Feast Day: February 1^st | Bishop, Martyr, Apostolic Father| Patronage: Church in Northern Africa, in Middle East, in Eastern Mediterranean | Attributes: Attired as a Bishop, in chains, surrounded by lions

I have written on St. Ignatius of Antioch twice before, so I will not attempt another variation on his biography, but I direct your eyes to our stained glass window depicting his martyrdom in the Roman arena, and I direct your mind and heart to his words written the Christians in Smyrna around the year 110 AD, probably shortly before his martyrdom.

Let no one be deceived; even things in heaven and the glory of the angels, and the rulers visible and invisible, even for them there is a judgment if they do not believe on the blood of Christ. “He that receiveth let him receive.” Let not office exalt anyone, for faith and love is everything, and nothing has been preferred to them. But mark those who have strange opinions concerning the grace of Jesus Christ which has come to us, and see how contrary they are to the mind of God. For love they have no care, none for the widow, none for the orphan, none for the distressed, none for the afflicted, none for the prisoner, or for him released from prison, none for the hungry or thirsty.

St. Ignatius, just one generation after the Apostles, here upholds the true identity of Christ as both fully and fully divine. He writes in warning against Docetism (a variation on Gnosticism, both of those heresies scorning the God-given dignity and purpose of our bodies, and thus the reality of Christ’s Body). Ignatius knows the ramifications of such a doctrine do not just tinker with our understanding of Christ (and whether He actually saves us, body and soul!), but enter deeply into our own lives, and bodies. If our bodies have not been washed with Christ’s Blood, we will be incapable of authentic Christian charity. If charity is absent, Christ is absent.

They abstain from Eucharist and prayer, because they do not confess that the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ who suffered for our sins, which the Father raised up by his goodness. They then who deny the gift of God are perishing in their disputes; but it were better for them to have love, that they also may attain to the Resurrection. It is right to refrain from such men and not even to speak about them in private or in public, but to give heed to the prophets and especially to the Gospel, in which the Passion has been revealed to us and the Resurrection has been accomplished. But flee from divisions as the beginning of evils.

Recall that the Church invokes St. Ignatius during the Nobis Quoque prayer of the Roman Canon. The priest had just beaten his breast, declaring his own sinfulness before God (and by extension the sins of all the Church) and begging His mercy that we might be brought into fellowship with the Apostles and Martyrs including St. Ignatius. Sin is only a block to unity if it is not forgiven! That prayer concludes with those tremendous words, spoken with Christ’s Flesh and Blood resting before us on the altar: “admit us, we beseech you, into their company, not weighing our merits, but granting us your pardon.”The fact is that God has admitted us to the company of the saints – in Christ – and pardons us that we might be brought into even greater Holy Communion just moments later.

See that you all follow the bishop, as Jesus Christ follows the Father, and the presbytery as if it were the Apostles. And reverence the deacons as the command of God. Let no one do any of the things appertaining to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop, or by one whom he appoints. Wherever the bishop appears let the congregation be present; just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful either to baptize or to hold an “agapé” [early Christian reference to the Eucharistic meal] without the bishop; but whatever he approve, this is also pleasing to God, that everything which you do may be secure and valid. [St. Ignatius, “Letter to Smyrnians”, paragraphs 6-8.]

Finally – after charity, and sanctity – Ignatius emphasizes a third necessity that comes from Christ’s real presence among us: unity. I think we all want these things! Charity, Sanctity, Unity … they are pithy, church-ey, words for sure, but ones that relate directly to our innate desires for kindness, respect, and peace … and perhaps our culture’s desire for tolerance, transparency, and harmony. What Ignatius is getting at is the bedrock truth that we will only find superficial versions of these graces without Christ. And though Our Lord’s grace is not cheap, it is worth seeking and finding. 

– Fr. Dominic Rankin does not sign his name with a cross (+) before it, as that practice has for centuries been the mark of a bishop. But early in the Church many priests would place a cross next to their name. This mark certainly was meant to show their union with Christ’s bodily sacrifice on the cross, but surprisingly this was also the first letter of the Greek word “tapeinós”[ταπεινός], meaning “humble” or “sinner”, that key word from the nobis quoque when the priest publicly proclaims his sinfulness to Christ. (Sometimes, especially in Latin documents, a priest would write out the entire word “peccator” before his name.)

