The Only Remedy For All Our Ills
1. Life is a continual battle. “Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?”
(Job 7:1) If we consider only the material aspect of this battle, we
are all among the vanquished. Admittedly, there is some joy and some
victory. But our pleasures are as short-lived as the flowers of the
field; they are soon “withered and dried up like grass.” (Cf. Ps. 101:5)
Our conquests are also very
insignificant; they can inflate us for a while, but they do not last
long and cannot satisfy us. After death only our triumphs in virtue will
persist. Moreover, whereas the joys of this life are few and fleeting,
the physical and moral sufferings are innumerable. Sometimes they are so
heavy and overwhelming that they cause us to despair. But surely there
is a remedy for all the evils which afflict us? God is infinitely good,
and He has permitted suffering. Will He not give us the means of
enduring it and the medicine to cure it? In fact, Our Lord has given us a
remedy for all our ills, even for the most distressing. It is a bitter
medicine, but it will heal anyone who has the courage to swallow it, and
it will give him perfect peace of soul. The treatment consists of three
stages: (1) Doing the will of God in all things with complete
resignation. (2) Doing everything for the love of God. (3) Doing
everything and enduring everything for the love of God alone. When a man
reaches this highest peak of the spiritual life, he acquires that
perfect peace of soul which the Saints possessed.
2. The first
stage consists in doing God's will generously on all occasions. Will God
give us a little happiness and satisfaction in the present life? Let us
accept whatever He allows us without becoming excessively attracted by
it. Let us never lose our hearts in earthly pleasures, but let us
preserve them intact for Jesus. Then the joys and honours of this world
will not disturb our souls nor keep them apart from God. Will God send
us suffering and privation? Let us accept these with resignation to His
holy will. Our final end, which is eternal life, can be achieved equally
well by means of joy or sorrow as long as we accept everything from
God's hands and offer it to Him in accordance with His will. Let us
remember that we have to do the will of God in any case, whether
willingly or unwillingly. The only difference is that if we do it
willingly we shall gain peace and merit in the sight of God. If we do it
unwillingly, we can expect no reward and shall increase the weight of
sin upon our shoulders.
3. We should not stop short at doing
the will of God with resignation, but should aim at doing it from the
motive of love. We should perform all our most ordinary actions and
accept physical and moral suffering purely for the love of God. Then we
shall have peace both in joy and in sorrow, and we shall be happy. Only
the Saints fully understood this great principle of doing and enduring
everything for the love of God alone. They made it their basic rule of
life. If Jesus granted them consolation and favours, they thanked Him.
If He sent them severe sufferings and spiritual desolation, they were
equally grateful. “To me to live is Christ,” (Phil. 1:21) said St. Paul.
Jesus Christ must reign supreme in my will and in my heart and in all
my actions. Then sorrow and suffering will be all the same to me and I
shall possess the peace and happiness of the Saints.
Monday, 28 April 2014
Scandal - Cardinal Bacci
Scandal
1. The Gospel contains a frightening condemnation of those who give scandal. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of scandal!... If thy hand or thy foot is an occasion of sin to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee! It is better for thee to enter life maimed or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire...” (Cf. Mt. 18:6-9) Why was Christ so strict on scandal-givers? He condemned them because they are the accomplices of the devil. Not satisfied with doing evil themselves, they seek by means of bad example to draw others towards ruin as well. They try to destroy Christ's work of Redemption and the fruits of the shedding of His Precious Blood. Let us examine our own conduct. If we discover anything which could provide an occasion of sin for others, let us remedy it immediately. Thoughtlessness in such matters can be very dangerous. Something which seems perfectly innocent to us could be a source of scandal to others. Prudence and delicacy are necessary in our relations with our fellow-men.
2. There are men today who draw large profits from what Pope Pius XII called the industrialisation of evil. Scandal is not only widespread, but it has actually become an industry. It has been found that it pays to arouse the passions of the young by means of the cinema, television, books, newspapers, and other media of entertainment. This vast industry of evil destroys the purity of young souls, poisons innocent hearts, overthrows the moral foundations of Christian families, and subverts the entire structure of civil society. Can you who are reading this disclaim all responsibility for such a state of affairs? Examine your conscience. Perhaps you do not write or publish scandalous magazines, but it is you who buy them and leave them around to be read by others. In this way you contribute to the spread of evil. You should be stricter with yourself and with others where there is a question of scandal. Do not plead that this doubtful periodical or newspaper or film makes no impression on your own mind. This is false in the first place, because evil can harm everybody sooner or later. Drops of water can wear out a stone. Moreover, even if it were true, you have no right to endanger others by your encouragement of evil.
3. Some people are careful to avoid giving grave scandal, but do not give it a thought in matters which they regard as trivial. They have no scruples about imprudent gestures, malicious innuendoes, double-meaning conversations, acts of impatience, lack of understanding, or constant grumbling. Such things may seem trivial in themselves, but can cause a great deal of harm in certain circumstances and in certain types of company. We should keep control over ourselves and examine our behaviour in these matters every evening. If we examine ourselves properly, we shall realise that we have failed to a greater or less degree. Consequently, we shall recognize our obligation to make reparation as far as possible for any scandal which we have given. This can be done especially by giving good example. We have a strict obligation in conscience to make reparation for scandal.
1. The Gospel contains a frightening condemnation of those who give scandal. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of scandal!... If thy hand or thy foot is an occasion of sin to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee! It is better for thee to enter life maimed or lame than, having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire...” (Cf. Mt. 18:6-9) Why was Christ so strict on scandal-givers? He condemned them because they are the accomplices of the devil. Not satisfied with doing evil themselves, they seek by means of bad example to draw others towards ruin as well. They try to destroy Christ's work of Redemption and the fruits of the shedding of His Precious Blood. Let us examine our own conduct. If we discover anything which could provide an occasion of sin for others, let us remedy it immediately. Thoughtlessness in such matters can be very dangerous. Something which seems perfectly innocent to us could be a source of scandal to others. Prudence and delicacy are necessary in our relations with our fellow-men.
2. There are men today who draw large profits from what Pope Pius XII called the industrialisation of evil. Scandal is not only widespread, but it has actually become an industry. It has been found that it pays to arouse the passions of the young by means of the cinema, television, books, newspapers, and other media of entertainment. This vast industry of evil destroys the purity of young souls, poisons innocent hearts, overthrows the moral foundations of Christian families, and subverts the entire structure of civil society. Can you who are reading this disclaim all responsibility for such a state of affairs? Examine your conscience. Perhaps you do not write or publish scandalous magazines, but it is you who buy them and leave them around to be read by others. In this way you contribute to the spread of evil. You should be stricter with yourself and with others where there is a question of scandal. Do not plead that this doubtful periodical or newspaper or film makes no impression on your own mind. This is false in the first place, because evil can harm everybody sooner or later. Drops of water can wear out a stone. Moreover, even if it were true, you have no right to endanger others by your encouragement of evil.
3. Some people are careful to avoid giving grave scandal, but do not give it a thought in matters which they regard as trivial. They have no scruples about imprudent gestures, malicious innuendoes, double-meaning conversations, acts of impatience, lack of understanding, or constant grumbling. Such things may seem trivial in themselves, but can cause a great deal of harm in certain circumstances and in certain types of company. We should keep control over ourselves and examine our behaviour in these matters every evening. If we examine ourselves properly, we shall realise that we have failed to a greater or less degree. Consequently, we shall recognize our obligation to make reparation as far as possible for any scandal which we have given. This can be done especially by giving good example. We have a strict obligation in conscience to make reparation for scandal.
Friday, 25 April 2014
Charity, cheerfulness, humility - St Philip Neri
"Charity and cheerfulness, or charity and humility, should be our motto."
Word and Example - Cardinal Bacci
Word and Example
1. There is great power in the spoken word. It can act like a ray of light upon the mind of a man groping about in the darkness of error. It can present a moving appeal to a sinner to return to God. It can comfort the soul in affliction and in loneliness. Good example, however, is even more powerful than speech. At times it can be irresistible. A man can remain deaf to good advice, but it is difficult for him to remain unaffected by the virtuous behaviour and spirit of sacrifice of someone who is trying to lead him towards goodness. The sermons of the Saints were effective not only because they were inspired by love for God and for souls, but also because they were reinforced by the holiness of the preachers. St. Augustine was converted by the pleadings and prayers of St. Monica, but apart from the grace of God it was the example of his mother's sanctity which made her exhortations so convincing. It was as much by the example of his untiring zeal as by the simplicity of his sermons that the Cure d'Ars converted thousands upon thousands of people. St. Francis de Sales would never have converted so many heretics if his apostolic personality had not possessed such a quality of supernatural attractiveness. Let us do as much good as we can by means of speech whenever the opportunity arises, but above all let us make sure that our lives reflect faithfully the principles which we proclaim. This is the only way in which we shall be able to lead our fellow-men to God.
2. Good example is the most effective sermon, and we are all obliged to preach in this fashion. God entrusted the care of his neighbour to each one of us. (Ecclus. 17:12) Each of us is responsible for the salvation of those who have been entrusted to him in this way, especially for the salvation of those who live near him and are influenced by his behaviour. Jesus' exhortations in this regard have the force of a command. “Let your light shine before men,” He says, “in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:16) St. Paul urges us to “provide good things not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men.” (Cf. Rom. 12:17) This must not be interpreted as meaning that we should be anxious for others to see our good deeds in order that they may respect and praise us. It is our own undoing if our good example is tainted with ostentation, for we should lose all merit for it and should deserve to hear the words of the Eternal Judge: “You have received your reward.” (Cf. Mt. 6:5) Our good example should be inspired only by the love of God and of our neighbour but never by self-love.
3. We should give good example everywhere and in every way, at home and in the church, in the company of those who are subordinate to us and of those who have authority over us, in speech and in dress, by moderation in our eating habits and in the furnishings of our house, by the pictures which we hang in our rooms and by the books and magazines which we read. We should be particularly careful to keep in safe custody those books and journals which are necessary to us for purposes of study but could be an occasion of sin for others. Our whole demeanour should radiate goodness. Let us remember the words of St. James: “He who causes a sinner to be brought back from his misguided way, will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20) By saving the souls of others we save our own.
1. There is great power in the spoken word. It can act like a ray of light upon the mind of a man groping about in the darkness of error. It can present a moving appeal to a sinner to return to God. It can comfort the soul in affliction and in loneliness. Good example, however, is even more powerful than speech. At times it can be irresistible. A man can remain deaf to good advice, but it is difficult for him to remain unaffected by the virtuous behaviour and spirit of sacrifice of someone who is trying to lead him towards goodness. The sermons of the Saints were effective not only because they were inspired by love for God and for souls, but also because they were reinforced by the holiness of the preachers. St. Augustine was converted by the pleadings and prayers of St. Monica, but apart from the grace of God it was the example of his mother's sanctity which made her exhortations so convincing. It was as much by the example of his untiring zeal as by the simplicity of his sermons that the Cure d'Ars converted thousands upon thousands of people. St. Francis de Sales would never have converted so many heretics if his apostolic personality had not possessed such a quality of supernatural attractiveness. Let us do as much good as we can by means of speech whenever the opportunity arises, but above all let us make sure that our lives reflect faithfully the principles which we proclaim. This is the only way in which we shall be able to lead our fellow-men to God.
2. Good example is the most effective sermon, and we are all obliged to preach in this fashion. God entrusted the care of his neighbour to each one of us. (Ecclus. 17:12) Each of us is responsible for the salvation of those who have been entrusted to him in this way, especially for the salvation of those who live near him and are influenced by his behaviour. Jesus' exhortations in this regard have the force of a command. “Let your light shine before men,” He says, “in order that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:16) St. Paul urges us to “provide good things not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men.” (Cf. Rom. 12:17) This must not be interpreted as meaning that we should be anxious for others to see our good deeds in order that they may respect and praise us. It is our own undoing if our good example is tainted with ostentation, for we should lose all merit for it and should deserve to hear the words of the Eternal Judge: “You have received your reward.” (Cf. Mt. 6:5) Our good example should be inspired only by the love of God and of our neighbour but never by self-love.
3. We should give good example everywhere and in every way, at home and in the church, in the company of those who are subordinate to us and of those who have authority over us, in speech and in dress, by moderation in our eating habits and in the furnishings of our house, by the pictures which we hang in our rooms and by the books and magazines which we read. We should be particularly careful to keep in safe custody those books and journals which are necessary to us for purposes of study but could be an occasion of sin for others. Our whole demeanour should radiate goodness. Let us remember the words of St. James: “He who causes a sinner to be brought back from his misguided way, will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20) By saving the souls of others we save our own.
The Three Grades of Perfection - Cardinal Bacci
The Three Grades of Perfection
1. God's great commandment could create in us a sense of confusion and fear. “You are to be perfect,” He orders us, “even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48) Is it possible for weak creatures like us to achieve the perfection of God Himself? At first sight this commandment seems quite impossible, but it is possible for us to act upon it with the grace of God. We must understand it properly, in any case. We shall never reach divine perfection, but we are obliged by Our Lord's command to strive towards it constantly by every means in our power. Perfection should be our most ardent desire, and not merely a theoretical ideal, but a practical aim. This practical intention can inspire our entire life in such a way that it will become a continual ascent towards sanctity and towards God. We need never lose heart even when we suffer a set-back in our spiritual progress. God allows us to fall so that we may be humbled and may place our trust in His grace instead of in ourselves.
2. According to St. Ignatius there are three grades of perfection. The first consists in being ready to avoid mortal sin at all costs, even to the ultimate sacrifice. Circumstances may require us to be martyrs for the faith by being prepared to shed our blood rather than deny Jesus. Circumstances may also require us to be martyrs for our Christian way of life by being prepared to lose everything, health, fortune, and friendship, rather than commit a mortal sin. We are all obliged to reach this first grade of perfection. If anyone refuses to recognise this, he is already in a state of mortal sin in so far as he is prepared to sin grievously rather than make any real sacrifice. Such a man loves himself and his own comfort more than he loves God.
The second grade of perfection consists in a state of indifference to created things, to everything except God, whether it is to health or sickness, wealth or poverty, praise or blame, success or failure. All these things can be used equally well in the loving service of God and in the salvation of our souls. The first grade of perfection is based on the love of God. The second is founded on the love of God alone, so that we are indifferent to everything else as long as we love, serve and give glory to God. We seek other things only in so far as they can help us to know and love God better. We avoid them in so far as they can keep us apart from Him.
3. The third grade of perfection consists in preferring suffering to pleasure, humiliations to honours, and the cross to an easy life. By these means we imitate Christ better and show our love for Him. The way of the cross is the way of Jesus and is the only path to holiness. It is easier for those who walk this path to be detached from sin and from the world and to remain close to Jesus. This is the way which the Saints chose.
In which grade of perfection are we? Even if we are still far from the peak of the third grade of perfection, we should nevertheless work hard to reach it. It is particularly essential that we should stand firm in the first grade by being faithful to the motto of St. Dominic Savio: "Death rather than sin!"
1. God's great commandment could create in us a sense of confusion and fear. “You are to be perfect,” He orders us, “even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48) Is it possible for weak creatures like us to achieve the perfection of God Himself? At first sight this commandment seems quite impossible, but it is possible for us to act upon it with the grace of God. We must understand it properly, in any case. We shall never reach divine perfection, but we are obliged by Our Lord's command to strive towards it constantly by every means in our power. Perfection should be our most ardent desire, and not merely a theoretical ideal, but a practical aim. This practical intention can inspire our entire life in such a way that it will become a continual ascent towards sanctity and towards God. We need never lose heart even when we suffer a set-back in our spiritual progress. God allows us to fall so that we may be humbled and may place our trust in His grace instead of in ourselves.
2. According to St. Ignatius there are three grades of perfection. The first consists in being ready to avoid mortal sin at all costs, even to the ultimate sacrifice. Circumstances may require us to be martyrs for the faith by being prepared to shed our blood rather than deny Jesus. Circumstances may also require us to be martyrs for our Christian way of life by being prepared to lose everything, health, fortune, and friendship, rather than commit a mortal sin. We are all obliged to reach this first grade of perfection. If anyone refuses to recognise this, he is already in a state of mortal sin in so far as he is prepared to sin grievously rather than make any real sacrifice. Such a man loves himself and his own comfort more than he loves God.
