predication.net

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.
CV FOR MEDITATION

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.
CV FOR MEDITATION

“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.

In ancient times, under the old regime, the only real law was the king’s will. He possessed all the power, and therefore it was said: if the king wants it, the law wants it. The current uncrowned “kings”—the powerful, the rich, the solvent— take it much more personally. They have well-paid lawyers and judges who always help them beat the system. In addition, these “self-crowned” brazenly laugh in the face of anyone normal. Normal is someone who respects rules, regulations, and laws. The current situation is even more chaotic.

Honoré de Balzac put it aptly: Laws are like spider webs; big flies fly through, but small ones get caught. This approach is what makes current legislation live at a high level. Those who should protect man and his uniqueness also do very well. The law is supposed to be the same for everyone, but in reality, its application remains highly arbitrary, especially in many democratic countries today. It is comforting to know that in Christ’s kingdom, things will be different. 

Jesus explains the relationship between God’s moral principles, the Mosaic Law, and the traditions. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. The Law and the Prophets” is a term that refers to all the teachings contained in the Old Testament. Jesus confirms the authority of Scripture and at the same time explains how to interpret and apply it now that he has come to offer the Jews the restoration of the Davidic kingdom on earth. One fairly widespread idea is that Jesus’ commandments differed from those of Moses. On the contrary, Jesus categorically affirmed his submission to all the Scriptures that existed in his time, the Old Testament. 

A contemporary exegete wrote, “Why then do we say that he came to fulfill the law? Look: the fruit does not destroy the flower. Spring awakens all nature to life. Soon, everything will be green. Seedlings will grow in the gardens, and trees will turn green. I will only mention strawberries and cherries. We do not have them in the garden only because of the beautiful flowers. We are waiting for delicious, sweet strawberries and cherries.

These delicious delicacies do not destroy the flower, but they fulfill it. It all depends on what we mean by the term “fulfillment.” It is clear that if we mean only a literal adaptation to the law, then Jesus did not come to fulfill it. However, if we mean fulfillment as bringing something to perfection, then the Messiah came to fulfill the law of Moses. And the term “fulfillment” is precisely intended to refute the misconceptions of those who might mistake this fulfillment for abrogation, denial, or betrayal. It can be paraphrased as if Jesus said, “The fruit does not destroy the flower but fills it, completes it”. Similarly, we are led to understand that the Good News of Jesus Christ does not abolish Judaism but fulfills it, perfects it, and leads to its full realization.

Therefore, according to Jesus, fulfilling the Law that commands “you shall not kill” is insufficient. We must also eliminate aggression, contempt for others, insults, and revenge from our lives. Certainly, those who do not kill fulfill the Law, but if they remain violent, God, who desires to build a more human life with us, does not yet reign in their hearts. According to some observers, a new language is spreading in today’s society that reflects increased aggression. Insulting insults, uttered with the sole aim of humiliating, belittling, or hurting, are increasingly common. These words stem from rejection, resentment, hatred, or the desire for revenge.

On the other hand, conversations are often full of unfair words that express condemnation and sow suspicion. Words spoken without love and respect poison coexistence and cause harm. Words that almost always stem from irritation, pettiness, or baseness. Such behavior is not just a social phenomenon. It is also a serious problem within the Church. Pope Francis was alarmed to see divisions, conflicts, and confrontations of “Christians at war with other Christians.” This state of affairs is so contrary to the Gospel that he felt compelled to issue an urgent appeal: “No to war among us”! In this Lenten season, let us ask for the grace to listen and do what Jesus tells us!

St. Ephrem the Syrian
Ephrem the Syrian, deacon and doctor of the Church

June 9, non-binding commemoration
Position: deacon and doctor of the church
Death: 378
Attributes: deacon, book, pillar
CURRICULUM VITAE

He came from Nisibis in Mesopotamia, where he became a deacon and a renowned teacher. From about 363, he continued his vocation in Edessa, where he founded a theological school.
Through prayer, self-denial, reading the Holy Scriptures, and spiritual education, he reached Christian perfection. He showed sinners the path of truth, as a preacher, he defended the faith against heretics, and showed them deeds of love. He was gentle, kind, and a worshipper of the Virgin Mary. He left behind many writings and hymns, all written in Syriac.

CV FOR MEDITATION

TOOL OF GOD
He was born around 306 in Nisibis, now called Nusabin, in Turkey, between the upper reaches of the Euphrates and Tigris. His mother is said to have been a Christian, while his father was an active pagan. Reports of Ephrem’s youth vary and are unreliable, from a good upbringing by his mother through a sinful youth to his expulsion by his father after he became a Christian. Some mention his capricious youth and his innocent imprisonment. He is said to have renewed his spiritual life and strengthened his faith after learning about God’s providence, which he had doubted. His religious upbringing and education are probably due to the prayers of his mother and the Bishop of Nisibis, James, whom Ephrem later remembered with great respect. According to some accounts, he worked in Edessa from the age of 18 and then returned to his hometown to help people in need.

