The Winnowing Fan by marc urmatan

Oratory of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Pampanga, Philippines)

The plans for the private oratory of Our Lady of Guadalupe were born after receiving a favor through the intercession of Our Lady under the said title. The favor was a child eventually baptized Juan Diego. The realization that ONLY in the apparition in Guadalupe, Mexico, did God allow the true face of Our Lady as she appears today in heaven to be imprinted on the tilma of Juan Diego for all men to see, made the Lay Monastic Community of Caryana to take it upon themselves to share this treasure to all her children. No other apparition of Our Lady has been so privileged.

The Spanish Novena was translated into seven local dialects; Japanese, Malaysian, Chinese and Thai and freely distributed. Actual sizes and smaller versions of the miraculous image were distributed to Bishops, parishes, and seminaries upon request. On a pilgrimage to Mexico, former Justice Jose Y. Feria obtained an authorization from the Abbot of the Basilica of Guadalupe to propagate devotion to her around the Philippines and Asia. This was followed with a private audience with the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, wherein His Holiness blessed the pilgrim image for the Philippines and Asia. Justice Feria also gifted the Pope with an actual size replica of the tilma executed in canvass as a gift from the community. Knowing that Our Lady's wish was to build a chapel in her honor in Guadalupe, the community built the Oratory of Our Lady of Guadalupe within its compound in Magalang, Pampanga...hopefully where She can listen to the prayers of her children. The private oratory was inaugurated with a solemn Pontifical mass on Dec. 12, 1998. The community has extended propagation of devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe to Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Japan, Timor, Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda and India, as well as to both South and North America.

Table of Contents ABORTION..................................................................................... 9 WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN ......................................................... 10 PENALTY FOR ABORTION ....................................................... 10 WORSE THAN MURDER ........................................................... 11 THOUGHTS ON ABORTION .................................................... 11 BIRTH CONTROL ....................................................................... 12 POPULATION CONTROL ......................................................... 12 BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ................... 14 THE YEAR 300 - CELIBACY, MARRIAGE AND HOLY COMMUNION ............................................................................. 15 THE YEAR 300 – MONASTICISM ............................................. 16 HERESIES IN THE 300's A.D. ..................................................... 18 THE FOUR HUNDREDS--UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE ........................................................................................................ 19 THE FOUR HUNDREDS ............................................................. 21 THE YEARS 500 - 1000 A.D. ....................................................... 22 THE YEAR 500 A.D. .................................................................... 23 THE YEAR 600 A.D. - THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE WEST ............................................................................................. 24 THE YEAR 600 A.D. - THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE EAST .............................................................................................. 26 THE YEAR 600 A.D. - ON CELIBACY....................................... 28 THE YEAR 600 A.D. - THE PAPACY ........................................ 29 THE YEAR 600 A.D. – MONASTICISM .................................... 30 THE CATHOLIC CHURCH........................................................ 31 THE YEAR 500 A. D. – MONASTICISM ................................... 33 THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part I ............ 35 THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part II .......... 37 THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part III ......... 40 THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part IV ......... 43 THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part V .......... 45 CELIBACY IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH .................. 47 4

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (THE UNTRIED SOLUTION) .. 50 THE APOLOGIST ........................................................................ 52 THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH ........................................... 53 A SLIGHT DISAGREEMENT...................................................... 54 HERESIES AND THE FIRST COUNCILS.................................. 56 THE FIRST CENTURY ................................................................ 57 THE CONTENT OF CHURCH HISTORY ................................ 58 THE VULGATE OF ST. JEROME ............................................... 59 THE HOLY HOUSE ..................................................................... 60 THE JESUITS, "THE POPE'S MEN" .......................................... 63 ON THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PERSECUTORS DIED . 65 EBIONITE HERESY ..................................................................... 68 CORINTHUS THE HERESIARCH ............................................. 69 THE NICOLAITIANS .................................................................. 69 MARRIED APOSTLES ................................................................. 70 THE PERSECUTIONS ................................................................. 70 HERESIES OF THIS AGE (c. 138 A.D.) ...................................... 72 HEGESIPPUS ................................................................................ 72 THE TENTH CENTURY ............................................................. 73 THE YEAR 600 ............................................................................. 74 EDUCATION IN THE 600's ........................................................ 75 MISSIONS IN THE 600's ............................................................. 76 HERESY OF MONOTHELITISM ............................................... 77 CHRISTIAN LIFE ......................................................................... 78 CHRISTIAN LIFE ......................................................................... 79 THE CHRISTIAN DUTY ............................................................. 80 CHRISTIAN LOVE ...................................................................... 80 CHRISTIAN ACTS ....................................................................... 81 GOOD EXAMPLE ........................................................................ 82 THE CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE ............................................... 82 CHRISTIANS ARE THE SOUL OF THE WORLD .................... 84 CHRISTIAN SORROW................................................................ 85 MONOTONY ................................................................................ 86 THE GREAT DISEASE ................................................................ 86 CHRISTIANS IN THE WORLD.................................................. 87 CHRISTIAN LIFE - A ................................................................... 89 5

CHRISTIAN LIFE - B ................................................................... 90 CHRISTIAN LIFE - C ................................................................... 91 CHRISTIAN LIFE - D .................................................................. 92 CHRISTIAN LIFE - E ................................................................... 94 RULED BY HABIT AND FAITH ................................................ 96 CHRISTIAN FREEDOM .............................................................. 97 TRUE ZEAL FOR GOD................................................................ 98 YOUTHFUL SELF-SACRIFICE .................................................. 99 LIGHTS IN THE WORLD ......................................................... 100 THE VALIANT CHRISTIAN WOMAN .................................. 101 WOMAN AND FAMILY LIFE .................................................. 102 CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE .......................................................... 104 THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE........................ 105 THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN WOMEN ................................ 107 VENERABLE JAMES ALBERIONE .......................................... 109 THE BATTLE OF A CHRISTIAN ............................................. 110 UNITY ......................................................................................... 110 CHRISTIANS CONDEMN CHRISTIANS ............................... 111 INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE (THES. 3:12 - 4:2) ........ 112 IN DEFENSE OF CHRISTIANITY (HIS NAME IS GOD) ...... 115 MAN WAS ENDOWED WITH REASON BUT HE SELDOM USES IT ........................................................................................ 116 WHAT REALLY IS IT LIKE? ..................................................... 117 WATCH THE RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS ................................... 117 YOU MUST KNOW GOD BEFORE YOU CAN WORSHIP HIM ...................................................................................................... 118 WHAT IS MAN? ......................................................................... 119 ACTIVE AND CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE ................................. 121 HE WHO BELIEVES IS NOT CONDEMNED ......................... 122 HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IS ALREADY CONDEMNED ...................................................................................................... 123 REVERENCE A SIGN OF FAITH ............................................. 123 FAITH -- CHRIST SLEEPING ON THE BOAT ...................... 124 COMMANDS OF CHRIST ........................................................ 126 BE WATCHFUL ......................................................................... 127 6

THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST ARE NOT HARD TO OBEY ...................................................................................................... 129 DRIVING OUT OF THE TEMPLE ........................................... 130 MY SHEEP - THOSE WHO BELIEVE ...................................... 131 I AM THE GATE OF THE SHEEPFOLD ................................. 132 DENY YOURSELF ...................................................................... 134 THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST ............................................... 135 THREE KINDS OF CARNAL MOVEMENT ........................... 136 DENY YOURSELF, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME ................................................................................................ 137 FOLLOWING CHRIST .............................................................. 139 OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST ................ 140 DENYING ONESELF ................................................................. 141 "LET US GO TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD." (ROM. 13: 1114) ................................................................................................ 142 "VERITATIS SPLENDOR" ........................................................ 145 PURPOSE OF PRESENT ENCYCLICAL.................................. 146 "VERITATIS SPLENDOR" ........................................................ 148 "TEACHER, WHAT GOOD MUST I DO TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." Christ and His Answer to the Young Man. .................... 148 "KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS."........................................... 149 "DO GOOD AND AVOID EVIL."............................................. 149 "IF YOU WISH TO BE PERFECT."........................................... 150 "OBSTACLE TO HOLINESS." ................................................... 150 "COME, FOLLOW ME."............................................................. 151 "DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE WORLD." .................. 153 FREEDOM AND THE LAW. ..................................................... 155 HOW THE WORD OF GOD IS TO BE DESIRED AND SOUGHT ..................................................................................... 157 THE TEMPTATION IN THE DESERT .................................... 158 THE WORDS OF CHRIST (FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY) ...................................................................................................... 160 PETER, DO YOU LOVE ME? .................................................... 162 BELIEVING WITHOUT SEEING ............................................. 164 GOD BECAME MAN ................................................................. 165 PRECIOUS BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST ....................... 166 7

IN MY NAME. . . ......................................................................... 168 DEATH ........................................................................................ 171 THE THOUGHT OF DEATH ................................................... 172 THE THOUGHT OF DEATH REMOVES ALL FEARS .......... 173 ON THE REMEMBRANCE OF DEATH .................................. 173 AVOID SINS ............................................................................... 174 DEATH ........................................................................................ 175 THE SEARCH FOR LONG LIFE ............................................... 176 DEATH IS INEVITABLE ........................................................... 177 CONDEMNED TO DEATH ...................................................... 177 TRIALS AND DEATH ............................................................... 178 THE ART OF DYING WELL ..................................................... 179 LIVE WELL ................................................................................. 179 THE ART OF DYING WELL ..................................................... 182 LESSONS FROM THE GOSPEL ................................................ 182 VISIONS ON LAST MOMENTS ............................................... 184 A GOOD DEATH IS THE FINALE OF A GOOD LIFE .......... 185 AN UNPLEASANT TOPIC........................................................ 186 TO DIE WELL, DIE TO THE WORLD .................................... 188 A VISION CONCERNING THE FATE OF SOULS AT THE TIME OF DEATH ....................................................................... 190 A JOYFUL DEATH..................................................................... 192

ABORTION

WHEN DOES LIFE BEGIN Life begins with conception, because we contend that the soul begins at conception. Life begins when the soul begins. -Tertullian It seems very rash to deny that those fetuses ever lived, that are cut away and ejected limb by limb from wombs of the pregnant, lest the mothers perish too if the fetuses be left there dead. But from whatever time a man begins to live, from that time on certainly he is able to die. -St. Augustine Those also who give drugs causing abortions are murderers themselves, as well as those who receive the poison which kills the fetus. -St. Basil the Great

PENALTY FOR ABORTION Some go so far as to take potion, that they may insure barrenness, and thus murder human beings almost before their conception. Some, when they find themselves with child through their sin, use drugs to procure abortion; and when, as often happens, they die with their offspring, they enter the lower world laden with the guilt not only of adultery against Christ but also of suicide and child murder. -St. Jerome 10

WORSE THAN MURDER Why do you sow where the field is eager to destroy the fruit; where there are medicines of sterility; where there is murder before birth? You do not even let an adulterer, a fornicator, a harlot remain as such but you make her a murderess as well. Indeed, it is something worse than murder and I do not know what to call it; for she does not kill what is formed, but prevent its formation. What then? Do you condemn the gifts of God and fight with His laws? Why do you seek a curse as though it were a blessing? Do you make the anteroom a place of slaughter? Do you teach the women who are given to you for procreation of offspring to perpetuate killings? -St. John Chrysostom

THOUGHTS ON ABORTION It makes no difference whether it is a life already born that one snatches away or a life that is coming to birth that one destroys. The future man is a man already; the whole fruit is present in the seed. -Tertullian

There are also women among you who, by taking certain drugs, destroy the beginnings of the future human being while it is still in the womb and, therefore, are guilty of infanticide before they are mothers. -Minucius Felix

BIRTH CONTROL Today, people love euphemism wherein they use nice words for very evil things. Of course, this gives it a journalistic appeal. They talk of free love when they really mean free lust. They insist on talking about birth control when they mean less birth and no control. - G. K. Chesterton

POPULATION CONTROL Scrooge utters all the sophistries by which the age of machinery has tried to turn the virtue of charity into vice. He belongs not only to the hard times of the middle of the nineteenth century, but to the harder times of the beginning of the twentieth century, the yet harder times in which we live. Many amiable sociologists will say, as Scrooge said, "Let them die and decrease the surplus population." The improved version proposal is that they should die before they are born. -G. K. Chesterton

BIRTH CONTROL What is quaintly called Birth Control is, in fact, of course, a school for preventing birth in order to have no control. Normal and real birth control is called self-control. Birth Control is a name given to a succession of different expediency wherein it is possible to enjoy the pleasure belonging to a natural process while violently and unnaturally thwarting the process itself.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

THE YEAR 300 - CELIBACY, MARRIAGE AND HOLY COMMUNION In the year 300 A.D., due to difficulties in communication between the churches, the different local churches adopted varied disciplines. Though in all the differences, all recognized the supremacy of the Pope in Rome. Celibacy was practised from the beginning of the Church by most of the clergy, though this was not declared officially as an obligation throughout the Church. The first priests were chosen from the first converts and apparently some of the married men, shining in holiness, were chosen for ordination, as Peter was. The official imposition of celibacy upon all the clergy started in Spain at the Council of Elvira (305). About 315, in two local councils in Galatia and Cappadocia, it became official that priests should not marry. Though in the Council of Nicea a lively discussion went on forbidding all married bishops and priests to live with their wives, the advise of Paphnutius was accepted to follow the 'ancient tradition' which prohibited marriage after ordination. In a Council held at Rome under Pope Siricius in 386, the imposition of continence upon all bishops, priests and deacons became, to some extent, universal. St. Jerome and St. Ambrose spoke strongly in its favor. And non15

observance was sporadic and due more to ignorance or pure human weakness. From the beginning, the Church maintained the indissolubility of marriage; and anyone who departed from it was to be excluded from Holy Communion. The Church also was very strict in prohibiting the marriage of near relatives, forbidding the intermarriage of first cousins. St. Justin described the universal practice of receiving Holy Communion as early as the second century, adding: "No one is permitted to partake of it unless he believes, is baptized and lives as Christ had lived."

THE YEAR 300 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MONASTICISM As the persecution of the Catholic Church waned, the early Christians embraced the alternative to martyrdom: this is monastic life. There is no such thing as different monastic schools: what seems different among the monastic movements is only the degree of intensity in the way of life. While St. Benedict's rule is for ordinary peasants beginning in the spiritual life, St. John Climacus' rule is for hard-headed monks long living the monastic life.

Around this era, monasticism began to flourish near Jerusalem and Jericho. And, essentially, monasticism is "living alone together". And so monastic practices were either highly alone and less together for the advanced, half living alone and half together for the middle way, and more together and rarely alone for beginners in the monastic life. In fact, St. Benedict's rule legislated community life and discouraged going to the eremitical life without intense preparation. During this period, we had the LAURAS, a monastic community wherewith monks lived half way between the solitary life and community life. They lived alone in their hermitages but met together for liturgy. During this era, the Church was still fervent. of the absence of persecution, monastic life spread in every province of the Roman world--Asia Minor, India, Persia and Ethiopia. In no time, it reached the West--Italy, the island of the Adriatic, Gaul, Spain, and the British Isles. The Armenian monks wore the first definite monastic habit. The earliest monastic rule was written by St. Pachomius and all monastic orders follow the general norms of his rule. The community of St. Anthony is resembled more by the Carthusians today. The monastic communities of St. Basil were like small cities with whole families living the monastic life together. St. Martin of Tours, Bishop, organized his diocese along quasi-monastic lines; his rule was as mild as St. Benedict's. St. Augustine, Bishop, organized his diocesan priests into monastic communities. 17

Obviously, from the beginning, monasticism was fully developed because its norms are found in Scriptures, in the hidden life of Christ.

HERESIES IN THE 300's A.D. It is said that when the devil tried to destroy the infant Church from the outside through persecution and found it unsuccessful, he switched tactics and attacked the Church from within through the instrumentations of cockles, his followers within the Church. From the earliest times, the authors of heresy were priests and bishops. The first and most pervading heresy was Arianism introduced by a Catholic priest, Arius of Alexandria. The heresy was so bad that the followers of Arius put to death countless Catholic bishops to install their own heretical Arian bishops. The heretical bishops, in turn, exiled the Pope and held their councils at Arles, Milan and Rimini. They took over the entire Church of Constantinople. St. Jerome, thunderstruck by the heresy, commented that the whole world groaned to wake up and find itself suddenly Arian. St. Athanasius almost single-handedly fought this heresy. 18

Like the Protestant movement in the 1500's, Arianism spread far and wide; it became the national religion of the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Burgundians, Suevi, Vandals and Lombards. The Arians held that Christ was inferior to the Father. If so, the Holy Spirit would also be inferior to the Father, says the Macedonianism heresy, a heresy started by 360 Arian bishops. This was followed by Apollinarianism, stating that Christ did not have a rational soul, started by the Bishop of Laodicea. In Spain, the heresy , Priscillianism, a form of Manichaeism, was introduced by the Bishop of Avila with the help of two other bishops. By the grace of God, this sect was reconciled to the Church. One need not wonder that with bishops like the above, the Church needed no external enemies. On the part of the evil one, it was a master stroke.

THE FOUR HUNDREDS--UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE

The fifth century is marked by the union of Church and State which became the greatest source of unity, so that Orosius wrote: "I find my country, my law, and my

religionâ&#x20AC;Ś a Roman among Romans, a Christian among Christians." The East, however, was racked with theological dissensions. And their continuous appeal to Rome showed their recognition of the pre-eminence of the Roman See in all things theological. During this era, the civil authority began to become weak and the Popes found themselves having to administer the civil duties. Thus, the Popes became both the spiritual and civil leader as in the case of Pope Leo the Great. The Popes even had to plan the defense of nations against invaders. Though the healthy relationship should be based on the Pope being over the civil head by reason of the superiority of the spiritual over the natural, in the East, it was the emperor who wanted to put the Church under the civil authority. And since the pope is the big obstacle to this, the Eastern Emperor tried all means to separate the Eastern Church from Rome. Six centuries later the Emperor would succeed. Because of the union of Church and State, both the Pope and head of State became interested on who would be the next Pope or head of State. And so followed an almost interminable attempt on both sides to meddle in the affairs of other. During this era, we see the fifth Anti-Pope. AntiPopes are not necessarily bad persons. Most often, they were 20

elected in a doubtful manner. Some of them are saints. In some cases, it really was not clear who was the real Pope. And so they are called Anti-Popes by historians but not necessarily by God who does the choosing ultimately.

THE FOUR HUNDREDS During this era, the indissolubility of marriage was re-emphasized. Thus, the easy access to annulments these days are in direct opposition to the ancient practice of the Catholic Church (Council of Carthage, 407). The monks, who used to be the light and life of the Church, became the source of scandals. St. Jerome, a champion of monastic life, spoke vehemently against such monks. So the Council of Chalcedon in 451 reiterated the behavior expected of monks. Aside from the quest for holiness that they had vowed, they were not to interfere in secular affairs and observe the ancient practice prohibiting marriage. A large number of the Eastern monks left the Catholic Church. It was during this era that the Blessed Virgin Mary, though recognized as the greatest among the saints, took her proper place in both the liturgy of the East and West...up to the present. At this time, too, the Church held sway over most of Europe and the Middle East. They had the leisure of discussing what they did not understand...which was disastrous. Not understanding what they were discussing, 21

many fell into heresies. Then there were the barbarians that crossed Christendom. But slowly, the barbarians became Christians. The Pope replaced the Emperor as Pontifex Maximus. Rome became the center of a new civilization. By the next century, the year 500, Europe would be united by the Catholic Church and every important city of the Empire would be known as a Bishop's See.

THE YEARS 500 - 1000 A.D. The years 500 - 1000 in the history of the Catholic Church began with the conversion of King Clovis. Charlemagne began an era that would eventually create a Europe where Church and State were united. It would be the only time that a continent was so united under Regnum et Sacerdotium...the most perfect form of society as envisioned by St. Augustine's City of God. Here, both Church and State rested on the same ultimate basis of divine authority; both were quickened by the consciousness of a common faith; and both, however inconsistent, self-seeking or disloyal, were, in the last analysis, inspired by the Catholic Tradition. "To be European was to be Christian," was the saying. Every barbaric tribe that invaded Christian Europe was eventually assimilated into the Christian Faith. Yet it cannot be said that these centuries were growth years for the Catholic Church. In fact, an evil omen began emerging in 22

the great schism of the Eastern Church that would divide the Church into two. But as is always the case, a renewal was begun among the monastic orders which remained the bulwark of the Church during that lawless and wicked age. The year 1000 saw the papacy a booty of contending Italian lay factions and the government of the Church was in complete disarray. It took a king, Otto the Great, to begin a renewal in the Church. Then his grandson, Otto III, who became Pope Gregory V, began what would be the Golden Age of Christianity in Europe.

THE YEAR 500 A.D. The emperor had abandoned Rome and had gone to the East. Rome was left without a leader. This made Pope Leo head of the Church and political head of Rome. Union of Church and State had a rough beginning. Though later it would end up in a happy marriage. At this time Empress Theodora had Pope Silverius imprisoned for life. And Emperor Justinian forced Pope Vigilius to sign a shameful statement. Theoodoric, after receiving great favors from the Pope, imprisoned Pope John I. After this, the Pope took a stronger stand against the Emperor and here began the birth of the papal kingdoms. Popes would become spiritual heads and worldly kings...the 23

latter caused the Papacy and the Church great problems later on. At this time, too, Popes were nominated by their predecessors. And doctrines that were clearly established in the Church were Papal infallibility, the Divinity of Christ and the Divine Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the importance of Tradition (i.e., the writings of the Fathers of the Church) and the obligations of membership in the Church.

THE YEAR 600 A.D. - THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE WEST St. Gregory of Tours gives us a depressing picture of the brutality and immorality in the political life of his day. Clotaire, who ruled all Gaul, restored peace. He made Bishop Arnulf of Metz regent of his young son, Dagobert. Dagobert, the last strong Merovingian king, sent Catholic missionaries into the Basque country and into Flanders. While Pepin, mayor of the palace, supported the missionary efforts of St. Willibrord to Frisia. Italy was in confusion; the ten Lombard kings, mostly Arian heretics, ruled Italy. But their Catholic wives exerted considerable influence for good.

