Bede the Venerable: Let Us Seek His Face Always Friday, May 25 2012

When Elijah was raised up to the heavens, he let the cloak with which he had been clothed fall to Elisha.

When our Lord ascended into heaven, he left the mysteries of the humanity he had assumed to his disciples, to the entire Church in fact, so that it could be sanctified by them, and warmed by the power of his love.

Elisha took up Elijah’s cloak and struck the waters of the river Jordan with it; and when he called upon the God of Elijah, the waters were divided and he crossed over.

The apostles and the entire Church took up the sacraments of their Redeemer that had been instituted through the apostles, so that, spiritually guided by them, and cleansed and consecrated by them, they too learned to overcome death’s assault by calling upon the name of God the Father, and to cross over to undying life, spurning the obstacle of death.

Let us the, with all devotion, dearly beloved brothers, venerate this glory of the Lord’s ascension, which was first expressed by the words and deeds of the prophets, and was afterward brought to fulfilment in our Mediator himself.

And that we ourselves may become worthy of following in his footsteps and ascending to heaven, let us in the meantime become humble on earth for our own good, always mindful that, as Solomon says, Humiliation follows the proud, and honor follows the humble in spirit (Prov. 29:23).

Behold we have learned in our Redeemer’s ascension whither all our effort should be directed; behold we have recognized that the entry to the heavenly fatherland has been opened up to human beings by the ascension into heaven of the Mediator between god and human beings.

Let us hurry, with all eagerness, to the perpetual bliss of this fatherland; since we are not yet able to be there in our bodies, let us at least always dwell there by the desire of our minds.

In accord with the words of the great preacher, let us seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God; let us savor the things that are above and not those that are upon the earth (Col. 3:1-2).

Let us seek him and be strengthened; let us seek him by works of charity, and be strengthened by the hope of finding him.

Let us seek his face always, so that when he who ascended peacefully returns terrifying, he may find us prepared, and take us with him into the feasts of the city on high.

The Venerable Bede (672/4-735): Homilies on the Gospels, 2:8 (Easter), Homilies on the Gospels, Book Two, Lent to the Dedication of the Church, trans. Lawrence T. Martin and David Hurst OSB (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1991).

 

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John Cassian: With All Our Exertions and Zeal We Can Never Arrive at Perfection Wednesday, Feb 29 2012

It is well for us to be sure that although we practise every virtue with unceasing efforts, yet with all our exertions and zeal we can never arrive at perfection.

Neither is mere human diligence and toil of itself sufficient to deserve to reach the splendid reward of bliss, unless we have secured it by means of the co-operation of the Lord, and His directing our heart to what is right.

And so we ought every moment to pray and say with David “Order my steps in thy paths that my footsteps slip not:” and “He has set my feet upon a rock and ordered my goings.”

We should pray that He Who is the unseen ruler of the human heart may vouchsafe to turn to the desire of virtue that will of ours, which is more readily inclined to vice either through want of knowledge of what is good, or through the delights of passion.

We read this in a verse in which the prophet sings very plainly: “Being pushed I was overturned that I might fall,” where the weakness of our free will is shown.

Yet he also sings “the Lord sustained me,” showing that the Lord’s help is always joined to our free will, and by this, that we may not be altogether destroyed by our free will.

When God sees that we have stumbled, He sustains and supports us, as it were by stretching out His hand.

[...] And again: “According to the multitude of the sorrows which I had in my heart,” which sprang most certainly from my free will, “Thy comforts have refreshed my soul.”

It is as if David were saying “Coming through Thy inspiration into my heart, and laying open the view of future blessings which Thou hast prepared for them who labour in Thy name, they not only removed all anxiety from my heart, but actually conferred upon it the greatest delight.”

And again David writes: “Had it not been that the Lord helped me, my soul had almost dwelt in hell.”

He certainly shows that through the depravity of this free will he would have dwelt in hell, had he not been saved by the assistance and protection of the Lord.

For “By the Lord,” and not by free-will, “are a man’s steps directed,” and “although the righteous fall” at least by free will, “he shall not be cast away.”

[...] None of the righteous are sufficient of themselves to acquire righteousness, unless every moment when they stumble and fall the Divine mercy supports them with His hands, that they may not utterly collapse and perish, when they have been cast down through the weakness of free will.

