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| St. Justin Martyr: The Second Apology |
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Posted by: Stone - 02-08-2021, 08:30 AM - Forum: Fathers of the Church
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The Second Apology of St. Justin Martyr
Addressed to the Roman Senate
Chapter 1. Introduction
Romans, the things which have recently happened in your city under Urbicus, and the things which are likewise being everywhere unreasonably done by the governors, have compelled me to frame this composition for your sakes, who are men of like passions, and brethren, though you know it not, and though you be unwilling to acknowledge it on account of your glorying in what you esteem dignities. For everywhere, whoever is corrected by father, or neighbour, or child, or friend, or brother, or husband, or wife, for a fault, for being hard to move, for loving pleasure and being hard to urge to what is right (except those who have been persuaded that the unjust and intemperate shall be punished in eternal fire, but that the virtuous and those who lived like Christ shall dwell with God in a state that is free from suffering — we mean, those who have become Christians), and the evil demons, who hate us, and who keep such men as these subject to themselves, and serving them in the capacity of judges, incite them, as rulers actuated by evil spirits, to put us to death. But that the cause of all that has taken place under Urbicus may become quite plain to you, I will relate what has been done.
Chapter 2. Urbicus condemns the Christians to death
A certain woman lived with an intemperate husband; she herself, too, having formerly been intemperate. But when she came to the knowledge of the teachings of Christ she became sober-minded, and endeavoured to persuade her husband likewise to be temperate, citing the teaching of Christ, and assuring him that there shall be punishment in eternal fire inflicted upon those who do not live temperately and conformably to right reason. But he, continuing in the same excesses, alienated his wife from him by his actions. For she, considering it wicked to live any longer as a wife with a husband who sought in every way means of indulging in pleasure contrary to the law of nature, and in violation of what is right, wished to be divorced from him. And when she was overpersuaded by her friends, who advised her still to continue with him, in the idea that some time or other her husband might give hope of amendment, she did violence to her own feeling and remained with him. But when her husband had gone into Alexandria, and was reported to be conducting himself worse than ever, she — that she might not, by continuing in matrimonial connection with him, and by sharing his table and his bed, become a partaker also in his wickednesses and impieties — gave him what you call a bill of divorce, and was separated from him. But this noble husband of hers — while he ought to have been rejoicing that those actions which formerly she unhesitatingly committed with the servants and hirelings, when she delighted in drunkenness and every vice, she had now given up, and desired that he too should give up the same — when she had gone from him without his desire, brought an accusation against her, affirming that she was a Christian. And she presented a paper to you, the Emperor, a very bold apostrophe, like that of Huss to the Emperor Sigismund, which crimsoned his forehead with a blush of shame.]}--> requesting that first she be permitted to arrange her affairs, and afterwards to make her defense against the accusation, when her affairs were set in order. And this you granted. And her quondam husband, since he was now no longer able to prosecute her, directed his assaults against a man, Ptolemæus, whom Urbicus punished, and who had been her teacher in the Christian doctrines. And this he did in the following way. He persuaded a centurion — who had cast Ptolemæus into prison, and who was friendly to himself — to take Ptolemæus and interrogate him on this sole point: whether he were a Christian? And Ptolemæus, being a lover of truth, and not of a deceitful or false disposition, when he confessed himself to be a Christian, was bound by the centurion, and for a long time punished in the prison And, at last, when the man came to Urbicus, he was asked this one question only: whether he was a Christian? And again, being conscious of his duty, and the nobility of it through the teaching of Christ, he confessed his discipleship in the divine virtue. For he who denies anything either denies it because he condemns the thing itself, or he shrinks from confession because he is conscious of his own unworthiness or alienation from it, neither of which cases is that of the true Christian. And when Urbicus ordered him to be led away to punishment, one Lucius, who was also himself a Christian, seeing the unreasonable judgment that had thus been given, said to Urbicus: What is the ground of this judgment? Why have you punished this man, not as an adulterer, nor fornicator, nor murderer, nor thief, nor robber, nor convicted of any crime at all, but who has only confessed that he is called by the name of Christian? This judgment of yours, O Urbicus, does not become the Emperor Pius, nor the philosopher, the son of Cæsar, nor the sacred senate. And he said nothing else in answer to Lucius than this: You also seem to me to be such an one. And when Lucius answered, Most certainly I am, he again ordered him also to be led away. And he professed his thanks, knowing that he was delivered from such wicked rulers, and was going to the Father and King of the heavens. And still a third having come forward, was condemned to be punished.
Chapter 3. Justin accuses Crescens of ignorant prejudice against the Christians
I too, therefore, expect to be plotted against and fixed to the stake, by some of those I have named, or perhaps by Crescens, that lover of bravado and boasting; for the man is not worthy of the name of philosopher who publicly bears witness against us in matters which he does not understand, saying that the Christians are atheists and impious, and doing so to win favour with the deluded mob, and to please them. For if he assails us without having read the teachings of Christ, he is thoroughly depraved, and far worse than the illiterate, who often refrain from discussing or bearing false witness about matters they do not understand. Or, if he has read them and does not understand the majesty that is in them, or, understanding it, acts thus that he may not be suspected of being such [a Christian], he is far more base and thoroughly depraved, being conquered by illiberal and unreasonable opinion and fear. For I would have you to know that I proposed to him certain questions on this subject, and interrogated him, and found most convincingly that he, in truth, knows nothing. And to prove that I speak the truth, I am ready, if these disputations have not been reported to you, to conduct them again in your presence. And this would be an act worthy of a prince. But if my questions and his answers have been made known to you, you are already aware that he is acquainted with none of our matters; or, if he is acquainted with them, but, through fear of those who might hear him, does not dare to speak out, like Socrates, he proves himself, as I said before, no philosopher, but an opinionative man; at least he does not regard that Socratic and most admirable saying: But a man must in no way be honoured before the truth. But it is impossible for a Cynic, who makes indifference his end, to know any good but indifference.
Chapter 4. Why the Christians do not kill themselves
But lest some one say to us, Go then all of you and kill yourselves, and pass even now to God, and do not trouble us, I will tell you why we do not so, but why, when examined, we fearlessly confess. We have been taught that God did not make the world aimlessly, but for the sake of the human race; and we have before stated that He takes pleasure in those who imitate His properties, and is displeased with those that embrace what is worthless either in word or deed. If, then, we all kill ourselves we shall become the cause, as far as in us lies, why no one should be born, or instructed in the divine doctrines, or even why the human race should not exist; and we shall, if we so act, be ourselves acting in opposition to the will of God. But when we are examined, we make no denial, because we are not conscious of any evil, but count it impious not to speak the truth in all things, which also we know is pleasing to God, and because we are also now very desirous to deliver you from an unjust prejudice.
Chapter 5. How the angels transgressed
But if this idea take possession of some one, that if we acknowledge God as our helper, we should not, as we say, be oppressed and persecuted by the wicked; this, too, I will solve. God, when He had made the whole world, and subjected things earthly to man, and arranged the heavenly elements for the increase of fruits and rotation of the seasons, and appointed this divine law — for these things also He evidently made for man — committed the care of men and of all things under heaven to angels whom He appointed over them. But the angels transgressed this appointment, and were captivated by love of women, and begot children who are those that are called demons; and besides, they afterwards subdued the human race to themselves, partly by magical writings, and partly by fears and the punishments they occasioned, and partly by teaching them to offer sacrifices, and incense, and libations, of which things they stood in need after they were enslaved by lustful passions; and among men they sowed murders, wars, adulteries, intemperate deeds, and all wickedness. Whence also the poets and mythologists, not knowing that it was the angels and those demons who had been begotten by them that did these things to men, and women, and cities, and nations, which they related, ascribed them to god himself, and to those who were accounted to be his very offspring, and to the offspring of those who were called his brothers, Neptune and Pluto, and to the children again of these their offspring. For whatever name each of the angels had given to himself and his children, by that name they called them.
Chapter 6. Names of God and of Christ, their meaning and power
But to the Father of all, who is unbegotten there is no name given. For by whatever name He be called, He has as His elder the person who gives Him the name. But these words Father, and God, and Creator, and Lord, and Master, are not names, but appellations derived from His good deeds and functions. And His Son, who alone is properly called Son, the Word who also was with Him and was begotten before the works, when at first He created and arranged all things by Him, is called Christ, in reference to His being anointed and God's ordering all things through Him; this name itself also containing an unknown significance; as also the appellation God is not a name, but an opinion implanted in the nature of men of a thing that can hardly be explained. But Jesus, His name as man and Saviour, has also significance. For He was made man also, as we before said, having been conceived according to the will of God the Father, for the sake of believing men, and for the destruction of the demons. And now you can learn this from what is under your own observation. For numberless demoniacs throughout the whole world, and in your city, many of our Christian men exorcising them in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, have healed and do heal, rendering helpless and driving the possessing devils out of the men, though they could not be cured by all the other exorcists, and those who used incantations and drugs.
Chapter 7. The world preserved for the sake of Christians. Man's responsibility
Wherefore God delays causing the confusion and destruction of the whole world, by which the wicked angels and demons and men shall cease to exist, because of the seed of the Christians, who know that they are the cause of preservation in nature. Since, if it were not so, it would not have been possible for you to do these things, and to be impelled by evil spirits; but the fire of judgment would descend and utterly dissolve all things, even as formerly the flood left no one but him only with his family who is by us called Noah, and by you Deucalion, from whom again such vast numbers have sprung, some of them evil and others good. For so we say that there will be the conflagration, but not as the Stoics, according to their doctrine of all things being changed into one another, which seems most degrading. But neither do we affirm that it is by fate that men do what they do, or suffer what they suffer, but that each man by free choice acts rightly or sins; and that it is by the influence of the wicked demons that earnest men, such as Socrates and the like, suffer persecution and are in bonds, while Sardanapalus, Epicurus, and the like, seem to be blessed in abundance and glory. The Stoics, not observing this, maintained that all things take place according to the necessity of fate. But since God in the beginning made the race of angels and men with free-will, they will justly suffer in eternal fire the punishment of whatever sins they have committed. And this is the nature of all that is made, to be capable of vice and virtue. For neither would any of them be praiseworthy unless there were power to turn to both [virtue and vice]. And this also is shown by those men everywhere who have made laws and philosophized according to right reason, by their prescribing to do some things and refrain from others. Even the Stoic philosophers, in their doctrine of morals, steadily honour the same things, so that it is evident that they are not very felicitous in what they say about principles and incorporeal things. For if they say that human actions come to pass by fate, they will maintain either that God is nothing else than the things which are ever turning, and altering, and dissolving into the same things, and will appear to have had a comprehension only of things that are destructible, and to have looked on God Himself as emerging both in part and in whole in every wickedness; or that neither vice nor virtue is anything; which is contrary to every sound idea, reason, and sense.
Chapter 8. All have been hated in whom the Word has dwelt
And those of the Stoic school — since, so far as their moral teaching went, they were admirable, as were also the poets in some particulars, on account of the seed of reason [the Logos] implanted in every race of men — were, we know, hated and put to death — Heraclitus for instance, and, among those of our own time, Musonius and others. For, as we intimated, the devils have always effected, that all those who anyhow live a reasonable and earnest life, and shun vice, be hated. And it is nothing wonderful; if the devils are proved to cause those to be much worse hated who live not according to a part only of the word diffused [among men] but by the knowledge and contemplation of the whole Word, which is Christ. And they, having been shut up in eternal fire, shall suffer their just punishment and penalty. For if they are even now overthrown by men through the name of Jesus Christ, this is an intimation of the punishment in eternal fire which is to be inflicted on themselves and those who serve them. For thus did both all the prophets foretell, and our own teacher Jesus teach.