Theodolinda, wife of Agilulf, was Catholic. She built numerous churches, founded monasteries and converted her heretic-husband to the Catholic Faith. In Spain, the Catholic Council of Toledo, held fourteen times, decided on political and religious questions. It checked high-handed or disorderly monarchs and nobles and molded the national life. The Council, however, was headed by saints, like Sts. Leader, Isidore, Ildephonsus, Fructuosus. The monastery of Agli at Toledo became a training school of saints and scholars. But there was a brewing storm -- the restlessness of the rich and the nobility because of their refusal to live by the teachings of the Church. Note that when the cooperation between emperor and pope or bishops is in order, with each one keeping to their role, great benefits accrue to the nation. Problems begin when one or the other oversteps his field of competency. King Ethelbert of England, a fervent convert, helped in the rapid spread of Christianity and, with the help of Ireland, trained strong religious leaders. Evangelization was hampered when a quarrel arose between the Celtic bishops and the bishops from Rome on which monastic rule to adopt in England -- St. Benedict's or the stricter IrishColumban rules. St. Wilfrid, a noble ordained archbishop, was the dominant figure in England. He was deposed by Ecgfrid. Wilfrid appealed to the Pope and the Pope declared the independence of the Church from the crown and the right 25

to appeal to the Holy See. For the next four centuries, no English king ventured to depose a bishop. During this time, Ireland was the brightest area in Christendom. Monasteries and schools multiplied. Irish missionaries went to foreign lands. European students studied in Ireland. Though slightly different, the Irish eventually accepted the Roman way of doing things.

THE YEAR 600 A.D. - THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE EAST This era is characterized by the slow growing influence of the Papacy over the development of a new, united Europe. Europe was going to be united by Catholicism under the papacy, a unity they had never experienced and will never experience again in the future because they had set aside what united them -- the Catholic teachings with the Pope as its head. The wild Teutonic tribes, firstly, the Lombards of Italy, at first Arians, became Catholics; the Visigoths of Spain developed rapidly into a powerful independent Catholic state where bishops and kings cooperated in the administration of the country. The Franks in Gaul (France) maintained the Catholic faith they had previously accepted and the Anglo-Saxons of England were won back to the Faith.

All these events contributed to the shaping of a new Europe, Catholic first and German, Celtic, Roman, second. It will show that the Catholic Church with the Pope as its head is the only force that exists today which can unite diverse nations and people. And if Europe will break up 900 years later, it is not because it was Catholic but because it was not Catholic enough. But this century was still filled with confusion because emperors kept on interfering with the Church. In their desire for unity, as they defended themselves against the onslaught of the Arabs, emperors tried to reconcile the Church with other Christian heresies, like the Monophysites. Phocas (602) was the first eastern emperor crowned in church and the first to acknowledge the universal supremacy of the Pope in Rome. Heraclius (610) drove away and practically destroyed the Persian Empire. However, in his desire to unite Catholics and Christian heretics, he advanced a formula, the Ecthesis, which was a heretical formula. Emperor Constans (642) advanced another formula to unite Catholics and heretics called the Type. The Pope rejected the formula and the emperor banished the Pope. As punishment from God, the Moslems attacked the Eastern kingdom, forcing Constans to flee to Rome. Disobedient bishops, like the Bishop of Ravenna, joined the emperor. Justinian (685), as emperor, interfered greatly with the Church. He tried to force the Eastern practice of married 27

clergy on the whole Catholic Church. Pope Sergius rejected this Trullan Synod attended by many bishops and dethroned the emperor.

THE YEAR 600 A.D. - ON CELIBACY By this time, during the Trullan synod, the law of celibacy was getting stricter in the Eastern Church (the Eastern Church had married priests.) The decree states that priests, deacons and subdeacons, if married before ordination, might continue in conjugal relationship. But those who are single before ordination may not marry after ordination. And a bishop married before his consecration must separate from his wife. This was, in fact, the rule that governed the Eastern Churches for a long time except that it was not faithfully implemented until now. At this time, unlike at any other time in the history of the world, Catholic Doctrine affected both civil legislation and social life. The Bishops were on equal footing with the nobility and civil officials. The Holy See possessed supreme power over doctrine and discipline. But the Popes seldom intervened in civil affairs, though the emperors had a voice in the ordination of priests, the nomination of bishops and the assembling of councils. There was great respect for the Church but too much meddling in the affairs of the Church and this was a heavy cross that the Church would bear for centuries to come.

In Ireland, because of the great reverence for monastic life, the head of monasteries, the abbots, were more revered than the local bishops. In fact, most of the bishops were the abbots. And the Catholic Church in Ireland was one huge monastery.

THE YEAR 600 A.D. - THE PAPACY At this time, there was a tag of power taking place. Seeing the influence of the Pope, most kings and emperors tried to control and dictate on the Pope. The Pope waged a brutal war to remain independent of Catholic emperors. Then, one day, Emperor Justinian II tried to arrest the Pope. The Romans drove the imperial agents out of the city, thus ending for a while imperial attempts to control the popes. Pope Boniface III decreed that no one may start any activity for election until three days after the burial of the Pope. Pope Deusdedit was zealous in extending relief during times of pestilence. He was the first one to use the word "Bull" for Vatican pronouncements, thus "Papal Bull." Pope Severinus reigned only four months. St. Pope Martin I enraged the emperor because of his proclamations. The emperor in turn arrested him, brutally treated him and banished him. The emperor instead installed St. Eugene I to the papal throne. Being a holy man, 29

the Pope went against the emperor and suffered the same fate as Pope Martin. Pope Adeodatus, like the previous and future popes, took active part in promoting the monastic discipline, believing that the vitality of the Church is as good only as the vitality of the monastic life in the Church. Pope Agatho spoke so authoritatively during the Sixth Ecumenical Council that to him is attributed the statement: "Peter has spoken through Agatho." Pope St. Benedict II removed the onerous practice introduced by the emperor of confirming the election of popes. As early as this time, there were two anti-popes: Theodore and Paschal. They were not bad men. A deadlock simply took place in their election. They were both proclaimed Popes by their supporters. But, after a while, Pope St. Sergius was elected to settle the deadlock. The word anti-pope was not the right word to describe them.

THE YEAR 600 A.D. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MONASTICISM As from the beginning of the Church, monasticism was central in the 600 A.D. Monasticism continued to flourish and monasticism would play an important part in the making of Europe in the following centuries. 30

The great monastic orders of Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Italy were beacons of learning and holiness throughout the medieval period. St. Columban corrected kings and denounced wickedness in the royal court. But his monastic rule was so stern that it gave way to the milder rule of St. Benedict. The rule of St. Benedict was more in consonance with the British personality and captured the heart of European monasticism.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH There is one thing in this world that is different from others because it has a personality and a force. When recognized, it is violently loved or hated. It is the Catholic Church. Within its walls, the soul has a roof and a hearth. Outside, it is darkness, confusion and hatred. Sadly, most Catholics are outside, shown by their ignorance of the commandments of Christ. And if the commands of Christ are presented to them, their reaction is hatred. This comes from both laymen and the clergy. Christ's Apostolic Commission to His apostles was to "teach ALL that I have commanded and HOW to observe them." Ignorance and hatred for these commands have been the root cause of all the evils that have beset the Catholic 31

Church. And these evils are from within ... as all heresies and apostasies are from within. It is the Catholic Church, specially the early monks in Patrick, Augustine, Boniface, Cassian, Isidore, Leander which inspired and formed the Great Western Civilization from the destructive tendencies of barbarism. As long as the Catholic religion influenced civilization, that civilization rose to its golden era. But as the influence of that mighty institution, the Catholic Church, gradually waned, or as society slowly abandoned her precepts either out of ignorance or rejection, as in fact has been happening for a few hundred years, but specially now, culture and civilization have gone to night time. The primary cause? The clergy's ignorance of the commands of Christ and therefore their inability to perform the apostolic admonition on what to teach. Rising out of paganism, we are now experiencing a return to a new paganism with a new cruel barbarism, different from the old paganism and barbarism of our forefathers. This modern barbaric paganism is more destructive and more difficult to convert. This is evident all around us and more specially in the actions of politicians and businessmen and, sadly, even among the clergy. Their thoughts, words and actions are devoid of charity, all natural affection between parents and children are nonexistent and all loyalty among friends are gone. Everyone is ready to betray for a price. No one will admit he is behaving like a pagan because no one knows how the barbaric pagan behaved 32

before. But it is paganism though it will not be called so; because modern pagans wear a coat and tie, speak good English, and eat with spoon, fork and napkins...but the way they treat their neighbors is totally without Christian charity, in disobedience to the commands of Christ. Augustine in England, Boniface in Germany, Patrick in Ireland and other early preachers raised souls from paganism to Christianity by obeying the Apostolic Commission of Christ, "teaching all My commands and how to observe them." Most of the men of the Church do not know the commands of Christ and, much less, how to observe them. And if shown what these commands are, they show hatred for them. This attitude is disastrous and will exacerbate the already declining influence of the Catholic Church in society. With these state of affairs within the Church, we can only have serious misgivings about the future.

THE YEAR 500 A. D. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MONASTICISM Monastic orders were the only religious communities during this era. Monasticism was widespread, firstly in the East. Constantinople and its suburbs contained one hundred monasteries. But monasteries, too, had their ups and downs. During this era monks got involved in controversial issues and in politics. . .and ended up supporting countless 33

heresies. This era saw the demise of monasticism mostly because of their involvement in controversies and politics. A spirit of intrigue and disobedience grew up; discipline relaxed and monasteries saw themselves producing feeble souls. Monasticism in the West, on the other hand, flourished. They were the foundations of civilizations. They preached the Gospel, served the poor and the sick, and instructed the young in religion, on various arts and crafts. They worked as copyist, preserving for all times Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers of the Church. They cleared forests, constructed roads, dug canals, built bridges and cultivated barren lands. These monasteries were under the new monastic founders: Caesarius of Arles, Benedict of Nursia, St. Columba, St. Finian, St. Brendan, St. David and St. Kentigern. These monastic founders founded the first schools, called monastic schools. And these schools became the center of learning for the continent.

THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part I [How the Catholic Church nurtured the seed of her destruction within her own womb.] The reformation took place because of several factors that were fertile ground for it. Maybe if one or two factors were lacking, the Reformation would never have taken place. But, it seems, everything was in place: Christendom was doomed to be divided: one part, Catholic; the other, Protestant. The same factor exists today. And all the other factors are also in place. For all you know, a Reformation has taken place without ourselves knowing it. After all, when the Reformation took place in the 1500, how many among the common man were really conscious of it. It is a pity that, in spite of voluminous information about that age, few among the Catholics and the Protestants know what really happened. In fact, even the Catholics and Protestants at that time were ignorant of what was happening. Because of this, some Catholics, like the powerful Cardinal Richelieu, were, in fact, protecting, defending and propagating Protestantism, while most Protestants did not realize it but they were going far away from the teachings of Martin Luther. History is meaningful, only if we can learn from the mistakes of the past. If not, it is futile to think of the past: we 35

might just as well think of the present and the future. And the history of the Reformation is a study on how Catholics committed blunders left and right and how the Protestants effectively deceived themselves into believing that they were reforming the Church when Martin Luther, himself, thought it was all a big mistake. What happened was not a Reformation: it was the destruction and dismemberment of Catholic Europe. The problem in analyzing the history of the Reformation is that it is surrounded by historical, political, social and financial factors. . .but, most of all, by a spiritual factor. . .which both Catholic and Protestant historians fail to consider. Without this spiritual factor, the events of that era are completely impossible to understand, making it easy for the devious to toss blame at whoever they want. From the very beginning, let me point out, the dynamics of what happened during the Reformation is so simple, i.e. what happened from the ascetical point of view is so simple, the simplest of minds could easily understand the happenings and the simple-minded could have easily prevented it. But there were few simple-minded men at that time. All were complex-minded, just as we are today. There were too many things in their minds. If they merely thought of God's will, everything could have been solved so easily. But they were like us today--we never judge things from purely God's point of view. We judge things from many considerations, most of which have nothing to do with God. The first and main factor that prompted the Reformation is spiritual: as from earliest time, but more so at the coming of Christ, the Evil One who had always 36

attacked Christ again attacked Christ's true religion. And his singular trademark, as we know from Scriptures, is HATRED. . .hatred of things Catholic. And every Protestant sect today, with rare exemptions, nurses this hatred for things Catholic. Immediately obvious to us is their hatred of Catholic doctrine on the veneration of images and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. They can hate their own images; but why do they have to hate our images. For some reason, they can hate their wives; but I do not see why they have to hate other people's wives, too. Their hatred is evidently devilish. The devil hates the Catholic Church: his existence is vowed to attacking the Church. . .he is just waiting for willing instruments. And the Catholic Church has inadvertently provided the instrument . . .by her neglect. She neglected her primary role of instructing and leading her faithful to sanctity being immersed in the wealth, luxury and worldliness that have swarmed her.

THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part II [How the Catholic Church nurtured the seed of her destruction within her own womb.] Today, the Church, as a whole, in her human element, is neglectful of this primary role, the sanctification of her members. The neglect is frightening. Of course, there 37

is a sputtering of efforts here and there, as was at Luther's time, by more competent saints. But, any sputtering here and there did not change the momentum towards Protestantism. Great Saints, like Cajetan and Ignatius of Loyola, could not stop the division of Europe into the Catholic and Protestant camps. . .that is, half of Europe lost; neither can anyone much less than a saint stop the Protestantinization of the Catholic Church today. The Church's neglect of her primary purpose for existing, the sanctification of her faithful through a true and complete exposition of Christ's commands, left a Catholic Church ingrained with traditional practices which are meaningless: There was no rationale for Catholic belief, a rationale that St. Thomas of Aquinas exquisitely presented in his Summa. Because of the neglect of the men in the Church, Catholicism became an irrational religion. It was in this atmosphere of irrationality that such Catholic religious, like the Augustinian Martin Luther, were raised. The lack of knowledge of the reasons behind Catholic belief irretrievably made them decide to interpret Scriptures the best way they knew. . .purely by literal and human interpretation. "I will interpret Scriptures the way I understand it." That's a very far cry from the Catholic attitude of, "What is God telling us in Scriptures?" The Reformation was born from this uninformed, unstudied interpretation of Scriptures by Catholic religious. And, I repeat, they were nurtured in the bosom of a neglectful mother. Putting it simplistically, the Reformation is not an anti-doctrinal movement. The Reformation had nothing 38

against any Catholic Doctrine. . .at least at the beginning. How could they when they did not quite understand Catholic Doctrine. It was an objection against a mother who was not doing her job: in fact, a mother who was having a grand worldly time and was asking her children to pay for it. The beginnings of the Reformation was anti-clerical; it was a movement against the men of the Church, their abuses, their worldliness, their way of life, their sins, their repressive treatment. And, frankly, in that era, there was everything to complain about the men of the Church--one of which was the manner funds were being raised. . .at one instance, through the sales of indulgences. At this point, with the devil and his hatred there, with willing instruments ready, with a neglectful mother asleep to the oncoming tragedy, the forces were in a position for the breakup of Christendom; but the situation was still salvageable. . .in fact, very salvageable. Henry VIII entered the picture. He, like Martin Luther, had no doctrinal quarrel with the Catholic Church. Up to the end of his life, he stuck to his well-learned Catholic Doctrine. The poor guy simply wanted to commit adultery; he had no intention of being either a heretic or a schismatic. But forces outside him were gathering and were about to overwhelm England. In spite of all these gathering forces, the Reformation or, better still, the "destruction of Christendom in Europe" was far from happening. Martin Luther did not have a theology of religion to attract anyone. So far the battle lines were merely drawn between mere personal 39

annoyances. And Europe was too intelligent to sacrifice her Catholic religion for personal grievances.

THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part III [How the Catholic Church nurtured the seed of her destruction within her own womb.] It is sad to note that the irretrievable momentum of the Reformation towards the disunity of Christian Europe was borne of an old Catholic practice. . .the dissolution of benefices to support other Church projects. This was the seed of a brewing storm. For instance, when the Church wanted to build a large school, she would dissolve a few richly endowed monasteries and divert their income towards the building of that school. Now, this practice is alright if you have saints running the Church. But the fifteenth century was stuffed with few saints. One does not have to think far to foresee the coming storm of abuses. In an era where Church practices bore within them the seeds of corruption, like lay investiture and commended abbots, the abuse was almost certain. People of influence began dissolving rich ecclesiastical benefices for any reason. . .more often, to increase their personal wealth. To enrich oneself by looting Church benefices became such an attractive temptation; though blasphemous, it became a grand scale. A new business class rose and established itself 40

on a wealth confiscated from ecclesiastical benefices. It was the easiest way of raising capital to start a business. Many lordly rich names in England today became rich this way. Now watch this: if the Catholic Church, through the Pope, put her foot down, she would inevitably demand the restoration of the confiscated wealth of the Church. . .which the nouveau riche were unwilling to do because, by now, they were enjoying their new-found wealth and consequent power. They had to find a valid reason to keep their wealth. And what better reason than to break up with Rome. And so it happened. Every break with Rome was motivated by a group of wealthy businessmen enriched by looting the Church. The permanent momentum of the Reformation towards dividing Catholic Europe into Catholic and Protestant was motivated by LOVE OF MONEY . . .or shall we say financial considerations. The Reformation was a financial move, not a religious objection. Having found a reason for keeping the looting of the Church, the nouveau riche protected Martin Luther--protected him from ecclesiastical authorities and backed him up. Martin Luther became the excuse that would allow them to continue the looting of the Church. The new businessmen had a problem. Martin Luther had no doctrine rationalizing their keeping of stolen Church properties. In truth, Martin Luther's doctrines were too tame to be heretical. The tail of the devil, to borrow St. Augustine's words describing the devil when he takes up sheep's clothing (since sheep have short tails, the wolf's tail will always show) began to appear with the entrance of Zwingli, who introduced 41

some anti-Catholic teachings. But his teachings did not give the thieves of Church property a philosophy to legalize their robbery. This new rich businessmen had one problem. . .a continuing union with Rome would demand restoration of Church's wealth and virtual poverty for them They had to remain separated from Rome to remain rich. What was before a religious question was now a financial question. The question was no longer how to save my soul; it was how to keep my stolen wealth. Martin Luther, had to, by all means, be prevented from returning to the Catholic Church. But the businessmen had one problem: Martin Luther's theology was still too Catholic and a return to the Church was still a great possibility. Zwingli's heresy, also, did not justify their keeping their stolen Church property. At this point, though the situation was still salvageable, with love of money, the root of all evil, entering the picture, saving the Catholic tradition in Europe was beginning to become more difficult.

THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part IV [How the Catholic Church nurtured the seed of her destruction within her own womb.] Then a genius, reflecting the pure intelligence of the prince of darkness appeared in France. . .John Calvin. He would create a 'religion' that had nothing to do with Martin Luther but would satisfy every whim of the new businessmen. It was a religion patterned for businessmen who had enriched themselves on stolen Church property. Since the Reformation had been taken over by the businessmen with business motives, it would take this learning and, from hence forward, every Protestant sect would contain this Calvinistic element. It would be the force that would be the common trademark of Protestantism. All Protestant sects would have this Calvinistic element. And this would seal permanently the division of Christendom into the Catholic and Protestant sects. Calvin's basic doctrine that would tickle the looters of the Church wass that man had a duty to grow rich. Suddenly every business practice, that had been done by Catholics clandestinely because it was considered evil, was now allowed, encouraged and even considered as the most appropriate thing to do. Calvin's proposition was a financial proposition that tolerated every unethical business practice. Then he added a sprinkling of religiosity in his doctrine by stating that this fact of growing rich was a sign of predestination to heaven. It was a doctrine every corrupt 43

person would embrace unquestioningly. It was like having your cake and eating it, too, sort of, having the world and heaven, too. Who can refuse that? With this obligation, good works or almsgiving, the singular mark of the Catholic Church was erased. Of course, if you indulged in almsgiving, you would never get rich. The concept of poverty was abrogated. Calvin refined further his doctrine by removing rationality, i.e. the right to think and reason out, from Protestantism. He had to for if one reasoned too much, their error would be obvious. Calvin did this by introducing subjectivism; what one feels is right is right. What one feels is true is true. Who could make a mistake with that? He had to raise the authority of the subjective mind to counter the more reasonable authority of tradition or an outside source, i.e. the Pope and the Tradition of the Catholic Church. Without Tradition, the Protestant sect has no similarity whatsoever with the Church that Christ established, whose description is found in Tradition. Furthermore, it does not have the official interpretation of Scriptures which is also found in Tradition. Then he introduced usury, charging of interest on an unproductive loan. Usury, once frowned upon by Christendom, was now legitimate business practice. With these, Calvinistic Europe became an economic giant; and through banking and trading would spur, what we call today, Industrial Capitalism. Sadly, Catholic nations would gradually adapt these unchristian business practices for their economic progress. What the Protestant Reformation could not do to the Catholic Church in the 16th century, it finally succeeded in the guise of Industrial Capitalism. Every 44

Catholic today, in observance of Calvinistic doctrine, is trying to be rich. The only vestige of Catholicism left in them is the little almsgiving they give out of the abundance of their excesses.

THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A REFORMATION - Part V [How the Catholic Church nurtured the seed of her destruction within her own womb.] Of course, most of the improvements in the life of Europe did not come from Calvinism; they came from the Renaissance. The Reformation did not even come from the Renaissance. What came from the Reformation, due to its subjectivism, is the division of Europe along nationalistic or ethnic lines which, from that time on until now, is the cause of all Europe's problems. While Catholicism united the entire Europe, Protestantism fragmented Europe into a hundred factions. And while united Christendom united all trades into guilds, Protestantism lined one trade in competition with the same trade in fragmented Europe. The good of all, paramount among the guilds, was laid aside; only the good of one was paramount in Protestant Europe. In the intellectual sphere, Protestantism's narrowminded thinking made it depend on the most unreliable of authorities, one's personal feelings or the authority of mere print, like the printed Bible. The doctrine is egotistical but 45

effectively removed the authority of the Pope. This subjectivism made personal experience or emotion the source of authority; and its consequence is spiritual anarchy, wherewith one Catholic doctrine after another was abandoned one by one and substituted by personal opinions of individual preachers. A doctrine that advances the supremacy of the authority of the personal, individual experience is the necessary seed for disaster. This factionalism caused by Protestantism is what imperils the world today. Sad to say, Catholics, even Cardinals and bishops, contributed to the dissolution of Europe and the advancement and victory of Protestantism. It is said that Cardinal Richelieu aided the Protestants of Germany to defeat the German Catholics by sending Gustavus Adolphus because he feared that a strong Catholic Germany was a threat to Catholic France. With Cardinals like this, you don't need Protestants. It is also said that the Catholics of the Netherlands aided the Protestants there against Catholic Spain because they feared the Spanish Catholic soldiers who were looting the Netherlands. So I do not tire in saying that the Catholics contributed much to the success of the Reformation. The ignorance, neglect, complacency and worldliness of the men of the Church were the breeding ground for the Reformation. But that era boasted of great saints: Sts. Ignatius, Francis Borgia, Philip Neri, Charles Borromeo, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Thomas More, Jerome Emiliani, Cajetan, John of God, John of Avila, Stanislaus Kostka, Angela, John Fisher, Joseph Calasanctius, Peter of Alcantara, Peter Canisius and Robert Belarmine. 46

I am sure Luther, Zwingly and Calvin were no match against these saints. A third of these saints could have stopped the tide of the Reformation. Then why did it succeed? It was a punishment from God, a Divine Retribution towards a Church that was not faithful to its founder. While in Europe millions of Catholics were being lost, the Catholic Church was winning millions to the Faith in Mexico through Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is the old story of God abandoning Israel--Europe-- because of her infidelity, and going to the Gentiles, going to the New World.

