predication.net

June 22, non-binding commemoration
Position: martyrs
Death: 1535
CURRICULUM VITAE

John Fisher was a professor and chancellor of the University of Cambridge. At the age of 35, he became Bishop of Rochester. He wrote writings in defense of the faith against heresies. He devoted special care to the poor and the sick.
Thomas More became a lawyer, married, and raised four children. He lived an intensely spiritual life despite being knighted in the king’s service, elected Speaker of Parliament, a trustee of two universities, and holding the office of lord chancellor.

Both he and John Fisher were convicted of high treason for refusing to sign the Declaration against the indissolubility of marriage and to acknowledge the supremacy of King Henry VIII over the church. They were executed in London that same year.

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A FAITHFUL BISHOP AND A MOST CHARACTERISTIC LAWYER
John Fisher was born in 1469 in Beverly, Yorkshire, in the east of England. He graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy at Cambridge in 1491 with a Master of Liberal Arts degree. He soon became a priest and received his doctorate in 1501. He then served as vice-chancellor of Cambridge University, becoming professor of Theology in 1503 and chancellor the following year.

Around 1501, the mother of King Henry VII contacted John Fisher, who recognized and drew on his extraordinary abilities. Among other things, they were involved in founding a seminary in Cambridge and theology departments at both Cambridge and Oxford universities.

From 1504, John Fisher was Bishop of Rochester, east of London. Later, he was offered a more lucrative bishopric, but he refused it out of loyalty to his diocese. He lived modestly and conscientiously, carrying out his pastoral work, including frequent visits to the poor and sick.

John’s hobby was studying, and for this reason, he had a rich library. He successfully studied Biblical Greek and then corrected printing errors in the New Testament published in it. In defense of the Catholic faith, he wrote works against Luther and similar reformers from 1523 to 1527. His works were used at the Council of Trent ten years after his death.

Bishop John was the pride of Henry VIII’s reign at the beginning, but he fell from grace when he opposed the king’s sinful life and when he exchanged his lawful wife, Catherine of Aragon, for a lady-in-waiting. What began as a sinful affair developed into a proud attempt to determine right from wrong and to declare himself head of the Church in England, since the Pope could not annul his marriage. Henry VIII had a law passed granting the children of Anne Boleyn the right to the throne. In April 1534, John Fisher was called upon to swear an oath to the law that confirmed the king’s first marriage as invalid and did not recognize the authority of the Pope. John refused and was imprisoned in the Tower of London. That same year, Parliament passed a law declaring the king head of the Church, and the clergy had to swear allegiance to it. When they came to see him again, John only confirmed his loyalty to the Pope. Pope Paul III appointed him a cardinal. However, John was not held in greater regard in England, and the following month, on 17 June, he was sentenced to death. He waited another five days for the blow with the executioner’s axe. As a sign of humiliation, they stripped his clothes from his body and left him exposed until evening. At night, they buried him in Barkin Cemetery, but without a proper burial. However, they left his head impaled on a stake on London Bridge for two weeks. Then they threw it into the Thames and impaled the head of his martyred companion, Thomas More.

Thomas More was born on 6 February 1478 in Cheapside, a district of London near the Tower. His father was a lawyer, later a judge. His mother, Agnes, died when he was a child. Thomas had five siblings. At the age of twelve, he left home and was educated for some time by the royal chancellor, Cardinal Morton. He then studied in Canterbury and, from 1492, at the University of Oxford. At his father’s request, he continued studying law at New Inn School in London for two years. Life among the canons did not fully satisfy him, so he went to a Carthusian monastery for four years, where, in addition to his spiritual life, he devoted himself to the study of philosophy and theology. John Colet was his spiritual leader. In 1503, Thomas returned to public life. He was considered the best lawyer. In addition to the canons, his thinking and actions were influenced by philosophical and theological knowledge and a sensitive conscience. So he was an incorruptible supporter of the law and, at the same time, full of understanding for people experiencing poverty who came into conflict with it. People soon recognized Thomas’s good heart, in whose hands the code served everyone and protected the rights of ordinary people. In 1504, he was elected to parliament. King Henry VII asked Parliament to approve an extraordinary tax to fund a dowry for his daughter. Still, Thomas More so influenced the other members of Parliament with his speech that the unjust tax was not approved. For this, he had to withdraw into seclusion due to the king’s anger and travel around Europe.

In 1505, Thomas married Jane Colt, the daughter of a nobleman and a scientist. Together, they had three girls and one boy within five years. His wife died when their last child was born. To take care of the children, he then married Alice Middleton, a widow seven years older than him and with one daughter. She was quite energetic and a bit irritable, but she was a competent housewife and mother to all the children. Thomas used his intelligence and patience to ensure the family’s well-being and, as a good psychologist, to dampen his wife’s more violent reactions. He arranged for a home tutor for the children and, contrary to custom, tried to ensure the highest possible education for his daughters.

In 1509, the king died and was succeeded by his son, Henry VIII. In January of the following year, Thomas More re-entered Parliament as one of the representatives of London. After eight months, he became deputy chief constable of the city and assistant to the mayor in matters of jurisdiction. For eight years, he attended the court every Thursday until the institution came under royal control. In 1517, he became a member of the royal council and served as a guide to both Henry VIII and Catherine, who appreciated his abilities and harmonious demeanor.

