Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major

The Basilica of St. Mary Major is important to Christendom for three reasons.

- It stands as a venerable monument to the Council of Ephesus (431), at which the dogma of Mary's divine Motherhood was solemnly defined; the definition of the Council occasioned a most notable increase in the veneration paid to Mary.

- The basilica is Rome's "church of the crib," a kind of Bethlehem within the Eternal City; it also is a celebrated station church, serving, for instance, as the center for Rome's liturgy for the first Mass on Christmas. In some measure every picture of Mary with the divine Child is traceable to this church.

- St. Mary Major is Christendom's first Marian shrine for pilgrims. It set the precedent for the countless shrines where pilgrims gather to honor our Blessed Mother throughout the world. Here was introduced an authentic expression of popular piety that has been the source of untold blessings and graces for Christianity in the past as in the present.

The beginnings of St. Mary Major date to the Constantinian period. Originally it was called the Sicinini Basilica; it was the palace of a patrician family by that name before its transformation into a church by Pope Liberius. The story of its origin is legendary, dating from the Middle Ages. The Breviary gives this version: "Liberius was on the chair of Peter (352-366) when the Roman patrician John and his wife, who was of like nobility, vowed to bequeath their estate to the most holy Virgin and Mother of God, for they had no children to whom their property could go. The couple gave themselves to assiduous prayer, beseeching Mary to make known to them in some way what pious work they should subsidize in her honor.

Mary answered their petition and confirmed her reply by means of the following miracle. On the fifth of August — a time when it is unbearably hot in the city of Rome — a portion of the Esquiline would be covered with snow during the night. During that same night the Mother of God directed John and his wife in separate dreams to build a church to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the site where they would see snow lying. For it was in this manner that she wanted her inheritance to be used.

John immediately reported the whole matter to Pope Liberius, and he declared that a similar dream had come to him. Accompanied by clergy and people, Liberius proceeded on the following morning in solemn procession to the snow-covered hill and there marked off the area on which the church in Mary's honor was to be constructed.

Under Pope Sixtus III (432-440) the basilica was rebuilt, and upon the occasion of the definition of Mary's divine Motherhood by the Council of Ephesus, consecrated to her honor (432). He decorated the apse and walls with mosaics from the lives of Christ and His blessed Mother, which even to this day beautify the church and belong to the oldest we possess. As early as the end of the fourth century a replica of the Bethlehem nativity grotto had been added; on this account the edifice became known as "St. Mary of the Crib." To the Christian at Rome this church is Bethlehem. Other names for the basilica are: Liberian Basilica, because it dates to the time of Pope Liberius; St. Mary Major (being the largest church in Mary's honor in Rome); Our Lady of the Snow, because of the miracle that supposedly occasioned its erection.

We could point out how the divine Motherhood mystery dominates all Marian liturgy; for the Theotokos doctrine has kept Mariology Christo-centric in the Church's worship. Although recent popular devotion to Mary has become to a certain extent soft and sentimental and has, one may say, erected its own sanctuary around Mary as the center, devotion to our Blessed Mother in the liturgy has always remained oriented to Christ. In the liturgy the divine Motherhood has always been the bridge from Mary to Jesus. One need only examine Matins in honor of Mary or the Masses from her Common to be reassured. Everywhere Christ takes the central position, and Mary is the Christbearer.

(Taken from The Church's Year of Grace by Pius Parsch)

Pope Liberius tracing the outline of the basilica in the August snowfall.

The High Altar.

Reliquary containing the major relic of the Manger.