CELIBACY IN THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH The history of celibacy is the history of Christianity. In the beginning, married men were allowed to be ordained priests due to the circumstances of time and place, wherewith the first converts to Christianity were probably married couples who, in their zeal, attained holiness and, therefore, would really make good priests. St. Peter was an example of this. But the unwed, whom St. Paul exhorted to remain single, who sought ordination were required to remain celibates, as shown by the example of St. John the Evangelist. The married who aspired to be ordained priests were exhorted to aim at celibacy, after all, all married Christians were exhorted to do this. Most of the debates on celibacy were focused on this: whether the previously47

married man who is ordained may keep his wife or not. And both the Eastern and the Western practice was that they should not keep their wives, i.e. they must separate. Though, in practice, especially in remote areas, this was not observed. The debate was never on whether the priest should be a celibate or not. St. Paul's exhortation, "Bishops and deacons must have one wife." is restrictive, not injunctive, i.e. St. Paul was not saying that Bishops should marry; but that if a bishop was already married, he should have only one wife. The Teaching of the Church is clear. Everyone is called to be a virgin, which included celibacy; and married laymen were encouraged to separate from their wives and become celibates for the sake of of God's kingdom. And we are talking of laymen, not priests. The practice of receiving previously married men into the priesthood was stopped as early as the time of St. Epiphanius, wherein the Church declared that no married man was to be admitted to the diaconate, priesthood and Episcopate. Only married men who had been widowed or had agreed with his spouse to separate were allowed for ordination. And this is the practice of the Church until now. St. Clement spoke of married priests but, again, these were those who were married before ordination. Paphnutius objected to celibacy as being too rigorous but, again, only for those already married before ordination. Written documents in England seem to show that most priests were married; but the word used was 'clerics' and not 'priests'. Clerics, a word referring to minor orders, really can 48

marry. But in the 15th century, it was clear in England that wives of priests were called concubines. In 295 and 302, this traditional teaching of the Church took the form of a conciliar decree in the Council of Elvira. It decreed that those who were already bishops and priests were to remain celibates; and the code of Justinian prohibited the consecration to the Episcopacy of married priests. In 692, the Council of Trullo imposed the traditional doctrine that priests and bishops must observe celibacy; and those married before ordination must eventually separate from their wives. Priests and deacons in the East were allowed to live with their wives; but, in the West, Sts. Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome and Hilary were of one mind that priests must observe continence. At the Council of Tours in 567, priests married before ordination were expressly forbidden to live with their wives. And by 747, Pope Zachary included the subdiaconate to those who must observe celibacy. Observe that celibacy was not a doctrine that developed in the Church and formalized in the Middle Ages. It was a fully developed doctrine from the beginning of the Church, observed by all Christians and merely formalized for priests during the 7th century.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH (THE UNTRIED SOLUTION) Many solutions have been tried to solve man's problems. None of them has been proven to work; a strong hint exists that those that have not been tried could have saved the world. We only have time to allude to two solutions; the Catholic Church, that has never been tried and that child of the French Revolution that has been tried but where the Liberte, Fraternite and Equalite is still nowhere to be found. It is said that when Tracy and his English knights or, should we say, goons stabbed and scattered the brains of St. Thomas of Canterbury, they were aiming at his thoughts. . .wherewith Thomas believed that the Church is the judge of kings and of the world. Thomas objected to the heresy that the Royal Chief Justice should judge the Church on moral issues. The Church's idea is to create an invisible kingdom without armies or prisons but with complete freedom to condemn publicly all the kingdoms of the earth. Whether this would have cured society we do not know because it has never been tried. What the world has always wanted, we see before us today. What the Catholic Church wanted, we see nowhere; but she is not a failure just because the men of the Church have failed. And the insistence on the world's ways made 50

Henry VIII scatter the bones of St. Thomas. England would try to solve society's problem on the premise that the King can do no wrong. All society aims at the ideals of the Catholic Church; yet hates her reality. Yes, the Catholic Church has many defects; but all of them are because she is not Catholic enough. Monasteries were attacked, not for the chastity of monks but because of the unchastity of the monks. Catholicism is unpopular not for her humility but because of the arrogance of Christians. The failure of the Church is largely due to the clerics, the men of the Church. Add to this the hostile evil elements that are continuously besetting the Church. The sad story of Catholic Europe is that it became Protestant before it could become thoroughly Catholic. The ideals of Catholicism failed not because it became oldfashioned but because they were not lived to the full. The Christian ideals had not been tried and found wanting; they had been found difficult and left untried, quips G. K. Chesterton. Catholicism was founded by a God. It could have solved all of man's problems. In fact, it is the only solution. If there were another solution, Christ would never have come. But Catholicism is a brave solution for brave men and women. With the progress of civilization and its concomitant result, the weakening of character, I doubt if this solution, Christ's solution, would ever be tried.

THE APOLOGIST The Christians, from the beginning, were persecuted because their manner of life was a condemnation of other ways of life. But no one knew this, so the pagans had to make up valid reasons for their dislike for Christianity. The most common reason for the persecution was violation of the law on Emperor-worship. This was, at least, a legal reason. But, later on, merely being a Christian became a crime. This was fanned by made-up rumors -- that Christians sacrificed a child covered with flour and practiced incest and cannibalism. Later, Celsus and Porphyry launched a more intellectual attack on Christianity; they presented three arguments which were easily refuted. The first was that Christianity recruited members among the inferior social class, concentrating on gullible women and children. The second was that Christians made poor citizens, neither engaging in the affairs of the state nor in the military defense of the nation. The third was dogmatic and intellectual in nature, i.e. how can an infinite God become finite, why did Jesus save man only now and not earlier, why do the different Christian sects fight each other? To answer these accusations, God raised "apologists." These great saints wrote primarily for nonChristians, specially for emperors, magistrates and the elite. Few of their writings, however, remained. Justin was one of them. The apologists described Christianity as the "soul of 52

the world," for "Christianity alone makes our life in the world alive and meaningful." The apologists demolished one by one all the charges made against Christianity. Answering the three accusations, the apologists showed that the first converts to Christianity were the elite, and that Christians were in all sectors of government, including the military. They further emphasized that there were no secrets in Christianity; Christians simply did things quietly. They showed that not a single Christian practice was despicable and even showed that the pagan practices were the ones that were despicable, like abortion. Tertullian, a convert from the intelligentsia, not only praised the Christian religion, specially the courage of her martyrs, but even went so far as to attack, which angered many pagans.

THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH St. John the Evangelist stated that not everything done and taught by Christ was written down in Scriptures. The unwritten teachings were handed down orally; but most were written down by the Fathers of the Church. These early writings were primarily concerned with how to live the Christian life in an unsympathetic and even hostile world. And these early writers had these in common -- orthodoxy of doctrine, holiness of life, approval of the Church and closeness to the primitive Church.

The Fathers were primarily good Shepherds; their primary concern was pastoral problems, i.e. concrete problems within the community. The DIDACHE, typical among the early writings, talked about the spiritual life in a temporal world in expectation of Christ's 2nd coming. Around the 2nd century, however, it was no longer enough to live quietly as Christians. Lies and false accusations were being hurled at Christians which became the basis for state persecutions. So, God raised a new breed of writers called Apologists, who showed that the Catholic religion was not only the true religion but the perfection of human culture. St. Justin, a Greek philosopher and Apologist, who established a school in Rome, exposed the false accusations against the followers of Christ and was beheaded with six companions around 165 A.D. The Epistle of Diognetus was an apologetical treatise addressed to a high-ranking pagan, proving the divine origin of the Catholic religion and the irreproachable morality of Christians. With the Fathers and Apologists, the Church was ready for its next dangerous foe. . .heresies.

A SLIGHT DISAGREEMENT The Catholic Church was at first viewed as a sect of the Jewish religion since most of her members were Jews. They were called "Nazareans." Then Helenists (Greeks) began to enter the Church. 54

With the preaching of Stephen, the ire of the Jewish people turned on the nascent religion, forcing the first Christians to flee from Jerusalem to Samaria and Antioch. It was at this time that Saul, later on to be St. Paul, became the fiercest persecutor of Christ's disciples. But, struck down on the road to Damascus, Saul became the foremost proponent of the Gospel. A vision confirmed to Peter that the Gospel was not only for the Jews but for all. Then he saw Cornelius, who was not a Jew, receive the Holy Spirit. It was in Antioch, where many of the Helenists had taken refuge, that the disciples were called "Christians." From Antioch, the evangelization of the Roman Empire began. Understandably, the Jewish Christians were slow in abandoning their Jewish practices, like circumcision and dietary prohibitions. They even imposed these practices on the Gentile Christians. To settle this once and for all, the apostles met in Jerusalem and decreed that Jewish practices were not to be imposed on Gentile Christians, though Jewish Christians were to continue some of these Old Testament practices since they did not go against the new commands of the New Testament, like abstaining from eating blood of animals. Origen states that this is the way the Gospel spread: Mark is said to have gone to Egypt where he founded the Church of Alexandria. Thomas preached to the Parthians, Matthew to Ethiopia, Bartholomew went to upper India. 55

Andrew to Scythia and John to Asia. Peter preached in Pontus, Galatia, Bythinia, Cappadocia and Asia. -Eusebius of Caesarea "Ecclesiastical History"

HERESIES AND THE FIRST COUNCILS It is said that the devil first attacked the early Church from without through persecution. But, failing in this, he changed his strategy. This time, he attacked from within, through heresies. The saints fought the heresies; while Holy Mother Church protected her flock through Ecumenical Councils. By the third century, the Church existed in relative calm and, in some parts, even in luxury. There was much time for everything specially for speculative theology. Instead of being concerned with how to live holy lives, people were speculating on the nature of God. The Hierarchy began to enter into politics and Emperors began to manipulate the hierarchy. The Church became splintered into several groups. St. Jerome observed: that one day the whole world woke up to find itself Arian, a heresy propagated by the priest, Arius, and backed up by a bishop, Eusebius. Before the Church could win her battle against the heresy of the priest, Arius, a bishop, Nestorius, arose with another heresy, denying that the Blessed Virgin was the Mother of God. This was followed by the heresy of the monk, Eutyches. As usual, God raised champions to refute 56

the heresies; the Church summoned councils to protect the faithful: the Council of Nicea, to expose the heresy of Arius; the Council of Ephesus, to expose Nestorius; and the Council of Chalcedon, to expose Eutyches. In fighting heresies, St. Irenaeus gave the cardinal rule: if anyone wants to know with certainty what is true in religious matters, he should study the teachings of the Church written by a line of holy bishops going back to the apostles, i.e., the Fathers, which are in the possession of the Catholic Church. With heresies, the Church needed no attacks from without. The enemy was now within; from her own bosom, among her own priests, her own bishops and her own religious.

THE FIRST CENTURY The early Church was always identified with small Christian communities. The Christian community, living a very specific way of life was the Catholic Church in the locality. And the New Testament enumerates where these communities were: from Antioch, to Greece to Rome. The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. convinced the Jewish Christians that they should divorce themselves from their Jewish customs in favor of their newfound religion. The end of the first century saw the gradual formation of Christian writings. But it would take some 57

more time before the Christian communities would agree what would make up the New Testament. Bishop Melito of Sardis had previously stated that Christ was born "in the fullness of time," i.e. at the reign of Augustus and Tiberius. At no other time could the Gospel have spread so fast as this time when Roman-made roads connected the vast Roman Empire, making travel easy, fast and safe. Many of the Christian communities were found in business crossroads and ports, thus making travel for both apostles and other Christians convenient. Though the Roman empire was made up of many nationalities, two languages prevailed -- Greek and Latin. Greek was as popular as English is today. It became the first language of the Church, even in Rome. The first Bible was in Greek, the Septuagint. Latin was less widespread at first. In the midst of the many religions and philosophies of that era, Christianity was the most attractive to all because it satisfied the deepest longings of man. But, as expected, the new Christian religion went against the other existing religions, especially the divination of the state. Add to this the fact that Christianity refused to be considered as just another religion; she claimed to be the only true religion. The stage was now open for all attempts to destroy her. . .thus, the coming persecution and the era of martyrdom.

THE CONTENT OF CHURCH HISTORY

Church history must contain the succession from the holy apostles, together with the times that have elapsed from our Saviour's day down to our own. It must also contain the important things that are said to have been accomplished in the history of the Church. Church history must enumerate all those who took a prominent place in the most famous communities, either through their preaching or their writings. It must also deal with the names of those who, through love of innovation and novelty, fell into the most grievous error, and proclaimed themselves as introducers of knowledge, falsely so-called, thus, like ravenous wolves cruelly ravaging the flock of Christ. Church history must narrate how the Jewish nation and other heathen nations went against this religion; and how great men and women endured death and torture in the conflict to witness to the truth of their belief. -Eusebius of Caesarea "Ecclesiastical History"

THE VULGATE OF ST. JEROME St. Jerome translated the books of Sacred Scripture from the original languages into Latin around 342-420. And this was the Bible used in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church. So near to the origins of Scriptures, Jerome was closer to the original languages than any scholar today. This made him a much better judge of the exact meaning of any Greek or Hebrew word in the text. A scholar, genius and a 59

saint, he had access to the original manuscripts which are no longer available to scholars today. The most faithful translation of the Latin Vulgate in English is the Douay-Rheims edition. And the advantage of this translation over the modern translation is this: when a passage in Scriptures seemed strange or unintelligible, the Douay-Rheims version left it alone, even if obscure, and left it for the holier or more intelligent among us to interpret it. On the other hand, modern bible translators, when met with an obscure passage, will decide what they think it means and then translate it accordingly. This makes modern translation easier to understand but not necessarily transmitting God's message. The Douay-Rheims version was written in old English with archaic spellings. This was made up-to-date by the Holy Bishop Challona who used to spend most of his time escaping the persecutions in England. This makes the Douay-Rheims version the most reliable bible for Catholics.

THE HOLY HOUSE About the year 330, Constantine's mother, St. Helena, built a church around the house of the Blessed Mother in Nazareth to protect it. The Venerable Bede and other saints have testified to the existence of the Holy House in Nazareth. It was even visited by St. Louis, King of France, in 1251.

When the Moslems menaced the Holy Land in 1291, the Holy House suddenly disappeared from Nazareth on the night of May 10 and was found at Tersatto, Italy. To the surprise of the townspeople, a building measuring 31-1/4 feet by 13-1/3 feet and 28 feet high was seen on land that had been empty the day before. Its walls were 16 inches thick, of a reddish-colored stone. It had a wooden roof, one door on its northern side , one window on its western side. Inside it were found earthenware vessels, a stone altar, a wooden cross with the inscription, "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Judaeorum," and a cedar statue of the Virgin Mary with the Divine Child in her arms. The pastor of the nearby church was afraid it was a deception of the devil; but as he prayed for enlightenment, the Blessed Mother appeared to him and cured an illness he had had for many years. The House remained at Tersatto for only three years and disappeared again. On the night of December 10, 1294, the same date on which the Holy House disappeared from Tersatto, shepherds near Recanati, Italy, watched a house being borne over the sea and setting to earth four miles away. It remained in Recarati for only a brief time, moving that same year to its last and present location, in Loreto, where it positioned itself partly on a road, partly on a field. A holy hermit on a nearby mountain saw a vision of the Blessed Virgin who identified the House and its origin. Along the eastern seacoast of Italy, there is a centuries-old custom of ringing bells and lighting bonfires on the night of December 10 to commemorate the journey of the Holy House and to light the way taken by the angels who bore it. 61

There have been several investigations concerning the authenticity of the Holy House. In 1296, a deputation of 16 competent and respected men journeyed to the Holy Land to examine the place where it had originally stood. Its measurements and features were found to be identical with other one-room dwellings in Nazareth. Another investigation took place between 1524 and 1534. The Pope, Clement VII sent 3 chamberlains to Tersatto to examine the structure which the townspeople built to commemorate its temporary sojourn there. Its measurements coincided with those of the House of Loreto. The Papal investigators also went to the Holy Land and found not only that the measurements of the Holy House tallied exactly with the sport where it originally stood, but also that its stone and mortar were not known locally in Loreto, but were chemically identical with those of Nazareth. An archaeological examination was made in 192122 after a fire which unfortunately destroyed the original statue of Our Lady inside. According to the technical findings: "the walls of the Holy House have no foundation at all. . .the quality of construction. . .excellent quality mortar, indicates that they were certainly made by able hands and it would be unrealistic to believe that. . .the person who designed or supervised the work would have ignored the nature of the soil to the point of neglecting the most elementary rule in planting the building on dusty ground. . . It, therefore, must have been transported." Architect F. Mantucci continues: "It is surprising and extraordinary that the Holy House, though it has no foundation and stands on loose inform soil and is partially overburdened by the weight of the vault 62

constructed in place of the roof, has been preserved unaltered without the slightest sign of yielding." Due to the great number of miracles worked in the Holy House, the records that were first kept proved so laborious and time-consuming that they were discontinued. Innumerable pilgrims have visited it, among whom were more than 200 persons canonized, beatified or declared venerable by the Church , including St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Francis de Sales and St. Therese of Lisieux. The latter, deeply touched in her visit, wrote: "Jesus is content to show us His home so as to make us love poverty and the hidden life." Popes have continually honored the Holy House. Pope John XXIII prayed in the sanctuary a week before opening the Second Vatican Council. John Paul II did likewise in 1979 before his historic trip to Ireland and America. Pius IX called the basilica the foremost of all the shrines consecrated to the Mother of God. While Pius XI commented: "As far as the authenticity of the Holy House is concerned, there are many good reasons for acknowledging it, but no valid reason for denying it." Pilgrims are met with this notice above the door: "Tremble all you who enter here, because this is the holiest place on earth."

THE JESUITS, "THE POPE'S MEN"

From their founding, the Jesuits had been the tireless defenders of the Pope; and, for this, they were hated and insulted. Webster's 3rd New International Dictionary gives this negative meaning of Jesuits: ". . .one given to intrigue or equivocation, a crafty person." And Dornseif's Dictionary adds: ". . .two faced, false, insidious, dissembling, insincere, dishonorable, dishonest, untruthful." A French saying even goes: "Whenever two Jesuits come together, Satan is in the midst of them." A Spanish proverb even warns: "Never trust your wife to a monk nor your money to a Jesuit." All this because the Jesuits fulfilled the Pope's mission through thick and thin. St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society of Jesus, popularly called Jesuits, at a time when all heresies were aimed at the authority of the Pope. The Society was founded to do battle for the Pope; and the Jesuits carried the battle to kings, in universities, at crossroads and market places, to municipal councils. Their preaching message was: "The Bishop of Rome is successor to Peter the Apostle upon whom Christ founded the Church. Any other church claiming the same is heretical, the child of Satan." Their obedience to the Pope was such that when Pope Clement XIV dissolved the order "for reasons we keep locked up in our own heart", the Jesuits obeyed. Resurrected in 1814 by Pope Pius VII, the Jesuits collaborated to ensure that the Pope's infallibility became an article of faith and a divinely revealed dogma during the First Vatican Council in 1870. For this, the hatred for the Jesuits increased, especially among the bishops who wanted to arrogate the same power to themselves. Countries who 64

rejected Papal authority expelled the Jesuits: France, Germany, Austria, England, Belgium, Mexico, Sweden, Switzerland. The fidelity of the Jesuits to the Pope was such that, in early 19th century America, the Protestants really believed that the Jesuits were working there to make the Pope head of the Union. This belief still persists up to now. It has always been said that an attack on the Pope is an open declaration of war with the Jesuits; and an attack on the Jesuits was an attack on the Pope. This is the price for being the "Pope's Men," this is what made the Jesuits great: this is why St. Ignatius founded the Society. . .to be soldiers for the Catholic Church in the service of the Pope.

ON THE MANNER IN WHICH THE PERSECUTORS DIED DIOCLETIAN AND GALERIUS Having persecuted the Christians, Diocletian set out for Rome to celebrate his 20th year of reign. Upon arriving, he could not stand the freedom in Rome; he impatiently left the city and went to Ravenna. Having journeyed at the beginning of winter, he felt sick and became bed-ridden. He became so ill that talks spread that he was dead. He forced himself to appear in public but his one year of illness made 65

him unrecognizable. He never again attained perfect health for he became disoriented in his judgments-- at times, insane; at other times, of sound mind. After that, Galerius Caesar, his son-in-law, arrived and forced him to resign under threat of civil war. At first, Diocletian refused, realizing that, being long in power, he had made many enemies. To resign was sure death. So Diocletian proposed the appointment of two Caesars. Though Constantine was the best choice, Diocletian chose two unknown incompetents who further oppressed the people. Galerius, however, ruled supreme. He arranged all things so that what he did to Diocletian would not happen to him. But, having gone against God, all his plans were thwarted. While in power, Galerius treated his subjects as slaves, denying all their liberties. Those whom he fancied were first degraded before being tortured. He tortured also judges, the rich and honored men of the land for the slightest reason. Crucifixion was the capital punishment. Even matrons were not spared. For his sports, he kept wild bears and threw men to the savage animals; he giggled and laughed when the man's limbs were torn to pieces. His meals were accompanied by the shedding of human blood. Galerius began a new mode of execution. . .burning people alive, which he used against the Christians. The burning was done slowly. Fixed on a stake, a moderate 66

flame burned the soles of their feet; then another part of the body until all the parts were aflame. To prolong the agony, however, their faces and mouths were continually moistened to keep them alive. Death came only many hours later. Thus, the first Christians were martyred. The torture Galerius used on the Christians he applied to all indiscriminately. Punishments like imprisonment, banishment or hard labor he found too mild. His own household was chastised with lances. To be beheaded was an indulgence shown to a very few. His rule was made worse in that he appointed rude, illiterate, cruel soldiers to be judges and administrators who merely ravaged the land. Then Galerius imposed the tax. Land, vines, animals, fruit trees were meticulously taxed. Even the dead animals and men were taxed. To get a correct inventory, he used immense cruelty; torture was used on children so they would reveal the possessions of their parents, slaves to expose their masters, wives to betray their husbands. The aged and the sick were tortured, too. Those who could not pay, the mendicants, were put on board a boat and sunk in the sea. Then God struck Galerius. An incurable and malignant ulcer afflicted his private parts. When physicians tried to eradicate it, it spread all the more and his veins burst. Every time physicians tried to cure the wound, it got worse. Galerius grew emaciated, pallid and feeble. Gangrene set in. Famous physicians were called in but the distemper even got worse. His bowels came out and 67

his buttocks became putrefied. The distemper attacked the intestines and worms came out of his body. The stench filled the palace and the city. The punishment had taken a year-long and Galerius was forced to acknowledge the supremacy of the God that he persecuted. He promised to rebuild the church and make atonement for his misdeeds. He published an edict restoring the practice of the Christian religion and begged the Christians to pray for him. Galerius, however, did not obtain Divine forgiveness. He died shortly after.

