The Hidden years of Christ
Friends in Christ, it has been said that God could have saved us by doing some spectacular, shocking miracle for the world – like filling the sky with fire and booming out his voice for days and days, speaking to us, and even declaring us saved – or doing that every week for us to never doubt his power and authority. But he didn’t do that.
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At an enormous risk, the Son of God decided instead to quietly join himself to our humanity – to take on our own human condition and live our life and die our death – perfect solidarity with his creatures, with his beloved children.
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But the risk of this way, is that familiarity would breed contempt – that the respect due to Our Lord would not be given, because – how can a God do the things that we do? Human things?
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Today in the gopsel, Jesus returns to Nazareth where he grew up; by now he has disciples; it is said that he had worked miracles; but – Jesus seemed just TOO human to the people of his town. They had seen him grow up there. ‘Isn’t this the carpenter, Mary’s son?, they asked sarcastically.
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Now because they said this, it surely meant that Joseph had already died. No doubt, for years, Jesus had continued the carpentry work of St. Joseph, so he himself was known as ‘the carpenter.’ So without Joseph, this is why he was called ‘Mary’s son.’
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Our translation refers to Jesus’ brothers and sisters, but this simply means cousins or relatives, because they used the same word for all these things.
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The Son of God chose, for 33 years of his life, not to do miracles or even preach or teach or heal anyone – he chose to live an ordinary life as a workman, a carpenter. Jesus lived as a working man, a person like us. He wanted to experience full, ordinary, human life.
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You know, Alexander the Great, after he had conquered Darius and subdued Persia, he wished to gain the affection of the people; so he went around dressed up in the Persian style of clothing. Well – God has acted in the same way. In order to show us how much he loves us, God the Son chose to not only clothe himself in our human nature, but to spend most of his life as a common workman, living among his dearest creatures.
St. Blaise
Friends in Christ, today is the Feast of St. Blaise.
Blaise was the Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia, and he was also a doctor. Because of persecution, he lived in a cave on Mt. Argeus; there, it is said, birds brought him food, and many animals were attracted to him. He would bless them, and cure them of their illnesses.
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One day, some hunters came near, and saw a large herd of animals near the cave; they saw Blaise, and reported it to the governor; he ordered that Blaise should immediately be captured because he was a Christian.
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As the soldiers were bringing him along, he encountered a woman whose pig was being attacked by a wolf; he commanded the wolf to release the pig, which it did at once.
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Brought before the governor, Blaise was told to renounce Jesus Christ, but he refused. He was beaten with clubs, and then put into prison. So there he was, in his gloomy prison, more of a dungeon; but that woman whose pig Blaise had saved – she came to him, and gave him two candles to light up his dark cell. He thanked her, and said: ‘Each year, offer a candle in the Church and all will be well with you.’
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The next day, Blaise was tortured; hung from rafters, his flesh was torn with iron spikes. ‘Either adore the gods of Rome or not, said the governor. He refused, and so was ordered to be thrown into the lake. At that moment, Blaise made the sign of the cross over the lake, and like Christ, he was able to walk on top of the water. Standing there, he said to the crowd: ‘If your gods are really gods, then show their power by walking on the water to me. 65 pagans promptly walked in and drowned. He was then ordered to be beheaded.
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While being taken away, a lady urgently came to him because her son was choking on a fishbone, caught in his throat. Blaise laid hands on him and prayed for the child, and said that anyone who invoked his intercession would be protected from diseases, especially of the throat. The child was instantly cured.
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St. Blaise was martyred in the year 283. Many miracles accompanied his relics, and to this day, we have the blessing of throats on his feast day. St. Blaise is the patron saint of animals, construction workers, veterinarians, coughs, and throat diseases.
Presentation of the Lord
Beloved in Christ,[i] today is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. It is often called Candlemass, and today we bless all the candles for the year.
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The Presentation of the Lord is when the Child Jesus was presented in the Temple. At the time of Christ, the Law required that a first-born son should be brought to the temple and offered to God. And so Mary and Joseph did this, bringing Jesus to the Temple.