Chapter 9. Eternal punishment not a mere threat
And that no one may say what is said by those who are deemed philosophers, that our assertions that the wicked are punished in eternal fire are big words and bugbears, and that we wish men to live virtuously through fear, and not because such a life is good and pleasant; I will briefly reply to this, that if this be not so, God does not exist; or, if He exists, He cares not for men, and neither virtue nor vice is anything, and, as we said before, lawgivers unjustly punish those who transgress good commandments. But since these are not unjust, and their Father teaches them by the word to do the same things as Himself, they who agree with them are not unjust. And if one object that the laws of men are diverse, and say that with some, one thing is considered good, another evil, while with others what seemed bad to the former is esteemed good, and what seemed good is esteemed bad, let him listen to what we say to this. We know that the wicked angels appointed laws conformable to their own wickedness, in which the men who are like them delight; and the right Reason, when He came, proved that not all opinions nor all doctrines are good, but that some are evil, while others are good. Wherefore, I will declare the same and similar things to such men as these, and, if need be, they shall be spoken of more at large. But at present I return to the subject.
Chapter 10. Christ compared with Socrates
Our doctrines, then, appear to be greater than all human teaching; because Christ, who appeared for our sakes, became the whole rational being, both body, and reason, and soul. For whatever either lawgivers or philosophers uttered well, they elaborated by finding and contemplating some part of the Word. But since they did not know the whole of the Word, which is Christ, they often contradicted themselves. And those who by human birth were more ancient than Christ, when they attempted to consider and prove things by reason, were brought before the tribunals as impious persons and busybodies. And Socrates, who was more zealous in this direction than all of them, was accused of the very same crimes as ourselves. For they said that he was introducing new divinities, and did not consider those to be gods whom the state recognised. But he cast out from the state both Homer and the rest of the poets, and taught men to reject the wicked demons and those who did the things which the poets related; and he exhorted them to become acquainted with the God who was to them unknown, by means of the investigation of reason, saying, That it is neither easy to find the Father and Maker of all, nor, having found Him, is it safe to declare Him to all. But these things our Christ did through His own power. For no one trusted in Socrates so as to die for this doctrine, but in Christ, who was partially known even by Socrates (for He was and is the Word who is in every man, and who foretold the things that were to come to pass both through the prophets and in His own person when He was made of like passions, and taught these things), not only philosophers and scholars believed, but also artisans and people entirely uneducated, despising both glory, and fear, and death; since He is a power of the ineffable Father, not the mere instrument of human reason.
Chapter 11. How Christians view death
But neither should we be put to death, nor would wicked men and devils be more powerful than we, were not death a debt due by every man that is born. Wherefore we give thanks when we pay this debt. And we judge it right and opportune to tell here, for the sake of Crescens and those who rave as he does, what is related by Xenophon. Hercules, says Xenophon, coming to a place where three ways met, found Virtue and Vice, who appeared to him in the form of women: Vice, in a luxurious dress, and with a seductive expression rendered blooming by such ornaments, and her eyes of a quickly melting tenderness, said to Hercules that if he would follow her, she would always enable him to pass his life in pleasure and adorned with the most graceful ornaments, such as were then upon her own person; and Virtue, who was of squalid look and dress, said, But if you obey me, you shall adorn yourself not with ornament nor beauty that passes away and perishes, but with everlasting and precious graces. And we are persuaded that every one who flees those things that seem to be good, and follows hard after what are reckoned difficult and strange, enters into blessedness. For Vice, when by imitation of what is incorruptible (for what is really incorruptible she neither has nor can produce) she has thrown around her own actions, as a disguise, the properties of virtue, and qualities which are really excellent, leads captive earthly-minded men, attaching to Virtue her own evil properties. But those who understood the excellences which belong to that which is real, are also uncorrupt in virtue. And this every sensible person ought to think both of Christians and of the athletes, and of those who did what the poets relate of the so-called gods, concluding as much from our contempt of death, even when it could be escaped.
Chapter 12. Christians proved innocent by their contempt of death
For I myself, too, when I was delighting in the doctrines of Plato, and heard the Christians slandered, and saw them fearless of death, and of all other-things which are counted fearful, perceived that it was impossible that they could be living in wickedness and pleasure. For what sensual or intemperate man, or who that counts it good to feast on human flesh, could welcome death that he might be deprived of his enjoyments, and would not rather continue always the present life, and attempt to escape the observation of the rulers; and much less would he denounce himself when the consequence would be death? This also the wicked demons have now caused to be done by evil men. For having put some to death on account of the accusations falsely brought against us, they also dragged to the torture our domestics, either children or weak women, and by dreadful torments forced them to admit those fabulous actions which they themselves openly perpetrate; about which we are the less concerned, because none of these actions are really ours, and we have the unbegotten and ineffable God as witness both of our thoughts and deeds. For why did we not even publicly profess that these were the things which we esteemed good, and prove that these are the divine philosophy, saying that the mysteries of Saturn are performed when we slay a man, and that when we drink our fill of blood, as it is said we do, we are doing what you do before that idol you honour, and on which you sprinkle the blood not only of irrational animals, but also of men, making a libation of the blood of the slain by the hand of the most illustrious and noble man among you? And imitating Jupiter and the other gods in sodomy and shameless intercourse with woman, might we not bring as our apology the writings of Epicurus and the poets? But because we persuade men to avoid such instruction, and all who practise them and imitate such examples, as now in this discourse we have striven to persuade you, we are assailed in every kind of way. But we are not concerned, since we know that God is a just observer of all. But would that even now some one would mount a lofty rostrum, and shout with a loud voice; Be ashamed, be ashamed, you who charge the guiltless with those deeds which yourselves openly could commit, and ascribe things which apply to yourselves and to your gods to those who have not even the slightest sympathy with them. Be converted; become wise.
Chapter 13. How the Word has been in all men
For I myself, when I discovered the wicked disguise which the evil spirits had thrown around the divine doctrines of the Christians, to turn aside others from joining them, laughed both at those who framed these falsehoods, and at the disguise itself and at popular opinion and I confess that I both boast and with all my strength strive to be found a Christian; not because the teachings of Plato are different from those of Christ, but because they are not in all respects similar, as neither are those of the others, Stoics, and poets, and historians. For each man spoke well in proportion to the share he had of the spermatic word, seeing what was related to it. But they who contradict themselves on the more important points appear not to have possessed the heavenly wisdom, and the knowledge which cannot be spoken against. Whatever things were rightly said among all men, are the property of us Christians. For next to God, we worship and love the Word who is from the unbegotten and ineffable God, since also He became man for our sakes, that becoming a partaker of our sufferings, He might also bring us healing. For all the writers were able to see realities darkly through the sowing of the implanted word that was in them. For the seed and imitation impacted according to capacity is one thing, and quite another is the thing itself, of which there is the participation and imitation according to the grace which is from Him.
Chapter 14. Justin prays that this appeal be published
And we therefore pray you to publish this little book, appending what you think right, that our opinions may he known to others, and that these persons may have a fair chalice of being freed from erroneous notions and ignorance of good, who by their own fault have become subject to punishment; that so these things may be published to men, because it is in the nature of man to know good and evil; and by their condemning us, whom they do not understand, for actions which they say are wicked, and by delighting in the gods who did such things, and even now require similar actions from men, and by inflicting on us death or bonds or some other such punishment, as if we were guilty of these things, they condemn themselves, so that there is no need of other judges.
Chapter 15. Conclusion
And I despised the wicked and deceitful doctrine of Simon of my own nation. And if you give this book your authority, we will expose him before all, that, if possible, they may be converted. For this end alone did we compose this treatise. And our doctrines are not shameful, according to a sober judgment, but are indeed more lofty than all human philosophy: and if not so, they are at least unlike the doctrines of the Sotadists, and Philænidians, and Dancers, and Epicureans, and such other teachings of the poets, which all are allowed to acquaint themselves with both as acted and as written. And henceforth we shall be silent, having done as much as we could, and having added the prayer that all men everywhere may be counted worthy of the truth. And would that you also, in a manner becoming piety and philosophy, would for your own sakes judge justly!
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| The Didache |
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Posted by: Stone - 02-08-2021, 08:19 AM - Forum: Resources Online
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From the 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia:
The Didache
(The Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles)
![[Image: ?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hprweb.com%2Fwp-cont...f=1&nofb=1]](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hprweb.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2014%2F05%2FGorman-photos-5-21-14-21.jpg&f=1&nofb=1)
A short treatise which was accounted by some of the Fathers as next to Holy Scripture. It was rediscovered in 1873 by Bryennios, Greek Orthodox metropolitan of Nicomedia, in the codex from which, in 1875, he had published the full text of the Epistles of St. Clement. The title in the manuscript is Didache kyriou dia ton dodeka apostolon ethesin, but before this it gives the heading Didache ton dodeka apostolon. The old Latin translation of cc. i-v, found by Dr. J. Schlecht in 1900, has the longer title, omitting "twelve", and has a rubric De doctrinâ Apostolorum. For convenience the contents may be divided into three parts: the first is the "Two Ways", the Way of Life and the Way of Death; the second part is a rituale dealing with baptism, fasting, and Holy Communion; the third speaks of the ministry. Doctrinal teaching is presupposed, and none is imparted.
The Didache is mentioned by Eusebius after the books of Scripture (Church History III.25.4): "Let there be placed among the spuria the writing of the Acts of Paul, the so-called Shepherd and the Apocalypse of Peter, and besides these the Epistle known as that of Barnabas, and what are called the Teachings of the Apostles, and also . . . the Apocalypse of John, if this be thought fit . . ." St. Athanasius and Rufinus add the "Teaching" to the sapiential and other deutero-canonical books. (Rufinus gives the curious alternative title "Judicium Petri".) It has a similar place in the lists of Nicephorus, Pseudo-Anastasius, and Pseudo-Athanasius (Synopsis). The Pseudo-Cyprianic "Adversus Aleatores" quotes it by name. Unacknowledged citations are very common, if less certain. The "Two Ways" appears in Barnabas, cc. xviii-xx, sometimes word for word, sometimes added to, dislocated, or abridged, and Barn., iv, 9 is from Didache, xvi, 2-3, or vice versa. Hermas, Irenæus, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen seem to use the work, and so in the West do Optatus and the "Gesta apud Zenophilum". The Didascalia Apostolorum are founded upon the Didache. The Apostolic church ordinance has used a part, the Apostolic Constitutions have embodied the Didascalia. There are echoes in Justin, Tatian, Theophilus, Cyprian, and Lactantius.
Contents
First Part
The Way of Life is the love of God and of our neighbour. The latter only is spoken of at length. We first find the Golden Rule in the negative form (cf. the "Western" text of Acts 15:19 and 29). Then short extracts from the Sermon on the Mount, together with a curious passage on giving and receiving, which is cited with variations by Hermas (Mand., ii, 4-6). The Latin omits ch. i, 3-6 and ch. ii, 1, and these sections have no parallel in Barnabas; they may therefore be a later addition, and Hermas and the present text of the Didache may have used a common source, or Hermas may be the original. The second chapter contains the Commandments against murder, adultery, theft, coveting, and false witness — in this order - and additional recommendations depending on these. In ch. iii we are told how one vice leads to another: anger to murder, concupiscence to adultery, and so forth. This section shows some close likenesses to the Babylonian Talmud. The whole chapter is passed over in Barnabas. A number of precepts are added in ch. iv, which ends: "This is the Way of Life." The Way of Death is a mere list of vices to be avoided (v). Ch. vi exhorts to the keeping in the Way of this Teaching: "If thou canst bear the whole yoke of the Lord, thou wilt be perfect; but if thou canst not, do what thou canst. But as for food, bear what thou canst; but straitly avoid things offered to idols; for it is a service of dead gods." Many take this to be a recommendation to abstain from flesh, as some explain Romans 14:2. But the "let him eat herbs" of St. Paul is a hyperbolical expression like 1 Corinthians 8:13: "I will never eat flesh, lest I should scandalize my brother", and gives no support to the notion of vegetarianism in the Early Church. The Didache is referring to Jewish meats. The Latin version substitutes for ch. vi a similar close, omitting all reference to meats and to idolothyta, and concluding with per d. n. j. C . . . . in sæcula sæculorum, amen. This is the end of the translation. We see that the translator lived at a day when idolatry had disappeared, and when the remainder of the Didache was out of date. He had no such reason for omitting ch. i, 3-6, so that this was presumably not in his copy.