EBIONITE HERESY The Ebionites were Christians who considered Christ as a plain and common man but with superior virtues. They also believed that Christ was conceived and born like ordinary men. They rejected the epistles of the apostles whom they considered apostates from the law. They believed only the Gospel according to the Hebrews. They observed all the Jewish ceremonial laws. Because of the poverty of their knowledge and understanding, they received the name Ebionite, meaning "poor man."

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CORINTHUS THE HERESIARCH The follower of a heretical doctrine is called a heretic; but the author of a heresy is called a heresiarch. Corinthus claimed he had revelations written by an apostle and revelations from angels. He preached a period of a thousand years of marriage festival. He taught that Christ's kingdom is an earthly one consisting in eating, drinking and marrying. Once, when the apostle John entered a building, learning Corinthus was in the same building, he rushed out, unable to bear being under the same roof as the heresiarch.

THE NICOLAITIANS Mentioned in the Apocalypse of John, these heretics claimed their founder was Nicolaus, one of the first deacons. In truth, the heretics misinterpreted and corrupted a statement of Nicolaus, "to abuse the flesh," taking it to mean to live a life of licentiousness. Nicolaus had a beautiful wife whom he dearly loved and whom he eventually gave up. He never committed fornication; his daughters lived as virgins up to their old age, and his son remained uncorrupted. When Nicolaus said, "to abuse the flesh," he was inculcating self-control in the face of these pleasures that are eagerly pursued. 69

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MARRIED APOSTLES Among the apostles, Peter and Philip were stated to have children. Philip is known to have given up a daughter in marriage. It is narrated that when Peter saw his wife being led to death, he rejoiced because of her summons and her return home to heaven. Addressing her by name, Peter said, "Oh thou, remember the Lord." Such were the marriages among the apostles, and their perfect disposition towards those dearest to them.

THE PERSECUTIONS After the persecutions of Nero and Domitian, a popular uprising occurred. And, as usual, the Christians were blamed. Some heretical Christians exposed Symeon, son of Clopas, the second bishop of Jerusalem. Symeon, who was 120 years old when martyred, saw Christ in person. "Mary, wife of Clopas," was his mother. Symeon suffered martyrdom with Judas, a descendant and so called brother of the Lord.

As head of the church, Symeon brought profound peace to it. He was tortured for many days and, aftet edifying the governor by his strength, was crucified. The heretics were themselves discovered as Christians and were executed as traitors. . .not as martyrs. At this age, the Church remained a pure virgin because any heretical movement remained hidden still. So the Church's teachings on the norm of salvation remained uncorrupted. But when the apostles had all died and the other disciples had passed away, then the league of godless error began to raise its ugly head. Amidst this persecution, a certain Plinius Secundus complained to the Emperor "why are the Christians put to death when they are doing nothing wrong but merely pray early in the morning, renounce adultery, murder and other criminal offenses and obey all the laws?" Because of this, Trajan checked the persecution; but many evil men were still left with plenty of pretexts to harm the Christians. Although no great national persecution took place during Trajan's rule, small persecutions here and there persisted. At this time, Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, was arrested and led from Syria to Rome to be executed. On the way, under heavy guard, he preached though Asia, warning Christians about already existing heresies and exhorted the faithful to hold on to the Apostolic Tradition. to fulfill this great need, he wrote down TRADITION for the sake of security.

HERESIES OF THIS AGE (c. 138 A.D.) Cerdon, Marcion's predecessor, kept on claiming he was Catholic but kept on teaching heretical doctrines in secret. Cerdon's teachings resemble that of Simon which states that God the Father was not the Father of Jesus Christ. Marcion and Pontus succeeded Cerdon. Marcion taught that there were two gods; one good and one evil. The good god was the superior god; while the cruel, evil god, was the creator of the world. While Gnosticism never spread among the masses, being confined to the elite, like philosophers and speculative thinkers. Marcion's heresy encompassed multitudes from all classes. It is the popularity of Marcion's heresy that made it dangerous to the Church. Marcion believed only in the teachings of St. Paul and yet perverted it. Marcus, another heretic, was skilled in magic. His group had unholy initiations baptizing "in the name of the unkown father of the universe and. . .the mother of all things."

HEGESIPPUS Hegesippus, an ecclesiastical writer for the Church wrote five books on the true transition of the Apostolic Tradition in a most simple style. Writing about himself, he 72

showed that his conversion was not without reason but that it was the result of deliberation on his part. Though delighted by the doctrines of Plato and hearing only slanders against Christians, Hegesippus saw that they were afraid neither of death nor of anything else ordinarily looked upon as fearful. It is impossible for such persons, he concluded, to be living in wickedness and pleasure; for pleasure-loving or intemperate men will not welcome death and will not easily give up present enjoyments. About this time, Serennius Granianus, wrote Adrian on behalf of the Christians. Adrian, in turn, commanded Minucius Fundanus to condemn no Christians without an indictment and a well-grounded accusation. This epistle of Adrian is a legal edict of human justice unsurpassed even today. (c. 138 A.D.)

THE TENTH CENTURY The 10th century Catholic Church was characterized by weak Popes and bishops who were controlled by secular heads of states and clergymen who were illiterate in spiritual matters and unfaithful to their vows, and by religious orders that abandoned their original spirit and had become worldly and corrupt. Amidst such a dismal picture that would repeat itself all through the centuries, monasticism would always rise up to the challenge and renew the church. Thus, in the 10th 73

century, two monks, Methodius and Cyril guaranteed God's presence in the church by an unbelievably successful missionary work among Khazars and Slavic people of Eastern Europe. The reform was further pushed by the Benedictine monastery of Cluny, where monks spent all their time praying and observed absolute silence. By their austere way of life, they helped renew other orders and monasteries. Cluny produced many holy monks who later on were chosen to be bishops. The great Popes Gregory II, Urban II and Paschal II were originally monks of the Cluniac monasteries.

THE YEAR 600 This early era of the Catholic Church was resplendent with saints from all sectors of life. There was St. Oswald, son of the King of Northumbris who became a Christian while taking refuge among the Scots. He defeated the Britons and regained his throne as king. He promoted Christianity in his domain. There was St. Arnulf of Metz, a high official of the Austrasian court, a prominent statesman, military commander and later bishop. He was chaplain to the royal court and tutor to the future King Dagobert. Married before he became bishop, his son was married to the 74

daughter of Pepin. At the end of his life, he resigned his bishopric and became a hermit. Then there were the five great Celtic monks: Aidan, Cuthbert, Egbert, Gall and Kilian whose accomplishment was in the missionary field and the establishment of the most excellent schools in Christendom.

EDUCATION IN THE 600's Intellectual activity during this time slackened. Only the monastic schools retained hhigh intellectual levels. All other schools specially those for the children of the upper classes and those destined for the priesthood were mediocre. Catholic Africa was lost to Islam; Italy suffered from the Lombard wars. In Gaul, writers were ignorant, could not connect ideas intelligently; their writings revealed intellectual decadence. Spain maintained excellent Cathedral schools, like Toledo and Seville under St. Isidore. The Irish monks excelled in education and sent missionaries to establish excellent schools abroad. Foreign students went to Ireland to study in Lismore, Armach, Bobbio, Luxeuil, and in the monastery of St. Gall. The brightest minds were educated by the Irish monks in Irish monasteries.

From these monastic schools came the scholars, writers and leaders of the time. As in earlier times in Christianity, the saints that brightened the Catholic Church were all monks: Sts. Isidore and Ildephonsus from Spain, John of Biclaro and Benedict Biscop (who introduced to England the art of making glass windows), St. Aldhelm (the first who cultivated classical learning with success), St. Adamnam (who wrote the most complete biography of the Middle Ages), St. Jonas of Bobbio, St. John Climacus (whose Scala Paradisi is a classical work on Christian Spirituality), and St. Maximus (whose Centuries of Charity was likewise a classic of spirituality in the East.)

MISSIONS IN THE 600's Irish monks carried their missionary campaign both in the British Isles and continental Europe. More than 600 monks went to Bavaria. Others followed St. Boniface to Germany. St. Willibrod went to Utrecht. Then came the conversion of the Croats and Serbs to Catholicism. When some Celtic bishops refused to help St. Augustine in working among the Saxons, Augustine prophesied: "If ye will not preach the Way of Life to the English, ye shall suffer the punishment of death at their hands." And true enough, Aethelfrid massacred a number of the Celtic monks some ten years later. 76

HERESY OF MONOTHELITISM This heresy came out of an effort to unite opposing factions in the Orient and to settle the rift between East and Western Church. . .similar to the ecumenical movement today. And, like all ecumenical attempts, it brought forth a series of documents which left the situation more confused than before. During the controversy, the other side had the Pope arrested where he died in exile. Then a schism between East and West followed. The Paulician heresy believed that Christ was an angel and not a man. They did not believe in monastic life, the sacraments and the episcopacy. They regarded themselves as Evangelical Christians and they preferred to be called Christians and not Catholics.

CHRISTIAN LIFE 78

CHRISTIAN LIFE of Christ. A Christian is united with Jesus Christ in a manner more noble, more intimate and more perfect than the members of a human body have with their head. By nature, each one of us is enclosed in his own personality but, supernaturally, we are all one. We are made one body in Christ, because we are nourished by one flesh. As Christ is indivisible, we are all one in Him. Christian life is the continuation and completion of the life of Christ in us. We should be so many Christs here on earth, continuing His life and His works, labouring and suffering in a holy and divine manner in the spirit of Jesus.

Let us therefore give ourselves to God with a great desire to begin to live thus, and beg Him to destroy in us the life of the world of sin, and to establish His life within us.

THE CHRISTIAN DUTY You must be holy in the way that Christ asks you to be holy. To be holy, do the things you do well and only for the honour and love of God. This is our business here on earth. . .by labour and prayer to advance in the grace of God, till we come to that height of perfection in which, with clean hearts, we may behold God. To progress in the service of God, we must begin everyday of our life to keep ourselves in the presence of God and have no other view or end in all our actions but the divine honour.

CHRISTIAN LOVE Love is that good disposition of the soul in which it prefers nothing that exists to the knowledge of God. No man can come to such a state of love if he is attached to anything of this world. Love is born this way: from faith in God comes fear of the Lord. From fear, discipline develops. From discipline comes patience and magnanimity. From these two, hope arises. 80

From hope comes total control and self-mastery. From total self-mastery comes love. Putting it in other words: He who believes in God fears the torments of hell. He who fears the torments restrains himself from the vices. He who restrains himself bears tribulations, hardships and sufferings with patience.

He who bears tribulations acquires hope in God. Hope in God frees the mind of all earthly attachments. A mind thus freed from all attachments acquires love of God. -St. Maximus the Confessor

CHRISTIAN ACTS Our actions have a tongue of their own; they have an eloquence of their own, even when the tongue is silent. For deeds prove the lover more than words, states St. Cyril. The Lord measures our perfection neither by the multitude nor the magnitude of our deeds, but by the manner in which we perform them, adds St. John of the Cross. It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards a man's progress, nor the nature of the task, but the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken, says St. Francis Xavier. 81

St. Augustine states that God bestows more consideration on the purity of intention with which our actions are performed than on the actions themselves. An action of small value performed with much love of God is far more excellent than one of a higher virtue done with less love of God, St. Francis de Sales reminds us.

GOOD EXAMPLE Good example is the most efficacious apostolate. You must be as lighted lanterns and shine like brilliant chandeliers among men. By your good example and your words, animate others to know and love God, encourages St. Mary Rosello. You must practice first all that you desire to teach others, St. Bernardine of Sienna states.

THE CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE There is a way of life that is of Light and one of darkness. Stationed beside the way of Light are angels and beside the way of darkness are devils. The Way of Light is this: You shall fear, love and glorify your Creator. Be simple in heart and generous in spirit. Hate everything which is not pleasing to God. Obey all the commands of the Lord. 82

Take away pride and be humble; do not take glory to yourself. Do not believe evil counsels against your neighbor. Do not be arrogant. Avoid fornication and adultery; do not corrupt boys. Do not speak the Word of God among the impure. Correct whoever they are. Be meek and quiet. Do not kill a child by abortion or after birth. Do not remove your hand from your son or daughter. Teach them the fear of God from their youth. Do not be avaricious or be a thief. Avoid the haughty and be with the humble. Receive your trials as good, for nothing happens without God's permission. Do not gossip. Do not give commands with bitterness because they will lose the fear of God. Do not be quick to speak; the mouth is a snare of death. You shall love him who explains to you the Word of God. Remember your death day and night, seek each day the company of angels and saints. Keep the teachings you have received without adding nor subtracting. Hate the Evil One thoroughly. Confess your sins. Do not go to prayer with an evil in your heart.

CHRISTIANS ARE THE SOUL OF THE WORLD What the soul is to the body the Christians are to the world. Just as the soul is spread throughout the body, Christians are spread throughout the world. And while the soul is not really part of the body, so the Christian is not of the world. The soul is invisible and so the piety and spirituality of the Christians is invisible. The body wages a consistent war against the soul simply because it was not given permission to wallow in its pleasures. In the same way, the world loathes Christians even though it has suffered no wrong from Christians but simply because Christians are opposed to the pleasures which the world treasures. The soul loves the flesh, and Christians love those who hate them. Though the soul sustains the body with life, it is a prisoner of the body. While the Christians bring light to the world, it feels imprisoned in the world. When the soul is denied food, drink and other worldly amenities, it progresses and becomes strong. When the Christians are assaulted and persecuted they grow in number. This is the God-given role of Christians in the world and they should not decline this role. 84

-LETTER TO DIOGNETUS

CHRISTIAN SORROW Christian sorrow may be less desirable than Christian joy. But, for us, being what we are, the sorrow could be more Christian. The joy always runs a great risk of just being an earthly or even carnal joy. Because we want to be always in joy, we account ourselves always in sorrow. And that is because we forget our advantages and blessings and are ever remembering only our troubles. Sorrow occurs only with people who think. Unless we think, we would not know the afflicting quality of the object conveyed to our minds. It is natural to have sorrow for the dead, for we dread death and cling to life. Even the animals, which are so created as to die each in its own time, flee from death; how much more man, who had been so created so that, had he willed to live without sin, he would have lived without end. Hence, therefore, it must needs be that we sorrow when those we love leave us by dying. But Christian sorrow is not without hope, unlike pagan or worldly sorrow. Though it pains on one hand, on the other, the Divine promise consoles. 85

Sorrow is most grievous when it is worldly; that is, if you are in sorrow for gold, for reputation, for the departed (without hope). He who sorrows for reputation feels envious like Cain. He who sorrows for loss of wealth repairs not the damage. He who sorrows for the deceased raises not the dead to life again. He, alone, who sorrows for sins attains some advantage for his sorrow, for he makes his sins wane and disappear. Sorrow is the medicine prepared for this disease--sins, and is only potent and profitable for the forgiveness of sins. -St. John Chrysostom

MONOTONY Monotony in Christian Living or monastic life is essential to holiness. Monotony, alone, can develop the two great virtues; firstly, perseverance, which alone can bring us to our goal of eternal life, and steadfastness, which enables us to overcome all difficulties along the way, states St. Vincent de Paul.

THE GREAT DISEASE There is a disease that attacks Christians and non-Christians alike--they think the purpose of this life is to enjoy the 86

happiness of this world and escape the evils, trials, and adversities in the world. . .as if there is no future life. We seem to forget that all men are subject to the same law: whether we are rich or poor, high or low, we must suffer. When a city is captured, everybody suffers; when there is a drought, everybody suffers; when a ship sinks, everybody suffers. Disease and fever are experienced by all. As long as we are in the flesh, we shall suffer. Christians, because they are attacked and tempted more by the devil, suffer more. "My son, when you come to the service of God. . .prepare your soul for temptations." -St. Cyprian

CHRISTIANS IN THE WORLD (An Example of a Writing of An Apologist) We cannot distinguish Christians from the rest of the human race by country or language or customs. They do not live in cities of their own; they do not use a peculiar form of speech; they do not follow an eccentric manner of life. This doctrine of theirs has not been discovered by the ingenuity of deep thought of inquisitive men, nor do they put forward a merely human teaching, as some people do. Yet although they live in Greek and barbarian cities alike, as each man's lot has been cast, and follow the customs of the country in clothing and food and other matters of daily living, at the same time they give proof of the remarkable 87

and admittedly extraordinary constitution of their own commonwealth. They live in their own countries but only as aliens. They have a share in everything as foreigners. Every foreign land is their fatherland, and yet, for them, every fatherland is a foreign land. They marry, like everyone else, and they beget children but they do not cast out their offspring. They share their board with each other, but not their marriage bed. It is true that they are "in the flesh", but they do not live "according to the flesh." They busy themselves on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws, but, in their own lives, they go far beyond what the laws require. They love all men, and by all men are persecuted. . .they are defamed, and are vindicated. They are reviled, and yet they bless. . . To put it simply; what the soul is in the body, that Christians are in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, but does not belong to the body, and Christians dwell in the world, but do not belong to the world. The soul, when faring badly as to food and drink, grows better; so, too, Christians, when punished, day by day increase more and more. It is to no less a post than this that God has ordered them, and they must not try to evade it.

-Letter to Diognetus, 5.6

CHRISTIAN LIFE - A I. Introduction. Christian Life is no secret. Christ taught it to His Church both by word and example. Ignorance of it can only be by choice. The Holy Spirit continues to instruct the Church through the saints today. So we are left with ho reason to be ignorant of it. The way of Christian Living is one and the same; but it may be presented in a multitude of different ways, like a bouquet of flowers arranged in different ways, but containing the same flowers. Christian Living may also be presented like a diamond; the same diamond but different angles of dazzling beauty. II. Frequent pretexts for not living the Christian Life. Man's most frequent excuse is the impossibility of living the perfection of Christian Life in the world. So the knowledge of it was neither sought nor taught. Popes, bishops and monks go to heaven because they live the fullness of Christian Life. It is the same identical way that the man in the market place and the wife in the kitchen must take to reach heaven. Man also likes to say that this way of life is only for religious and persons totally dedicated to God. But then, the 89

list of saints in the Church is made up mostly of ordinary people: St. Thomas More, a lawyer and Blessed Barbie Acarie, a housewife. Let us throw away such excuses. . .in truth, these are heresies and know that we can and we ought to live the Christian Life in its perfection: "Be ye perfect as My Heavenly Father is perfect." Those who cling to such excuses are like the multitude in the multiplication of the bread and the young rich man who turned their backs to Christ. . .while keeping the trappings of Christianity.

CHRISTIAN LIFE - B What is Christian Life I. Apostolic Commission. When the Apostles received their commission from Christ, the words of Christ were: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." 1. The first part is to make disciples or true followers from all nations. How? By baptizing them. Through Baptism, man receives the fruits of Redemption, heals the 90

wound caused by the fall of Adam and man receives sanctifying grace, making him a child of God. 2. However, Christ knew that man has a fallen nature, making him weak and foolish most of the time. It was impossible for man to keep the graces he had received at Baptism. He certainly would lose them soon. This situation must be remedied. 3. So, Christ made provisions for the preservation of man's God-given graces and, if he loses these, for their restoration in these words: ". . .teach them to obey everything I have commanded." The commands of Christ is the way to maintain and/or regain the graces received at Baptism. These commands of Christ is Christian Life. -St. Cyprian: On Works and Alms 1-5 CSEL 3, 373-7

CHRISTIAN LIFE - C The Commands of Christ Make Up Christian Living We must know and obey all the commands of Christ because a minor disobedience is like a crack in a building; the damage can slowly go all the way to the whole structure, making the spiritual edifice defective. Today, we are surrounded by countless teachers claiming to teach the Christian way of life. Know that there is only one way; the rest are false. And how can we detect the true way 91

from the false? The true way consists in obedience to all the commands of Christ; the false way has additions, but more often subtractions, from many commands of Christ. Christ commanded the Apostles to teach ALL the commands. We must know all, otherwise, we will not be able to detect which is true and which is false. St. Francis de Sales warned: "Many Christians tend to paint Christian Life according to their own fancies. One prays at midnight but his heart is full of hatred. Another lives soberly, not drinking and smoking but lies about his neighbor. Another gives materially to the less fortunate but shows no kindness to the same. Another helps in church but is arrogant towards his servants. Yet all of these believe they are living the Christian Life. St. Francis continues by saying that most Christians are, in fact, living a way of life that is nothing more than a caricature or illusion of Christian Life.

CHRISTIAN LIFE - D The Young Rich Man and Christian Life The Gospels tell us of this story: A young rich man went to Christ and asked: "Good teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?"

Christ set down three requirements: the first was an Old Testament requirement, the second and third were New Testament requirements. The first was: "Have you observed the Ten Commandments?" And the young man answered: "Yes, Lord, from my youth." Now, that's something! Few of us can brag of having obeyed the Ten Commandments from our youth. The young man evidently had complied with this first requirement. And so the young man proceeded and asked: "What else do I lack?" Christ gave the two New Testament requirements: first, "Go home, sell all your things and give to the poor;" and, secondly, "Come, follow Me." The first is a sort of prerequisite for the second. The second is, strictly speaking, Christian Living. Since he could not do the first, consequently, he could not "follow Christ." What went wrong with the young rich man? To "Go home, sell all. . ." is not a New Testament command. Mary, Martha and Cornelius were not required to do it. That command was just a test by which the state of the young man's soul might be revealed. Just as "Go sacrifice your son, Isaac" was not an Old Testament requirement for salvation. It was only a test by which the state of the soul of Abraham was revealed. The command given to the young man revealed a sick soul; the command given to Abraham revealed a righteous soul. A sick soul cannot walk, much less, follow Christ. He must first heal himself. For the young rich man, the medicine was by denying himself of his possessions, thus, Christ's command to "Go home, sell all. . ." 93

Scriptures has many commands "to follow Me." When addressed to healthy souls like Matthew, Nathanael and Peter, NO prior requirement was imposed. But when addressed to sick souls, an accompanying prior medication is required. To another young man who wanted to follow Christ, not to bury his father was required before he could follow Christ. To another, not to say good-bye to his relatives was required. The commands of Christ are meant to cure specific spiritual illnesses. We must know what our spiritual illnesses are and their corresponding medicinal commands of Christ. There are commands of Christ which, like vitamins, must be obeyed by all. And there are commands of Christ, like Diatabs, which should be taken only by those with diarrhea, not by all. Thus, the young rich man has to "Go home and sell all. . ." But Cornelius was not asked to do the same.

