Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

On the First Sunday of Advent our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (1: 1-18) entitled "The reproof of the people". Our treasure, which follows, is from a catechetical instruction by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop.

Cyril of Jerusalem was a theologian of the Early Church. About the end of AD 350, he succeeded Maximus as Bishop of Jerusalem, but was exiled on more than one occasion due to the enmity of Acacius of Caesarea, and the policies of various emperors, Raised in Jerusalem and well-educated, especially in the Scriptures, he was ordained a priest by the bishop of Jerusalem and given the task during Lent of catechizing those preparing for Baptism and catechizing the newly baptized during the Easter season. His Catechesis remain valuable as examples of the ritual and theology of the Church in the mid-fourth century. The crises that the Church faces today may seem minor when compared with the threat posed by the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Christ and almost overcame Christianity in the fourth century. Cyril was to be caught up in the controversy, accused of Arianism by Saint Jerome, and ultimately vindicated both by the men of his own time and by being declared a Doctor of the Church in 1822.

Cyril of Jerusalem's catechetical instructions were a series of lectures he gave to new Christians in the early church. His teachings covered a range of topics. Cyril taught that people should practice chastity and not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ. He taught that baptism is a counterpart to the sufferings of Christ, and that it purges sins and gives the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cyril also explained the mysteries of Christ and taught that the old is fulfilled in the new, and that the sacraments celebrate the mysteries of Christ. He left behind important writings documenting the order of the Liturgy in his day.

Isaiah, one of the greatest of the prophets, appeared at a critical moment in Israel's history. The Northern Kingdom collapsed, under the hammerlike blows of Assyria, in 722/721 B.C., and in 701 Jerusalem itself saw the army of Sennacherib drawn up before its walls. In the year that Uzziah, king of Judah, died, Isaiah received his call to the prophetic office in the Temple of Jerusalem. Close attention should be given to chap. 6, where this divine summons to be the ambassador of the Most High is circumstantially described.

The vision of the Lord enthroned in glory stamps an indelible character on Isaiah's ministry and provides a key to the understanding of his message. The majesty, holiness and glory of the Lord took possession of his spirit and, at the same time, he gained a new awareness of human pettiness and sinfulness. The enormous abyss between God's sovereign holiness and human sinfulness overwhelmed the prophet. Only the purifying coal of the seraphim could cleanse his lips and prepare him for acceptance of the call: "Here I am, send me!"

The ministry of Isaiah extended from the death of Uzziah in 742 B.C. to Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem in 701 B.C., and it may have continued even longer, until after the death of Hezekiah in 687 B.C. Later legend (the Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah) claims that Hezekiah's son, Manasseh, executed Isaiah by having him sawed in two. During this long ministry, the prophet returned again and again to the same themes, and there are indications that he may have sometimes re-edited his older prophecies to fit new occasions.

On Saturday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the letter of the apostle Jude (1-8, 12-13,7-25) entitled "The punishment of the evil and an exhortation to the faithful". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop.

Saint Augustine was born at Tagaste in Africa in 354. He was unsettled and restlessly searched for the truth until he was converted to the faith at Milan and baptized by Ambrose. Returning to his homeland, he embraced an ascetic life and subsequently was elected bishop of Hippo. For thirty-four years he guided his flock, instructing it with sermons and many writings. He fought bravely against the errors of his time and explained the faith carefully and cogently through his writings.

Augustine is perhaps the most significant Christian thinker after St. Paul. He adapted Classical teaching and created a powerful theological system of lasting influence. He also shaped the practice of biblical exegesis and helped lay the foundation for much of medieval and modern Christian thought.

Augustine is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran churches, and the Anglican Communion. Saint Augustine is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church in the Patristic Period. He is also a preeminent Catholic Doctor of the Church and the patron of the Augustinians. He died in 430.

The Letter of Jude warns against false teachers who distort God's grace and urge believers to "contend earnestly for the faith". Jude the author was a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, likely a leader in the early church.

On Friday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Peter (3: 1-18) entitled "A reflection on the coming of the Lord". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon on man's immortality by Saint Cyprian, bishop.

Saint Cyprian is important in the development of Christian thought and practice in the third century, especially in northern Africa. Highly educated and a famous orator, he became a Christian as an adult. He distributed his goods to the poor, and amazed his fellow citizens by making a vow of chastity before his baptism. Within two years he had been ordained a priest and was chosen, against his will, as Bishop of Carthage.