Second Part
This (vii-x) begins with an instruction on baptism, which is to be conferred "in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost" in living water, if it can be had — if not, in cold or even hot water. The baptized and, if possible, the baptizer, and other persons must fast for one or two days previously. If the water is insufficient for immersion, it may be poured thrice on the head. This is said by Bigg to show a late date; but it seems a natural concession for hot and dry countries, when baptism was not as yet celebrated exclusively at Easter and Pentecost and in churches, where a columbethra and a supply of water would not be wanting. Fasts are not to be on Monday and Thursday "with the hypocrites" (i.e. the Jews), but on Wednesday and Friday (viii). Nor must Christians pray with the hypocrites, but they shall say the Our Father thrice a day. The text of the prayer is not quite that of St. Matthew, and it is given with the doxology "for Thine is the power and the glory for ever", whereas all but a few manuscripts of St. Matthew have this interpolation with "the kingdom and the power" etc.
Ch. ix runs thus: "Concerning the Eucharist, thus shall you give thanks: 'We give Thee thanks, our Father, for the holy Vine of David Thy Child, which Thou hast made known to us through Jesus Thy Child; to Thee be the glory for ever'. And of the broken Bread: 'We give Thee thanks, our Father, for the Life and knowledge which Thou hast made known to us through Jesus Thy Child; to Thee be glory for ever. For as this broken Bread was dispersed over the mountains, and being collected became one, so may Thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Thy kingdom, for Thine is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever.' And let none eat or drink of your Eucharist but those who have been baptized in the Name of Christ; for of this the Lord said: 'Give not the holy Thing to the dogs'." These are clearly prayers after the Consecration and before Communion. Ch. x gives a thanksgiving after Communion, slightly longer, in which mention is made of the "spiritual food and drink and eternal Life through Thy Child". After a doxology, as before, come the remarkable exclamations: "Let grace come, and this world pass away! Hosanna to the Son of David! If any is holy, let him come. If any be not, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen". We are not only reminded of the Hosanna and Sancta sanctis of the liturgies, but also of Apocalypse 22:17-20, and 1 Corinthians 16:22. In these prayers we find deep reverence, and the effect of the Eucharist for eternal Life, though there is no distinct mention of the Real Presence. The words in thanksgiving for the chalice are echoed by Clement of Alexandria, "Quis div.", 29: "It is He [Christ] Who has poured out the Wine, the Blood of the Vine of David, upon our wounded souls"; and by Origen, "In i Judic.", Hom. vi: "Before we are inebriated with the Blood of the True Vine Which ascends from the root of David." The mention of the chalice before the bread is in accordance with St. Luke, xxii, 17-19, in the "Western" text (which omits verse 20), and is apparently from a Jewish blessing of wine and bread, with which rite the prayers in ch. ix have a close affinity.
The Third Part
The Third Part speaks first of teachers or doctors (didaskaloi) in general. These are to be received if they teach the above doctrine; and if they add the justice and knowledge of the Lord they are to be received as the Lord. Every Apostle is to be received as the Lord, and he may stay one day or two, but if he stay three, he is a false prophet. On leaving he shall take nothing with him but bread. If he ask for money, he is a false prophet. Similarly with the order of prophets: to judge them when they speak in the spirit is the unpardonable sin; but they must be known by their morals. If they seek gain, they are to be rejected. All travellers who come in the name of the Lord are to be received, but only for two or three days; and they must exercise their trade, if they have one, or at least must not be idle. Anyone who will not work is a Christemporos — one who makes a gain out of the name of Christ. Teachers and prophets are worthy of their food. Firstfruits are to be given to the prophets, "for they are your High Priests; but if you have not a prophet, give the firstfruits to the poor". The breaking of bread and Thanksgiving [Eucharist] is on Sunday, "after you have confessed your transgressions, that your Sacrifice may be pure", and those who are at discord must agree, for this is the clean oblation prophesied by Malachias, i, 11, 14. "Ordain therefore for yourselves bishops and deacons, worthy of the Lord . . . for they also minister to you the ministry of the prophets and teachers". Notice that it is for the sacrifice that bishops and deacons are to be ordained. The last chapter (xvi) exhorts to watching and tells the signs of the end of the world.
The Didache
The Teaching Of The Twelve Apostles
CHAPTER 1
1:1 There are two paths, one of life and one of death, and the difference is great between the two paths.
1:2 Now the path of life is this -- first, thou shalt love the God who made thee, thy neighbour as thyself, and all things that thou wouldest not should be done unto thee, do not thou unto another.
1:3 And the doctrine of these maxims is as follows. Bless them that curse you, and pray for your enemies. Fast on behalf of those that persecute you; for what thank is there if ye love them that love you? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? But do ye love them that hate you, and ye will not have an enemy.
1:4 Abstain from fleshly and worldly lusts. If any one give thee a blow on thy right cheek, turn unto him the other also, and thou shalt be perfect; if any one compel thee to go a mile, go with him two; if a man take away thy cloak, give him thy coat also; if a man take from thee what is thine, ask not for it again, for neither art thou able to do so.
1:5 Give to every one that asketh of thee, and ask not again; for the Father wishes that from his own gifts there should be given to all. Blessed is he who giveth according to the commandment, for he is free from guilt; but woe unto him that receiveth. For if a man receive being in need, he shall be free from guilt; but he who receiveth when not in need, shall pay a penalty as to why he received and for what purpose; and when he is in tribulation he shall be examined concerning the things that he has done, and shall not depart thence until he has paid the last farthing.
1:6 For of a truth it has been said on these matters, let thy almsgiving abide in thy hands until thou knowest to whom thou hast given.
CHAPTER 2
2:1 But the second commandment of the teaching is this.
2:2 Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not corrupt youth; thou shalt not commit fornication; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not use soothsaying; thou shalt not practise sorcery; thou shalt not kill a child by abortion, neither shalt thou slay it when born; thou shalt not covet the goods of thy neighbour;
2:3 thou shalt not commit perjury; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not speak evil; thou shalt not bear malice;
2:4 thou shalt not be double-minded or double-tongued, for to be double tongued is the snare of death.
2:5 Thy speech shall not be false or empty, but concerned with action.
2:6 Thou shalt not be covetous, or rapacious, or hypocritical, or malicious, or proud; thou shalt not take up an evil design against thy neighbour;
2:7 thou shalt not hate any man, but some thou shalt confute, concerning some thou shalt pray, and some thou shalt love beyond thine own soul.
CHAPTER 3
3:1 My child, fly from everything that is evil, and from everything that is like to it.
3:2 Be not wrathful, for wrath leadeth unto slaughter; be not jealous, or contentious, or quarrelsome, for from all these things slaughter ensues.
3:3 My child, be not lustful, for lust leadeth unto fornication; be not a filthy talker; be not a lifter up of the eye, for from all these things come adulteries.
3:4 My child, be not an observer of omens, since it leadeth to idolatry, nor a user of spells, nor an astrologer, nor a travelling purifier, nor wish to see these things, for from all these things idolatry ariseth.
3:5 My child, be not a liar, for lying leadeth unto theft; be not covetous or conceited, for from all these things thefts arise.
3:6 My child, be not a murmurer, since it leadeth unto blasphemy; be not self-willed or evil-minded, for from all these things blasphemies are produced;
3:7 but be thou meek, for the meek shall inherit the earth;
3:8 be thou longsuffering, and compassionate, and harmless, and peaceable, and good, and fearing alway the words that thou hast heard.
3:9 Thou shalt not exalt thyself, neither shalt thou put boldness into thy soul. Thy soul shall not be joined unto the lofty, but thou shalt walk with the just and humble.
3:10 Accept the things that happen to thee as good, knowing that without God nothing happens.
CHAPTER 4
4:1 My child, thou shalt remember both night and day him that speaketh unto thee the Word of God; thou shalt honour him as thou dost the Lord, for where the teaching of the Lord is given, there is the Lord;
4:2 thou shalt seek out day by day the favour of the saints, that thou mayest rest in their words;
4:3 thou shalt not desire schism, but shalt set at peace them that contend; thou shalt judge righteously; thou shalt not accept the person of any one to convict him of transgression;
4:4 thou shalt not doubt whether a thing shall be or not.
4:5 Be not a stretcher out of thy hand to receive, and a drawer of it back in giving.
4:6 If thou hast, give by means of thy hands a redemption for thy sins.
4:7 Thou shalt not doubt to give, neither shalt thou murmur when giving; for thou shouldest know who is the fair recompenser of the reward.
4:8 Thou shalt not turn away from him that is in need, but shalt share with thy brother in all things, and shalt not say that things are thine own; for if ye are partners in what is immortal, how much more in what is mortal?
4:9 Thou shalt not remove thine heart from thy son or from thy daughter, but from their youth shalt teach them the fear of God.
4:10 Thou shalt not command with bitterness thy servant or thy handmaid, who hope in the same God as thyself, lest they fear not in consequence the God who is over both; for he cometh not to call with respect of persons, but those whom the Spirit hath prepared.
4:11 And do ye servants submit yourselves to your masters with reverence and fear, as being the type of God.
4:12 Thou shalt hate all hypocrisy and everything that is not pleasing to God;
4:13 thou shalt not abandon the commandments of the Lord, but shalt guard that which thou hast received, neither adding thereto nor taking therefrom;
4:14 thou shalt confess thy transgressions in the Church, and shalt not come unto prayer with an evil conscience. This is the path of life.
CHAPTER 5
5:1 But the path of death is this. First of all, it is evil, and full of cursing; there are found murders, adulteries, lusts, fornication, thefts, idolatries, soothsaying, sorceries, robberies, false witnessings, hypocrisies, double-mindedness, craft, pride, malice, self-will, covetousness, filthy talking, jealousy, audacity, pride, arrogance;
5:2 there are they who persecute the good -- lovers of a lie, not knowing the reward of righteousness, not cleaving to the good nor to righteous judgment, watching not for the good but for the bad, from whom meekness and patience are afar off, loving things that are vain, following after recompense, having no compassion on the needy, nor labouring for him that is in trouble, not knowing him that made them, murderers of children, corrupters of the image of God, who turn away from him that is in need, who oppress him that is in trouble, unjust judges of the poor, erring in all things. From all these, children, may ye be delivered.
CHAPTER 6
6:1 See that no one make thee to err from this path of doctrine, since he who doeth so teacheth thee apart from God.
6:2 If thou art able to bear the whole yoke of the Lord, thou wilt be perfect; but if thou art not able, what thou art able, that do.
6:3 But concerning meat, bear that which thou art able to do. But keep with care from things sacrificed to idols, for it is the worship of the infernal deities.
CHAPTER 7
7:1 But concerning baptism, thus baptize ye: having first recited all these precepts, baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in running water;
7:2 but if thou hast not running water, baptize in some other water, and if thou canst not baptize in cold, in warm water;
7:3 but if thou hast neither, pour water three times on the head, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
7:4 But before the baptism, let him who baptizeth and him who is baptized fast previously, and any others who may be able. And thou shalt command him who is baptized to fast one or two days before.
CHAPTER 8
8:1 But as for your fasts, let them not be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth days of the week, but do ye fast on the fourth and sixth days.
8:2 Neither pray ye as the hypocrites, but as the Lord hath commanded in his gospel so pray ye: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done as in heaven so on earth. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debt, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil: for thine is the power, and the glory, for ever.
8:3 Thrice a day pray ye in this fashion.
CHAPTER 9
9:1 But concerning the Eucharist, after this fashion give ye thanks.
9:2 First, concerning the cup. We thank thee, our Father, for the holy vine, David thy Son, which thou hast made known unto us through Jesus Christ thy Son; to thee be the glory for ever.
9:3 And concerning the broken bread. We thank thee, our Father, for the life and knowledge which thou hast made known unto us through Jesus thy Son; to thee be the glory for ever.
9:4 As this broken bread was once scattered on the mountains, and after it had been brought together became one, so may thy Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth unto thy kingdom; for thine is the glory, and the power, through Jesus Christ, for ever.
9:5 And let none eat or drink of your Eucharist but such as have been baptized into the name of the Lord, for of a truth the Lord hath said concerning this, Give not that which is holy unto dogs.
CHAPTER 10
10:1 But after it has been completed, so pray ye.
