God's Judgement: What Will It Be Like?

During Advent our thoughts should include the coming judgement of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we profess in the Creed, "...and He shall come again, with glory, to judge both the quick and the dead..."

First, some facts. God’s judgement is really two-fold. There is the Particular Judgement, and there is the General Judgement. Particular Judgement is that judgement which takes place immediately upon the death of an individual.  When we die, we are no longer the “pilgrims” that we are in this life – we will no longer be able to sin, nor will we be able to repent from sin. If there is the rare individual who dies in a state of perfect grace, with no further need of purification, and with no temporal punishment due to them because of their previous sins, that person will directly enter heaven with the other saints.  Those who die in the state of grace, but who still need some purification before the final destination of heaven will enter purgatory, where they will be cleansed and made ready for heaven, aided by the prayers and sacrifices of the faithful. And finally, those who die in the state of mortal and unrepented sin – those who have purposely offended God and don’t care that they have – will, at the Particular Judgement, enter into their unending punishment in hell. This is, of course, a much simplified explanation of Particular Judgement.

But in addition to the Particular Judgement upon each and every soul, which will take place individually at our death, there also will be the General Judgement – that judgement which we profess in the Creed, when we proclaim that “He shall come again in glory, to judge both the quick and the dead...” This is the Final Judgement of God upon all mankind. It is not simply the summation of all of the particular judgements which have taken place, but it involves the consummation of all things in Christ, when God’s kingdom will be complete. At that time, there will be no further question in anyone’s mind or heart as to the power of God, or as to the Kingship of Christ, or as to the truth of the Catholic Faith. All things will be put in subjection to Christ, and it will be the age of “the new heaven and the new earth.” Of course, we should understand that these two judgements are not as separate as they sound, because in this, God acts outside of time.  In fact, they are really the one judgement by God, bringing all lives and all things to a final end.

Having outlined those basic facts, what does it really mean to us? Actually, a great deal. God’s judgement necessarily involves God’s system of justice, so we must have some understanding of divine justice as we face the reality of divine judgement. Perhaps we can better understand it if we look for a moment at the system of justice which we have in the United States.

When American justice works as it is supposed to (which, of course, is not always the case) it is based upon the supposition that if a person is found to have done something wrong, then he has to pay a price for that action. In other words, if a man is caught robbing your house, then you should be able to expect him to spend some time in prison. It’s not enough for him simply to go into the courtroom and say, “I’m sorry, your Honor,” and then expect it all to go away. The question that gets asked is, “How to you plead: guilty or not guilty,” and if he is found to be guilty, then a punishment will be exacted. That is our system of justice, and it is what we expect to happen in our courts of law.

Now we look at Divine Justice. One of its tenets is that it is Christ who will be our Judge. On that Last Day, when the secrets in the hearts of all men shall be disclosed, it will be Jesus who will mete out Divine Justice. And because of that, it will not be the justice of our human law-court that will be given out. If God were to administer justice in the same way that we expect our human law-courts to administer justice, then our chances of escaping eternal punishment on the Day of Judgement would be slim-to-none. We have all grievously sinned; every one of us has come short of the glory of God. Each and every one of us will stand guilty before the Divine Judge. That is why, thanks be to God, it is a different kind of court-room where Christ is the judge. Certainly, in that court-room we will all stand guilty – and in fact, we will all deserve the death penalty. But in the Divine court-room, when the judge passes the death-sentence, He then gets up from behind the bench to stand next to the guilty party, and He takes the death sentence upon Himself. Why? Because in God’s court-room, He doesn’t ask us to plead “guilty or not guilty” – rather, we are asked to plead “sorry or not sorry.” If we have lived lives which plead “sorry” – lives which have had real repentance and which have been healed and fed with His sacraments – then Christ shoulders the sentence Himself. Here’s the beauty of it all, when it comes to Divine Judgement. Christ is not only our Judge, but He is our Redeemer, too. This is God’s justice: He demands righteousness, and then He proceeds to provide us with the means to become righteous. He demands perfection, and then He provides the means whereby we may be made perfect.