In May 1521, the king granted him a peerage with the small estate of Chelsea, and in the same year, he was appointed steward of the royal treasury. In the next two years, he became Speaker of the House of Commons and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He had the king’s confidence and defended Catholic doctrine with him against Martin Luther. Thanks to the work he collaborated on, the king received the honorary title of defender of the faith from the Pope. In 1523, Thomas published the work “Answer to Luther,” and in the following years wrote polemical tracts against English innovators.

On October 5, 1529, Thomas was promoted to Lord Chancellor of England, the highest rank after the king. Then the friendship between the two began to be disrupted due to Thomas’s fundamental stance on the values ​​of the Gospel and loyalty to the Church.

Henry VIII. In 1527, he sought to have his marriage to Catherine declared null and void by the Pope through the Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, in vain. He tried to achieve this through Thomas More. However, he did not win the characterful Thomas over to his side in the matter. He held the position that a secular person should not interfere in matters falling within the competence of the church. However, he willingly fulfilled demands that did not conflict with Christian principles. The king’s passion and ambition led him to violate the principles of his conscience. Due to the growing tension in 1532, Thomas gave up his chancellorship. With this, he lost royal favor and the source of family security. Unlike others, he did not accumulate wealth during his career, and so his family soon felt a lack.

The king decided to use Parliament as an instrument to break the power of the clergy and forced Parliament to recognize his new marriage to Anne Boleyn. The Constitution of Subordination of 15 May 1532 unconditionally subordinated the administration of church affairs to the king himself. In July 1533, Clement VII declared the king’s marriage to Anne Boleyn invalid.

The following year, the king’s officials approached Thomas to swear an oath to a new law that confirmed the invalidity of the king’s first marriage and denied the pope’s authority. A strong defender of justice, he refused and was thrown into prison in the Tower as Bishop John Fisher. The separation from his family weighed him down the most, so his captors persuaded his wife and daughter to try to get him to take the required oath, which was a question of his freedom and also his life. Thomas was pleased to talk to them, and with gentle determination, he defeated their tempting mission. His torturers then forced him again in the dark to take the “Act of Submission”, which was to recognize the king as the head of the church. He spent 15 months in prison, and although he was preparing for death, he wrote several spiritual writings. On July 1, 1535, he was accused of high treason under the new law and sentenced to death.

The execution took place on July 6. Before placing his head on the gallows, Thomas prayed for King Henry VIII. Then, as he lay his head down and the executioner raised the axe, he is said to have pushed aside his beard, saying: “He has committed no treason.” With firm faith and a joyful heart, he went to meet the Lord through death for his laws.

His head was then replaced on a stake on London Bridge by that of John Fisher. Both were canonized together in 1935. Their memory extends beyond the circle of the Catholic Church.

No one can serve two masters. ▪ Children like fairy tales. It is said that their enjoyment stems from not yet knowing the world. In reality, children observe very keenly what is happening around them. They also begin to perceive a distinction between good and evil in the world. They instinctively feel that the two do not mix, that the good and evil beings fight each other, and therefore they must side with the good. Whoever sews, knowing that he must not mix his life in such a way that he constantly contradicts himself, will preserve his youth and vitality. Unfortunately, many people resemble the sick who, according to St. John Climacus, alternately drip corylium, a soothing medicine, into their sick eyes, and then immediately pour burning acid. However, the Gospel emphasizes another circumstance. It does not speak only of the use of two contradictory medicines but of serving two masters. In the world, Christ encounters not only “opinions” that differ from Christianity but also the stubborn resistance of the enemy, the spirit of the world, and malice. That is why spiritual life is presented as a constant struggle. We must know the enemy’s positions and methods so we do not switch sides out of ignorance. The so-called discernment of spirits is the art of correctly recognizing and choosing what is beneficial for eternal life.

You cannot serve God and mammon ▪ The ancient foreign word “mammon” has also entered our vocabulary. It means money and property, but in a derogatory sense. What is the negative side of money, which everyone must ultimately earn in some way? Moralists apply a general principle here that recommends the way to use all things in the world: we should use them in moderation, no more and no less than we need. The principle is undoubtedly correct. But it is impersonal and general. That is why the Gospel places more emphasis on the personal attitude. Mammon is money that we serve, rather than money that serves us. It is, therefore, idolatry, and it is in direct contradiction to the service of the one God. From the psychological point of view, there is a certain mystery here. Even stubborn, unyielding people who refuse to listen to anyone easily put themselves in the service of mammon and subordinate their whole lives to its interests. They work until night to multiply money they consider untouchable and never use. How difficult must the one who refuses to serve God be?

Look at the birds of the air▪ In Czech, we have two expressions that are similar but have different shades: care and worry. We take care of what pleases us, what is, as they say, our “hobby,” with profound joy. Worry, on the other hand, is care, but with concern and tension. It harms health, weakens nerves, and makes work a sad affair. However, God wants us to take care of ourselves and everything important without anxiety, so that it remains worry-free. In theatrical comedies, we like to laugh at the antics of carefree friends who get everything right. It’s only in the theater; it’s a comedy. However, with trust in God’s providence, carefreeness becomes a reality and is connected with caring for what pleases us. Blessed Nicholas Stensen, a Danish convert and bishop (+1686), composed this prayer for himself: “Without your will, not a hair falls from the head, not a leaf falls from the tree, not a bird from the sky, not a thought comes to the mind, not a voice to the tongue, not a hand moves. You have led me along unknown paths until now; continue to lead me along the path of your grace, whether I see it or not.”