Before jumping back into our reflections on the Lord’s Prayer, I have a quick correction to make to last week’s bulletin article.  I attributed a quote to St. Augustine about the Lord’s Prayer being the “most perfect of prayers” and that the petitions proposed by Jesus in this prayer express “all the things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired.” (CCC 2763)  In fact, this quote came from another theological giant – St. Thomas Aquinas!  As I went to where St. Thomas wrote this in his Summa Theologiae, he actually references St. Augustine!  Nevertheless, my apologies to St. Thomas, though I have no doubt he would be flattered to be confused with St. Augustine!

The point made by St. Thomas, rooted in the thought of St. Augustine, that the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer express all we should rightly (as opposed to inordinate desires) is key to our appreciating the Lord’s Prayer.  Spending time reflecting on each of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer can be a very fruitful spiritual exercise.  But in the interest of space and time, I will only make a few comments in my articles for the next two weeks.

The first point I would like to reflect on comes from another teaching that Jesus offers on prayer, found later in the Sermon on the Mount in chapter 7 where Jesus says: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” (Mt 7:7–8) With this teaching, the Lord is inviting us to be persistent in our petitions to Him.  We do not simply ask Him for something just once, we keep on asking.  That continual knocking in prayer is not to be understood as a way of convincing God to give us what we want.  Rather, our persistence in prayer helps to strengthen our desire for what the Lord already, in His loving Providence, desires to give us.  Sometimes He seems to remain inattentive to our petitions when we pray, but that silence is a preparation that our hearts need so that we can receive His gifts in the way that is best suited to our well-being, and ultimately, our salvation.

Now, as this relates to the Lord’s Prayer, since the petitions proposed by Jesus are the perfect set of petitions, this prayer should be one of the go-to ways by which we approach the Lord.  For sure, this means praying the entire prayer with faith, but we can also take individual petitions from the Lord’s Prayer and use them as a prayer in themselves, repeating them over and over, like a person knocking on the door.

Let me give you an example of what this might look like.  Perhaps we are praying that the Lord will bring an end to a difficulty we have been having.  Let’s say it is a bodily pain we have.  Our prayer might sound something like: “Please, heal me of this affliction.  Take this pain away from me.”  Knowing that the Lord’ Prayer offers us those perfect petitions, we can add: “but thy will be done!”  We ask, seek, and knock, but in the end, we trust in God’s will for us, which is always better than what our will desires.  Perhaps being freed from our suffering is the Lord’s will.  Great!  But even if it is not, we know that the Lord, in permitting our suffering, has something even greater in store for us through His Providence.  How do we know this?  Listen to a few verses later in Matthew 7: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Mt 7:11)  Remember that we always begin the Lord’s Prayer with the words: “Our Father.”  We are His beloved children, upon whom He delights to give us good things when we ask Him, good things according to His most perfect and loving will for us.  So ask, seek, and knock in prayer with confidence, always concluding with that great petition of trust in the Father: “thy will be done!”

Father Alford     

When was the first building that we would consider a Catholic church built? Not a converted home or pagan temple, but a church dedicated the worship of Jesus Christ. – Joe Kessler 

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the oldest Christian church was built between 293 and 303 in Jordan. Here is what their website says about it:

The oldest known purpose-built Christian church in the world is in Aqaba, Jordan. Built between 293 and 303, the building pre-dates the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel, and the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, West Bank, both of which were constructed in the late 320s. The church is the first purpose-built Christian church discovered from the period before Christianity found favour with the Roman imperial government. It even pre-dates the greatest of all the Roman anti-Christian persecutions, that of Diocletian in 303-313. The church, the ruins of which were excavated in 1998, is in the form of an east-west oriented basicila, with apse and aisles. It also had a narthex and chancel. Excavation has unearthed walls up to 4.5m 14ft 9in high. During its first phase the church would have held about 60 worshipers; it was later extended to hold about 100. The building appears to have been abandoned during the presecution of 303-311, then refurbished between 313 and 330. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 363.

There was a sort of “in-between” stage in which Christians set aside or remodeled houses for the exclusive purpose of praying and worshiping God. Christianitytoday.com tells us

Unless claims for recent discoveries of early Christian meeting places are confirmed, the earliest building certainly devoted to Christian use is at Dura Europos on the Euphrates River in eastern Roman Syria. It was a house that came into Christian possession and was remodeled in the 240s. Two rooms were combined to form the assembly room, and another room became a baptistery—the only room decorated with pictures. Dura was destroyed by the Sassanian Persians in 256, so the house’s use as a church was short-lived.