Whatever else is true about God’s judgements, one thing is certain: on Judgement Day, there will be no surprises. It will be obvious to everyone that God’s judgement is completely fair. In fact, we will receive precisely what we ask for. The record of our relationship with God will lay before us in complete truth and openness, and the facts will speak for themselves. If we have been faithful to God, if we have shown sorrow for our sins and have sought His absolution, if we have been generous to those in need, following the path of the Lord which began at our baptism, then God our Judge will say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant...” But if we have been purposely unfaithful to God, untrue to our baptismal promises, stingy toward those in need, prejudiced and cruel to others who are also children of God, if we have been too proud to confess our sins and too lazy to do penance, if we have thrown away our birthright by clinging too closely to the things of this world, then God our Judge will say, “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire...”

It is not some fickle or uncertain justice which God will give out on Judgement Day. In a very real sense, we will actually bring judgement upon ourselves – or, at least, our actions and our attitudes will. The righteousness and the mercy of God will prevail on the Day of Judgement. The righteousness of God demands perfection – and the mercy of God means that we will have been given the means of righteousness through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the Cross. And it is through the Cross that we receive the forgiveness which brings us to the joy of life in eternal communion with Almighty God.

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Image: "Christ in Majesty"

Codex Aureus of Lorsch German, 

c. 778-830

St. Nicholas of Myra

St. Nicholas was born of Christian parents in the last part of the third century, and was raised in the Faith. His parents died when he was young, and they left him a large sum of money. Rather than using this for himself, Nicholas secretly disbursed his fortune to those who were in particular need.

His uncle was the archbishop of Myra, and he ordained Nicholas and appointed him to be the abbot of a nearby monastery. At the death of the archbishop, Nicholas was chosen to fill the vacancy, and he served in this position until his death. About the time of the persecutions of Diocletian, he was imprisoned for preaching Christianity but was released during the reign of Emperor Constantine.

There are many stories surrounding the life of Saint Nicholas, one of which relates Nicholas' charity toward the poor. A certain man, who was the father of three daughters, had lost his fortune, and finding himself unable to support his daughters, he was planning to sell them into slavery. Nicholas heard of the man's intentions and secretly threw three bags of gold through a window into the home, thus providing dowries for the daughters, enabling them to be married. There are other stories of his generosity in giving to others, but he always tried to do it secretly.

After Nicholas' death on December 6 in or around 345, his body was buried in the cathedral at Myra, and a great devotion to him grew up. More and more people visited his tomb to ask for his prayers. His body remained there until 1087, when some sailors from Bari, an Italian coastal town, came and took the relics of the saint and transferred them to their own city. Veneration for Nicholas had already spread throughout Europe as well as Asia, but this occurrence led to a renewal of devotion in the West. Countless miracles were attributed to the saint's intercession. His relics are still preserved in the Basilica of San Nicola in Bari.

O God, who didst adorn thy blessed Bishop Saint Nicholas with power to work many and great miracles: grant, we beseech thee; that by his prayers and merits, we may be delivered from the fires of everlasting torment; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Image: "St. Nicholas of Myra"

14th c. Fresco in the 

Church of the Ascension of the Lord

High Decani Monastery, Serbia.

St. John Damascene, Priest and Doctor

St. John of Damascus or Damascene was one of the principal defenders of the veneration of images against the Iconoclasts, who condemned this practice.

When John was born, Damascus was under the jurisdiction of caliphs, but Christians were allowed to hold high offices. John's father was chief revenue officer of the caliph and a sterling Christian. He entrusted his son's education to a monk, Cosmas, who had been brought from Sicily as a slave, and who schooled the young man in theology, the sciences, and poetry.

John succeeded his father in office, and while living at the court gave an example of a model Christian. But he had set his sights higher, and after resigning his office he became a monk at St. Sabbas monastery near Jerusalem. Here he spent his time writing books and composing hymns. When Leo the Isaurian issued decrees against the veneration of images, John took up the challenge and wrote treatises defending this ancient practice.

At this time the Patriarch of Jerusalem, desirous of having John among his clergy, ordained him priest and brought him to Jerusalem. After some time, however, John returned to the monastery and devoted the rest of his life to writing. His most important work is his Fountain of Wisdom, in which he compiled and collated the teachings of all the great theologians before him; this is the first attempt at a Summa Theologica, a summary of philosophy and theology, that has come down to us. John's writings are a rich treasure of ancient traditions, and are held in high esteem. Pope Leo XIII declared him a Doctor of the Church in 1890.