10:2 We thank thee, holy Father, for thy holy name, which thou hast caused to dwell in our hearts, and for the knowledge and faith and immortality which thou hast made known unto us through Jesus thy Son; to thee be the glory for ever.
10:3 Thou, Almighty Master, didst create all things for the sake of thy name, and hast given both meat and drink, for men to enjoy, that we might give thanks unto thee, but to us thou hast given spiritual meat and drink, and life everlasting, through thy Son.
10:4 Above all, we thank thee that thou art able to save; to thee be the glory for ever.
10:5 Remember, Lord, thy Church, to redeem it from every evil, and to perfect it in thy love, and gather it together from the four winds, even that which has been sanctified for thy kingdom which thou hast prepared for it; for thine is the kingdom and the glory for ever.
10:6 Let grace come, and let this world pass away. Hosanna to the Son of David. If any one is holy let him come (to the Eucharist); if any one is not, let him repent. Maranatha. Amen.
10:7 But charge the prophets to give thanks, so far as they are willing to do so.
CHAPTER 11
11:1 Whosoever, therefore, shall come and teach you all these things aforesaid, him do ye receive;
11:2 but if the teacher himself turn and teach another doctrine with a view to subvert you, hearken not to him; but if he come to add to your righteousness, and the knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the Lord.
11:3 But concerning the apostles and prophets, thus do ye according to the doctrine of the Gospel.
11:4 Let every apostle who cometh unto you be received as the Lord.
11:5 He will remain one day, and if it be necessary, a second; but if he remain three days, he is a false prophet.
11:6 And let the apostle when departing take nothing but bread until he arrive at his resting-place; but if he ask for money, he is a false prophet.
11:7 And ye shall not tempt or dispute with any prophet who speaketh in the spirit; for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven.
11:8 But not every one who speaketh in the spirit is a prophet, but he is so who hath the disposition of the Lord; by their dispositions they therefore shall be known, the false prophet and the prophet.
11:9 And every prophet who ordereth in the spirit that a table shall be laid, shall not eat of it himself, but if he do otherwise, he is a false prophet;
11:10 and every prophet who teacheth the truth, if he do not what he teacheth is a false prophet;
11:11 and every prophet who is approved and true, and ministering in the visible mystery of the Church, but who teacheth not others to do the things that he doth himself, shall not be judged of you, for with God lieth his judgment, for in this manner also did the ancient prophets.
11:12 But whoever shall say in the spirit, Give me money, or things of that kind, listen not to him; but if he tell you concerning others that are in need that ye should give unto them, let no one judge him.
CHAPTER 12
12:1 Let every one that cometh in the name of the Lord be received, but afterwards ye shall examine him and know his character, for ye have knowledge both of good and evil.
12:2 If the person who cometh be a wayfarer, assist him so far as ye are able; but he will not remain with you more than two or three days, unless there be a necessity.
12:3 But if he wish to settle with you, being a craftsman, let him work, and so eat;
12:4 but if he know not any craft, provide ye according to you own discretion, that a Christian may not live idle among you;
12:5 but if he be not willing to do so, he is a trafficker in Christ. From such keep aloof.
CHAPTER 13
13:1 But every true prophet who is willing to dwell among you is worthy of his meat,
13:2 likewise a true teacher is himself worthy of his meat, even as is a labourer.
13:3 Thou shalt, therefore, take the firstfruits of every produce of the wine-press and threshing-floor, of oxen and sheep, and shalt give it to the prophets, for they are your chief priests;
13:4 but if ye have not a prophet, give it unto the poor.
13:5 If thou makest a feast, take and give the firstfruits according to the commandment;
13:6 in like manner when thou openest a jar of wine or of oil, take the firstfruits and give it to the prophets;
13:7 take also the firstfruits of money, of clothes, and of every possession, as it shall seem good unto thee, and give it according to the commandment.
CHAPTER 14
14:1 But on the Lord's day, after that ye have assembled together, break bread and give thanks, having in addition confessed your sins, that your sacrifice may be pure.
14:2 But let not any one who hath a quarrel with his companion join with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be polluted,
14:3 for it is that which is spoken of by the Lord. In every place and time offer unto me a pure sacrifice, for I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the Gentiles.
CHAPTER 15
15:1 Elect, therefore, for yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, men who are meek and not covetous, and true and approved, for they perform for you the service of prophets and teachers.
15:2 Do not, therefore, despise them, for they are those who are honoured among you, together with the prophets and teachers.
15:3 Rebuke one another, not in wrath but peaceably, as ye have commandment in the Gospel; and, but let no one speak to any one who walketh disorderly with regard to his neighbour, neither let him be heard by you until he repent.
15:4 But your prayers and your almsgivings and all your deeds so do, as ye have commandment in the Gospel of our Lord.
CHAPTER 16
16:1 Watch concerning your life; let not your lamps be quenched or your loins be loosed, but be ye ready, for ye know not the hour at which our Lord cometh.
16:2 But be ye gathered together frequently, seeking what is suitable for your souls; for the whole time of your faith shall profit you not, unless ye be found perfect in the last time.
16:3 For in the last days false prophets and seducers shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate;
16:4 and because iniquity aboundeth they shall hate each other, and persecute each other, and deliver each other up; and then shall the Deceiver of the world appear as the Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands; and he shall do unlawful things, such as have never happened since the beginning of the world.
16:5 Then shall the creation of man come to the fiery trial of proof, and many shall be offended and shall perish; but they who remain in their faith shall be saved by the rock of offence itself.
16:6 And then shall appear the signs of the truth; first the sign of the appearance in heaven, then the sign of the sound of the trumpet, and thirdly the resurrection of the dead
16:7 -- not of all, but as it has been said, The Lord shall come and all his saints with him;
16:8 then shall the world behold the Lord coming on the clouds of heaven.
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| Sexagesima Week [Monday thru Saturday] |
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Posted by: Stone - 02-08-2021, 08:08 AM - Forum: Lent
- Replies (7)
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MONDAY OF SEXAGESIMA WEEK
All flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth. The terrible lesson, then, which men had received by being driven out of paradise in the person of our first parents, had been without effect. Neither the certainty of death, when they would have to stand before the divine Judge, nor the humiliations which attend man’s first coming into this world, nor the pains and fatigues and trials which beset the whole path of life, had subdued men’s hearts or brought them into submission to that sovereign Master whose hand lay thus heavy upon them. They had the divine promise that a Savior should be given to them, and that this Redeemer (who was to be the Son of her that was to crush the serpent’s head) would not only bring them salvation, but would moreover reinstate them in all the happiness and honors they had lost. But even this was not enough to make them rise above the base passions of corrupt nature. The example of Adam’s nine hundred years’ penance, and the admonitions he could so feelingly give who had received such proofs of God’s love and anger, began to lose their influence upon his children; and when he at last descended into the grave, his posterity grew more and more heedless of what they owed to their Creator. The long life, which had been granted to man in this the first age of the world, was made but a fresh means of offending Him who gave it. When, finally, the sons of Seth took to themselves wives of the family of Cain, the human race reached the height of wickedness, rebelled against the Lord, and made their own passions their god.
Yet all this while, they had had granted to them the power of resisting the evil propensities of their hearts. God had offered them His grace, whereby they were enabled to conquer pride and concupiscence. The merits of the Redeemer to come were even then present to divine justice, and the Lamb, slain, as St. John tells us, from the beginning of the world, applied the merits of His Blood to this as to every generation which existed before the great Sacrifice was really immolated. Each individual of the human family might have been just, as Noah was, and like him, have found favor with the Most High; but the thought of their heart was bent upon evil and not upon good, and the earth became peopled with enemies of God. Then it was that it repented God that He had made man, as the sacred Scripture forcibly expresses it. He decreed that man’s life on earth should be shortened, in order that the thought of death might be ever before us. He, moreover, resolved to destroy, by a universal deluge, the whole of this perverse generation, saving only one family. The world would thus be renewed, and man would learn from this awful chastisement to serve and love this his sovereign Lord and God.
We find the following liturgical formula in the Mozarabic missal. Nothing could be more appropriate to the season of Septuagesima.
Missa
(Dominica ante carnes tollendas.)
Ecce jam in proximo sunt dies illi salutis, in quibus revoluto anni circulo, per salutaris abstinentiæ opus, remedia cupimus suscipere pravorum actuum nostrorum. Etenim sicut ait apostolus: Hoc est acceptabile tempus, et hi sunt dies salutis, in quibus spiritualis medela exquirenti adveniat animæ, et mala dulcia scrabra prccaminum evellantur a mente; ut qui consuetudine noxia semper cogimur deorsum fluere, tandem divina nos erigente clementia, conemur sursum surgere, ut horum dierum votiva exhibentes susceptione, et malorum nostrorum levemur a crimine, et beatitudinis electorum mereamur compotes esse. Amen.
Behold, now are close at hand those days of salvation, which the cycle of the year brings round to us, and in which we desire, by the exercise of salutary abstinence, to apply a remedy to our evil doings. For, as the apostle says: This is the acceptable time, and, these are the days of salvation, wherein a spiritual cure is given to the soul that seeks it, and the evil delights of sin are rooted from the mind. Hereby, we, whose evil habits are ever forcing us to a downward tendency, are by the uplifting mercy of God, encouraged to rise above this earth; that thus, by the devout observance of what these days require, we may not only be delivered from the guilt of our sins, but may moreover deserve to be companions with the elect in eternal bliss. Amen.
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| I Read This Book Bill Gates Told Me To... |
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Posted by: Juan Diego - 02-07-2021, 07:25 PM - Forum: Pandemic 2020 [Secular]
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IF YOU WANT TO OUTSMART A CROOK,
LEARN HIS TRICKS- DARRELL HUFF EXPLAINS
EXACTLY HOW IN THE CLASSIC HOW TO LIE WITH STATISTICS.
From distorted graphs and biased samples to misleading averages, there are countless statistical dodges that lend cover to anyone with an ax to grind or a product to sell. With abundant examples and illustrations, Darrell Huff's lively and engaging primer clarifies the basic principles of statistics and explains how they're used to present information in honest and not-so-honest ways. Now even more indispensable in our data-driven world than it was when first published, How to Lie with Statistics is the book that generations of readers have relied on to keep from being fooled.
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| Immodesty Satan's Virtue |
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Posted by: Pax Vobiscum - 02-07-2021, 05:09 PM - Forum: Church Doctrine & Teaching
- Replies (18)
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If you would like to purchase a hard copy of this book, this link is where you can find it. It is the latest addition and it is the latest addition of the one I'm posting, with even more content. https://www.littleflowersfamilypress.com/immodestybook/
Immodesty – Satan’s Virtue
Rita Davidson
Table of Contents
Preface to the Second Edition
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Introduction
Part One: A Look at Traditional Catholic Modesty
Chapter One: What Does the Church Have to Say?
Chapter Two: A Conspiracy, Really?
Chapter Three: Nakedness and the Purpose of Clothing
Chapter Four: The Disappearance of True Womanhood and Femininity
Chapter Five: Church Attire
Chapter Six: Headcoverings
Chapter Seven: What Else Does It Include?
Chapter Eight: Modesty is For Men Also
Part One: Conclusion; Reparation
Part Two: Questions, Concerns and Practical Tips
Chapter One: What Me Sew?
Chapter Two: Adjusting to Temperatures
Chapter Three: How to Work and Play in Dresses, Some Tips
Chapter Four: Final Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendix One: Catholic Resources
Appendix Two: Quotes to Remember; A Handy Reference
Appendix Three: Men’s Dress Worn by Women by Cardinal
Appendix Four: A Crusade & League for Modesty in Dress
Preface to the Second Edition
As I sit here and try to decide just what to write in this Preface, my mind wanders back to all those letters we have received over the last seven months since this book has been in print.
My heart goes out to all of you, and I want to particularly thank all those of you who have read this book and have written or called. All your kind comments have helped us to see how necessary our book is today and we are so grateful and humbled that Our Lady was able to do so much good through this book.
With this new edition you will hopefully note an improvement in grammatical errors that we must especially thank the tremendous help, support and editing of Mrs. Colleen Drippe. Without whom we may never have been ourselves clear of all our own errors! Thank you so much!
