Category: Catholic

Christ Continues To Catch People — He told Simon and his companions to sail off a little from the land and to let down the net for a draught. But they replied that they had been toiling the whole night and had caught nothing. However, in the name of Christ, they let down the net, and immediately it was full of fish.

By a visible sign and by a miraculous type and representation, they were fully convinced that their labor would be rewarded, and the zeal displayed in spreading out the net of the gospel teaching would be fruitful.

Within this net they should most certainly catch the shoals of the heathen.

But note, that neither Simon nor his companions could draw the net to land. Speechless from fright and astonishment for their wonder had made them mute, they beckoned to their partners, to those who shared their labors in fishing, to come and help them in securing their prey.

For many have taken part with the Holy Apostles in their labors, and still do so, especially those who inquire into the meaning of what is written in the holy Gospels.

Yet besides them there are also others: the pastors and teachers and rulers of the people, who are skilled in the doctrines of truth. For the net is still being drawn, while Christ fills it, and calls to conversion those who, according tyo the Scripture phrase, are in the depths of the sea, that is to say, those who live in the surge and waves of world things.

Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

Christ Continues To Catch People

Flannery O’Connor And The Cross She Carried — “Whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel’s will save it.”

One who knew the meaning of Jesus’ words so well was Flannery O’Connor, the distinguished Catholic novelist who died in 1964 at the age of 39. From the age of 25 she lived with the knowledge she had a terminal disease, Lupus, not to mention her sufferings from bone disintegration, shingles, anemia and a tumor.

Yet it was during 14 years of sickness and suffering that she produced her greatest works of literary art. Her strong faith enabled her to say: “I have never been anywhere but sick. In a sense sickness is a place, more instructive than a long trip to Europe. Sickness before death is a very appropriate thing and I think those who don’t have it miss one of God’s mercies . . .”

Those are strong words! How could a young woman call sickness one of God’s mercies? Yet Jesus’ words in the Gospel are just as strong: If a man wishes to come after me, he must deny his very self, take up his cross, and follow in my steps.

In some way, Flannery O’Connor was able to accept the cross of her sickness and follow in the Lord’s footsteps. But she didn’t do it with a nice sweet smile on her face. She did it with strong courage and conviction. She realized that her own sickness was the very thing that helped her to look at life around her with eyes of faith; and to translate that life into literary pages that would win her international fame as a writer.

Each one of us is called upon to carry a cross in our life at some time. For some it may be the cross of emotional or spiritual suffering, rather than physical suffering. Sometings there are big crosses, sometimes small.

Whatever their size, Jesus calls upon us to carry them.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

Flannery O’Connor And The Cross She Carried

Cross Raised For World To See — The cross is raised and appears above the earth which until recently malice had kept hidden. It is raised, not to receive glory — for with Christ nailed to it what greater glory could it have? — but to give glory to God who is worshiped on it and proclaimed by it.

It is not surprising that the church rejoices in the cross of Christ and robes herself in festal clothes, revealing her bridal beauty as she honors this day. Nor is it surprising that this great throng of people has gathered together today to see the cross exposed aloft and to worship Christ whom they see raised upon it. For the cross is exposed in order to be raised and is raised to be exposed.

What cross? The cross, which a little while ago was hidden in a placed called “the Skull” but now is everywhere adored. This is what we rejoice over today; this is what we celebrate; this is the point of the present feast; this is the manifestation of the mystery.

For this hidden and life-giving cross had to be exposed, set on hight like a city on a hill or a lamp on a stand, for all the world to see.

Saint Andrew of Crete

Today, Sept. 10, is the Sunday before the Exaltation of the Cross, which is Sept. 14. Saint Andrew was the bishop of Gortineia in Crete from the late 600s to his death in the early 700s.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

The Old Has Passed Away — The fulfillment of the law is Christ himself, who does not so much as lead us away from the letter as lift us up in its spirit. For the law’s consummation was this, that the very lawgiver accomplished His work and changed letter into spirit summing everything up in Himself and, though subject to the law living by grace. He subordinated the law, yet harmoniously united grace with it, not confusing the distinctive characteristics of the one with the other but effecing the transition in a way most fitting for God. He changed whatever was burdensome, servile and oppressive to what is light and liberating, so that we should be enslaved no longer under the elemental spirits of the world, as the Apostle says, nor held fast as bondservants under the letter of the law.

