32nd Sunday of the Year (C)

Sunday Readings for Your Reflection: Liturgical Years 2011 (A), 2012 (B), and 2013 (C)

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Liturgical readings
2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14
Psalm 17
2 Thessalonians 2:16 - 3:5
Luke 20:27-38

The Lord: the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob.



Some Sadducees came forward


(the ones who claim
there is no resurrection)


to pose this problem
to Jesus:


"Master,
Moses prescribed
that if a man's brother dies
leaving a wife and no child,
the brother should marry the widow
and raise posterity to his brother.


Now there were seven brothers.


The first one married
and died childless.


Next,
the second brother
married the widow,


then the third,


and so on.


All seven died
without leaving her
any children.


Finally
the widow herself died.


At the resurrection,
whose wife will she be?


Remember,
seven married her."


Jesus said to them:


"The children of this age marry
and are given in marriage,


but those judged worthy of a place
in the age to come
and of resurrection from the dead
do not.


They become like angels
and are no longer liable to death.


Sons of the resurrection,
they are sons of God.


Moses in the passage about the bush
showed that the dead rise again
when he called the Lord


        the God of Abraham,
        and the God of Isaac,
        and the God of Jacob.


God is not the God of the dead
but of the living.


All are alive for him."

Verses from the Sunday Readings:
"The king and his attendants marveled at the young man's courage." (2 Maccabees)
"Hide me in the shadow of your wings." (Psalm 17)
"Paul prays: 'May our Lord console your hearts and strengthen them for every good work and word." (2 Thessalonians)
"The Lord says: 'God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.'" (Luke 20)

Reading the Lives of the Saints

Reading the Lives of the Saints

Introduction

The Saints have similar life-patterns in praying, performing penance and conversion experiences in the history of the Church. Though few are gifted with spiritual maturity at a very young age (like St. Catherine of Siena), many began with worldly or sinful lives in their youth. But after a conversion experience they followed a way of life that was virtuous and exemplary - one rooted in the love of Christ and His Church. Their conversion experience was a turning point experience that often is unforgettable, and very memorable because of a personal encounter with God. This experience began their spiritual journey to a greater love of Scriptures, the Sacraments and the members of the Church, especially the sick, the poor, the uneducated, and the homeless.

The study of the lives of the Saints is called hagiography. Two definitions in Microsoft Encarta Dictionary define hagiography as: [1] biography dealing with the lives of saints; and [2] biography that shows undue reverence. In the early centuries of Christianity, it was the monks who studied the lives of the Saints; many of them were hagiographers. But now, in our modern age, there are scholars who make analytical studies of the Saints' lives - using the social sciences, such as depth psychology (as in the study of the life of St. Benedict of Nursia). They also consider socio-historical methods as tools to understand extraordinary spiritual phenomenon, or literary form analysis to study the Saints' mystical writings.

In the stories of the Saints, especially those that have been written traditionally, it must be noted that many of these were written for pious reasons (to engender faith in its readers), thus being judged by modern readers as having no historical basis in fact. That is why we may be surprised if what was written about them were really true - in the scientific sense or context we have been trained to think. But, we have to respect the piety of the historical era in which that Saint lived and did his mission. Also, we are called to respect the same piety by which the writers have recorded the Saints' biographies. In our modern society, where we are already educated with scientific knowledge and technological tools, we are called understand this pious context of the past with an educated faith and reason that gives also space for mystery and the powers of a soul gifted by God. For even in the age of machine learning and artificial intelligence, there is still so much to be known and cannot be known (as ML and AI has not fathomed the entire universe yet, nor the depths of the human soul till the end of time). Science and mystery is a gift God gives to us so that we can balance our way of work and life (giving attention also to the spiritual needs of humanity). Miracles happened in the past. They happen now. And they can still happen in the future. Concrete examples of miracles in the past are the stigmata of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (died 1968) and St. Francis of Assisi. Also to mention are the aerial flights of St. Joseph of Cupertino and bilocations of St. Martin de Porres. And not to mention the many Saints who have been the sources of many healings, exorcisms, and conversions.