St. John was such a great orator that he was known as Chrysorrhoas ("golden-stream"). He was the last of the Greek Fathers of the Church, and the first of the Christian Aristotleans. He also adapted choral music for use in the liturgy. His eloquent defense of Christian images has given him the title of "Doctor of Christian Art."

-from www.catholicculture.org 

Confirm our minds, O Lord, in the mysteries of the true faith, set forth with power by thy servant St. John of Damascus; that we, with him, confessing Jesus to be true God and true Man, and singing the praises of the risen Lord, may, by the power of the resurrection, attain to eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

St. Francis Xavier, Priest and Missionary

Jesus asked, "What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?" The words were repeated to a young teacher of philosophy who had a highly promising career in academics, with success and a life of prestige and honour before him. 

Francis Xavier, twenty-four years old at the time, and living and teaching in Paris, did not heed these words at once. They came from a good friend, Ignatius of Loyola, whose tireless work and example finally won the young man to Christ. Francis then made the spiritual exercises under the direction of Ignatius, and in 1534 joined his little community, known as the Society of Jesus. Together they vowed poverty, chastity and apostolic service according to the directions of the pope.

From Venice, where he was ordained priest in 1537, Francis Xavier went on to Lisbon. From there he sailed to the East Indies, landing on the west coast of India. For the next 10 years he laboured to bring the faith to such widely scattered peoples as the Hindus, the Malayans and the Japanese. He spent much of that time in India, and served as provincial of the newly established Jesuit province of India.

Wherever he went, he lived with the poorest people, sharing their food and rough accommodations. He spent countless hours ministering to the sick and the poor, particularly to lepers. Very often he had no time to sleep or even to say his breviary but, as we know from his letters, he was filled always with joy.

Francis went through the islands of Malaysia, then up to Japan. He learned enough Japanese to preach in a simple way, to instruct and to baptize, and to establish missions for those who were to follow him. From Japan he had dreams of going to China, but this plan was never realized. Before reaching the mainland he died.

It is estimated that St. Francis Xavier baptized more than 100,000 people during his years as a missionary. The relic of his right forearm is at the Church of the Gesu in Rome, a remembrance of the power of the Gospel to bring people to new life in Christ through baptism.

O God, who by the preaching and wondrous works of Saint Francis Xavier didst unite unto thy Church the peoples of India: mercifully grant that we who venerate his glorious merits, may likewise follow him in all virtuous and godly living; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

The Advent Ember Days

While the traditional date of the Advent Ember days is in the Third Week of Advent (nearest St. Lucy’s day), the Ordinariates are allowed to transfer them to the First Week of Advent. This was done to enable the full observation of the O Antiphons (Sapientiatide), from 17-24 December in the Ordinariate calendar.

Ember days are four separate sets of three days within the same week — specifically, the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday — within the circuit of the year, that are set aside for a modified fasting and prayer. The Ember Days are known in Latin as the quattuor anni tempora (the "four seasons of the year"). The word “ember” is from the Old English word “ymbren” which means a “circle” because as the year progresses and returns to its beginning, these days are part of the circle of the year. The ember days originated in Rome, and slowly spread throughout the Church. 

These days are to be used to pray for vocations to Holy Orders – for those men called to be priests or deacons. We pray also for those who are already ordained – for all bishops, priests, and deacons, and for the Holy Father. 

Another aspect of the Ember Days is for us to give thanks for the earth and for the good things God gives us – for our food, for the rain and the sunshine, for all the blessings of life through nature. And because of that, it’s a time when we remind ourselves to treat creation with respect, and not waste the things God has given us.

Of course, we pray for all this throughout the year, but the Ember Days bring all this to mind in a special way, so that we can concentrate our prayers during the four periods of time throughout the year. 

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Collect for Wednesday.

Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God: that the coming festival of our redemption may obtain for us the comfort of thy succour in this life, and in the life to come the reward of eternal felicity; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Collect for Friday.

Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy power, and come among us: that we, who put our trust and confidence in thy mercy, may speedily be delivered from all our adversities; who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Collect for Saturday.

O God, who seest us to be sore afflicted by reason of the frailty of our mortal nature: grant, we beseech thee, that we may be relieved by thy gracious visitation; who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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For those to be ordained.