The Wondrous Gift of the Priesthood

Each year, as we commemorate St. John Vianney, it is a time for every priest to give special thanks for his vocation. It was in the year 2009 that Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed a “Year for Priests” which marked the 150th anniversary of the birth of St. John Vianney, and in his letter of proclamation, the Holy Father included these words:

Saint John Mary Vianney taught his parishioners primarily by the witness of his life. It was from his example that they learned to pray, halting frequently before the tabernacle for a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. “One need not say much to pray well” – the Curé explained to them – “We know that Jesus is there in the tabernacle: let us open our hearts to him, let us rejoice in his sacred presence. That is the best prayer." And he would urge them: “Come to communion, my brothers and sisters, come to Jesus. Come to live from him in order to live with him… “Of course you are not worthy of him, but you need him!”. This way of educating the faithful to the Eucharistic presence and to communion proved most effective when they saw him celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Those present said that “it was not possible to find a finer example of worship… He gazed upon the Host with immense love”. “All good works, taken together, do not equal the sacrifice of the Mass” – he would say – “since they are human works, while the Holy Mass is the work of God”. He was convinced that the fervour of a priest’s life depended entirely upon the Mass: “The reason why a priest is lax is that he does not pay attention to the Mass! My God, how we ought to pity a priest who celebrates as if he were engaged in something routine!”. He was accustomed, when celebrating, also to offer his own life in sacrifice: “What a good thing it is for a priest each morning to offer himself to God in sacrifice!"

In my forty-two years as a Catholic priest, the offering of the Mass each day has formed the heart of my spiritual life. Rare has been the day that I have not stood at the altar, offering the Holy Sacrifice, and those few days I have not done so, it has been because of illness or something unavoidable.

Even though now in retirement I am alone in my private chapel on most days, nonetheless I have the immense privilege of joining with the Faithful throughout the world in lifting up to the Father the perfect Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. It is a special joy when I am joined by family for Mass on Sundays and Holy Days, but whether the Chapel is full or if I am by myself, it is the same Sacrifice with the same dignity as a Mass offered on the high altar in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Even though several years have passed since the Holy Father’s letter inaugurating the Year of the Priest, I continue to draw inspiration and guidance from his words, and give thanks for the inestimable gift of being a priest in Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.

St. John Mary Vianney

St. John Vianney, also known as the Holy Curé de Ars, was born May 8, 1786 in Dardilly, near Lyon, France to a family of farmers. He was an unremarkable student and his bishop was reluctant to ordain him.  He did so in 1815 only because there was a shortage of priests.  He was then sent to the remote French community of Ars in 1818 to be a parish priest.

Upon his arrival, the priest immediately began praying and working for the conversion of his parishioners. Although he saw himself as unworthy of his mission as pastor, he allowed himself to be consumed by the love of God as he served the people.

St. John Vianney slowly helped to revive the community’s faith through both his prayers and the witness of his life. He gave powerful homilies on the mercy and love of God, and it is said that even staunch sinners were converted upon hearing him. In addition, he restored his church, formed an orphanage, and cared for the poor.

His reputation as a confessor grew rapidly, and pilgrims traveled from all over France to come to him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Firmly committed to the conversion of the people, he would spend up to 16 hours a day in the confessional.

Plagued by many trials and besieged by the devil, St. John Vianney remained firm in his faith, and lived a life of devotion to God. Dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament, he spent much time in prayer. He lived on little food and sleep, while working without rest in unfailing humility, gentleness, patience and cheerfulness, until he was well into his 70s.

St. John Vianney died on August 4, 1859. More than a thousand people attended his funeral, including the bishop and priests of the diocese, who already viewed his life as a model of priestly holiness.

The Holy Curé of Ars was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1925. He is the patron saint of priests. Over 450,000 pilgrims travel to Ars every year in remembrance of his holy life.

Almighty and merciful God, who didst wonderfully endue Saint John Vianney with pastoral zeal and a continual desire for prayer and penance: grant, we beseech thee; that by his example and intercession, we may win the souls of our brethren for Christ, and with them attain glory everlasting; through the same 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 Rich Fool: A Parable For Us All

One of the multitude said to Jesus, “Teacher, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or divider over you?” And he said to them, “Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

- St. Luke 12:13-21

In this Gospel account we’re told of a man who came to Jesus with what would seem to be a reasonable complaint against his brother. There was an inheritance, and for some reason – we don’t know the circumstances – the brother wasn’t willing to divide their parents’ estate. Now, there may have been some good reason, or there may not have been, but the man came to Jesus asking Him to make a judgement, and to convince his brother to make an equitable arrangement. What do we see Christ do with the request?