I would also like to thank the generous supporters and benefactors who helped us to see this book get back into print once again. Without their help we surely would be at loss for seeing these new books.
Satan had a fine time trying to dampen our sales on the first edition with limiting the amount of publications that would review this book. But, the sales of the first edition still managed to be brisk considering that we had nearly no budget for advertising. I would very much like to thank those publications truly deserve the support of Traditional Catholics.
We sincerely hope that this edition will be just as welcome as the first and invite bookstores, church’s or individuals who would like to help get this book into people’s hands to write or call us for information.
May this New Year bring us all a new chance at peace and a break in the tide of sin that is enveloping the world at such an alarming rate…Our Lady of Fatima, ora pro nobis!
R. Davidson,
Lanark, Ont.
January 2003
Dedication
I dedicate this work to the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady of Fatima, who always pure and modest, came from Heaven to warn us of the sins of immodesty that were about to envelope the world.
And to Jacinta, the little soul who received Our Lady’s message about Fashions that would be introduced.
Also to St. Maria Goretti who gave up her life to be a ‘Martyr of Purity’. May we all be as brave in our everyday life and love Christ as much as she did.
And last, but not least, Padre Pio, who bravely defended modesty in women even at the expense of offending people.
“How beautiful then is modesty and what a gem among virtues it is.”
Saint Bernard, Confessor and Doctor of the Church
Acknowledgments:
Ave Maria!
I want to thank my dearest Sister in Christ, Jennie Lou, who was the one to introduce the issue of modest dress to me and inspire me in my practice of this virtue. Also, to my dear husband, who loves me despite all my weaknesses, and who often did my ‘dishes’ so that I could write this. Thank you also to my dearest blessings, my children, especially our eldest Sierra who graciously was the perfect example for many areas of this book, and is often an inspiration to me of womanly femininity and modesty as she becomes a young lady, (all too quickly I might add!). To Kenna, Hannah, and August who sat on my knee, nursing, much of the time I was writing this book, until his new little brother Andrew decided to join him on my lap too. Thank you to all of my children for helping me to learn how to love with the heart of Christ.
I cannot forget to thank the priests and sisters who supported me and helped me with research, editing, typesetting and printing of this book; especially, Fr. Gavigan, Fr. Skierka, Sr. Mary Josephine and Sr. Mary Agnes.
Last, but not least, is the immense support, input, advice and editing that I received from some dear friends, especially; Mr. Dick Lloyd and Miss Marjorie Schmidt. Without their help this book would have never been accomplished. You will remain forever in our prayers….
Introduction:
My Story
“I confess to Almighty God, to blessed Mary ever Virgin, to blessed Michael the Archangel, to blessed John the Baptist, to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and to all the saints, that I have sinned exceedingly through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault. Therefore I beseech blessed Mary ever Virgin, blessed Michael the Archangel, blessed John the Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, and all the saints, to pray to the Lord our God for me.” Raccolta 691.
With this book in your hands you have made an important step in following God’s holy will. I say this because I do not feel that modesty is for the few, but for many! Yes, even you! If you are reading this may I ask you to join me in saying a Hail Mary to our Blessed Mother, in honor of her modesty?
“Hail Mary, full of Grace the Lord is with Thee, Blessed art Thou among women, and Blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, Now and at the hour of our death. Amen.”
It seems the time has come to address the issue of modesty. I am very glad that I can share with you what I feel God is guiding me to say during a time when it is always the “Season of undressing.” I hope with this book to be able to introduce you to a long-forgotten topic. If this book leads even one woman to fully embrace modesty in dress then I will have accomplished what I set out to do.
I humble admit my own inadequacy in writing this book. Though I must confess I felt compelled to begin it. The more I wrote, the more I recognize my own past faults, and I only hope that for that reason I may have some particular insight that will be helpful to those who will be reading this book.
God has sent me many lifeboats in my lifetime, trying to get me back on track. I am sure He has many more planned too. The first real lifeboat that He sent that saved my Faith and brought me back to the Church was our first daughter. I am one of many who grew up thinking that what was really immodest was just normal. That, coupled with a mediocre Catholic upbringing, led me to become a mother at the age of 18. What a deceptive world we live in! To be led into committing such sins without even being aware of it, is the great evil of immodesty. It enlists the most unaware. Those who should know better are enlisted through pride by refusing to believe and then refusing to act. I am so grateful that we have a merciful God, and that He thought I was worthy enough to save me from my path toward hell. Perhaps, this is why I felt such a great need to write this book. Knowing that if I had this information myself I may have been lead down a much different path, I only hope that you will learn from the great wealth of information that I am presenting here. God sent the great ‘lifeboat’ to me – a baby. That baby changed the path of my life forever and I will be forever humbly grateful, to God, for sending her, our eldest baby….for becoming the greatest inspiration of my life, and this book.
So, next on this new ‘path’ was homeschooling. It was my great love for our first daughter that made me want to homeschool and naturally want to give her a Catholic education (as I thought I was given!). So, with the recommendations of those wiser in the faith than I, I used all the traditional texts for her First Communion and First Holy Communion then found myself in the confessional after a 15-year absence! Deo Gracias!
There were many other small lifeboats that God has sent me and I know that I need so many more. But one of the next greatest things that came into my life was my dear friend, J.L. It was by her example that I was lead to consider a deeper understanding of my Faith. It was by her outer example of modesty that I was inspired to follow her manner of dressing too. I questioned her about it extensively and her answers slowly melted away the many obstacles that were making me hesitate to make the move.
By this time we had just moved from the city to the country and our eldest girl was nine years of age. We had two other girls by then, aged five and two so a few girls’ wardrobes had to change! I knew as a Catholic wife and mother, it was important for me to be an example for my children in many ways, one of them being modesty. The fashions of today are much of the time outrageous for a Catholic have not realised the importance of modest dress. The virtue of modesty is all but forgotten everywhere from the media, magazines, and on the street. And frequently I saw this as I withdrew from the city and mainstream society and could see the world from a new perspective based on my faith. As a Catholic I thought it shouldn’t be too difficult for us to embrace this virtue and make it part of our lifestyle. When we have young children growing up, it is a good to be able to have them in an atmosphere where modesty is the norm rather than the exception. It is an absolute must if they are to have any chance of acquiring this virtue.
I realized that our Faith is much more than just a list of virtues and commandments and Church. It is a way of thinking, acting and living. It should be so much a part of us that it shapes the way we think, the way we live and the choices we make.
It is very important for the young children that God has entrusted to us, that, we regain as much of our Catholic culture as we can by incorporating modest dress and living into onto our daily life. My husband did not completely agree when he saw me packing away all of our daughter’s and my pants. I was little nervous too! But I persevered and prayed and it was not very long before he totally agreed that he much prefers me in dresses than in pants, that I am much more feminine that way. I then realized that it can be difficult at first making such a drastic change, especially when there are few to help you to see the reason for it. It was a friend who inspired me to change, and another that inspired me to write this book. The world is Satan’s mouth piece, and every one of these ‘mouths’ deceives us by telling us many lies – lies we have heard for all of our lives. Many of us did not know any better, and some because we were afraid to change. It was over six years ago when I made this change in my life and I now realize that all hesitations can be overcome if we pray because our Blessed Mother will ensure that we receive all the graces necessary to make the changes successfully.
Why would our Blessed Mother care what we wear? Why would She concern Herself with such inconsequential things when there are so many more important things to be done? I believe that this issue is much more important than we thought or Our Lady would not have mentioned it at Fatima. Modesty is one of the foundation stones of our spiritual life. Immodesty is the issue that underlies much of the sinfulness of our world which is growing every day. Satan has used every opportunity to make us believe that this issue is a non-issue. Every day the world is more blinded by its own sins, the sins of impurity, which promote the sins of immodesty which damages purity even more. We face the result of these sins, every day, with all the thousands of babies that end up in dumpsters at abortion clinics, suicide rates and increasing rates of crimes of a sexual nature. Can you see the connection? All sin begins with a thought. A sin must be first thought of and then consented to…If Satan can succeed in breaking down the natural barriers of modesty in children, then he can succeed in opening a door for those children to choose impurity in their adolescent years. Without this natural barrier to turn them away from the first hints of impure thoughts or attractions they feel comfortable with them instead. So, you see, Satan is very clever. He plans well head. If he can get at the children earlier, he can affect a whole generation in the future. With a whole generation of people living lives of impurity, abortion now, becomes a possible choice when an unexpected pregnancy is the result. And we all know the horrific abortion rates in both Canada and the U.S….Would you not agree then that all these poor aborted babies are just sacrifices on Satan’s unholy altar?
I began to write this book after realizing what a dark world we live in and seeing many faithful Catholics following the lead of the world because there is no other voice in this great wilderness from which we are striving for heaven. No on wishes to speak of something like modesty. It is out of style, old-fashioned, un-important. But I tell you IT IS NOT! I hope I have managed to put together an argument of defense of modesty that will convince you.
There was a distinct change in me when I began to wear dresses and skirts. Yes, I looked different but more than that I thought differently. I felt different inside and this made all the difference in my spiritual life. Dressing femininely has a way of putting you a little closer to our Creator, which is a humbling experience. It helps us develop reverence, not just in Church, but always. It helps us to live reverently, with a great respect for God and His loving Omnipresence everywhere, which is the goal of our spiritual lives; to develop holiness, becoming holy, and attaining heaven. This is one of those external practices that can help us develop our interior life which is what spiritual directors have been telling us for centuries. Venerable Louis of Granada in the Sinner’s Guide tells us, “that a true servant of God must not be content to seek interior virtues only…but must also add the practice of exterior virtues, both to preserve the first and perfectly fulfil the obligations of justice.” He goes on to explain to us the importance of our external practices just as a vine supports the fruit, saying, “He who would become a perfect Christian must remember that the interior and exterior virtues are as inseparable as soul and body…” and goes on to warn us that we must have exterior practices if we are to derive profit from our interior virtues. Our exterior works of piety protect our interior virtues. In other words our spirituality is manifested and protected by our exterior practices. For the perfection of our natural and spiritual life both external and internal practices must be used. Both are dependent on each other.
You might be saying, “Well that’s okay for her but I have work to do, wood to bring in and gardening to do.” Fine! I say, why can’t you do these things in a dress? I do, although at first I doubted that I could. I can carry wood, garden, bake, clean the house and have done so in a dress for the last six years. I never even think of wearing anything else now. But, when a woman wears a long flowing dress and then has to do the gardening, it’s funny how it begins to influence her movements too. Now suddenly she is actin modest. She is learning to pick up her skirt when moving around, and how wonderful a feeling it is to be free to be feminine! What a gift. Skirts are a blessing in disguise to women. We are the ones who have to carry all the children and then carry all the extra pounds and scars to match! Dresses thoughtfully cover these areas so that we can still feel pretty rather than old and worn out (even when we are!).
Just because we are women on the homestead and have a lot to do does not mean that we have to dress and act like our husbands (even if we can carry more wood than they can!). Many activities that women do today are really something that, 60 years ago, were done by a man. When we come upon an activity like, wood-working, using a chainsaw, we should ask ourselves if this is something that we should really be doing. We know that we CAN do these things, but we need to ask ourselves, SHOULD we be doing these things? This is a question we don’t ask ourselves too much today since we women are told that we can do everything now. But, would St. Joseph have let Our Lady lift heavy amounts of wood or do other manly activities? Never! He would have offered to do it for Her and, I assume, She would never have considered doing it Herself without asking for his help.
And this brings us to the crux of modesty: how it is deeply tied to femininity for women and honour and obligation for men. Men are truly men when they feel obligated to offer to help a women with a heavy task and that obligation comes to them from our practicing of feminine modesty. There are limitations on the activities that we should do as a woman. I hope this book will help with that. There are many other areas to be touched on concerning this issue too, as it is not simply a ‘dress’ issue. I have attempted to cover many other areas concerned with this topic as well. I would encourage both men and women to read this since all men are in contact with women. Their mothers, daughters, cousins, friends and perhaps they too, can speak up and defend this issue to the women in their life and introduce this book to them. Surely, they can guide their daughters! Mothers use this book as a guide to help inspire your girls to the beauty of feminine modesty and purity perfectly shown to us in our Blessed Mother. Be an example for your sons, so that they may grow up knowing the charms of this virtue too.