John Cassian (c. 360-435): Conferences 13,12.

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Fulgentius of Ruspe: Through Christ We Offer Our Sacrifice of Praise to God Thursday, Jan 19 2012

Through the mystery of the Incarnation, Jesus Christ became man, the mediator of God and man.

He is a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.

By shedding his own blood he entered once and for all into the Holy Places.

He did not enter a place made by human hands, a mere type of the true one.

Rather, he entered heaven itself, where he is at God’s right hand interceding for us.

Quite correctly, the Church continues to reflect this mystery in her prayer.

This mystery of Jesus Christ the high priest is reflected in the apostle Paul’s statement:

Through him, then, let us always offer the sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of lips that profess belief in his name.

We were once enemies of the Father, but have been reconciled through the death of Christ.

Through him then we offer our sacrifice of praise, our prayer to God.

He became our offering to the Father, and through him our offering is now acceptable.

It is for this reason that Peter the apostle urges us to be built up as living stones into a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

This then is the reason why we offer prayer to God our Father, but through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When we speak of Christ’s priesthood, what else do we mean than the incarnation?

Through this mystery, the Son of God, though himself ever remaining God, became a priest. To him along with the Father, we offer our sacrifice.

Yet, through him the sacrifice we now offer is holy, living and pleasing to God.

Indeed, if Christ had not sacrificed himself for us, we could not offer any sacrifice.

For it is in him that our human nature becomes a redemptive offering.

When we offer our prayers through him, our priest, we confess that Christ truly possesses the flesh of our race.

Clearly the Apostle refers to this when he says: Every high priest is taken from among men.

He is appointed to act on behalf of these same men in their relationship to God; he is to offer gifts and sacrifices to God.

We do not, however, only say “your Son” when we conclude our prayer.

We also say, “who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit”.

In this way we commemorate the natural unity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

It is clear, then, that the Christ who exercises a priestly role on our behalf is the same Christ who enjoys a natural unity and equality with the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Fulgentius of Ruspe (462/467—527/533): Epist. 14, 36-37 (CCL 92, 429-431) from the Office of Readings for Thursday in the 2^nd week of Ordinary Time @ Crossroads Initiative.

 

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Rabanus Maurus: No One Learns Anything through Speech unless the Mind is Anointed with the Spirit Monday, Nov 7 2011

(On Jeremiah 36)

In the Gospel he who is Truth himself says to his disciples:

When you stand before kings and princes, do not think how you are to speak, or what you are to say; what you are to say will be given you at the time, for it is not you who will be speaking but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

We must realise that the grace of the Holy Spirit is necessary not only for those who teach but also for those who are taught.

Unless the Spirit is present in the heart of the listener, the teacher is wasting his breath.

Unless there is a teacher within us, the teacher without works in a vacuum.

In Church we all hear the same voice speaking, but all do not understand it in the same way.

Since there is no difference in what is said, why is there a difference in our understanding of it, unless there is an interior teacher giving certain people special instruction through their understanding of words of admonition addressed to all?

Concerning this grace of the Holy Spirit, John says: His anointing will teach you everything.

No one learns anything through speech, therefore, unless the mind is anointed with the Spirit.

Because King Jehoiachim and his servants were not inwardly illumined by the grace of the Holy Spirit who inspired the Prophet, their bodily ears could hear the words of God, but the ears of the heart were deaf to them.

It is this interior listening which our Lord demands in the Gospel when he says: Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.

One has to marvel at the blindness of the human mind and the wickedness of the hardened heart.

Those whom salutary admonitions should have filled with compunction and sorrow for their sins were at pains to burn the scroll containing the words of the Lord.

They also took every opportunity to insult the Prophet whom they ought to have honoured for his inspired teaching and admonitions.

And why did they do this? Was it not because there was in them the sort of wicked spirit that always resists grace?

Yet human pride is impotent when it sets itself to resist divine sovereignty.

An earthly King gave orders for the Prophet and his scribe to be arrested and sent to prison;

the King of heaven shielded his blameless saints from human malice so that they came to no harm.

Rabanus Maurus (c.780-856): Commentary on Jeremiah, 13 (PL 111:1073-75); from the Monastic Office of Vigils, Tuesday of Week 30 in Ordinary Time, Year 1

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John Cassian: True Patience and Tranquillity is neither Gained nor Retained without Profound Humility of Heart Monday, Oct 10 2011

True patience and tranquillity is neither gained nor retained without profound humility of heart.