Jesus turned the complaint into an opportunity to teach something that was much more important than the division of an estate. “Who made me a judge or divider over you?” He asks the man. Certainly Jesus recognized the need for “judges and dividers.” As long as there are disputes among individuals, there has to be some system of recourse to adjudicate and settle those kinds of legal matters. Of course, if this were taking place today, this sort of case would be a matter of civil law, but in the time of Jesus there wasn’t a division between civil and sacred law. It was perfectly natural to go to a rabbi to have the question settled. But we see that Jesus brushes aside the immediate problem, and instead He focuses attention on what caused this dispute in the first place. 

And what does He say was the cause? Covetousness. Jesus read the heart of the man who came to Him. His main concern wasn’t for justice. No, what had driven the man to our Lord was the more basic problem; namely, the sin of covetousness. That’s why Christ goes immediately into telling the parable of the man who was so concerned about the building of larger barns, and the storing of more and more goods, and being so prepared for years to come in this life, that he forgot he hadn’t prepared his soul for eternal life. And because of that, it made all those worldly preparations pointless.

If the man in this Gospel story really understood God’s values, then he wouldn’t be concerned about what his brother did with the inheritance – in fact, he probably wouldn’t even care if his brother kept it all for himself. Remember – Jesus had outlined all of this before. His teaching included statements like this: “If anyone would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak also.” And, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat, nor about your body, what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing.” In other words, Jesus is saying that problems like this one, about an inheritance, are really superficial, because we have more serious things to deal with, if we want to inherit the Kingdom of God and eternal life. Whether it be covetousness, or envy, or selfishness, or some other moral problem – those are the things that make trouble in our lives, and not the less important things that are just the occasions for those sins.

This parable about the rich man with the abundant crops and the desire to build more barns is a parable for us all. We all want our lives to be “secure,” – and there’s nothing wrong with that, if we’re talking about being able to fulfill our responsibilities without becoming a burden on others, without expecting them to pick up the tab for the things that we’re perfectly capable of taking care of. But all too often we’re more worried about security only for this life. That’s why Jesus brings in that statement, “You fool! This night your soul is required of you.”

That’s the point of this Gospel account of the man who was worried about his inheritance, and the man worried about having big enough barns. Our life isn’t made secure by “things.” Yes, we need to earn our own way; yes, we need to provide the essentials to those for whom we have a responsibility; and no, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the good and the beautiful things in this life. But let’s not look for ultimate security in those things. Things are to be used. Things are to be under our control. We’re not to be under the control of things. The real security God wants us to have comes from us being triumphant over things. That kind of spiritual triumph comes from God, and from a belief in the goodness and love of God.

Our lives actually do consist in having an abundance – but it’s an abundance which is very different from that which the “rich fool” in the parable valued. It’s a very big temptation to build security by accumulating more and more wealth; to strive for that more important job; to focus on building a career – and to let the more important things, such as God, family – and yes, even eternity – take a back seat to all that. There’s only one thing we require – one source of wealth for our security – one power from which all our strength comes – and that’s Jesus Christ our Lord, and our life in him. 

His truth is our Rock; His love is our hope, His sacrifice is our security – and with Him as our Lord and Saviour, every good thing and every necessary thing will be ours.

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Painting: "Thou Fool, This Night Thy Soul Shall Be Required of Thee"

by James Tissot (1836-1902)

St. Peter Julian Eymard

Born in La Mure d'Isere in southeastern France, Peter Julian's journey of faith drew him from being a priest in the Diocese of Grenoble (1834) to joining the Marists (1839) to founding the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (1856). In addition to those changes, Peter Julian coped with poverty, his father's initial opposition to Peter's vocation, serious illness, a Jansenistic striving for inner perfection and the difficulties of getting diocesan and later papal approval for his new religious community.