June 19, reminder
Position: founder of the ECMC order
Death: 1027
Attributes: angel, book, monk with shaved head and beard in white robe, ladder
CURRICULUM VITAE

He came from a noble family and, as a witness to a duel, he learned the fragility of life and the futility of the desire for wealth and worldly pleasures. He sought God’s will in prayer, became a Benedictine in 972, and three years later chose a hermit’s life with strict self-discipline. He dedicated his energies to restoring monastic life to its original rigor. As a pilgrim and ardent preacher of repentance, he traveled around Italy, restoring and founding monastic houses. He founded the Camaldolese order of hermits.
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SOMEONE HAD TO DIE SO THAT I COULD LIVE
He was born in 952 near Ravenna on the eastern coast of Italy as the son of Duke Sergius. Influenced by his parents, he spent his youth until the age of 20 indulging in worldly pleasures. He caused trouble, enjoyed noisy drinking, easy women, hunting, and other pleasures. Then he witnessed a dispute that ended in a duel between his father and a relative over a piece of land. Romuald was invited to witness the duel in which his father killed his relative. The terrible reality, in which Romuald felt a part, shook him. He recognized the fragility of life, the futility of the desire for property, and the emptiness of all worldly joys. He decided to spend 40 days in the Benedictine monastery of St. Apollinaris in nearby Classe. In solitude, he reflected on the meaning of life and decided to change his previous life. He saw the truth and also felt that “someone had to die so that I could live”. Only his death in battle led him to think about the terrible eternity he would have if he continued in his current way of life. However, he also realized that the one who had to die for him to have eternal life was Jesus. Therefore, he decided to live a penitent life, asking to be admitted to a monastery and to take vows.

The discipline that prevailed in the monastery soon seemed too weak for him. He tried to adhere more strictly to the original rule of St. Benedict, but his attitude displeased the other monks. After three years, he requested permission to go to an uninhabited region near the Venetian lagoon to live there as a hermit. He found a spiritual leader and teacher in the elderly hermit Marino, who lived in that region. The two later met in Venice with the famous abbot Guarino, who came from a monastery in the eastern Pyrenees, which was considered an important center of religious renewal. This had its origins in the Benedictine monastery of Cluny in France.

Romuald and Marino decided to go with Guarino, and they were joined by Peter Orseolo (Urseoli – note 10.1), the previous doge (the highest elected representative in Venice), who resigned his office and became a monk. And also two other citizens of the city. Because of Peter, the group left in secret. They set off through Lombardy and southern France to the Spanish border and to the monastery in Euxana. Romuald established a hermitage near the monastery and served as Peter’s spiritual leader. The reputation of the pious and ascetic hermit Romuald soon spread, and many people sought him out as a spiritual advisor. A group of disciples formed around him, for whom he was a model of spiritual life and who followed his words.

After three years, Romuald learned that his father, fearing a blood feud, had entered the monastery of St. Severus near Ravenna. However, the monastic life did not satisfy him, so he was preparing to return to the world. Romuald reacted to this news by quickly leaving for Ravenna. After meeting his father, he persuaded him not to leave the monastery and to live a penitential life there. He himself continued to live as a hermit in the Italian region.

In Easter 998, by order of Otto III, the monks of St. Apollinaris in Classe were to elect a new abbot, and they chose Romuald. He was reluctant to accept the rank and submitted only at the emperor’s insistence. Romuald’s strict leadership led to the monks’ resistance, so he resigned his abbacy in the emperor’s presence because he would rather not be responsible for their indiscipline. He then went to Rome and visited the monastery of Monte Casino. He also traveled to other monasteries to promote the original rules of St. Benedict and restored some of them.

At the beginning of 1012, he and a few companions established a hermit’s settlement in Tuscany near a remote village in the bishopric of Fiesole. Then he met Mr. Maldoli from Arezzo, who had land on a mountain range of beech forests. He had previously seen in a dream a high ladder on the land, on which white-robed monks were ascending and descending to heaven. He was so influenced by the vision that he offered the land 50 km north of Arezzo to Romuald, who built a sanctuary and hermit’s huts on it with his companions. They called the settlement Camáldoli. It was the beginning of the Camaldolese order as a Benedictine branch with very strict rules. In particular, it was about practicing silence and fasting on bread, vegetables, and water. They walked in white robes, barefoot, with shaved heads and long beards. Romuald did not demand from anyone what he himself had not done. When he felt the approach of death, he prepared for it in a solitary cell in Val di Castro. He had also founded that monastery. He died at the age of 75. Five years later, in 1032, he was declared a saint.

The Camaldolese Order was confirmed by Pope Alexander II in 1072. Romuald’s remains were transferred to the church of St. Blaise in Fabriano near Ancona in 1481.

In front of a catechetical center, there is an information board: “If you have a desire to be very close to God, to walk with him, to be guided by him and to be protected, and to act in his name, you are right here. Welcome”! 

You go through the front door and enter the entrance hall marked: “The Beatitudes.” It is recalled here that all who dedicate their lives to God and trust in him can be called blessed or joyful. They live as children of God because their God is free and with an eternal perspective. The door leads on. You find yourself in a room filled with light. A candle is handed to you: “You are the light of the world”! It is the light of Jesus that we hold in our hands, and that is to be brought into the world through us. There are many doors from this room. They are the doors of decision. I want to live with God and act according to him. I pass through the door that leads me further into the interior of the house. One can decide and pass through the door that takes us back outside. At the end, one can see the inscription on the door: “Prayer.”