The church’s house at Dura represents an intermediate stage between meeting in members’ houses or other suitable places, and constructing buildings specifically for church meetings. There are literary references to separate church buildings from the end of the second century and through the third century, but it is uncertain whether these were existing structures remodeled for church use, like the house at Dura, or new constructions. We have archaeological evidence of halls being built for church meetings at the end of the third and beginning of the fourth century. The great era of church buildings began with Constantine’s patronage of the church in the fourth century. He commissioned basilicas to signal his support of the new religion and to advertise his reign.

It is true that Constantine’s legalization of Christianity in 313 led to a widespread construction of churches. This is true for several reasons. First of all, before Christianity was legal, there would not be much effort to build a church that was destined to be destroyed in short order. Also, funding for churches would probably have been directed to a different purpose in the Church, given their challenges with persecution and poverty. St. Helen, Constantine’s mother, was also responsible for some prominent churches being built. She journeyed to the Holy Land and helped organize and pay for churches to be built at the site of the Nativity of Jesus, the Ascension of Jesus, and possibly at Calvary, where Jesus died and rose from the dead. It is also said that St. Helen discovered the true Cross of Christ, which was still nearby the place of crucifixion. 

We are certainly blessed with many amazing churches as Catholics, including right here in Springfield! Our Cathedral, the chapel at the Evermode Institute, and Blessed Sacrament are all amazing places to pray and experience a special closeness to God through beauty. It is fitting that the largest church in the world is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, built over the tomb of St. Peter, who was the leader of the Apostles of Christ. 

Feast Day: January 21^st | Virgin and Martyr| Patronage: all Girls, Virgins, those seeking Purity and Chastity, Betrothed Couples, Gardeners, Victims of Sexual Abuse, City of Rome | Attributes: girl with long hair, pictured with a Lamb, holding the martyrs palm, sometimes with a sword at her feet.

Last week we got to know the beloved, and little, virgin and martyr of Rome, St. Agnes. Let us recall St. Ambrose’s reverential words preaching on her example of Christian virginity (and continue on further into his beautiful homily):

Today is the birthday of a virgin; let us imitate her purity. It is the birthday of a martyr; let us offer ourselves in sacrifice. … She is too young to know of death, yet is ready to face it. Dragged against her will to the altars, she stretches out her hands to the Lord in the midst of the flames, making the triumphant sign of Christ the victor on the altars of sacrilege. She puts her neck and hands in iron chains, but no chain can hold fast her tiny limbs. 

A new kind of martyrdom! Too young to be punished, yet old enough for a martyr’s crown; unfitted for the contest, yet effortless in victory, she shows herself a master in valor despite the handicap of youth. As a bride she would not be hastening to join her husband with the same joy she shows as a virgin on her way to punishment, crowned not with flowers but with holiness of life, adorned not with braided hair but with Christ himself. In the midst of tears, she sheds no tears herself. The crowds marvel at her recklessness in throwing away her life untasted, as if she had already lived life to the full. All are amazed that one not yet of legal age can give her testimony to God. So she succeeds in convincing others of her testimony about God, though her testimony in human affairs could not yet be accepted. What is beyond the power of nature, they argue, must come from its creator.” [St. Ambrose, “Concerning Virginity”, Book 1, Chapter 2, Paragraph 5, 7, & 8]

St. Ambrose does not make the comparison explicit, but he constantly returns to St. Agnes’ willingly and joyfully going to her death for Christ recalls Jesus’ own patient and uncomplaining acceptance of all the assaults and tortures inflicted upon Him in His passion. Agnes follows the Agnus Dei, her name itself a feminine version of the Latin word for “lamb”. Her life, like the Lamb of God proclaimed by John the Baptist, emulates Jesus’ example in quietly forgiving while being taken to slaughter, uttering not a word in fulfillment of Isaiah 53:7. 

It was these very words that would puzzle, and then convert, the eunuch of Acts 8, who asked Phillip about whom they referred. Could it have been that this court official of Ethiopia was the first one to carry the Gospel back to Northern Africa where it would spread rapidly West across the continent? Did he begin the proclamation of Christ that would eventually capture the hearts of Tertullian, Perpetua, Felicity, Augustine and so many thousands of saints since?