His years as a Marist, including service as a provincial leader, saw the deepening of his Eucharistic devotion, especially through his preaching of Forty Hours in many parishes.

The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament began working with children in Paris to prepare them to receive their first Holy Communion. It also reached out to non-practicing Catholics, inviting them to repent and begin receiving Holy Communion again. He was a tireless proponent of frequent Holy Communion, an idea given more authoritative backing by Pope Pius X in 1905.

Inspired at first by the idea of reparation for indifference to the Eucharist, St. Peter Julian was eventually attracted to a more positive spirituality of Christ-centered love. Members of the men's community, which Peter founded, alternated between an active apostolic life and contemplating Jesus in the Eucharist. He and Marguerite Guillot founded the women's Congregation of the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament.

Peter Julian Eymard was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1962, one day after the first session of the Second Vatican Council ended.

O God, who didst adorn St. Peter Julian Eymard with a wondrous love for the sacred mysteries of the Body and Blood of thy divine Son; grant that we may be worthy to receive the same devotion he drew from this holy banquet; through the same Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.

St. Eusebius of Vercelli

Eusebius was the founder of the canons regular, priests living under a religious rule and dedicated to pastoral work. The canons regular was the immediate result of the rise of monasticism in the East, and St. Eusebius of Vercelli saw the possibilities of this new movement for the clergy. His example was imitated all over the West and brought about a renewal of clerical life. 

He was born in Sardinia and as a child was taken to Rome, where he became a member of the Roman clergy under Pope Julius. Consecrated for the see of Vercelli in 344, he gathered his clergy into a community life, founding also the dioceses of Turin and Embrun. In 355, he attended the Council of Milan as legate of Pope Liberius, which defended St. Athanasius against those Western bishops intimidated by the emperor. When Eusebius was ordered along with other bishops to condemn Athanasius, he refused, insisting instead that they all sign the Nicene Creed. When threatened by the emperor, Eusebius stood his ground and told the emperor he had no right interfering in Church matters.

In anger, the emperor sent Eusebius into exile in Palestine, where he was severely mistreated by the Arians. He was moved around from place to place and after his release by the Emperor Julian he consulted with Athanasius in Alexandria on the Arian crisis. Returning to Italy, he joined with St. Hilary of Poitiers in opposing the Arian bishop of Milan and returned to Vercelli amid the rejoicing of his people.

Eusebius is considered by many to be the author of the Athanasian Creed, and a copy of the Gospels written in his own hand is preserved in the cathedral at Vercelli. He died on August 1, 371, his courage in suffering for the faith inspiring other bishops to oppose the Arian heresy.

Lead us, O Lord God, to imitate the constancy of Saint Eusebius in affirming the divinity of thy Son: that, by preserving the faith he taught as thy Bishop, we may merit a share in the very life of the same 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 Portiuncula Indulgence

On a night in July 1216, St. Francis was at prayer in the little church of Portiuncula, devoured by love for God and a thirst to save souls. He prayed for the forgiveness of sins of mankind. Suddenly a brilliant light shone all around. In great splendor Jesus and Mary appeared in the midst of a dazzling cloud surrounded by a multitude of radiant angels. ...Then Jesus said to him: "Francis you are very zealous for the good souls. Ask me what you want for their salvation." St. Francis was rapt in ecstasy before Our Lord. When he regained his courage, he said, "Lord, I, a miserable sinner, beg you to concede an indulgence to all those who enter this church, who are truly contrite and have confessed their sins. And I beg Blessed Mary, your mother, intercessor of man, that she intercede on behalf of this grace."

