Memorial of Saints (August 14)

St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe broadened the concept of Christian martyrdom to include "martyrs of charity" - that is, men and women who have died for Christ to save another person's life. A member of the Conventual Franciscans, Maximilian Kolbe was arrested during World War II for actively supporting Jewish refugees. He was sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. On July 31, in reprisal for a prisoner's escape, ten prisoners were randomly selected to die in place of the escaped prisoner. When one of those randomly chosen pleaded for his life because he had a wife and two children, St. Maximilian Kolbe offered his life in place of that man with a family. Maximilian Kolbe was executed together with others by being injected with carbolic acid (died 1941 A.D.).

St. Eusebius of Rome was a priest who opposed the Arian Emperor Constantius. He was imprisoned by the Arian authorities, in a small room of his house for seven months and eventually died there. Nothing more is known about Eusebius except that he lived in the 4th century A.D. and founded a church in Rome (died ca. 357 A.D.).

St. Marcellus of Apamea was a judge on the island of Cyprus before he became a bishop of Apamea, Syria. Emperor Theodosius the Great enacted an edict proclaiming that all pagan temples in the Empire were to be destroyed. St. Marcellus obeyed the edict and destroyed the pagan temples in his diocese. As a result, a group of pagans took hold of him and burned him to death (died ca. 389 A.D.).

St. Fachanan studied under St. Ita and founded the Molana Monastery on an island in the Blackwater. He also founded the monastic school of Ross (Rosscarbery), in Cook, Ireland. This monastic school became a famous center of monasticism in Ireland (died ca. 6th century A.D.).

St. Athanasia was widowed only 16 days after her marriage. Her husband was killed fighting the invading Arabs in Greece. She remarried, but her second husband wanted to become a monk after their marriage. On her part, St. Athanasia consented, and she then decided to be a nun. Using her home as a convent, she became abbess of a community of nuns. They soon moved their convent community to Timia. It was here in Timia that St. Athanasia spent her last years (died ca. 860 A.D.).

19th Sunday of the Year (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) Years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

August 10, 2014
Liturgical readings
1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13
Psalm 85
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:22-33

"Jesus at once stretched out His hand and caught Peter."

The name Jesus comes from the Aramaic "Yeshu" and the Hebrew "Jehoshua", which means "Yahweh is salvation" - or simply, "God saves". This Sunday's gospel shows the salvific nature of the name Jesus and His saving action in an actual incident. As Christ's disciples were out in sea in a boat, strong head winds suddenly tossed the boat with dangerous waves. In this scenario, Jesus walks to them across the water. At first the disciples were frightened - thinking that Jesus was a ghost. But the Lord spoke and reassured them. Then Peter wanted to go to Jesus by walking across the water. The Lord called out to him, and Peter began to walk on the water. But when Peter noticed the strength of the winds and the waves, he began to sink. Peter cried out from his distress and the Lord at once stretched out His hand to save him.

This passage in the gospel is memorialized in many images and reflections. One such reflection can be read from Bishop Fulton Sheen in his book "Life of Christ". Bishop Sheen writes about the many miracles of Jesus. He classifies the miracle of Jesus walking on the water as a miracle in the order of nature (miracles such as quelling of the storm at sea and making the winds His servants). But the greatest miracle Jesus performed is not in the order of nature, or in the moral order (the expulsion of evil spirits). The greatest miracles of Jesus are in the physical order (raising people from the dead and His Resurrection). This Sunday's gospel describes a miracle in the order of nature. Despite its lesser importance, it still invites all the faithful to hold on to the salvific power of Christ.

One can see the greatness of God in Christ - even with just this miracle of walking on the water and the saving of Peter. How great is the saving power of Christ! Like Peter, all the faithful want to go to Christ and walk in faith towards Him - especially in times of difficulties. But this faith to walk towards Christ will be a test. It is a test (so many times over) amidst troubles and difficulties - both small and big. As long as each one does not rely only on his own strength, but in humility, ask for God's help, God will surely save us. Jesus did not hesitate to prevent Peter from sinking, when Peter cried out to Him. God-in-Jesus saved Peter. In the same way, as each one can be distracted by any turbulence, thus weakening one's focus on God, only refocusing on Christ in prayer, faith and good works will prevent sinking into a moral or physical death. Focusing on God and His saving actions will reassure the faithful that in truth, Jesus is "God saves" in action.

Scripture quote:
"Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear God." (Psalm 85)

The New Man by Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton became a popular author in the 1960s with his book "The Seven Storey Mountain". His other book, "The New Man", are reflections on Christ, as the new man who saves all men and women from the sin of pride. Christ, the new man, saved mankind by His obedience to the Father's will. This is in contrast to Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God; for they did not do as God wanted in the garden of Eden.

The book "The New Man" is deep, but any philosophy or theology background can help in comprehending what the author intends. The book is an interesting read because Trappist monk and author Thomas Merton integrates his literary knowledge of Greek mythology within his reflections.

A brief introduction

The book is rich in insights. The reader will surely benefit and gain not only from one reading, but from re-readings of the material. A good prerequisite before reading "The New Man" is the author's popular book, "The Seven Storey Mountain". Reading the Seven Storey Mountain will give enough background to understand The New Man. It is in The New Man that the reader can find deeper truths in the Christian faith. Also, the reader will understand the life and spirituality of the Cistercians, specifically The Trappists - a stricter community of the Cistercians, to which the author belongs.

Uniqueness of the book

The book is unique, because the author integrates Greek mythology in his explanation of the "fall of man" from grace. He mentions Prometheus (a character in Greek mythology) stealing fire from Olympus, and bringing toil and sorrow into the world. Merton places the Prometheus story in parallel to the biblical story of Adam and Eve, who both disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit. It is by their sin that destruction, death and sin entered the world. To integrate Greek mythology into reflections on Christian faith is unique to Thomas Merton.

Chapters in the book

To get some idea of the contents of the book, the following list shows the chapter's titles:

• The War Within Us
• Promethean Theology
• Image and Likeness
• Free Speech [Parrhesia]
• Spirit in Bondage
• The Second Adam
• Life in Christ
• Sacramental Illumination
• Called Out of Darkness

The basic flow of the book

The book follows the core mysteries of the Catholic faith:

original sin and its inherited effects by succeeding generations;

Christ as the second Adam (the "new man") who obeyed God compared to the first Adam (the "old man") who disobeyed God;

mankind's salvation in Christ through obedience to God;

mankind's cleansing from the effects of original sin and succeeding sins through the sacraments of the Church;

and the Christian's life through following the teaching of the Church.