The second grade of perfection consists in a state of indifference to created things, to everything except God, whether it is to health or sickness, wealth or poverty, praise or blame, success or failure. All these things can be used equally well in the loving service of God and in the salvation of our souls. The first grade of perfection is based on the love of God. The second is founded on the love of God alone, so that we are indifferent to everything else as long as we love, serve and give glory to God. We seek other things only in so far as they can help us to know and love God better. We avoid them in so far as they can keep us apart from Him.
3. The third grade of perfection consists in preferring suffering to pleasure, humiliations to honours, and the cross to an easy life. By these means we imitate Christ better and show our love for Him. The way of the cross is the way of Jesus and is the only path to holiness. It is easier for those who walk this path to be detached from sin and from the world and to remain close to Jesus. This is the way which the Saints chose.
In which grade of perfection are we? Even if we are still far from the peak of the third grade of perfection, we should nevertheless work hard to reach it. It is particularly essential that we should stand firm in the first grade by being faithful to the motto of St. Dominic Savio: "Death rather than sin!"
Wednesday, 23 April 2014
St George
Prayer to St George
Faithful servant of God and invincible martyr, Saint George; favored by God with the gift of faith, and inflamed with an ardent love of Christ, thou didst fight valiantly against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and deceit. Neither pain nor torture, sword nor death could part thee from the love of Christ. I fervently implore thee for the sake of this love to help me by thy intercession to overcome the temptations that surround me, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may patiently carry the cross which is placed upon me; and let neither distress nor difficulties separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Valiant champion of the Faith, assist me in the combat against evil, that I may win the crown promised to them that persevere unto the end
Faith and Charity - Cardinal Bacci
Faith and Charity
1. Faith is a gift from God. (Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 45) We should, therefore, ask for it in our prayers. Faith cannot enter into a proud soul because “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) If a man does not pray, his faith grows weaker and he may lose it altogether. Faith must be nourished continually by grace which is obtained through prayer. A man who is in a state of mortal sin loses his faith, especially if he is a slave to impurity, because only the clean of heart can see God. (Cf. Mt. 5:8) St. Thomas knew what he was talking about when he said that “faith is the foundation of the entire spiritual edifice of the Christian life.” (Summa Theologica, III, q. 73, a. 3.) It is faith nourished by grace which raises us to the supernatural level, where everything which we do, say or think becomes meritorious in the sight of God. “My just one lives by faith.” (Heb. 10:38) The keener and stronger our faith is, the firmer is the foundation of our spiritual life and the more numerous are our good works. This is not to say that faith excludes all study and investigation. In fact, the more lively is our faith, the more earnest will be our desire to understand better the terms in which our faith is expressed and to explore the intimate connection between divine revelation and human knowledge. Study of this kind will prove a refreshing experience because it will bring us to the threshold of the contemplation of eternal truth. Reason is not humiliated but ennobled by the light of revelation, which raises it to a higher plane.
2. Faith is a wonderful thing. As has been said, it is a supernatural gift from God which we should keep alive by prayer. Faith alone is not enough, however. It is the foundation on which we must build the structure of our Christian life. It is especially necessary for it to be united to the flame of charity. “Without love,” says St. Augustine, “there is only the faith which the devil has,” (St. Augustine, De Caritate, 10) because, as St. James explains, “the devils also believe and tremble.” (James 2:19) We, however, should believe and love. We must combine faith with charity towards God and towards our neighbour. Our faith should be active. As St. Paul says, it should work under the influence of charity. (Gal. 5:6) Without charity and good works, faith is a lifeless thing. If we really believe, we should love God above all things, even more than we love ourselves; and we should be ready to make any sacrifice for Him, even the sacrifice of our lives. Faith should induce us to think constantly of God and charity should urge us to do everything for His sake rather than for any lesser purpose. If we lack this kind of charity, we cannot claim to be sincere Christians.
3. Our faith should be suffused by love of our neighbour as well as by the love of God. We should love our neighbour as ourselves. Does anybody really practise this fundamental Christian precept? Once again, let us contrast the magnificent mansions and places of entertainment of the rich with the slums and hovels where thousands are living in conditions which are not fit for rational human beings. Is this Christianity? Is this the teaching of the Gospel? What would Jesus say about such aspects of modern life? It would seem that the Gospel is still a closed book for many Christians. Let us examine ourselves on this commandment, which is so generally ignored that the consequences are likely to be disastrous for everybody. Let us investigate how much responsibility we bear for this sad and dangerous state of affairs. Let us make appropriate resolutions which will save us from the peril of God's final and fearful condemnation: “Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire... As long as you did not do it for one of these least ones, you did not do it for me.” (Cf. Mt. 25:41-46)
1. Faith is a gift from God. (Summa Theologica, II-II, q. 45) We should, therefore, ask for it in our prayers. Faith cannot enter into a proud soul because “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) If a man does not pray, his faith grows weaker and he may lose it altogether. Faith must be nourished continually by grace which is obtained through prayer. A man who is in a state of mortal sin loses his faith, especially if he is a slave to impurity, because only the clean of heart can see God. (Cf. Mt. 5:8) St. Thomas knew what he was talking about when he said that “faith is the foundation of the entire spiritual edifice of the Christian life.” (Summa Theologica, III, q. 73, a. 3.) It is faith nourished by grace which raises us to the supernatural level, where everything which we do, say or think becomes meritorious in the sight of God. “My just one lives by faith.” (Heb. 10:38) The keener and stronger our faith is, the firmer is the foundation of our spiritual life and the more numerous are our good works. This is not to say that faith excludes all study and investigation. In fact, the more lively is our faith, the more earnest will be our desire to understand better the terms in which our faith is expressed and to explore the intimate connection between divine revelation and human knowledge. Study of this kind will prove a refreshing experience because it will bring us to the threshold of the contemplation of eternal truth. Reason is not humiliated but ennobled by the light of revelation, which raises it to a higher plane.
2. Faith is a wonderful thing. As has been said, it is a supernatural gift from God which we should keep alive by prayer. Faith alone is not enough, however. It is the foundation on which we must build the structure of our Christian life. It is especially necessary for it to be united to the flame of charity. “Without love,” says St. Augustine, “there is only the faith which the devil has,” (St. Augustine, De Caritate, 10) because, as St. James explains, “the devils also believe and tremble.” (James 2:19) We, however, should believe and love. We must combine faith with charity towards God and towards our neighbour. Our faith should be active. As St. Paul says, it should work under the influence of charity. (Gal. 5:6) Without charity and good works, faith is a lifeless thing. If we really believe, we should love God above all things, even more than we love ourselves; and we should be ready to make any sacrifice for Him, even the sacrifice of our lives. Faith should induce us to think constantly of God and charity should urge us to do everything for His sake rather than for any lesser purpose. If we lack this kind of charity, we cannot claim to be sincere Christians.
3. Our faith should be suffused by love of our neighbour as well as by the love of God. We should love our neighbour as ourselves. Does anybody really practise this fundamental Christian precept? Once again, let us contrast the magnificent mansions and places of entertainment of the rich with the slums and hovels where thousands are living in conditions which are not fit for rational human beings. Is this Christianity? Is this the teaching of the Gospel? What would Jesus say about such aspects of modern life? It would seem that the Gospel is still a closed book for many Christians. Let us examine ourselves on this commandment, which is so generally ignored that the consequences are likely to be disastrous for everybody. Let us investigate how much responsibility we bear for this sad and dangerous state of affairs. Let us make appropriate resolutions which will save us from the peril of God's final and fearful condemnation: “Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire... As long as you did not do it for one of these least ones, you did not do it for me.” (Cf. Mt. 25:41-46)
Fasting and Abstinence - Cardinal Bacci
Fasting and Abstinence
1. Nowadays fast and abstinence take the form of precepts of the Church which bind us under pain of mortal sin. Before they were commanded by the Church, however, they had been commanded by God. God made the first law of this kind when He ordered Adam to abstain from the forbidden fruit. Moses made particular laws of fast and abstinence for the Jewish people. He also fasted himself, as did the prophet Elias. “My knees totter from my fasting,” writes King David, “and my flesh is wasted of its substance.” (Psalm 108:24) “Prayer is good with fasting and alms,” (Tob. 12:8) says Tobias. Jesus fasted for forty days as an example to us and He warned us that the devil can be conquered only by prayer and fasting. (Mt. 17:20) In a more general way, He warned us that: “Unless you repent, you will all perish.” (Luke 13:5) One of the means of doing penance most often recommended in Sacred Scripture is fasting and abstaining.
Why, you may ask, should Our Lord and the Church command us to mortify ourselves in regard to food? There is a strong reason. It is an act of obedience to God, our absolute master, Who does not demand anything of us save for our own welfare. Secondly, it is an act of reparation for our sins. In the third place, it enables us to subdue our carnal impulses and in this way makes us more obedient to the law of God. A man who cannot mortify his appetite for food will certainly not be able to resist the temptations of the flesh. There is a connection between all these things. If we cannot subordinate our bodily appetites to our spiritual faculties and to the divine law, we shall not be able to raise ourselves from the level of an animal existence to contact with God through prayer and the practice of virtue.
2. It is irrelevant to object that there is no harm in eating one kind of food rather than another. In fact, this is not a question of food at all. It is a question of obedience to the laws of God and of the Church. God is the supreme Lord of heaven and earth and it is wrong to disobey His commands. Similarly, it is not permissible to disobey the precepts of the Church which Jesus Christ founded to be our infallible guide. God commanded the Hebrews to abstain from blood-meat and from so-called unclean animals. Today the Church has set aside a minimum number of days of fast and abstinence. How can we ignore the commands of God and of the Church? To do so would be an act of rebellion against the highest of all authorities as well as a sign of indifference to our eternal salvation. Even the purest of the Saints, such as St. Aloysius Gonzaga, constantly mortified themselves in this way. "If you have sinned, do penance," writes St. Augustine. If we reflect on the number of our sins, the insignificant degree of fast and abstinence demanded by the Church today will not seem excessive. Indeed, we should be glad to fast and abstain a little more than is necessary in order to expiate our sins and to gain control over our carnal instincts. Let us show God how much we love Him by being prepared to undertake voluntary mortification.
3. Other objections are sometimes raised against fasting and abstaining. These include poor health, excessive work, a frail constitution, and so on. Such reasons for exempting ourselves should be carefully considered before God and in consultation with our confessor. If they are genuine, we are entitled to omit fast and abstinence either partly or entirely. God is more interested in our good intentions than in any material act, which is demanded only as a proof of our good will.
If we cannot actually fast and abstain we can mortify ourselves spiritually. We can curb our tongues by avoiding idle and uncharitable conversations. We can mortify our eyes by avoiding looking at anything which might lead us into danger. We can mortify our hearing by seeking a certain degree of solitude and silence. We can mortify our bodies by depriving ourselves of unnecessary luxuries. Above all, we must abstain from sin and from the occasions of sin. This is the basic fast which we are all obliged to keep at all costs by means of constant and fervent prayer.
1. Nowadays fast and abstinence take the form of precepts of the Church which bind us under pain of mortal sin. Before they were commanded by the Church, however, they had been commanded by God. God made the first law of this kind when He ordered Adam to abstain from the forbidden fruit. Moses made particular laws of fast and abstinence for the Jewish people. He also fasted himself, as did the prophet Elias. “My knees totter from my fasting,” writes King David, “and my flesh is wasted of its substance.” (Psalm 108:24) “Prayer is good with fasting and alms,” (Tob. 12:8) says Tobias. Jesus fasted for forty days as an example to us and He warned us that the devil can be conquered only by prayer and fasting. (Mt. 17:20) In a more general way, He warned us that: “Unless you repent, you will all perish.” (Luke 13:5) One of the means of doing penance most often recommended in Sacred Scripture is fasting and abstaining.
Why, you may ask, should Our Lord and the Church command us to mortify ourselves in regard to food? There is a strong reason. It is an act of obedience to God, our absolute master, Who does not demand anything of us save for our own welfare. Secondly, it is an act of reparation for our sins. In the third place, it enables us to subdue our carnal impulses and in this way makes us more obedient to the law of God. A man who cannot mortify his appetite for food will certainly not be able to resist the temptations of the flesh. There is a connection between all these things. If we cannot subordinate our bodily appetites to our spiritual faculties and to the divine law, we shall not be able to raise ourselves from the level of an animal existence to contact with God through prayer and the practice of virtue.
2. It is irrelevant to object that there is no harm in eating one kind of food rather than another. In fact, this is not a question of food at all. It is a question of obedience to the laws of God and of the Church. God is the supreme Lord of heaven and earth and it is wrong to disobey His commands. Similarly, it is not permissible to disobey the precepts of the Church which Jesus Christ founded to be our infallible guide. God commanded the Hebrews to abstain from blood-meat and from so-called unclean animals. Today the Church has set aside a minimum number of days of fast and abstinence. How can we ignore the commands of God and of the Church? To do so would be an act of rebellion against the highest of all authorities as well as a sign of indifference to our eternal salvation. Even the purest of the Saints, such as St. Aloysius Gonzaga, constantly mortified themselves in this way. "If you have sinned, do penance," writes St. Augustine. If we reflect on the number of our sins, the insignificant degree of fast and abstinence demanded by the Church today will not seem excessive. Indeed, we should be glad to fast and abstain a little more than is necessary in order to expiate our sins and to gain control over our carnal instincts. Let us show God how much we love Him by being prepared to undertake voluntary mortification.
3. Other objections are sometimes raised against fasting and abstaining. These include poor health, excessive work, a frail constitution, and so on. Such reasons for exempting ourselves should be carefully considered before God and in consultation with our confessor. If they are genuine, we are entitled to omit fast and abstinence either partly or entirely. God is more interested in our good intentions than in any material act, which is demanded only as a proof of our good will.
If we cannot actually fast and abstain we can mortify ourselves spiritually. We can curb our tongues by avoiding idle and uncharitable conversations. We can mortify our eyes by avoiding looking at anything which might lead us into danger. We can mortify our hearing by seeking a certain degree of solitude and silence. We can mortify our bodies by depriving ourselves of unnecessary luxuries. Above all, we must abstain from sin and from the occasions of sin. This is the basic fast which we are all obliged to keep at all costs by means of constant and fervent prayer.
Our Desires - Cardinal Bacci
Our Desires
1. Most people are always longing for something. Those who are poor yearn to be rich. Those who are in bad health and are not resigned are longing to be cured. Those who have plenty of money and good health, but misuse these gifts to satisfy their lower urges in the hope of finding happiness, find instead only emptiness and remorse. Those who covet honours and fame are restless when they see their colleagues succeeding while they themselves remain on the bottom rung of the ladder. On the other hand, those who reach the summit of their profession and believe that they have fulfilled their purpose in life, soon discover that the easy chair in which they hoped to settle down is padded with thorns. The glory which they have won is an empty thing, the object of the envy or of the contempt of others. So we are all yearning and sighing and cannot find peace. Our hearts cannot be at rest in this world. “Here we have no permanent city,” says St. Paul, “but we seek for the city that is to come.” (Heb. 13:14) St. Augustine has summed up the reason for our continual longing. "You have made us for Yourself, O God, and our hearts will never rest until they find rest in You." (Confessions I, 1:1)
2. Our desires may be vain or culpable or meritorious. It is useless to long for the impossible or to base our desires on motives contrary to Christian resignation. Happiness cannot be found on earth, so it is futile to look for it here. It is much better to suppress these vain desires and to convert them into a longing for God and for our own perfection. Some desires are blameworthy, for they spring from an immoderate attachment to worldly things, such as wealth or honours or even sin. These desires are always sinful and can be seriously so when they are deliberately directed towards evil objects. Finally, however, there are desires which are good and reasonable. Even Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane prayed earnestly to His heavenly Father to take away from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of the Passion. But He added immediately: “Yet not my will but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) When He was hanging from the cross on Calvary, feeling crushed beneath the weight of our sins and utterly abandoned, He cried out in an agony of yearning: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mt. 27:46) Nevertheless, He accepted with perfect self-surrender and obedience all His sufferings, even His mysterious abandonment by His heavenly Father. The Saints followed the example of Jesus. Their lives were as full of longing as they were of suffering. But just as they offered their sufferings to God with generous hearts, so they offered Him their desires as a prayer of supplication. The prophet David yearned for mercy and forgiveness and his longing was expressed for all time in the psalm Miserere. St. Teresa longed to suffer and to die for the love of Jesus. When St. Paul was labouring and praying for the salvation of his fellow-men, he desired “to depart and to be with Christ, a lot by far the better.” (Cf. Phil. 1:23)
3. What desires have we? Are they all directed towards holiness and towards Jesus? Or are they all for useless worldly things? In times of physical or spiritual affliction do we make sure that our desires are in conformity with and subject to the will of God? Let us examine ourselves seriously. If we find that any of our desires are vain or sinful, let us change this state of affairs at once. Let us make God the object of all the longing in our hearts. Let us ask Him always for those virtues which are really necessary for us, especially for an increase in our love for Him and in our readiness to do His will.