But it is not the Saints' miracles that are primary for faith. It is the way they lived the charity and mercy of Christ in their lives. And also the justice of Christ, as in the life of St. Thomas More. The Saints' miracles are only supplementary to the miracle and the mystery of God in His Son Jesus. What we are called to believe is that each Saint exemplified a pattern of prayer, or ministry, which Christ Himself first did - as recorded in the gospels. The Saints applied Christ's way of praying and mission to their particular historical period and culture. Some Saints were given by the Lord with extraordinary spiritual gifts because they are to be instruments of His healing power, miracles and supernatural wonders. Our attention must go beyond the seemingly impossible feat that a saint can do, and look deep within to a God who made that Saint's life-story the "face", the "body", the "hands", the "feet" of Jesus for his or her time, or country (like Mother Teresa of Calcutta). God calls the Saints in order that the Church may grow in faith and charity not only for their particular historical period, but especially after their earthly life when they are elevated to the altar in canonization. They embody "Jesus" for the whole Church, the world and for all time.

Common life patterns among the lives of the saints

Every saint has his or her own unique story, but in reading their life histories, one will discover these common traits:

• 1. a conversion experience where there is a turning away from a former life;
• 2. a period of intense prayer and solitude accompanied often by a withdrawal from the busy world;
• 3. a period of intense apostolic activity that involves great works of charity - with some performing miracles and wonders;
• 4. experiences of persecution and suffering as a result of this apostolic work;
• 5. death by sickness, consumption, exhaustion due to penances or martyrdom

1. Conversion experience

There are inspiring conversion stories that line up our history of Christian heroes. Think of St. Francis of Assisi who went home sick from battle with a fever. After his terrible fever, he suddenly changed his behavior to the Poverello of Assisi. Think also of St. Ignatius of Loyola who was a soldier hit by a cannonball on his right knee. While convalescing in the castle of his family, he was given Thomas a' Kempis "The Imitation of Christ" and a volume of Voraigne's on the life of the saints. From then on, he resolved to turn away from his earthly soldier life to become a soldier of Christ the King. Think also of St. Augustine of Hippo. How he turned away from his pursuit of worldly wisdom and his life of unchastity to a life in Christ - inspired by the leadership of St. Ambrose and the incessant prayers of his mother, St. Monica. Not to forget St. Teresa of Avila who began as a 'worldly' religious before she became a reformer of her Order. Also consider St. Thomas a Beckett who was fond of wine, women and song, before he took seriously his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury. From then on, he lived an austere monastic life and often wore a hairshirt for penance.

2. Prayer, solitude, withdrawal from the busy world

St. Benedict of Nursia is reported to have entered a cave in Subiaco to live a life of solitude and prayer. St. Ignatius of Loyola also entered a cave in Manresa where he discovered the movements of the Spirit and wrote a book for discerning the movements of the spirits in our spiritual life. Then there is St. Anthony Abbot, a.k.a. St. Anthony of the Desert. He entered an empty castle for 20 years and then when he came forth from the castle, people exclaimed how he had not changed a bit in those 20 years. He had such a remarkable calm and equanimity in him that could not be disturbed by the noise around him. After their conversion, many of these Saints continued their life of prayer and founded communities who also valued prayer and work. They formed communities in the desert or on the top of the mountains.

3. Apostolic and missionary activity

After encountering God, withdrawing into solitude, and learning to be in union with Him in prayer and work, the majority of these saints returned to the world with a remarkable zeal and burst of energy to evangelize others. St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Jesuit Order for the purpose of Catholic education. St. Benedict of Nursia founded the great monasteries of Europe that influenced many to follow his Rule up to now. St. Francis of Paola, the wonder-worker hermit, also founded an association of hermits called Minims. St. Teresa of Avila was a zealous reformer of the Carmelite Order.