If you open the door, you find yourself in front of a space that looks like a car wash. Here we carry misconceptions about prayer, from which we need to be washed to cleanse ourselves. Prayer is not an opportunity to show off our piety in public. Today, prayer is not so fashionable, but we can easily become actors. 

Jesus gives his disciples a prayer so that they have the right form of how to pray. We know the Lord’s Prayer. Individual requirements can be summarized as follows: We tune in to God: his name is Father; it is about his kingdom and his will; he is at the center; he is the one who promises life. The father and mother know what their child needs. The idea of ​​this picture is real to a child, not an adolescent. A four-year-old doesn’t have to convince his parents that after a few hours of play, he is as hungry as a bear. His parents usually know it themselves. 

Jesus transfers this experience to our relationship with God. Just as a mother knows when a child is hungry, so does the mother, the Heavenly Father, know our desires and our hunger. Jesus assures us that God loves us, that He wants the best for us, and that He wants to bring our lives to their destination. Jesus teaches us to pray. Prayer could be compared to a mountain rope for climbers. It maintains a connection with the mountain guide and ensures that, even in the event of a fall, the fall height is limited. It stays on course, helps you avoid getting lost, and prevents you from falling into ravines. One acquaintance is an IT specialist who works for a prominent company that reports excellent results. He described them privately as a “Shark Tank.” It seems that few people are eager for excellence, but many are focused on outcomes and would be most happy to see someone from the company fail. The image of a “shark tank” has also become a fixture in conversations about many other environments. The sharks’ sharp fins surround us, attacking, and a profound fear grows. 
 

There are no “shark tanks” in the Bible, but there is talk of a lion’s den. The story of Daniel, who was thrown into the “lions’ den,” is well-known from Holy Scripture. Unfortunately, the innocent are not always saved. Not all lions and sharks were stopped by God’s angels. On the contrary, it often seems that lions and sharks attack only good people. And prayer does not work as life insurance either. God is the savior in his Son for entering our lions’ dens, shark tanks, and vipers’ holes. All people are his, and he is with them, even when they feel lonely and abandoned. We do not always emerge from these situations without harm. We do not survive all attacks by lions, sharks, and vipers. But let us remain with Jesus, who opens up a life that transcends death. A well-known researcher in the field of communication, Friedemann Schulz von Thun, was invited during the COVID pandemic to speak about how people experienced the horror of the Spanish flu. He said he did not have access to professional studies, but he read letters from this terrible time. He noticed that people, although they submitted to their fate, were not in any way angry. Everything I learned testified that, at that time, everything was connected to people’s faith. They saw life as a challenge, an often difficult part of the journey, which was a preparation for heaven, where everything will be only good. This perspective, the researcher said, is missing today. We want to put everything into this life, to live only for this world, and this is the place, the situation that makes the difference between us and the time of that time due to the current pandemic. Let us put everything that supports the relationship between God and man and between people. For Jesus covers our prayers so that we may remain with God the Father in the Holy Spirit and so that no temptation may draw us away, nor evil within us, that it may separate us from Him. No one has made room for God in their lives as much as the Virgin Mary; therefore, through her intercession, let us ask for the grace to pray as our Lord taught us.

June 16 reminder
Position: Bishop OSB
Death: 1106
Patron: of fishermen and cloth workers; helper against plague; protection against bad weather and supplicant for rain
Attributes: bishop, keys, fish
CURRICULUM VITAE

He received priestly ordination as a Benedictine monk and was elected bishop at the age of 56. He faithfully led the Meissen diocese for 40 years and, in the process, learned the Slavic language. With tireless patience and love, he preached the Gospel to the surrounding Slavs. In the territory of the Elbe Slavs, he built churches and supported the poor, and was called their apostle. During the war of the oppressed Slavs against the king, Benno remained on the sidelines; therefore, the king imprisoned him and plundered the bishopric. When Benno gained his freedom, he repaired what had been destroyed. During the schism, he stood loyally by the Pope.
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RELIGION OF THE POLABIAN SLAVS
He was born in 1010 in Hildesheim, Germany, during the reign of Henry II, as the second son of Count Frederick of Bullenburg and his wife, Bezela. His name, Benno, translates as Zbyněk. His father had extensive estates in Lower Saxony. From the age of about six, Benno was with the local bishop and later saint Bernward (d. 20 November), who was his relative and promised the boy a good upbringing and education. This was provided to him by the prior Viger of Hildesheim. Bishop Bernward spent the last five years of his illness confined to his bed, and his comfort was Benno, who spent a lot of time with him. He strongly encouraged him to live a virtuous life and gave him fatherly advice. When the bishop died, Benno was 12 years old and then continued his education. At twenty, his father died and, with his mother’s consent, he entered the Benedictine monastery of St. Michael in Hildesheim.

He lived ascetically, was a patient and very good monk. At the age of 25, he was ordained a deacon, and five years later, a priest. At the age of 32, he was elected his successor after the abbot’s death. He submitted to the election only out of obedience, and after three months, he managed to take the rank.

Emperor Henry III founded a chapter in Goslar on the Gose River, which he wanted to staff with the best clergy. According to his wishes, later bishops were to come from the school there. He also requested Benno there through Pope Leo IX. Benno managed the school there for 17 years. In 1066, he was called as bishop to Meissen. The former provost of Goslar, Archbishop Hanno, took care of this.