1. Most people are always longing for something. Those who are poor yearn to be rich. Those who are in bad health and are not resigned are longing to be cured. Those who have plenty of money and good health, but misuse these gifts to satisfy their lower urges in the hope of finding happiness, find instead only emptiness and remorse. Those who covet honours and fame are restless when they see their colleagues succeeding while they themselves remain on the bottom rung of the ladder. On the other hand, those who reach the summit of their profession and believe that they have fulfilled their purpose in life, soon discover that the easy chair in which they hoped to settle down is padded with thorns. The glory which they have won is an empty thing, the object of the envy or of the contempt of others. So we are all yearning and sighing and cannot find peace. Our hearts cannot be at rest in this world. “Here we have no permanent city,” says St. Paul, “but we seek for the city that is to come.” (Heb. 13:14) St. Augustine has summed up the reason for our continual longing. "You have made us for Yourself, O God, and our hearts will never rest until they find rest in You." (Confessions I, 1:1)
2. Our desires may be vain or culpable or meritorious. It is useless to long for the impossible or to base our desires on motives contrary to Christian resignation. Happiness cannot be found on earth, so it is futile to look for it here. It is much better to suppress these vain desires and to convert them into a longing for God and for our own perfection. Some desires are blameworthy, for they spring from an immoderate attachment to worldly things, such as wealth or honours or even sin. These desires are always sinful and can be seriously so when they are deliberately directed towards evil objects. Finally, however, there are desires which are good and reasonable. Even Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane prayed earnestly to His heavenly Father to take away from Him, if possible, the bitter chalice of the Passion. But He added immediately: “Yet not my will but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) When He was hanging from the cross on Calvary, feeling crushed beneath the weight of our sins and utterly abandoned, He cried out in an agony of yearning: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mt. 27:46) Nevertheless, He accepted with perfect self-surrender and obedience all His sufferings, even His mysterious abandonment by His heavenly Father. The Saints followed the example of Jesus. Their lives were as full of longing as they were of suffering. But just as they offered their sufferings to God with generous hearts, so they offered Him their desires as a prayer of supplication. The prophet David yearned for mercy and forgiveness and his longing was expressed for all time in the psalm Miserere. St. Teresa longed to suffer and to die for the love of Jesus. When St. Paul was labouring and praying for the salvation of his fellow-men, he desired “to depart and to be with Christ, a lot by far the better.” (Cf. Phil. 1:23)
3. What desires have we? Are they all directed towards holiness and towards Jesus? Or are they all for useless worldly things? In times of physical or spiritual affliction do we make sure that our desires are in conformity with and subject to the will of God? Let us examine ourselves seriously. If we find that any of our desires are vain or sinful, let us change this state of affairs at once. Let us make God the object of all the longing in our hearts. Let us ask Him always for those virtues which are really necessary for us, especially for an increase in our love for Him and in our readiness to do His will.
The Mercy of God - Cardinal Bacci
The Mercy of God
1. God is the Being Who is infinitely true, beautiful, and good. His goodness is manifested in His infinite love for all the creatures which He has made, but it is in His relations with sinners in particular that we call Him merciful. He loves all things which He has created and directs them towards Himself, their beginning and their end. When He is dealing, however, with beings endowed with free will, who can separate themselves from Him and even offend Him, He tries while respecting the liberty which He has given them to recall them to Himself by the influence of His love and of His grace. It is this supernatural outpouring of love towards sinners which we call mercy.
The mercy of God shines forth in all the pages of Sacred Scripture. In the Old Testament there is promised and foreshadowed in many ways the coming of the Saviour of the sinful human race. In the New Testament Jesus appears, made man for our salvation, meek and humble of heart, and merciful towards the unfortunate, especially towards sinners. For them He offers His life and His Precious Blood, dying on the Cross with His arms outstretched, as if in an embrace of forgiveness. He tells us that He has not come to call the just, but sinners, (Luke 5:32) and that He has not come to those who are in health, but to those who are sick; (Mark 2:17)He assures us that if we ask the Father for anything in His name, it will be given to us. (John 16:23) So much goodness should move and soften our hearts. Even if we are unfaithful servants and are covered with the leprosy of sin, let us go to Him and He will heal us. Even if we have deserved Hell a thousand times, let us shed tears of repentance at His feet as Magdalen did, and He will give us His forgiveness and His peace.
2. Let us meditate in particular on certain passages in the Gospel in which God's mercy for sinners stands out most vividly and appealingly. There is the incident of the adulteress who is brought before Our Lord by the hypocritical Pharisees. According to the law she should have been stoned to death. Jesus looks at her accusers, who harbour in the secrecy of their own hearts God knows how many abominations but strut about in public with the mien of stern and impeccable judges. Then He rivets His gaze upon the shamefaced woman who is looking like a soiled rag thrown away on a dust-heap. When Jesus addresses her relentless judges His voice is steady: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” When they all drift away with lowered heads, Jesus says pityingly to the woman: “Has no one condemned thee?... Neither will I condemn thee. Go thy way, and from now on sin no more.” (Cf. John 8:3-11)
Elsewhere Jesus is called "the good shepherd" who knows His sheep and calls them to Himself one by one. If a poor sheep is lost, He leaves the other ninety-nine of His flock and searches for it, nor does He rest until it has been found. When He sees that it has been injured, He carries it back to the fold upon His shoulders. Who could forget the touching parable of the prodigal son? He had left the house of his aging father and had gone to a distant country where he had squandered his inheritance in the course of a low and worldly life of pleasure. When all his money had been spent he was very much alone, and was reduced to such circumstances that he took a job looking after unclean animals. One day when he was weeping over his fate, he made a sudden resolution. “I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee. I am no longer worthy to be called thy son.” His father had been waiting for him for many years. He met and embraced him and gave him the kiss of pardon. Then he held a great feast because his son had repented and come home. He "was dead and has come to life, he was lost and is found." (Cf. Luke 15:11-32) No matter how great our faults may be, let us trust in the infinite mercy of God, and when we go to Him He will grant us forgiveness and peace.
3. Remember, however, that if God's mercy is infinite so is His justice. When we realise that we have fallen into serious sin, we should not give way to despair as Judas did, but should turn to Jesus trustingly and contritely, saying with the Psalmist: “My refuge and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield, in whom I trust.” (Ps. 143:2) We shall certainly be forgiven. It would be the highest form of ingratitude to abuse God's goodness and mercy. Let our repentance be sincere and effective. In return for the infinite goodness of God let us give Him our love, limited indeed but willing and constant.
1. God is the Being Who is infinitely true, beautiful, and good. His goodness is manifested in His infinite love for all the creatures which He has made, but it is in His relations with sinners in particular that we call Him merciful. He loves all things which He has created and directs them towards Himself, their beginning and their end. When He is dealing, however, with beings endowed with free will, who can separate themselves from Him and even offend Him, He tries while respecting the liberty which He has given them to recall them to Himself by the influence of His love and of His grace. It is this supernatural outpouring of love towards sinners which we call mercy.
The mercy of God shines forth in all the pages of Sacred Scripture. In the Old Testament there is promised and foreshadowed in many ways the coming of the Saviour of the sinful human race. In the New Testament Jesus appears, made man for our salvation, meek and humble of heart, and merciful towards the unfortunate, especially towards sinners. For them He offers His life and His Precious Blood, dying on the Cross with His arms outstretched, as if in an embrace of forgiveness. He tells us that He has not come to call the just, but sinners, (Luke 5:32) and that He has not come to those who are in health, but to those who are sick; (Mark 2:17)He assures us that if we ask the Father for anything in His name, it will be given to us. (John 16:23) So much goodness should move and soften our hearts. Even if we are unfaithful servants and are covered with the leprosy of sin, let us go to Him and He will heal us. Even if we have deserved Hell a thousand times, let us shed tears of repentance at His feet as Magdalen did, and He will give us His forgiveness and His peace.
2. Let us meditate in particular on certain passages in the Gospel in which God's mercy for sinners stands out most vividly and appealingly. There is the incident of the adulteress who is brought before Our Lord by the hypocritical Pharisees. According to the law she should have been stoned to death. Jesus looks at her accusers, who harbour in the secrecy of their own hearts God knows how many abominations but strut about in public with the mien of stern and impeccable judges. Then He rivets His gaze upon the shamefaced woman who is looking like a soiled rag thrown away on a dust-heap. When Jesus addresses her relentless judges His voice is steady: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her.” When they all drift away with lowered heads, Jesus says pityingly to the woman: “Has no one condemned thee?... Neither will I condemn thee. Go thy way, and from now on sin no more.” (Cf. John 8:3-11)
Elsewhere Jesus is called "the good shepherd" who knows His sheep and calls them to Himself one by one. If a poor sheep is lost, He leaves the other ninety-nine of His flock and searches for it, nor does He rest until it has been found. When He sees that it has been injured, He carries it back to the fold upon His shoulders. Who could forget the touching parable of the prodigal son? He had left the house of his aging father and had gone to a distant country where he had squandered his inheritance in the course of a low and worldly life of pleasure. When all his money had been spent he was very much alone, and was reduced to such circumstances that he took a job looking after unclean animals. One day when he was weeping over his fate, he made a sudden resolution. “I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee. I am no longer worthy to be called thy son.” His father had been waiting for him for many years. He met and embraced him and gave him the kiss of pardon. Then he held a great feast because his son had repented and come home. He "was dead and has come to life, he was lost and is found." (Cf. Luke 15:11-32) No matter how great our faults may be, let us trust in the infinite mercy of God, and when we go to Him He will grant us forgiveness and peace.
3. Remember, however, that if God's mercy is infinite so is His justice. When we realise that we have fallen into serious sin, we should not give way to despair as Judas did, but should turn to Jesus trustingly and contritely, saying with the Psalmist: “My refuge and my fortress, my stronghold, my deliverer, my shield, in whom I trust.” (Ps. 143:2) We shall certainly be forgiven. It would be the highest form of ingratitude to abuse God's goodness and mercy. Let our repentance be sincere and effective. In return for the infinite goodness of God let us give Him our love, limited indeed but willing and constant.
Tuesday, 22 April 2014
Pride - Cardinal Bacci
Pride
1. Pride is the sin of Satan. Being a pure spirit, he could not commit sins which have material things as their object, such as sins of impurity or of avarice. The one sin of which a spirit is capable is pride. Satan had been created by God and had been endowed with the loftiest gifts, but he was obliged to undergo a trial in order that he could merit the reward reserved for him by God, namely, the everlasting happiness of the Beatific Vision. It is generally held that God revealed to Satan and to all the legions of Angels the Eternal Word made man, Jesus Christ, and commanded them to adore Him. But when Satan and the other rebellious Angels saw in Jesus Christ a nature far inferior to their own, they were indignant because the Divine Word had not been united to the angelic instead of the human nature. They refused to bow their haughty heads and flung back at God the arrogant and blasphemous ultimatum: "I will not serve."
This is the essence of pride; the creature attributes to himself the gifts which he has received from his Creator and believes that he can do without God. Pride is opposed to truth which requires us to acknowledge that we have received everything from God. We should not grow proud, therefore, but should gratefully refer all that we are and all that we have to our Lord and Creator. We should remember that one day we shall have to render to God a strict account of all these gifts.
2. Just as humility is the hardest of the virtues to acquire, pride is the most common of the vices. We are all conceited and take pride in things which do not belong to us, but to God. One would imagine that it would be easy to understand that we are nothing without God, but in practice it is the other way round. It is not only prominent personalities, noted scientists and men of letters, but also the most ordinary men who believe that they are unique and superior to their fellows. Other vices follow pride. There is presumption, which leads us to believe that we are more important than we really are and to attempt things which are beyond the powers which God has given us. There is ambition, which drives us to make an immoderate quest for honours and responsibilities our main goal in life, as if our heart could be satisfied by these things rather than by God and by our own sanctification. There is empty vanity, the futile but burning desire to be praised and esteemed, as if our merits (if we have any) were anything else but a gift from God, which we have been able to develop only by His assistance and grace. Let us examine ourselves in this regard and we shall find many distortions in our own personality. We shall discover many vain notions which we ought to dispel, and many selfish detractions from God's glory of which we are and have been guilty. "Take away pride," said St. Augustine, "and what are men but men?" Remove the mask of arrogance and affectation, and you will find that even those men who regard themselves as outstanding personalities are very insignificant creatures after all. We can learn a great deal from a meditation on this subject.
3. Do you remember the occasion when the Apostles, their minds filled with ambitious speculation, approached Jesus, and asked Him who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? Our Lord called a little child and placed him in the centre of the group. “Unless you turn and become like little children,” He said, “you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 18:3) How different are God's designs from the desires of men! His ways are full of simplicity and humility, in sharp contrast with our pride and ostentation. Jesus taught us this lesson not only in His discourses but also in His life. He was God and He became man; He was rich and He became poor. He left his heavenly mansion and came down to live in a stable in Bethlehem and in the home of a poor carpenter in Nazareth. For thirty years He performed a tradesman's job in this obscure village in Galilee. It was only when He had already spent thirty years teaching us His love of poverty that He emerged to preach the Gospel in public. After He had preached and worked miracles for three years, He sank back into the depths of lowliness and was even condemned to die upon the cross. This is a tremendous lesson for us. This is the road which we must travel if we are to follow Jesus.
1. Pride is the sin of Satan. Being a pure spirit, he could not commit sins which have material things as their object, such as sins of impurity or of avarice. The one sin of which a spirit is capable is pride. Satan had been created by God and had been endowed with the loftiest gifts, but he was obliged to undergo a trial in order that he could merit the reward reserved for him by God, namely, the everlasting happiness of the Beatific Vision. It is generally held that God revealed to Satan and to all the legions of Angels the Eternal Word made man, Jesus Christ, and commanded them to adore Him. But when Satan and the other rebellious Angels saw in Jesus Christ a nature far inferior to their own, they were indignant because the Divine Word had not been united to the angelic instead of the human nature. They refused to bow their haughty heads and flung back at God the arrogant and blasphemous ultimatum: "I will not serve."
This is the essence of pride; the creature attributes to himself the gifts which he has received from his Creator and believes that he can do without God. Pride is opposed to truth which requires us to acknowledge that we have received everything from God. We should not grow proud, therefore, but should gratefully refer all that we are and all that we have to our Lord and Creator. We should remember that one day we shall have to render to God a strict account of all these gifts.
2. Just as humility is the hardest of the virtues to acquire, pride is the most common of the vices. We are all conceited and take pride in things which do not belong to us, but to God. One would imagine that it would be easy to understand that we are nothing without God, but in practice it is the other way round. It is not only prominent personalities, noted scientists and men of letters, but also the most ordinary men who believe that they are unique and superior to their fellows. Other vices follow pride. There is presumption, which leads us to believe that we are more important than we really are and to attempt things which are beyond the powers which God has given us. There is ambition, which drives us to make an immoderate quest for honours and responsibilities our main goal in life, as if our heart could be satisfied by these things rather than by God and by our own sanctification. There is empty vanity, the futile but burning desire to be praised and esteemed, as if our merits (if we have any) were anything else but a gift from God, which we have been able to develop only by His assistance and grace. Let us examine ourselves in this regard and we shall find many distortions in our own personality. We shall discover many vain notions which we ought to dispel, and many selfish detractions from God's glory of which we are and have been guilty. "Take away pride," said St. Augustine, "and what are men but men?" Remove the mask of arrogance and affectation, and you will find that even those men who regard themselves as outstanding personalities are very insignificant creatures after all. We can learn a great deal from a meditation on this subject.
3. Do you remember the occasion when the Apostles, their minds filled with ambitious speculation, approached Jesus, and asked Him who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven? Our Lord called a little child and placed him in the centre of the group. “Unless you turn and become like little children,” He said, “you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 18:3) How different are God's designs from the desires of men! His ways are full of simplicity and humility, in sharp contrast with our pride and ostentation. Jesus taught us this lesson not only in His discourses but also in His life. He was God and He became man; He was rich and He became poor. He left his heavenly mansion and came down to live in a stable in Bethlehem and in the home of a poor carpenter in Nazareth. For thirty years He performed a tradesman's job in this obscure village in Galilee. It was only when He had already spent thirty years teaching us His love of poverty that He emerged to preach the Gospel in public. After He had preached and worked miracles for three years, He sank back into the depths of lowliness and was even condemned to die upon the cross. This is a tremendous lesson for us. This is the road which we must travel if we are to follow Jesus.
