St. Louis-Marie de Montfort (Apr 28), St. Catherine of Siena (Apr 29)

St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort [April 28] and St. Catherine of Siena [April 29]

Two exemplary author-saints

In the past, a Saint's feast was celebrated on the birth date of the saint. Now, present liturgical practice celebrates it on the actual date of death. As an example, we now celebrate St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort and St. Catherine of Siena's feast days on April 28 and April 29, respectively. St. Louis-Marie passed away on April 28, 1716 A.D., while St. Catherine of Siena passed away on April 29, 1380 A.D. Not all the beatified and saints are placed in the liturgical calendar of the Church. Not all of them have their feast days celebrated in the Eucharist. Saints whose way of life have influenced the universal Church are placed in the Roman liturgical calendar, while those whose influence are more directed to a local culture, are celebrated by the local Church in their Masses.

St. Catherine of Siena as author

This saint has a remarkable story. She is known to be unlettered, and yet she has produced a lot of writings. This she achieved by dictating her spiritual messages to her followers. She is one of the six great patrons of Europe, known especially to have politically maneuvered the return of the papal seat to Rome [at a time when the Church was divided into two - with a pope in Rome and another pope at Avignon, France].


St. Catherine is known to have produced the spiritual classic, "The Dialogue". She also "wrote" many letters and prayers. "The Dialogue" is a good primary resource, but there is a good secondary resource that abstracts many of her writings, letters and prayers. This is the book written by Mary O'Driscoll, O.P., "Catherine of Siena: Passion for the Truth, Compassion for Humanity". This book contains selected spiritual writings of St. Catherine of Siena, complete with documentation, notes and references to the original works.

St. Catherine of Siena is also quoted many times in the Series, "The Saints' Guide Series". Much of what she said in relation to prayer is referenced in this series of books. Since St. Catherine lived in a time when the Church was divided, she found her calling to restore the Church's unity. She represented the ideal of Church unity very well. She expresses these well in her poems and prayers.

St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort as author

This saint is a rural missionary-priest in France who authored a work that has influenced one of the great religious leaders of our millenium, St. John Paul II. The work that St. Louis-Marie has written is the "True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin". St. Louis-Marie wrote the book to make his readers understand that true devotion to Mary is one that leads to Christ. He completes this writing with a consecratory formula for all who wish to consecrate themselves to Jesus through the spirit of Mary. This book is contained in a single compendium of his other writings: "God Alone".


Like St. Catherine of Siena, Montfort wrote a lot of prayers and letters. Since Montfort was more lettered than St. Catherine, he had the opportunity to write more books - including the popular "Secret of the Rosary", "Secret of Mary" and the beautifully written treatise, "The Love of Eternal Wisdom". The spiritual insight or intuition that is unique in his spirituality is his perception of Mary as truly highly favored by God. According to him, Mary received such a plenitude of grace that God had to "ask her consent" to be the Mother of Jesus - that the world may be saved from sin. The great mystery that captivates Montfort and leaves him awestruck, is the mystery of an all-powerful, all-knowing, omnipotent and omniscient God asking a simple and humble maiden from Nazareth to be the Mother of God.

Summary:

Two saints, two important messages. St. Catherine of Siena teaches all the faithful the importance of unity. Her whole life of just 33 years was spent in the cause of unity in the Church. Without her work, both in writing and in political activity, the Roman Church would probably have been divided since her era. As for St. Louis-Marie, his message is also important. He teaches that not all devotions to Mary are genuine. This is an important for Marian devotion. Without St. Louis-Marie's qualifying standards for a true and genuine devotion to Mary, Marian devotion would have deteriorated and many Catholics would lose their belief in the significant role God has given the Blessed Mother in the history of salvation.

Related resources:

• Montfort, A Prophet for Our Times, by Benedetta
  Papàsogli


• The Man Who Came Up from the Wind, by Benedetta
  Papàsogli


• Light, Wind and Water, by J. Patrick Gaffney, smm


• Make Way for Jesus Christ, Marcel Gendrot, smm, editor


• Doctors of the Church


• Litany of St. Louis-Marie de Monfort

The Messianic Secret in the Gospel of St. Mark the Evangelist

What is the Messianic Secret?

The Messianic secret is a theological characteristic of the Gospel of Mark

Jesus did not want His identity known

In the very first chapter of Mark, as Jesus was performing miracles and driving away demons, He did not permit the unclean spirits to speak. These unclean spirits knew who Jesus was [as the Holy One of God][Mark 1:34]. Jesus drove out these unclean spirits who would fall down before him and shout, "You are the Son of God." Jesus warned them not to make him known [Mark 3:12]. Other examples in the gospel is the story of Jairus' daughter raised from the dead [Mark 5:43]. Another incident is the healing of the Blind Man of Bethsaida. After healing the blind man, Jesus sent him home and said, "Do not even go into the village." [Mark 8:26]

The Messianic secret is part of the way Mark constructs his gospel

Bible scholars teach that the pivotal and key passage of the gospel of Mark is found in the confession of Peter in Mark 8:27-33. Before Peter confession, Mark leaves us in a state of mystery as to the identity of Jesus. It was this key passage at Caesarea Philippi when Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ that clearly confirms Jesus as the Messiah. It needs to be noted that though the identity of Jesus was clearly confirmed among his apostles, Jesus still warns them not to tell anyone about Him. And as the gospel of Mark slowly unfolds, one can understand why Jesus did not want Himself to be fully known as the Messiah. One reason was because His being a Messiah is not according to what the apostles and the Jewish people know a Messiah should be. Yes, he was the Messiah as exclaimed by Peter, but his being a Messiah involved suffering and great hardship. [This was in opposition to the expectation of the Jewish people who believe that the Messiah is a political figure - one who will deliver them from their colonizers]. Peter himself did not understand at first though he correctly exclaimed the truth. Peter was also thinking along the same lines as the Jewish people. Therefore, the Messianic secret was constructed by the evangelist Mark to make his readers gradually perceive who Jesus is and what his Messiahship involves and entails.