Finally, I pray that Our Lady has guide me correctly in the writing of this book and that through me, She has told you all that She would like to have said if She had written it Herself. Please pray for me…
PART ONE: A Look at Traditional Catholic Modesty
Everyone argues in favor of the virtue he practices easily, and exaggerates the difficulties of the virtues which are contrary to it.” St. Francis de Sales
CHAPTER ONE (Part 1)
What does the Church have to say?
Let’s take a look through history.
“Everyone argues in favor of the virtue he practices easily, and exaggerates the difficulties of the virtues which are contrary to it.” Says St. Francis de Sales.
And I have seen many women complain about the difficulties of always wearing dresses or skirts. But as St. Francis says here, a new virtue is often difficult to practice and if the difficulties seem exaggerated, we are less apt to begin its practice. But to keep in mind that this was a common practice not so long ago, that of dressing modestly all the time, (except among those of ill repute). The Church has always been very clear about its position on the subject of modesty and heaven has given us divine warnings about it as well.
“If men do not repent and better themselves, the Father will inflict a terrible punishment on all humanity. It will be a punishment greater than the Deluge such as one will never have been seen before. Fire will fall from the sky and will wipe out a great part of humanity, the good as well as the bad, sparing neither priest nor faithful.” This was Our Lady’s warning at Akita, Japan in 1973.
Now looking from where you are sitting right now…the world is, from some perspectives, quite normal looking. But, as Catholics, we all are aware of the terrible evils that lie just underneath the surface, it is a false peace. Secular humanistic materialism has overtaken society and the world and shows itself in the killing of human life, especially the unborn but perhaps soon, the elderly and disabled. Just recently there was the attack on the World Trade Center in the U.S., where a plane described as “an orange fire-ball” crashed into one of the Twin Towers. “Orange fire-ball” really reminded me of Our Lady of Akita’s prophecy. I could go on and on. The above warning from Akita, similar to what was said at Fatima earlier in 1917, should be no surprise to us. Why? Because you and I are very aware that this world is in great need of some punishment for all the evil that it is allowing to happen. And we simply cannot wait any longer to fulfill Our Lady’s request.
The prophecies of Our Lady of Good Success from the late 17th century, which are only now becoming known, describe for us with wonderful accuracy what the end of the 20th century would be like. Speaking to Mother Mariana de Jesus She said, “…that impurity would inundate the streets like filthy ocean waters so that ‘there would be almost no virgin souls’.” Also, “Innocence will almost no longer be found in children, nor modesty in women. In this supreme moment of need of the Church, those who should speak will fall silent.” Then, “…The vices of impurity, blasphemy and sacrilege will dominate in this time…” Lastly, in one of Her apparitions She saw swords above the head of Christ that read “I shall punish heresy, blasphemy and impurity.” Does this not perfectly describe the state of our society today?
Our Lady appeared to two young people at LaSalette. At Lourdes, She appeared to the sweet innocent Bernadette, at Fatima he appeared to three young peasant children and changed their lives forever. At Akita, She appeared to a young nun. Just look at yourself right now. What are you wearing? If Our Lady came to see you right now, would you be comfortable with what you are wearing? Would you wish you had a chance to change first? Your response to that thought is very important for you and for your soul. If you answered that you would rather have changed then I hope you would take the contents of this book seriously enough, so that if our heavenly friends should decide to choose you for a visit you may be properly prepared. More than that, we must realize that as Temples of the Holy Ghost, we are in the presence of God at every moment and that is the real reason we should take modesty in dress seriously: because our bodies hide within them a beautiful secret that is God. Our clothing should act as the curtain which covers the tabernacle which hides our Hidden Lord within.
Now you may be wondering just why the Church would be so interested in modesty and modest dress. They have been speaking about it for centuries, in fact, ever since the Church began! Our Lady has been concerned about it as well. Like Her warning above, She warns us in every apparition to change our ways, to convert, repent, sacrifice for sinners, pray, pray and pray more. Sin is rampant, and immodesty is one of those sins. This book wishes to show you what it is, what the Church has said about it and how you can practice it effectively in your own life thereby, doing what Our Lady has asked at Fatima and helping to secure the salvation of your own soul and perhaps others.
Immodesty is one of those sins that I have rarely heard spoken about in its proper perspective although we see the fruit of immodesty everywhere! Impurity! It is a cancer in society that is eating away at the souls of young and old alike. Yes, there are greater evils in the world, and that may be true. But a lesser evil is still an evil and if we are to expose this immodesty for what it truly is then we must begin talking about it. Only when we truly understand, can we combat it.
But rather than just taking my word for it, I would like to present you with some ‘evidence’, so to speak, that will help explain this position which is also the position of the Church. By what standards do we judge what is and what isn’t modest? Has the Church spoken directly on this topic? Let us look at the earliest and first authority, the Bible.
In Ecclesiasticus 19:27 we read, “The attire of the body, laughter of the teeth, and the gait of the man, shew what he is.” Clearly, this says that what we wear very much shows just who we are. And also, how we laugh and carry ourselves. What overall image are we portraying to others? Sexually attractive or respectful and modest? Modesty is concerned with the entire person. We are stressing the importance of modesty in dress but, it is by no means the most important thing. This book emphasizes it because it needs the emphasis. There are no voices today that are telling us the true path to follow. The voice of the world has become Satan’s mouthpiece and is full of lies by which he deceives us.
Next, is the most controversial verse in the Old Testament: “A woman shall not be clothed with man’s apparel; neither shall a man use woman’s apparel; for he that doeth these things is abominable before God.” Deut. 22:5. Here we read not only about modest, but more importantly about the issue of men’s vs. women’s clothing. This distinctly says that women should not dress with men’s apparel and vice versa. This would explain why cross dressing is such an abomination, not just in our sight, but in God’s as well. In our Western culture trousers have always been predominately men’s clothing. This simple Bible quote, all by itself, tells us that it is improper or “abominable” for woman to wear men’s trousers. Even in cultures other than ours, there was always a distinct difference in the way women and men dressed. It has been a slow and even suspicious change that our fashion industry has made it fashionable for women to dress like men. Remember the in-style women’s pant suit? What about today’s sloppy look, with manly looking stripes and trousers for girls? We will stop here for now, but we will discuss this further later.
The third quotation I want to look at is 1 Tim. 2:9-10. We are told, “In like manner I wish women to be decently dressed, adorning themselves with modesty and dignity, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but with good works, such as become women professing Godliness.” God gave us these serious statements through the Bible. Remember now, the Old Testament was written over 2000 ears ago when all women wore robes to the ground. Imagine how much more these, and other statements, apply to us today! Are women adorning themselves with ‘modesty and dignity’ today? The wisdom of the Bible never becomes outdated! It even surprises us with its truth always ‘fitting’ even in our day!
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| Litany in Honor the Holy Face of Jesus |
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Posted by: Hildegard of Bingen - 02-07-2021, 03:59 PM - Forum: Litanies
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A LITANY OF THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS
This Litany of the Holy Face of Jesus, printed below, along with the Golden Arrow prayer, is an important part of Devotion to our Lord in His Holy Face. It has been attributed to Sister Mary of St. Peter, a Carmelite Nun pictured above, to whom Jesus revealed his ardent desire for this Devotion in reparation for blasphemies against God and the profanation of Sunday. (This offense involves people engaging unnecessarily in commerce and other such labors and chores on Sunday, a day meant for rest and reflection on God.)
Jesus once told Sister Mary in one of His many revelations to her “Oh, if you only knew what great merit you acquire by saying even once 'Admirable is the name of God' in a spirit of reparation for blasphemy!” This short prayer of reparation probably gladdens Our Lord’s heart indeed!
Sister Mary showed great love in honoring Jesus' requests to further the adoption of the Holy Face devotion. One of her associates, Ven. Leo Dupont himself played a key role in spreading this devotion after Sister’s death in 1848. Our Lord Himself spoke of His Holy Face and the need for reparation, as mentioned above, a number of times in the 1840’s, and indeed, dictated the Golden Arrow prayer to her in 1843!
This Litany below is inspiring in the way Sister Mary lovingly takes us through Jesus' life in this prayer, with special detail as to how His Face appeared during His Passion.
Repeat after each invocation:
Have mercy on us
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face Mary and Joseph worshipped with profoundest reverence,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face ravished with joy the angels, shepherds and Magi in the stable at Bethlehem,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face wounded with a dart of Love the aged Simeon and the prophetess Anna in the temple,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face was bathed in tears in Thy Holy Infancy,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face at the age of twelve astonished the doctors in the temple,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is white with purity, and ruddy with charity,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is more beautiful than the sun, brighter than the moon and more brilliant than the stars,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is lovelier than the roses of spring,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is more precious than gold, silver, and gems,
O Jesus, the charms and grace of Whose Adorable Face win all hearts,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is most noble in Its heavenly features,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is the admiration of angels,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is the sweet delight of the saints,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is the masterpiece of the Holy Spirit in which the Father is well pleased,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face was the delight of Thy Virgin Mother and of Thy holy foster-father, St. Joseph,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is the ineffable mirror of Divine perfections,
O Jesus, the beauty of Whose Adorable Face is ever ancient and ever new,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face appeases the Divine wrath,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is the terror of the evil spirits,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face is the treasure of graces and blessings,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face was exposed to the inclemency of the weather in the desert,
O Jesus, Whose Adorable Face was scorched by the sun and bathed in sweat on Thy journeys,
O Jesus, the expression of whose Adorable Face is Wholly Divine,
O Jesus, the modesty and mildness of whose Adorable Face attracted both just and sinners,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face gave a holy kiss and blessing to the little children,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face sorrowed and wept at the grave of Lazarus,
V. The light of Thy Face has been shed upon us, O lord;
R. Thou hast given joy to our hearts.
Let us pray:
I salute Thee, I adore Thee, O Adorable Face of Jesus, my Beloved, noble seal of the Divinity. With all the powers of my soul I apply myself to Thee, and most humbly pray Thee imprint in us all the features of Thy Divine likeness. Amen
Repeat after each invocation:
Have mercy on us
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face grew sad at the sight of Jerusalem and wept over that ungrateful city,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face bowed to the earth in the Garden of Olives because of the burden of our sins,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was bathed in bloody sweat,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was kissed by Judas, the traitor,
O Jesus, the power of whose Adorable Face smote the soldiers to the ground in the Garden of Olives,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was struck by a vile servant, derided by enemies and desecrated by their unholy hand,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was defiled by spittle and bruised by blows,
O Jesus, the Divine look of Whose Adorable Face wounded Peter's heart with love and sorrow,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was humbled for us before the tribunals of Jerusalem,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face preserved Its attractiveness and dignity when Pilate pronounced the death sentence,
O Jesus, the brow of whose Adorable Face was crowned with thorns,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was covered with bloody sweat which fell to the ground under the Cross,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face is worthy of all our reverence, veneration and worship,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face the pious Veronica wiped on the way to Calvary,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was lifted up on the tortuous Cross,
O Jesus, the eyes of whose Adorable Face shed tears of Blood,
O Jesus, the mouth of whose Adorable Face was tormented with vinegar and gall,
O Jesus, the hair and beard of whose Adorable Face were plucked out by the executioners,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was disfigured like that of a leper,
O Jesus, the incomparable beauty of whose Adorable Face was disfigured by the sins of the world,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was overcast by the mournful shadows of death,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was washed, anointed and wrapped in a shroud by Mary and the holy women,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was laid to rest in the grave,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was resplendent in beauty on the day of Thy Resurrection,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face was radiant in glory on the day of Thy ascension,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face is hidden in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face will appear on the clouds at the end of the world in great power and majesty,
O Jesus, whose Adorable Face is the joy of the Just in Heaven,
V. O lord, show us Thy Face;
R. And we shall be saved.
Let us pray:
We beseech Thee, O Almighty and merciful God, grant us and all who venerate the Countenance of Thy dearly beloved Son, all disfigured by our sins, the grace to behold It throughout eternity in the glory of Its majesty, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
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| Prayer to the Holy Face of Jesus |
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Posted by: Hildegard of Bingen - 02-07-2021, 03:38 PM - Forum: In Honor of Our Lord
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O My Jesus! Cast upon us a look of mercy; turn Thy Face upon each one of, even as Thou didst
upon Veronica; not that we may see It with the eyes of our body, for we do not deserve this;
but turn It toward our hearts, that being sustained by Thee, we may draw from that powerful
source strength for the combats we must ever wage on earth.