And if it has sprung from this source, there will be no need either of the good offices of the cell or of the refuge of the desert.

For it will seek no external support from anything, if it has the internal support of the virtue of humility, its mother and its guardian.

But if we are disturbed when attacked by anyone it is clear that the foundations of humility have not been securely laid in us.

Therefore at the outbreak even of a small storm, our whole edifice is shaken and ruinously disturbed.

For patience would not be worthy of praise and admiration if it only preserved its purposed tranquillity when attacked by no darts of enemies, but it is grand and glorious because when the storms of temptation beat upon it, it remains unmoved.

[...] Everybody knows that patience gets its name from the passions and endurance, and so it is clear that no one can be called patient but one who bears without annoyance all the indignities offered to him.

[...] When then anyone is overcome by a wrong, and blazes up in a fire of anger, we should not hold that the bitterness of the insult offered to him is the cause of his sin.

Rather, it is the manifestation of secret weakness, in accordance with the parable of our Lord and Saviour which He spoke about the two houses (Matt. 7:24, 59).

One of these was founded upon a rock, and the other upon the sand, on both of which He says that the tempest of rain and waters and storm beat equally.

But that one which was founded on the solid rock felt no harm at all from the violence of the shock, while that which was built on the shifting and moving sand at once collapsed.

And it certainly appears that it fell, not because it was struck by the rush of the storms and torrents, but because it was imprudently built upon the sand.

For a saint does not differ from a sinner in this, that he is not himself tempted in the same way, but because he is not worsted even by a great assault, while the other is overcome even by a slight temptation.

[...] For “Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for when he has been proved he shall receive the crown of life which God hath promised to them that love Him” (James 1:12).

John Cassian (c. 360-435): Conferences 18,13.

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John Cassian: “The Kingdom of God is Within You” Sunday, Jul 31 2011

To cling to God continually, and as you say inseparably to hold fast to meditation on Him, is impossible for a man while still in this weak flesh of ours.

But we ought to be aware on what we should have the purpose of our mind fixed, and to what goal we should ever recall the gaze of our soul.

And when the mind can secure this it may rejoice, and grieve and sigh when it is withdrawn from this, as often as it discovers itself to have fallen away from gazing on Him, it should admit that it has lapsed from the highest good….

And when our gaze has wandered ever so little from Him, let us turn the eyes of the soul back to Him, and recall our mental gaze as in a perfectly straight direction.

For everything depends on the inward frame of mind, and when the devil has been expelled from this, and sins no longer reign in it, it follows that the kingdom of God is founded in us.

Thus the Evangelist says “The kingdom of God cometh not with observation, nor shall men say Lo here, or lo there: for verily I say unto you that the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21).

But nothing else can be “within you,” but knowledge or ignorance of truth, and delight either in vice or in virtue, through which we prepare a kingdom for the devil or for Christ in our heart.

And of this kingdom the Apostle describes the character, when he says “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom.14:17).

And so if the kingdom of God is within us, and the actual kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy, then the man who abides in these is most certainly in the kingdom of God.

[...] And in truth if lifting up our mental gaze on high we would consider that state in which the heavenly powers live on high, who are truly in the kingdom of God, what should we imagine it to be except perpetual and lasting joy?

For what is so specially peculiar and appropriate to true blessedness as constant calm and eternal joy?

[...]  “Behold,” says He, “I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former things shall not be remembered nor come into mind. But ye shall be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create” (Is. 65:17-18).

And again “joy and gladness shall be found therein: thanksgiving and the voice of praise, and there shall be month after month, and Sabbath after Sabbath” (Is. 51:3; 66:23).

And again: “they shall obtain joy and gladness; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Is. 35:10).

John Cassian (c. 360-435): Conferences 1,13.

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Benedict of Nursia: In His Loving Kindness He Showeth unto Us the Way of Life Monday, Jul 11 2011

Hearken, my son, to the precepts of thy Master, and incline the ear of thy heart willingly to hear, and effectually to accomplish, the admonition of thy living Father, that by the labour of obedience thou mayest return to Him, from Whom thou didst depart by the sloth of disobedience.