The Merciful Virgin at once began to beseech her Son on behalf of Francis. Jesus answered: "It is a very great thing you ask me; but you are worthy of even greater things, Friar Francis, and greater things you will have. So I accept your request, but I want you to go to my Vicar, to whom I have given the power to bind and loose in heaven and on earth, to ask him on my behalf for this indulgence."

The Pope granted this petition, and this indulgence has been extended to all parish churches throughout the world for one day each year. The date has been set from noon on August 1 until midnight August 2, the feast of Our Lady of the Angels. It is said that St. Francis was given this day by Our Lord because of the feast of the Chains of St. Peter, celebrated on August 1, commemorating Peter's being released from prison, his chains removed. This is an extraordinary demonstration of God's mercy in removing the chains of sin from those who devoutly and faithfully seek to gain the indulgence by completing its requirements.

The conditions to obtain the Plenary Indulgence of the Forgiveness of Assisi (for oneself or for a departed soul) are as follows:

- Sacramental Confession (during eight days before or after).
- Participation in the Mass
- Recitation of the Apostle's Creed, Our Father, and a prayer for the pope's intentions.

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Pictured: The Portiuncula Chapel,

Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Assisi

St. Alphonsus Liguori

Alphonsus Liguori, born in 1696, was the son of an ancient Neapolitan family. His father was an officer in the Royal Navy. At the age of sixteen, Alphonsus received his doctorate in both canon and civil law and for nearly ten years practiced law. When he found that one of the legal cases he was defending was not based on justice but on political intrigue, he gave up the practice of law and dedicated his life to God.

Ordained to the priesthood in 1726, St. Alphonsus Liguori joined a group of secular priests dedicated to missionary activities. He involved himself in many kinds of pastoral activities, giving missions and organizing workers, and had a part in the founding of an order of contemplative nuns.

In 1732, he founded the Redemptorists, a congregation of priests and brothers, to work especially among the country people of Italy who often lacked the opportunity for missions, religious instruction, and spiritual retreats. His first companions deserted him, but Alphonsus stood firm, and soon vocations multiplied and the congregation grew.

The Redemptorists were approved by Pope Benedict XIV in 1749, and St. Alphonsus was elected superior general. In 1762, he was appointed bishop of Sant' Agata near Naples, and as bishop he corrected abuses, restored churches, reformed seminaries, and promoted missions throughout his diocese. During the famine of 1763-64, his charity and generosity were boundless, and he also carried on a huge campaign of religious writing.

In 1768, he was stricken with a painful illness and resigned his bishopric. During the last years of his life, problems in his congregation caused him much sorrow and when he died on August 1, 1787, at Pagani, near Salerno, the Congregation of the Redemptorists was in a state of division. 

St. Alphonsus was beatified in 1816, canonized in 1839, and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871.

O God, who didst inflame blessed Alphonsus, thy Confessor and Bishop, with zeal for souls, and didst through him enrich thy Church with a new offspring: we beseech thee; that being taught by his wholesome precepts and strengthened by his example, we may be enabled to attain in gladness unto 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.

A Brief Note from a Beloved Saint

News from the Vatican that St. John Henry Newman is to be declared a Doctor of the Church is of special meaning to the many of us whose conversion to the fulness of the Catholic Faith can be traced to his writings, his example, and his intercession.

For many years I have kept on my desk a copy of his Apologia Pro Vita Sua, which I first read during my undergraduate years, and which has been a spiritual companion ever since.

Cardinal Newman was a prodigious writer, and not only great theological works, but also letters and notes to countless people. I am privileged to have one of his brief thank-you notes, written to an Absolom Peers, in which acknowledgement is made of a thoughtful gesture. Sent from The Oratory and dated March 1, 1879, it reads as follows:

Dear Sir

I thank you for your kindness in sending me a cutting from the “Christian World.” It is very gratifying to me to find so much sympathy from those who, alas, are parted from me in religious views.