Putting Christianity into Practice - Cardinal Bacci
Putting Christianity into Practice
1. Imagine what the world would be like if the Gospel of Christ were practised in its entirety everywhere and by everybody. It would not, of course, become another earthly Paradise, because suffering and death are the legacy of sin and Our Lord did not remove these when He redeemed us but made them a necessary element in our purification and spiritual elevation. Nevertheless, the full practice of Christianity would transform the world. A little reflection will convince us of this. Men would love God above all things and their neighbour as themselves. The sincere and ardent love of God would cause wickedness, brutality and every kind of immorality to disappear. Love of their neighbour would make men brothers in reality, so that there would be no more wars nor threats of conflict. The enormous wealth which is squandered on weapons of destruction could then be diverted to good works. There would be no more poverty, because if men loved one another those who had more than enough would give to those in want. There would be no more prisons, because there would be no more criminals. There would be no need for a police force because everyone would do his duty of his own accord. The reign of love, which is the reign of Jesus Christ, would triumph upon earth. Excessive wealth and the selfish love of ease and pleasure would disappear on one hand, while on the other the extreme need of those who can never be sure of a meal, nor of a roof over their heads, would be palliated until they had been raised to a standard of living consistent with the laws of God and with the dignity of men. The love of our neighbour as ourselves would solve every individual and social problem in this life. Men would grow into a vast community of brothers devoid of all barriers of hate, selfishness, and greed. This is not a Utopian dream, because it is the clear teaching of the Gospel. Jesus did not preach the impossible. He taught us the standards of the perfect life which we are all obliged to try and lead.
2. It was something like this which took place in the early years of the Church, when the love of God and of their neighbour was a transforming leaven in the lives of the faithful. “Give that which remains as alms,” Christ has said, “and behold, all things are clean to you.” (Luke 11:41) This precept was not, at this time, a dead letter, nor was it interpreted in a selfish and quibbling manner. It was a lofty reality. “Now the multitude of the believers were of one heart and one soul,” the Acts of the Apostles relates, “and not one of them said that anything he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common... Nor was there anyone among them in want. For those who owned lands or houses would sell them and bring the price of what they sold and lay it at the feet of the apostles, and distribution was made to each, according as any one had need.” (Acts 4:32-35) This is what it really means to love one's neighbour. It could not be called Communism, for that is a system of oppression which violates the laws of nature and the most sacred rights of humanity, such as the liberty, dignity and faith of the individual. No, this is Christian charity, the charity which complements and ennobles justice. Nobody was under any obligation to sell all he had and give it to the poor (Cf. Acts 5:4), for to do so was not a command but an evangelical counsel of perfection. (Cf Mt. 19:21) Everybody believed, however, that he had an obligation to love his neighbour as if he were himself.
Do you love your neighbour as yourself? Take a look around you. How many people have no food, whereas you may have too much? How many have no home, while you have far more possessions than you need? How many live in squalor, while you may be surrounded by luxuries? Remember that you are not a sincere Christian, but only a fraud, if you do not love your neighbour as yourself. It may be true that this is only a matter of charity, not of strict justice. But, as St. Alphonsus said, it is much the same thing if a man is damned for lack of charity as for lack of justice.
Meditate on this with a view to forming generous resolutions.
3. Only the universal practice of Christianity could change the world. Even after a period of twenty centuries it is true to say that for many Christians the Gospel is an unexplored book, the principles of which have yet to be fully realised in their ordinary lives. None of us can change the world on his own, but each of us can accomplish that part of the task which depends on himself. Do we really love God whole-heartedly and above all things? Do we really love our neighbour as ourselves? Let us examine ourselves earnestly and find out how far we have still to go. Our love of God may be too feeble and this may be the reason why we have not achieved spiritual perfection. Our love of our neighbour may not be as generous as it should be. If this is so, we shall have to answer for it to God when He pronounces that terrible sentence on those who have been rejected: “Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.” (Mt. 26:41-43) Let us resolve to be charitable and generous to the poor.
1. Imagine what the world would be like if the Gospel of Christ were practised in its entirety everywhere and by everybody. It would not, of course, become another earthly Paradise, because suffering and death are the legacy of sin and Our Lord did not remove these when He redeemed us but made them a necessary element in our purification and spiritual elevation. Nevertheless, the full practice of Christianity would transform the world. A little reflection will convince us of this. Men would love God above all things and their neighbour as themselves. The sincere and ardent love of God would cause wickedness, brutality and every kind of immorality to disappear. Love of their neighbour would make men brothers in reality, so that there would be no more wars nor threats of conflict. The enormous wealth which is squandered on weapons of destruction could then be diverted to good works. There would be no more poverty, because if men loved one another those who had more than enough would give to those in want. There would be no more prisons, because there would be no more criminals. There would be no need for a police force because everyone would do his duty of his own accord. The reign of love, which is the reign of Jesus Christ, would triumph upon earth. Excessive wealth and the selfish love of ease and pleasure would disappear on one hand, while on the other the extreme need of those who can never be sure of a meal, nor of a roof over their heads, would be palliated until they had been raised to a standard of living consistent with the laws of God and with the dignity of men. The love of our neighbour as ourselves would solve every individual and social problem in this life. Men would grow into a vast community of brothers devoid of all barriers of hate, selfishness, and greed. This is not a Utopian dream, because it is the clear teaching of the Gospel. Jesus did not preach the impossible. He taught us the standards of the perfect life which we are all obliged to try and lead.
2. It was something like this which took place in the early years of the Church, when the love of God and of their neighbour was a transforming leaven in the lives of the faithful. “Give that which remains as alms,” Christ has said, “and behold, all things are clean to you.” (Luke 11:41) This precept was not, at this time, a dead letter, nor was it interpreted in a selfish and quibbling manner. It was a lofty reality. “Now the multitude of the believers were of one heart and one soul,” the Acts of the Apostles relates, “and not one of them said that anything he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common... Nor was there anyone among them in want. For those who owned lands or houses would sell them and bring the price of what they sold and lay it at the feet of the apostles, and distribution was made to each, according as any one had need.” (Acts 4:32-35) This is what it really means to love one's neighbour. It could not be called Communism, for that is a system of oppression which violates the laws of nature and the most sacred rights of humanity, such as the liberty, dignity and faith of the individual. No, this is Christian charity, the charity which complements and ennobles justice. Nobody was under any obligation to sell all he had and give it to the poor (Cf. Acts 5:4), for to do so was not a command but an evangelical counsel of perfection. (Cf Mt. 19:21) Everybody believed, however, that he had an obligation to love his neighbour as if he were himself.
Do you love your neighbour as yourself? Take a look around you. How many people have no food, whereas you may have too much? How many have no home, while you have far more possessions than you need? How many live in squalor, while you may be surrounded by luxuries? Remember that you are not a sincere Christian, but only a fraud, if you do not love your neighbour as yourself. It may be true that this is only a matter of charity, not of strict justice. But, as St. Alphonsus said, it is much the same thing if a man is damned for lack of charity as for lack of justice.
Meditate on this with a view to forming generous resolutions.
3. Only the universal practice of Christianity could change the world. Even after a period of twenty centuries it is true to say that for many Christians the Gospel is an unexplored book, the principles of which have yet to be fully realised in their ordinary lives. None of us can change the world on his own, but each of us can accomplish that part of the task which depends on himself. Do we really love God whole-heartedly and above all things? Do we really love our neighbour as ourselves? Let us examine ourselves earnestly and find out how far we have still to go. Our love of God may be too feeble and this may be the reason why we have not achieved spiritual perfection. Our love of our neighbour may not be as generous as it should be. If this is so, we shall have to answer for it to God when He pronounces that terrible sentence on those who have been rejected: “Depart from me, accursed ones, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not take me in, naked and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.” (Mt. 26:41-43) Let us resolve to be charitable and generous to the poor.
Easter: The Herald of Peace - Cardinal Bacci
Easter: The Herald of Peace
1. When Jesus was born in the manger at Bethlehem, the sky became brilliantly aglow and Angels descended singing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will." When Our Lord had risen from the dead, He greeted the Apostles with the words: "Peace be to you!" Peace is a gift from God; only He can give real peace. The peace of this world has a certain value, but it is nothing like the genuine and soul-satisfying peace which God can give us. This is why Jesus said to His Apostles: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” (John 14:27) Worldly peace is external and can be disturbed or destroyed by men, but the peace of God is internal and nothing can destroy it except sin. It is possible to be persecuted and slandered and yet to preserve interior peace, as the Martyrs and the Saints did in adversity. It is this inner peace which we must aim at acquiring. We shall be truly content when we have achieved it, because, as St. Thomas says, "the fullness of joy is peace." (Summa, I-II, q. 70, a. 3) St. Thomas defined peace as "tranquillitas ordinis," (Summa, II-II, q. 29, a.1 ad. 1) i.e. "tranquillity of order;" St. Augustine called it "ordinata corcordia," (De Civitate Dei, XIX:13) i.e. "ordered harmony." It is not sufficient for this harmony and order to be established externally among men. It is necessary that this harmony and order should reign first of all in our minds and hearts, and in our actions.
2. For this interior peace to be complete it is necessary that it should exist in our relations with God, with ourselves, and with our neighbour. Peace with God is especially necessary. This involves the subjection of the intellect and will to Him, perfect obedience to His law, the avoidance of sin and the entire surrender of ourselves to Him. When we have prepared ourselves in this way, God will visit us with His grace and we shall experience the joy of inward peace. Jesus came into the world to bring us this peace, which He purchased for us with His Precious Blood, thereby erasing sin and opening the gates of Heaven. So much the worse for us if we destroy the work of God by turning back to sin. We shall no longer be at peace with God, Who hates sin so much that in order to redeem us from it He gave us His only begotten Son, nor with ourselves, because “there is no peace to the wicked.” (Is. 48:22) Remorse and disgust are the necessary results of sin. Let us remember that those who are really content even in this world are those who lead good lives. Whoever extinguishes divine grace in himself destroys the harmony and order which reigned in his soul as a result of the subjection of his passions to right reason and of the subjection of his reason to his Creator and Redeemer. Then, because we are not at peace with God nor with ourselves, we cannot really be at peace with men. It is our faith which teaches us that they are our brothers, redeemed as we have been by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, and that therefore we should always love and assist them.
3. At the close of this meditation let us ask the risen Christ to give us His peace, which is the only true peace. “My peace I give to you.” (John 14:27) Although it comes from Jesus, however, this peace requires an effort on our part also. We must build it up carefully within ourselves with the help of God's grace. The foundations of interior peace must be laid down by controlling our passions, by avoiding the slightest trace of sin, by living the life of prayer and of union with God, by loving God above all things, and by living and working for Him alone.
1. When Jesus was born in the manger at Bethlehem, the sky became brilliantly aglow and Angels descended singing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men of good will." When Our Lord had risen from the dead, He greeted the Apostles with the words: "Peace be to you!" Peace is a gift from God; only He can give real peace. The peace of this world has a certain value, but it is nothing like the genuine and soul-satisfying peace which God can give us. This is why Jesus said to His Apostles: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” (John 14:27) Worldly peace is external and can be disturbed or destroyed by men, but the peace of God is internal and nothing can destroy it except sin. It is possible to be persecuted and slandered and yet to preserve interior peace, as the Martyrs and the Saints did in adversity. It is this inner peace which we must aim at acquiring. We shall be truly content when we have achieved it, because, as St. Thomas says, "the fullness of joy is peace." (Summa, I-II, q. 70, a. 3) St. Thomas defined peace as "tranquillitas ordinis," (Summa, II-II, q. 29, a.1 ad. 1) i.e. "tranquillity of order;" St. Augustine called it "ordinata corcordia," (De Civitate Dei, XIX:13) i.e. "ordered harmony." It is not sufficient for this harmony and order to be established externally among men. It is necessary that this harmony and order should reign first of all in our minds and hearts, and in our actions.
2. For this interior peace to be complete it is necessary that it should exist in our relations with God, with ourselves, and with our neighbour. Peace with God is especially necessary. This involves the subjection of the intellect and will to Him, perfect obedience to His law, the avoidance of sin and the entire surrender of ourselves to Him. When we have prepared ourselves in this way, God will visit us with His grace and we shall experience the joy of inward peace. Jesus came into the world to bring us this peace, which He purchased for us with His Precious Blood, thereby erasing sin and opening the gates of Heaven. So much the worse for us if we destroy the work of God by turning back to sin. We shall no longer be at peace with God, Who hates sin so much that in order to redeem us from it He gave us His only begotten Son, nor with ourselves, because “there is no peace to the wicked.” (Is. 48:22) Remorse and disgust are the necessary results of sin. Let us remember that those who are really content even in this world are those who lead good lives. Whoever extinguishes divine grace in himself destroys the harmony and order which reigned in his soul as a result of the subjection of his passions to right reason and of the subjection of his reason to his Creator and Redeemer. Then, because we are not at peace with God nor with ourselves, we cannot really be at peace with men. It is our faith which teaches us that they are our brothers, redeemed as we have been by the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, and that therefore we should always love and assist them.
3. At the close of this meditation let us ask the risen Christ to give us His peace, which is the only true peace. “My peace I give to you.” (John 14:27) Although it comes from Jesus, however, this peace requires an effort on our part also. We must build it up carefully within ourselves with the help of God's grace. The foundations of interior peace must be laid down by controlling our passions, by avoiding the slightest trace of sin, by living the life of prayer and of union with God, by loving God above all things, and by living and working for Him alone.
Saturday, 19 April 2014
The Meaning of Easter - Cardinal Bacci
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The Meaning of Easter
1. Today the Church adorns herself in festival array. Gone are the lengthy lamentations of Holy Saturday and the sorrowful recitations of the Passion, and in their place is the glad cry of Alleluia, the hymn of victory over death and sin. The true joy of Easter lies not merely in external celebration, however, but in the spiritual gladness of the soul. As Jesus has conquered death and sin, so we must purify ourselves of every trace of guilt by a good Confession and must be sure that it will result in a practical renovation of our lives. We should approach Jesus in the Blessed Eucharist with greater fervour and humility, and with greater trust in His goodness and mercy. When we have received Him into our hearts, we should ask Him to renew and transform us in Himself. He is everything, and we are nothing without Him. He is strong; we are weak. We are capable only of feeble desires to do good, but He can make them effective by His grace. We should not be satisfied with forming general resolutions when we go to Confession and receive Holy Communion at Easter. We should examine the depths of our soul and discover the sin which we are most accustomed to commit and the virtue which we are principally lacking. As a result of our investigation we should form a particular resolution to combat this sin and to practise this virtue. It is only in this way that our celebration of Easter can inaugurate the beginning of a genuine self-renewal which will gain momentum daily until it becomes a true spiritual resurrection. It will be a hard battle which will necessitate a constant vigilance and a readiness to begin again every time we realise that we have fallen. It will require an unfailing spirit of prayer, but the final victory will bring us such happiness that worldly pleasures will seem empty and illusory by comparison.
2. In the course of this battle for our spiritual resurrection it is necessary for us to grow continually in Jesus. When we make a good confession at Easter He favours us anew by means of His grace. When we receive Holy Communion He comes to us and is really present in our souls. But in what way is He present? Sometimes He is silent and hidden. He may seem to be asleep, as He slept in the Apostles' boat on the sea of Galilee when the waves were raging violently all around them. Often we have Jesus within us, but do not listen to His voice. He does not live actively in us; He does not speak to us. Why is this? It is because we are distracted and indifferent, absorbed in the petty affairs of this world. We must be fervent. It is necessary to listen for His voice, to be united to Him, and above all to love Him. Then our actions will not be our own, but His. He will grow in us by His grace and we shall act in Jesus, with Jesus, and for Jesus. Then Jesus will be everything to us and we shall be able to say with St. Paul: “It is now no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me.”(Gal. 2:20) Does this goal seem too difficult to attain? Does it seem that it is not meant for us? Such a doubt is an insult to Our Lord, Who has told us to be perfect as His heavenly Father is perfect. (Cf. Mt. 5:48) It is enough, however, that we should earnestly desire to reach this goal and should try with the help of God's grace to come gradually nearer to it every day.