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At that time however, the Blessed Virgin did not offer her Son as other mothers did. Others offered them to God in a merely religious ceremony, but Mary offered her Son, knowing that this offering of Jesus was going to be completed by his death on the cross. God willed that his Son should pay the penalty that we deserved, but just as God would not become man without the consent of his mother, so too, the life of Jesus would not be sacrificed without the consent of his Mother. Thomas Aquinas says that mother’s have a special right over their children, and so it was fitting that Jesus would not be condemned for the sins of the world without the consent of his Mother.
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It was for the love of mankind, that Mary delivered her Child into the arms of Simeon as an offering to God. As St. Bernard says, ‘when God was to redeem the human race, he deposited the whole price in Mary’s hands.’ St. Epiphanius calls her a priest, because she offered him up to God. Only with difficulty then, did Simeon announce to Mary that her Son would be a sign of contradiction, and that her own soul will be pierced.
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Because this Child is offered to God, and crucified, how many martyrs will there be? How many thousands of men and women will be torn to pieces by lions and put to death, because of this Child.’ A sign of contradiction.
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During the Passion of Christ, when he was unjustly accused, Mary was silent. She said nothing to Pontius Pilate, who even seemed inclined to set him free. It was for love of us, that Mary consented to the Crucifixion, to complete the offering of her Child, first made in the Temple today.
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We repeat this offering at every Mass in the Temple of heaven. Mary in Scripture is a symbol of the Church, and so as Mother Mary offered Christ for our salvation, Mother Church brings Jesus and offers him in God’s temple at every Mass, for our sins. But not only is Jesus offered, every Christian with Christ, is offered.
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All the candles that are blessed today, remind us that Christ is the Light who has come into the world. We too, are supposed to be other ‘Christs’ – other Lights in the world.
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[i] Glories of Mary, p. 395-399
A Labor of Love
Latin Mass: Septuagesima Sunday
Beloved in Christ Jesus,[i] today we are presented with this interesting Gospel, about the workers who came late to work, yet were paid the same as those who worked all day. Our Lord knew of course, that this would rankle the hearer; this payment method would not produce very good morale at a company – but Our Lord has something else in mind rather than business policy.
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Here is what St Gregory the Great says about this passage:
The morning of that workday represents the early beginning of the world, and so it represents the time from Adam up to Noah. The vineyard is God’s kingdom on earth, and the promised payment of one denarius represents salvation.
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God’s covenant with Adam, was the agreed-upon wage; Adam could not say that he did not know the reward which was promised. But the rest who came later – they had no contract with God and no covenant.
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The third hour of the day, is the period from Noah up to Abraham, the sixth hour, is from Abraham up to Moses, and the ninth hour is from Moses to the coming of Christ. So the workers at the third, sixth, and ninth hours represent the ancient Jewish people, chosen in the beginning, who served the Lord in his vineyard.
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But at the eleventh hour the Gentiles are called. Now these Gentiles for so many ages of the world did not labor for the Lord, they stood by idle. But notice what they say to the Master: ‘No one has hired us. And it is true: neither the Patriarchs, nor Abraham, nor Noah, nor the prophets had ever come to the Gentiles to invite them. The Gentiles say: ‘No one has preached to us this way of life.; but finally the Gentiles are sent also, into the vineyard.
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When the time of payment comes, this is the end of the world. And so the Lord said to the steward – that is, to the Holy Spirit, ‘Call the laborers, and give them their wage. And so those who were called at the beginning of the world receive the same reward as those who came late. Thus says, St. Gregory the Great.
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It is certain that Jesus, in telling this parable, has in mind the Gentiles, who came later than the Jews to the Covenant. But it must also be true, that Christ has in mind something else. Our Lord is speaking of the calling given by God to each of us individually,[ii] pressing us, to labor during this life for his kingdom.
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The morning is our childhood, the 3rd hour is our youth, the sixth hour is adulthood, the eleventh hour is old age. The Lord calls his laborers at all these various hours, and they should agree to work for him, because the wage, is salvation.