With these sisters and brothers in the communion of saints, we find ourselves brought back to Tertullian. Not that these he and Agnes ever met, but in an odd twist of history, their lives intertwine.  Years after Tertullian’s speech, the pallium became indicative not just of any Christian, but specifically a vestment worn by the great bishops of Christianity. In the East it is called the omophor, and in the West it is still called the pallium. In the Roman Catholic Church this vestment is one worn by the Holy Father as well as metropolitan archbishops (and a few others that he gives it to). It has been simplified to a strip of white woolen cloth marked by 6 (sometimes 5) crosses and is draped around the bishop’s shoulders on top of the chasuble. 

The pallium, along with the bishop’s staff (crosier), symbolize for us the primacy of his role as a shepherd of Christ’s flock. He is a man entrusted with feeding and tending some part of the flock of the Good Shepherd (as was Simon Peter), protecting, healing, directing, and carrying his sheep to the safety of eternal life with the Lord. St. Agnes, the Church’s preeminent example of a faithful lamb of Christ flock, has long been thus connected with the pallium. 

And thus was born a lovely 500 year old tradition that now takes place every year on the feast of St. Agnes. Two lambs, raised by Trappist monks outside of Rome, are given to the Sisters of the Holy Family in Nazareth who carefully wash and dry the little creatures. They are wrapped up with bows and white veils, surrounded by flowers, and carried carefully from St. Agnes’ church outside the city walls to the Vatican where the Holy Father blesses them. (Funny pictures of this can be found all over the internet!) The lambs will be placed in the care of another group of religious, the Benedictine nuns of St. Cecilia in Trastevere, until they are large enough to be sheared (this happens right after Easter), and that wool is carefully turned into yarn, and woven into the necessary pallia (plural of “pallium”) by the faithful sisters. These are taken back to St. Peter’s and kept near the tomb of St. Peter until the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul (June 28^th) when the Holy Father blesses these vestments and then bestows them upon the new bishops. 

– Fr. Dominic Rankin continues to be amazed at the interweaving, even centuries down the line, of the lives of the saints. Every saints seems to have been inspired, edified, challenged, or encouraged by another saint. Little do we know how big of an impact our sanctity, even small, may have on the Church a thousand years from now!

Having just completed the liturgical seasons of Advent and Christmas, the Church returns to a short stretch of Ordinary Time before ramping things up again with Lent which begins February 22.  Beginning the Sunday after next (January 29) we will hear from the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, arguably Jesus’s most important teachings given during the time of His public ministry.

Among those teachings (though we will not hear it during Ordinary Time this year) is Jesus’s instruction on how to pray as He gives us the Lord’s Prayer.  This is such a profound prayer, but sadly, due to it’s familiarity, we can often just recite it without thinking what we are saying.  To show this point, I once heard a rather funny story that goes like this:

There were two individuals walking together, one of whom had a horse that belonged to him.  They were discussing the difficulty of staying attentive during prayer.  The man with the horse shared how he can’t even make it through the Our Father without getting distracted.  The other man laughed, as he was convinced that he could keep focused through the entire recitation of this simple, short prayer.  The man with the horse said:  “Ok, let’s make a deal.  If you can pray the Lord’s Prayer without getting distracted, I’ll give you this horse.”  The other man smiled and gladly accepted the challenge, and he began: “Our Father, who art in Heaven, hollowed be thy name.”  At this point, he stopped and asked the man with the horse: “Does the saddle come with the horse?”

This is indeed a humorous example of how easily we can get distracted when we pray, and I bet that many of us can relate with this story in some way.

As you may recall, the focus of our Family of Faith catechesis for this year is the fourth section of the Catechism on Christian Prayer.  Among the various types of prayer, the Lord’s Prayer stands out as the model for all prayer.  The Catechism calls the Lord’s Prayer “the summary of the whole Gospel” (CCC 2761) and St. Augustine wrote the following about it: “The Lord’s Prayer is the most perfect of prayers.… In it we ask, not only for all the things we can rightly desire, but also in the sequence that they should be desired. This prayer not only teaches us to ask for things, but also in what order we should desire them.” (CCC 2763)

As our children meet for their catechesis this month, they will be spending time focusing on the Lord’s Prayer, learning about the various petitions that are contained in the prayer and how this prayer serves as a privileged way for us, as beloved children of God, to address Him, our good and loving Father.