CHRISTIAN LIFE - E Christian Living, the Central Point of Catholic Doctrine Sacraments are useless without Christian Living. Baptism, through which we received God's life in us, is useless since we shall lose it almost immediately because of our fallen nature. It is only useful for those who die while still babies. One can receive all the sacraments but, without Christian Living, one can lose his soul. Take note of St. Paul's warning 94

on receiving the Body and Blood of Christ unworthily, i.e. without the accompanying Christian Life. Believing all the truths of the Apostles' Creed is useless without Christian Living. Most Protestant sects recite not only the Apostles' Creed but even the Nicene Creed. It is said that the Pharisees knew all the doctrines and truths but it was the good thief, who was ignorant of most truths, who went to heaven. The Ten Commandments, being of the Old Testament, is insufficient for salvation. One can obey the Ten Commandments, like the young rich man who obeyed them from his youth, and still sadden Christ. So, Part III, Section I, of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, i.e. on Christian Life, is the center of our Catholic Life. All the rest are helps for the acquisition, maintenance and perfection of this life. Through Baptism, we become part of the Church, the Bride of Christ. Through Christian Living, we become FAITHFUL Brides of Christ. Without Christian Living, we become spiritual adulterers. There is only one way of Christian Living. The seeming differences in the lives of the saints is not in the way of life. It is, firstly, in the personal defects the saints are overcoming; henceforth, the specific evangelical medicine would be different for each. The life of an aspiring saint overcoming drunkenness will be slightly different from one overcoming anger. 95

Then, there is the occasion for good works. The life of one aspiring for holiness amidst the poverty in India will be different from the life of one in Sweden. Then there is the role one plays in the Mystical Body; a Bishop rules, a monk prays, a doctor of the Church writes. St. Francis de Sales stated that it is heresy to say that Christian Life is not for soldiers, mechanics, princes and married couples. St. Crispin in the workshop, St. Monica the mother, Sts. Cornelius and Sebastian the soldiers, St. Edward the King--all became saints by living the perfection of Christian life in their state of life.

RULED BY HABIT AND FAITH Man is rarely ruled by reason. He is ruled by habit and faith. When he wakes up, he washes, dresses up and sits down for breakfast; this is acting out of habit. As he reads the newspaper, he believes in many things that he reads, even the horoscope. He does not demand proofs from these news. This is faith. Christian life must be lived out of habit and faith. This makes it easier, making us run in the sweetness of the Lord towards holiness and eternal life.

CHRISTIAN FREEDOM The teachings of Christ seem contradictory; for He says in one part, "I came to bring peace," but in another part, "I came to bring the sword." He also said He came to unite, but in another part that He came to divide. Among His more popular commands is to love but somewhere else, He told us to hate. The Christian, therefore, becomes a contradiction. For he can say he is the greatest among creatures but the worst among sinners. It is this contradiction that shows the great freedom of Christians. A pagan may love someone and hate another; but his lack of freedom prevents him from loving and hating the same person. He has no free control of his emotions. But a Christian can do both. He can hate the sin but love the sinner; thus he loves and hates a person at the same time. The person he forgives seventy times seven; the sin he does not forgive. Christian freedom consists in letting love and hate run wild without hurting anyone and without offending God. Here man attains the liberation of his human nature and total freedom.

TRUE ZEAL FOR GOD As a tree on fire kindles a whole forest into flame, so a Christian, burning with the fire of heaven, can set ablaze a continent with the light of truth and the warmth of charity. A Christian burning with true zeal will not waste his time with worldly matters that burn up like straw and stubble. He raises himself to God and aims at heavenly things. Paul describes the Pharisees as having a zeal that is not of God, a zeal "not according to knowledge." How come? "Being ignorant of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God." This is the leaven that corrupted all their good works. "Zeal for Thy house has eaten me up," Christ exclaimed. And this is zeal for His house: to do one's best to set aright what is wrong. And, if you cannot mend it, to endure it and prayerfully and tearfully mourn over it. When such a Christian grows old, his body weakens but his mind is stronger than time. And while his body crows cold in death, a HOLY ZEAL glows in his heart unimpaired, undiminished, guiding him to eternal happiness. True zeal is a sweet gentle flame. It never calls for "fire from heaven" to consume those who differ from us. True zeal saves the soul and tries not to hurt the body. It makes us a source of edification and never a source of destruction. 98

-St. Augustine

YOUTHFUL SELF-SACRIFICE One of the most impressive witnessing to the Faith in the early Church was the self-sacrifice of the youth. St. John Chrysostom narrates of damsels not yet 20 years old who had spent their whole time in inner chambers full of sweet ointments and perfumes, reclining on soft tapestry, themselves soft in their nature, who, all the day long, had had no other business than to adorn themselves, to wear jewels and to enjoy every luxury, who reveled continually in roses and such fragrant odours. Yet, seized with the love of Christ, they put off all indolence and pride, forgot their delicateness and youth, stripped themselves of their soft clothings and rushed in the midst of that great spiritual combat in monasteries. These tender damsels lived a hard life wearing coarse clothing and walking barefoot, lying down on beds of leaves and stayed awake most of the night in prayer. And their only meal, once a day, in the evening, was flour, beans and figs. They labored harder than maids and servants and served the weak and the sick, dressing their wounds, preparing their food, carrying their beds and bathing them. 99

So great was the power of youthful self-sacrifice, it was the greatest source of conversion to the new Catholic religion. -St. John Chrysostom

LIGHTS IN THE WORLD We must aim at and desire everything that belongs to genuine love. Everything we do must benefit, not only ourselves but, others also. So, if we cannot give others anything, at least, give them good example. Heaven is not given to those who sleep or are idle. It is for dutiful children and good servants; and, for them, the way is easy and light. Nothing is difficult to the humble. Why do you love the world which you have to leave behind or which will leave you even sooner? Instead, love the things that do not wear out. Let the soul seek after those higher things for which it was made. Make friends with angels; seek those things that made the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and martyrs happy. While time is granted, you keep the commandments and be light to the world. Let nothing dark enter your heart. Just as it is sad that, by and large, the name of the Lord is blasphemed on account of bad Christians, it is a great work that His name be glorified because of His servants' holy way of life. 100

-St. Leo the Great

THE VALIANT CHRISTIAN WOMAN A woman's true sphere of action is within the family circle. He who would substitute anything else frustrates his true nature, disrupts the providential plan of God and creates serious problems for society at large. A woman's influence outside depends on her success inside the family. Satan knew the importance of the woman; he struck at her and destroyed Adam and the human race. His tactic hasn't changed. Today, mothers are losing their children to ravening wolves. The mother is at fault; she is not religious enough to fashion characters strong enough to withstand the seductions of the word. . .and, probably, the local Church and Catholic schools who are failures in producing deeply religious mothers. The great women saints of the Church are unparalleled in character and achievement even up to the present; St. Clotilda, St. Bertha and St. Catherine of Sienna would put any male to shame. St. Brigid, Magdalene de Pazzi, Teresa of Avila, Jane Frances de Chantal, Frances Cabrini, Mary Mazzarello actually put bishops to shame. Even the great St. Francis of Assisi had to go to Clare for advice. St. Basil, Gregory Nazianzus, John Chrysostom and Jerome were nourished by deeply religious mothers. A preacher as effective as Catherine of Alezandria is still to be found. The Eucharistic Congress, a splendid celebration, is traced to the humble Juliana of Liege. And St. Bernadette, alone, did 101

more to restore Christian zeal in France than both secular and religious clergy. Women should never aspire to the honors of becoming priests or bishops because history has shown their achievements surpassing priests and bishops. . .unless, of course, they are so debased that they want mere honors. So, Christian woman, play your Christian role well for your role is indispensable for the welfare of the Church. -Venerable James Alberione

WOMAN AND FAMILY LIFE Marriage is meant to inflame the couple's desire towards salvation and to serve God in sanctity and chastity. And a rule of thumb for wives is: it is better to encourage the sluggish members of one's family towards holiness by running faster, going ahead of them than by running with them. It is better to enter the kingdom of God with one less member than be a complete family but go to hell. The quest for holiness is so important that endangering it is the only valid reason for divorce. If newly weds are exhorted to leave father and mother to cling to their wives, why not leave husband or wife to cling to God. "If I cannot drag you away from hell, neither will you drag me away from Christ." It is better to be divorced from man than to be divorced from God. 102

God made woman to be the more devout sex and a heroine of patience and charity; and God has engaged her in the noblest vocation, the sanctification of man either as a mother or a wife. We live in an evil age where sin is no longer committed in secret but in the open, accepted by all and even encouraged by "laws" of freedom; where even Catholic schools and preachers teach only pietism instead of Catholic living. Then we see philosophy and science completely helpless before the onslaught of lustful living. When a woman is good, she is very good. When she is bad, she is very bad, a source of corruption, a virulent infection. Inspire her, therefore, to modesty, otherwise she will be bold in her behaviour. If she forgets her morals, she will make others forget theirs. A woman who becomes subversive is the demon incarnate; she is more violent, more prejudiced and more ruthless than man.

To win the man of the family, sanctify the woman. She is foremost the wife and mother whose sphere of action is within the family where the work is enormous. Every evil in the world today is due to a mother who was a failure. -Venerable James Alberione

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CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE Only a man who is willing to suffer for his wife will suffer for Christ. "The Lord has heard the sound of my weeping; the Lord accepts my prayers." So, weep for your husband or wife and children when you see them led astray. Marriage is a mystery, not a comedy. So, don't make fun of it. If you cannot respect the institution, respect, at least, what it signifies. It signifies deep spiritual truths. That's why Christians celebrate their weddings quietly and decently, with reverence and modesty. The mystery of love is that the lover must decrease that he may increase. So, at the beginning, there was only one. The one became two; now the two must decrease that they increase to three. But the three remains one because the husband is the head and the wife, the body. God honors husband and wife above child and parents. Wives, when you marry, remember you are placing a head on the body. So, look for a husband who will make a find head on your body. Don't look at the money, the nationality or at his social status. Look for piety, gentleness, wisdom and fear of the Lord. To do otherwise is to hurt yourself. Parents, pray that your children each find a virtuous spouse; entrust this concern of yours into His hands. On the day of the wedding, prepare austerely. A wedding is not a pageant or a theatrical performance. Invite only people of good character. Avoid bands and orchestra; but prepare 104

your house beautifully. Then, invite Christ in the poor. The bride must be dressed modestly. From the beginning let all shun excess. The only abundance must be in spiritual joy. -St. John Chrysostom: "On Col. 4:18"

THE PURPOSE OF CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE The purpose of Christian marriage is NOT to legalize wantonness or sexual pleasure. IT IS FOR THE OBSERVANCE OF CHASTITY. "Because of the temptation to immorality, each man should have his own wife." Marriage used to have two purposes: to make us chaste and to make us parents. Chastity takes precedence over paternity. But "to fill the earth" is no longer applicable today because the earth is full. So, even God saw to it that some marriages remain childless. And so, the only purpose of Christian marriage is the observance of chastity. In the Old Testament, it meant so much to have children; children lessened the pains of death. Today, the thought of the Resurrection takes away the pains of death; and so, the sight of one's offspring is not as desirable. To have children through spiritual labor has become more desirable.

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So, there is only one reason left for Christian marriage, putting it negatively, to avoid fornication. So, if you will continue to be unchaste after marriage, you have approached it uselessly, in vain and to your harm. For adultery is more serious than fornication. "Let each woman have her own husband, let the husband show his wife the good will which is due." i.e. chastity and holiness. The husband's body is no longer his but the wife's. He must keep her property intact, without diminishing or damaging it. The husband has "good will" who takes care of his master's property and shows regard to the property entrusted to him. So when another woman sets a snare for him, he must say, "This body is not mine. It belongs to my wife. I will not mistreat it nor lend it to another." In the matter of ownership, there is equality between husband and wife. In a few other matters, the husband has superiority, thus, "The husband is the head of the wife." "And the wife ought to be subject to her husband." But in matters of chastity and holiness, husband and wife must observe equality. Your wife did not come to you, leaving her father, mother, and household so you can insult her by taking a cheap girl in her place. And you, husband, did not take a wife to wage a thousand battles; you took a companion, a partner for life. God instituted marriage to protect the wife. By adultery, many families are broken, many battles are started. This sin empties out love and undermines good will.

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A virtuous man can never neglect or scorn his wife, as a wanton and licentious man can never love his wife no matter how beautiful she is. Virtue gives birth to love and love brings innumerable blessings. -St. John Chrysostom: "On 1 Thes. 4:8"

THE POWER OF CHRISTIAN WOMEN The Christian woman gets her power from her heart and from her position in the family. From her heart comes tenderness, sweetness, spirit of sacrifice, daintiness and intuition; and from this, daughter controls father; wife, husband; sister, brother; and mother controls children. The more humble a woman is, the more she is treated as a queen. Woman's virtue is what elevates man's heart to God; it is woman's sacrifice that sustains man. Weaker than men physically, she surpasses man spiritually. She is prone to pure love, capable of immolating herself in silence and smile through her tears; and with the sweetness of her gaze, she induces man to control his anger. God made woman so wonderfully to fulfill a mission. First, a domestic mission as a daughter, wife and mother, which makes her more present at home than man. She rules in secret: "Bring me to Church" is her way of sending her husband to Church.

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Woman is elevated to the peak of her influence in motherhood. It is the mother who fashions the souls of children. The happiness or unhappiness in a home weighs heavily on the mother. God was most generous in the creation of a woman; but her gifts are for a mission. God made woman to be man's helper. Helper in what? In his sufferings. . . for man will go crazy if he suffers alone. In his joys. . . for man is doubly happy when someone is happy with him. In his way to heaven. . . for it is easier to go to heaven in community with another. Eve used these gifts to drag Adam into Sin. Mary restored the sublime mission of woman, uplifted man, detaching him from the earth, leading him back to heaven. Today, the Christian woman has not known how to guide herself along the path of modern civilization; she has not known how to defend and safeguard the vital ramparts of spiritual values. She has allowed herself to be drawn into the maelstrom by becoming an object of amusement and pleasure, by becoming a plaything in life, by becoming an instrument of corruption, ruin and sin. Do not distract the Christian woman from her mission; do so and she becomes a misfit.

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VENERABLE JAMES ALBERIONE A HOLY LIFE The beginning of all evil is the love of money. Know that you brought nothing into the world and cannot take anything out of it either. So put on the armour of a holy life and your rule of life must be the commandments of the Lord. Next, instruct your wives in the faith delivered to them, as well as in love and chastity. They must cling to their husbands with perfect fidelity. Love your neighbor with perfect self-control. Impart to your children an education based on the fear of God. You, widows, must be discreet in keeping the faith plighted to the Lord. You must pray unceasingly for the community and refrain absolutely from calumny, gossip, false testimony and love of money. Be united in the truth. When able to do a work of charity, do not put it off, for this almsgiving is pleasing to the Lord.

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THE BATTLE OF A CHRISTIAN What is this? Against whom or what does he contend? Hear the blessed Paul who says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual evils in heavenly places." Do you see the terrible host of enemies and the fierce phalanxes arrayed against you? And, from the same watch tower, you will see another army, stern and cruel against whom you, too, must do battle. This army is made up of adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, poisoning, enmities, contentions, jealousies, altercations, slanderings, whisperings, seditions and others. -St. John Chrysostom

UNITY He who holds not unity holds not the law of God, holds not the faith of Father and Son, holds not the faith unto salvation. How is unity preserved? Paul answered - "In the bond of peace." It is not possible that unity should exist in enmity and discord. The Apostles would have us linked and tied one to another; not simply that we be at peace, not simply that we love another, but that, in all, there should be but one 110

soul. A glorious bond this. With this bond, let us bind ourselves together, alike to one another and to God. Labour with one another; contend together, run together, suffer together, do all things together, as the stewards and servants of Christ. Let your faith be as your helmet, your charity as your spear, your patience as your whole armour. Let your united labours be your one charge, so that you may receive one steward. We dwell in Christ when we are His members, and He dwelleth in us when we are His temple; but that we should be His members, unity doth knit and compact us together. Specious indeed is the name of peace, and fair the very thought of unity; but who can doubt that unity of the Church and of the Gospels alone is peace which preserves the unity of Christ. -Saints Hilary, Augustine, Ignatius, Cyprian and John Chrysostom

CHRISTIANS CONDEMN CHRISTIANS When any Christian has begun to live holily, to be fervent in good works, and to despise the world, in this newness of his life, he is exposed to the attacks and contradictions of lax or cold Christians.

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But if he perseveres and gets the better of them by his endurance, and faints not in good works, those very same persons who before hindered him will now respect him; for they rebuke and hinder him so long as they have any hope that he will yield to their perversity. But if the Christian perseveres and makes progress, the lax Christians turn round and begin to say, "He is a great man, a holy man." They honour him, and bless and laud him just as that multitude did which was with the Lord in the days of His flesh. They first hindered the blind men that they might not cry unto Him to restore their sight; but when they continued to cry so as to attain to be heard and answered, that same multitude now sayeth, "Jesus calleth you" and they who a little before rebuked them that they should hold their peace now use the voice of approval and exhortation. So, thus, the good Christian must continue in his good works in spite of rebukes from the cold disciples of Christ. -Saint Augustine

INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE (THES. 3:12 - 4:2) "May the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another and toward all men. . .as we also do toward you." St. Paul shows God's excessive love for us and his

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excessive love for the Thessalonians; and so he exhorts us to have excessive love "for one another and toward all men." Excessive love comes from a fervent soul: "May your love increase and abound. . ." not just grow. "As we also do toward you. . .": I, Paul, have loved you with an excessive love. Now, it is your turn to do likewise. This is the nature of Christian or Divine love. . .it is excessive; it encompasses all. If you love someone but do not love another surely your love is human. . .and like everything human, it is unreliable, untrustworthy, undependable. And our love must not be such. "May your heart be blameless and holy. . ." . . .before God, Christ and the saints. When we love, we love from the heart; and when our love is Godly, our heart becomes blameless and holy. Evil, also, comes from the heart: "From out of the heart comes evil. . ." The heart, alone, without you having to do anything, can do evil; like envy, unbelief, rejoicing at evil are pure acts of the heart that are evil. The heart must be "established blameless and holy." Who must judge it to be blameless and holy? . . .Christ and the Father. . .NOT in the sight of men. And what makes the heart blameless and holy? . . . Divine love. There is no sin which the power of love cannot consume and destroy. Let us implant in our souls this excessive love, this Godly love, that we may stand side by side with the saints. The saints are saints because of their excessive love, i.e. they 113

pleased God by the way they loved their neighbors. Because of Abel's love for Cain, the thought of killing Cain never entered his mind. Because of Cain's envy that drove away love from his heart, he always thought of killing his own brother. St. Paul, the hard man, the adamant, bold in the face of fire, firm and unshaken before judges and persecution, showed excessive love, "Who shall separate me from the love of Christ; not hardships, or anguish, or persecution or famine or nakedness, or peril or the sword. St. Paul, who was bold in the face of earth, sea and death, when he saw the tears of the Ephesians whom he loved, did not even conceal his feelings. Weeping, he asked, "Why do you break my heart?" Nothing can indeed move this Paul except love. . .excessive love. He wept because he feared that some spiritual disease was creeping into the community. Excessive love, Divine love, Charity, extraordinary love is the ordinary thing among the first Christians. . .and, strange as it seems, even in the Old Testament. Joseph, face to face with the brothers who sold him, had all the power in his command to get even. But because his heart was filled with love rather than anger, he went into his chambers and composed himself because he could not control his tears. His brothers deserved anger, wrath, indignation, revenge and retribution. Even if Joseph punished them there would not have been any injustice. But why does he weep instead? "I weep because they treated me thus." He wept for those who had injured him. . he wept because he saw the punishment and condemnation that awaited them.

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"How your are to walk and to please God. . ." by abounding more and more. That you do not stop at the limit of the commandments but that you even go beyond them. Obedience is rendered to the constraint of a teacher; but to go beyond the command is from a voluntary choice. How are you to please God? By being a saint, by working for the sanctification of your soul... "without which no one shall see God." -Saint John Chrysostom "On Thes."

IN DEFENSE OF CHRISTIANITY (HIS NAME IS GOD) You should never ask God's name. God is His name. Names are only needed when there is a multitude of beings and you must distinguish them. But for God, who is alone, the name God is sufficient. Other names tend to make Him earthly and make us think of Him as mortal. But take away the addition of names and you will behold His glory. Common people often raise their hands to someone in heaven. They may refer to him as Sun or Jupiter, a manner of confessing the true God. They essentially are all in agreement about His existence. They are mistaken about the name. . .and His teachings.