Almighty God, the giver of all good gifts, who of thy divine providence hast appointed divers Orders in thy Church: give thy grace, we humbly beseech thee, to all who are (now) called to any office and ministry for thy people; and so fill them with the truth of thy doctrine and clothe them with holiness of life, that they may faithfully serve before thee, to the glory of thy great Name and for the benefit of thy holy Church; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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For the choice of fit persons for the ordained ministry.

O God, who didst lead thy holy Apostles to ordain ministers in every place: grant that thy Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, may choose suitable men for the ministry of Word and Sacrament, and may uphold them in their work for the extension of thy kingdom; through him who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls, Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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For all Christians in their vocation.

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of thy faithful people is governed and sanctified: receive our supplications and prayers, which we offer before thee for all members of thy holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and godly serve thee; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Pictured: "The Census at Bethlehem" 

by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 

painted in 1566.

Be Ready

The Almighty and Eternal God whom we worship is the God of history. He acts in history, and just as He began history, so He will end history by returning in glory.

We catch a glimpse of this at every Mass, when Christ comes to us under the forms of bread and wine which have been changed into His Body and Blood. For that moment, history stands still. God makes the altar His throne, just as the earth will be His throne on the Last Day.

Advent is a time when we consider the coming of Christ – not only His coming as a baby in Bethlehem, but also His triumphant coming in the final days as well. Advent reminds us that we must, at all times, be ready for the God who has come to us once as a Child, and who will return to be our Judge.

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Image: "The Nativity"

by Evelyn De Morgan (1855-1919)

The Two Advents

With the coming of Advent, a new liturgical year begins. This is a time of preparation so that our hearts can be made ready for the two advents of our Lord Jesus Christ; namely, His first advent, when He came "to visit us in great humility," and His second advent, when He will come "in a cloud with power and great glory." These advents of Christ are similar, in that it is the same Person who comes to us on both occasions: God the Son.

Both advents are preceded by a long delay. The first one took place "when the fulness of time was come;" in other words, time had to pass, and man had to experience the full effects of the Fall for him to know just how sick he was, and he needed to be humbled and to recognize his need for a Saviour. And before the second advent, the virtues and the effects of the Incarnation and Passion of Christ also require the passing of time, and why? So that the Gospel can be preached to every corner of the earth; so that mankind might choose whether to serve Christ, or not.

Both advents have a time of preparation leading up to them: before the first coming it was the Law. In the Law there was a "shadow of things to come." And there was the preaching of the prophets which culminated in the ministry of St. John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Lord Jesus. And now, before the second coming of Christ, the ministry of the Church throughout the world will culminate in signs and wonders, in conversions and changed lives, which will all prepare mankind for Christ's return.

We see the similarities, but these two advents also form a contrast with one another. In the first advent, God the Son became visible by taking human nature into union with Himself: He took a human body and soul to be forever the shrine of His Divinity. The second advent, however, is an actual movement: the Sacred Humanity of Christ will come from one place to another. He will move from heaven to earth.

And the way of coming, too, is different. At the first advent He came in weakness as a child, hidden in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; but at the second advent He will come "in a cloud, with power and great glory."

Notice, also, that the purpose of our Lord's coming is different in the two advents: the first time He came, it was to save the world by His passion, death, and resurrection; but the second time He comes, it will be to judge the living and the dead.

The Church forever holds these two advents in close relationship with one another. Christ's first advent has paved the way for His second coming. He came to us the first time so that we can be ready for Him when He comes again. We profess week by week in the Creed, that we believe Christ will come again. This time He will not be hidden in Mary, being carried along by a humble beast of burden – no, this time it will be in triumph and He will be surrounded by the angels of heaven. No more being hidden from human view, no more wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger – but this time every eye shall see Him, and every tongue shall confess that He is the King and Saviour and Judge of all mankind. On that day, He will cast out all those who have refused His Gospel, all those who have been purposely unfaithful in what they have done, all those who have professed to be the servants of God but who have really served no one but themselves.

Our Holy Mother the Church gives us the season of Advent as a season of preparation, but it is to be a preparation for saying “yes” to the things of Christ. It is a time to decide if we will acknowledge Jesus as our Saviour and our King.