Benno received episcopal ordination in Magdeburg with the determination to exert all his strength and act as a good shepherd even if it meant laying down his life.

Despite years of suppression and denationalization by German rulers, the Meissen diocese was still mostly Slavic, and Slavs also lived in the neighborhood. Many of these Slavs had previously been forced to accept Christianity, but over time, they returned to idolatry. At the time of Benn’s accession to the bishopric, the Elbe Slavs in Lončina murdered the Christian king Gotsalk for submitting to a ruler who belonged to the enemy. And so the rebellion of the Slavs from the Elbe to the Baltic against German rule grew. It was a national-pagan act. Temples and monasteries were demolished, Christians were expelled, clergy were stoned, and Bishop Jan of Raróż was murdered in honor of the pagan god Radegast. This happened in the neighboring diocese. The Slavs had already had bad experiences: soon, the German priest was followed by his sovereign’s army. The imperial men assumed the right to rule, imposed taxes and other burdens, so that distrust of the heralds of Christianity was rooted in the pagan Slavs.

Benno came to this poorly prepared soil as a bishop to sow the word of God. He first won over his Slavic charges with kindness and gentleness. He then tried to convert them to Christianity through kind instruction. He thoroughly learned the Slavic language and armed himself with patience. He supported the poor and built churches among the Slavs. Their initial distrust weakened when they saw that he behaved completely differently from what they were used to from the Germans. He leaned towards them like a father, showed his sincere love, and had a blessed effect.

In 1075, war broke out between King Henry IV and the Saxon nobles. The Slavs rose against the king to free themselves from oppression. Benno remained on the sidelines, did not interfere in politics or in the fighting. The arrogant Henry IV resented him for not helping him, attacked Meissen, captured him, imprisoned him, took everything from him, and plundered the entire bishopric. Benno’s greatest pain was that his flock was left without a shepherd, and the war severely damaged his work among the Slavs. He endured the other sufferings associated with imprisonment patiently and with surrender to the will of God. After a year, he gained his freedom and set about restoring what had been damaged by the war.

Henry, possessed by pride, summoned the German bishops to Worms to depose the Pope. Benno disobeyed him and instead traveled to Rome. This made it clear whose side he was on. Gregory VII welcomed his faithful bishop and wished to keep him with him. Benno was able to return to his bishopric only after Henry IV was forced to submit to the Pope.

His return is the subject of a story for which he has a key and a fish among his attributes. Before leaving for Rome, he gave the canons the key to the main church, ordering them to guard it against the emperor’s followers. They were to throw the key into the Elbe as soon as Henry’s curse occurred. They supposedly did so. According to legend, the key was then found in a large fish being cooked at an inn where Benno stopped on his way back with the relics of the saints.

After his return, he only cared about the spiritual well-being of the people entrusted to him. In his zealous activity, he did not neglect the spiritual connection with the Lord, deepened by prayer. People came to him in large numbers with their idols, which they broke, and received the sacraments from him. A legendary story mentions the Svatodoł valley, somewhere near Meissen, in which Bishop Benno preached and baptized. Once, during a very hot day, many people gathered around him; there was no water, and some in the crowd fainted. The bishop is said to have helped by driving a shepherd’s staff into the ground, and when he pulled it out, a spring of water gushed out behind it.

He administered his diocese for forty years, and at the age of 96, after preparing for death, he said goodbye to the canons and gave up his soul to the Lord.

Vitus, born in Lucania

June 15, non-binding commemoration
Position: martyr
Death: century unknown
Patron: youth, winemakers, innkeepers, pharmacists, blacksmiths, actors, brewers, miners, the mute and deaf; Czech, Saxon, Sicilian, and other places; invoked to protect chastity and to eliminate infertility; against eye and ear diseases; an aid against rabies, epilepsy,
Attributes: child or young man, raven with bread, book, rooster, cauldron or bowl, lion, palm tree
CURRICULUM VITAE

He came from Sicily, and during the persecution of Diocletian, at a very young age, he and his two tutors fled to the coast of southern Italy, near Lucania. They were caught, and in Lucania, Vitus was martyred. We can venerate his remains in the Prague Cathedral.
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“I WILL NOT SEPARATE FROM JESUS’ LOVE!”
A decision worthy of respect or childish stubbornness? In any case, this is a commendable principle, even if it applies to little Vitus. Today, a child is once again set as a model for us, and on this occasion, we can also recall Christ’s words: “Unless you become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3).

Vitus was probably born at the end of the 3rd century in Sicily. His birthplace is Masara, and his father is said to be the wealthy Hylas (or Ilasius), a Roman citizen and pagan nobleman. His educators are said to be the Christian nurse, Crescentia, and her husband, Modest. The oldest surviving biography dates back to the 7th century and describes Vitus as a miraculous boy who could not be turned away from his faith by anyone. Neither his pagan father, nor the judge Valerian, nor the emperor Diocletian, nor even mortal torment.

Vít received a good Christian upbringing; he had to meet a model of true Christian love to know that God loves him perfectly and that, if he does not give up, Jesus will not abandon him. With childlike simplicity, he fell in love with him and entrusted him, even though he realized he would have to suffer with Jesus.