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-Octavius

MAN WAS ENDOWED WITH REASON BUT HE SELDOM USES IT All men are born alike with a capacity and ability to reason and feel - regardless of their age, sex or position in life. People don't obtain wisdom by fortune; it's implanted by nature. Actually, rich people who are married to their wealth spend more time looking at their gold than looking to heaven. So intelligence is not something you can buy with wealth, nor obtain by study. Rather it's conceived when the mind is formed. When listening to someone, listen to the truth of the statement and not the authority of the speaker. In fact, the more pretentious the discourse, the more evident the reasoning. Since it isn't colored by the pomp of eloquence and grace, it is sustained by its own truth. -Octavius' In Defense of Christianity

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WHAT REALLY IS IT LIKE? Today, everyone forms judgments about things they really haven't examined and know little about. Most often they are fables invented by gossips and that they had never been examined or proved. . The early Christians suffered from such people. They were tortured when they confessed the truth. Instead of trying to elicit the truth, pagans were forcing them to lie; while those who denied Christ out of weakness were the ones praised. -Octavius' In Defense of Christianity

WATCH THE RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS There are religious customs, like running naked in the snow in winter, parading with elaborate bonnets and men cutting or piercing themselves. Wouldn't it be better for such men to be unreligious than to practice such a religion? Their defense seems to be that everyone else is doing it. The pagan religion of Rome was founded by Romulus who killed his own brother. It was a religion that kidnapped and raped virgins and married women alike. They went to

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war against their own fellow citizens. The religion of Rome grew by the loss of others. Many religions live by these principles through the present day. They murder priests, insult and scorn the gods of others. Some religions are great not because they are religious but because they are sacrilegious with impunity. -Octavius' In Defense of Christianity

YOU MUST KNOW GOD BEFORE YOU CAN WORSHIP HIM If you know God rightly, you will worship Him in a manner pleasing to Him. If you know Him wrongly, you will worship Him in a manner displeasing to Him. No one really believes that statues, where birds build their nest and spiders web their traps, are gods. First, you make your god, and then you have to clean and protect them? Few realize that you must know God before you can worship Him. Many do not know their God. A few, in the process of finding out who is their god discovered they had the wrong god. A few, in the process of finding out who is Christ, discovered they were following the wrong Christ. . .thus conversion to the Catholic Faith. Those converted to the Catholic Faith are converted by a process of reasoning, 118

like G. K. Chesterton and John Newman. Those from the Catholic Faith who go to other sects do so because of a lack of reasoning. Most Catholics are so without the benefit of reasoning. They are so because they are born so, or simply want to follow the tradition of their parents, simply compounding their errors rather than trusting in their own ability to reason. You are Catholics without even knowing why and you worship God in mass without knowing Him and follow Christ without knowing whereto. -Octavius' In Defense of Christianity

WHAT IS MAN? You can't understand the nature of humanity unless you first examine the nature of divinity. How can a person perform his social duty if he doesn't understand what binds mankind together? Man is different from the wild beast. Beasts are always looking down at the earth, gazing at their food. But man stands erect. His face is turned toward heaven. His thoughts and his conversation are of heaven. For this reason, he looks up to God. No person has the right or reason to be ignorant of the celestial glory that is imprinted on our eyes and senses. It is wrong to seek on earth what can only be found on high. 119

So those people who say that the universe just happened have neither mind nor sense. Apparently, they don't even have the ability to see. For what is more obvious when you look around except some Deity of supreme intelligence infusing it with life. Look how man bases his calendar on the ordered movement of the sun and stars and how man orders his day according to the regular setting and rising of the sun. See how navigators use the stars to find their way. And no one made these guides? It takes intelligence to see that there is Someone more intelligent than man who made these guides. The seasons and its different sights of sun, rain, snow and flowers, the changing times for flowerings of plants and bearing of fruits. . .all of which cannot be disturbed by man. . . could only be made by a Great Intelligence. And look at ourselves. The position of our eyes, nose and mouth, all designed without our help -- all parts at the same place but still make each of us look differently. The perfect timing within the human body: when a child is conceived, the preparation of the mother's breast for milk for feeding and the ceasing of milk when the child no longer needs it. See how England, not receiving much sunlight, is warmed by the sea and arid Egypt is refreshed by the great Nile.

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When you see a house well-arranged and adorned, you will believe in a master who is greater than the house. The world was well arranged and adorned. Someone greater must have arranged this. The Universe, the skies, the earth are all well adorned and managed. You must first know who did this, otherwise, you will never know who you are. -Octavius' In Defense of Christianity

ACTIVE AND CONTEMPLATIVE LIFE The active life is the journeying; the contemplative life is the summit. Active life makes him holy; the contemplative life makes him perfect. It is characteristic of the active life to inflict injuries to no one; the contemplative bears inflicted injuries calmly. The man living the active life is prompt to forgive the man who has sinned against him; the contemplative does not even notice the man who sinned. The active controls anger by the virtue of patience and restrains his passions. Touched by carnal desire, he does not consent; attacked by the devil, he is not overcome. The contemplative, by holy virtues, overcomes all feelings that ordinarily rule all mortals, which enables the soul to rise up to the joy of divine contemplation. 121

HE WHO BELIEVES IS NOT CONDEMNED Who are those who believe? Those who have discovered their sinfulness and, desirous to be cured, goes to the Divine Physician for cure. When a person is sick and desires to be cured, and he sees the physician, he welcomes the sight and approaches fearlessly. Such is one who believes. He welcomes the sight of the Divine Physician, listens to His prescription in the form of His Commandments and gladly drinks the medication. Such good patients will surely be healed. And so with the soul: his fallen nature is cured, he ceases from sinning and, therefore, is saved. Christ made it clear they will no longer be judged. They will go straight to heaven. There are, however, sick people who go to the physician to find out the proper medication but simply out of curiosity. They never take the medication or take it carelessly. Such will not be cured. The same way, there are people who want to know how to be saved merely out of curiosity but do very little about the spiritual medication. Such will never be cured. -St. Thomas of Aquinas

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HE WHO DOES NOT BELIEVE IS ALREADY CONDEMNED Who are those who do not believe? Those who go to Christ and ask Him: "Lord, what must we do to be saved?" Christ says: "Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me." And they say: "No way. I won't deny myself. I want to do my will even if it is contrary to God's will. " If a patient goes to a physician and says, "Cure my pneumonia." And the physician says, "Drink antibiotics." And he says, "No way." There is no way by which he will ever be cured because of his refusal. If I say this is the way to the South and you say Ill go where I want, I'll go North, you will never reach the South. The same goes with the Christian soul. If Christ says this is the way and you take another way, you are lost and, by your very act, have caused for yourself to deserve condemnation. If the patient dies because he does not take medicine, it is not the doctor's fault. He has condemned himself to death by his negligence. In the same way, a soul's condemnation is not from God. He brings it upon himself.

REVERENCE A SIGN OF FAITH Reverence has some element of fear. But this is not the slavish or worldly kind of fear. It is a reverential fear of someone of immense greatness and power. 123

Today, we live in a Christian society that disowns the duty of reverence. Yet, as children of the Church, reverence is a special inheritance. Sadly, we have little of it and do not feel the want of it. Unfortunately, the few who have it usually are ashamed of it, consider it a mark of weakness of mind and, when censured, cannot defend themselves on intelligible grounds. They wish to show reverence in their mode of speaking and acting in relation to sacred things but are afraid to contradict modern style of behavior. This want of fear is a sign of want of Faith. Little gestures in the Catholic faith shows this Faith; like coming often to prayer shows your constant awareness of a Great Being. To kneel at prayer when our condition allows shows more reverence than sitting down. To visit the Blessed Sacrament is evident sign of faith in our beliefs. To behave during mass and in the house of God would show reverence based on fear in the presence of God.

FAITH -- CHRIST SLEEPING ON THE BOAT Let us eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Anyway, no one has returned from the afterlife to tell us there is life after death. Christians say this and mean it because they love to eat and drink. And yet a life focused on 124

eating and drinking is, precisely, the great storm that tossed the small boat. When a Christian lives this way then faith, symbolized by Christ, is sleeping in his heart, "Christ dwells by faith in your heart." You have forgotten to exercise and develop it. Wake up. Recall what you have believed. Your own faith will still the storm. And though the devil will continue to attack you, he will not threaten you nor stir up the waves nor overwhelm the vessel. John Climacus says, "Faith furnishes prayer with wings without which it cannot soar to heaven."

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COMMANDS OF CHRIST

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BE WATCHFUL "Be watchful" is a very important command of Christ found in Scriptures. "Be watchful and pray, lest you enter into temptation; because the devil is like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, because your fight is with principalities and powers." Our life on earth is likened to night. We need a lamp and have to be watchful. The lighted lamp is the symbol of complete knowledge of the commands of Christ as found in the New Testament, a result of the apostles' work in "preaching all the commands of Christ and how to observe them." God gives each baptized person this lighted lamp . . . with a little oil that would last up to the time we reach the age of reason. From then on, we have to provide our own oil. The "watchfulness" Christ is referring to is not watching others around you, but watching the inner man. Solomon said: "Consider your heart at every watch." When you watch, you must look inside yourself and see whether your heart desires the things that Christ has commanded; whether your will and God's will are one. That is watchfulness. If and when you know all the commands of Christ, which is rare these days, and if your heart's desire is to do God's will, which is even rarer, you still are not considered as watchful. You need oil, that had run out when you reached the age of reason; you need plenty of oil-- enough to light your lamp 127

until you die or until the end of the world, whichever comes first. The oil is obedience to the commands of Christ. If you know all the teachings of Christ and desire from your heart to do God's will, you will surely act on those commands. Every time you obey the commands of Christ, you increase your supply of oil . . . hopefully to last you till the end. The Gospel tells us of two kinds of virgins: the foolish and the wise. The foolish virgins apparently knew all the commands of Christ--desired in their hearts to do only God's will, had oil . . . but the oil was not enough. It didn't quite last till the end. The wise virgins also knew all the commands of Christ--desired in their hearts to do only God's will, had oil . . . but had oil up to the end. Take note what the wise virgins told the foolish ones when the latter asked for oil because their lamps were going out: "Our oil is not enough for us and for you." The meaning is this: Whatever God has given us--money, possessions, sufferings, virtues and even our own prayer and fasting--are just enough for our salvation. But if in some way we waste some of them, then we really don't have enough for both. "Each one will be judged by his own righteous deeds" . . . by his own oil and not by the deeds of others. So go to the stores and obtain your own oil . . . now. Everything that God has given us must be used in accordance to the commands of Christ, i.e., for our eternal salvation. If we ever use them for other worldly purposes, for indulging in the pleasures of the world, stuck in 128

business, for sinful acts, to give in to our lust, gluttony and anger, as inheritance for our children's enjoyment, etc. . . we have wasted our opportunities and will surely run out of oil. But then, we probably don't even know the commands of Christ and our hearts' desire is nowhere close to the will of God. Then, not only do we not have oil, we do not even have a lighted lamp nor are we spiritual virgins . . .thus, surely, we shall be caught unprepared by death or by the second coming of Christ. And the words we shall hear from Christ are: "I know you not."

THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST ARE NOT HARD TO OBEY There is the common impression that to follow Christ is difficult. This thought couldn't come except from the evil one. The commands of Christ seem harsh and even sound impossible but, in fact, they are very easy to obey because He who gave the commands promises to help carry them out. And, with Him, nothing is impossible . . . and, in fact, becomes sweet and light. The following of Christ is really a tough and fearsome journey. It is filled with affliction, persecutions and hardships. But it surely leads to perfect happiness, peace and freedom from fear. St. Paul warns us: if we wish to abide with Christ, we ought to walk as He walked. And Christ walked with the two feet 129

of humility and charity. If you walk with humility and charity, you will eventually be exalted. He who tries to be exalted without humility and charity is taking a step too big; he will surely fall. To follow Christ is a declaration of war with the devil. So, the evil one will oppose, mock and persecute you; and he will use unbelievers and those who, to all appearances, belong to the body of Christ to stop you from following Christ. Bad Christians always persecute good Christians. The cross is the culmination of the following of Christ. It is the exaltation of humiliation. -St. Caesarius of Arles

DRIVING OUT OF THE TEMPLE Right belief is followed by love of God. Knowledge of God's commands is followed by obedience to those commands and, eventually, love of God. If there is no obedience to Christ's commands, there is no love of God. If there is no obedience to Christ's commands, then there is no right belief. There is wrong belief. Those who have right beliefs are the temple of God. From them, prayers addressed and heard by God arises. They are characterized by one mind, because of their right beliefs, 130

and one heart, because of their love of God. These are the ones that pray in spirit and truth. The sellers in the temple are those seeking their own ends within the Church. They are symbolized by those selling and buying. But the whip of their own sins will drive them out of the temple . . . all because they are not praying as they should be. -St. Augustine

MY SHEEP - THOSE WHO BELIEVE Christ referred to His true followers as My sheep and true believers; and He referred to the rest as unbelievers or NOT His sheep. Then He advanced the reason why unbelievers are such. . ."because they are not My sheep." Ordinarily, man would judge others as unbelievers and, therefore, unworthy to be called sheep. But from God's viewpoint, because He can see the future, one is not a sheep that is why he does not believe. God sees the future; He sees that a soul will never obey His commands and so He declares him a goat. And, true enough, when that soul is born in time, he, in fact, does not and never obeys the commands of Christ. . .because from the very foundation of the world he was declared as not being a sheep of Christ. 131

On the other hand, God, seeing the future, sees that a soul will obey the commands of Christ. And so, even before that soul is born, he is declared a sheep. Thus, when he is born, he indeed obeys the commands of Christ and becomes a believer. Referring to believers, Christ said: "I will give them eternal life and no one can steal them away from Me." So, those whom God sees will obey Christ's commands in the future, have already been given eternal life and no devil or heretic can steal them away from Christ. Though God can see the future and declare a soul a sheep or not a sheep, it is each Christian soul who decides whether he will obey the commands of Christ or not. So, God's decision depends on each soul's decision. The fault of Judas was that he obeyed the commands of Christ at the beginning but did not finish "the course" as St. Paul would put it. Judas did not persevere in his obedience to Christ's commands. He obeyed some but not the others. And all because of his greed. Vices, our passion and emotions, our fallen human nature, our love for the world and the things in it, these are what stall us on our way to God and turn us to goats.

I AM THE GATE OF THE SHEEPFOLD In some other instance, Christ described Himself as a Shepherd. But now, He describes Himself as the door. The 132

shepherd and the sheep, He says, must pass through the door. . .meaning to say, both the shepherd and the sheep must pass through Christ, the door. This is done through obedience to His commands. If the Shepherd does not pass through the door, that is, Christ's commands, how can he lead the sheep through the same door? He cannot. Thus, the shepherd who tries to enter by another way is a thief and a brigand. These are the spiritual leaders who teach a way to heaven other than obedience to Christ's commands. If the shepherd obeys Christ's commands and teaches his sheep the same commands, then the sheep become acquainted with his voice, i.e. his teachings. The commands of Christ are such that, when one is understood, the others are more easily understood. The commands of Christ, sort of, check on one another. So, if the sheep masters one command of Christ, they will easily detect errors, i.e. the voice of thieves and brigands, while the shepherd who perseveres in obeying the commands of Christ will always be recognized by his teachings. And who is the hireling that runs away when the wolves come? The sheep is said to be under attack by wolves when the devils are tempting the sheep; this temptation may sometimes appear externally in the form of vices and defects. The true shepherd will correct these faults. The hireling will not correct the faults. Not to give the necessary

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rebuke or correction is to run away when the sheep is under attack by the wolves.

DENY YOURSELF To deny oneself is so contrary to human nature. That is why it is difficult. But, just like any other command of Christ, obedience to it guarantees Christ's assistance. So, it really is easy. In everyday life, it is observable that, when we like what we are doing, we are capable of great things; the mountain climber, the sea adventurer, the lovers of money, will undergo great inconveniences to attain their goals. But, of course, we are the kind of person by what we love. So, let's carefully choose what we love. If we choose to love God, then we become divine. We must choose to love Christ because from Him comes happiness, perfect peace and lasting security. The road to holiness seems rough, but it only "seems" so. With His promised help, it becomes very easy. The way is indeed narrow, but, with His help, it becomes wide. It is hard but, with His help, it becomes easy. The road to evil, on the other hand, seems easy; but, in truth, it is difficult. To be exalted is every man's desire; so be it. But do it the Christian way: deny yourself. The Zebedees wanted to be exalted: "Lord, let me sit on your right. . ." they wanted to be exalted without having to deny themselves. Christ gives the 134

condition: "Can you drink the cup. . ." a life of self-denial and suffering and martyrdom. Christ's command: "To deny oneself, take up one's cross and follow Me" is a command to be martyrs. "Once you follow Me, by conforming your lives to My commandments, many will contradict you, forbid you and dissuade you from obeying My commands. And these persecutions can be so violent and end up in martyrdom: ". . .and follow me."

THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST Obedience to Christ's commands is the result of argued right reasoning and total freedom. While disobedience to the same commands is subservience to the lust of the flesh. In his journey to God, man must avoid evil and do good. But to do this, he must be able to distinguish good from evil. St. Paul states that God's commands are engraved in man's heart. And a true seeker of God can discover this law in all its depth and fullness. But there are many obstacles in discovering this law: one's own passion, the allurements of the world, the illusions of the devil. So Christ instructed his disciples to preach His commandments and how to observe them. . .thus providing an external aid, preaching, to the internal aid, the law of God in man's heart. But both internal and external aids are ineffective when confronted by the "pride of life" and "love of money". 135

"The law of the Lord revives the soul, the law of the Lord is certain, the law of the Lord rejoices the heart, the law of the Lord is pure and enlightens the eyes." The Church, therefore, preserves with great respect the sources from whence she gets the commands of Christ and how to interpret them--Sacred Scriptures and the Tradition of the Fathers of the Church. What does the Law of Christ require of us? Firstly, to act in accordance to the nature of man because man, due to his fallen nature, has been behaving below his nature, oftentimes, even worse than the animals. Secondly, Christ commands us to go above the nature of man, i.e., to live like angels. By being human, man escapes the bestiality of his fallen nature "From the beginning it was not so." By being angelic, he leaves his human nature "to be like angels," which is Christ's reason for becoming Incarnate--"That men might become gods."

THREE KINDS OF CARNAL MOVEMENT The body has three kinds of carnal movements. The first is a natural movement, inherent in it, which does not produce anything sinful without the consent of the soul and merely lets it be known that it exists in the body.

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The second kind of movement in the body is produced by too much food and drink, when the resulting movement in the body is an act of rebellion against the soul and urges it towards all kinds of vices. The third movement comes from the evil spirits, who thus tempt us out of envy and tries to weaken those who have found the way, or to lead astray the path of those who wish to enter into the narrow door. However, if a man, with patient endurance, observes the commands of Christ, the Holy Spirit will teach him how to purify his body and soul from such movements. But if he neglects the commands of Christ, then the evil one will overpower him, and befoul his soul with these three movements. -St. Anthony the Hermit

DENY YOURSELF, TAKE UP YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME This injunction seems harsh; and one may think He is imposing a burden on us. His commands are not difficult, since He helps to effect what He commands. And he who loves God will find all His commands very light.

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We know this to be true even in earthly, wanton or wicked love, where man will undergo all difficulties to attain their mad desires. Therefore, dearly beloved, direct all your attention on the choice of what you should love. Both the love of the world and the love of God entails difficulties; but the former has eternal damnation as its end while the latter has eternal happiness as its reward. Yet when we see man undergo difficulties for an earthly crown, we applaud him; when a young man undergoes difficulties for the kingdom of God, we pity him. If we were surrounded by mere lovers of the world, we would despair of eternal life. But, fortunately, there are still souls patiently and even willingly accepting many labors for love of Christ. . .and they are such a refreshing sight. Just as a man is lost through loving himself, so he is found by denying himself. Love of self was the ruin of the first man; he loved in the wrong order. He should have loved God first; by so doing, he would have loved himself in the right way. . . by denying himself. Denying oneself is the first step towards love of God. When we take the first step, we will meet resistance, we will be opposed, mocked and even persecuted, not only by unbelievers but also, by people who to all appearances belong to the Church but in reality are excluded from it by their wickedness but bear patiently with them.And "follow

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Me" to heaven", i.e. after you have denied yourselves and taken up your crosses. Let me warn anyone bent on following Christ to listen to St. Paul: "One who claims to abide in Christ ought to walk as He walked." And Christ walked with all humility. To begin with, therefore, let us be humble; let us always be content as long as we have food and clothing. If we seek more than this, we will fall into temptations. -St. Caesarius of Arles, Sermo 159

FOLLOWING CHRIST Everyone seems to want to follow Christ but without denying themselves and carrying their cross. Christ clearly said: "Deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me." Even in most religious orders, the invitation to join them is an invitation to follow Christ but without mentioning to "deny oneself and take up one's cross." This is because there is some pride in being a follower of Christ but no fun in denying oneself and carrying one's cross. Yet to deny oneself is the first step without which no one can follow Christ. To deny oneself means a complete detachment from the things of this world. The things of this world in themselves 139

are good because God created all things good. It is the attachment to these things that is evil. Because if you are attached to the world you will always choose these over God. Didn't Eve choose a fruit over God? Or, more exactly, because of her attachment to a desire that is not God, she chose her will over God's will. She did not deny herself. To deny oneself means not to gratify the desires of the flesh and its demands for pleasure and comfort. When you make the things of the world and the comforts of the body your goal in life, you make yourself a slave of these things. By being detached, you become the master, thus treating these with indifference, using them for the attainment of a desired end...one's salvation.

OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST To deny oneself, like all the commands of God, is like a mustard seed, at first bitter and pungent to the nose but, when swallowed, becomes an enjoyable delicacy. For the connoisseurs, they run after it. If you obey this command of Christ in a shallow manner, it will just be bitter to the taste and pungent to the noseâ&#x20AC;Ślike all the commands of Christ. But if chewed and swallowed, that is, if fully understood and obeyed, the bitterness disappears and sweetness follows. 140

If food is merely tasted, it will not nourish the body. But if swallowed, it will nourish the body. So with the commands of Christ, if merely conceived in the mind, it remains as bare knowledge. But if obeyed, the soul will taste the sweetness of the Lord.

DENYING ONESELF Those who do not deny themselves cannot follow Christ. For choosing to follow Jesus and to actually follow Him springs from no ordinary courage. Those who deny themselves wipe out their former wicked lives. For example, those who once were immoral deny their immoral selves and become self-controlled forever. Those who have become righteous don't confess themselves but Christ. Those who find wisdom, because they posses wisdom, also confess Christ. And those who "with the heart believe unto righteousness, and with the mouth make confession unto salvation," and testify for Christ's works by confessing them to others will be confessed by Christ before His Father in heaven. As a result, let every thought, every purpose, every word, and every action become a denial of ourselves and a testimony about Christ and in Christ.

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I am persuaded that the perfect person's every action is a testimony to Christ Jesus and that abstinence from every sin is a denial of self, leading to Christ. Those people are crucified with Christ. They take up their own crosses to follow Him who, for our sake, bore His own cross. -Origen

"LET US GO TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD." (ROM. 13: 11-14) Let us go to the House of the Lord, Zion-- a) that He may instruct us in His ways and b) that we may walk in His paths. His way of life requires that we cast off the deed of darkness which are carousing, drunkenness, sexual excesses, lust, quarreling and jealousy: "Make no provision for the desires of the flesh and, secondly, we must put on the armor of light, living honorably as in daylight." The Son of Man is coming at the time you least expect; so you must be watchful and well prepared. And we prepare ourselves by doing everything that He has commanded. For, like everyone, we start with a desire in full vigor but as time goes on the whole of our earnestness withers away. No! Instead of relaxing, we must be more full of vigor. For even in all games and contests, the last minutes are the most important. 142

For as when morning approaches, even if it is still dark, we do not prepare to sleep; instead, we prepare for the morning work, dressing, leaving our dreams, shaking off our sleep. . .and no stretching and tossing until light is up. So also, let us set aside the dreams of this life and dress up with virtues thus: casting off the works of darkness and putting on the armor of light. "Make no provisions for the flesh." We may make provision for the flesh but not to "fulfill the lust therefore," like going beyond what is necessary to be healthy. So, be healthy, then spend all thy industry on the care of spiritual things. The present life is a sleep, our plans are dreams. And, like sleeping persons, we are open to the attacks of all the enemies of the soul, both men and the devil. Most of us are asleep. And the devil is butchering us. Remove "all strife and envying." Because this upsets the whole family, destroys the children and causes other unnumbered ills. And put on Christ. Never be without Him. Have Him evermore visible in you by doing His deeds. He needed food, He ate barley bread; He had to travel, He walked; He needed sleep, He slept on wood and rocks and soil, etc. Like Him, be content with what is necessary and all will be well. So eat; but eat just to remove the pangs of hunger. Build just to shelter.