He was interested in Greek philosophy and focused mainly on theology. He wanted to impart theological training to ordinary people and lead them to piety. He is said to have also prepared for his work by leading a hermit’s life and meditating on the texts of Holy Scripture.

He became a deacon to preach the gospel better, and, out of humility, he remained one throughout his life. He wanted to be only an instrument. In 325, he was with his bishop at the Council of Nicaea. In Nisibis, he then became the administrator of a school. As a deacon, he taught, preached, wrote extensively, and was involved in charity. During the time of doctrinal disputes, he zealously defended the true faith. His exceptional learning led the believers and local clergy to want to make him a bishop. At that time, he is said to have begun feigning madness to avoid the rank skillfully.

When Nisibis fell under Persian rule in 363, or shortly thereafter, Ephrem and part of the population fled westward to Edessa (present-day Urfa in southeastern Turkey). This was a city with a larger church community, and Ephrem founded a theological school there, taught, continued his diaconal ministry, and lived in asceticism. He devoted much of the night to prayer and the day to zealous apostolate.

The most frequent topics of his sermons were said to be the last things of man. He also excelled as a writer. He wrote commentaries on the Holy Scriptures and on doctrinal and moral writings and composed church poems and songs. He honored and sang the praises of the Virgin Mary, through whom he hoped to reach the kingdom of heaven. He called her the Reconciliator between heaven and earth, and he himself was called the “harp of the Holy Spirit” or the “harp of God” for the hymns he wrote. Ephrem excelled as an instrument of God in his other writings and throughout his life as a deacon. He also showed us an example of fervent love and respect for the Mother of God, the Church, and all people.

During the severe famine of 372, Ephrem, as a deacon, organized aid to the affected population and treated the plague patients. His life and work overflowed with love for Christ and Mary. He died at about 67, according to the new martyrology, in 378, as Baronius also writes, and there is a reference to the same year that Valencius also died.

The year 378 mentioned in the Martyrology already appears in the Calendarium Romanum (from 1969) – see pp. 94 and 126. This is not an error, but only an uncertainty in determining the year due to a discrepancy between the breviary and other sources. The year 373 mentioned there is based on the so-called Edessa Chronicle, which has become authoritative for most believers. Other working groups prepared the post-conciliar revision of the breviary texts. In conclusion, it can be stated that there is no complete certainty whether Ephrem died in 378 or 373.

St. Ephrem was included in the Roman Missal by Benedict XV, who honored him with the title of Doctor of the Church on October 5, 1920.

The Beatitudes are the navigators of Christian life … Following and living the Beatitudes, which, like a “navigator,” show the right path in life. Christians have a clear signpost on the path of faith, so they do not get lost. Ignoring the direction indicated by the Beatitudes can mean stumbling on three steps, which are the idols of egoism, the idolatry of money, and the idolatry of vanity, that is, the satiety of a heart that enjoys its satisfaction while ignoring others. This is the new law, what we call the ‘Beatles.’ It is the new law of the Lord for us. They are a guide, a guide on the path; they are the navigators of the Christian life. It is here that we see, on this path, according to this navigator’s indicators, how we can move forward in our Christian life. In the text of the Beatitudes according to St. Luke (Luke 6:17-26), Jesus exclaims “woe” four times: woe to the rich, woe to those who are full, woe to those who laugh, and woe to those whom all men praise. Riches are beneficial. What causes evil is attachment to riches, which becomes a kind of idolatry. This is the anti-law; it is a mistaken navigator. Interestingly, these three steps lead to destruction, just as the Beatitudes lead forward in life. And these three steps that lead to destruction are attached to riches so that I lack nothing; vanity, to be praised by all: everyone speaks well of me, I feel important, too much incense… and I think of myself as righteous—not like this one or that one… Let us think of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector: ‘I thank you that I am not like this one…’. ‘But I thank you, Lord, that I am a good Catholic, not like my neighbor, my neighbor…’. It happens every day… The second was vanity, and the third is pride, which is satiety, that laughter that closes the heart. Among all the Beatitudes, there is one that may not be key but which can help us to reflect on the Christian life: “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Jesus says of himself, ‘Learn from me, for I am meek in heart,’ because I am meek and humble in heart. Silence is a way of life that brings us so much closer to Jesus. On the other hand, the opposite attitude always causes hostility and war, and so many terrible things happen. But silence, the silence of the heart, which is wisdom, is something else. It is a depth of understanding of God’s greatness and adoration.