4. Experiences of persecution and suffering

As a result of their zealous works, some of these saints had political conflicts with the Church's authorities or with the members of their own religious communities. St. Ignatius of Loyola was put under the Inquisition because what he wrote in his book, The Spiritual Exercises, was new and not yet part of the tradition of the Church. St. Teresa of Avila suffered the rebukes from some Church authorities because she wanted to improve the spirit of her Order, making it stricter. Other saints suffered in different ways. St. Alphonsus Liguouri was expelled as the superior general of the congregation he himself founded! St. John of the Cross was imprisoned by his own community of brothers! These stories attest to the fact that as they chose Christ, they also shared in the Cross of Christ in their lives.

5. Death

We do not have to go into the many details of how some of the saints have died a martyr's death. The martyrology of the Church gives witness to the gift of courage and fortitude that many of these saints have shown. Although martyrdom is the best witness to Christ, the majority of the saints simply suffered by patiently enduring whatever opposition or sickness they received from preaching the gospel. The deaths of many these saints were remarkable. Those who were martyred were figures of great Christian courage. People rushed to grab the bones of these early Christian martyrs because they believed that those relics have the power of God in them to heal and to grant intercession.

Summary

The common life pattern we see in the lives of the saints is due to the truth that they have followed faithfully the life and mission of Jesus. We are called to respect and revere them because they help us to see what was important in Christian evangelization during the era in which they lived. They truly applied the life and mission of the Lord in the time and culture they were called to evangelize. As we read more into the lives and biographies of these Saints we will discover how each one particularly emphasized a charism of Jesus that is needed for their specific generation, for the historical period and culture in which they were called to embody the values of the gospel.

St. Martin de Porres (feast November 3) and Other Missionary-Saints to the Americas

Introduction

This blog post features five missionary saints to the New World: St. Martin de Porres and St. Turibius de Mogrovejo in Lima, Peru; St. Peter Claver in Colombia; St. Marguerite Bourgeoys in Montreal, Canada; and St. John Neumann in the United States of America.

St. Martin de Porres

Canonized by Pope John XXIII in 1962, St. Martin de Porres was a humble black Dominican lay brother born in Lima, Peru, on November 9, 1579. He was the illegitimate son of John de Porres, a Spanish knight, and Anna Velasquez, a freed black slave from Panama.

At fifteen years of age, Martin became a Dominican tertiary, and then nine years later, he took the vows of a Dominican lay brother at the Convent of the Rosary. After his vows, Martin embarked on an incredible mission of charity to the poor in Lima, Peru. Thousands thronged to him for spiritual counseling and prayer. Miracles, visions, and penitential practices were attributed to him. He is reputed to have been gifted with many supernatural gifts: bilocation and aerial flights. Stories also abound that he was so kind even to rats. When Martin de Porres died at Rosary Convent on November 3, 1639, the people already acclaimed him a saint. His formal canonization, however, took place centuries later. He is known as the patron saint of interracial justice.

St. Turibius of Mogrovejo

St. Turibius was the first archbishop of Lima, Peru. Born at Mayorga in Spain, he died in Peru on March 23, 1605, and was canonized in 1726. Turibius was a lay professor of law at the University of Salamanca. It was quite unusual at the time that he was appointed first a principal judge of the Court of the Inquisition at Granada, and then named archbishop of Lima. Despite his objections, and the fact that he was a layman, he was ordained and consecrated, and sent to Peru in 1581.


St. Turibius was also called the "Bishop on Horseback". It is estimated that he baptized five hundred thousand and confirmed eight hundred thousand people. His twenty-five years as archbishop were full of many accomplishments: numerous churches built, religious houses founded, schools, hospitals, and roads built during his administration. In 1591, he also founded the first seminary in the New World.