3. This is the resurrection which should take place in us this Easter. Think seriously. How many Easters have we spent? Have they represented a constant improvement in our lives, or have we been static or even getting worse? In the Hebrew tongue Pasch means a passing or transit; specifically, it refers to the passing of the Lord. It will be a tragedy if Jesus passes us by without stopping to rest with us in order to claim us as His own and to make us holy. This Easter could be our last. The thought should be a warning for us. God's goodness is infinite, but there is a limit to His graces and favours. We often impose this limit ourselves by the degree of our co-operation. Our eternal salvation depends largely upon ourselves.
The Resurrection - Cardinal Bacci
The Resurrection
1. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fundamental truth of our faith. Jesus intended it to take place in such a way that nobody could reasonably deny it. There is no historical fact which can be upheld by such clear and ample evidence as the Resurrection of Our Lord. It emerges most of all from the absolute certainty of Jesus' death. After the fearful scourging, crowning with thorns, and crucifixion, His blood had poured forth for three hours from His nailed Hands and feet. Moreover, even though he saw that Christ was dead, the Roman soldier pierced His heart with a lance. His body was taken down from the cross and enclosed in the tomb until the third day. Jesus, therefore, was dead and buried. But there is still further proof. The Jews remembered that Jesus had prophesied that He would rise on the third day. For this reason they had the sepulchre sealed and they placed a guard of soldiers beside it so that the body could not be stolen. In spite of the enormous stone at the mouth of the tomb, however, Our Lord rose in glory, flinging the sentries into a state of terror and confusion. The frightened guards ran to the leaders of the Sanhedrin and related what had happened. If the Jewish authorities had believed that the soldiers were responsible, they would have punished them, and if they had believed that the body of Our Lord had been stolen, they would have searched for it. Instead, they bribed the soldiers to say that the body of Jesus had been stolen while they were asleep. (Mt. 28:12) St. Augustine comments on the stupidity of the Jews in calling on the testimony of sleeping witnesses! Jesus, moreover, saw to it that St. Thomas would not be present when He appeared to the other Apostles, and that he would believe only when he had seen the wounds in His hands and feet and had placed his finger in the gash made by the lance in Our Lord's side. What further evidence could anyone expect? There is a still stronger proof, however. After the death of Jesus the Apostles were an insignificant group of discouraged and disillusioned men, without the daring or the ability to accomplish anything. It was only the Resurrection of Jesus which could have given them the supreme courage to stand up to the Jews and to convert the world. Let us fall in adoration before the risen Christ and say with St. Thomas the Apostle: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
2. Even as Jesus rose from the dead, so we shall rise again. This is a dogma of our faith. "I believe... in the resurrection of the body." When Job was seated on his dunghill, his body rotting with leprosy, deserted by everybody, scorned by his wife and reproved by his friends, he found comfort in this great truth. “I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust where I myself shall see, and not another -- and from my flesh I shall see God: my inmost being is consumed with longing.” (Job 19:25-27) St. Paul described this resurrection. “In the twinkling of an eye,” he says,” at the sound of the trumpet of the Eternal judge, our bodies will be reformed and will have life again. We shall all rise, but not all in the same manner. The body which was the companion of the soul during our mortal life will once again be its companion and share with it either the eternal glory of Heaven or the everlasting pains of Hell.” (Cf. I Cor. 15) We shall live forever like Jesus. "I believe in life everlasting," in everlasting happiness in Heaven or in eternal damnation in Hell. This great truth is a warning to us. If we remember it all our lives, we shall not steer our course towards evil and towards Hell, but towards goodness and towards Heaven, where one day we shall come to rest in a land of lasting happiness.
3. Our resurrection must begin in this life, however. Day by day we must work hard for our spiritual resurrection. We should give this matter our special attention during Paschal time. Our resurrection must be real and not apparent like that of many people who celebrate Easter without any sincere intention of changing their lives. It should not be imperfect like that of Lazarus, (Cf. John 11:43) who rose for a while and died again, but perfect like that of Jesus, over whom death no longer has dominion. (Cf. Rom. 6:9). In other words, we must rise never again to die in sin, which is the real death of the soul. We must rise also to ascend higher and higher on the way of perfection and to carry out Our Lord's command: “You therefore are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48) Our life should be a continual resurrection, a continual ascent towards perfection which will raise us from sin to the state of grace, from the state of grace to fervour, and from fervour to sanctity.
1. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a fundamental truth of our faith. Jesus intended it to take place in such a way that nobody could reasonably deny it. There is no historical fact which can be upheld by such clear and ample evidence as the Resurrection of Our Lord. It emerges most of all from the absolute certainty of Jesus' death. After the fearful scourging, crowning with thorns, and crucifixion, His blood had poured forth for three hours from His nailed Hands and feet. Moreover, even though he saw that Christ was dead, the Roman soldier pierced His heart with a lance. His body was taken down from the cross and enclosed in the tomb until the third day. Jesus, therefore, was dead and buried. But there is still further proof. The Jews remembered that Jesus had prophesied that He would rise on the third day. For this reason they had the sepulchre sealed and they placed a guard of soldiers beside it so that the body could not be stolen. In spite of the enormous stone at the mouth of the tomb, however, Our Lord rose in glory, flinging the sentries into a state of terror and confusion. The frightened guards ran to the leaders of the Sanhedrin and related what had happened. If the Jewish authorities had believed that the soldiers were responsible, they would have punished them, and if they had believed that the body of Our Lord had been stolen, they would have searched for it. Instead, they bribed the soldiers to say that the body of Jesus had been stolen while they were asleep. (Mt. 28:12) St. Augustine comments on the stupidity of the Jews in calling on the testimony of sleeping witnesses! Jesus, moreover, saw to it that St. Thomas would not be present when He appeared to the other Apostles, and that he would believe only when he had seen the wounds in His hands and feet and had placed his finger in the gash made by the lance in Our Lord's side. What further evidence could anyone expect? There is a still stronger proof, however. After the death of Jesus the Apostles were an insignificant group of discouraged and disillusioned men, without the daring or the ability to accomplish anything. It was only the Resurrection of Jesus which could have given them the supreme courage to stand up to the Jews and to convert the world. Let us fall in adoration before the risen Christ and say with St. Thomas the Apostle: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
2. Even as Jesus rose from the dead, so we shall rise again. This is a dogma of our faith. "I believe... in the resurrection of the body." When Job was seated on his dunghill, his body rotting with leprosy, deserted by everybody, scorned by his wife and reproved by his friends, he found comfort in this great truth. “I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust where I myself shall see, and not another -- and from my flesh I shall see God: my inmost being is consumed with longing.” (Job 19:25-27) St. Paul described this resurrection. “In the twinkling of an eye,” he says,” at the sound of the trumpet of the Eternal judge, our bodies will be reformed and will have life again. We shall all rise, but not all in the same manner. The body which was the companion of the soul during our mortal life will once again be its companion and share with it either the eternal glory of Heaven or the everlasting pains of Hell.” (Cf. I Cor. 15) We shall live forever like Jesus. "I believe in life everlasting," in everlasting happiness in Heaven or in eternal damnation in Hell. This great truth is a warning to us. If we remember it all our lives, we shall not steer our course towards evil and towards Hell, but towards goodness and towards Heaven, where one day we shall come to rest in a land of lasting happiness.
3. Our resurrection must begin in this life, however. Day by day we must work hard for our spiritual resurrection. We should give this matter our special attention during Paschal time. Our resurrection must be real and not apparent like that of many people who celebrate Easter without any sincere intention of changing their lives. It should not be imperfect like that of Lazarus, (Cf. John 11:43) who rose for a while and died again, but perfect like that of Jesus, over whom death no longer has dominion. (Cf. Rom. 6:9). In other words, we must rise never again to die in sin, which is the real death of the soul. We must rise also to ascend higher and higher on the way of perfection and to carry out Our Lord's command: “You therefore are to be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Mt. 5:48) Our life should be a continual resurrection, a continual ascent towards perfection which will raise us from sin to the state of grace, from the state of grace to fervour, and from fervour to sanctity.
Friday, 18 April 2014
Limbo, by Sister Mary Ada
Limbo
The ancient greyness shifted
Suddenly and thinned
Like mist upon the moors
Before a wind.
An old, old prophet lifted
A shining face and said :
“He will be coming soon.
The Son of God is dead;
He died this afternoon.”
A murmurous excitement stirred
All souls.
They wondered if they dreamed ---
Save one old man who seemed
Not even to have heard.
And Moses standing,
Hushed them all to ask
If any had a welcome song prepared.
If not, would David take the task?
And if they cared
Could not the three young children sing
The Benedicite, the canticle of praise
They made when God kept them from perishing
In the fiery blaze?
A breath of spring surprised them,
Stilling Moses’ words.
No one could speak, remembering
The first fresh flowers,
The little singing birds.
Still others thought of fields new ploughed
Or apple trees
All blossom-boughed.
Or some, the way a dried bed fills
With water
Laughing down green hills.
The fisherfolk dreamed of the foam
On bright blue seas.
The one old man who had not stirred
Remembered home.
And there He was
Splendid as the morning sun and fair
As only God is fair.
And they, confused with joy,
Knelt to adore
Seeing that he wore
Five crimson stars
He never had before.
No canticle at all was sung.
None toned a psalm, or raised a greeting song.
A silent man alone
Of all that throng
Found tongue ----
Not any other.
Close to His heart
When the embrace was done,
Old Joseph said,
“How is Your Mother,
How is Your Mother, Son?”
The Death of Our Saviour - Cardinal Bacci
The Death of Our Saviour
1. In the midst of His sufferings, Jesus forgets Himself and prays for His executioners. “Father,” He pleaded, “forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Who were these people who crucified Him? We know well that they were not only the Jews, but all of us. The prophet Isaias had foretold this. “He was wounded for our iniquities: he was bruised for our sins... He was offered because it was his own will... (Is. 53:5-7) We are all the crucifiers of Jesus, therefore. He willed to suffer and to die for all of us, and when He was hanging on the cross He begged for forgiveness for us all. This should incite us to trust in God and to repentance for our sins. We should be sorry for our sins because they were the real cause of the voluntary death of Jesus. We should have confidence in Him, because He forgave us when He was dying on the cross and is ready to pardon us again, as long as we are sincerely repentant.
Let us consider how Jesus, even though He was derided and nailed to the cross, prayed for and forgave His executioners. How do we normally behave? Perhaps we fly into anger at the first word of offence or act of misunderstanding, or perhaps we nourish secret feelings of hatred in our hearts for our brothers in Jesus Christ? Let us kneel before the cross and tell Our Lord that we wish to be meek and humble of heart like him. We wish to be quick to forgive and to live in peace, and even, if it is necessary, to do good to those who offend us, or at any rate to pray fervently for them.
2. Quite apart from the most fearful physical torments, such as the scourging, the crowning with thorns, and the crucifixion, Jesus willed to endure extreme moral sufferings, such as the betrayal by Judas, the desertion by His Apostles in His hour of trial, and the denial by the Head of the Apostles himself. He willed to endure an even greater spiritual affliction than these, which was so mysterious as to be almost beyond our understanding. This was His abandonment by His heavenly Father. "My God, my God," He cried out in His last agony, "why hast thou forsaken Me?" His human heart elected to experience at that moment the removal of the inmost consolations and joys which flowed from His continual union with His heavenly Father. He was both man and God. His human nature was hypostatically united to the Word, and in this way even His human nature participated in His infinite happiness. As man, however, He chose to be deprived of this happiness. Being burdened with all our sins, He wished to endure not only the most frightful sufferings, but even abandonment by His heavenly Father. We shall be able to understand this if we have ever experienced moral affliction, which can be so much worse than physical pain. On these occasions we should console ourselves with the reflection that Jesus has walked this way of sorrows before us. Then we shall remain united in these trials to Him who is the only source of comfort and resignation.
3. Jesus had now come to the last moments of His earthly life. The blood had been drained from His body as a result of His fatal wounds and He felt a great thirst. "I thirst," He murmured in a weak voice. He expressed in these words not only His physical thirst, but also His spiritual thirst for souls. He had given everything for the eternal salvation of men, yet he realised with divine foresight that many would refuse to co-operate with His infinite love. His thirst was a burning love for us, and it was answered on the physical level by the vinegar which was given to Him to drink and in the moral order by our ingratitude. Seeing that His mission was fulfilled, with His last breath Jesus entrusted His soul to His heavenly Father. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) Then, in order to show that His death was voluntary, He cried out in a loud voice: “It is consummated!” (John 19:30) Jesus was dead. Let us prostrate ourselves before His lifeless body, covered with sores and furrowed with blood. The infinite justice of God, which demanded an adequate reparation for our offences, has been satisfied by the goodness and infinite mercy of the God-Man. But the immense love of Jesus, as well as His sufferings and death, should prevent us from ever offending Him again and should make us love Him more sincerely.
1. In the midst of His sufferings, Jesus forgets Himself and prays for His executioners. “Father,” He pleaded, “forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) Who were these people who crucified Him? We know well that they were not only the Jews, but all of us. The prophet Isaias had foretold this. “He was wounded for our iniquities: he was bruised for our sins... He was offered because it was his own will... (Is. 53:5-7) We are all the crucifiers of Jesus, therefore. He willed to suffer and to die for all of us, and when He was hanging on the cross He begged for forgiveness for us all. This should incite us to trust in God and to repentance for our sins. We should be sorry for our sins because they were the real cause of the voluntary death of Jesus. We should have confidence in Him, because He forgave us when He was dying on the cross and is ready to pardon us again, as long as we are sincerely repentant.
Let us consider how Jesus, even though He was derided and nailed to the cross, prayed for and forgave His executioners. How do we normally behave? Perhaps we fly into anger at the first word of offence or act of misunderstanding, or perhaps we nourish secret feelings of hatred in our hearts for our brothers in Jesus Christ? Let us kneel before the cross and tell Our Lord that we wish to be meek and humble of heart like him. We wish to be quick to forgive and to live in peace, and even, if it is necessary, to do good to those who offend us, or at any rate to pray fervently for them.
2. Quite apart from the most fearful physical torments, such as the scourging, the crowning with thorns, and the crucifixion, Jesus willed to endure extreme moral sufferings, such as the betrayal by Judas, the desertion by His Apostles in His hour of trial, and the denial by the Head of the Apostles himself. He willed to endure an even greater spiritual affliction than these, which was so mysterious as to be almost beyond our understanding. This was His abandonment by His heavenly Father. "My God, my God," He cried out in His last agony, "why hast thou forsaken Me?" His human heart elected to experience at that moment the removal of the inmost consolations and joys which flowed from His continual union with His heavenly Father. He was both man and God. His human nature was hypostatically united to the Word, and in this way even His human nature participated in His infinite happiness. As man, however, He chose to be deprived of this happiness. Being burdened with all our sins, He wished to endure not only the most frightful sufferings, but even abandonment by His heavenly Father. We shall be able to understand this if we have ever experienced moral affliction, which can be so much worse than physical pain. On these occasions we should console ourselves with the reflection that Jesus has walked this way of sorrows before us. Then we shall remain united in these trials to Him who is the only source of comfort and resignation.
3. Jesus had now come to the last moments of His earthly life. The blood had been drained from His body as a result of His fatal wounds and He felt a great thirst. "I thirst," He murmured in a weak voice. He expressed in these words not only His physical thirst, but also His spiritual thirst for souls. He had given everything for the eternal salvation of men, yet he realised with divine foresight that many would refuse to co-operate with His infinite love. His thirst was a burning love for us, and it was answered on the physical level by the vinegar which was given to Him to drink and in the moral order by our ingratitude. Seeing that His mission was fulfilled, with His last breath Jesus entrusted His soul to His heavenly Father. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) Then, in order to show that His death was voluntary, He cried out in a loud voice: “It is consummated!” (John 19:30) Jesus was dead. Let us prostrate ourselves before His lifeless body, covered with sores and furrowed with blood. The infinite justice of God, which demanded an adequate reparation for our offences, has been satisfied by the goodness and infinite mercy of the God-Man. But the immense love of Jesus, as well as His sufferings and death, should prevent us from ever offending Him again and should make us love Him more sincerely.