Perhaps we could take on a little challenge for the rest of the month.  I am fairly confident that many of you pray the Lord’s Prayer every day, but the quantity of this prayer is not the main thing.  We are looking for quality.  So I invite you to pray the Lord’s Prayer every day, but do so with as much attention as possible.  Pause before you pray it each time, recognizing that you come before the Father as His adopted son or daughter.  Be reminded how the Father delights to give good things to those who ask Him. (cf. Mt. 7:11)  Then pray the prayer with faith and love, and let this familiar prayer become a place of renewal in your relationship with the Lord.

Father Alford     

As we have celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. I would like to share some insight on how it is celebrated in my home Parish back in Kenya. In our parish  we celebrate the feast of Epiphany as Pontificate Missionary Children feast day.  Our Pontificate missionary Children with the help of their promoters/ animators, animates the Mass of the feast of Epiphany by cleaning the Church, bringing offertory for the poor, they oversee the reading for the day, they lector 1^st reading, Psalms, and 2^nd reading. They participate in liturgical dances as they process with the offertory.  

During Mass the Pontificate missionary children perform small skit/drama/play according to the Gospel of Mathew 2:1-12 on the (feast of the Epiphany). The pontificate missionary children some of them act and dress like Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, others take part as the Magi from the east. As the priest proclaim the Gospel according to Mathew 2:1-12, the pontificate missionary children demonstrate by acting the part of the Magi: they went into the house and when they saw the child with his Mother Mary, they knelt and worshipped him. They brought out their gift of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh, presented them to him.  As they present their gifts it is accompanied by singing the song of the Magi following the star from the east. The Pontificate missionary children  are also  responsible for the prayer of the faithful with various intention, praying for the Church leaders, Pope, Bishops, priest, and Deacon, world leaders, the sick, for Children in war zone countries and those who are abuse, the poor, and the deceased brothers and sisters. 

After Mass there is a little reception at the parish hall. All the faithful join the Pontificate missionary children in sharing a cup of tea, and the Pontificate missionary children entertain the parishioners by singing some traditional, and sacred songs. The feast of the Epiphany come to conclusion with final blessing from the Pastor. 

As I was reflecting on the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, it reminded me of my own Samburu culture in Kenya. The three gifts offered by the Magi Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh has some symbolic and significance among the Samburu tribe:  Gold is used as an identification of marriage worn by married women in their ears as earrings. No woman can wear this unless she is married. These signifies its value. It also worn by heroes (war warriors) on their right hand. These signifies patriotic, strong, fearless soldiers in war. Hence respected by the community as heroes in their own community, also they defend the community from oppression from other communities. In other words their like Kings and Queens. 

Frankincense: is a local available incense from a tree known as (Silalei)

It is used during offertory especially sacrifice of a burning  offering of an animal.

It used during prayers by the elders

It used during blessing of other items, and livestock.

Myrrh: Myrrh is used especially when an elder is a point of death. An elderly dying person is given oil, if in a risk of death. He/ she is anointed with oil on his/her lips or the body before the person pass away. The oil that is used is only from a fat sheep not any other oil.

As Christian the interpretation for the three gifts offered by the Magi, the gift of Gold stands for the kingship of Jesus. the gift of Frankincense  stands for divinity of Jesus, and the gift of Myrrh  stands for humanity of Jesus. As they magi look at the child Jesus, they believe and they did not question, as their symbolic gifts bear witness:  frankincense for God, (worship of God) (divinity) Gold for a king, (kingship) and Myrrh for one who is to die.(humanity). As the Magi offered their gifts to the Child Jesus, we too are invited to offer the gift of our life to Jesus by participating in Holy Sacrifice of Mass, deepening our relationship with God through personal and family prayers, listening to the word of God by reading the Holy Scriptures, spending some time with Jesus in adoration by recognizing His presence among us and everyone we encounter in our daily life.  

Feast Day: January 21^st | Virgin and Martyr| Patronage: all Girls, Virgins, those seeking Purity and Chastity, Betrothed Couples, Gardeners, Victims of Sexual Abuse, City of Rome | Attributes: girl with long hair, pictured with a Lamb, holding the martyrs palm, sometimes with a sword at her feet.