For too many people today, Christ is no different than He was to the vast majority of people in His own day. And that might even be the case for us. We hear of His life and of His wonderful works and of His words of grace. We hear of His love towards us, a love which led to the Cross where He offered Himself up as a sacrifice for our salvation. We hear of His coming again to judge us for all eternity, but it is possible that we hear without comprehending; that we see without really believing; that we hear without making it a reality in our lives.

Just as Christ taught those who had ears, but who did not hear, and eyes, but who did not see, so we have His glory and grace before us day after day, but sometimes we don’t discern them. We have had prayers answered, we have had sins forgiven, we have had grace bestowed, we have received His Body and Blood in the Blessed Sacrament, and the day will come when He will ask us, "What have you done with these things you have heard and seen and received?" The day will come when Christ will ask, "What do you really think of Me? Am I your King, or not? Will you have Me to rule over your hearts and souls, or not?" And on that day, we are going to have to answer "yes" or "no," and we will have to answer in earnest – not as we seem to now, "maybe yes" or "maybe no" – eager one day and lukewarm the next. Our true desire and intention will have to match our words, and we will have to have to say it once and for all.

As Christ came once as Saviour, so He will come again as Judge. How will we receive Him? The answer depends upon how we are receiving Him now, while He is still out of our sight. If we do not accord Him first place in our lives now, do we really think we will be able to welcome Him when He comes again?

Our time in this world is an opportunity which God has given us, a time for us to decide what and who Christ truly is for us. Either He is to be our Lord and Saviour, the King of our lives, and the One whom we seek to serve; or He is little more than a picture-book baby decorating Christmas cards. Either we will greet Him with joy as our long-awaited King, or we will tremble to hear that He has come again, and we will not be able to help shrinking away from His presence, afraid of what He will find in us.

As we stand at the beginning of another Christian year, this is the time to decide. If you have been holding back part of your life from Christ, now is the time to give it; if you have neglected any of the sacraments, now is the time to examine your soul and return through the confessional; if you have been drawing back from entering fully into the life of Christ's Body, the Church, now is the time to take that place He has made for you; if you have offended God or man, now is the time to seek forgiveness; if you have neglected your prayers, now is the time to sink to your knees; if you have ignored those who are in need, now is the time to be open-handed and generous; if your life has been empty, now is the time to let Christ fill it. And when that day comes, as it surely will, that the Son of God, our Saviour Jesus Christ, comes "in a cloud with power and great glory," we can know that the crown of righteousness awaits us, which the Lord, the just Judge, will award to us on that day – and not only to us, but to all who have longed for His appearing.

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Image: 'Christ As The Judge Of The World"

by Rogier van der Weyden (1399-1464)

Thanksgiving Day

Our Lord teaches us that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” So in giving thanks for the blessings of this life we should not unduly concern ourselves with the things of this world.

We should remember that we do not control life; rather, God does. No matter what our best-laid plans might be, they will be defeated unless they are in harmony with God’s plan for us. If God cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, we can certainly know that He cares for us. The birds are fed, the flowers are clothed, because all these things fulfill their nature – the purpose for which they were created.

So then, if man fulfills his nature – not in idleness, but in trustful work; not in selfishly gathering things to himself, but in caring for those around him – God certainly will not fail in providing what we truly need to fulfill the purpose He has given us.

We are created in God’s image, and our lives are to reflect the mystical life of the Holy Trinity. As God created all things, it is part of our proper nature to cooperate with God through our daily work. As God cares for us, so it is part of our proper nature to care for others, sharing in what God has given us.

So on this Thanksgiving Day let us be patient and forgiving, being thankful for what we have been given by God in this life. And because what we have can never become an end in itself, be generous in sharing with others. With all we have to be thankful for, we should give thanks most of all for the love of our Heavenly Father, Who has provided for our needs, and Who has opened the way for our eternal salvation through His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

May God give us all a happy, joyful, and holy Thanksgiving Day.

O ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who crownest the year with thy goodness, and hast given unto us the fruits of the earth in their season: give us grateful hearts, that we may unfeignedly thank thee for all thy loving-kindness, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Pictured: "The Gleaners"

by Jean-Francois Millet (1814-1875)

St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr

The account of the life and death of St. Catherine of Alexandria was recorded by Eusebius in about the year 320, just a few years after her martyrdom. Eusebius was the Bishop of Caesarea and is known as the "father of Church history."