We do not know exactly how old he was when he attained eternal glory, but from a human perspective, he did not reach adulthood. The average age is usually around 12 when the persecution began. The book A Year with the Saints states that he lived only seven years. No biography that could be considered reliable has survived, and contemporary biographies are influenced by legends that grew with interest in this young saint. It is enough to look at his extensive patronage to recall that, in the Middle Ages, veneration for him spread throughout Europe. Expressions of popular piety were widespread, and about 1,300 churches were dedicated to him. In Sicily and Sardinia, churches and monasteries dedicated to him were already in place by the 6th century. There is also a mention of the church of St. Vitus, dating to the 5th century, which Pope Gelasius I consecrated.

According to the legends about Vitus, his father did not know about his baptism and upbringing in the faith for some time. Until one day he realized that his son did not honor the gods as befits him, and therefore he talked to him about the matter and persuaded him to change the faith he had received from the Christians. Perhaps they were Modest and Crescentia, whom the boy did not immediately reveal. Some believe that it could have been the influence of Christians outside the home. The fact is that at that time, Diocletian’s edict against Christians was issued, and persecution began. Vitus was severely beaten for his faith, probably by the governor Valerian, for stubbornly professing faith in Jesus. He was returned to his father with a warning that he must change his attitude towards religion as soon as possible.

Vitus’s father saw that he had little influence over his son and was reportedly considering putting him on trial. Modest and Crescentia were not left alone either. According to some stories, Modest was called by an angel in a dream to flee the country with the boy. In any case, Vitus reached the southern Italian coast near Lucania and was too young to travel. According to legend, they hid there for some time and at the same time tried to offer faith to others. Vitus lived with the knowledge of the holy secret that Christ gave himself up to death by crucifixion so that we could have eternal salvation. Vitus and his companions received generous help from one of the inhabitants. However, for their courage, they were exposed, and Vitus, in an effort to evangelize, is said to have cured the monarch’s son of epilepsy or possession. However, the monarch tried to repay him primarily by trying to talk him out of the Christian faith.

Vitus’s virtue of vigilance is highlighted, as he never allowed himself to be tempted by anything or anyone to betray his love for Jesus. That is why his main attribute is a rooster. Among other virtues, humble simplicity is mentioned.

When asked why he was reluctant to sacrifice to immortal gods, his answer was something like: “I do not bow to stone or wood. Only to the true and living God!” He is also said to have said in response to a remark about destruction: “I do not throw myself into destruction, but I long for the congregation of the saints with God.” By persevering, he did not throw himself into destruction, but into the arms of God.

He initially emerged unscathed from the prepared tortures that they tried to put him through. He was bathed in a cauldron of boiling pitch or oil, and when he left the cauldron unharmed, an attempt was made to hand him over to a hungry lion. However, the lion did not harm him either. The deathbed was therefore designated as a gallows, where he was eventually beheaded. It is said that during his execution, pagan temples began to collapse due to an earthquake.

Vitus soon began to be invoked as a protector against many diseases and became a patron saint for several professions. In the 8th century, his remains were transferred to St. Dennis in France and from there to the monastery in Corvey. The arm of St. Vitus was donated by the German king Henry I to Prince Wenceslas, who built a church in Vitus’s honor at Prague Castle at the beginning of the 10th century. Emperor Charles IV then had a cathedral built there to celebrate Vitus. However, he was not satisfied with just Vitus’ arm; in 1355, he is said to have brought a significant part of his remaining remains to Prague. They are placed in the altar of St. Vitus in the gallery behind the main altar.

After yesterday’s Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of the Lord Jesus, today we remember the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We gather in our sanctuary to honor Her loving Heart and open our hearts before Her. We offer her everything: our joys and worries, our needs and sufferings. For: “Like children we flock to our Mother – in all our needs we yearn for grace…” Specifically, we desire to ask her for the gift of peace! Because so much depends on it. And there are so many different kinds of restlessness within us. This restlessness is born from different causes. We can ourselves be the cause of this restlessness through our wrong decisions and actions. Others can also be the cause of this restlessness. 

How much restlessness comes from others treating us badly? There is unrest in the heart of the husband/wife when true love is absent or lacking in the marital union. There is unrest in the hearts of children as a result of their parents’ mistreatment of them. How much unrest is there in the hearts of parents because of their children’s disobedience? How much unrest is in the hearts of women, mothers, children, and other household members, waiting for the return home of a husband, father, or son who often comes home drunk and makes mischief. How much unrest is in the heart when there is a lack of harmony and love in the home, in the neighborhood, at school, at work, in all communities and places where we meet others? We must remember that “love and harmony build up, but discord and discord destroy!” We need to go with our hearts, for the sake of our hearts, to the other person.

There is unrest in the hearts of children when they see in their parents that they do not care about higher values ​​and are excessively concerned with material things; when they see in their parents religious indifference. They are aware of the words of Christ: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Children – in many cases—would like more heart, love, and time from their parents. Remember, dear parents, that through your hearts God desires to love your children. And therefore let them not lack that love. Remember also, children, that this love on your part is replaced, because through your hearts God desires to love your parents; and He desires to replace their efforts and sacrifices for you.

How much restlessness is in the hearts of today’s parents, who desire to embrace their children with true parental love, who desire to provide their children with the necessary means for life and proper development. And they feel a deficiency in this area. They also fear the loss of work, through which they can provide for a living. How much restlessness is born in their minds and hearts when they think about their education and their future life? How much unrest there is in the hearts of farmers, artisans, miners, and others. And the causes of this unrest are various! There will be no unrest in our hearts when quarrels and strife disappear from among us. Harmony, kindness, mutual assistance – love will prevail.

