Sermon, Passion Sunday, Mar. 17, 2013

Passion Sunday, March 17, 2013

Epistle Hebrews 9: 11-15              Gospel John 8: 46-59

               

Passiontide began yesterday, Saturday, at 3:00 o’clock and runs until midnight on Holy Saturday. Lenten fasting ends at 12:00 noon on Holy Saturday.

The first prayer in the Divine Office today, called Matins, contains this invitation from Psalm 95: “If today you hear the voice of the Lord, harden not your hearts.” Written by King David, under the urging of the Holy Ghost, these are the words of our suffering Jesus directed at us. We become our own enemies by the hardness of our hearts and by indifference to our faith as the one true faith. Jesus is about to give us the last and greatest proof of His love for us that brought Him down from heaven; His death is close at hand. Let us enter into ourselves, accept the grace He gives us and leave sin and pride behind. The graces of Good Friday and Easter will renew our faith. But these anniversaries also increase insensibility in those who let them pass without allowing His grace to work their conversion. Therefore, “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”  

The Synagogue in Christ’s day was obstinate in her errors, refusing to hear the Messiah and deliberately perverting her own judgment. She had extinguished within herself the light of the Holy Ghost, sinking deeper and deeper into evil and falling into the abyss. This is not unlike many Catholic Churchmen today who are doing the same thing. What happened in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago happens again today in many hearts. While we listen to the Gospels relating the history of Christ’s  Passion, let’s turn the anger we may feel against those ancient Jews and Romans, turn it against our own sins and weep over the sufferings of our Victim Lord, because He suffered also for our sins today.      

St. Paul’s Epistle today calls Christ a High Priest Who by His own Blood, entered once into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption. And, if the blood of goats and oxen “sanctify . . . to the cleansing of the flesh; how much more shall the Blood of Christ . . . cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Dom Guéranger writes of this: “It is by blood alone that man is to be redeemed.”  And God tells us in Psalm 49: 7-14: “Hear, O My people . . . I am God thy God. I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices, and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight” [but] I need them not. Here God both commands the blood of victims to be offered to Him, at the same time declaring neither the blood nor the victims are precious in His sight. Is this a contradiction? No, of course it is not. He wants us to understand that it is only by blood that man can be redeemed, but the blood of animals cannot do this. What was needed was the Blood of God and such was the Blood of Jesus. He came to shed His Blood for our redemption. Let’s not harden our hearts today. Let’s open our hearts that Christ’s precious Blood may, as St. Paul says, “cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”

With regard to today’s Gospel, this entire Chapter 8 of John takes place in the Temple in Jerusalem and consists of Jesus demonstrating His patience, forgiving an adulteress, and His discourse to His people, the Jews. I want to speak today about His patience. He asks those present in the Temple, which of them can convict Him of sin, and then asks and answers a question: “If I say the truth to you, why do you not believe me? He that is of God heareth the words of God. Therefore you hear them not.” His enemies took this to heart and in turn accuse Him of being a Samaritan and having a devil. How does Jesus answer this insult? With patience. He does not respond to their charge that He is a Samaritan because the word “Samaritan” means Guardian or Watcher, and Jesus is the guardian spoken of in Psalm 126: “Unless the Lord keep [guards] the city, he watches in vain who keepeth it.” Jesus accepts the charge of being a Samaritan. In that sense it was true. 

Jesus does respond, saying, “I have not a devil: but I honor my Father, and you have dishonored me.” Jesus first told them that they cannot hear the word of God because they are not of God. This was a lesson, but they considered it an insult. So they responded with a greater insult, accusing Him of having a devil. Their accusation dishonored the Son of God.