Catherine was born into a noble family of Alexandria, and from childhood she had devoted herself to study. Through her reading she had learned a great deal about Christianity, and was subsequently converted after being given a vision of Our Lady and the Holy Child Jesus.

When the Emperor Maxentius began his persecution against the Church, Catherine went to him and gave him a firm rebuke for his cruelty, after which she told him about Christ and the Gospel. The emperor could not answer her arguments against his pagan gods, so he gathered together fifty philosophers to argue against her. Quite the opposite happened, and they were won over by her reasoning. When the emperor learned that they all had become Christians, he had them burned to death.

He then tried to seduce Catherine with an offer to be his consort. She refused him, so he had her beaten and imprisoned. The Emperor went off to inspect his military forces, but when he returned he discovered that his wife Faustina and one of his high officials had been visiting Catherine and had been converted, along with the soldiers of the guard. They too were put to death, and Catherine was sentenced to be killed on a spiked wheel. As soon as her body touched the instrument of torture, the wheel broke into pieces. That did not stop her martyrdom, however, because the emperor ordered that she be taken to a place of execution, where she was beheaded.

St. Catherine of Alexandria could just as well be called St. Catherine the Brilliant because of her intellect and wisdom, along with her ability to explain the Catholic faith with great conviction. As many in her day discovered, to hear her expound upon the Gospel meant almost certainly that those who listened would be converted to follow Christ.

O GOD, whose dwelling-place is in the pure of heart: grant we beseech thee; that we who venerate the memory of the martyr Catherine, thy faithful bride, may have grace to follow the example of her holiness and courage; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Painting: "St. Catherine" 

by Michael Pacher (c. 1435–1498) 

St. Andrew Dung-Lac and the Martyrs of Vietnam

Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and the Holy Martyrs of Vietnam are 117 individuals who endured tremendous suffering and eventual death because of their Catholic Faith. They weren’t all martyred at the same time, but persecutions went on for nearly three hundred years. And there were far more than these 117 martyrs – it is estimated that there were between 100,000 and 300,000 people martyred for their faith, but their names are known only to God.

Christian missionaries first brought the Catholic faith to Vietnam during the 16th century. The traditional Vietnamese religion is Buddhism, mixed with elements of Taoism, Confucianism and the cult of ancestors. When Christianity came with missionaries it was seen as a foreign element and during those following three centuries the Faith became the object of persecution.

Over that time various emperors banned all foreign missionaries and ordered Vietnamese Christians to renounce Christianity by trampling on a crucifix. Churches were to be destroyed and teaching Christianity forbidden. A huge number of people suffered death or extreme hardship.

Imprisoned bishops were mocked by their captors, and were given a piece of bamboo as crozier and a paper mitre to wear – much like Jesus was mocked by the soldiers when he was arrested, and made to wear a crown of thorns. Older priests were put on display in cages to be publicly mocked, and simple poor peasants were murdered for refusing to trample on a crucifix. These tortures were barbaric and the persecutions have been compared with those of ancient Rome.

During the persecutions, Christians were marked on their faces with the words which meant “false religion.” Husbands were separated from their wives, and children from their parents. Christian villages were destroyed and their possessions distributed. It wasn’t until 1862 that there was religious freedom, which marked the beginning of the end of the persecutions.

O God, source and origin of all fatherhood, who kept the Martyrs Saint Andrew Dung-Lac and his Companions faithful to the Cross of thy Son, even to the shedding of their blood: grant, through their intercession; that, spreading thy love among our brethren, we may be thy children both in name and in truth; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Christ, Our Divine and Glorious King

Each year on the Sunday before Advent we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, but the reality of Christ’s Kingship is a truth which is woven throughout the year in every liturgy, throughout the pages of Holy Scripture, integral to our prayers. 

Our royal Saviour is in front of our eyes constantly; whether at Christmastime when we speak of the Prince of Peace; or at Epiphany when we celebrate the revelation of the royal Christ as being a “light to the Gentiles;” or during Holy Week when we are brought face to face with our Lord as the King who reigns from the cross; or on the Ascension, when we celebrate His enthronement in heaven; or on Corpus Christi when we honour the King and High Priest hidden in the Holy Eucharist. In fact, not a day passes without the Church commemorating the kingship of Jesus Christ, as we pray in the name of Him who “liveth and reigneth with the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost…” 

In the scriptures we find a multitude of references to Christ’s kingship, especially in the Psalms of King David, where there are so many references to the Messiah-King.