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Do not bedeck yourself with clothing; it makes the flesh too delicate and injures its health. For it is not having much but requiring little that keeps us from being injured. -St. John Chrysostom

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"VERITATIS SPLENDOR" by Pope John Paul II (Simplified and Summarized) Fundamental Questions on the Church's Moral Teachings. The splendor of Truth shines on all God's work but specially in man, created to the image of God. And we need this splendor of Truth to enlighten our intellect that we may be led to know and love God. I. INTRODUCTION: OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST'S COMMANDS. Christ is the light that enlightens everyone; and we become enlightened and we become "light in the Lord" and we become children of light by OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMANDS OF CHRIST. Because of original sin, obedience is not easy; we constantly turn our gaze away from God to direct it to the world. And with a little help from the devil, we give ourselves even to lies. The desire to know the light shines even when we are deep in the darkness of sin. But, unfortunately, we can reach a point in our sinfulness when all desire for the truth dies. So Christ, the Light of the nations, in His desire to enlighten the face of the world, commands His disciples thus: ". . .teach all nations ALL My commands and HOW TO 145

OBSERVE them" . . . and to teach nothing else. Every other gift from heaven will depend on one's obedience to His commands including understanding the meaning of life and the life to come. This is what the Church's Pastors in communion with Peter must teach. . .ALL the commands of Christ and HOW to observe them. This is the moral life that leads to salvation.

PURPOSE OF PRESENT ENCYCLICAL The commands of Christ cover all aspect of human life. And the purpose of encyclicals is merely to clarify His commands and how to observe forgotten or misinterpreted commands. In this realm, the Church is infallible. This encyclical wishes to review ALL the fundamental commands of Christ because they are being distorted and denied by people within the Church itself, filling the minds of the flock with doubts and objections. This ominous heretical tendency is not only sporadic but is systematically undermining the Church. The first pervading error is man's belief in the freedom to follow their lust and passions, which makes the Church's concept of 'freedom of the children of God' unacceptable. This belief appears more in Seminaries and Schools of Theology which disregard the commands of Christ and replace them with weird man-made philosophies 146

which neither answer man's basic question nor strengthen his faith. This encyclical is addressed to all Bishops to be faithful to SOUND TEACHINGS and to set forth clearly the doctrine that will spell damnation or salvation for souls. And, therefore, the Pope sets forth here and now the principles of a moral life that lead to God based on Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition. . .and at the same time present the heretical teachings prevalent in the Church today.

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"VERITATIS SPLENDOR" by Pope John Paul II (Simplified and Summarized) Fundamental Doctrines on the Church's Moral Teachings

"TEACHER, WHAT GOOD MUST I DO TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." Christ and His Answer to the Young Man. Christ gave an answer which showed the meaning of life, the purpose of life and the way of life that is capable of satisfying the desires of the human heart. And He left His Church to teach, to guide and to lead all men to the truth, the way and the life. This is the question all men are asking. The young man sensed that there was a connection between moral good and eternal life. He had obeyed the law; but in Christ's presence he felt more was now required. What was Christ's answer to the young man? "Only God is good. So learn from God what is the good that leads to eternal life; because men, being sinners, will more often lead you to what is bad.

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"You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy." To have eternal life, we must be holy, like God, and the process of being holy is called the MORAL LIFE.

"KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS." Obey the commandments of Christ and God will make you good. These commands are ingrained in man's hearts (natural law) and partially explained in the Old Testament and perfected in the New Testament. Every command of Christ is meant to make you good, like God, and this leads to eternal life. The 10 commandments of the Old Testament led the Jews to the promised land. The commandments of the New Testament will lead us to the kingdom of heaven.

"DO GOOD AND AVOID EVIL." The first step Christ required of the young man was the avoidance of what makes men evil: "Do not steal, kill, commit adultery, bear false witness." To avoid evil, as God enumerated it, however, is not enough for salvation; you must also do good to attain eternal life. Christ has also enumerated the good we must do.

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So, not only must we avoid murdering our neighbor (avoid evil), we must also help preserve the life of our starving neighbor (do good).

"IF YOU WISH TO BE PERFECT." We must obey the commands of Christ. . .perfectly. These commands lead to different degrees of holiness; these degrees are enumerated by the Beatitudes. The first degree of goodness that leads to eternal life is to be "poor in spirit", i.e. to be meek and humble like Christ. Perfection is to have all the Beatitudes. And a great help to attain the perfection of the Beatitudes is "to go home, sell all your things and give to the poor,". . .That is," . . .if you wish. . ." To be perfect is an act of mature and complete freedom.

"OBSTACLE TO HOLINESS." Those who live "by the flesh" experience God's laws as a burden. Those who live "by the Spirit", not only obey the commands but, live them in their fullness. The invitation "to be perfect" is extended to all. Many answer it but few make it to holiness and eternal life. One goes home and sells all and gives to the poor to more easily "follow Christ." If "one goes home. . ." the "following of 150

Christ" will be easier; otherwise, the "following of Christ" becomes nearly impossible.

"COME, FOLLOW ME." Holiness, without which no one can see God, consists in the following of Christ. And the following of Christ consists in obedience to the commands He has given. These commands are summarized in the Beatitudes. The first step in the following of Christ is humility, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." This is the first Beatitude, to be "poor in spirit." "If I, then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." In words and in action, Christ showed humility through obedience. . .even obedience unto death. The perfection in the following of Christ is when you have love for one another as Christ has loved you. "Come, follow Me." How shall we do this? "Let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me." This seems impossible. So the young man left Christ, unable to do so; and the disciples became perplexed: "Then, who can be saved?" To follow Christ, we must keep His commandments, which is only possible if God first pours His love in us. "We love God because He first loved us." Only he who loves God will keep His commands. He who does not love God has no 151

reason for keeping His commands (St. Augustine). That's why God loved us first. He has poured out His love in us. Now, we have no reason NOT to obey His commands. In the Old Testament, the law was given to prepare us to receive grace; in the New Testament, grace was given that we may fulfill the commands of Christ. God loves us. This love enables us to obey the commands of Christ. Obedience to Christ's commands makes us abide in the love of God. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love." The WORK OF THE CHURCH is to bring to remembrance and teach to understanding ALL the commands of Christ. And these commands have been fully taught and explained and demonstrated in the early Church. Nothing more can be added to them nor subtracted from them. And this is the role of the Pope as head of the Church. "He who hears you, hears Me." The way of life described as the following of Christ is first found in the oral Divine Tradition and then later on outlined in Scriptures for the first Christians' easy recall. So there was a time when there was no 'Scriptures', just 'Tradition'. And it was Tradition which later dictated what must be the books that should make up the New Testament. And so Christians must judge the true way in the following of Christ, firstly, on the Tradition of the Fathers of the Church and, secondly, on Scriptures. Everything else can be judged as right or wrong in the same way. 152

"DO NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE WORLD." I. The Church and Her Role of Discerning Present Day Tendencies in MORALS. MORALS is obedience to Christ's commands, i.e. the subordination of man and his activity to God. Good moral acts lead to eternal life. And these acts are embodied in the commandments of Christ. What are ACTIONS pleasing to God? This is what Christ commanded His apostles to preach to all nations: ". . .ALL My commands and HOW to observe them." The apostolic commission is to teach all nations the ACTS pleasing to God. Though the ALL are found in Scriptures, most of the HOW are found in Tradition. An action pleasing to God, then, is a Christ-like action Who alone is good, "Good Teacher." It is in becoming Christ-like that we become "good". The deposits of the truth of our faith, i.e. ALL the commands of Christ and HOW to observe them, AND the manner it must be communicated in the world today may be found in Scriptures but more in Tradition. God, in the early Church, had explained this all. Nothing had been left unanswered. After all, the early Church needed this information then as much as we need it today.

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And so, today, when we in turn present the faith to others, let us preach it with a holy life, thus showing we have practiced what we are preaching. A holy life is the best presentor of Christ's teachings. The purpose of this encyclical is to remind us of truths we have forgotten, misinterpreted or inadvertently contradicted with regard to salvation. To the question, "What must I do to have eternal life," many are giving different answers. Christ gave three simple steps; many are subtracting, others are misinterpreting, and a few are complicating the answer. This is made worse in that we live in an age when people will not endure sound teaching but, having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own liking, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. The encyclical wants to correct the present day concept of freedom. Today, we have adapted an atheistic concept of freedom: "I am free to do what I want." This is an individualistic criterion completely oblivious of the existence of God. Anyone who makes such a declaration has already descended from his rational nature down to the bestial nature. The next step is the freedom to kill one's own child. The encyclical wants to correct the other extreme, the denial of freedom attributing human acts to a variety of factors, like genes. To the question, "What must I do. . ." only he who has true freedom can DO what is required to have eternal life. 154

FREEDOM AND THE LAW. Only those with absolute freedom can have eternal life. Freedom, however, is not license. License is use of freedom to do anything one wishes. . .even evil. To act with genuine freedom, one must act in the image and likeness of God, "For man was left in the power of his own counsel." God wants man to seek Him on his own accord. Today, there are many novel interpretations of freedom harmful to one's quest for eternal life. Let us, therefore, find the truth, "For the truth will set you free." In the garden of paradise, God gave man many trees and he was free to eat of any tree except one. . . the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Thus, the power to decide what is good and what is evil does not belong to man but to God alone. And man is forbidden even to touch that realm. Man was free to eat of any tree but not of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Only God can decide what is good; He alone knows perfectly what is good for man and He presented these good things in "Christ's commands." Obedience to Christ's commands is what makes us free. Modern heresy assumes the right to dictate what is good and grants man the freedom to do this promulgated good. Modern man is once more eating of the forbidden fruit. . .and is paying dearly for it. Today, we live in an era where morality in all spheres is based on the pure reasoning of the human mind endowed with a fallen nature, subject to sin and guided by an 155

unenlightened mind. Such creatures will find the moral code of the Church, made by God, outmoded. Such freedom is totally incompetent to make man do what is necessary to have eternal life. Such a concept is totally incompatible with Catholic teaching. What is human freedom in the light of Scriptures and Tradition that will lead us to eternal life? "God wills to leave man in the power of his own counsel, so that he would seek his Creator of his own accord and would freely arrive at full and blessed perfection by cleaving to God." A free man acts in the image and likeness of God, like a king free and self-governed, swayed autonomously by his own will. For man to decide independently of God's laws, what is good and evil is to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the forbidden fruit. "To the day that you eat of it, you shall dies." God's law is not an obstacle to human freedom; it is rather the guide, the beacon light to the practice of genuine freedom. Obedience to God's laws makes man participate in God's wisdom and, in this wisdom, shares in God's knowledge of good and evil, a knowledge proper to God alone. God's law is an expression of Divine wisdom which shows the freest acts of man. The most obedient is, therefore, the freest and is the most god-like.

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HOW THE WORD OF GOD IS TO BE DESIRED AND SOUGHT Blessed are those who truly wish to know the commands of Christ. This remarkable hunger and desirable thirst is a gift of God. The hunger and thirst is sincere if we are willing to hear the word of God with patience and love. Action is better than mere knowledge; but it is necessary to know before acting. One must know exactly what he wished. We must first learn so that afterwards we may fulfill. If you truly thirst and hunger, you will not be content just to listen during homilies. You must seek it every moment as something rightly your due. Preachers are told to preach ceaselessly: "Show my people their sins. If you do not, I will require his blood at thy hand." The apostle says, "For three days and three nights, I did not cease to admonish everyone of you." The apostle was so fearful of this obligation that he preached day and night. "Preach the word. . .in season and out of season; reprove, entreat, rebuke." "In season. . ." i.e. when people are willing to listen and "Out of season. . .", even when they are not willing. The word of God must be offered to those who are willing to listen: it must be forced upon those who are averse to

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it. "You must double with good deeds what you have received in word." You must feel it when your dosage of God's words is delayed. The body is fed three times a day; and the soul is fed once a week? There must be a desirable restlessness for the words of Scriptures. For when God sees that the hearers are slothful because of worldly distraction and the preachers are equally slothful in preaching the word of God, God ". . .sends a famine on hearing the word of God." So preachers must preach well and, you, the hearers, be gentle in your obedience and persevere in good works. -St. Caesarius of Arles, Sermo. 4

THE TEMPTATION IN THE DESERT The devil is the head of evil doers; and the wicked are the members of this head, like Pilate, the persecuting Jews, the soldiers who crucified Christ. Through His temptation in the desert, Christ is teaching us how to overcome temptation, thus avoiding evil. The three stages of temptation are suggestion, pleasure or delight and consent. Christ, being God, could not be tempted in this manner so His temptations are purely external; but, with us, it is internal. 158

Our first parents, Adam and Eve, had three temptations, too: 1) gluttony 2) vainglory and 3) avarice. The devil overcame our first parents and they fell under this power. Gluttony -- they were tempted to eat of the forbidden fruit; vainglory -- they were tempted "ye shall be as Gods"; and avarice -- they were offered the knowledge of good and evil. Christ's temptations were similar. Gluttony -- He was tempted to change stone into bread; vainglory -- He was tempted to cast Himself down from the parapet; avarice -He was offered the kingdoms of the world. So Christ overcame what overcame Adam and Eve. By this, He showed us how to overcome all temptations. Adam and Eve welcomed Satan into their hearts; Christ showed us how to force him out of our hearts. Christ answered the devil with patience using the words of Holy Scriptures. He answered NOT by a desire for revenge, not with impatience, not with anger. . .as if saying, "Do not destroy the enemy, you patiently endure him." Christ stayed in the desert for 40 days, i.e., 10 x 4. 10 symbolizes all the commands and 4 symbolizes the four gospels. Therefore, 40 symbolizes obedience to all the commands as found in the four gospels. Our worldly desires are what make us despise the commands of Christ. Therefore, it is these desires that must be chastised. So, mortify your bodies as your strength allows, to weaken its lustful desires. A man becomes a living 159

sacrifice when he has died to the desire of his body. It is the pleasure-loving body that leads us to sin. Mortification acquires for us forgiveness. Adam fell by eating; we return by fasting. Fasting, however, is not enough. What you deny yourself must be given to the needy. Scriptures condemned those who fasted but gave not to the needy but saved what was given up for themselves. Scripture has it: "Sanctify a fast," i.e. to give up what is rightfully ours to give it to the poor. -St. Augustine, "On the Gospels"

THE WORDS OF CHRIST (FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY) (COL. 3: 12-21) "Let the Word of the Lord dwell in you richly," i.e. the teachings, doctrines and exhortations of Christ must dwell in your hearts. And the main teaching of the Word of the Lord is "the present life and its good things is nothing." ". . .richly. . .," not merely swell but swell with great abundance. Scriptures must be learned, not lightly nor in any sort of way but with great earnestness. Only he who is rich in doctrines will bear the poverty, sufferings and calamities that are the shares of those who follow Christ.

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"In all wisdom. . . teaching and admonishing one another." Virtue is wisdom, lowliness of mind is wisdom, almsgiving is wisdom. Everything else is folly; and cruelty comes from folly, thus, sin is folly. What is more folly than to have 20 garments,10 of which we hardly use while our brothers are naked; or to feed our pets with expensive food while our brothers starve. He who is wise gives of his substance because he knows he has the same nature as he who starves. He has judged wealth correctly who gives wealth no importance. He who is despiser of glory is wise. He who knows what is human and what is divine, thus despising one and working at pains for the other is wise. He who gives thanks to God in all things is wise; he who considers the present life as nothing is wise because he will not delight in prosperity nor grieve in poverty. Listen to wise preachers. If there is none, procure the New Testament, the Apostolic Epistles, the Acts and the Gospels. If grief befalls you, if you are in trouble, if loss or death or bereavement befalls you, dive into them as if a chest of medicine. The cause of all evils is not knowing Scriptures. It is like going into battle without weapons. With Scriptures, it is difficult to be safe; how much more without them. Those learning the way of salvation must not be forever learning; for then they are not taught. He who is forever learning will never learn. You must finish learning so as to 161

be able to teach others. If you are ever learning, it is certain proof that you have learned nothing. A reproach to the Jews: "they were still learning even up to old age. For, as pupils, you should have given your place to others and helped to teach others. What do you think of one who studies the alphabet up to old age? In the early times, students were soon appointed to be teachers so the truth spread around the world. So, husbands are supposed to teach their wives; parents, their children and bishops are supposed to teach husbands. But, in most Christian communities, no one seems to be teaching anyone. ". . .teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs." Your children sing the songs of Satan and you expect them to behave like saints. But if they learn first the psalms, there they can learn of true love, wisdom of chastity, of avoiding the wicked, or restraining the belly, and that money is nothing nor glory nor similar things. -St. John Chrysostom, "On Col"

PETER, DO YOU LOVE ME? Christ demands from Peter the most reliable sign of Love. "Yes Lord, I love you." But Christ was not satisfied with words. Words are a meaningless expression of one's 162

true state of soul. "Not everyone who says 'Lord, I love you' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but only the ones who do the will of My Father in heaven." And what was the will of Christ for Peter? "Feed my lambs." Lambs are those who are spiritual babies, those who are merely beginning in the spiritual life. "To feed" these lambs is to teach them the simpler commands of Christ like the first Beatitude, i.e. to teach them how to be poor in spirit. But that is not enough. "To feed" also means that after teaching them the commands of Christ, we must supervise them in obeying the commands by guidance, by rebukes, reminders, encouragements and corrections until they reach perfection in obedience. To teach the lambs the commands without properly guiding them to its perfect obedience is NOT to feed the lambs. And to completely neglect to teach the lambs the commands of Christ is criminal negligence for which the shepherd shall be liable before God. For the third time, Christ asked Peter: "Peter, do you love Me?" Peter knew himself, that he loved Christ. But he did not depend on his own knowledge of self but on the Divine Knowledge of God: "Lord, you know all things. . ." Christ said: "Feed my sheep." The sheep are the more spiritually mature. And to feed the sheep is to teach them the deeper teachings of Christ, guiding, reminding, rebuking and encouraging them until the perfection of their obedience.

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To feed the lambs and the sheep is to teach souls, both beginners and advanced, the simple and more difficult commands of Christ and HOW to observe them, guiding each soul to the perfect obedience of these commands. Why, isn't that the Apostolic Commission given by Christ to His apostles? To accomplish this is the sign of Love of God. And whoever can attain to this is deserving to be an apostle. But, sadly, today, do one seems to know the commands of Christ. . .much more know how to observe the commands of Christ. And when confronted with these commands taken from the writing of the Fathers, all find them alien to their present beliefs. hearing the commands of Christ today, make Christians angry. We are totally ignorant of these commands that upon hearing them, we hate them. The commands of Christ go against our concept of modern Catholicism. Unfortunately our modern concept is a heresy called modernism.

BELIEVING WITHOUT SEEING After His resurrection, Christ could have appeared to all the Jews; that would have been a spectacle. But it is not God's way. Christ did not show Himself. "Blessed are they who believe yet do not see." Believing without seeing is preferred to belief with seeing. The Jews heard and saw Christ. By His ascension, He had only around 500 disciples. But after His resurrection the apostles converted 164

people by the thousands; these are those who believe without seeing. After the resurrection, even the apostles saw Christ once in a while compared to before when Christ was always with them. When He appeared to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, Christ hid His true identity. Mary Magdalene thought He was the gardener. All these show Christ preparing His followers to believe without seeing Him. The teachings of Christ and His commands are difficult to understand. Whenever He taught, Scriptures tells us "they did not understand." Christ wants us first to obey His commands, even those that are seemingly impossible. After we obey, then we shall understand. We must first obey without seeing the reason for it; then we shall understand. The obedience even when we do not understand is the faith Christ speaks about.

GOD BECAME MAN Christ described Himself as the Shepherd and the door of the sheepfold. And this door signifies a life of humility and meekness. Anyone who tries to enter heaven by another way will not be able. Christ calls them thieves and brigands. St. Thomas of Aquinas states that Christ became man so man will never desire to be as gods, so that man will 165

always remember that he is man. Adam and Eve were tempted "to be as gods" and this was their fall. Most of us do nothing for the salvation of our souls; or we devise our own way to salvation, approve it and truly believe that our way will save us. Others devise a faith that is different from the Faith Christ described which consists in obeying His commands. Hardly anyone knows the commands of Christ, even confusing them with the Ten Commands of God which , in some way, is obsolete. Now, that is acting like God because only God can demand what is required to enter the kingdom of heaven. Pride or, as St. Paul calls it, the pride of life has transformed many of us into pagans and idol worshippers, believing that we can do things by ourselves, improve life by our mere human efforts, improve the future of nations. . .we cannot do these without God's help or approval. "Remember you are but men."

PRECIOUS BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST Christ had announced the necessity of eating His Body and Blood to have eternal life. Everybody found it difficult to understand. That was common to all. But one group finding it difficult to understand left Him. The reason was clear: they did not understand. When you do something you do not understand, it becomes difficult if not impossible. The other group made up of His disciples also did not understand but stayed. And, as a consequence, they began to understand. 166

What was wrong with those who left? Their hearts were of the world. In their hearts they had this natural inclination to be independent of God's Will and commands, as Adam's and Eve's hearts were. They would not bear the little inconvenience necessary to be saved. They were just really waiting for a reason, good or bad, to abandon the service of God. The other group, His disciples, was willing to wait patiently to understand and, indeed, Christ explained it to them and they understood. Christ emphasized that we have to eat His Body and drink His Blood to have eternal life -- that His Body and Blood are truly His Body and Blood. . . and these would be the soul's source of Life. For when This Food is assimilated by the person, Christ is assimilated, sort of, into the person receiving Holy Communion. But St. Paul immediately adds that it is possible to eat the Body and Blood of Christ unto our condemnation. A seeming contradiction. Who are those who eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ unto their salvation? Those who have obeyed the commands of Christ or are in the process of obeying the commands of Christ. In Holy Communion, they eat the Body and Blood of Christ: the presence of Christ is slowly assimilated into their beings and become the source of Divine Life within them, assuring their salvation.