Very truly yours,
John H. Newman

I do not know what the article which he references said, nor do I know who Absolom Peers was, but it’s rather delightful to have this tiny glimpse into the daily life of so great a saint, and now prestigious Doctor of the Church.

May his prayers continue to bring many into the fulness of the Catholic Faith.

St. Ignatius of Loyola

The Shrine of St. Ignatius
at the Church of the Gesu in Rome.

St. Ignatius of Loyola was born at Loyola in the mountains of northern Spain in 1491. A member of the minor nobility, Ignatius spent his youth and early adulthood as a courtier and soldier. He occasionally vowed to dedicate himself more fully to God, but never quite followed through. It was only after he read the lives of the saints while convalescing from a leg wound incurred during a battle that he finally began his spiritual pilgrimage with real intent at the age of 30.

Soon after this, St. Ignatius began to experience ecstatic visions, but within a year suffered a period of intense spiritual dryness (what St. John of the Cross termed the “dark night of the soul”), which nearly drove him to despair. He persevered, however, and out of this was born Spiritual Exercises, one the most important Catholic spiritual works of all time. Ignatius was a true mystic. He centered his spiritual life on the essential foundations of the Faith - the Trinity, Christ, the Eucharist. His spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto, Ad majorem Dei gloriam - “for the greater glory of God.” 

In spite of his noble origins, St. Ignatius lived an astonishingly humble lifestyle, which others often resented. Yet he attracted several followers (including St. Francis Xavier), and in 1540 received approval from Pope Paul III for his new order, The Society of Jesus, or the Jesuits. In a very short time, this order would go on to become one of the best known of all Catholic religious orders, taking the Gospel to the four corners of the world.

O God, who for the greater glory of thy Name, didst endue thy Church militant with an increase of strength through the life and labours of blessed Ignatius: grant us, by his help and example, so to wage our earthly warfare; that with him we may be found worthy of a heavenly crown; 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.

Church of the Gesu, Rome.

St. Peter Chrysologus, Bishop and Doctor

In the fifth century it was Ravenna, and not Rome, which was the capital of the Roman Empire in the West, and Ravenna itself became a major metropolitan See. St. Peter Chrysologus was one of the most distinguished archbishops of that See.

Peter was born in Imola about the year 400 and studied under Cornelius, bishop of Imola, who ordained him deacon. In 433, the archbishop of Ravenna died, and when a successor had been chosen by the clergy and people of Ravenna, they asked Bishop Cornelius to obtain confirmation of their choice from Pope Sixtus III. On his trip to Rome, Cornelius took his deacon, Peter, as his companion for the journey to Rome. For some reason known only to God, when the Pope met Peter, he chose him for the See of Ravenna instead of the one who had been selected by the clergy and people of Ravenna.

Peter was consecrated and was accepted somewhat grudgingly at first by both the clergy and the people. Peter, however, soon became the favorite of Emperor Valentinian III, who resided at Ravenna and was also highly regarded by Pope St. Leo the Great, the successor of Pope Sixtus.

There were still traces of paganism in Peter's diocese, and his first effort was to establish the Catholic faith everywhere, rooting out abuses and carrying on a campaign of preaching and special care of the poor. Many of his sermons still survive, and it is on the basis of these that he came to be known as Chrysologus, or "the golden word." In his concern for the unity of the Church, Peter Chrysologus opposed heresy wherever he found it.

When he knew his death was near, Peter returned to his own city of Imola and after urging great care in the choice of his successor he died at Imola about the year 450 and was buried in the church of St. Cassian. In 1729, Pope Benedict XIII declared him a Doctor of the Church.

O God, who madest the Bishop Saint Peter Chrysologus an illustrious preacher of thy incarnate Word: grant, through his intercession; that we may constantly ponder in our hearts the mysteries of thy salvation and faithfully manifest them in our lives; 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: "Saint Peter Chrysologus"

17th century, School of Guercino

Ss. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus

In a decree issued in 2021 by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, the liturgical calendar was changed to reflect the combining of veneration of the three saints of Bethany – Martha, Mary, and Lazarus – on the 29th of July.

