Lectio et Oratio

Lectio et Oratio

By Fr Michael Eades of the Toronto OratoryReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
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Lectio et Oratio episodes

  • Episode 69 -- Life of St Philip VI.69 -- Sharing in Christ‘s Priesthood

    From what in the priest's soul does he have the power to celebrate Mass, forgive sins, and guide souls in the name of Jesus?

    Sacramental character. When a man is ordained a priest, his soul is stamped as it were with a spiritual seal. The soul is marked with an indelible character that gives him a share in Christ's priesthood as Head of the Church. A priest can stop acting as a priest, but his soul is changed forever. He is a priest forever. And so St Philip surprised everyone when he told a seventeen year old boy, dressed in lay clothes, that he was a priest. We will read about how St Philip recognized his priestly identity.

    Last episode we read about St Philip as a pastor, a shepherd. The previous nights we read about St Philip's sacramental work in celebrating Mass and hearing confessions. But a priest also has to direct others in the right path. He has to act like a shepherd, guiding and protecting the flock. St Philip saw a great danger to the flock in the Centuries of Magdeburg, a Protestant history book that misrepresented the way the Church grew and developed. But St Philip also saw the needs of one of his own sheep, Baronio. St Philip saw what would truly help Baronio and the Church herself. Baronio must become a historian. He must teach others about the true course of events. He must then publish his discoveries. A Catholic priest must sanctify, govern, and teach.

    12 min
  • Episode 69 -- Life of St Philip VI.69 -- Sharing in Christ‘s Priesthood
    From what in the priest's soul does he have the power to celebrate Mass, forgive sins, and guide souls in the name of Jesus? Sacramental character. When a man is ordained a priest, his soul is stamped as it were with a spiritual seal. The soul is marked with an indelible character that gives him a share in Christ's priesthood as Head of the Church. A priest can stop acting as a priest, but his soul is changed forever. He is a priest forever. And so St Philip surprised everyone when he told a seventeen year old boy, dressed in lay clothes, that he was a priest. We will read about how St Philip recognized his priestly identity.Last episode we read about St Philip as a pastor, a shepherd. The previous nights we read about St Philip's sacramental work in celebrating Mass and hearing confessions. But a priest also has to direct others in the right path. He has to act like a shepherd, guiding and protecting the flock. St Philip saw a great danger to the flock in the Centuries of Magdeburg, a Protestant history book that misrepresented the way the Church grew and developed. But St Philip also saw the needs of one of his own sheep, Baronio. St Philip saw what would truly help Baronio and the Church herself. Baronio must become a historian. He must teach others about the true course of events. He must then publish his discoveries. A Catholic priest must sanctify, govern, and teach.
    12 min
  • Episode 68 -- Life of St Philip VI.68 -- Praying for Docility in Learning God‘s Will

    Besides a richer sacramental life of the Eucharist and confession, what does St Philip want his children to do?

    Work for the truth, work for the salvation and well-being of others. In this episode we read about the origins of the most famous History of the Church ever written, the Annales Ecclesiastici, the Year by Year History of the Church by Cesare Baronio (or Baronius). By an inspiration of the Holy Spirit, St Philip recognized that Baronio could answer the destructive Protestant history, the Centuries of Magdeburg. But St Philip did not unfold the plan all at once to Baronio. Contrary to his own ideas and plans, Baronio followed the commands of St Philip. And thus the most famous Catholic historian was borne!

    Last episode we heard about the sacrament of confession through a story involving Baronius. When all he wanted to do was have time for himself and his own plans, Baronio was ordered by St Philip to go to the hospital of the Holy Spirit, about a 10-15 minute walk away. There he found a man on the point of death who had not made a final confession. With Baronio's help, the man made his confession to the Chaplain. How blessed we are to have opportunities to make confession, to be reconciled to God, to grow in holiness!