Justly, then, do we celebrate this mystery since it signifies for us a double grace. We are led toward the truth, and we are led away from our condition of slavery to the letter of the law.

How can this be? Darkness yields before the coming fo the light, and grace exchanges legalism for freedom. But midway between the tow stands today’s mystery at the frontier where types and symbols give way to reality and the old is replaced by the new.

Therefore let all creation sing and dance and unite to make worthy contribution to the celebration of this day. Let there be one common festival for saints in heaven and men on earth. Let everything, mundane things and those above, join in festive celebration.

Today this created world is raised to the dignity of a holy place for Him who made all things. The creature is newly prepared to be a divine dwelling place for the Creator.

Saint Andrew of Crete

Saint Andrew was the bishop of Gortineia in Crete from the late 600s to his death in the early 700s.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

The Passion Of John The Baptist –Today while the virtue of John and the ferocity of Herod are related to us, our innards were shaken, our hearts trembled, out sight grew dim, our mind became dull, our hearing deserted us. Is there anything wihtin human sensation that remains undisturbecd when a large amount of vice destroys a large amount of viture?

Herod, it says, apprehended John, and had him bound and put in prison. John was the school of the vitures, the instructor of life, the model of sanctity, the pattern of morality, the mirror of virginity, the epitome of purity, the example of chastity, the way of penitence, the pardon of sins, the discipline of faith. John was greater than a human being, equal to the angels, the apex of the Law, the seed of the Gospel, the harbinger of the Apostles, the silence of the prophets, the lamp of the world, the herald of the Judge, the forerunner of Christ, the preparer for the Lord, the witness of God, the mediator of the whole Trinity.

But Herod is the very one who desecrated the Temple, ruined the priesthood, disturbed its proper order, profaned the kingdom, corrupted anything that had to do with religion, the Law, life and morals, faith and discipline. Herod was ever an assassin toward his fellow citizens, a brigand toward people of any distinction, a ravager toward his allies, a robber toward those of his own household, a killer of the common folk, a murderer of his children, a slayer of foreigners, a murderer towards his own, drenching the land with gore in his bloodthirstiness. And so it is that he gulped down the hallowed blood of John from his enormous cup of cruelty.

St. Peter Chrysologus

St. Peter Chrysologus was Bishop of Ravenna from 433 until his death in 450.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

Christ And The Law — When Christ says to him, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments, the man expects Him to add immediately, “my commandments.”

“Which ones?” he asks. He was quite deceived in his expectation. For Christ did not answer him as he expected but simply pointed him to the law.

This is not because the law is perfection, for “no one is justified by the law,” as it is written, but because the life lived according to the law is a kind of introduction to the eternal life, briefly acquainting trainees to the things above. “For the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ.”

Christ is the perfection. For the beginning of good is to act justly, He says. Just action then is shown by the law, but goodness is shown by Christ. The law taught us to repay those who wish to harm us in “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.”

But Christ taught us to let go such balanced vengeance with a view to the greater good, teaching that “if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well.”

Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

The Story Of The Assumption Of Mary — At the time of her death, so it is believed, the Mother of God was living in the house of Saint John on Mount Zion. The Twelve were preaching the Gospel in different parts of the world. But so they might see the Virgin once more before her death, all of them except Thomas were carried miraculously on clouds to the Holy City.

Besides the Twelve, the Apostle Paul, along with the bishops Dionysios the Aeropagite, Hierotheos and Timothy, were also present at her bedside.

As they stood around her, the Holy Virgin commended her spirit into the keep of her Son and God. He Himself descended from heaven and took her soul up with Him in His arms.

Led by Peter, the apostles sang funeral hymns in her honor, and carried her body down to the valley of Cedron close to Gethsemane, where she laid in a tomb especially prepared for her.