Saint Cyprian writes on immortality: "If a famous man promised you something, you would believe his promise and would not even dare to think that he who is always faithful to his word would deceive you. But behold, O treacherous one, God Himself speaks to you, and you are wavering with doubt. God has promised you immortality after your departure from this world, and do you impudently doubt this promise? This means you do not recognize God at all; it means that by your unbelief you insult Christ the Lord and Teacher." O how powerful is the faith of the saints of God! How clear and understandable and well-explained it is with simple and powerful examples! The unholy doubt, not because they are supposedly more rational, but because they are unholy. The holier man is always more rational, for in the clear mirror of his heart he sees the truth.

The second letter of the Apostle Peter can be appreciated both for its positive teachings and for its earnest warnings. It seeks to strengthen readers in faith, hope for the future, knowledge, love, and other virtues. This aim is carried out especially by warning against false teachers, the condemnation of whom occupies the long central section of the letter. A particular crisis is the claim by "scoffers" that there will be no second coming of Jesus, a doctrine that the author vigorously affirms. The concept of God's "promises" is particularly precious in the theology of 2 Peter. Closing comments well sum up the twin concerns: that you not "be led into" error and "fall" but instead "grow in grace" and "knowledge" of Jesus Christ.

Second Peter is clearly structured in its presentation of these points. It reminds its readers of the divine authenticity of Christ's teaching, continues with reflections on Christian conduct, then returns to the exalted dignity of Jesus by incorporating into the text the apostolic witness to his transfiguration. It takes up the question of the interpretation of scripture by pointing out that it is possible to misunderstand the sacred writings and that divine punishment will overtake false teachers. It proclaims that the parousia is the teaching of the Lord and of the apostles and is therefore an eventual certainty. At the same time, it warns that the meaning of Paul's writings on this question should not be distorted.

On Thursday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Peter (2: 9-22) entitled "The condemnation of the wicked". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily on Matthew by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop.

Saint John Chrysostom was an important, fourth century, Early Church Father who served as Archbishop of Constantinople. He is known for his preaching and public speaking, and for his denunciation of abuse of authority of both ecclesiastical and political leaders. He was among the most prolific authors in the early Christian church. The word 'Chrysostom' means 'golden-mounted'. This name was given to him after he died because all his sermons were eloquent and lovely to hear.

St. John Chrysostom's homilies on the Gospel of Matthew. Widely regarded as an eloquent speaker, these homilies are a wonder to behold. These spiritually enlightening texts have aided Christians for over a thousand years, and remain instructive and fruitful even today!

The second letter of the Apostle Peter can be appreciated both for its positive teachings and for its earnest warnings. It seeks to strengthen readers in faith, hope for the future, knowledge, love, and other virtues. This aim is carried out especially by warning against false teachers, the condemnation of whom occupies the long central section of the letter. A particular crisis is the claim by "scoffers" that there will be no second coming of Jesus, a doctrine that the author vigorously affirms. The concept of God's "promises" is particularly precious in the theology of 2 Peter. Closing comments well sum up the twin concerns: that you not "be led into" error and "fall" but instead "grow in grace" and "knowledge" of Jesus Christ.

Second Peter is clearly structured in its presentation of these points. It reminds its readers of the divine authenticity of Christ's teaching, continues with reflections on Christian conduct, then returns to the exalted dignity of Jesus by incorporating into the text the apostolic witness to his transfiguration. It takes up the question of the interpretation of scripture by pointing out that it is possible to misunderstand the sacred writings and that divine punishment will overtake false teachers. It proclaims that the parousia is the teaching of the Lord and of the apostles and is therefore an eventual certainty. At the same time, it warns that the meaning of Paul's writings on this question should not be distorted.

On Wednesday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the second letter of the apostle Peter (2: 1-9) entitled "False teachers". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily attributed to Saint Macarius, bishop.

Saint Macarius was born in Lower Egypt. A late tradition places his birthplace in the village of Shabsheer around 300 AD. He tended cattle as a boy. As a young man, with a strong call to solitude, he constructed near his home a small cell where he prayed continually and wove mats. Macarius is known for his wisdom. His friends and close kin used to call him Pidar Yougiron which meant "the young man with the elders' wisdom."

At the wish of his parents he entered into marriage, but was soon widowed. After he buried his wife, Macarius told himself, "Take heed, Macarius, and have care for your soul. It is fitting that you forsake worldly life." The Lord rewarded the saint with a long life, but from that time the memory of death was constantly with him, impelling him to ascetic deeds of prayer and penitence.