We must ask ourselves! And each one of us! Do we remember all this? Because if we do not remember it, there will be no peace in our hearts, and by extension in the hearts of others. Every renewal begins with the renewal of man, the renewal of his mind and his heart – as the Church constantly reminds us.

If the heart of a good, earthly mother desires the good of all people, and knows how to show them how they can and should solve their needs and the needs of others, how much more will the Mother of God, who is the Mother of us all, help us to know how to meet our needs and the needs of our brothers and sisters?

And what does the Mother of God want to tell us and whom to show? What she said to the servants in Cana of Galilee: “Do whatever my Son tells you” (cf. Jn 2:5). And her Son, who has remained with us in his Church – in a spiritual and sacramental way – tells us: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (cf. 14:6). “He who follows me does not walk in darkness”. Let us therefore go on the path of our life, illuminated by the light of the Gospel of Christ. Let us strive to make our families: “Strong in God!” May peace reign in them! This peace will be in families if it is in each family member. If it reigns in the hearts of our parents, it will also dwell in the hearts of children. And with this peace in our hearts, let us go to others. Then, despite the various trials and difficulties that life brings, we will be able to maintain peace within ourselves; we will radiate it and give it to others.

We are living a Holy Year. A Jubilee Year. Let us align all the “paths” that lead us to God and to our neighbors. Let us remember the words of the song: “Tell people that I love them and that I always care for them. If they stray from my path, tell them that I am looking for them.” Let us revive devotion to the Mother of God! According to the song in which we are encouraged: “Since the morning, sing praises, soul, to Mary! Honor to her feasts, honor to her memorials”. Devotion of the First Saturdays – to the Immaculate Heart of the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Prayer and meditation on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary. Let us remember that Mary said, “The mysteries of the Holy Rosary will trample the enemy of our salvation. Then my heart will triumph. It will save all humanity. O Mary! Our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we flee! Amen.

 St. Gertrude, called the Great, once saw St. John the Apostle in a vision. She asked him why he had not revealed in his Gospel the mystery of the Heart of the Lord Jesus, since it rested on his chest. The saint is said to have replied that his task was to reveal the mystery of the Incarnate Word. And when love wanes, the Lord Jesus himself will reveal the mystery of his most sacred heart to set the whole world on fire with divine love. This happened 400 years later, when the Lord Jesus said to St. Margaret Alacoque, “My Divine Heart is so filled with love for people, and for you in particular, that it can no longer hold within itself these flames of ardent love but must manifest them through you, reveal them to people, and enrich them with the precious wealth that it conceals within itself…” This Divine Heart of Jesus is capable of giving love to all people in the whole world. He forgives all who have offended, insulted, and dishonored him. To people who are afflicted by any sorrow, misery, and sin, he calls, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you strength…” (Mt 11:28). He offers his Divine love to all tired, abandoned, and desperate hearts. Therefore, we cry out to him with the Church: “Heart of Jesus, invincible power, have mercy and save those who glorify you.” In the 1930s, America waged a fight against alcoholism and its excessive spread. This fight was failing badly because the mafia that benefited from it had corrupt allies, even among the police. They blocked the effectiveness of the interventions and often even covered up the people they found. At that time, honest police officers came together and decided to enforce the law, rather than succumb to bribery or threats. Many of them paid with their lives, but they did not give in. To this day, their memory has a beautiful name: the incorruptible. The Divine Savior, in His goodness, offered a magnificent promise and blessing for all classes. The “Twelve Promises of the Heart of Jesus” is a gift of the Heart of Christ, expressing Jesus’ undoubted will to pour out the immense wealth of His heart on all who worship Him. St. Gertrude, whom the Savior chose as the confidant of His Divine Heart, did not live long on this earth, but she did so much that she deserved heaven. She excelled above all in fulfilling the duties of her profession. She was fueled by love for God, which she knew how to transfer to love for all. Let us not be afraid to approach this source either. If we look with trust to the Divine Heart of Jesus, we too will be not only incorruptible but also invincible. St. Paul was already aware of this truth when he wrote, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). 

Wilhelm Busch (in his book Jesus Our Destiny) cites a letter from a young Christian soldier who fell in Russia during World War II. The letter reads something like this: It is terrible all around us! When the Russians fire Katyushas, ​​panic comes over us all. And the cold! And the snow! Terrible! But I am not afraid at all. Even if I should fall, it will be wonderful: then I will be one in glory. There the fighting ends – I will see my Lord face to face, and his glory will surround me. I have nothing against falling here. St. Gertrude of Helfa, called the Great, a virgin, was born in Eisleben, Thuringia, in 1256. As a little girl, she was accepted into the Cistercian monastery in Helfa. A deep Eucharistic piety distinguished her.

In her writings, we find obvious roots of reverence for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She died on November 17, 1301.  He fell shortly afterward. He was not afraid of death either, because he knew Jesus, who provides the sure hope of eternal life! The psalmist was already aware of this when he wrote, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even if the earth shakes and the mountains fall into the depths of the sea. (Ps 45:2-3). Therefore, we too, aware that our God is “our refuge” (Ps 46:8; 12), our “protection” (Ps 58:10) and our “protector” (Ps 58:18), can confidently cry out with the Church: “O mighty Lord, be always with us, for we have no other helper in tribulation besides you. O mighty Lord, remain with us!” (Eucharistic Devotion II).