In fact, Christ was first presented to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a king, when the archangel said to her, “…the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, and he shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” And Christ, when facing condemnation and death, spoke to Pilate who was judging Him, “You have said I am a king… although my kingdom is not of this world,” by which our Lord meant that His realm was no temporal kingdom, like that of earthly rulers, but rather, a supernatural kingdom. And to uphold this title to kingship He willingly accepted death, even enduring the mockery of the crowning with thorns. On the cross itself there was nailed the inscription in three languages, which expressed the main reason for His condemnation; and what did it say? “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.”

A king must have a kingdom to rule. Christ is not a king in title only. He has a kingdom which is a tremendous empire, embracing all of creation. In that kingdom, He must rule and govern, and it is our obligation is to see to it that He is acknowledged as King throughout His entire realm; therefore we must understand something of the nature of Christ’s kingdom.

It is a kingdom which is on earth, but it is not of the earth. It is a kingdom with a two-fold aspect: one is external, and the other internal. The external aspect of it is the Church, which was founded by Christ, with her visible head, the Pope, and her priesthood along with all the sacraments, those visible instruments of grace, which are ministered through the Church’s visible organization. The internal aspect is the Mystical Body of Christ, of which Christ is the head, we are the members, and the Holy Spirit is the soul, the life-giving principle of sanctifying grace.

When Christ appears on the Last Day in great power and majesty, surrounded by a multitude of angels, His kingdom will be fully revealed. Every day until then we are to honour and give glory to Christ the King by being faithful and by being obedient. Remember our Lord’s words, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” So simple, so beautiful, so straightforward. His commandment is that we should love – with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. In doing that, we give witness to the kingdom of our divine and glorious King.

St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

St. Cecilia is one of several martyrs in the early Church who were young girls, and very serious about their faith. Cecilia was born into a noble family, and at an early age, she dedicated her life to God with a vow that she would not marry, but would give herself completely to Christ. However, her family wanted her to marry, and so she was engaged to a young nobleman named Valerian.

On her wedding day, she prayed to the Lord and asked Him to help Valerian to understand that she could not live with him as his wife. History records, "The day on which the wedding was to be held arrived and while musical instruments were playing she was singing in her heart to God alone saying: Make my heart and my body pure that I may not be confounded."

St. Cecilia's prayers were answered, and Valerian understood the importance of her vow to God. In fact, not only did he accept it, but he and his brother Tiburtius were both converted to the Christian faith, and were baptized.

At this time, Christianity was illegal in Rome. Both Valerian and his brother Tiburtius were soon discovered to be Christians, and they were martyred. Cecilia was discovered soon after, and she was condemned to death. It required two attempts, however, before the death of Cecilia was successful. She was first locked in a bath in her own home to be suffocated by the steam. When she emerged from the bath unharmed, she was then beheaded. The stroke of the axe failed to sever her head from her body, however, and she lived for three days. During this time, she saw to the disbursment of her assets to help the poor, and she donated her home to be used as a church. There is a great church on that site to this day, which bears her name.

When Cecilia finally died, she was buried in the Catacombs of Callixtus. In the 9th century Pope Paschal I had St. Cecilia's remains unearthed from the catacombs and reported that her body was incorrupt and that her hands signaled the Trinity, with one extending three fingers and the other a single finger.

O God, who makest us glad with the yearly festival of blessed Cecilia thy Virgin and Martyr: grant that we who venerate her in our service, may also follow the example of her godly life; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

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Pictured: "Evensong, St. Cecilia" 

by John Melhuish Strudwick (1849-1937)

Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, had prayed for a child, and part of their prayer was the promise that they would dedicate their child to the service of God. Little did they know at that time what great service would be given by their infant daughter.

When Mary reached the age of three, her parents fulfilled their vow. Together with their family and friends, they took her to the Temple. The High Priest and other Temple priests greeted the procession, and tradition says that the child was brought before the fifteen high steps which led to the sanctuary. It is said that the child Mary made her way to the stairs and, strengthened by the Holy Spirit, ascended all fifteen steps, coming to the Holy of Holies where only the High Priest could enter. Tradition then says that the High Priest, acting outside every rule he knew, led the Holy Virgin into the Holy of Holies, astonishing everyone present in the Temple. So it was that she, whose own womb would become the Holy of Holies, came into the presence of the God Whom she would bear.