Eternal Father, we offer Thee the Adorable Face of Thy Well-Beloved Son for the Honor and glory of Thy
Holy Name and for the salvation of all men.
- Blessed Pope Pius IX
![[Image: therese-of-lisieux.jpg]](https://www.carmelitemonastery.org/images/content/therese-of-lisieux.jpg)
PRAYER OF ST. THERESA OF JESUS [LISIEUX]
TO THE HOLY FACE
O Jesus, Who in Thy bitter Passion didst become "the most abject of men, a man of sorrows," I venerate Thy Sacred Face whereon there once did shine the beauty and sweetness of the Godhead; but now it has become for me as if it were the face of a leper! Nevertheless, under those disfigured features, I recognize Thy infinite Love and I am consumed with with the desire to love Thee and make Thee loved by all men. The tears which well abundantly in Thy sacred eyes appear to me as so many precious pearls that I love to gather up, in order to purchase the souls of poor sinners by means of their infinite value.
O Jesus, Whose adorable Face ravishes my heart, I implore Thee to fix deep within me Thy Divine Image and to set me on fire with Thy Love, that I may be found worthy to come to the contemplation of Thy glorious Face in Heaven. Amen.
HOLY FACE PRAYER FOR SINNERS
by St. Therese of Lisieux
ETERNAL FATHER, since Thou hast given me for my inheritance the Adorable Face of Thy Divine Son, I offer that face to Thee and I beg Thee, in exchange for this coin of infinite value, to forget the ingratitude of souls dedicated to Thee and to pardon all poor sinners.
PRAYERS OF REPARATION TO THE HOLY FACE OF JESUS
PRAYER
O Blessed Face of my kind Savior, by the tender love and piercing sorrow of Our Lady as she beheld Thee in Thy cruel Passion, grant us to share in this intense sorrow and love so as to fulfill the Holy Will of God to the utmost of our ability. Amen.
-----Mother Maria-Pierina
CROWN OF THORNS PRAYER
DEAR LORD, I am grieved when I consider Thy sad condition when Thou wore the Crown of Thorns upon Thy hold Head. I desire to withdraw the thorns by offering to the Eternal Father the merits of Thy Wounds for the salvation of sinners. I wish to unite my actions to the merits of Thy Most Holy Crown, so that they may gain many merits, as Thou hast promised. Amen.
-----Prayer based on a revelation by Our Lord to Sr. Chambon
![[Image: Litany1.jpg]](https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/images/Litany1.jpg)
THE GOLDEN ARROW PRAYERS
MAY THE MOST HOLY, MOST SACRED, MOST ADORABLE, MOST INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND UNUTTERABLE NAME OF GOD BE ALWAYS PRAISED, BLESSED, LOVED, ADORED AND GLORIFIED, IN HEAVEN, ON EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, BY ALL THE CREATURES OF GOD, AND BY THE SACRED HEART OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IN THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. AMEN.
After receiving this prayer, Sister Mary of St. Peter was given a vision in which she saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus delightfully wounded by this "Go/den Arrow" as torrents of graces streamed from It for the conversion of sinners.
REPARATION PRAYER
Eternal Father, turn away Thy angry gaze from our guilty people whose face has become unsightly in Thine eyes. Look instead upon the Face of Thy Beloved Son, for this is the Face of Him in Whom Thou art well pleased. We now offer Thee this Holy Face, covered with shame and disfigured by bloody bruises in reparation for the crimes of our age in order to appease Thine anger, justly provoked against us. Because Thy Divine Son, our Redeemer, has taken upon His Head all the sins of His members, that they might be spared, we now beg of Thee, Eternal Father, to grant us mercy. AMEN.
AN ASPIRATION TO THE ETERNAL FATHER TO BE FREQUENTLY RECITED DURING THE DAY
ETERNAL FATHER, we offer You the Holy Face of Jesus, covered with blood, sweat, dust and spittle, in reparation for the crimes of communists, blasphemers, and for the profaners of the Holy Name and of the Holy Day. AMEN.
PRAYER TO REPRODUCE THE IMAGE OF GOD IN OUR SOULS
Our Lord told Sister Mary ot St. Peter that the Image ot His Holy Face is like a Divine Stamp which, it applied to souls, through prayer, has the power of imprinting anew within them the Image ot God.
I SALUTE THEE, I ADORE THEE, AND I LOVE THEE,
OH ADORABLE FACE OF MY BELOVED JESUS,
AS THE NOBLE STAMP OF DIVINITY!
COMPLETELY SURRENDERING MY SOUL TO THEE,
I MOST HUMBLY BEG THEE TO STAMP THIS SEAL UPON US ALL,
SO THAT "THE IMAGE OF GOD MAY ONCE MORE BE REPRODUCED BY ITS IMPRINT IN OUR SOULS. AMEN.
Prayer to the Holy Face by St. Augustine
I appear before Thy Holy Face, O my Saviour, laden with my sins and the penalties
they have brought upon me. What I suffer is far less than I deserve, for although
conscious of the justice of my punishment, I cese not on that account to commit
fresh sins every day. I sink beneath Thy scourges, yet I do not amend my ways;
my heart is full of bitterness, still my obstinacy in evil remains ever the same. My life
is pent in misery, and I do not correct myself. When Thou chastisest me, I make
Thee great promises, which, as soon as Thou liftest up Thy hand, I forget.
I come now to make to Thee, O God, a sincere confession of my sins. I declare in
Thy presence that if Thou show not Thy mercy to me, I shall surely perish. Grant me,
my Saviour, what I get of Thee, since of Thy pure goodness Thou hast drawn me out
of nothingness to put me into a state wherein I can pray to Thee. Amen.
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| A Poem on the Passion of the Lord |
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Posted by: Stone - 02-07-2021, 03:20 PM - Forum: Lenten Devotions
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A Poem on the Passion of the Lord
Whoever you are who approach, and are entering the precincts of the middle of the temple, stop a little and look upon me, who, though innocent, suffered for your crime; lay me up in your mind, keep me in your breast. I am He who, pitying the bitter misfortunes of men, came hither as a messenger of offered peace, and as a full atonement for the fault of men. Here the brightest light from above is restored to the earth; here is the merciful image of safety; here I am a rest to you, the right way, the true redemption, the banner of God, and a memorable sign of fate. It was on account of you and your life that I entered the Virgin's womb, was made man, and suffered a dreadful death; nor did I find rest anywhere in the regions of the earth, but everywhere threats, everywhere labours.
First of all a wretched dwelling in the land of Judæa was a shelter for me at my birth, and for my mother with me: here first, amidst the outstretched sluggish cattle, dry grass gave me a bed in a narrow stall. I passed my earliest years in the Pharian regions, being an exile in the reign of Herod; and after my return to Judæa I spent the rest of my years, always engaged in fastings, and the extremity of poverty itself, and the lowest circumstances; always by healthful admonitions applying the minds of men to the pursuit of genial uprightness, uniting with wholesome teaching many evident miracles: on which account impious Jerusalem, harassed by the raging cares of envy and cruel hatred, and blinded by madness, dared to seek for me, though innocent, by deadly punishment, a cruel death on the dreadful cross.
And if you yourself wish to discriminate these things more fully, and if it delights you to go through all my groans, and to experience griefs with me, put together the designs and plots, and the impious price of my innocent blood, and the pretended kisses of a disciple, and the insults and strivings of the cruel multitude; and, moreover, the blows, and tongues prepared for accusations. Picture to your mind both the witnesses, and the accursed judgment of the blinded Pilate, and the immense cross pressing my shoulders and wearied back, and my painful steps to a dreadful death.
Now survey me from head to foot, deserted as I am, and lifted up afar from my beloved mother. Behold and see my locks clotted with blood, and my blood-stained neck under my very hair, and my head drained with cruel thorns, and pouring down like rain from all sides a stream of blood over my divine face. Survey my compressed and sightless eyes, and my afflicted cheeks; see my parched tongue poisoned with gall, and my countenance pale with death. Behold my hands pierced with nails, and my arms drawn out, and the great wound in my side; see the blood streaming from it, and my perforated feet, and blood-stained limbs. Bend your knee, and with lamentation adore the venerable wood of the cross, and with lowly countenance stooping to the earth, which is wet with innocent blood, sprinkle it with rising tears, and at times bear me and my admonitions in your devoted heart.
Follow the footsteps of my life, and while you look upon my torments and cruel death, remembering my innumerable pangs of body and soul, learn to endure hardships, and to watch over your own safety. These memorials, if at any time you find pleasure in thinking over them, if in your mind there is any confidence to bear anything like my sufferings), if the piety due, and gratitude worthy of my labours shall arise, will be incitements to true virtue, and they will be shields against the snares of an enemy, aroused by which you will be safe, and as a conqueror bear off the palm in every contest.
If these memorials shall turn away your senses, which are devoted to a perishable world, from the fleeting shadow of earthly beauty, the result will be, that you will not venture, enticed by empty hope, to trust the frail enjoyments of fickle fortune, and to place your hope in the fleeting years of life. But, truly, if you thus regard this perishable world, and through your love of a better country deprive yourself of earthly riches and the enjoyment of present things, the prayers of the pious will bring you up in sacred habits, and in the hope of a happy life, amidst severe punishments, will cherish you with heavenly dew, and feed you with the sweetness of the promised good. Until the great favour of God shall recall your happy soul to the heavenly regions, your body being left after the fates of death. Then freed from all labour, then joyfully beholding the angelic choirs, and the blessed companies of saints in perpetual bliss, it shall reign with me in the happy abode of perpetual peace.
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| March 26th - St. Ludger |
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Posted by: Elizabeth - 02-07-2021, 02:49 PM - Forum: March
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Saint Ludger
First Bishop of Munster
(† 809)
Saint Ludger was born in Friesland (the Netherlands) about the year 743. His father, a nobleman of the first rank, at the child's own request, committed him very young to the care of Saint Gregory, Bishop of Utrecht, a disciple of Saint Boniface and his successor in the government of the see of Utrecht. Saint Gregory educated him in his monastery of Utrecht, and gave him the clerical tonsure.
Ludger, desirous of further religious studies, passed over into England, and spent four and a half years under Alcuin, Rector of a famous school at York. In 773 he returned home, and when Saint Gregory died in 776, his successor, Alberic, compelled Saint Ludger to receive the priesthood.
The new bishop employed him for several years in preaching the Word of God in Friesland, where he converted great numbers, founded several monasteries, and built many churches. The pagan Saxons then entered and ravaged the country, and drove out the missionaries. Saint Ludger traveled to Rome to consult Pope Adrian II as to what course he should take, and what he thought God required of him. He then retired for three and a half years to Monte Cassino to study Saint Benedict's Rule; there he wore the habit of the Order and conformed to its practices during his stay, but made no religious vows.
In 787, Charlemagne overcame the Saxons, conquering Friesland and the coast of the Germanic Ocean as far as Denmark. Saint Ludger was sent by the Emperor, who had heard of him, to evangelize the pagans of five districts; thus he returned into East Friesland, where he brought the Saxons to the Faith, with the province of Westphalia. He founded the monastery of Werden, twenty-nine miles from Cologne. In 802, Hildebald, Archbishop of Cologne, in spite of his strenuous resistance, ordained him Bishop of Munster. He joined to his diocese five cantons of Friesland which he had converted, and founded the monastery of Helmstad in the duchy of Brunswick.