In part, the decree states, "In the household of Bethany, the Lord Jesus experienced the family spirit and friendship of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and for this reason the Gospel of John states that he loved them. Martha generously offered him hospitality, Mary listened attentively to his words and Lazarus promptly emerged from the tomb at the command of the one who humiliated death."

It is apparent from the Gospel accounts that Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus were close friends of Jesus. He visited their home in Bethany frequently as a welcomed guest. The sisters felt free to call on Jesus at their brother’s death, even though His return to Judea at that time was very dangerous.

Martha’s great glory is her simple and strong statement of faith in Jesus after her brother’s death, when Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Martha replied to Him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.” (John 11:25-27)

We know St. Martha to be an active person, most famously when she was preparing the meal for Jesus and wanted to know why her sister Mary wasn’t helping her. The Lord recognized that Martha was “anxious about many things,” after which He made the observation that Mary, who had spent the preparation time at His feet listening to His words “has chosen the better part.” In another place, St. John’s Gospel describes Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet at Bethany, which was an act He highly praised.

Immediately after we are told that the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus “because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.” In fact, it was in the sight of many of these Jewish leaders that Jesus raised His friend Lazarus from the dead. They had witnessed Jesus weeping over the death of Lazarus, and they had said, “See how much he loved him.”

There are many legends about Lazarus after the death and resurrection of Jesus, including an account of what he saw in the next world before he was called back to life. It was held by some that he followed Peter into Syria, but there is also an account that he and his sisters were put into a leaking boat at Jaffa, but they were able to safely land in Cyprus, where he died peacefully after serving as bishop for 30 years.

O ALMIGHTY God, who willest to be glorified in thy Saints, and didst raise up thy servants Martha, Mary, and Lazarus to shine as a light in the world: shine, we pray thee, in our hearts; that aided by their prayers we also in our generation may show forth thy praises, who hast called us out of darkness into thy marvellous light; 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: "Raising of Lazarus" by Giotto (1267-1337)

"Lord, teach us to pray..."

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread; and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive every one who is indebted to us; and lead us not into temptation." 

- Luke 11:1-4

It was an ordinary practice for a rabbi to teach his disciples a simple prayer which they could use on a regular basis, and it would be a prayer that encapsulated the teaching they had imparted to their followers. The prayer Jesus gives to his apostles teaches everything necessary to know about how to pray, and for what to pray.

It begins by addressing God as Father, indicating to us that in prayer we are not coming to someone from whom we must try and extract gifts, but we approach a Father who takes delight in supplying His children's needs.

In Hebrew thought the idea of “name” means more than just the name by which a person is called. The name means the whole character of the person as it is revealed and known to us, and this is why Jesus teaches that God’s Name is a holy name. Psalm 9:10 says, "Those who know thy name put their trust in thee." To know the name of God is to know the whole character and mind and heart of God, and makes us willingly put our trust in Him.

The order of the Lord's Prayer is important. Before we ask anything for ourselves, the first order of business is that of God and His glory, and the reverence which is due to Him. Only when we give God His proper place will other things fall into proper order.

Notice how this prayer covers everything in life. It covers our present need, in that it tells us to pray for our daily bread, and indeed it is bread for the day for which we ask, providing a link to the story of the manna in the wilderness (Exodus 16:11-21). Only enough for the needs of the day could be gathered. We are not to worry about the unknown future, but to live a day at a time, which is a reminder of our dependence on God.

The prayer refers to our sin. When we pray, all we can really do is pray for forgiveness, because even the best among us is a sinful man coming before the purity of God. And as we seek forgiveness, so we need to give forgiveness.