To thee therefore is my speech now directed, who, renouncing thy own will, dost take upon thee the strong and bright armour of obedience, to fight under the Lord Christ our true King.

First of all whatever good work thou dost begin, beg of Him with most earnest prayer to perfect; that He Who hath now vouchsafed to reckon us in the number of His children, may not be saddened by our evil deeds.

For we must at all times so serve Him with the goods He hath bestowed upon us, that He may not either as an angry Father disinherit us His children, or as a dread Lord, exasperated by our offences, deliver us up to perpetual punishment as wicked servants, who would not follow Him to glory.

Let us therefore arise, the Scripture stirring us up and saying, “It is now the hour for us to rise from sleep” (Rom. 13:1), and our eyes being opened to the deifying light, let us with wondering ears attend to the admonition with the Divine Voice daily addresseth to us, saying:

“Today if you shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps. 94:8).

And again: “He that hath ears, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches” (Apoc. 2:7).

And what saith He? “Come, ye children, and hearken unto Me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Ps. 33:12). “Run while ye have the light of life, that the darkness of death overtake ye not” (Jn. 12:25).

And our Lord seeking His labourer among the multitude to whom He here speaketh, saith again: “Who is the man that will have life, and desireth to see good days?” (Ps. 33:13).

If thou, hearing this, dost answer: “I am he”: God saith unto thee: “If thou wilt have true and everlasting life, refrain thy tongue from evil, and thy lips, that they speak no guile. Decline from evil, and do good; seek after peace and pursue it” (Ps. 33:14-15).

And when you have done this: My eyes shall be upon you, and My ears shall be open to your prayers. And before you can call upon Me, I will say: “Behold I am present” (Isa. 65:24).

What, dearest brethren, can be sweeter, than this voice of the Lord, inviting us? Behold how in His loving kindness He showeth unto us the way of life!

St Benedict of Nursia (480-547): Rule of St Benedict (Prologue)

 

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Rabanus Maurus: Jesus Enlightens the Minds of All Believers with Heavenly Light Tuesday, Jun 21 2011

Let me summarise briefly everything that is said about Samson.

Samson, who in his day was a Nazirite of the Lord, is allegorically a type of Christ; first, because his birth was foretold by an angel;

secondly, because he was called a Nazirite and delivered Israel from its foes;

and, finally, because he overthrew their Temple, causing many thousands of people who had mocked him to perish.

As the birth of Samson was foretold by an angel, so the Lord’s bodily birth was foretold by the Prophets, as well as by the angel who said to Mary:

Hail, Mary, full of grace; you have conceived in your womb and will bear a son, and you shall call him ‘Emmanuel’, for he shall save his people from their sins.

The name ‘Samson’ means ‘sun’.

But our Redeemer too is called ‘sun’; listen to how the Prophet thus names the Lord Jesus: The sun of righteousness shall rise over you, and there will be healing in its wings.

The Lord Jesus is truly the Sun of Righteousness, for he enlightens the minds of all believers with heavenly light.

He is the true Nazirite and Holy one of God, and it is only by analogy with him that this other man was called a Nazirite.

When Samson was travelling to the wedding he encountered a roaring lion. As he travelled to a foreign people in quest of a wife, a lion came out to meet him and he killed it.

Who should we see foreshadowed by Samson if not Christ who, when about to gather the Church from among the Gentiles, said: Rejoice, for I have overcome the world.

What does it mean that Samson took honey from the mouth of ­the slain lion except that, as we ourselves see, the nations of the earthly kingdom who formerly raged against Christ have lost their ­savagery and, moved by the sweetness of the Gospel preaching make their votive offerings?

Also significant is what we see in ­Samson’s own person: he killed few in his lifetime, but countless ­were the enemies he slew when he died by destroying the Temple.

So too the Lord in his lifetime rescued few from the arrogance of unbelief, but he rescued many when the temple of his body was ­destroyed;

and those Gentiles who were arrogant and whom he bore with in his lifetime, he laid low by his death.

Rabanus Maurus (c.780-856): Commentary on Judges, 2.20 (PL 108:1198); from the Monastic Office of Vigils, Sunday of Week 12 in Ordinary Time, Year1.