Position: apostle
Death: around AD 61
Patron: weavers, coopers, of Milan and Florence; protector against disputes, falling stones, hail, and sadness
Attributes: stoning, olive branch, sometimes a book

BIOGRAPHY

He arrived in Jerusalem to study the Old Testament. There, he also came to know the law of Jesus Christ and joined his disciples. He sold his property and gave the money to the apostles to distribute to poor believers. He was full of the Holy Spirit and faith. He took Paul in after his conversion and introduced him to the apostles. He preached the Gospel in Antioch, from which he accompanied Paul on his first apostolic journey and, with him, founded Christian communities. He took part in the Council of Jerusalem around AD 50 and spoke there immediately after Peter. He then left with Mark for his native island of Cyprus, where, according to oral tradition, he was stoned by the Jews in AD 60–62 and then perhaps burned.

BIOGRAPHY FOR MEDITATION

WE MUST GO THROUGH MANY TRIALS BEFORE ENTERING THE KINGDOM OF GOD (Acts 14:22).

He came from a Jewish Levitical family on the island of Cyprus, and because he worked closely with the apostles and his activity was very significant in the early church, he is given the title of apostle. His original name was Joseph, and the name Barnabas, meaning “Son of Encouragement,” was given to him by the apostles because of his character and his influence on those around him. He likely came to Jerusalem for education. According to some, he was among the 72 disciples mentioned in the Gospel, but this is nowhere documented and is regarded only as a conjecture. Besides the gift of encouragement, he is said to have had the charisma of clairvoyance.

We read about him more often in the Acts of the Apostles, which introduces him as early as chapter 4. It also says there that “he had a field, sold it, brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:37). We can say that he then became one of the greatest missionaries. Acts further says of him: “He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and a great many people were brought to the Lord” (Acts 11:24). His first place of ministry is Antioch, where believers who had fled from Jerusalem began spreading the faith, and the representatives of the Jerusalem church sent Barnabas there with confidence to that Syrian metropolis. He went to Tarsus to fetch the converted Saul, for whom he had earlier interceded with the apostles, and brought him with him. In Antioch, they proclaimed the good news and taught a great many people for a whole year, as written in Acts.

From Jerusalem, prophets came to Antioch, including Agabus, who, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, foretold a worldwide famine. Because of this, the believers in Antioch sent a collection through their two missionaries to the church leaders in Jerusalem. After completing their task, they returned with John, who called Mark. They apparently did not stay long in Antioch because Acts chapter 13 says that the Holy Spirit sent them on further missionary work to Seleucia and, from there, to Cyprus. They proclaimed the Word of God in Salamis, then traveled across the island to Paphos, where they had a conflict with a sorcerer. After defeating him, Paul took the lead, and even in Scripture, Paul’s name is thereafter placed before Barnabas’s. Perhaps in this context Barnabas’s virtue of humility is emphasized. The change in precedence bothered only Mark, who returned from Pamphylia, while the other two continued together through the Taurus Mountains to Pisidia and Iconium. It was difficult to preach the Gospel, with successes, opposition, and persecution.

In the Lycaonian city of Lystra, they also experienced a curious event: after healing a disabled person, the inhabitants began to regard Barnabas, the older and more majestic one, as the god Zeus, and Paul, the chief speaker, as Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Both had to resist this strongly, for the priest of Zeus’s temple brought them to the gate, garlanded with bulls, and wanted to offer sacrifice to the apostles together with the people. The two tore their clothes and cried out: “We too are only mortal men like you. We are bringing you good news, so that you may turn from these worthless things to the living God …” (Acts 14:15). Then the Jews arrived, having already persecuted the apostles in the previous cities, and persuaded the local people to stone Paul. After reaching Derbe, they returned from the first missionary journey through Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch. Everywhere they encouraged the disciples and said to them: “We must go through many trials before entering the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). The appointment of elders was apparently in practice the ordination of priests, or possibly bishops, who led the Christian communities after the apostles left.

They returned to Antioch around AD 48. There, the peace was disturbed by people converted from Judaism, who wanted believers to submit also to circumcision. Barnabas and Paul opposed these demands, but that was not enough. Messengers were sent with them to the apostles in Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, after their arrival, the apostolic council assembled and finally decided that those converted from paganism need not be forced to observe the Mosaic law with circumcision. The council’s decision was then accepted in Antioch, and the community continued to flourish.

Paul decided to undertake a second apostolic journey through the churches of Asia Minor. He invited Barnabas again, but Barnabas wanted to go only with his cousin Mark, whom Paul rejected. They did not agree, and Barnabas left with Mark for Cyprus, while Silas went with Paul in AD 50. The apostles’ disagreement was not permanent, but it teaches us how personal reasons can disrupt even the relationship of people of character with the highest ideals.

In the prison epistles, Paul mentions Barnabas positively (cf. Col 4:10–11; Phlm 24) as his helper (2 Tim 4:11). From the mention in the First Letter to the Corinthians: “Or is it only I and Barnabas who are obliged to earn our living?” (1 Cor 9:6), it follows that before AD 57, they were again working together. Barnabas was known to the Corinthian communities.

Many details about Barnabas’s fate are missing. Historians, however, consider it certain that he preached the Gospel not only in Cyprus but also in Greece. Some later biographies also name Italy as a place of his ministry, which historians strongly doubt. Barnabas likely died a martyr’s death, according to an old tradition, by stoning and burning in Salamis near Famagusta on Cyprus, where his tomb is also located.

His relics were divided several times. They are said to be in some cities in Italy, as well as Cologne and Andechs in Germany, Prague, Toulouse, and Namur.