Christ’s lesson in the Temple is also meant for us today. What should we do when someone wrongfully accuses us of something we didn’t do? A patient denial followed by silence. Most people would say that if we remain silent it is an admission of guilt. But in denying the charge we have not remained silent. Following our denial, it is not necessary to respond to a false charge. If we argue about it, what are we doing but defending our image, defending our ego. Remember, we are called to focus on eternal life, not on our short lives on Earth. After telling his enemies that they had dishonored Him, what were Christ’s next words? “I seek not my own glory.” Neither should we seek glory by boosting our own ego, our own image. If we are in a state of grace then we already are a perfect image of an obedient child of God. Heaven follows a life of obedience to God.

Earlier in this long conversation in the Temple, Christ tells the people that, “When you shall have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am he [the Messiah], and that I do nothing of myself; but as the Father hath taught me, these things I speak. And he that sent me is with me, and he hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that please him.” Upon hearing these words, many in the Temple that day understood who Jesus was and were converted. But many were not converted, and to them He asks, and answers His own question: “Why do you not know my speech? Because you cannot hear my word.” He tells them that, “You are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your father will you do.”  He acknowledges their desire to kill Him because, as He says, “my word hath no place in you.” Truth, meaning God, does not reside in a soul that is full of pride. Jesus continues, “He that is of God heareth the words of God. Therefore, you hear them not.” He then promises eternal life to those who keep His word, but his detractors cannot accept this either, and again accuse Him of having a devil because Abraham and the prophets, who were just men, are all dead. The discourse ends with Jesus telling them “before Abraham was made, I am.” Then the Jews picked up stones to kill him with because He used the name of God to describe Himself. This name goes back to Exodus Chapter 3, when God told Moses His name, “I Am Who Am.” This struck Christ’s enemies as blasphemy, which in theology means assuming the qualities of God to oneself. Christ’s time had not yet come, so He “hid himself, and went out of the temple.”

Why did Jesus walk away from the wrath of His enemies? Pope St. Gregory the Great writes: why did Jesus hide Himself if not that our Redeemer tells us some things by His words, and others by His example? What does He tell us by this example?  That we should humbly turn away from “The proud and the arrogant . . . who in anger worketh pride.” (Original Douay Rheims, Proverbs 21: 24). So follow our Lord’s example and turn away. If we worry what people will think, this only means that our minds are firmly fixed on our short life on Earth. It’s far better to think of our eternal future, to think of pleasing Him Who gave us His courageous example of humility. +++

(Thanks to Dom Guéranger for today’s sermon)

We Celebrate the Traditional Tridentine Latin Mass

4th Sunday of Lent 3/10/13 & Feast St. Patrick 3/17/13

Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 10, 2013

Feast of St. Patrick, March 17, 2013

Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were expelled then from God’s earthly paradise 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 before 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 it is joined to good works and acts of mercy.

Nothing in the life of the Messiah is without a spiritual meaning or 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 is next Sunday.  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 from 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. +++

We Celebrate the Traditional Tridentine Latin Mass

Sermon, 3rd Sunday of Lent, Mar 3, 2013

Third Sunday of Lent, March 3, 2013

Epistle, Ephesians 5: 1-9        Gospel, Luke 11: 14-28

Today we can thank God for bringing us almost halfway through Lent. Those of us who have observed the Lenten fasts are happy for what we have done. Those of us who haven’t done anything to prepare for Easter are not so happy, but we are not without hope because many days remain to fast in reparation for our sins.  

Lent is the time to prepare ourselves for Eternity. We needn’t fear the death of the body. Worry instead about the death of the soul, which lasts for Eternity. Do not look out upon the world with the eyes of your body. Rather, look at the world with the eyes of your soul. Look for those things that can help you gain the happiness of eternity in our Lord’s Kingdom, things like obedience to Christ and His Church, the Mass and Sacraments, works of charity especially towards you enemies.

