SUFFERING

“…We have already alluded to the difficulty that some feel in seeing so many good and innocent people being made to suffer because of the evils that the guilty have brought upon the world and we have said that they are privileged to be co-victims with our Crucified Lord in His redemptive work for souls.

“To understand this we must remember that the whole Church is the Mystical Body of Christ and that each of its members must contribute to the well-being of the Body. Christ lives on in His Church and His Life is being reproduced in a greater or less degree in each and every one of her faithful members. As suffering was the chief means by which Christ wrought our redemption, so suffering, self-denial, and sacrifice are the means by which each one, according to the graces accorded to him, must cooperate with the great work of the Saviour. This is the meaning of the words of St Paul (Colossians 1:24): ‘I… now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ, in my flesh, for his body, which is the Church.'”
(Fr Wilmot)

 

ALWAYS YOUNG, POWERFUL, EFFICACIOUS – FOR EVER!

IN FINEM! FOR EVER!

Take ye and eat, for this is my Body which is given you, for today, tomorrow, and every day, even to the end. You will die, but the Eucharist will not die with you; you will leave it to the generations which will succeed you. The centuries will pass, one after another, but the Eucharist will remain, to console the dying, to nourish youth – for ever!

Always the same, always young, powerful, efficacious, always amiable, forceful, and vivifying; containing in itself the past, that is, Jesus the Eternal Word, and Jesus the Son of Mary – the present, the grace and supernatural life of the Church, – the future, that is, the glory of the reign of Christ, the seed of the resurrection, and the prize of a happy eternity – for ever!

– P. Tesnière

 

“THOU SHALT NOT KILL”: TO FULFIL THIS COMMANDMENT, IT IS NOT ENOUGH JUST TO REFRAIN FROM PHYSICALLY MURDERING SOMEONE

For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:20)

The righteousness of the Pharisees is that they shall not kill; the righteousness of those who are destined to enter into the kingdom of heaven is that they shall not be angry without cause. Not to kill is, therefore, the least commandment; and whoever shall break that shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever shall fulfil that commandment not to kill will not necessarily be great and fit for the kingdom of heaven; but yet he has ascended to a certain degree. He will be made perfect, however, if he refrains from anger without cause; and if he shall do this, he will be removed much further from the guilt of murder. And, therefore, he who teaches that we should not be angry, does not destroy the law which forbids us to kill, but rather completes it; so that we preserve our innocence both outwardly when we do not kill, and in the heart when we refrain from anger.

– From: St Augustine, Bishop, Book 1 on the Sermon of the Lord on the Mount, Ch. 9, from An Approved English Translation of the Breviarium Romanum, Burns & Oates, London, 1964

 

 

MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD (Jn18:36)

Jesus answered: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from hence. (John 18:36)

“Offering the homage of her veneration, the Church, which is the kingdom of Christ on earth [in the world, not of this world] destined to extend to all parts and to embrace all men, salutes in the yearly cycle of the holy liturgy her Author and Founder as King, Lord and King of Kings.” (Pius XI, December 11th, 1925)

(See also: “The Church of Christ, the Kingdom of God on Earth, Has Been Hated and Persecuted Always”; please click here)

With His reply, Christ laid bare the vain thoughts of men. Reigning worldly rulers are apt to be jealous of those whom they consider likely to rule in their stead. 

Jesus answered: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my followers would have fought that I might not be delivered to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” This is what the good Master wished us to know. First we had to learn how vain was the notion of this kingdom which had been current among all men, both Jews and Gentiles, and which Pilate had heard from them. As if he deserved to be condemned to death because he had aspired to an unlawful kingdom; or because reigning monarchs are apt to be jealous of those who are likely to rule in their stead, or as if, for example, there was need to beware lest his kingdom should be hostile either to the Romans or the Jews.

When the Roman governor asked Jesus, “Are you king of the Jews,” the Lord could have answered: “My kingdom is not of this world.” But Christ asked in his turn, “Do you say this of yourself, or have others told you of me?” because he wished to show from Pilate’s answer that he, Jesus, had been charged with this as a crime before Pilate by the Jews. Thus he laid bare to us the thoughts of men which he knew and which were vain. After the reply of Pilate, Jesus replied to them, to both Jews and Gentiles, more fittingly and more opportunely, “My kingdom is not of this world.”

– St Augustine, Bishop, Treatise 115 on John 18-36, from: An Approved English Translation of the Breviarium Romanum, Burns & Oates, London, 1964

 

WE MAY SAFELY EXTOL THE MERITS OF ST EDMUND OF ABINGDON (NOVEMBER 16)

FOR WHAT WAS THE COURSE OF HIS LIFE, BUT ONE LONG CONFLICT WITH A WATCHFUL FOE?

We may safely extol the merits of the blessed Father [St Edmund of Abingdon], for he is now secure; he who, manfully handling the rudder of faith, has now cast the anchor of hope in a snug harbour, has brought his ship, laden with heavenly riches and eternal rewards, to the shore for which he longed. For a long time he opposed the shield of the fear of God unflinchingly against all enemies until the victory was won. For what was the course of his life, but one long conflict with a watchful foe?

How often did he not open the eyes of blind souls, who were wandering from the way of truth, and already hanging from the edge of a precipice over the abyss, and restore to them their sight, that they might see Christ? How often did he give the precious gift of hearing to ears that were deaf, afflicted by being stopped up by unbelief, that they might perceive the voice of the heavenly commandments; that they might hear God calling them to forgiveness, and might answer by obedience? How often did he not heal the wounds of the spirit by the skill of his prayers and angelic words?