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And who are those who eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ unto their condemnation? Those who have no desire to know the commands of Christ, or who even outright disobey the commands of Christ. When they receive Holy Communion they go through motions of putting the host in their mouth and eat it but they do not eat the Body and Blood of Christ. It is because they do not eat that they take Holy Communion unto their condemnation. . .since to eat is the condition for eternal life. This explains the practice in the early church that those who are still studying the commands of Christ were asked to leave after the homily, just before the offertory. They might find some commands difficult and leave Christ. They should leave before they receive Holy Communion lest they receive It to their condemnation. The desire to change our lives, to follow Christ, to know His commands and obey His commands remove the danger of receiving Holy Communion unto our condemnation. But, if upon knowing the commands of Christ, we find it difficult and, as a result, leave Him, we are not eating His Body, no matter how many times we receive Holy Communion .

IN MY NAME. . . "Whatever you ask the Father in My Name. . ." This phrase is often taken literally and so we end our prayers with "through Jesus Christ," or uttering "in the Name of Christ."

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"In the name of Christ" means "as we obey all the commands of Christ." The promise that He will answer our prayers is under the condition that we have obeyed His commands. Christ came to save us. So He gave us His commandments and gave the apostolic commission to teach all these commandments and how to obey them. This is "in the Name of Christ." In fact, when Christ taught us to pray, He did not add "through Jesus Christ" or "in the Name of Jesus." He had a deeper meaning for it. LIVING FAITH How can a man tell he has faith? One can feel he is nothing, that God is everything, he may be convinced of sin and conscious he cannot save himself, and yet have no faith. He may wish to be saved by Christ, feel the warmth of love of God in his heart, rejoice in Him and desire His glory, and still have no faith. Not that these things are not necessary for, in fact, they are, but you can have all these without an ounce of faith. Why? Because there is a difference between feeling right and doing right. In faith, one has to act. This act is like the voucher that you have faith. Even if you spoke like an angel, I would not believe on the ground of your speaking, until you act upon the things you teach. The action is the evidence of living faith.

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Every act of faith must have the element of obedience to the commandments of Christ. A little denial of some comfort to relieve the sick ad the needy, to curb one's temper, to forgive one's enemies, to resist the ridicule of the world, show more faith than the most brilliant lecture or conversation or explanation of Scriptures. " Good thoughts save no one. Obedience does.

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DEATH

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THE THOUGHT OF DEATH The man who lives daily with the thought of death is a saint. But not every desire for death is good. A sinner usually prays humbly for death; but the man who does not want to change his ways may, in sheer despair, actually long for death. And there are some who are completely insensitive; they have no fear of death for a while. And so it is asked: "If the thought of death is good for us, why has God concealed from us the day of our death?" Because if we knew when we would die, we would lead sinful lives up to the end with the intent of being good at the last moment, not realizing that our bad lives will confirm us in evil up to the last moment without any possibility of repentance. When you lament over your sins, do not entertain the thought that God is so good that He will save you at all cost. This thought is good for those who easily despair. But this thought diverts you from discovering your sins and removes the fear of God (which removes all fears). The man who wants to constantly think of death and God's judgment and who, at the same time, gives in to worldly distraction and cares, is like someone trying to swim and clap his hands. The remembrance of death reduces the desire to be involved in the cares of the world. -St. John Climacus *** 172

THE THOUGHT OF DEATH REMOVES ALL FEARS A monk once said that the thought of death is the only consolation for a human body that is destined to die and decay. And another monk, Hesychius, said that the thought of death will prevent you from ever committing a sin. The constant remembrance of death is a gift from God. He often denies it to those burying someone in the cemetery, but gives it to those alone in their rooms. It is a sign that the Christian soul loves nothing of the things of the world.

ON THE REMEMBRANCE OF DEATH As thought comes before speech, the remembrance of death comes before a virtuous life. To be reminded of death each day is to die each day. Fear of death is a property of nature because of its disobedience; but terror of death is a sign of unrepented sins. Even saints are afraid to die but definitely not terrified. Just as bread is the most necessary food for the body, the thought of death is the most essential work of the mind who wishes to attain virtue. The remembrance of death is laborious but makes all dishonors that comes sweet. And for those living away from

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society, it brings freedom from worries and an atmosphere of prayer. Many have a false fear of death; and they can be distinguished as tin from silver, though they look alike. Those who have the right fear of death are clearly distinguished in that they can freely withdraw from everything created and are able to renounce their will. -St. John Climacus

AVOID SINS It is important that the innocent remain innocent. Don't experiment with sin and bring on the trouble, sorrow and weeping that come with forgiveness. For when you sin, how do you know that you will live long enough to have time to repent? It is uncertain when you will leave this world. If you die in sin, you won't have another chance to repent. Therefore, do what will save you readily, for then we can wait for our departure to the other world without sorrow. Solomon says: "Prepare thy works for your exit and provide all beforehand." Otherwise, you will lack some of the necessary things for your journey. You would then be like the five foolish virgins mentioned in the gospel. Lacking the oil of piety, their lamps of knowledge were extinguished. And they were locked out of the bridal chamber.

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Therefore, those who care about their soul's salvation will be careful to stay out of danger by avoiding sins and keep intact the benefits of their former good works for themselves. -Constitution of the Holy Apostles

DEATH We were not created to die. We die by our own fault. The death of our body is not inflicted on us by the law of nature nor the intent of God. It is inflicted on us as a punishment for sin. God did not make death, but only after man fell into the disgrace of guilt and deception did God decree the sentence that man should return to earth. -St. Augustine *** Death is not evil, it is the end of a good life. Death becomes evil only if you are going to hell afterwards. They then who are destined to die need not be careful to inquire what death they are to die, but into what place death will usher them. -St. Augustine

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THE SEARCH FOR LONG LIFE St. Augustine said: "Wicked persons are allowed to go on living so that they may be reformed, or so that by means of their wickedness, the virtuous may be put to the test." St. Jerome said: "The shortness of this life is the penalty for people's sins. So hate what the world loves. Be dead to the world and let the world be dead to you. During your life, despise what you cannot possess after your death." St. Isidore said: "Only in this life can you do good. What awaits you in the next life is not the opportunity to do good but the reward for having done good." If you seek a long life, you ought to be seeking eternal life through union with Christ. That is real life and it is eternal. Ignorance of why we exist causes the individual to die at a moment he least expects. So let us avoid all wickedness that we may have long life. As long as we are alive, Satan sets us on fire to desire what is wrong; no sooner are we dead and he hurls us into the torments of hell. In this world, nothing is long-lived; nothing lasts. Everything ends quickly. In fact, for the soul who is waiting for eternal life, time on this earth is very short, says St. Cyprian. -Defensore Grammaticus (SC86, 301ff)

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DEATH IS INEVITABLE God so willed it that our end should be hidden from us, that, whereas we are uncertain when we may die, we may always be found ready for death. Death is inevitable, though no man wishes it. It is hard necessity not to wish that which we cannot avoid. If it were possible, we are all unwilling to die; we might even wish to be transformed immediately into angels without having to pass death. And yet, necessity demands that we should die. Why avoid it when Christ, Himself, passed through it? -St. Augustine

CONDEMNED TO DEATH When St. Peter Claver used to visit prisoners condemned to death, he would first embrace him in silence. Then he would take out his crucifix and prepare the poor man thus: "My brother, the day of your death is approaching, take heart. . ." Then he would prepare the prisoner for confession. When he was through, he would leave him a book in preparation for death. But, above all, he would leave behind a girdle with sharp points and a scourge, saying: "Scourge yourself, suffer now, my brother, now that you can gain merit that you may escape eternal suffering."

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TRIALS AND DEATH Trials are meant to prove your worthiness for the kingdom of God. But some are not too strong to withstand these tests either because of weakness of will, inadequacy of faith, attachment to this life on earth or, most serious of all, through wandering from the path of truth. Remove this cowardly and decadent state of mind. Christ had informed us of these trials and warned us that they would increase as the end times approaches: "When these things happen, know that the kingdom of God is close at hand." Only those who wish to remain in this world will be frightened by these. The lovers of Christ will rejoice. Be like Simeon. He was told he would not die before he had seen the Christ. Upon seeing Mary and the child, he knew he would die. Yet he was filled with joy about his imminent death. "Lord, now allow your servant to depart in peace in accordance to your word, since my eyes have seen your salvation." Our life on earth is made up of daily battles against the devil and all his instruments. It is a battle against the desire for wealth, against shamelessness, anger, ambition; against the vices of the flesh and the enticements of this world. This struggle is unremitting and exhausting. When one vice is overcome, another arises. Thus, when avarice is checked, lust arises; if anger is controlled, pride arises. No wonder, with so many dangers for the soul, the saints desired and chose to die and quicken their journey to Christ. 178

With all the turmoil in the world, we should indeed rejoice when we or our loved ones leave this world. . .of course, assuming we have lived good lives. Thus, when Christ was about to leave and this saddened his apostles, He rebuked them: "If you really love Me, you would rejoice since I am going to the Father." The apostle adds, "To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." The gain is to be free from the chains of this life, no longer exposed to sin and vices, to be free from tribulations and the jaws of the devil. -St. Cyprian

THE ART OF DYING WELL LIVE WELL He who has not died to the world cannot die well. What must we do to die to the world? To die well, we must live well. And to live well is ". . .charity from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned." "What must I do to gain eternal life?" a young man asked Christ. "Keep the commandments." In a few words, St. Paul explained the primary commandment upon which the whole law depends, an understanding and fulfillment of which will lead to eternal life. 179

The commands of Christ are summarized thus: "So there abides faith, hope and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." The purpose of this charge is charity, i.e., the purpose of all the commandments is charity. In short, for one to have love of God, let him fulfill all the commandments of Christ. "Love God and love your neighbor." He who loves God works no evil towards God; he who loves his neighbor works no evil towards his neighbor. Charity from a pure heart, hope from a good conscience and faith unfeigned. Faith must be born first; charity is the perfection of the spiritual life. Let us begin with faith, not a false feigned faith as of heretics or bad Catholics. Feigned faith is either: a) one does not really believe but pretends he believes; or b) when he indeed believes but does not live as he believes one should live. "They profess to know God but, by their works, they disown Him." By this, it is apparent that many do not live well and thus will not die well. How many Catholics profess to know Christ but deny Him in their actions? How many profess Christ is the judge of the living and the dead and yet live as though they were not going to be judged? How many profess Mary is the mother of God but treat her like a whore? How many praise prayer, fasting and good works but live by their vices?

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Know if your faith is feigned; if it is, acknowledge that you have not begun to live well. And hope not that you will die happily. To die well, you must master the Art of living well and live it. Hope, a good conscience, arises from faith. A good conscience adds trust to hope. Hope makes us approach God with confidence because, rid of all sins through Penance, we know we shall receive God's favors. With serious sins, we are God's enemies. And who ever asks favors from an enemy? How can we receive favors when He is angry with us? "The hope of the wicked is as dust, which is blown away with the wind. . .dispersed by the storm. . ." "The sinner's hope is fragile, not solid; short-lived and not long-lived." To repent at the last hour is a very special grace rarely given. The Book of Wisdom warns us that if we wish to live well and die happily, we should not dare to cling even for a second to our sins. For most are deceived into believing that there is plenty of time for serious repentance. This vain confidence has deceived and will deceive many. Charity is the queen of virtues. With charity, no one perishes; without it, no one lives. Charity-- "from a pure heart." A pure heart does not necessarily generate charity. Charity is poured forth in our hearts by God. God does not pour this into an impure heart. It is poured into a heart purified from error. "God cleansed their hearts by faith", a heart purified from all desire of earthly things. An impure heart is like a green wood; the fire of charity has no effect on

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it because of the sap of earthly love and empty confidence in one's own abilities. Feigned love is prayer, fasting and good works but with a filthy heart, vainglory and hatred. True charity comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfeigned. This is the true Art of living well and dying happily. -St. Robert Bellarmine, Chapter 3

THE ART OF DYING WELL LESSONS FROM THE GOSPEL We have seen that to die well we must live well. And living well consists in living lives with faith, hope and charity. Christ repeats this theme better in three Gospel lessons. To die well, Christ said: "Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning in your hands, and you yourselves, like men waiting for their master's return from the wedding; so that when he comes and knocks, they may straightway open to Him. Blessed are those servants whom the master, on his return, shall find watching." (Lk. 12:35-37) "The Lord's coming" can refer either to the second coming or to our own death. But when Christ describes it as "a thief coming in the night," then He refers to our own death because the second coming is not "a thief in the night." It is a grandiose arrival with many great signs before it. 182

There are three commands in the above Gospel text: firstly, we must have our loins girded. Secondly, that we have lamps burning in our hands. And finally, that we keep watch and await His coming. What does it mean to gird one's loins? St. Peter speaks about ". . .girding the loins of your understanding," and St. Paul about ". . .girding your loins with truth." It means learning and understanding the teachings of Christ always. Death must find you learning all the commands of Christ. Putting it another way, death must not find us occupied with the concerns of this life, even the most necessary. Martha was chided by Christ because of her concern in doing good to Him. How much more if your concerns are to amass superfluous riches, useless honors and the fulfilling of harmful desires. Secondly, "and let your lamps be burning." It is obedience to the things you have learned that gives light to your eyes. There are many who know the commands of Christ but commit so many disobediences; they have lamps but do not carry them in their hands. Many learned men commit very grave sins because they do not consult the law of Christ. If King David, when he saw Bathsheba, consulted the law of God, he would never have fallen. But because he consulted the beauty of a woman, he, a wise, just and holy king, committed adultery.

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Indeed, you must have your lamps lighted, but not hidden in your room. It must be in your hands, i.e. you have to obey those commands. He who always has the lamp of the Lord's commands before the eyes of his mind runs with confidence to meet his Lord. The third and final duty of the faithful servant is to always be on watch. . .as he is uncertain when the Lord will come. "Blessed are those servants whom the master. . .shall find watching." To be watchful means to diligently examine your conscience, to uncover what you did, said, desired and thought of at night or day, to find any stain of sin in them and to see that there is no delay in seeking the remedy of true repentance. You should ask God for the gift of contrition, ponder the gravity of your sin and heartily detest them. Remember that through sin, you offend not men but God. With this exercise, it will almost be impossible to sin while dying or to die while sinning or to be caught off-guard by death. Death, therefore, with its uncertainty, can never harm us.

-St. Robert Bellarmine, Book 1, Chapter 4

VISIONS ON LAST MOMENTS Many good men suffer much at their last moments. It is because they resemble cooked meat that still needs to be 184

cooked a little longer before being eaten. Certain faithful are thus tried in their last moments as to be free from all impurities before the Lord. St. Stephen and all the martyrs suffered before dying. Job and David suffered great tribulations. Sinners, in fact, die quickly without having undergone sufferings in this world. All their sufferings are reserved for them in hell. Thus, one day, Theodore was sitting in the assembly room. He heard angel voices singing a melodious song in the air above. He rose and asked St. Pachomius what it was all about. Pachomius answered, "It is a good soul that has left its body with which they are passing over above us." While they were speaking, they looked up together and they saw the good soul. They knew who he was. -St. Pachomius, Koinonia, G. 93b

A GOOD DEATH IS THE FINALE OF A GOOD LIFE Since death is the end of life, a good death is the finale of a good life. Everyone who lives well up to the end cannot die badly. He who lives badly will die badly and if one has never lived well, he is liable to die badly. But how could the thief who lived a bad life end up with a good death? He lived a good portion of his life, while on the cross, in a holy manner. . .he openly defended Christ from 185

the calumnies of the wicked and corrected his own blaspheming companion, "Do you not even fear God. . .we are receiving what our deeds deserve; but this man has done nothing wrong." He entered the vineyard late, but entered he did. However, it is dangerous to put off conversion from sins until the end of life. Happier are they who carry the yoke of God's law "from their youth." Let our first thesis remain that the rule of dying well depends upon the rule of living well. -St. Robert Bellarmine

AN UNPLEASANT TOPIC This topic attracts very few because it does not contain a philosophical, oratorical or poetic art which might instruct the mind or polish the tongue or delight the ears; instead, it exhorts us to meditate on death and to think about things which are not generally pleasant to the rich and powerful man, like poverty, humility, patience and other Christian virtues. Why are so few eager to learn the art of dying well? "For the number of fools is infinite." (Sir. 1:15) There is no greater folly than to neglect the art upon which depended the greatest and eternal goods and to waste one's time mastering the innumerable arts of increasing and preserving perishable goods. 186

No one is willing to consider that, in death, one must render to God an account of all one has done, said and thought, and even of one idle word; where the devil is our accuser, our conscience the witness, God our judge and punishment or reward is eternal. Doesn't this make the art of dying well the most important of arts? While many prepare for the smallest litigation, it is amazing how many face their Divine judge with utterly no preparation. This is why mortals rush to hell in great numbers. "If the just man scarcely will be saved, where will the impious and the sinner appear." (I Pt. 4:18) Death is evil because it is opposed to life which is undeniably good. "By the envy of the devil, death came into the world." (Wis. 1:13) But God saw to it that good can come out of death. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of the Saints." (Ps. 116:15) And so Christ, by His death, destroyed death and, by rising, restored our life. Christ's death made death good. Thus, St. Ambrose entitled his book, "The Good of Death," showing that some deaths can be good. Two goods can be derived from death. Firstly, it ends all the miseries of life, that is, if you do not end up in hell. "Great labor is created for all men and a heavy yoke upon the children of Adam from the day of their coming out of their mother's womb until the day of their burial." (Sir. 40:1) Secondly, death brings an excellent good in that it opens the door to God's kingdom, "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." (Rec. 14:13) For those who are led to purgatory, death frees them from the fear of hell and makes them certain of future everlasting happiness. 187

Even for those destined to hell, death brings some benefit. . .it prevents their punishment from increasing. Thus, death has lost its sting. "For me, to die is gain." Thus, Paul exhorts the Thessalonians not to be saddened by the deaths of their loved ones but look upon them as asleep. Thus, Catherine of Genoa described death as most fair and beautiful that flees from those who seek it and seeks those who flee from it. Death, as the offspring of sin, is evil; but, by the grace of Christ, it became in many ways useful and salutary, lovable and desirable. -St. Robert Bellarmine

TO DIE WELL, DIE TO THE WORLD We must die to the world before we die bodily. For all who live for the world are dead to God, and no one can begin to live for God unless he first dies to the world. By this world, we understand the assembly of all sinners who love the world and are loved by the world. "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you. If you were of the world, the world would love what is its own. But because you are not of the world. . .therefore the world hates you." "Do not love the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." "Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of this world becomes an enemy of God."

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To live in the world and to despise the goods of the world is something truly difficult. To see nice things and not love them, to taste sweet things and not to take delight, to despise honors, to seek labors, gladly to seek the last place, to yield to all others the higher position and to live in the flesh as if without flesh, these are all difficult, for this is the angelic life. For those who have wives to be as if they had none and those who weep as though not weeping; and those who rejoice as though not rejoicing and those who buy as not possessing; and those who use this world as though not using it. In short, be alive to the hope of the heavenly happiness and to be as little affected by earthly things. Let them love their wives, but with as moderate a love as if they did not have wives. If it is necessary to weep because of loss of loved ones, let them weep moderately as if they were not saddened. If good fortune or honors come, rejoice moderately as if there is nothing to rejoice. If they buy a house, behave as if they did not possess them. If we live in this world, live as if we are strangers, not citizens. This way, death is not feared but considered as gain, "For me to live in Christ and to die is gain." Dying to the world is the way to learn how to die well in the flesh and attain salvation. Unless you die to the world, you will die a bad death and be condemned with this world. To die to the world, one does not have to give up riches. . .only the immoderate love of these things. Abraham, David and Hezechiah, Josiah were all wealthy but close to God. And we have many holy kings and emperors. Willing to 189

sacrifice his only beloved son, Isaac, Abraham would have easily given up his riches. It is the desire for the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life that is opposed to love of God. The desire for the world must lessen if love of God must increase. What seems to be an unbearable burden, the giving up of the world, when done for love God, becomes easy, gentle, sweet and light. -St. Robert Bellarmine

A VISION CONCERNING THE FATE OF SOULS AT THE TIME OF DEATH If a dying man is good, three angels whose rank corresponds to the dying man's conduct, come to fetch him. If he is of a high rank by his practice of virtue, angels who are outstanding are sent to conduct him to God. If he is a little one in virtue, angels of lower rank are sent to come for him. The three angels are in ascending rank and the lower always obeys the higher rank. At the moment when the man is about to breathe his last, one of the angels stands by his head, another by his feet, the third spreads out a large spiritual cloth on which to receive the soul with honor. After the soul emerges from the body unto the spiritual cloth, an angel seizes the two upper corners of the cloth, the other the two lower corners, after the manner of men on 190

earth lifting a body. The third angel sings in front of the soul in a language no one knows. Thus, they proceed to the air toward the east, gliding like flowing water. While traveling, they let the soul know the place in which he will rest by the Lord's order. There he will also see the torments he had escaped. The soul is first met by the ones who helped him in the fear of the Lord, like a superior or Abbot, who in turn presents the soul to God. Then the soul is led to a place to rest according to his merits. Here he is met by saints who come forward by God's command. -St. Pachomius: KoinoniaWAITING FOR US For those who have renounced the world and are living here as guests and strangers, anticipate the day assigned to each of us for our homecoming. This day will snatch us up, set us free from the snares of the world, and return us to Paradise and the kingdom. Who, in foreign lands, wouldn't hurry to return to their own country? Who, when rushing to return to his friends, wouldn't eagerly want the winds at his back so that he could embrace those dear to him sooner? We consider paradise as our country. We already consider the patriarchs as our parents. Why don't we hurry and run, so that we can see our country and greet our parents? A great number of our dear ones are waiting for us there. A dense crowd of parents, brothers and children are longing

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for us, already assured of their own safety and eager for our salvation. Beloved, let us hurry to these people eagerly. Let us long to be with them and to come to Christ quickly. May God see our eager desire. May the Lord Jesus Christ look at the purpose of our mind and faith. He will give the larger reward of His glory to those with a greater desire for Him. -St. Cyprian

A JOYFUL DEATH Before the birth of Christ, death was an awful prospect feared by all. It is still so for most people. But with the death of Christ, death has become a glorious experience in that from the death of Christ came eternal life for us all. Such is the death of a saint. So much good comes from it that death becomes glorious, that the Apostle Paul exclaimed, "Death where is your sting?" What made people fear death was gone forever. Though this is not the case for all. When a soul obedient to God dies, his death is so edifying that the beholders are encouraged to be obedient to God, too. When a humble person dies, his death is so uplifting that others are encouraged to be humble as he is.

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So, the death of a person close to God, like the death of Christ, becomes a source of holiness and eternal salvation for others. But the death of a sinner is unedifying to those around. When a sinner dies, the people around are filled with fear at the thought of death. And the fear of death puts a soul more in the clutches of the evil one. The saints said to put death ever before one's mind but did not say that we should fear death. -St. Thomas of Aquinas

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