I begin today about a century before Agnes was born. It is the year 200 A.D., and we are watching a Roman orator and philosopher speak to a rapt crowd in the city of Carthage (being almost 500 years after Rome defeated Carthage in the Punic wars, they were happy to listen to Tertullian give his speech in Latin. He also may have been born there to a Roman centurion.) He stood before them, though, shockingly appareled not in the regal and authoritative Roman toga, but simply wrapped in a pallium, a cloak or mantle worn by the goofy philosophers of Greece, and the shoddy and scorned sect of Christians. 

This, one of his shortest speeches, begins hilariously “Men of Carthage, ever princes of Africa, ennobled by ancient memories, blest with modern felicities, I rejoice that times are so prosperous with you that you have leisure to spend and pleasure to find in criticizing dress… you too of old time wore your garments–your tunics–of another shape; and indeed they were in repute for the skill of the weft, and the harmony of the hue, and the due proportion of the size, in that they were neither prodigally long across the shins, nor immodestly scanty between the knees, nor niggardly to the arms, nor tight to the hands, but, without being shadowed by even a girdle arranged to divide the folds, they stood on men’s backs with quadrate symmetry…” [Tertullian, “De Pallio”, “On the Mantle”, Chapter 1, Paragraph 1.1]

He was veiling in humorous, elegant (if desperately difficult to translate) prose, a serious announcement: I am a Christian. To wear the Christian pallium placed him squarely under the ire of the governors who would only two years later send Ss. Perpetua and Felicity to the arena in that same city of Carthage. Those eminent martyrs we all recognize from their leading the procession of female saints in the Roman Canon. Felicity and Perpetua from Carthage (in Northern Africa); Agatha and Lucy from Sicily; Agnes and Cecilia from Rome, and Anastasia from Sirmium (now in Serbia). It is Agnes we befriend this week. 

After discovering her to be a Christian, this 12-year-old girl endured the abuse of her persecutors, eventually being killed by sword-stroke to her neck. Fellow Christians lovingly collected her body, even soaking up the blood of one who had so faithfully poured it out in faith. Her own foster-sister, Emerentiana, would herself be martyred for the reverence she persevered in showing to the body of her foster-sister. Others were cured by their own veneration of the relics of the little saint. 

Perhaps the best testimony to how beloved she was to the early Church comes a further century forward in Church history, when another orator steps before a crowd, now with a scene opposite that we saw in Carthage. Now, it is St. Ambrose who begins his speech, and it is about a Christian practice far more startling than a pallium: the life of consecrated virginity. Where would you begin if asked to describe and defend the Christian belief that some are called by Jesus to virginity for the sake of the Kingdom of God? St. Ambrose began with little St. Agnes: 

Today is the birthday of a virgin; let us imitate her purity. It is the birthday of a martyr; let us offer ourselves in sacrifice. It is the birthday of Saint Agnes, who is said to have suffered martyrdom at the age of twelve. The cruelty that did not spare her youth shows all the more clearly the power of faith in finding one so young to bear it witness.

There was little or no room in that small body for a wound. Though she could scarcely receive the blow, she could rise superior to it. Girls of her age cannot bear even their parents’ frowns and, pricked by a needle, weep as for a serious wound. Yet she shows no fear of the blood-stained hands of her executioners. She stands undaunted by heavy, clanking chains. She offers her whole body to be put to the sword by fierce soldiers. She is too young to know of death, yet is ready to face it. Dragged against her will to the altars, she stretches out her hands to the Lord in the midst of the flames, making the triumphant sign of Christ the victor on the altars of sacrilege. She puts her neck and hands in iron chains, but no chain can hold fast her tiny limbs. [St. Ambrose, “Concerning Virginity”, Book 1, Chapter 2, Paragraphs 5 and 7]

– Fr. Dominic Rankin will return to St. Agnes, and St. Ambrose, and never-canonized Tertullian next week. Until then, perhaps St. Agnes can stand with St. Therésè of Lisieux as another “little” saint, reminding us that lowliness does not disqualify us from discipleship but rather is a prerequisite for membership in Christ’s Kingdom.

On New Year’s Eve, the Church lost a truly great shepherd as Pope Benedict XVI completed his earthly journey.  Even though I had heard that his health was declining and that he was in his final days, when I read the headline that he had died, I was surprised and saddened to receive the news.  At the same time, it provided me an opportunity to recall with gratitude the impact this humble and faithful shepherd has had on my life as a priest. 