The Messianic secret partly revealed in Peter's confession is further revealed by Jesus' three predictions of his passion and his teaching on discipleship

Jesus slowly reveals that his being a Messiah is a call to be the suffering servant of God. This is backed up by Jesus announcing three times how he must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, condemned to die on the cross, and rise after three days [Mark 8:31; 9:31; and 10:32-34]. Three predictions of the passion were given after that pivotal and key passage of the confession of Peter. This is the development of the meaning of Jesus being the Messiah: from the politically-influenced concept known by the people of Israel, to the real meaning of Messiah as the suffering servant of God. This also has an implication to the life of the apostles: since Jesus taught that his being a Messiah involved great suffering and rejection from the people, He says that those who follow him also need to take up the conditions of discipleship: one that involves service, self-denial, taking up one's cross and giving one's life for others to gain eternal life.

The Messianic secret is totally lifted at the end of the Gospel

During the account of the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, the titles 'Christ', 'Son of God', and 'Son of Man' are brought together. These titles slowly moves into the full revelation of the Messianic secret in the gospel of Mark. The full revelation of this Messianic secret is found in the centurion confession at the foot of the Cross. When the centurion who stood facing Jesus at the cross saw how Jesus breathed His last, the centurion exclaimed, "Truly this man was the Son of God!" [Mark 15:39]. In summary, this is how the Messianic secret was revealed: First was Peter's confession. Second were the three predictions of Christ's passion and death, together with the conditions of discipleship for the apostles. Third and last was the centurion's confession. The Messianic secret is: Jesus is not a glorious King who will save Israel from its oppressors; rather, He is the suffering servant [prophesied by Isaiah] who will die on a cross but rise again to save mankind from its sins.

What does the Messianic secret have to do with our Christian living?

Oftentimes, in every Christian's life, the sacrifice that Christ has made for all is taken for granted. The faithful forget that Jesus did this at a great cost - by His suffering and death on the cross. But, Christ has revealed to us that sin and death are not the end realities of man. It is only the beginning of new life in His name. Therefore, in the journey of living as Christians, every experience of difficulty must be seen in the light of Christ's life. Christians are called to see the difficulties of their state in the light of the cross of Christ. But this should be seen in the context of His resurrection. Human suffering and death is not the end. Eternal life with Christ is the end. As Jesus the Son of God suffered, died and rose again from the dead, all who have place their faith and hope in Him, shall also overcome sin and death, and rise again with Christ to eternal life and glory in His kingdom.

Memorial of Saints (April 24)

St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen was highly educated in philosophy, civil and canon law. Ordained a priest in 1610 A.D., he joined the Franciscan Capuchins in 1612 A.D. Noted to be a good preacher and minister to the sick, he was killed during a mission to the Zwinglians in Switzerland. Martyred for the Christian faith, Fidelis was canonized in 1746 A.D. (died ca. 1622 A.D.).

St. Benedict Menni was ordained a priest in 1866 A.D. He began the work of restoring the Hospitaller Order in Spain and Portugal. Then he founded the Congregation of Hospitaller Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Gifted with leadership and organizational abilities, he created 22 centers - homes for the poor and general hospitals (died ca. 1914 A.D.).

St. Mellitus of Canterbury was abbot of St. Andrew's monastery. He then left the monastery to lead a group of missionaries to help St. Augustine in England. Mellitus worked in England for three years and was able to baptize the King of the East Saxons. After a dispute with the King's sons, Mellitus was exiled to France. But he was able to return to England and was even named archbishop of Canterbury in 619 A.D. (died ca. 624 A.D.).

St. Ivo is traditionally known to have been a Persian bishop who left Persia with three companions. The four of them went to England where Ivo decided to live as a recluse. A skeleton that was unearthed near Ramsey Abbey in 1001 A.D. is believed to be the remains of St. Ivo. There is no specific date or year recorded for his death.

St. Egbert was an English monk at Lindisfarne. He traveled to Ireland where he made additional studies until he was ordained. At Iona, he was successful in persuading the monks to adopt the Roman liturgy instead of their Celtic liturgical practices. Egbert was known for his holiness and learning. British historian Bede reports St. Egbert to have been a bishop (died ca. 729 A.D.).

St. William Firmatus pursued a military career and studied medicine. In response to a vision he received, he became a recluse with his mother. After his mother's death, he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and then returned to his eremitical life at Vitre, Savigny and Mantilly. He made a second pilgrimage to Jerusalem and then spent his last years back at Mantilly. St. William was held in high regard by his holiness and Franciscan-like rapport with animals (died ca. 1090 A.D.).

St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier was originally a member of the Institute of Our Lady of Charity - founded by St. John Eudes in 1641 A.D. After some time, Mary Euphrasia felt the call to found another religious community - one that would be dedicated to working with wayward girls. She thus founded the Institute of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd at Angers, France. By the time of her death, there were almost 3,000 members of the Institute in different parts of the world (died ca. 1868 A.D.).