The Jews tried to interrupt the funeral processions, one of them even attempting to upset the bier. His hands were cut off by an angel, but he was subsequently healed.

Thomas arrived on the third day after the burial. Since he was anxious to look for a last time on the Theotokos, the apostles opened the tomb — and found it empty.

Without insisting on the literal truth of every element in this account, Easter tradition is clear and unwavering in regard to the central point: The Holy Virgin underwent, as did her Son, a physical death, but her body, like His, was afterwards raised from the dead and she was taken up into heaven, in her body as well as in her soul.

Bishop Kallistos of Diocletia

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

It Is Good For Us To Be Here — Upon Mount Tabor, Jesus revealed to his disciples a heavenly mystery. While living among them he had spoke of the kingdom and of his second coming in glory, but to banish from their hearts any possible doubt concerning the kingdom and to confirm their faith in what lay in the future by its prefiguration in the present, he gave them on Mount Tabor, a wonderful vision of his glory, a foreshadowing of the kingdom of heven.

These are the divine wonders we celebrate today; this is the saving revelation given us upon the mountain; this is the festival of Christ that has drawn us here.

Let us listen, then, to the sacred voice of God so compellingly calling us from high, from the summit of the mountain, so that with the Lord’s chosen disciples we may penetrate the deep meaning of these holy mysteries so far beyond our capacity to express.

Jesus goes before us to show us the way, both up the mountain and into heaven, and — I speak boldly — it is for us now to follow him with all speed, yearning for the heavenly vision that will give us a share in his radiance, renew our spiritual nature and transform us into his own likeness, making us for ever sharers in his Godhead and raising us to height as yet undreamed of.

Sermon of Saint Anastasius of Sinai.

Saint Anastasius died sometime after 700 A.D. He was the abbot of Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai in Egypt. He was known for his defense against heresy and error. His work provides insight into Christian life in the region after the Moslem conquests.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

Trust In Prayer — A man sat in his luxurious hotel room and dialed room service. He marveled that at the other end of the line was an individual waiting to respond to his every need. All he had to do was ask.

Many believe that prayer is supposed to work the same way. For them, God is at the receiving end and is expected to grant every request.

“And why shouldn’t it be?” they might ask. “Doesn’t God want me to get this new job? Doesn’t God want my marriage to work? Doesn’t God want my surgery to be successful?”

After all don’t we read in the Scriptures, “Ask and you shall receive?”

The answer is yes. God always wants what is best for us and every prayer is answered. But, not every prayer is answered as we expect it to be. In order to be able to accept God’s answers to our prayers, especially the unanticipated answers, we need to exercise patience, trust and openness to God’s will and His wisdom.

We see Saint Peter exercise this blind trust on the Sea of Galilee.

The disciples’ boat was being storm tossed and Jesus came walking on the water towards them. Then He issued a most unexpected command to Peter.

“Come,” Jesus said and Peter actually began walking on water towards Him.

It was only when Peter took his eyes away from Jesus and focused again on the perilous storm around him that he began to sink.

The same is true for us. When we trust God, He will lead us to safety. When we take our eyes away from Him, we become overwhelmed by the storms of life.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

All Ate And Were Satisfied — Our Lord in a desert place changed a few loaves into many, and at Cana turned water into wine.

Thus before the time came to give men and women His own Body and Blood to feed on, He accustomed their palates to His bread and wine, giving them a taste of transitory bread and wine to teach them to delight in His Life-giving Body and Blood.

He gave them things of little value for nothing to make them understand that His supreme gift would be given yet more freely. He gave them for nothing what they could have bought from Him, what in fact they wanted to buy, to teach them that He asked them for not payment.

When it was not permitted them to give Him the price of bread and wine, which they could have done, they certainly could not pay Him for His Body and Blood.

Moreover, as well as giving freely He lovingly coaxed us, offering us these small things without charge to attract us and cause us to go and receive something greater and beyond all price.

He awakened our desire by things pleasing to the palate in order to draw us to that which gives life to the soul.

He gave a sweet taste to the wine he created to show how great is the treasure hidden in His Life-giving Blood

Saint Ephrem the Syrian

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.