How many, enfeebled by long neglect of the stain of sin and, as it were, full of infection of leprosy, have been cleansed by the grace of God working in him, and expiated through his teaching and discipline? How many, living in body, but already dead in soul and overwhelmed and buried beneath the weight of their sins, has he not raised to life in God, by calling them to amendment, as it were, to light? For, marvellous imitator of his Lord, he brought souls to a life-giving death, by which they die indeed to sin, but live unto God.

– From: Sermon of St Maximus, Bishop, ‘on the feast day of a Confessor Bishop’, from: An Approved English Translation of the Breviarium Romanum, Burns & Oates, London, 1964

 

 

BEWARE OF THIS TRAP THAT COSTS YOU YOUR INNER JOY!

Our dead

Our dead are not all in the churchyards, entombed under the shadow of the cross, beneath mounds upon which roses bloom.

There are others whom no visible monument reminds us of; they have existed only in the heart, where, alas! they have found a tomb.

Calm reigns about me to-day, and in my solitary room, face to face with my crucifix, I wish to summon you forth. Arise then from the tomb, my beloved dead!

The first to present themselves…

The first to present themselves to me are the sweet years of my childhood, so fresh, so joyous, so innocent.

There were composed of caresses received, of recompenses lavished, of confidence without fear; words of trouble, of danger, or of worry were unknown. They brought me calm joys, pleasures without remorse… and asked in return only a little obedience.

Alas! they are dead… and with them they have borne away many things. What voids have they not left!

Frankness, gaiety, simplicity; I no longer find you in my soul.

Family joys, so true, so expansive, so easy; I find you no more.

Happiness of the fireside, recompense so well earned by days of application, maternal reprimands, so frankly asked and so generously granted, sincere promises to be good so joyously received… are all these for ever at an end, and shall I find them no more?

Shall I find them no more?

And the shade which follows is my simple, confiding faith.

It appeared to me under the form of an angel, covering me with his white wings, pointing God out to me everywhere and in everything.

God who, each morning, prepared for me my daily bread.

God, who prevented my mother from falling ill, and healed her when she suffered.

God, who kept me from harm when I was very good.

God, who saw all, who knew all, who could do all things, and whom I loved with all my heart.

Alas! this simple and confiding faith is dead; it could not live without innocence.

True friendship

And this other phantom is the friendship of my early years.

Friendship of my childhood, friendship of my youth, which afforded me such pious, frank enjoyment, which initiated me to the joys of devotion, which accustomed me to deny myself in order to give pleasure [Mk 8:34; Mt 7:13-14; Mt 5:44-48; Mt 6:19-34; etc.], which destroyed selfishness in my heart by making me feel the desire of living for others.

Friendship of my childhood, friendship of my youth, upon which I relied when I was told of the troubles of life, of the isolation of the heart, of the sinking of the soul… you too are among the dead. An involuntary coolness, an unfounded suspicion which we had not the courage to clear up, an evil report to which we listened… killed this daughter of heaven. I knew that she was delicate, I watched over her, but I did not believe that she was so feeble.

Oh! how very long is the list of the dead who have found a tomb in my heart.

The remedy

You who are still young, upon whom God has lavished all these gifts which I have lost – candour, simplicity, innocence, friendship, devotion… guard these treasures well; and, lest they die, place them under the protection of prayer.

– From: Golden Grains, Eighth Edition, H. M. Gill and Son, Dublin, 1889

 

WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY PRAYER

O God,
whose word is truth
and in whose light we see light,
guide those who tell the story
of our times through
word and image.

Make them seekers after truth
and advocates of human dignity.

Grant discernment to all
who rely on their labours,
and, as we confront the pain
and promise of this world,
awaken in us a sense of
wonder in your presence
and of longing for your peace.
Through Christ our Lord,
Amen.

 

UNSUNG SAINTS – “HE SEIZED HIM BY THE COLLAR OF THE COAT AND CALLED HIM ‘***** PRIEST'”

“NEWS OF THE WEEK – AN EX-JUDGE CHARGED WITH ASSAULTING A CATHOLIC PRIEST AT BIRKENHEAD

“At the Birkenhead police court before Mr W. Jackson, M.P.; and Mr Bryans, magistrate, Mr Robert Grace, attorney, of this town and an ex-judge was brought up charged with being drunk and disorderly, and of assaulting the Rev. Canon Chapman, of St Werburgh’s Catholic Chapel, Grange-lane.

The prisoner who was under the influence of liquor, had suddenly seized him by the collar of the coat and called him ‘ —– priest.’ A person who witnessed the attack rushed from a public house into the street and knocked the assailant down; but upon rising from the ground the ex-judge commenced using more abusive language to the Rev. Canon Chapman.

Information was then given to the police, and the prisoner was followed and taken into custody. Upon the prisoner making his appearance in court, Mr Jackson expressed his great sorrow at seeing him in his present position. The prisoner said if the Rev. Canon Chapman would be kind enough to accept his apology, he would be glad to tender it. He did not know what he had been brought here for, but he was exceedingly sorry. He knew he must have done wrong.

The Rev. Canon Chapman said that if it did not interfere with the ends of justice he would accept the apology.

Mr Jackson again stated that the bench exceedingly regretted that a man of the prisoner’s education should have placed himself in his present position. The prisoner, ‘I am exceedingly sorry, and any apology I can make, I am willing to offer.’ Mr Jackson, ‘You must pay the costs, and you ought to be deeply indebted to the Rev. Canon Chapman for withdrawing the charge. A clergyman ought to be protected.’ The ex-judge then tendered his humble apology to the reverend gentleman to whom he said he was much obliged and afterwards left the court.”
– The Catholic Universe, Saturday 14th November 1863