Being accused to the Emperor Charlemagne of wasting his income and neglecting the embellishment of churches, that prince ordered him to appear at court. The Saint, when he was summoned before the Emperor, was at prayer, and told the messenger he would follow him as soon as he had finished his devotions. He was sent for three times before he was ready, and his delay was represented to the Emperor by the courtiers as contempt for his Majesty. The Emperor, with some emotion, asked Saint Ludger why he had made him wait so long, though he had sent for him often. The bishop answered that although he had the most profound respect for his Majesty, yet God was infinitely above him; that while we are occupied with Him, it is our duty to forget everything else. This answer made such an impression on Charlemagne that he dismissed him with honor and disgraced his accusers.
Saint Ludger was favored with the gifts of miracles and prophecy, but desired that these not be published. His last sickness did not hinder him from continuing his functions up to and including the last day of his life, which was Passion Sunday. On that day he preached very early in the morning, said Mass towards nine, and preached again before nightfall, in another town. He told those with him that he would die during the night, and indicated a place in his monastery of Werden where he wished to be interred. He died as he foretold, on March 26, 809.
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| March 25th - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
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Posted by: Elizabeth - 02-07-2021, 02:47 PM - Forum: March
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Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
This great festival takes its name from the happy tidings brought by the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin, announcing the Incarnation of the Son of God. It commemorates the most important embassy that was ever known, an embassy sent by the King of kings, and performed by one of the chief princes of His heavenly court, and directed, not to the great ones of this earth, but to a poor, unknown virgin who, being endowed with angelic purity of soul and body, and perfect humility and submission to God, was greater in His eyes than the mightiest monarch in the world.
When the Son of God became man, He could have taken our nature without the cooperation of any creature; but He was pleased to be born of a woman, the One announced in the third chapter of Genesis. In choosing Her whom He raised to this most sublime of all dignities, He was turning to the one maiden who, by the riches of His grace and virtues, was of all others the most holy and the most perfect. The purpose of this embassy of the Archangel was to give a Saviour to the world, a victim of propitiation to the sinner, a model to the just, a son to this Virgin who would remain a virgin, and a new nature to the Son of God — the nature of man, capable of suffering pain and anguish in order to satisfy God's justice for our transgressions.
When the Angel appeared to Mary and addressed Her, the Blessed Virgin was troubled; not at his coming, says Saint Ambrose, for heavenly visions and conversation with the blessed spirits had been familiar to Her, but what alarmed Her, he says, was the Angel's appearing in human form, in the shape of a young man. What added to her alarm on this occasion was his words of praise. Mary, guarded by her modesty, was in confusion before expressions of this sort, and dreaded even the shadow of deluding flattery. Such high commendations made her cautious, until in silence She had more fully considered the matter: She deliberated in her mind, says Saint Luke, what manner of salutation this could be.
The Angel, to calm her, said: Fear not, Mary, for Thou hast found favor before God. He then informed Her that She was to conceive a Son whose name would be Jesus, who would be great and the Son of the Most High, and possessed of the throne of David, Her illustrious ancestor. Mary, out of a just concern to know how she may comply with the will of God without prejudice to Her vow of virginity, inquired, How shall this be? Nor did She give Her consent until the heavenly messenger informed Her that it was to be a work of the Holy Spirit, who, in making Her fruitful, would not alter in the slightest Her virginal purity. In submission to God's will, without any further inquiries, She expressed Her assent in these humble but powerful words: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto Me according to thy word. What faith and confidence Her answer expressed! What profound humility and perfect obedience!
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| March 24th - St. Gabriel the Archangel |
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Posted by: Elizabeth - 02-07-2021, 02:44 PM - Forum: March
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Saint Gabriel the Archangel
The day before the great feast of the Annunciation, the Church celebrates the feast of the Archangel who brought to earth the glad tidings that Mary was chosen to be the Mother of the Incarnate God.
This angelic Messenger appears several times in the history of God's chosen people. He came to Daniel the prophet after he had a vision of the future Persian and Greek empires, to explain the vision to him, as Daniel narrates in the eighth chapter of his book. So great was the Archangel's majesty that the prophet fell on his face trembling.
The Angel of the Incarnation again appeared to the prophet to answer his prayer at the end of the exile, and advise him of the exact date of the future Redemption by the long-awaited Messiah.
When the fullness of time had come, Gabriel was sent several times as the harbinger of the Incarnation of the Most High God. First, to the Temple of Jerusalem, while Zachary stood at the altar of incense, to tell him that his wife Elizabeth would bring forth a son to be called John, who would prepare the way of the Lord. (Luke 1:17) Six months later the great Archangel again appeared, bearing the greatest message God ever sent to earth. Standing before the Blessed Virgin Mary, this great Archangel of God trembled with reverence as he offered Her the ineffable honor of becoming Mother of the Eternal Word. Upon Her consent, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. It was he, we can readily believe, who also fortified Saint Joseph for his mission as virginal father of the Saviour.
Gabriel rightly bears the beautiful name, the strength of God, manifesting in every apparition the power and glory of the Eternal. According to some of the Fathers of the Church, it was Saint Gabriel, Angel of the Incarnation, who invited the shepherds of Bethlehem to come to the Crib to adore the newborn God. He was with Jesus in His Agony, no less ready to be the strength of God in the Garden than at Nazareth and Bethlehem. Throughout Christian tradition he is the Angel of the Incarnation, the Angel of consolation, the Angel of mercy.
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| March 23rd - St. Victorian and Companions |
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Posted by: Elizabeth - 02-07-2021, 02:43 PM - Forum: March
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Saint Victorian and Companions
Martyrs
(† 484)
Huneric, the Arian king of the Vandals in Africa, succeeded his father Genseric in 477. He acted at first with moderation towards the Catholics of Carthage, but in 480 began a grievous persecution of the clergy and holy virgins, which in 484 became general. Vast numbers of Catholics were put to death.
Saint Victorian, at that time one of the principal lords of the kingdom, had been made governor of Carthage with the Roman title of Proconsul. He was the wealthiest subject of Huneric, who placed great confidence in him, and Victorian always behaved with inviolable fidelity. Now, however, when the king, after publishing his cruel edicts, sent him a message in which he promised, if Victorian would conform to his religion, to heap on him the greatest wealth and the highest honors which it was in the power of a prince to bestow, Victorian could not grant that request.
The Saint, who amid the glittering pomps of the world perfectly understood its emptiness, made this generous answer to the messenger: Tell the king that I trust in Christ. His Majesty may condemn me to any torments, but I shall never consent to renounce the Catholic Church, in which I have been baptized. Even if there were no life after this, I would never be ungrateful and perfidious to God, who has granted me the happiness of knowing Him, and bestowed on me His most precious graces. The tyrant became furious at this answer, and the tortures which he caused the Saint to endure cannot be imagined. Saint Victorian suffered them with joy, and amid them completed his glorious martyrdom.
The Roman Martyrology for this day joins with him four others who were crowned in the same persecution. Two of those who were apprehended for the faith were brothers who had promised each other to die together, if possible; and they begged of God, as a favor, that they might both suffer the same torments. The persecutors suspended them in the air with great weights at their feet. One of them, under the excess of pain, begged to be taken down for a little ease. His brother, fearing that this might move him to deny his faith, cried out from the rack, God forbid, dear brother, that you should ask such a thing. Is this what we promised to Jesus Christ? The other was so wonderfully encouraged that he cried out, No, no; I ask not to be released; increase my tortures, exert all your cruelties till they are exhausted upon me. They were then burned with red-hot iron plates, and tormented so long that the executioners finally left them, saying, Everyone follows their example; no one embraces our religion now. This they said seeing that although these two had been so long and so grievously tormented, there were no scars or bruises visible upon them.
Among many glorious confessors at that time, one Liberatus, an eminent physician, was sent into banishment with his wife. He only grieved to see his infant children torn from him. His wife checked his tears by these words: Think no more of them; Jesus Christ Himself will take care of them and protect their souls. In prison she was told that her husband had conformed, and when she met him at the bar before the judge, she reproached him in the court for having abandoned God. She learned from his answer, however, that a base lie had attempted to separate her from her holy faith and from eternal life.
Two merchants of Carthage, who both bore the name of Frumentius, suffered martyrdom about the same time. Twelve young children were dragged away by the persecutors, and cruelly scourged every day for many days; yet by God's grace every one of them persevered to the end of the persecution, firm in the faith.
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| March 22nd - St. Catherine of Sweden |
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Posted by: Elizabeth - 02-07-2021, 02:38 PM - Forum: March
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Saint Catherine of Sweden
Queen and widow, daughter of Saint Bridget
(1322-1381)
Saint Catherine was the daughter of Saint Bridget of Sweden and of Ulpho, Prince of Nericia, a region of the same land. The love of God seemed to hasten in her the use of her reason, and at seven years of age she was placed in the convent of Risburgh, to be educated in piety under the care of the holy abbess of that house. Being very beautiful, she was promised by her father in marriage to a young nobleman of great virtue; but the virgin persuaded her suitor to join with her in making a mutual vow of perpetual chastity. Listening to her discourses, the young man became desirous only for heavenly graces, and, to draw them down upon his soul in greater abundance, he readily acquiesced to the proposal. The happy couple, having but one heart and one desire, by a holy emulation encouraged each other to prayer, mortification, and works of charity.
After the death of her father, Saint Catherine, out of devotion to the Passion of Christ and to the relics of the martyrs, obtained her spouse's permission to join her mother in her well-known pilgrimages and practices of devotion and penance in Rome. She went to her there and they visited the tombs of the martyrs and the churches, and together practiced mortification and works of piety, caring for the sick in the hospitals. Not long afterward, Catherine's royal spouse died piously and then she found herself obliged to refuse numerous requests for her hand in marriage. When her mother died in 1373, she returned to Sweden, taking the mortal remains of Saint Bridget with her for burial. Catherine entered a monastery at Vatzan, where after a life of severe penance, she died on the 24th of March in 1381. For the last twenty-five years of her life Saint Catherine had purified her soul daily by the sacramental confession of her sins.
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| March 21st - St. Benedict |
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Posted by: Elizabeth - 02-07-2021, 02:34 PM - Forum: March
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Saint Benedict
Father of Western Monasticism
(480-543)
Saint Benedict, blessed by grace as his prophetic name seemed to foretell, was born of a noble Italian family in Umbria, in the year 480. As a boy he showed great inclination for virtue, and maturity in his actions. He was sent to Rome at the age of seven, to be placed in the public schools. At the age of fourteen, alarmed by the licentiousness of the Roman youth, he fled to the desert mountains of Subiaco, forty miles from Rome, and was directed by the Holy Spirit into a deep, craggy, and almost inaccessible cave, since known as the Holy Grotto. He lived there for three years, unknown to anyone save a holy monk named Romanus, who clothed him with the monastic habit and brought him food.
He was eventually discovered, when, one Easter day, God advised a priest who lived about four miles from there, to take food to His servant, who was starving. The priest searched in the hills and finally found the solitary, and they took their meal together. Some shepherds also knew of his retreat, and soon the fame of this hermit's sanctity began to spread. The demon persecuted him, but to no avail; when a temptation of the flesh assailed him, he rolled in a clump of thorns and nettles, and came out of it covered with blood but sound in spirit.
Disciples came to him, and under his direction, numerous monasteries were founded. The rigor of the rule he drew up, however, brought upon him the hatred of some of the monks, and one of them mixed poison with the Abbot's drink. When the Saint made the sign of the cross on the poisoned bowl, it broke and fell in pieces to the ground.
Saint Benedict resurrected a boy whose father pleaded for that miracle, saying Give me back my son! He replied, Such miracles are not for us to work, but for the blessed apostles! Why will you lay upon me a burden which my weakness cannot bear? But finally, moved by compassion, he prostrated himself upon the body of the child, and prayed: Behold not, O Lord, my sins, but the faith of this man, and restore the soul which Thou hast taken away! And the child rose up, and walked to the waiting arms of his father. When a monk lost the iron head of his axe in a river, the Abbot told him to throw the handle in after it, and it rose from the river bed to resume its former place.
Six days before his death, Saint Benedict ordered his grave to be prepared, then fell ill of a fever. On the sixth day he asked to be carried to the chapel, and, having received the sacred Body and Blood of Christ, with hands uplifted and leaning on one of his disciples, he calmly expired in prayer, on the 21st of March, 543.
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