After many years of unremitting missionary work, St. Turibius fell ill at Pacasmayo. When he knew he would soon die, he wrote his will, gave his personal belongings to his servants, and the rest of his property he distributed to the poor. He died at the age of sixty-eight.

St. Peter Claver, SJ

Peter Claver was born at Verdu in Catalonia, Spain, in 1580. After studying in Barcelona, he took his vows as a Jesuit in 1600 at Tarragona. After being sent to the Jesuit College in Parma at Majorca, he began to doubt his vocation. However, the saintly old hall-porter of the College, St. Alphonsus Rodriguez, gave him wise counsel and helped him overcome his nervousness at being a priest. St. Alphonsus spoke to him of the need for missionaries in the New World.


In 1610, St. Peter Claver was sent to Cartagena, a seaport in what is now Colombia. Ordained a priest in 1616, he began a thirty-three year heroic career of caring for the spiritual life of the black slaves. These slaves suffered incredible cruelties and indignation from the profitable slave trade that exploited them. But Peter Claver would distract those who exploited them, made them stand back, as he bustled among the slaves with fruit, bandages, medicine, and brandy. He would do this for many years: waiting for the slave-ships to come into port, attend to the needs of the slaves, baptize the dying, and wash and feed the sick.


By 1650, St. Peter Claver had become old. There was a plague that ravaged Havana and the nearby areas. Peter and the other Jesuits helped many who were struck down. Unfortunately, Peter also caught the disease. Though he recovered, he was weakened by the effects of the illness. After four years of physical deterioriation, Peter Claver died on September 8, 1654, the feast of Mary's birth, in Cartagena. He was canonized in 1888 and named the official patron of those who bring the Gospel to the black race.

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys was canonized in October 31, 1982 by Pope John Paul II. She was the foundress of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal. Born in 1620 in the Champagne district of France, Marguerite was first a member of a congregation of women who taught poor children in Troyes. However, one day, at a direct invitation of the governor, she migrated to Montreal, Canada on June 20, 1653. After arriving in Montreal, she founded a few houses and a fort to guard the colonists against the Iroquois Indians. Her work led to the establishment of a school system that eventually extended to the whole country. She also organized a group of women who taught in the colony and formed it into the Congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1653.


There is a story that tells how St. Marguerite passed away. On the night of December 31, 1699, the sisters of her congregation were called to pray at the deathbed of a young mistress of novices. Marguerite was said to have uttered a prayer: "Lord, why not take me instead of this poor sister who can still do great things for you?" That night, St. Marguerite became critically ill with a high fever. Twelve days later, she died. The young mistress of novices, who was on the verge of death, however survived.

St. John Neumann

St. John Neumann was born in Bohemia, the Czech Republic, in 1811. He earnestly desired to dedicate himself to the missions in America, and so was sent to the United States while still a seminarian. It was in New York in the year 1836 where he was ordained a priest. He worked for four years among the German immigrants in the area near Buffalo. In 1840, he entered the Redemptorist Congregation and became a travelling preacher. He was also appointed Bishop of Philadelphia - establishing new seminaries, churches, and schools. Each year, he visited the parishes and mission stations of his diocese, expressing well his pastoral concern for the spiritual welfare of his people.


St. John Neumann is the first North American male saint. He ministered to the sick, was kind to the poor, became a friend to sinners, and known to symbolize well the love for the poor mentioned in the Beatitudes. At first, after examining his candidacy for sainthood, his cause was put on hold in 1912. Many doubted his "heroic virtue": he was "too ordinary" to be a saint. But in 1921 Pope Benedict XV and a board of cardinals listened again to the pleas for his elevation to sainthood. And a story tells that before this meeting of the pope and the cardinals, the main opponent to Neumann's candidacy to sainthood collapsed and died in a barber's chair.


This case of St. John Neumann set a precedent for the future judgment of possible saints. Pope Benedict XV said: "Even the most simple works, performed with constant perfection in the midst of inevitable difficulties, spell heroism in any servant of God."