MIRACLES.
by VP
Posted on Saturday January 13, 2024 at 11:00PM in Sermons
James Tissot: Les noces de Cana (The Marriage at Cana)
"As the Gospel of to-day relates one of the miracles our Lord performed, I am led to say a few words about miracles as used in evidence of the truth of the Divine doctrine of Jesus Christ. Certainly our Lord appealed to miracles sometimes as proof that He had Divine power, but that was by no means the rule. The miracle of changing water into wine was performed for no such purpose. On other occasions He bade those whom He healed to say nothing about it. And St. Matthew expressly said that the reason why He wrought not many miracles among those who knew Him best was because of their unbelief: the very reason we would think why He ought to have worked miracles before their eyes so as to oblige them to believe in Him. And St. John also intimates that our Lord did not place much reliance upon belief that only depended upon miracles; for he says, "Many believed, seeing the signs that He did. But Jesus did not trust Himself to them, for He knew what was in man." If we read the Gospels attentively we shall see that it was true then, as it has been all through the history of Christianity, that the triumph of His Divine truth has not been due to miracles, but rather in spite of them. If there was then, or has been since, anything which the world hates to learn of, and obstinately refuses to credit, it is a miracle.
"The idea of God or any messenger from God pretending to do things a man cannot understand! Don't I know nature well enough to know that even if God made it He cannot change it? To believe in miracles I would have to acknowledge God knows what I cannot know." That is the way men think, if they do not speak out their thoughts quite so plainly. There have always been miracles, plenty of them, enough to convert the whole world to Christianity if that were the means intended by Almighty God to bring about conviction and conversion. A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still; and miracles convince men against their will - the will of their proud, self-conceited, rebellious heart. They see them plainly as you and I do, but they won't believe them. The triumph of our Lord's holy religion, therefore, has not been due to miracles of healing. These are the things unbelievers hate, as they do every other sign of Christ that demands their submission. But what conquers the world despite itself is Love and the sacrifices that it makes. They cannot stand out against the sight of our Lord's love, even unto death, nor gaze upon the love of those who through all generations have taken His place, and spoken, prayed, preached, suffered, and died in His name, without being won to belief.
So, my brethren, if you
are anxious to convert anybody to our holy faith, never mind about
miracles; and do not be astonished if they poohpooh arguments as strong
as the reasoning of St. Thomas. Go and show them a little of the
unselfish, charitable, self-denying, suffering love of Christ. Let them
see how sweet-spoken and kind you are to the poor, how patient you are
in affliction, how nobly you conquer your passions for God's love, and
resist temptations to drink and steal and gratify desires of the flesh.
Did I say never mind about miracles? I made a mistake. For if you do
what I have just told you, I am inclined to think some of you will be
doing as great a miracle as there is on record. You that are stingy,
give freely. You that dislike the poor, go and serve them. You that are complaining of God's
providence, submit to your lot like a man and a Christian. You that are a
drunkard, take the pledge and keep it. You that are living like a
beast, get honorably married and live chaste. You that have hands
getting hot for hell with ill-gotten money, make full restitution. These
will be miracles - miracles of grace; and against such miracles unbelief
never will have any argument, or power to resist either conviction or
conversion. And then you can say to the unbeliever: If you will not
believe in the Catholic religion for its truth's sake, look at me, and
believe it for the work it can do. It can bring a sinner back to God,
and that is a greater miracle than raising a dead man to life."
Source: Five-minute Sermons for Low Mass, All Sundays of the Year, by Priests of the Congregation of St. Paul. 1893
The Magi were a figure of Christian Priests
by VP
Posted on Friday January 05, 2024 at 11:00PM in Meditations
"There came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying: Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him."—St. Matt. ii. I, 2.
I. Because They Were The First To Receive The Faith.II. Because They Were Most Courageous In Propagating It.
III. Because They Were Most Docile In Following It.
1. There came wise men from the East to Jerusalem. The Magi were the first-fruits of the nations, because they were the first from among them to recognize the Messiah. Rabanus says that, according to the common opinion, they were at once sages and princes; and so we may regard them as a figure of Priests, who are not only better instructed in matters of religion than the laity, but are also Princes of the Christian people. They should therefore be the first in the Faith, not by priority of time, for all receive the habit of Faith in Holy Baptism, but by their fuller possession and better use of it. St. Ambrose writes that the Priest should have nothing in common with the multitude, and therefore his Faith should excel theirs; and indeed it is precisely in Faith that he ought to be a pattern to the Faithful: "Be thou an example to the Faithful ... in faith" (i Tim. iv. 12). Let us therefore strive ever to increase in this virtue, and to be preeminent in it above the people. Without the increase of Faith we can never attain the perfection proper to our state; it is, says St . Chrysostom, the "origin of justice, the crown of sanctity, the beginning of devotion, the foundation of religion." Wouldst thou have the spirit of prayer? Remember, says St. Augustine, that Faith is the source of prayer. Wouldst thou become truly rich, truly honorable? Thou canst nowhere find greater riches, treasures, honors, or seek them better, than through Faith. Let us then consider in what manner we exercise this virtue, and what efforts we are making to increase and perfect it .
2. Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? Let us admire the courage of the Magi, who, as Cornelius a Lapide says, without fearing the wrath of Herod and his courtiers, sought in the royal city for another king, asking where the new King of the Jews was born. Moreover, on returning to their own country they gave themselves to the preaching of the true religion, and by their preaching merited the crown of martyrdom. It belongs to Priests to preach the true Faith, because, as St. Cyril says, they are the masters of Faith, the guardians of the true Faith. "The true Priest is one who, as St. Ambrose describes him, does not waver like a child, nor allow himself to be carried about by every wind of doctrine, but stands perfect in Christ, rooted in the Faith". Moreover, John of Antioch tells us, that to excel in Faith, and to teach it to the people, should be the chief office and primary aim of the Priesthood. In fact, this is, as St. Chrysostom shows, the greatest and most salutary remedy that we can apply to the wounds of those souls whose salvation we seek.
3. For we have seen His star in the East, and are come to adore Him. Many in the East saw this star, and remembered the prophecy of Balaam (Numbers xxiv. 17), and knew this phenomenon to be extraordinary and mysterious; but few followed the star. All Jerusalem was moved at hearing of its appearance, and at sight of the Magi who had followed it; but none of the Jews stirred. The Priests themselves pointed out the place, proclaimed God's word, and manifested the mystery; but they did not profit by all this. As St. Augustine remarks, the Doctors spoke and remained where they were, whilst the Magi, after they had heard them, went to seek the Child. If Priests would follow that Faith which they preach to others, and from which others derive so great profit, they would not live as many, alas! do live; they would live as pilgrims in this world, without attaching themselves to earthly goods, without losing sight of the good things of heaven. Let us then reflect on the obligation we (priests) are under to make our life conformable to the Faith, and not to have a faith without works, which is but a dead faith; but endeavor, as St. Ambrose exhorts us, to be patterns to the people both in faith and in works. O Priest, man of God, strive to be among the first to "pursue justice, godliness, faith" (i Tim. vi. n).
"I have believed, therefore have I spoken."—Ps. cxv. 1.
"Increase our faith."— St. Luke xvii. 5."
Octave of St. Thomas OF CANTERBURY,
by VP
Posted on Thursday January 04, 2024 at 11:15PM in Saints
"PRAY for all pastors in God's Church, that with zeal and diligence they may discharge their duties; and that the salvation of souls and performing the will of God, may urge them to sacrifice themselves wholly to his service, and to the good of their flock.
Pray that they may all instruct their flocks by word and example, and first practise the Gospel which they preach. Pray for all pastors, that they may inherit the true spirit of the apostles: that they may betray no weakness in seeking or loving the things of this world; but that while others pursue what is temporal, they may say with sincerity: "The Lord is our portion"; that they may, with a watchful eye superintend their charge, not permitting those to eat the fruits of vineyard, who refuse to work in it; nor allowing those to wear the shepherd's garb, who are truly wolves, continually devouring the flock by their disorders and scandalous lives. O God! have regard to thy fold, and deliver it from these destroying evils.
It being an exasperated prince, who disturbed the peace of the Church, and was the occasion of the sacrilegious murder of St. Thomas of Canterbury, pray on this day for all Christian kings and princes, that God would be their guide in all things, and make them the protectors of His holy Church.
{St. Thomas having been archbishop of Canterbury, we ought on this festival to offer up our prayers to God in behalf of our country (England), that he would be its protector, and visit it with his heavenly blessings. Beg of him to be no longer angry with this nation, but to remember his ancient mercies; and for the sake of so many of his
holy servants who here have been faithful to him, to show now
compassion to us, and let his former mercies be renewed, and let not his
anger endure for ever. Pray to St. Thomas now glorious in heaven, to
intercede for his unhappy country, and procure its conversion from vice
and error.}" The Catholic Year by Rev. Fr. John Gother