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Some are baptized into the Faith as infants; these are those called in the morning, and they must not put off laboring for the Lord in his vineyard – who knows it they will even be alive at the 11th hour?
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They that are called at the 3rd hour may be dead at the 6th. On the other hand, in his mercy, God calls some late in life; but if we should die at midday, that last call will not help us. Besides, God has not promised us a 2nd call if we excuse ourselves from the first.
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Today in the old calendar, we begin this period of Septuagesima. If the time of Lent is a house, then Septuagesima is the porch. These weeks are the entry to Lent, a time to begin to think, and ask ourselves: ‘How have I been laboring for the Lord in his vineyard?’
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We have been so blessed, to be among the Gentiles called by Christ. And we have been blessed to be in the Lord’s Catholic Church. But have we been going to work in his vineyard?
We need the Lord’s help to build his Kingdom – laboring in our own souls for holiness – laboring also in the world for souls.
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And if we need the Lord’s help, we should also ask Mary’s help – a lady was near death and surrounded by a family of non-practicing children who saw no use for a priest. But the priest asked to speak to her alone, and they gladly left the room. As he spoke to her of the Lord and his mercy, she seemed uneasy, and her long distance from Christ made her feel despair. But then the priest mentioned that Mary was praying for her, and no sooner did he say ‘Mary,’ that did her face light up, and she blurted out ‘I love her!’ Well from there, the rest was easy, and she was reconciled to Christ.
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Mary, you lead us to Jesus, even if we come late; help us not to put off his call to work daily, in his vineyard.
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[Entrusted to the prayers of St. Joseph]
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[i] See Catena, Matthew 20:1-16
[ii] Gueranger, The Liturgical Year, Vol 4, p. 125.
St. John Bosco
Friends in Christ, today is the feast of St. John Bosco. When John Bosco was nine years old, he had a dream: the Lord asked him to lead young children to become good – to be friends of Jesus Christ. He eventually became a priest, and as a priest, he started a school for boys; he soon had 900 boys there. He trained them in their lessons and in the Holy Faith, and also they were trained to become expert tailors, shoe repairers, cooks, printers, carpenters, locksmiths, and farmers.
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Children loved to speak to John Bosco, he was a fun teacher; he knew magic tricks and could do acrobatics. He was always telling jokes and laughing. Even when he was 53 years old, he could out-race the boys.
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St. John wrote some books that became best-sellers, one of them was called ‘The Smart Boy.’
His school could take the most rotten boys, and make them into virtuous young men. He said: there is no such boy, that cannot be loved. “trust a boy even if he does not merit it, then you make him trustworthy! he said. ‘And even if he is not lovable, love him; then he will become lovable.’
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The Prime Minister of England once visited his oratory and asked how he could be so successful with delinquents when civil institutions could not. “Your Excellency he said, the means that we have are not available to you: Frequent confession, Holy Communion, and the Sacrifice of the Mass.’
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Now an interesting thing about St. John Bosco, is that whenever he got into any danger, a huge, gray, dog named Grigio would show up to help him. He never knew where Grigio came from, he would just suddenly show up. Whenever he walked through a dangerous part of town, especially at night, the huge dog Grigio would appear, and walk alongside of him.
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Once, two suspicious men were following St. John; suddenly, they threw a cloak over his head and tied him; he called for help, and suddenly with a terrific howl, Grigio appeared and rushed upon the men. He forced them into the mud, and growling furiously; ‘Call off your dog!’ they yelled. ‘if you let me be’ – yes, anything! ‘Come Grigio, said Don Bosco, and the dog obeyed.
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Another time, a man came out of the woods with a stick, and then a whole group of men with clubs came out to attack him; suddenly appeared Grigio, running around and around his master, showing his teeth and growling, and he drove those bad men away.
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As powerful a protector this dog was, he also loved children. Once Grigio was in the playroom, and all the boys of the school gathered around him, pulling his ears, petting him, and the little ones rode around on his back. No one knows where Grigio came from, but he may have been sent by God to protect St. John Bosco.