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Bede the Venerable: She Burned with Spiritual Love for the Son She So Joyously Conceived Tuesday, May 31 2011

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.

With these words Mary first acknowledges the special gifts she has been given.

Then she recalls God’s universal favors, bestowed unceasingly on the human race.

When a man devotes all his thoughts to the praise and service of the Lord, he proclaims God’s greatness.

His observance of God’s commands, moreover, shows that he has God’s power and greatness always at heart.

His spirit rejoices in God his saviour and delights in the mere recollection of his creator who gives him hope for eternal salvation.

These words are often for all God’s creations, but especially for the Mother of God.

She alone was chosen, and she burned with spiritual love for the son she so joyously conceived.

Above all other saints, she alone could truly rejoice in Jesus, her Savior, for she knew that he who was the source of eternal salvation would be born in time in her body, in one person both her own son and her Lord.

For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

Mary attributes nothing to her own merits.

She refers all her greatness to the gift of the one whose essence is power and whose nature is greatness, for he fills with greatness and strength the small and the weak who believe in him.

She did well to add: and holy is his name, to warn those who heard, and indeed all who would receive his words, that they must believe and call upon his name.

For they too could share in everlasting holiness and true salvation according to the words of the prophet:

And it will come to pass, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

This is the name she spoke of earlier: and my spirit rejoices in God my savior.

Therefore it is an excellent and fruitful custom of holy Church that we should sing Mary’s hymn at the time of evening prayer.

By meditating upon the incarnation, our devotion is kindled, and by remembering the example of God’s Mother, we are encouraged to lead a life of virtue.

Such virtues are best achieved in the evening. We are weary after the day’s work and worn out by our distractions.

The time for rest is near, and our minds are ready for contemplation.

The Venerable Bede (672/4-735): Homilies (Lib 1,4:CCL 122, 25-26, 30), from the Office of Readings for the Feast of the Visitation (May 31st) @ Crossroads Initiative.

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Bede the Venerable: “Guard Your Heart with All Vigilance, for Life Comes Forth From It” Tuesday, May 24 2011

We ought to keep watch meticulously… so that we may render not only our words and works, but also the very secrets of our hearts, worthy of divine inspection.

[...] Let us be mindful of the Lord’s threat wherein he says I am coming to gather their works and their thoughts (Is. 22:18).

When the traces of chaotic vices have been driven out of our heart, let us prepare a dwelling wherein he, who is its ineluctable examiner and judge, may deign to abide.

We should be aware that there are three degrees of evil thoughts:

one, of those which contaminate the mind by the deliberate choice and purpose of sinning;

another, of those which confuse the mind by the delight of sin, yet do not allure it to consent to sin;

the third, of those which move across the mind in a natural way yet do not entice it to give in to vices, though they keep it from the good things it ought to reflect on.

This occurs, for example, when we brings back the phantasms of things which we know were once idly done or spoken.

A frequent recalling of these matters, like the troubling annoyance of flies, tends to swirl about the eyes of the heart; it does more to disturb its spiritual vision than to blind it.

Solomon convinces us to chastise all these kinds of evil thoughts when he says, Guard your heart with all vigilance, for life comes forth from it (Prov. 4:23).

Following his suggestion, let us act quickly, that if we transgress in any way in our thoughts by consenting to carry out something wicked, we may swiftly wipe away this transgression by confession and fruits worthy of repentance.

If we perceive that we are being tempted by delight in committing sin, let us drive away this noxious delight by our frequent prayers and tears.

[...] And, if we see that we are not capable of ridding ourselves of it on our own, let us seek the help of our brothers, that we may accomplish by their advice and intercession what we are unable to do by our own strength.

[...] Because we cannot totally avoid idle thoughts, we should put them to flight, as far as we can, by stirring up good thoughts, and especially be frequent meditation on the scriptures, according to the example of the psalmist who said Oh, how I have loved your law, O Lord; it is my meditation all the day (Ps. 118:97).

Let us ask for heavenly clemency, which is truly to ask in the name of the Saviour, that he may provide us with both purity of heart and the efficacy of good works.

The Venerable Bede (672/4-735): Homilies on the Gospels, 2:12 (Easter), “Homilies on the Gospels, Book Two, Lent to the Dedication of the Church”, trans. Lawrence T. Martin and David Hurst OSB (Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications, 1991).

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