to obtain what we ask, unless joined to good works and acts of mercy.
Nothing in the life of the Messiah is without a spiritual meaning or without a meaning in salvation history. So let's look at today’s’ Gospel and the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 in that light. This miracle occurred shortly after the murder of John the Baptist and his death ended the Old Covenant and the Priesthood of Aaron and the Prophets. The Old Covenant and the Law of Moses then reached their fulfillment in Jesus, who was the Messiah promised to the Jews, the Chosen People of the Old Covenant. The feeding of the 5,000 is important in salvation history because it marks the passing of the authority of the Law of Moses and the Priesthood of Aaron over to the Apostles in the New Covenant established by Jesus the Messiah.
There are five barley loaves. The five loaves equate to the five books of the Law of Moses. The two fish equate to the preaching of the Prophets and of John the Baptist. Christ is the fullness of the Law and the fulfillment of the Prophets, so when Christ told the Apostles to distribute the bread and fish to the people sitting there He was giving to them the fullness of the Law and the Prophets, (“I have not come to destroy, but to fulfil [the Law.]” Matthew 5: 17) but the fullness is now distributed by the new Priesthood of the Apostles. Spiritually, then, it is through the Apostles and their valid successors that the gifts of divine grace are to be given.
Let’s move on to St. Patrick, whose feast day was yesterday. From time to time God raises up in His Church mighty saints and places them aloft, as on a pinnacle, that their sanctity and good works may shine upon His people in all ages. St. Patrick was one of these. Patrick’s mission was to convert a whole nation from paganism to an exact observance of the Gospels’ love. Among his many virtues three stood out conspicuously: His faith and confidence in God, his spirit of prayer, and his spirit of penance. By faith a proud man submits his intellect and will to God, and believes and adores what he can neither see nor understand. St. Patrick was a man of faith from the beginning, having been born of Catholic parents. He never withdrew his intellect or will from God Whom he loved above all else. This is how he was able to see the whole of Ireland converted.
Patrick’s confidence in God was borne out by many miracles. Patrick accepted all challenges by the pagan priests and magicians. Patrick’s way of life lay in these words: “Amen, amen, I say to you, if you ask the Father anything in my name, he will give it to you.” (John 16: 23) Over and over Patrick confounded the magicians with a miracle from God in the presence of kings and princes and multitudes of unbelievers. One famous miracle was when he sent two of his disciples to restore life to the son of Prince Elelius. The kings and priests, princes and bards and the vast multitude of Ireland embraced the Gospel of Christ.
Patrick’s confidence was the fruit of his prayer. He understood well when Christ said, “Without me you can do nothing.” (John 15: 5) For six years he was a captive and slave and made to tend a flock of sheep. During that time he was without the Mass or Eucharist, without the Sacraments, but 300 times during the day he adored God on bended knees and again 300 times at night. He maintained an intimate union with God. To describe his prayer life in detail would be to describe his life, because his whole life was one of prayer. The working of miracles was almost a daily occurrence with him. He gave sight to the blind, speech to the dumb, cured diseases and raised 33 people from the dead in the name of the Holy Trinity.
St. Patrick’s faith and life of prayer showed forth, but also his many penances. The words of the Baptist constantly rang in his ears, “Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3: 2) Also the words of Christ, “Unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13: 3) While a shepherd slave Patrick bore with patience periods of cold, hunger and nakedness, all offered as penance for sins and for the conversion of sinners.
What can we draw from the life of Patrick? First, we can thank God for this illustrious saint. We can venerate St. Patrick and try to imitate him. Above all, we can never waiver in our faith, hold on to the teachings of Christ’s Catholic Church especially the Holy Trinity, the incarnation of Jesus Christ and His divinity which is so attacked today even though it is the most consoling article of our Holy Faith. Put all your trust in God as Patrick did for Jesus told us, “Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.” (Matthew 11: 28) Attend Mass at least on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation, unite yourself to Christ in the Eucharist, bear patiently the troubles of life, perform the small penances that Mother Church assigns to us, thus imitating at a distance at least, the great saint. Lastly, ask St. Patrick to intercede on your behalf so that some day you may appear before the Throne of God with a clean soul. +++
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