Category: Catholic

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.

The authority of the Councils is based also on their ecclesiological grounding. A council is not an independent, autonomous body, additional, coming from outside, acting unilaterally. It is not the product of accidental circumstances in history and imposed afterwards. It is closely or rather organically, related with the very essence of the Church. The body of Christ is a living organism, destined to grow, to face difficulties during this process, to be implanted in other regions of the world needing inculturalization and a certain adaptation.

Such embodiment and multifaceted ministry creates problems, tensions, even divisions and in spite of the good will of the local bishop and pastors, the convocation of a major assembly is considered as a natural instrument, salutary and indispensable.

The official voice of the catholicity and the koimonia of all the sister churches, in harmony and guided by the Spirit, would only provide the new assessments, possible remedies and solutions.

The function of such a council was such that the opinions and requests at issues found expression from the very womb of the Church.

Once the decision was made, the people had a part in receiving it and publicizing it (Acts 15:22) as is seen in the first assembly of Jerusalem.

Metropolitan Emilianos

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh Bearers Church in Swarthmore, Pa.

Authority Of The Councils, Authority Of The Church

Undoing The Devil’s Tyranny — The divine nature of the only begotten Son was already scorching the demons in unspeakable flames. Christ was shutting up the fiercest demons in blocked roads. He was undoing the devil’s tyranny.

“You have come before the time,” they cried out. The knew from the Scriptures that Christ was going to come and would judge them. Treating the incarnation as if it had happened at the wrong time, they pleaded that He had come in an untimely way.

This misrepresentation is not surprising. In their deceptiveness, they did not hesitate to say even this. Yet, although they know that vengeance is to fall upon them, they still say haughtily, “What have you to do with us?”

They know that the final Judge in fact has a score to settle with them inasmuch as they had broken his commandments.

Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Saint Cyril of Alexandria lived in the fourth and fifth centuries was patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt starting in 412 A.D. It was time of riots and religious violence.

Make an effort then to meet more frequently to celebrate God’s Eucharist and to offer praise. For when you meet frequently in the same place, the forces of Satan are overthrown, and his baneful influence is neutralized by the unanimity of your faith. Peace is a precious thing. It puts an end to every war waged by heavenly or earthly enemies.

Saint Ignatius of Antioch

Saint Ignatius was the Patriarch of Antioch in early 2nd century and was martyred in Rome.

Arise And Walk Considered By Jerome And Hilary — It is easier said than done. Whether the sins of the paralytic were forgiven, only He who forgave them knew for sure.

“Arise and Walk” Both he who arose and those who saw him arise were able to vouch for this. Hence there is a bodily sign in order to demonstrate a spiritual sign, though its impact is to curb the imperfections of body and soul.

And we are given an understanding of sin and many bodily weaknesses to come. Perhaps too, sins are forgiven first, so that with the causes of infirmity removed health may be restored.

Saint Jerome

Further, more so it could be understood that He was in a body and that He could forgive sins and restore health to bodies, Jesus said, ” That you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins,” then He said to the paralytic “Arise. take up your pallet.”

He could have simply said “Arise” but since the reason for doing every work had to be explained, He added “Take up your pallet and go home.”

First, He granted remission of sins; next He showed His ability to restore health. Then with the taking up of the pallet, He made it clear that bodies would be free from infirmity and suffering; last with the paralytic’s return to his home, He showed that believers are being given back the way to paradise from which Adam, the parent of all who became profligate from the stain of sin, had proceeded.

Saint Hilary of Poiters

Saint Jerome was born in Dalmatia in what is now Croatia in about 340 A.D. and died in Bethlehem in 420. He is considered to be one of the Church Fathers.

Saint Hilary was born about 300 A.D. in Poiters in what is now France and died in 368. He was know for opposing heresy.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh Bearers Church in Swarthmore, Pa.

Nowhere In Israel Have I Found As Much Faith — The Lord Jesus agreed to go to the centurion’s house to cure his servant but he replied: I am not worthy to have you under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.

In protesting his unworthiness, the centurion showed himself worthy to have Christ enter not his house but his heart. Yet he could not have said this with such faith and humility unless he already bore within his heart the One he was too overawed to have within his house. In any case, there would have been no great happiness at the entry of the Lord Jesus within his wall if he was not present in his heart.

But what emboldened the centurion to act as he did?

I am under authority myself, he said, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man, Go and he goes; to another, Come here, and he comes; to my servant, Do this, and he does it.

Now the man who said this was a Gentile as well as a centurion. He was a professional soldier and, as a centurion, acted according to his rank: subject to authority and exercise in authority, obeying as a subordinate and giving orders to those subordinate to him.

As for the Lord, though living among the Jewish people, He was already beginning to make it known that His Church would extend throughout the whole world into which He was about to send His apostles. Although the Gentiles would not see him they would believe in him, whereas the Jewish leaders who saw him would put him to death.

St. Augustine of Hippo

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church

Prove Your Faith With Trust And Nothing Will You Lack — “Look at the birds of the air,” says Jesus. What a splendid example for our faith to follow! If God’s providence bestows an unfailing supply of food on the birds of the air who neither sow nor reap, we ought to realize that the reason for people’s supply running short is human greed.

The fruits of the earth were given to feed all without distinction and nobody can claim any particular rights. Instead we have lost the sense of the communion of goods, rushing to turn these goods into private property.

The birds do not know famine because the do not claim anything specially for themselves and neither do they have any envy of others.

Consider the lilies of the field: Not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass which is alive today and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe one of you?

With the parable of flowers and grass the Lord urges us to hope that God will also be merciful to us. Nothing is more persuasive than a glance at unthinking creatures who have received such beautiful dress from Providence. Surely we should be all the more ready to believe that human beings, if they entrust themselves completely to God and free themselves of all their worries, will not lack anything.

Saint Ambrose of Milan

Saint Ambrose lived from about 340 to 397 A.D.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church

What Andrew And Simon Peter Left — How much did the poor fishermen leave behind? Someone may wonder: At the Lord’s beckoning, what or how much did these two fishermen, who scarcely had anything, leave behind?

Oh this my beloved , we should attned to one’s intention rather than one’s wealth. That person has left behind a lot who keeps nothingf or himself, who thous he ahas little, gives up everythgin.

We tend to be attached to those things we own, and those we scarcely own, we carefully hold on to.

Therefore Pter and Andrew left much behind when they left behind covetousness and the very desire to own. That person has left much behind who renounces with the thing owned the very coveting of that thing.

Therefore those poor who followed Jesus left behind jus as much as those less who did not follow him but were able to covet.

So when you notice that some have left a great deal behind, you need not say to yourself, ‘I want to imitate those who disdain the world but sorry, I have nothing to leave behind.’

You will leave much behind, my brothers if you renounce earthly desires.

External things, however small they may be, are sufficient for the Lord, since he looks at the heart and not at our material goods.

Nor does He judge by how much is involved in our sacrifice but from how much it is made. For if we judge by external goods, our holy merchants traded in their nets and vessels for the perpetual life of the angels.

Saint Gregory the Great

Saint Gregory the Great lived from 540 to 604 becoming pope in 590. The Gregorian chant is attributed to him.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

What Andrew And Simon Peter Left