My first encounter with Pope Benedict was in Rome in 2006.  I was there for a sort of personal pilgrimage as I was in the process of applying to the seminary.  Somebody had shared with me that there was to be a candlelight prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Square on April 2 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the passing of Pope John Paul II.  I decided to go, especially since I knew that Pope Benedict was going to be there.  As he addressed the crowd that night, although I did not understand what he was saying, there was an overwhelming sense of awe that I was looking upon the leader of the Universal Church.  I had followed him pretty closely during his first year as Pontiff, but seeing him in person for the first time was something I will always remember fondly.

Fast forward two years to April 2008 and Pope Benedict was making a visit to the United States.  A generous benefactor of the seminary I was attending made it possible for the entire seminary community to travel by bus from St. Louis to New York to see the Pope.  There was a special gathering that the Holy Father was to have with seminarians on the grounds of St. Joseph Seminary in Yonkers, NY.  We waited in the sun for a few hours, eagerly anticipating his arrival.  When he finally did arrive, he came out on the stage and joyfully greeted the large crowd as we cheered our chief shepherd.  I was probably about 20 yards from the stage, and seeing Pope Benedict so close was very powerful.  I still do not know how to describe it, but what I felt as he looked at us was that he was a very holy and fatherly figure and his joy at seeing these sons of his was evident and authentic.

In 2011, as a newly ordained priest, I had the joy of travelling with a group of high school students to World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain.  At the prayer vigil before the conclusion of the event, more than a million young people gathered in a former airfield waiting for the Holy Father to lead us in prayer.  I remember it being extremely HOT that day, with the sun blazing and no shade in sight.  As the afternoon drew on, clouds started to form and bad weather was threatening.  Most of the group I was with decided to head back to the hotel, as we had a flight the next morning.  I expressed my desire to stay, and another chaperone and a couple hearty souls decided to stay with me.  A heavy storm rolled through just before the Holy Father was about to lead us in Eucharistic Adoration.  I found out later that his advisors encouraged the Holy Father to just cancel the prayer service due to the bad weather, but he was insistent that they continue, though in an abbreviated form.  He came out and exposed the Blessed Sacrament.  Everybody knelt in adoration, and the silence among the crowd brought me chills.  What love this spiritual father showed to his children, not giving up on them and leading them to contemplate the love of God truly present in the Eucharist.

I could say more about how Pope Benedict’s writings before and after becoming Pope has influenced me, but space does not permit me to say all that this spiritual father has meant to me.  I thank God profoundly for the gift of his life and ministry, and I pray that the Lord, in His mercy, will grant him what he long desired, to see the Lord face to face. 

Eternal rest, grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.  May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace!

Father Alford

Feast Day: January 1^st| Mother of God, Theotokus | Patronage: Pregnant Mothers, Natural and Spiritual Mothers,  | Attributes: Pregnant, Holding Child, Pointing to Christ Child, Angels above.

During the octave of Christmas, priests when using the first Eucharistic Prayer, add an additional line when invoking the saints to join in our prayer/offering to the Heavenly Father. After the opening lines when he prays for the Church (especially our Holy Father and local Bishop) and then the prayer called the Memento (when the priest prays for the living members of the Church), he begins the prayer called the Communicantes. It means what it sounds like: this is the first prayer that references the communion we have with all the saints.

You probably recognize the usual opening line: “In communion with those whose memory we venerate …”, but during the Octave (8 days) following the celebration of Christmas, there is an addition to the Communicantes with an extra opening line: “Celebrating the most sacred night [day] on which blessed Mary the immaculate Virgin brought forth the Savior for this world, and in communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ, and blessed Joseph, her Spouse…” It is a splendid addition to our prayer, and if you noticed that the priests used the first Eucharistic Prayer more often during this week, this is probably why! (There are similar additions for Epiphany, during the Octave of Easter, for Ascension, and also Pentecost, so look for your priest to use EP1 [Eucharistic Prayer 1] then too!)

Spend a moment reflecting on that simple line “celebrating the most sacred night on which blessed Mary the immaculate Virgin brought forth the Savior for this world…” and let your heart be overwhelmed again by this truth we believe, and Mary held! During these days of Christmas we recall that our divine communion … our life in the community of the Trinity … our fellowship with the saints, is specifically connected to the moment when Our Lady brought forth her child, Jesus, Our Savior, into this world. We don’t just recognize those saints that are such lights and models and intercessors for us. We don’t just reverence Mary, Queen of All Saints. We approach Mary, with Jesus on her lap, and discover in the manger the source of all the saints. Jesus, as a newborn, has already accomplished what truly transforms anyone into a saint: holding God close.