In a recent  Gospel reading, Luke 16: 19-31, our Lord tells the story of Lazarus, the poor man who begged at the gate of the rich man’s house, but the rich man had no charity and never gave Lazarus even a crumb. In time they both died and Lazarus was carried up to heaven into the bosom of our father Abraham. The rich man went to hell. Looking up in his torment, the rich man saw Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham and called to him, asking him to send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and touch it to his tongue to relieve the burning. Abraham responded that between them is a “great chaos” so that no one can pass from us to you or from you to us. The Son of God is telling us in the story of Lazarus that heaven and hell are permanent states, and once we go to heaven or hell, it is forever. Those who are wise prepare in this life for eternity in heaven rather than an eternity in hell.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus casts a devil out of a man who could not speak. When the devil was cast out, the man spoke and the crowd marveled at the miracle. However, some in the crowd accused our Lord of casting out devils by the power of Beelzebub -- The Lord of the House, which is a name the Jews used for Satan. But they had seen Jesus raise people from the dead and give sight to the blind and cure every kind of disability and disease, yet they said He cast out devils by the power of Satan. Saint Bruno asked, since when did Satan ever do things like that?

Those who scoffed at Him were Scribes and Pharisees according to St. Matthew’s report of this event. Seeing their thoughts Jesus said, “Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation . . . And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand?” In other words if devils are casting out devils it means there is a civil war in hell, and if hell is at war, the devils have no power over us.

Jesus then asked the scoffers, “If I cast out devils by Beelzebub; by whom do your children cast them out?” These “children” are the Lord’s Apostles, who were given the power by our Lord to cast out devils. The Apostles were also Jews, they believed in the Resurrection, which the Pharisees taught, and they looked upon the Pharisees as fathers and teachers, so in this religious sense the Apostles were their children.  

The Lord continued: “But if I by the Finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you.” The Finger of God is the Holy Ghost, also called the Spirit of God, and where the Spirit of God is, there also is the kingdom of God. So the kingdom of God is with Jesus.

Jesus continuing said: “But 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 . . . and distribute his spoils.” The strong man is the devil, but Christ is stronger. He has come into this world, which the devil has bound and held as his own house – hence the name Beelzebub, the Lord of the House – but Christ has now bound Satan and broken his armor and those he held captive in life, Christ has delivered from bondage. Therefore, the devil is not with Christ, nor does he cast out devils with Him. The devil does not heal men as Christ does, nor does he gather people into Christ’s Church. What does the devil do? He tempts, he scatters, he harries,  he drags down to death and eternal damnation all that he can.

Our Lord continues with a description of those who are possessed by devils, and in this He is referring to the Chosen People as a whole, and not individually, and at what happened to them when they abandoned the true Faith. It was through the faith of Father Abraham, and through the Law as given to Moses and through the priests beginning with Aaron,  the devil had gone out of the Jewish people. But the priesthood corrupted the Law and the people followed, and so the devil coming back finds his old home empty. Then going back into many Jews he brings with him seven spirits more wicked than himself. The seven spirits the devil brought were to oppose the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost: 1^st, Wisdom, opposed by stupidity; 2^nd, Understanding  opposed by revolt and unreason;  3^rd, the Gift of Counsel,  opposed by rashness; 4^th, Fortitude, opposed by fickleness, undependability and fear;  5^th,  Knowledge, opposed by ignorance; 6^th, the Gift of Piety, opposed by impiety, and 7^th, the Fear of the Lord, opposed by contempt and hate. The original devil tempts the man – but these seven kill the soul. It is no wonder that the last state of the man is worse than the first.

St. Ambrose, from a book concerning Joseph, son of Jacob:

Joseph would not have been preferred over his brothers if he had returned injury for injury, and had only loved those who loved him. Most people do that. But it is remarkable if someone loves his enemies. Joseph was remarkable because he did this before Christ brought us the Gospel of love. Being injured, he spared; attached, he forgave; sold into bondage, he responded with kindness. We have been taught all this by Christ and His priests, but how often do we not live like Joseph. Let us learn that the saints were not by nature better than other men, but only more heedful of Christ’s Gospel. Let’s learn that they were not without sin, but truly repented. If hatred and envy touched even the saints, how much more need is there for we sinners to be careful lest these temptations set us on fire.  +++

We Celebrate the Traditional Tridentine Latin Mass