Category: Catholic

Readiness To Forgive From St John Chrysostom — Nothing makes us so like God as our readiness to forgive the wicked and wrong-doer. For it is God who has made “the sun to shine on the evil and on the good.”

For this same reason again in everyone of the clauses Jesus commands us to make our prayers together in one voice, saying, “Our Father,” and “thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven,” and “give us the bread, and forgive us our debts,” and “lead us not into temptation,” and “deliver us.” So everywhere he is teaching us to use the plural word that we may not retain so much as a vestige of resentment against our neighbor.

How great a reproof then must they deserve, who, after all this, still do not forgive and even ask God’s vengeance on their enemies. In doing so, they diametrically transgress the command. Meanwhile Christ is seeking in every way possible to hinder our conflicts with one another. For since love is the root of all that is good, by removing from all quarters whatever mars it he brings us together and cements us to each other. For there is not one, not a single one, whether father or mother or friend, who loves us as much as the God who created us.

St. John Chrysostom

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

Prodigal Son And God’s Mercy — All that God looks for from us is the slightest opening and He forgives a multitude of sins.

There were two brothers, they divided their father’s goods between them. One stayed home while the other went to a foreign country, wasted all he had been given and then could not bear the shame of his poverty. The son who went away represents those who fall after baptism. This is clear from the fact that he is called a son, since no one is called a son unless he is baptized. Also, he lived in his father’s house and took a share of all his father’s goods. Before baptism, no one receives the Father’s goods or enters upon the inheritance. We can therefore take all this as signifying the state of believers.

What does he say after falling into the depths of evil? I will return to my father. The reason the father let him go and did not prevent his departure for a foreign land was so that he might learn well by experience what good things are enjoyed by the one who stays home. For when words not convince us, God often leaves us to learn from the things that happen to us. When the dissolute returned after going to a foreign country and finding out by experience what a great sin it is to leave the father’s house, the father did not remember past injuries but welcomed him with open arms. Why? Because he was a father and not a judge. And there were dances and festivities and banquets and the whole house was full of joy and gladness.

Are you asking, “Is this what he gets for his wickedness?” Not for his wickedness but for his return home; not for sin, but for repentance; not for evil, but for being converted. What is more, when the elder son was angry at this the father gently won him over saying: You were always with me, but he was lost and has been found; he was dead and has come back to life.

“When someone who was lost has to be saved it is not the time for passing judgment but only for mercy and forgiveness,” said the father.

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

Humility Is The Mark Of A Sinner — In the case of the Pharisee who was praying, the things he said were true. Since he was saying them out of pride and the tax collector was telling his sins with humility the confession of sins of the last were more pleasing to God than the acknowledgment of the almsgiving of the first. It is more difficult to confess one’s sins than one’s righteousness.

God looks on the one who carries a heavy burden. The tax collector therefore appeared to Him to have more to bear than the Pharisee had. He went down more justified than the Pharisee did only because of the fact he was humble. If this Pharisee had been sinful his prayer would have added iniquity to iniquity, the the Lord purified the tax collector of his iniquity .

If just by praying, the Pharisees’s prayer provoked God’s wrath, then as a result of that provocation, the prayer of the tax collector proved all the more potent.

St. Ephrem the Syrian

The stern Pharisee, who in his self pride not only boasted of himself but also discredited the tax collector in the presence of God, made his justice void by being guilty of pride.

Instead of the Pharisee, the tax collector went down justified, because he had given glory to God, the Holy One.

He did not dare lift his eyes but sought only to plead for mercy. He accused himself by his posture, by striking his breast, and by entertaining no other motive except propitiation. Be on your guard, therefore, and bear in mind this example of severe loss sustained through arrogance.

The one guilty of insolent behavior suffered the loss of his justice and forfeited his reward by his bold self-reliance. He was judged inferior to a humble man and a sinner because in his self-exaltation he did not await the judgment of God but pronounced it himself. Never place yourself above anyone, not even great sinners. Humility often saves a sinner who has committed many terrible transgressions.

St. Basil the Great

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

Humility Is The Mark Of A Sinner

Welcome Christ In Your Heart And Homes — The Lord, who already welcomed Zacchaeus in his heart was now ready to be welcomed by him in his house. He said, “Zacchaeus, hurry up and come down, since I have to stay in your house.”

Zacchaeus thought it was a marvelous piece of good luck to see Christ. While imagining it was a marvelous piece ofgood luck quite beyond words to see him passing by, he was suddenly found worthy to have him in his house. Grace is poured out, and faith starts working through love.

Christ, who was already dwelling in Zacchaeus’s heart, is welcomed into his house.

Zacchaeus says to Christ, “Lord, half my goods I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times over.” It is as if he were saying, “The reason I am keeping back half for myself is not in order to have it, but to have something from which to pay people back.”

There you are. That is really what welcoming Jesus means, welcoming him into your heart. Christ was already there. He was in Zacchaeus and spoke through him. The apostle says this is what it means “For Christ to dwell by faith in your hearts” (Eph 3:17)

St. Augustine

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church of Swarthmore.

True Light Of Revelation To The Gentiles — The Evangelist commemorates the prophet’s words: “Beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light.”

In what darkness?

Certainly in the profound error of ignorance.

What great light did they see?

The light concerning which it is written: He was the true light that illumines everyone who comes into this world.”

This was the light about which the just man Simeon in the Gospel declared, A light of revelation to the Gentiles and glory for your people Israel.”