It covers future trials, asking that we not be brought to them. “Temptation” means any situation in which we are tested. It includes far more than seduction to sin. It covers every situation which is a challenge to us, and which tests a person's humanity and integrity and fidelity. We cannot escape it, but we can meet it with God. People have asked, “Why would God lead us into temptation?” That’s not really what the prayer is saying, and the Greek is better understood as saying “Let us not be led into temptation.” In other words, in this prayer we are asking God to protect us from going off into whatever direction temptation might take us.

The Lord's Prayer is a public prayer of the Church, with its proper place in the liturgy. But it also is a private prayer, which stirs up all manner of holy desires which lead us on into right ways, while at the same time it sums up all we ought to pray for in the presence of God.

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Image: French manuscript, c. 1200

St. Joachim and St. Anne

According to tradition, St. Joachim and St. Anne have come to us as being the names of the parents of Mary, the Mother of God. They are not named in the canonical Scriptures, but this tradition dates back to the early years of the Church, as does the story which tells us that after many years of not having a child, an angel appeared to them and told them that God would be granting them this blessing.

They 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 their daughter, the Handmaid of the Lord, remained in the Temple until her espousal, where she was prepared by God. As the grandparents of our Saviour Jesus Christ, they serve as examples and intercessors for all parents and grandparents.

O God, who didst choose blessed Joachim and holy Anne that of them might be born the Mother of thine Only Begotten Son: grant unto us, at their intercession, a place in the fellowship of thine elect, wherein for ever to praise thee for thy lovingkindness; through the same 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.

St. Christopher, Martyr

I would be remiss if I didn't remember St. Christopher today. He is my primary patron, and he is linked with St. George, whose name I was also given when I was baptized.

It is generally agreed that St. Christopher did live in the late third and early fourth century. He was taken prisoner in a war with the Romans in North Africa, in present day Libya. He was forced to travel a great distance back to Rome and was assigned as a Roman army officer during the reign of Emperor Diocletian.

A terrible persecution of Christians took place at the command of this emperor. It was one of Diocletian's own guards who refused to participate in the persecution and proclaimed himself a Christian. This guard was St. George. The emperor ordered that St. George be tortured and killed. St. Christopher, who was a soldier there at the time, watched the torture and killing of St. George, and shortly after declared himself also to be a Christian, an admission which caused him to be put to death.

It is thought that his name originally was Reprobus, but was changed to Christopher, meaning "Christ-bearer," because of the story which tells of a child approaching St. Christopher by a river, who asked to be helped across. St. Christopher obliged. However, as he entered midstream, the river rose and the child's weight grew and became extremely heavy. It was only by great exertion that St. Christopher safely delivered the child to the other side. When St. Christopher asked the child why He was so heavy, the child explained that He was the Christ and when St. Christopher carried Him, he also carried the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. The child then vanished.

Although St. Christopher is no longer included in the Church's general liturgical calendar, he is commemorated on July 25th in those places dedicated to him, as well as by those who bear his name. He continues to be invoked as a patron for travellers, and is counted as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a group of saints known for their particularly powerful intercession.

This Collect is from the Sarum Missal:

Concede, quaesumus, omnipotens et misericors Deus, ut qui beati Christophori martyris tui memoriam agimus, ejus piis meritis et intercessionibus a morte perpetua, subitanea peste, fame, timore, paupertate, et ab omnibus insidiis inimicorum liberemur in terris; per te Jesu Christe, salvator mundi, rex gloriae, quem idem Christophorus meruit in suis humeris portare. Qui vivis et regnas cum Deo Patre, in unitate Spiritus sancti Deus: per omnia secula seculorum. Amen.

[Grant, we ask, almighty and merciful God, that we who keep the memory of Thy blessed martyr Christopher, by his pious merits and intercession may be delivered on earth from perpetual death, sudden plague, famine, fear, poverty, and from all the snares of our enemies; through Thee, Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, and King of glory, whom the same Christopher merited to bear upon his shoulders. Who livest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.]

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Painting: "St. Christopher Carrying the Infant Jesus" 

by Edmond Lechevallier-Chevignard (1825-1902)