No one can teach us better how to hold Jesus than the woman He chose to be His mother. This week I give Pope Benedict the last word on how we can learn from her how to do that. This was his homily in 2008, during vespers opening the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God: “Although many clouds are gathering on the horizon of our future, we must not be afraid. Our great hope as believers is eternal life in communion with Christ and the whole family of God. This great hope gives us the strength to face and to overcome the difficulties of life in this world. This evening the motherly presence of Mary assures us that God never abandons us if we entrust ourselves to him and follow his teachings. Therefore, while we take our leave of 2008 and prepare to welcome 2009, let us present to Mary our expectations and hopes, as well as our fears and the difficulties that dwell in our hearts, with filial affection and trust. She, the Virgin Mother, offers us the Child who lies in the manger as our sure hope. Full of trust, we shall then be able to sing at the end of the Te Deum: “In te, Domine, speravi: non confundar in aeternum—In you, Lord, is our hope: and we shall never hope in vain”. Yes, Lord, in you we hope, today and for ever; you are our hope. Amen!“

– Fr. Dominic Rankin gets to hold Jesus, in the Holy Eucharist, every single day, but sometimes wonders why he hasn’t been utterly transformed yet by this encounter?! It seems, reflecting on these words (and the example) of Pope Benedict, that the saintly-transformation we all seek is not waiting for a greater-gift of God’s self, but a greater-gift of my self in return. And, that is a gift that will take my whole life to give. All the different “expectations … hopes … fears and … difficulties that dwell in our hearts” can only be given as we live through them!

Some of you may be aware that last year, I purchased an older fishing boat.  This acquisition turned into quite a project, one with many lessons learned!  Shortly after bringing the boat home, the priests of the house asked if I had given the boat a name, which to that point I had not even though about doing.  At our annual Fishing with Father event at the Villa Maria, some of our youngsters offered recommendations.  But the name that I finally decided on stems from my love for the Blessed Virgin Mary.  The name I chose was Stella Maris, which is Latin for Star of the Sea.

Just a few weeks ago, I did some winterizing of the boat so that it will (hopefully) be ready for action next Spring when the weather warms up.  It got me thinking a little bit about the title of Mary as Star of the Sea.  Perhaps that title does not immediately evoke thoughts of Christmas, the Octave Day of which we celebrate today, but there is a connection to this title that is very much in the spirit of this season.  The connection is to be found in the hymn to Mary under this title, Ave Maris Stella (Hail, Star of the Sea).  One of the verses goes like this:

Show yourself a Mother,
may the Word divine
born for us thine Infant
hear our prayers through thine.

This verse draws our attention to Mary in her role of giving birth to the “Word divine”, this claiming the rightful title as Mother of God.  In her closeness to her child, we turn to her in confidence asking that she would pray to Him with us and on our behalf.

What strikes me about this verse is the first line: “Show yourself a Mother.”  This is a phrase that I use from time to time when I turn to Mary, asking for her prayers for some particular situation or need.  It could be something that I am struggling with, such as a difficult situation, or the discouragement at not advancing more quickly in the spiritual life.  I ask Mary to show herself to be a Mother to me, helping me with her encouragement and prayers.  As I encounter the sufferings and struggles of the people whom I serve, I sense their need for consolation and peace.  And just as children we turn to our mothers to find that, I ask Mary to show herself a Mother to those individuals in their needs.

On this day when we celebrate Mary’s greatest title, that of being the Mother of God, we also take consolation in the fact that she is also our Mother.  As Jesus was dying on the Cross, He entrusted Mary to us through the Apostle St. John when He said to him: “Behold, your mother.” (John 19:27)

As we look to the year ahead, we have no doubt that there will be joys, but what will prevent us from fully experiencing those joys are the disappointments and setbacks that we will face due to our weaknesses, or due to factors outside of our control.  As we make our way through the potentially rough waters of the sea of life, may our eyes turn to Mary, Star of the Sea, asking her with faith: “Show yourself a Mother.”  Through her prayers, she will help to keep us safe with her Son in the Church and continue to guide us to the safe harbors of eternal life where she awaits us.

Father Alford