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St. John Bosco wanted children to love God with all their heart, and to be very good. He is the patron saint of boys, of students, and of schoolchildren.
We must wait on God
Friends in Christ, today Our Lord compares the Kingdom of God to a farmer sowing seeds in his field. The seeds grow into a plant and yield their fruit in ways that are quite mysterious. Seeds grow so gradually, that their growth is imperceptible. We do not see a plant growing, yet it does, little by little.
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The Kingdom of God is like that; it is growing – God’s providence is acting, yet we see such moral decline and failures of faith, and we wonder: ‘where is this Kingdom of God?’ Nevertheless, as God’s Kingdom grows imperceptively, it also grows inevitably. Nothing can stop His great Plan.
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A tiny weed has the power to push through an asphalt driveway. A tree near a foundation, can split concrete with its roots; nothing can stop nature’s growth. In the same way, despite man’s failures and sin, God’s work goes on, and in the end, nothing can stop his Plan.
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While we must play our role and work for the growth of the Kingdom, in the end, we are as helpless as the farmer; the farmer, who must rely on the sun and the miracle of life to do it’s work. Therefore, we must cultivate in our souls the patience that waits on God.
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We are living today in an atmosphere of despair; people despair of the world, and they despair of the Church. This is all the more reason for us to stir up hope, remembering that behind all things is the great and invincible WILL OF GOD.
Lamps should not be under the bed
Friends in the Lord, in the early Church, to reveal that one was a Christian meant death. It was required in those days, to worship the official gods of the Empire; keeping the same gods meant unity in the Empire, and the Emperor wanted that.
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On certain stated days, everyone was to go to the local shrine in their town, and throw some incense on the fire to the gods. It was, in effect, a test of political loyalty. The person would then receive a certificate stating that his worship had been witnessed. We still have many of those certificates today.
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In those days, all that a Catholic would have to do to save his skin, was go through that formal act and receive the certificate. But as we know, thousands refused and gave their life. We often hear about some of these martyrs at weekday Mass. For example St. Barbara, who even at a tender age allowed her faith in Christ to shine forth.
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Those Christians could have concealed their religion easily, and lived quiet, private lives with no problems. But they chose instead to reveal the truth.
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Jesus says today that a lamp is lit up brightly, and is not meant to be put under a basket or a bed. It is meant to be displayed, to illuminate everything. Truth is meant to be seen, not concealed. There may be times when stating the truth of our faith is the quickest way to become unpopular at a social gathering. But Our Lord expects us to let His Truth shine: ‘Whoever is ashamed of me and my words [in this life,] the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes in his glory.
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There may be times when it is dangerous to speak out as a Catholic. But such moments, that risk ridicule, or mockery, or death – these are the moments of our glory on this earth. ‘No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket or a bed, Instead they put it on its stand, so that it gives light to all in the house.’ ‘In the same way, let your light shine before others.’
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We are called to show forth the truth, and to align our life with it.
St. Thomas Aquinas – I
Friends in Christ, today is the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas.
St. Thomas lived 800 years ago, yet his books are the most important of all theology.
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When he was growing up, his parents wanted him to be a very important man, but Thomas felt that God was calling him to become a Dominican priest. The Dominicans live a simple life, they wear a white habit, and their main work is to study and to preach the gospel. But Thomas’ parents were determined to prevent him from this path.
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So one day while he was walking along, Thomas saw two men riding quickly toward him on horses. He realized they were his brothers, who came to stop him from being a priest. They captured him, and locked him in the tower of their castle, until he changed his mind. They took away all his books, except one: the Bible. And so for the time he was locked in that tower, he read the bible. Because of his great mind, Thomas was able to memorize the entire bible, and this would serve him well in the future.
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His sisters continued to try to help him, and they often brought him food, sliding it under the wooden door. One day an angel appeared and placed a rope around his waist; ‘you will be a Dominican priest the angel told him.