The Crucifixion - Cardinal Bacci
The Crucifixion
1. After a painful and exhausting journey Jesus reaches Calvary, where He is to be crucified. Once again He is stripped of His garments, which by this time have become stuck to His swollen sores. Then He is stretched upon the wooden cross, to which one of the brutal executioners fastens His hands and feet with blows from a hammer. The sharp nails are driven through His flesh into the hard wood. Jesus looks upwards and offers Himself in silence as a victim of expiation on behalf of His tormentors and of all of us. His mother Mary is standing a few paces away in the company of the holy women and of the beloved disciple. The blows of the hammer pierce the maternal heart of the Blessed Virgin, but she remains silent also and prays. When we have been afflicted by misfortune or sorrow and our hearts are racked with grief, how do we behave? Have we the resignation, the trust in God, and the spirit of prayer which Jesus and Mary had on Calvary? Let us remind ourselves that we are members of the Mystical Body of Christ. If Jesus, our Head, has suffered, how much more do miserable sinners like the rest of us deserve to suffer. Jesus wishes us to participate in the work of redemption by uniting our sufferings to His. “I rejoice now,” says St. Paul, “in the sufferings I bear... and what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ I fill up in my flesh... (Col. 1:24) Let us face adversity with courage, therefore, and keep our eyes hopefully towards Heaven. Let us remember, as St. Paul also says, that even as we share in the sufferings of Christ, so we shall share in His triumph. (Cf. 2 Cor. 1:7) Jesus had to ascend Mount Calvary before He could ascend to Heaven. If we are to walk in His footsteps, we shall have to do the same.
2. When Jesus had been nailed to the cross and the executioners had dug a hole nearby, they lifted the heavy piece of wood and thrust it into the ground. The whole weight of Jesus' body was borne by His hands and feet, so that the shock caused the wounds made by the nails to become enlarged and sent an acute quiver of pain through His suffering members. He raised His glazed eyes towards Heaven and murmured a prayer of forgiveness and love. For three long hours Jesus hung suspended between earth and sky as a victim of reparation for our sins. His precious blood fell drop by drop from the wounds in His worn-out body. He gasped for breath in an ever-increasing agony, while His heart throbbed with infinite love. He looked down and saw His most holy Mother and the beloved disciple. Having sacrificed everything for us, He desired to leave us the last precious possession which remained to Him—His Mother. He turned to her and then to the beloved disciple. "Woman, behold thy son," He said. "Son, behold thy Mother." We were all present in the person of St. John, and we were all entrusted to the loving maternal care of Mary. From that moment we were taken into her protection. Let us turn to her, therefore, in sorrow and in temptation. Let us be faithful to her during life and she will be always at our side, especially at the hour of death.
3. On either side of Jesus there were two other crosses, to which two robbers had been tied. When one of these saw how Jesus prayed and forgave in the midst of His sufferings, he was touched by the grace of God. He began to hate his crimes and sins, and to believe in the divine Redeemer. Turning towards Jesus, he begged for forgiveness. "Lord, he said, "remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Jesus returned his gaze at once and replied: "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." This moving episode holds two main lessons for us. (1) No matter how great and numerous are our sins, God in His infinite mercy will forgive us if we sincerely repent, and resolve to lead better lives. (2) We should not, on the other hand, put off our conversion until the moment of death. As St. Augustine points out, only one of the two thieves is reported to have been converted. We are taking a grave risk whenever we abuse God's goodness and mercy.
1. After a painful and exhausting journey Jesus reaches Calvary, where He is to be crucified. Once again He is stripped of His garments, which by this time have become stuck to His swollen sores. Then He is stretched upon the wooden cross, to which one of the brutal executioners fastens His hands and feet with blows from a hammer. The sharp nails are driven through His flesh into the hard wood. Jesus looks upwards and offers Himself in silence as a victim of expiation on behalf of His tormentors and of all of us. His mother Mary is standing a few paces away in the company of the holy women and of the beloved disciple. The blows of the hammer pierce the maternal heart of the Blessed Virgin, but she remains silent also and prays. When we have been afflicted by misfortune or sorrow and our hearts are racked with grief, how do we behave? Have we the resignation, the trust in God, and the spirit of prayer which Jesus and Mary had on Calvary? Let us remind ourselves that we are members of the Mystical Body of Christ. If Jesus, our Head, has suffered, how much more do miserable sinners like the rest of us deserve to suffer. Jesus wishes us to participate in the work of redemption by uniting our sufferings to His. “I rejoice now,” says St. Paul, “in the sufferings I bear... and what is lacking of the sufferings of Christ I fill up in my flesh... (Col. 1:24) Let us face adversity with courage, therefore, and keep our eyes hopefully towards Heaven. Let us remember, as St. Paul also says, that even as we share in the sufferings of Christ, so we shall share in His triumph. (Cf. 2 Cor. 1:7) Jesus had to ascend Mount Calvary before He could ascend to Heaven. If we are to walk in His footsteps, we shall have to do the same.
2. When Jesus had been nailed to the cross and the executioners had dug a hole nearby, they lifted the heavy piece of wood and thrust it into the ground. The whole weight of Jesus' body was borne by His hands and feet, so that the shock caused the wounds made by the nails to become enlarged and sent an acute quiver of pain through His suffering members. He raised His glazed eyes towards Heaven and murmured a prayer of forgiveness and love. For three long hours Jesus hung suspended between earth and sky as a victim of reparation for our sins. His precious blood fell drop by drop from the wounds in His worn-out body. He gasped for breath in an ever-increasing agony, while His heart throbbed with infinite love. He looked down and saw His most holy Mother and the beloved disciple. Having sacrificed everything for us, He desired to leave us the last precious possession which remained to Him—His Mother. He turned to her and then to the beloved disciple. "Woman, behold thy son," He said. "Son, behold thy Mother." We were all present in the person of St. John, and we were all entrusted to the loving maternal care of Mary. From that moment we were taken into her protection. Let us turn to her, therefore, in sorrow and in temptation. Let us be faithful to her during life and she will be always at our side, especially at the hour of death.
3. On either side of Jesus there were two other crosses, to which two robbers had been tied. When one of these saw how Jesus prayed and forgave in the midst of His sufferings, he was touched by the grace of God. He began to hate his crimes and sins, and to believe in the divine Redeemer. Turning towards Jesus, he begged for forgiveness. "Lord, he said, "remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Jesus returned his gaze at once and replied: "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise." This moving episode holds two main lessons for us. (1) No matter how great and numerous are our sins, God in His infinite mercy will forgive us if we sincerely repent, and resolve to lead better lives. (2) We should not, on the other hand, put off our conversion until the moment of death. As St. Augustine points out, only one of the two thieves is reported to have been converted. We are taking a grave risk whenever we abuse God's goodness and mercy.
Thursday, 17 April 2014
The Last Supper - Archbishop Sheen
Why did Our Blessed Lord use bread and wine as the elements of this Memorial? First of all, because no two substances in nature better symbolize unity than bread and wine. As bread is made from a multiplicity of grains of wheat, and wine is made from a multiplicity of grapes, so the many who believe are one in Christ. Second, no two substances in nature have to suffer more to become what they are than bread and wine. Wheat has to pass through the rigors of winter, be ground beneath the Calvary of a mill, and then subjected to purging fire before it can become bread. Grapes in their turn must be subjected to the Gethsemane of a wine press and have their life crushed from them to become wine. Thus do they symbolize the Passion and Sufferings of Christ, and the condition of Salvation, for Our Lord said that unless we die to ourselves we cannot live in Him. A third reason is that there are no two substances in nature which have more traditionally nourished man than bread and wine. In bringing these elements to the altar, men are equivalently bringing themselves. When bread and wine are taken or consumed, they are changed into man’s body and blood. But when He took bread and wine, He changed them into Himself.Life of Christ
Monday, 14 April 2014
Self-improvement vs the Will of God - Fr Faber
There are two views of growth in grace, the self-improvement view and the will-of-God view. In these views - for what is more operative than a view - is the root of all the error and of all the wisdom of the matter. If a man puts self-improvement before him as the end of life, almost every step that he takes will be wrong. If he works away at himself, as a sculptor finishes off a statue, he will get more out of proportion, and bring out more black marks and gray blotches, the longer he chisels. Not a motive will be right, not an aim true. If he takes up his particular examen and his rule of life, and his periodical penances, as merely medicinal appliances, if he shuts himself up in a reformatory school of his own, if he models his whole spiritual life upon the complacent theory of self-improvement, his asceticism will be nothing better than a systematizing and a glorifying of self-will. Under such auspices he can never be a spiritual man, and he will hardly be a moral man. Yet how common is this miserable view, even among men living right in the heart of a system so intensely supernatural as that of the Catholic Church.
The will-of-God view, on the contrary, refers everything, but diligence and correspondence, to Him. A man follows God's lead, and does .not strike out a road for himself. He models himself in his measure and degree on the imitation of Jesus. He seeks to please God, and acts out of love. His inconsistencies neither astonish nor tease him. An imperfection annoys him, not because it mars the symmetry of his character, but because it grieves the Holy Ghost. Sacraments, and scapulars, and beads and medals, relics and rites, all find their places in his system; and the natural and the supernatural form one whole. God is always pleased when a man seeks humbly, and in appointed ways, to please Him. Hence this man is quieted, cheerful and hopeful with his faults. The gaiety of endless success is in his heart. God is his Father. Whereas the self-improvement man either does not succeed in improving himself, or he does so too slowly, or he loses on one side what he gains on the other, or people will persist in being scandalized at his edifying deportment, for with such men edification is the crown of virtue, and if they do not edify, they have failed. Hence he is unquiet, sulky, and desponding about his faults. The bitterness of endless piecemeal failure is in his heart.
After death we shall have many revelations. I suspect the hiddenness of our spiritual growth here on earth will give rise to some. How surprised many humble spirits will be at the extraordinary beauty of their souls, when death has disengaged them! So much more is always going on than we in the least suspect!Growth in Holiness
Saturday, 12 April 2014
The Road to Calvary - Cardinal Bacci
The Road to Calvary
1. After having been condemned to death, Jesus is delivered into the hands of the Jews to be crucified as a malefactor. Two rough beams of wood are fixed together in the form of a cross and placed upon His shoulders. He is already worn out with suffering and has lost large quantities of blood as a result of the scourging and of the crowning with thorns. Jesus does not reject the Cross, but embraces it. He has come into this world to show forth His infinite love and to redeem us from our sins by His sufferings and death. In the garden of Gethsemane He has said with sublime resignation to the Heavenly Father: “Not my will but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) The Cross is too heavy for His human strength, but what does that matter? He embraces it, takes it upon His weary shoulders and sets out for Calvary.
Perhaps we have often kissed the Crucifix with reverence and affection. Let us keep it hanging upon the walls of our home where we can gaze on it with love and hope. Let us pray before it in our moments of need. But what about our own cross? Do we love our cross as Jesus loved His? Do we embrace it as Jesus did? Do we bow willingly beneath the load as He did, and do we carry it with resignation and without useless complaints? It is not enough to love the Crucifix. We must love our own cross as well in silence and in prayer, knowing that only in this way can we imitate Jesus Who has said to us: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
2. Jesus walks towards Calvary, carrying His cross. With every step and with every jerk His wounds reopen and pour blood. His shoulders, torn by the rough wood, are lacerated with unimaginable pain. In His exhaustion He stumbles many times, but He rises and takes up the cross again. How often do we complain of our cross and of God because He has given it to us? How often have we cursed it, or at least said to God in our prayers that the cross is too heavy and that we should like Him to give us a lighter one.... But this will not do. Everyone must carry his own cross, and nobody else's every day of his life. If the load seems too heavy, let us look at Jesus. He Who is supremely innocent has carried His cross as far as Calvary. Why should we, who are sinners, not have to carry ours? Let us recall the teaching of the masters of the spiritual life, namely, that the only way of perfection is the way of the cross.
3. Jesus meets His most holy mother Mary on the road to Calvary. His divine gaze meets her motherly eyes as she looks upon her only son and her God. There is no word of comfort on either side, for their hearts fully understand one another. Mary knows that her son is the Redeemer who has come to save fallen humanity by His bloody death, and Jesus knows that, as the holy Simeon has foretold, a mystical sword must pierce the heart of His Mother, now become the Queen of Martyrs. Let us turn to Mary also in our moments of sorrow, especially when our cross seems too heavy for us. Our loving Mother will dry our tears and give comfort to our hearts.
1. After having been condemned to death, Jesus is delivered into the hands of the Jews to be crucified as a malefactor. Two rough beams of wood are fixed together in the form of a cross and placed upon His shoulders. He is already worn out with suffering and has lost large quantities of blood as a result of the scourging and of the crowning with thorns. Jesus does not reject the Cross, but embraces it. He has come into this world to show forth His infinite love and to redeem us from our sins by His sufferings and death. In the garden of Gethsemane He has said with sublime resignation to the Heavenly Father: “Not my will but thine be done.” (Luke 22:42) The Cross is too heavy for His human strength, but what does that matter? He embraces it, takes it upon His weary shoulders and sets out for Calvary.
Perhaps we have often kissed the Crucifix with reverence and affection. Let us keep it hanging upon the walls of our home where we can gaze on it with love and hope. Let us pray before it in our moments of need. But what about our own cross? Do we love our cross as Jesus loved His? Do we embrace it as Jesus did? Do we bow willingly beneath the load as He did, and do we carry it with resignation and without useless complaints? It is not enough to love the Crucifix. We must love our own cross as well in silence and in prayer, knowing that only in this way can we imitate Jesus Who has said to us: “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
2. Jesus walks towards Calvary, carrying His cross. With every step and with every jerk His wounds reopen and pour blood. His shoulders, torn by the rough wood, are lacerated with unimaginable pain. In His exhaustion He stumbles many times, but He rises and takes up the cross again. How often do we complain of our cross and of God because He has given it to us? How often have we cursed it, or at least said to God in our prayers that the cross is too heavy and that we should like Him to give us a lighter one.... But this will not do. Everyone must carry his own cross, and nobody else's every day of his life. If the load seems too heavy, let us look at Jesus. He Who is supremely innocent has carried His cross as far as Calvary. Why should we, who are sinners, not have to carry ours? Let us recall the teaching of the masters of the spiritual life, namely, that the only way of perfection is the way of the cross.
3. Jesus meets His most holy mother Mary on the road to Calvary. His divine gaze meets her motherly eyes as she looks upon her only son and her God. There is no word of comfort on either side, for their hearts fully understand one another. Mary knows that her son is the Redeemer who has come to save fallen humanity by His bloody death, and Jesus knows that, as the holy Simeon has foretold, a mystical sword must pierce the heart of His Mother, now become the Queen of Martyrs. Let us turn to Mary also in our moments of sorrow, especially when our cross seems too heavy for us. Our loving Mother will dry our tears and give comfort to our hearts.
Jesus is Condemned to Death - Cardinal Bacci
Jesus is Condemned to Death
1. Pilate was neither wicked nor cruel. He was a weak opportunist who placed his position as Governor of Judea and his own personal interests above everything else in life. He was prepared, moreover, to adopt the meanest of compromises. He had acquitted Jesus because he believed Him to be innocent. But he panicked as soon as he heard the crowd shouting and the Jewish priests accusing him of being no friend of the Emperor. Then he had recourse to an expedient. When he saw Jesus covered with blood, crowned with thorns and clothed in purple rags, he showed Him to the crowd in the hope that their frenzied hearts would be touched with compassion. He said only a few simple words. "Behold the man!" He wished them to see the condition to which this man had been reduced who had been accused and mocked by them. Looking like a trampled worm, He would stir up pity in every heart. In the crowd there were people who had been enchanted by the glory of His heavenly teaching. Some of them had listened to Him in Jerusalem only a few days previously when He was greeted by tumults of applause. Others had received favours and miracles from Him. But the good folk remained silent, for they could not summon up the courage to express any sentiments of gratitude or of humanity in that gathering. A roar drowned the words of Pilate. "Let Him be crucified!"
Sometimes when we see what is good and just, a rebellious impulse suddenly rises up inside us. Unfortunately, we may yield to it on occasion and stifle the higher inspirations which we receive. Let us resolve never to be guilty of weak or unworthy conduct towards Jesus and to obey at all costs the dictates of a sound conscience.