    10 min
  • Episode 68 -- Life of St Philip VI.68 -- Praying for Docility in Learning God‘s Will
    Besides a richer sacramental life of the Eucharist and confession, what does St Philip want his children to do?Work for the truth, work for the salvation and well-being of others. In this episode we read about the origins of the most famous History of the Church ever written, the Annales Ecclesiastici, the Year by Year History of the Church by Cesare Baronio (or Baronius). By an inspiration of the Holy Spirit, St Philip recognized that Baronio could answer the destructive Protestant history, the Centuries of Magdeburg. But St Philip did not unfold the plan all at once to Baronio. Contrary to his own ideas and plans, Baronio followed the commands of St Philip. And thus the most famous Catholic historian was borne!Last episode we heard about the sacrament of confession through a story involving Baronius. When all he wanted to do was have time for himself and his own plans, Baronio was ordered by St Philip to go to the hospital of the Holy Spirit, about a 10-15 minute walk away. There he found a man on the point of death who had not made a final confession. With Baronio's help, the man made his confession to the Chaplain. How blessed we are to have opportunities to make confession, to be reconciled to God, to grow in holiness!
    10 min
  • Episode 67 -- Life of St Philip VI.67 -- Importance of Sacramental Confession
    Besides the Eucharist, what other sacrament did St Philip have most at heart?Confession, that is, the sacrament of Penance. In this episode's reading, St Philip becomes aware by his spirit of prophecy that a man is dying. He unexpectedly calls for Cesare Baronius, the earnest, studious, former law student who came under St Philip's care. Baronius probably struggled with gluttony. He struggled with being generous with his time for others. He loved to have his own time for all his own intellectual projects. In this episode's reading, St Philip teaches Baronius a valuable lesson and helps save someone's soul.We saw last episode how important Eucharistic adoration was to St Philip. As a confirmation of this practice, Our Lord appeared to St Philip during exposition and blessed him and all those praying for a special intention. St Philip not only wanted people to go to daily Mass, if possible, but also to spend time before the Holy Eucharist in the tabernacle or the Monstance. Yes, God dwells as our friend and guest in our souls by our knowledge and love of Him. Yes, he is present in all places by his power over all things. Yes, all things are present to God's mind. Yes, God himself is holding us in existence. But in the Holy Eucharist, God the Son is fully present in his humanity. His Sacred Heart is there with all its human love for us.
    10 min
  • Episode 67 -- Life of St Philip VI.67 -- Importance of Sacramental Confession

    Besides the Eucharist, what other sacrament did St Philip have most at heart?

    Confession, that is, the sacrament of Penance. In this episode's reading, St Philip becomes aware by his spirit of prophecy that a man is dying. He unexpectedly calls for Cesare Baronius, the earnest, studious, former law student who came under St Philip's care. Baronius probably struggled with gluttony. He struggled with being generous with his time for others. He loved to have his own time for all his own intellectual projects. In this episode's reading, St Philip teaches Baronius a valuable lesson and helps save someone's soul.

    We saw last episode how important Eucharistic adoration was to St Philip. As a confirmation of this practice, Our Lord appeared to St Philip during exposition and blessed him and all those praying for a special intention. St Philip not only wanted people to go to daily Mass, if possible, but also to spend time before the Holy Eucharist in the tabernacle or the Monstance. Yes, God dwells as our friend and guest in our souls by our knowledge and love of Him. Yes, he is present in all places by his power over all things. Yes, all things are present to God's mind. Yes, God himself is holding us in existence. But in the Holy Eucharist, God the Son is fully present in his humanity. His Sacred Heart is there with all its human love for us.

    10 min
  • Episode 66 -- Life of St Philip VI.66 -- Importance of Eucharistic Adoration
    What is the one of the most powerful ways to pray for a specific need?The Devotion of the Forty Hours. We saw a few days ago how the early Oratorians were told by a mysterious visitor to host the Forty Hours. This was in the middle of an attack of St Philip's various apostolates: confessions, spiritual meetings, pilgrimages. In this episode we read about the Dominicans holding a Forty Hours devotion for their own special purposes. The writings of the famous Dominican Savonarola, who was executed in 1495, were being examined by various cardinals in the Roman curia. The Dominicans did not want any of the writings condemned. St Philip, who thought Savonarola was a saint, joined them. During the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, St Philip fell into an ecstasy, his body became like a stone, and Our Lord appeared to him. He gave him a message for all those praying.Last episode we read about St Philip's love for spending time in contemplative prayer after Mass. He loved to be alone with Him whom he knew loved him. But St Philip was often in high demand after Mass. He would leave his intimate union with the Lord in prayer to serve him in his Body, the Church. He would leave Christ for Christ. But at the same time, we see a sign about the whole fruitfulness of St Philip's apostolate. Everything he did, he did for Christ. Everything he did followed from his love for Christ in the Eucharist.
    11 min

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St Philip Neri in the 16th century would gather those each day who were desirous of seeking Christian perfection. He would read from a spiritual book and then discourse on the meaning of what was…