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His brothers, determined to keep him from his plan, brought a wicked woman to tempt Thomas to give up his purity, but Thomas boldly grabbed a hot poker from the fireplace and ran at her yelling, get out! Get out! Which she did. Ultimately, his sisters came with a large basket and some rope, and lowered him down from the tower so that he could escape.
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St. Thomas DID become a Dominican, and his main teacher was Albert the Great, who taught him many things. Now he was a very gentle boy and rather quiet, so some fellow students thought he was not very smart. They often called him ‘The Dumb Ox,’ but Thomas didn’t mind; he just smiled and prayed for them. Albert their teacher once reprimanded the students. He said to them: ‘You will see that one day this dumb Ox will bellow so loud, that the whole world will listen to him.’ He meant that Thomas would be a great teacher and doctor of the Church, which he was.
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Even though Thomas had great knowledge, he had a child-like simplicity. The goodness of his heart shined in his face, and each person who met him felt happy. After his death, his confessor said: “Thomas Aquinas was as innocent as a five-year-old child.’ He died at only the age of 50, yet he accomplished more than any other man.
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His sister Theodora once asked him, ‘how can I become a saint?’ He told her: just decide to do it, and then do it.
St. Angela Merici
Friends in the Lord,[i] today is the Feast of St. Angela Merici.
St. Angela was born in 1474 in Italy. By age 10 she was an orphan, and some years later her dear sister suddenly died; because her sister had not received the last sacraments, Angela was worried; she prayed often for her sister.
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She lived a life of great austerity, possessing nothing of her own, not even owning a bed. She ate bread and water and a fasted on vegetables. One day God showed her in a vision that her sister was with the saints in heaven, and this gave her much peace.
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Now Angela was a very short person, but she was quite attractive and really a born leader; she wanted to use her gifts and charm, to lead people to heaven. In those days one of the big problems was that young people knew very little of their Faith, so she organized her friends into a group of teachers. They gathered girls of the town together to teach them the Faith.[ii]
Eventually, many schools were built, and even the Pope in Rome heard of her success as a religion teacher.[iii] [iv]
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One time, she made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and while on the way, she suddenly went blind.[v] Her friends suggested turning back, but she insisted on completing the pilgrimage, praying at each of the places in the Holy Land, though seeing nothing. On the return trip she abruptly regained her sight and returned to her work of teaching.
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In 1535, she placed her little group under the protection of St. Ursula, and this was the beginning of the Ursuline Order of Sisters.
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Angela was like the mustard seed in the gospel. Though she was very short in stature, her life flowered like a giant mustard tree and brought many young girls closer to Jesus.
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She once wrote to her Sisters telling them: ‘Be ever concerned about each one of your daughters. Embrace them with a living love, for mothers, even if they have a thousand children, carry each one in their heart, and they never forget any one of them. The more children a mother has, the more her love for each one is increased.
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St. Angela Merici died in 1540. She is the patron saint of disabled people.
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[i] strive to draw them by love, modesty, charity, and not by pride and harshness. Be sincerely kind to every one; you also ought to exercise pleasantness toward all, taking great care especially that what you have commanded may never be done by reason of force. For God has given free will to everyone, and therefore he forces no one but only indicates, calls, persuades. Sometimes however something will have to be done with a stronger command, yet in a suitable manner and accordion to the state and necessities of individuals; but then, also we should be impplelled only by charity and zeal for souls. Brev. III, p. 1333.
[ii] She taught them that ‘a good heart and soul, inflamed with charity, can do nothing but good and holy works.’
[iii] In the jubilee year 1525, she visited Rome; Pope Clement VII, who had heard of her great holiness and her extraordinary success as a religious teacher of young girls, invited her to remain in Rome, but Angela, who shunned publicity, returned to Brescia.
[iv] It is related that one day, while in an ecstasy, she had a vision of young virgins ascending to heaven on a ladder of light; a voice had said: ‘Take heart, Angela: before you die you will found a group of maidens similar to those you have just seen.’
[v] On the island of Crete.