That light had arisen according to what David had announced, saying a light has arisen in the darkness to the upright of heart. Also, Isaiah demonstrated that light about to come for the enlightenment of the Church when he said: “Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”

Concerning that light also Daniel noted, “It reveals the profound and hidden things, knowing those things ward are in darkness and light is with it,” that is the Son with the Father for even as the Father is light, so too is the Son light.

And David also speaks in the psalm: “In your light shall we see light,” for the Father is seen in the Son, as the Lord tells us in the Gospel “Who sees me, sees the Father.”

From the true light, indeed, the true light proceeded, and from the invisible, the visible.

“He is the image of the invisible God,” as the apostle notes.

Saint Chromatius

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh Bearers Church in Swarthmore, Pa.

Healing Of A Disabled Woman — Moreover, in this infirm woman, it is like the figure of the Church which presents itself when it has fulfilled the measure of the Law and of the resurrection, in this endless rest, raised to the summit of greatness, she will no longer be able to experience the curvature of our infirmity. And this woman could be healed only be means of the Law and grace: The Law by its precepts, in baptism, and the grace by which, dead to the world, we are resurrected for Christ; for in the ten words is the completion of the Law, in the number eight the fulness of the resurrection.

So this work of a Sabbath signifies what will happen: Whoever has fulfilled the Law and grace will be rid of the miseries of this crippled body through the mercy of Christ.

This is why sanctification was first given in the figure by Moses, because the practice of future sanctification and spiritual observance was to abstain from works of the century.

Even God rest from the works of the world: not of (all) works, since activity is perpetual and continual, as the Son says: “My Father is still working now, and I too are acting” (John 5:17), so that the example of God will cease for us in the works of the world, not those of religion.

It is for lack of understanding that the head of the Synagogue did not want anyone to be healed on the Sabbath while the Sabbath is the image of of future recreation.

So it is not the good works but the bad ones which are idle.

Ambrose of Milan

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh Bearers Church in Swarthmore, Pa.

Demons No Power Over Pigs Or Us — We may also learn this from what befell the heard of swine. Wicked demons are cruel, mischievous, hurtful and treacherous to those who are in their power.

The fact clear proves this, because they hurried the swine over a precipice and drowned them in the waters. Christ granted their request that we might learn from what happened that their disposition is ruthless, bestial, incapable of being softened, and solely intent on doing evil to those whom they can get into their power.

If there is anyone among us who is wanton, swinish, filth loving, impure and willingly contaminated with the abominations of sin, God permits such a one to fall into power and sink into the abyss of damnation.

It will never happen that those who love Christ will become subject to them. It will never happen to us as long as we walk in his footsteps, avoid negligence in the performance of what is right, desire those things which are honorable and belong to the virtuous and praiseworthy lifestyle that Christ has marked out for us by the precepts of the Gospel.

From a homily of Saint Cyril of Alexandria

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh-Bearers Church

Demons No Power Over Pigs Or Us

Adorn The Church But Do Not Neglect The Poor — Do you wish to honor the body of Christ? Do not neglect him when he is naked. Do not honor him here inside with silken robes but neglect him outside as he is perishing of cold and nakedness.

The who who said, “This is my body,” and established the fact by his word, is also the one who said, “you saw me hungry and did not give me to eat,” and “As much as you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.”

The body of Christ in the Eucharist has no need of garments but of a pure soul; the body of Christ outside needs much care.

Let us learn how to become wise and to honor Christ as he wishes. Thus, render him the very honor which he himself prescribed by spending your wealth on the poor. God has no need of golden vessels but of golden souls.

Now in saying this, I am not hindering you from making such votive offerings as these I am insisting that, along with these and before these, you give alms. He accepts the former but is much more pleased with the latter. Do not decorate this house and neglect your suffering brother. He is more truly a temple than this building.

From a Homily of St. John Chrysostom

Courtesy of Holy Myrrh Bearers Ukrainian Catholic Church

Adorn The Church But Do Not Neglect The Poor

Caesarius Of Arles Sermon On Enemies courtesy of Holy Myrrh Bearers Church.

Those who close their eyes to the demands of love fall asleep in the desire for worldly pleasures. Therefore be watchful. Eating, drinking, carousing, gambling and hunting are pleasures but evils of every kind follow in the wake of these vanities.

No one can deny that they are enjoyable, but the love of God’s law must come first, for to love God means to keep His commandments. Which commandments? You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, and you must love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

My brothers and sisters, to widen our hearts, we need not depend upon ourselves. Ask God to help you love one another — to love everyone without exception, not just your friends, but enemies as well, not because they are your brothers and sisters in Christ, but so that they may be. Pray that you may always have a warm, fraternal love for other people, both for those who have become your brothers and sisters, and for your enemies, that they become such.

Whenever you love brothers or sisters you love friends, for they are already with you, joined to you in faith unity. If they live virtuously you love them as people who have been changed from enemies into brothers and sisters.

But suppose you love people who do not yet believe in Christ, or if they do, yet believe as the devil believes — they believe in Christ, but still do not love him.

You must love just the same. You must love even people like that. You must love them as brothers and sisters. They are not such yet, but you must love them so that they may become such through your kindness.

All our love, then, must be fraternal.

About Saint Caesarius

Caesarius Of Arles Sermon On Enemies

Pierogie Sales Restart At HMB –Holy Myrrh-Bearers Ukrainian Catholic Church has restarted periogie sales. The potato and cheese delights are $10 per dozen and can be ordered by calling 610-544-1216.

Pickup times are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at the church at 900 Fairview Road, Swarthmore, Pa 19081.