2. Pilate now tried another manoeuvre to save Jesus without endangering his own position. It was a custom amongst the Jews to pardon a condemned criminal during the Paschal period. There was a notorious robber in prison at this time who had been guilty of sedition and murder. His name was Barabbas. Pilate hoped that the people would choose to release Jesus when they heard Him compared with Barabbas. But once again a ferocious outcry drowned Pilate's words. “Release to us Barabbas!” (Luke 23:18) They shouted out that Barabbas should be set free and that Jesus should be crucified. Let us be ashamed in the face of such wickedness. For we also yield many times to the onslaught of our passions and prefer Barabbas to Jesus. We prefer sin to innocence, and the satisfaction of our selfish nature to the sacred law of God. We do this in spite of the fact that we are aware that Jesus is our Redeemer and our God. We know well that by serving Him we shall conquer and that by placing all our confidence in Him our souls will find peace. We know that we can be happy only by loving Him and that we can be saved only by living and dying for Him. Nevertheless, we do not always choose Jesus.
3. Pilate's reply to the demands of the enraged mob was as weak as ever. “Why,” he asked, “what evil has he done?” (Mt. 27:23) The crowd continued to cry: “Let him be crucified!” Then, as if he believed that he was making an honourable escape from his predicament, the Procurator washed his hands in public. “I am innocent of the blood of this just man,” he said. “See to it yourselves.” (Mt. 27:24) Jesus was condemned to death. When we are confronted by injustice or by sin of any kind, do we act with Christian strength of character or do we waver like Pilate in an effort to serve two masters, the devil and God? Let us remember that virtue demands sacrifice and, if necessary, even death. Woe to those who wash their hands in a despicable attempt to evade their strict obligations to their fellow-men and fellow-Christians.
1. Pilate was neither wicked nor cruel. He was a weak opportunist who placed his position as Governor of Judea and his own personal interests above everything else in life. He was prepared, moreover, to adopt the meanest of compromises. He had acquitted Jesus because he believed Him to be innocent. But he panicked as soon as he heard the crowd shouting and the Jewish priests accusing him of being no friend of the Emperor. Then he had recourse to an expedient. When he saw Jesus covered with blood, crowned with thorns and clothed in purple rags, he showed Him to the crowd in the hope that their frenzied hearts would be touched with compassion. He said only a few simple words. "Behold the man!" He wished them to see the condition to which this man had been reduced who had been accused and mocked by them. Looking like a trampled worm, He would stir up pity in every heart. In the crowd there were people who had been enchanted by the glory of His heavenly teaching. Some of them had listened to Him in Jerusalem only a few days previously when He was greeted by tumults of applause. Others had received favours and miracles from Him. But the good folk remained silent, for they could not summon up the courage to express any sentiments of gratitude or of humanity in that gathering. A roar drowned the words of Pilate. "Let Him be crucified!"
Sometimes when we see what is good and just, a rebellious impulse suddenly rises up inside us. Unfortunately, we may yield to it on occasion and stifle the higher inspirations which we receive. Let us resolve never to be guilty of weak or unworthy conduct towards Jesus and to obey at all costs the dictates of a sound conscience.
2. Pilate now tried another manoeuvre to save Jesus without endangering his own position. It was a custom amongst the Jews to pardon a condemned criminal during the Paschal period. There was a notorious robber in prison at this time who had been guilty of sedition and murder. His name was Barabbas. Pilate hoped that the people would choose to release Jesus when they heard Him compared with Barabbas. But once again a ferocious outcry drowned Pilate's words. “Release to us Barabbas!” (Luke 23:18) They shouted out that Barabbas should be set free and that Jesus should be crucified. Let us be ashamed in the face of such wickedness. For we also yield many times to the onslaught of our passions and prefer Barabbas to Jesus. We prefer sin to innocence, and the satisfaction of our selfish nature to the sacred law of God. We do this in spite of the fact that we are aware that Jesus is our Redeemer and our God. We know well that by serving Him we shall conquer and that by placing all our confidence in Him our souls will find peace. We know that we can be happy only by loving Him and that we can be saved only by living and dying for Him. Nevertheless, we do not always choose Jesus.
3. Pilate's reply to the demands of the enraged mob was as weak as ever. “Why,” he asked, “what evil has he done?” (Mt. 27:23) The crowd continued to cry: “Let him be crucified!” Then, as if he believed that he was making an honourable escape from his predicament, the Procurator washed his hands in public. “I am innocent of the blood of this just man,” he said. “See to it yourselves.” (Mt. 27:24) Jesus was condemned to death. When we are confronted by injustice or by sin of any kind, do we act with Christian strength of character or do we waver like Pilate in an effort to serve two masters, the devil and God? Let us remember that virtue demands sacrifice and, if necessary, even death. Woe to those who wash their hands in a despicable attempt to evade their strict obligations to their fellow-men and fellow-Christians.
The Scourging and the Crowning with Thorns - Cardinal Bacci
The Scourging and the Crowning with Thorns
1. Although Pilate had acknowledged Jesus' innocence, he condemned Him to be scourged in order to satisfy the hatred of the Jews. He was stripped of His garments and exposed to the gaze of the soldiery. As unseen angels bowed in adoration before His virginal purity, He offered Himself as an immaculate lamb in expiation of the countless sins of immodesty and of impurity by which men so often dishonour their immortal souls. When He had been tied to a pillar, the executioners approached Him with their whips and in quick succession rained blows upon His innocent body. Blow followed blow until His blood flowed freely and His flesh was laid bare to the bone. The prophet Isaias had vividly described this tragic scene centuries beforehand. “From the sole of the foot unto the top of the head, there is no soundness therein; wounds and bruises and swelling sores.” (Is. 1:6) “Despised and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmity.... Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our iniquities: he was bruised for our sins. The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his bruises we are healed.” (Is. 53:3-5) During these sufferings as during all that had preceded them, Jesus offered Himself in silence as a victim for our sins. If only His executioners could have read what was in His heart, they would have seen how infinitely He loved them and would have flung themselves in tears at His feet. We who have been taught to understand the Gospel know well how much He loved us and how much He suffered for us. Let us adore Jesus, bruised for our sins, and let us kiss His wounds. Let us tell Him that we shall never offend Him again and that we desire to love Him with all the ardour of which our hearts are capable.
2. No order had been given that Jesus was to be crowned with thorns. It was surely the devil who suggested this idea to the soldiers. They had heard that Jesus had claimed to be a king, so for their own brutal entertainment they clothed Him in a purple rag and placed a rod in His hand as if it were a sceptre. Then they found a bundle of reeds with sharp thorns, of which they made a crown and placed it on His head, driving it into His flesh. One can imagine the pain and humiliation which Jesus suffered. Perhaps He desired by this new kind of torment to make reparation in a special manner for all the sins of thought —sins of hate and anger, of jealousy and impurity.
Let us adore Our Lord as He is mocked and outraged in this fashion. Let us proclaim Him as King of our hearts and Master of our entire lives. Let us assure Him that after all His sufferings on our behalf we cannot allow ourselves to go astray, for He has given us the fullness of His grace so that we may be transformed and made His for all time and for eternity.
3. When we are offended or insulted, let us remember the infinite patience of Jesus when He was scourged and crowned with thorns. If Jesus, Who was so innocent, suffered so much for us, should we not follow His example and endure with patience the hardships of life? We should be ready to forgive and pardon, to subdue our rebellious inclinations, to moderate our speech and remain silent when we are offended, to love our enemies and to do good to those who do evil to us. Let us recall the way in which Jesus was scourged and crowned with thorns and we shall receive from Him the supernatural strength to follow His example.
1. Although Pilate had acknowledged Jesus' innocence, he condemned Him to be scourged in order to satisfy the hatred of the Jews. He was stripped of His garments and exposed to the gaze of the soldiery. As unseen angels bowed in adoration before His virginal purity, He offered Himself as an immaculate lamb in expiation of the countless sins of immodesty and of impurity by which men so often dishonour their immortal souls. When He had been tied to a pillar, the executioners approached Him with their whips and in quick succession rained blows upon His innocent body. Blow followed blow until His blood flowed freely and His flesh was laid bare to the bone. The prophet Isaias had vividly described this tragic scene centuries beforehand. “From the sole of the foot unto the top of the head, there is no soundness therein; wounds and bruises and swelling sores.” (Is. 1:6) “Despised and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmity.... Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our iniquities: he was bruised for our sins. The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his bruises we are healed.” (Is. 53:3-5) During these sufferings as during all that had preceded them, Jesus offered Himself in silence as a victim for our sins. If only His executioners could have read what was in His heart, they would have seen how infinitely He loved them and would have flung themselves in tears at His feet. We who have been taught to understand the Gospel know well how much He loved us and how much He suffered for us. Let us adore Jesus, bruised for our sins, and let us kiss His wounds. Let us tell Him that we shall never offend Him again and that we desire to love Him with all the ardour of which our hearts are capable.
2. No order had been given that Jesus was to be crowned with thorns. It was surely the devil who suggested this idea to the soldiers. They had heard that Jesus had claimed to be a king, so for their own brutal entertainment they clothed Him in a purple rag and placed a rod in His hand as if it were a sceptre. Then they found a bundle of reeds with sharp thorns, of which they made a crown and placed it on His head, driving it into His flesh. One can imagine the pain and humiliation which Jesus suffered. Perhaps He desired by this new kind of torment to make reparation in a special manner for all the sins of thought —sins of hate and anger, of jealousy and impurity.
Let us adore Our Lord as He is mocked and outraged in this fashion. Let us proclaim Him as King of our hearts and Master of our entire lives. Let us assure Him that after all His sufferings on our behalf we cannot allow ourselves to go astray, for He has given us the fullness of His grace so that we may be transformed and made His for all time and for eternity.
3. When we are offended or insulted, let us remember the infinite patience of Jesus when He was scourged and crowned with thorns. If Jesus, Who was so innocent, suffered so much for us, should we not follow His example and endure with patience the hardships of life? We should be ready to forgive and pardon, to subdue our rebellious inclinations, to moderate our speech and remain silent when we are offended, to love our enemies and to do good to those who do evil to us. Let us recall the way in which Jesus was scourged and crowned with thorns and we shall receive from Him the supernatural strength to follow His example.
Jesus Before Pilate and Herod - Cardinal Bacci
Jesus Before Pilate and Herod
1. After a night of extreme suffering Jesus was led in bonds before Pilate so that He might be condemned to death. The Jews were so determined to achieve this purpose that in a spirit of diabolical hatred they brought false accusations against Jesus. Our divine Redeemer knew well the deceitful hypocrisy of His accusers. He showed no resentment, however, but bore witness to the truth by His calm and brief replies. When He saw that it was useless to insist, He remained silent, so that even Pilate was astonished. (Cf. Mt. 27:14) Let us study this scene and note the brutal hatred of the Jews on one hand and the divine humility of Jesus on the other. Let us consider how we behave when we are offended or calumniated. Perhaps we flare up and hit back proudly and sharply. This shows that we lack real humility and charity. “To him who strikes thee on the one cheek,” Jesus taught, “offer the other also.” (Cf. Luke 6:29) Not only did He preach this, but He also gave us the highest possible example. If anyone accuses or offends us, there is nothing to prevent us defending ourselves quietly and reasonably. We are not obliged to practise to the full the heroism of St. Francis de Sales, who remained silent when he was insulted and suppressed entirely his feelings of resentment. Nevertheless, this is the ideal towards which we must tend. We should never speak in a moment of anger when wounded self-love is boiling up inside us. We should know how to make the sacrifice of remaining silent for the time being and thinking humbly about the matter before replying eventually in a spirit of Christian peace. We should follow the example of Jesus, Who said: “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Cf. Mt. 11:29)
2. Pilate was struck by the inconsistency and contradictoriness of the charges made by the Jews, and by the peaceful behaviour of Jesus. “ I find no crime deserving of death in him,” (Cf. Luke 23:22; John 18:38; 19:4) he declared openly. In the face of this solemn declaration of Jesus' innocence, one would have expected to have seen Him released. Unfortunately, however, people do not always act in accordance with their express convictions. We have probably had this experience ourselves on many occasions. We have experienced the truth of Ovid's phrase: “Video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor.” (Ovid, Met., VII. 20, 21) We see, in other words, what is the better thing to do, but we are attracted by the more evil. We see what we should do in order to be humble, but we are proud in our behaviour. We see what we should do in order to be charitable, but we are selfish. We see what we should do in order to be just, but we behave unjustly. We see the way in which we should resist temptation immediately, and we hesitate instead and fall. We see that it is necessary to pray fervently, because by ourselves we are capable of nothing; yet we are weak and careless. Let us reflect and make serious resolutions which we shall certainly put into practice.
3. Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, the ruler of Galilee, which was the homeland of our Redeemer. Herod was a cruel and sensual king. It was he who had given orders for the slaying of St. John the Precursor. Jesus had said no more than was necessary in the presence of Pilate, but He was completely silent in front of Herod, so much so that the king decided that He was mad and sent him away. Perhaps Jesus was silent because He did not believe that Herod was worthy of His reply. It will be a sad day for us if Jesus does not speak in our hearts any more. Let us never make ourselves unworthy of His words and inspirations. Let us say with the Psalmist: “But not silent; Lord, be not far from me.” (Ps. 34:22) Without Jesus we are lost for all eternity.
1. After a night of extreme suffering Jesus was led in bonds before Pilate so that He might be condemned to death. The Jews were so determined to achieve this purpose that in a spirit of diabolical hatred they brought false accusations against Jesus. Our divine Redeemer knew well the deceitful hypocrisy of His accusers. He showed no resentment, however, but bore witness to the truth by His calm and brief replies. When He saw that it was useless to insist, He remained silent, so that even Pilate was astonished. (Cf. Mt. 27:14) Let us study this scene and note the brutal hatred of the Jews on one hand and the divine humility of Jesus on the other. Let us consider how we behave when we are offended or calumniated. Perhaps we flare up and hit back proudly and sharply. This shows that we lack real humility and charity. “To him who strikes thee on the one cheek,” Jesus taught, “offer the other also.” (Cf. Luke 6:29) Not only did He preach this, but He also gave us the highest possible example. If anyone accuses or offends us, there is nothing to prevent us defending ourselves quietly and reasonably. We are not obliged to practise to the full the heroism of St. Francis de Sales, who remained silent when he was insulted and suppressed entirely his feelings of resentment. Nevertheless, this is the ideal towards which we must tend. We should never speak in a moment of anger when wounded self-love is boiling up inside us. We should know how to make the sacrifice of remaining silent for the time being and thinking humbly about the matter before replying eventually in a spirit of Christian peace. We should follow the example of Jesus, Who said: “Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Cf. Mt. 11:29)
2. Pilate was struck by the inconsistency and contradictoriness of the charges made by the Jews, and by the peaceful behaviour of Jesus. “ I find no crime deserving of death in him,” (Cf. Luke 23:22; John 18:38; 19:4) he declared openly. In the face of this solemn declaration of Jesus' innocence, one would have expected to have seen Him released. Unfortunately, however, people do not always act in accordance with their express convictions. We have probably had this experience ourselves on many occasions. We have experienced the truth of Ovid's phrase: “Video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor.” (Ovid, Met., VII. 20, 21) We see, in other words, what is the better thing to do, but we are attracted by the more evil. We see what we should do in order to be humble, but we are proud in our behaviour. We see what we should do in order to be charitable, but we are selfish. We see what we should do in order to be just, but we behave unjustly. We see the way in which we should resist temptation immediately, and we hesitate instead and fall. We see that it is necessary to pray fervently, because by ourselves we are capable of nothing; yet we are weak and careless. Let us reflect and make serious resolutions which we shall certainly put into practice.
3. Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, the ruler of Galilee, which was the homeland of our Redeemer. Herod was a cruel and sensual king. It was he who had given orders for the slaying of St. John the Precursor. Jesus had said no more than was necessary in the presence of Pilate, but He was completely silent in front of Herod, so much so that the king decided that He was mad and sent him away. Perhaps Jesus was silent because He did not believe that Herod was worthy of His reply. It will be a sad day for us if Jesus does not speak in our hearts any more. Let us never make ourselves unworthy of His words and inspirations. Let us say with the Psalmist: “But not silent; Lord, be not far from me.” (Ps. 34:22) Without Jesus we are lost for all eternity.