St. Joachim and St. Anne returned to their home, but the Handmaid of the Lord remained in the Temple until her espousal, where she was prepared by God and protected by angels.

O God, who on this day didst vouchsafe that blessed Mary Ever-Virgin, the dwelling-place of the Holy Ghost, should be presented in the Temple: Grant, we beseech thee; that by her intercession we may be found worthy to be presented unto thee in the temple of thy glory; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

St. Edmund, King and Martyr

On November 20th we commemorate St. Edmund, King and Martyr, who lived in the 9th century. He was the king of East Anglia, an independent kingdom within the confederation of kingdoms which comprised England at that time. His name, Edmund, meant “noble protection,” and as an earthly king he certainly lived up to his name. He had a reputation for compassion and the protection of the weak, of widows and of orphans. His greatest challenge, however, was the invasion of his kingdom by the Danish Vikings. They weren’t complete foreigners to the people of East Anglia. They were of the same race, and in fact, their languages were so similar that they were able to understand one another. No, there was only one essential difference between the Danish Vikings and the English - the Vikings were heathens, and the English were Christians.

The Vikings attacked and destroyed churches and monasteries, homes and villages, all throughout the kingdom. King Edmund fought side by side with the great Christian King Alfred. Edmund did his best, but he was finally overwhelmed by the huge numbers of Danes. At Hoxne in the north of Suffolk, King Edmund was captured. The Danes made him an offer: he could renounce his faith and become a puppet-king under them, or he could die. For King Edmund that was no choice at all. He would never renounce his Catholic faith, and so he chose death. There is an eyewitness report from that time, and it tells how he was scourged and bound, then tied to an oak-tree where the Danes fired arrows at him as for target practice. Finally, after suffering immensely from his many wounds, King Edmund was beheaded.

His body was thrown to the wild beasts, but his loyal subjects secretly found his body, entombed him in a small chapel, and there he rested among his people. As they sought his heavenly intercession, God sent blessings upon them, and Edmund continued to be king in their hearts, as their faith in Christ the King grew stronger and stronger.

O God of ineffable mercy, thou didst give grace and fortitude to St. Edmund the king to triumph over the enemy of his people by nobly dying for thy Name: Bestow on us thy servants, we beseech thee, the shield of faith, wherewith we may withstand the assaults of our ancient enemy; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

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Image from 12th-century

Passio Sancto Eadmundi

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

Rose Philippine Duchesne was born in Grenoble, France in 1769. After preparing for her first communion at the Visitation convent nearby, her desire to give her life to God led her to join the Visitation community, a cloistered, contemplative order, despite her longing to serve God in missionary lands. In the aftermath of the French revolution, her convent was closed by the government. For ten years Philippine served the destitute of Grenoble as she searched for God’s desires for her.

In 1804 Madeleine Sophie Barat was told about Philippine Duchesne, a woman of uncommon gifts and grace. Their first meeting led to an immediate soul friendship. Philippine joined the Society of the Sacred Heart and her desire to bring God to distant lands was realized in 1818 when she and four companions sailed to the New World. Here she longed to work among the Native Americans but it would be 23 years before she went to live among the Potawatomi. Before realizing her heart’s desire Philippine established the first Catholic schools west of the Mississippi and oversaw the growth of the Society of the Sacred Heart in the United States.

Frontier life exacted an enormous toll both physical (hunger, cold, poverty, sickness) and psychological (the difficulties of distance and communication, letters sometimes delayed six months or more). Philippine never believed she had the gift of leadership and died in 1852 thinking herself a failure. History reveals otherwise: Native Americans saw in her a woman “who prays always”; the schools she founded became part of a network of Sacred Heart Schools around the world; and the Society of the Sacred Heart remains an international community, bound together across six continents as much by relationships as by a common spirituality and mission.

Rose Philippine Duchesne was named a saint of the Church in 1988.

- from rscjinternational.org

Almighty God, who didst fill the heart of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne with charity and missionary zeal, and gave her the desire to make thee known among all peoples: grant us to follow her way, and fill us with that same love and zeal to extend thy kingdom to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.