The Repentance of Peter - Cardinal Bacci
The Repentance of St. Peter
1. Peter had denied his Master three times. He was standing in the courtyard of the High Priest warming himself before a brazier and not even thinking of the depths to which he had descended. Jesus, calumniated, struck and mocked as if He were criminal, forgets altogether about Himself. Moved by compassion for the leader of His Apostles, now become a perjurer, He turns His gaze towards him. Peter is jerked back to his senses by this look, which is at the same time stern and affectionate. He realises at last the level to which he has fallen. He is stricken to the heart and feels a sudden tightness in his throat. “And Peter went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62)
Peter saw clearly at this stage the chasm into which he had fallen. He thought of all the gifts and favours which he had received from Jesus and recalled the prophecy which his Master had made. “A cock will not crow this day, until thou hast denied three times that thou knowest me.” (Luke 22:34) He remembered also how he had sworn that he would never deny Jesus. Now he saw himself in the role of the prodigal son or the lost sheep... and as he wept bitterly he saw again the reproachful yet loving gaze of Jesus. His grief found an outlet in his tears and he was filled with confidence that Jesus in His infinite goodness would forgive him. If we should fall (as we often do, unfortunately), let us rise again immediately as Peter did. Let us weep for our sins and kneeling before Jesus, represented by the priest, let us confess our faults and tell God that we shall never offend Him again.
2. When Peter realised how wretchedly he had fallen, the first thing which he did was to escape from the occasion of sin. “Peter went out.” (Luke 22:62) He grieved for his three sins not only on that sad night but throughout his life. St. Clement writes that he wept so often that his tears wore two deep furrows in his cheeks and that whenever he heard the cock crowing, the cry pierced his heart. He loved Jesus sincerely and passionately. When he was asked three times if he loved Him, he replied humbly: “Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.” (Cf. John 21:16) Can we say these same words to Jesus with equal sincerity and humility? If we really love Jesus as Peter did, and are prepared to face death for His sake as Peter was, then we may be sure that we shall never offend God again.
3. Two of the Apostles sinned seriously. Peter denied Jesus and Judas betrayed Him. Both regretted their offence, but Peter's was the repentance of love and that of Judas was the remorse of despair. Judas also admitted his fault. “I have sinned,” he said, “in betraying innocent blood.” (Mt. 27:4) He flung the thirty pieces of silver, which he received as a reward for his crime, into the temple. But he did not return to Jesus, Who had even called him His friend at the time of the betrayal. He did not trust in His infinite goodness, but went away in despair and hanged himself with a halter from a tree. Let us adore the mystery of the providence and mercy of God, but let us remember that we are lost if we abuse it. Our next sin could be the last which we should have the opportunity of committing. If God did not grant us the grace to repent, we could end in the manner of Judas rather than that of Peter. Let us think earnestly about this and form new resolutions with sincerity and humility.
1. Peter had denied his Master three times. He was standing in the courtyard of the High Priest warming himself before a brazier and not even thinking of the depths to which he had descended. Jesus, calumniated, struck and mocked as if He were criminal, forgets altogether about Himself. Moved by compassion for the leader of His Apostles, now become a perjurer, He turns His gaze towards him. Peter is jerked back to his senses by this look, which is at the same time stern and affectionate. He realises at last the level to which he has fallen. He is stricken to the heart and feels a sudden tightness in his throat. “And Peter went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62)
Peter saw clearly at this stage the chasm into which he had fallen. He thought of all the gifts and favours which he had received from Jesus and recalled the prophecy which his Master had made. “A cock will not crow this day, until thou hast denied three times that thou knowest me.” (Luke 22:34) He remembered also how he had sworn that he would never deny Jesus. Now he saw himself in the role of the prodigal son or the lost sheep... and as he wept bitterly he saw again the reproachful yet loving gaze of Jesus. His grief found an outlet in his tears and he was filled with confidence that Jesus in His infinite goodness would forgive him. If we should fall (as we often do, unfortunately), let us rise again immediately as Peter did. Let us weep for our sins and kneeling before Jesus, represented by the priest, let us confess our faults and tell God that we shall never offend Him again.
2. When Peter realised how wretchedly he had fallen, the first thing which he did was to escape from the occasion of sin. “Peter went out.” (Luke 22:62) He grieved for his three sins not only on that sad night but throughout his life. St. Clement writes that he wept so often that his tears wore two deep furrows in his cheeks and that whenever he heard the cock crowing, the cry pierced his heart. He loved Jesus sincerely and passionately. When he was asked three times if he loved Him, he replied humbly: “Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.” (Cf. John 21:16) Can we say these same words to Jesus with equal sincerity and humility? If we really love Jesus as Peter did, and are prepared to face death for His sake as Peter was, then we may be sure that we shall never offend God again.
3. Two of the Apostles sinned seriously. Peter denied Jesus and Judas betrayed Him. Both regretted their offence, but Peter's was the repentance of love and that of Judas was the remorse of despair. Judas also admitted his fault. “I have sinned,” he said, “in betraying innocent blood.” (Mt. 27:4) He flung the thirty pieces of silver, which he received as a reward for his crime, into the temple. But he did not return to Jesus, Who had even called him His friend at the time of the betrayal. He did not trust in His infinite goodness, but went away in despair and hanged himself with a halter from a tree. Let us adore the mystery of the providence and mercy of God, but let us remember that we are lost if we abuse it. Our next sin could be the last which we should have the opportunity of committing. If God did not grant us the grace to repent, we could end in the manner of Judas rather than that of Peter. Let us think earnestly about this and form new resolutions with sincerity and humility.
Tuesday, 8 April 2014
Peter Denies Jesus - Cardinal Bacci
Peter Denies Jesus
1. St. Peter was by nature impetuous and generous. He loved Jesus sincerely. Even after the other Apostles had run away when Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane (Cf. Mt. 26:56), he followed Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the High Priest's house. “Peter was following at a distance.” (Luke 22:54) In his generous enthusiasm, however, he depended too much on himself. During the last supper Jesus had foretold to His Apostles His approaching passion and death and their desertion. Immediately, Peter had solemnly declared that, even if all the others would be scandalised on the night of the passion, he would never be scandalised. He would, he said, be ready to go with Jesus to prison and to death. (Cf. Mt. 24:33, Luke 22:33) But Jesus tried to put him on his guard against presumption. “I tell thee, Peter, a cock will not crow this day, until thou hast denied three times that thou knowest me.” (Cf. Luke 22:34) In spite of this prophecy, the impetuous Apostle went as far as the courtyard of the High Priest. While the divine Redeemer was brought in chains before the judgment seat of the High Priest, where He was calumniated, struck and condemned to death, Peter was asked if he was a follower of the Galilean. Three times He denied his Master with oaths and protests. Unfortunately, this is what happens to anyone who trusts presumptuously in his own strength. This is what happens when we forget that we can do nothing, as St. Paul points out, without the help and the grace of God. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” (2 Cor. 3:5) Anyone is courting disaster if he foolishly places all his confidence in himself and neglects to seek the help of God when he is in danger. He is certain to fall.
2. While Jesus was praying and suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter was asleep. He followed Jesus at a distance, admittedly, but he followed fearfully and slowly. Unfortunately tepidity is the first step towards falling into sin. A man who is lukewarm and does not pray will fall victim to the first assault. This is what happened to Peter. The same will happen to us if we do not preserve a bond of love and prayer with Jesus. At least after his first fall, Peter should have remembered Jesus' prophesy. He should not have continued to trust in his own strength and should have escaped from the occasion of sin. Instead of this, he remained in it. As a result, instead of falling only once, he denied his divine Master three times with oaths and protestations. Let us learn to flee from the occasions of sin. When we find ourselves in them, let us escape as quickly as possible. If our duty obliges us to face them, God will certainly give us the strength to overcome them as long as we humbly ask for it. On the other hand, if we are imprudent about placing ourselves in danger we shall certainly fall. “He who loves danger will perish in it.” (Ecclus. 3:25)
3. St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, was endowed with many gifts and graces. He was taught by Jesus for three years and had seen many wonderful miracles. Moreover, he loved His Master very much. If he could fall so wretchedly, we who are so weak and helpless should tremble at the approach of temptation. We should fly to Jesus without delay and tell Him that He may do anything to us if He desires, even take our lives, as long as He does not allow us to desert or to deny Him, nor to offend Him by any sin. The example of Peter's fall is a grave warning to us. It is a warning to us to be humble and persevering in prayer and to place all our confidence in God.
1. St. Peter was by nature impetuous and generous. He loved Jesus sincerely. Even after the other Apostles had run away when Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane (Cf. Mt. 26:56), he followed Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the High Priest's house. “Peter was following at a distance.” (Luke 22:54) In his generous enthusiasm, however, he depended too much on himself. During the last supper Jesus had foretold to His Apostles His approaching passion and death and their desertion. Immediately, Peter had solemnly declared that, even if all the others would be scandalised on the night of the passion, he would never be scandalised. He would, he said, be ready to go with Jesus to prison and to death. (Cf. Mt. 24:33, Luke 22:33) But Jesus tried to put him on his guard against presumption. “I tell thee, Peter, a cock will not crow this day, until thou hast denied three times that thou knowest me.” (Cf. Luke 22:34) In spite of this prophecy, the impetuous Apostle went as far as the courtyard of the High Priest. While the divine Redeemer was brought in chains before the judgment seat of the High Priest, where He was calumniated, struck and condemned to death, Peter was asked if he was a follower of the Galilean. Three times He denied his Master with oaths and protests. Unfortunately, this is what happens to anyone who trusts presumptuously in his own strength. This is what happens when we forget that we can do nothing, as St. Paul points out, without the help and the grace of God. “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.” (2 Cor. 3:5) Anyone is courting disaster if he foolishly places all his confidence in himself and neglects to seek the help of God when he is in danger. He is certain to fall.
2. While Jesus was praying and suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter was asleep. He followed Jesus at a distance, admittedly, but he followed fearfully and slowly. Unfortunately tepidity is the first step towards falling into sin. A man who is lukewarm and does not pray will fall victim to the first assault. This is what happened to Peter. The same will happen to us if we do not preserve a bond of love and prayer with Jesus. At least after his first fall, Peter should have remembered Jesus' prophesy. He should not have continued to trust in his own strength and should have escaped from the occasion of sin. Instead of this, he remained in it. As a result, instead of falling only once, he denied his divine Master three times with oaths and protestations. Let us learn to flee from the occasions of sin. When we find ourselves in them, let us escape as quickly as possible. If our duty obliges us to face them, God will certainly give us the strength to overcome them as long as we humbly ask for it. On the other hand, if we are imprudent about placing ourselves in danger we shall certainly fall. “He who loves danger will perish in it.” (Ecclus. 3:25)
3. St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, was endowed with many gifts and graces. He was taught by Jesus for three years and had seen many wonderful miracles. Moreover, he loved His Master very much. If he could fall so wretchedly, we who are so weak and helpless should tremble at the approach of temptation. We should fly to Jesus without delay and tell Him that He may do anything to us if He desires, even take our lives, as long as He does not allow us to desert or to deny Him, nor to offend Him by any sin. The example of Peter's fall is a grave warning to us. It is a warning to us to be humble and persevering in prayer and to place all our confidence in God.
The Night of the Passion - Cardinal Bacci
The Night of the Passion
1. The night of the passion of Jesus Christ began in the garden of Gethsemane. Here the tired Apostles left Him to pray alone and to endure the agonizing prevision of the torments and death which awaited Him, as well as of the ingratitude with which men would repay His infinite love. Soon afterwards, abandoned by everybody, He was led before the Sanhedrin as a criminal and a disturber of the public peace. Not only was the accusation false, but it was, of course, a complete inversion of the truth. Jesus had, in fact, taught the noblest and most elevating of doctrines for all humanity. He had proved the truth of His teaching by His miracles. He restored sight to the blind, health to the lepers, to the lame, and to the paralysed, and life to the dead. He had stated quite clearly: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” (Mt. 22:21) Nevertheless, in the presence of His wicked judges He showed Himself to be meek and humble. But when He was confronted with an obvious falsehood, He spoke out in defence of the truth of His teaching. For this He was struck by one of the High Priest's attendants, who said: “Is that the way thou dost answer the high priest?” “If I have spoken ill,” Jesus replied quietly, “bear witness to the evil; but if well, why dost thou strike me?” (John 18: 19-23) Let us learn from our divine Redeemer to conquer self-love and to bear insults humbly and peacefully.
2. Caiaphas, the High Priest, could not gather any solid and unconflicting evidence which would convict Jesus and further his own evil plans. At last he solemnly commanded Jesus in the name of the living God to say whether He was really the Christ, the Son of God. “Thou hast said it,” Jesus replied: “Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming upon the clouds of heaven.” At this the High Priest tore his garments. “He has blasphemed,” he cried. “He deserves to die.” (Cf. Mt. 26: 63-66) The unjust sentence was met with general acclaim and Jesus was handed over to the soldiers as if He were a common criminal. For the rest of the night these ruffians humiliated and ill-treated Him in the worst possible fashion. Some spat in His face, others slapped and struck Him, and still others blindfolded Him and jeeringly asked: “Prophesy to us, O Christ! Who is it that struck thee?” (Cf. Mt. 26: 67-68) Jesus suffered in silence. He suffered because of the blows and insults, but most of all because of the sad spectacle of so much sin and ingratitude. He was offered as a victim of expiation for us all. When we realise the vast number of sins which are committed, what do we do about it? Do we pray that poor sinners may repent and return to console the heart of Jesus? Do we offer our pains and sorrows on their behalf? If we really love God, we should do this much.
3. Picture Jesus during this long and sorrowful night. Abandoned by everybody, betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, unjustly judged worthy of death by the High Priest, buffeted and mocked by the soldiers, He suffers and prays and offers Himself as a victim of reparation, especially for all those sins which are being committed and will be committed by night all over the world. Let us bow before Him in spirit. Let us tell Him with penitent hearts that we shall never offend Him again and that we love and adore Him. Let us promise to offer the prayers and sufferings of this day in reparation for the sins which men commit under cover of darkness.
1. The night of the passion of Jesus Christ began in the garden of Gethsemane. Here the tired Apostles left Him to pray alone and to endure the agonizing prevision of the torments and death which awaited Him, as well as of the ingratitude with which men would repay His infinite love. Soon afterwards, abandoned by everybody, He was led before the Sanhedrin as a criminal and a disturber of the public peace. Not only was the accusation false, but it was, of course, a complete inversion of the truth. Jesus had, in fact, taught the noblest and most elevating of doctrines for all humanity. He had proved the truth of His teaching by His miracles. He restored sight to the blind, health to the lepers, to the lame, and to the paralysed, and life to the dead. He had stated quite clearly: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” (Mt. 22:21) Nevertheless, in the presence of His wicked judges He showed Himself to be meek and humble. But when He was confronted with an obvious falsehood, He spoke out in defence of the truth of His teaching. For this He was struck by one of the High Priest's attendants, who said: “Is that the way thou dost answer the high priest?” “If I have spoken ill,” Jesus replied quietly, “bear witness to the evil; but if well, why dost thou strike me?” (John 18: 19-23) Let us learn from our divine Redeemer to conquer self-love and to bear insults humbly and peacefully.
2. Caiaphas, the High Priest, could not gather any solid and unconflicting evidence which would convict Jesus and further his own evil plans. At last he solemnly commanded Jesus in the name of the living God to say whether He was really the Christ, the Son of God. “Thou hast said it,” Jesus replied: “Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming upon the clouds of heaven.” At this the High Priest tore his garments. “He has blasphemed,” he cried. “He deserves to die.” (Cf. Mt. 26: 63-66) The unjust sentence was met with general acclaim and Jesus was handed over to the soldiers as if He were a common criminal. For the rest of the night these ruffians humiliated and ill-treated Him in the worst possible fashion. Some spat in His face, others slapped and struck Him, and still others blindfolded Him and jeeringly asked: “Prophesy to us, O Christ! Who is it that struck thee?” (Cf. Mt. 26: 67-68) Jesus suffered in silence. He suffered because of the blows and insults, but most of all because of the sad spectacle of so much sin and ingratitude. He was offered as a victim of expiation for us all. When we realise the vast number of sins which are committed, what do we do about it? Do we pray that poor sinners may repent and return to console the heart of Jesus? Do we offer our pains and sorrows on their behalf? If we really love God, we should do this much.
3. Picture Jesus during this long and sorrowful night. Abandoned by everybody, betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, unjustly judged worthy of death by the High Priest, buffeted and mocked by the soldiers, He suffers and prays and offers Himself as a victim of reparation, especially for all those sins which are being committed and will be committed by night all over the world. Let us bow before Him in spirit. Let us tell Him with penitent hearts that we shall never offend Him again and that we love and adore Him. Let us promise to offer the prayers and sufferings of this day in reparation for the sins which men commit under cover of darkness.
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