The second letter of the Apostle Peter can be appreciated both for its positive teachings and for its earnest warnings. It seeks to strengthen readers in faith, hope for the future, knowledge, love, and other virtues. This aim is carried out especially by warning against false teachers, the condemnation of whom occupies the long central section of the letter. A particular crisis is the claim by "scoffers" that there will be no second coming of Jesus, a doctrine that the author vigorously affirms. The concept of God's "promises" is particularly precious in the theology of 2 Peter. Closing comments well sum up the twin concerns: that you not "be led into" error and "fall" but instead "grow in grace" and "knowledge" of Jesus Christ.

Second Peter is clearly structured in its presentation of these points. It reminds its readers of the divine authenticity of Christ's teaching, continues with reflections on Christian conduct, then returns to the exalted dignity of Jesus by incorporating into the text the apostolic witness to his transfiguration. It takes up the question of the interpretation of scripture by pointing out that it is possible to misunderstand the sacred writings and that divine punishment will overtake false teachers. It proclaims that the parousia is the teaching of the Lord and of the apostles and is therefore an eventual certainty. At the same time, it warns that the meaning of Paul's writings on this question should not be distorted.

Today, November 25, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Catherine of Alexandria , Virgin and Martyr, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (7: 25-40), entitled "Christian chastity". Our treasure, which follows, is from sermon by Saint Caesarius of Arles.

St. Catherine of Alexandria was early 4th century virgin and martyr in Alexandria, Egypt. She was one of the most popular early Christian martyrs and one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers (a group of Roman Catholic saints venerated for their power of intercession). She is the patron saint of philosophers and scholars and is believed to help protect against sudden death.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria is not mentioned before the 9th century, and her historicity is doubtful. According to legend, she was an extremely learned young girl of noble birth, possibly a princess. She protested the persecution of Christians under the Roman emperor Maxentius—whose wife and several soldiers she converted while imprisoned—and defeated the most eminent scholars summoned by Maxentius to oppose her. During her subsequent torture, she professed that she had consecrated her virginity to Jesus Christ, her spouse, and she was sentenced to death. The spiked wheel by which she was to be killed broke when she touched it (from which came the term "Catherine Wheel" for such a torture device), and she was then beheaded,

After her death, angels allegedly took her body to Mount Sinai where, according to legend, it was discovered about 800. In the Middle Ages, when the story of her mystical marriage to Christ was widely circulated, she was one of the most popular saints and one of the most important virgin martyrs. Saint Joan of Arc claimed that Catherine's was among the heavenly voices that spoke to her before she led the French army in a momentous victory that repulsed an English attempt to conquer France during the Hundred Years War.

Archbishop and church man, the first in western Europe to receive the pallium from a pope. Saint Caesarius was born in Chalons, Burgundy, France, in 470, of a French-Roman family. He spent a brief time as a monk in Lerins but was forced to depart from the community when he became ill. His uncle, the bishop of Arles, ordained Caesarius and sent him to reform a local monastery. He succeeded his uncle, Fonus, as bishop of ArIes in 503. Saint Caesarius instituted many reforms, brought the Divine Office into the local parishes, and founded a convent, placing his sister St. Caesaria there as abbess, In 505, Saint Caesarius was banished by the Gothic King Alaric II because of a lie. He was restored soon after. When Theodoric the Great, King of the Ostrogoths, besieged Arles, Caesarius was arrested, but he met with Theodoric and was pardoned. He then went to Rome where Pope St. Symmachus gave him the pallium and made him the apostolic delegate to France. When the Franks captured Arles in 536, Saint Caesarius retired to St. John's Convent. He was revered for his more than forty years of service and for presiding over Church synods and councils, including the Council of Orange in 529. He died on August 27.

In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul warns against divisions within the Church and emphasizes the importance of unity among Church members. He warns members against sexual immorality, teaches that the body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, and encourages self-discipline.

Today, November24, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Andrew Dung-Lac, priest, and Companions, Martyrs, our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of Peter (2:1-17), entitled "We are built as living stones". Our treasure, which follows is from a letter by Saint Paul Le-Bao-Tinh.

St. Andrew Dung-Lac worked in missions in Vietnam with priests from the Foreign Mission Society of Paris. He was imprisoned and repeatedly tortured during the persecutions in Vietnam between 1820 and 1840, ordered by an emperor who was known for his persecutions of Christians. While the names of most of these martyrs have been lost, 117 of them, whose sufferings were cruelest and best documented, were beatified in four groups in the 20th century and canonized together by Pope St. John Paul II on June 19, 1988. They include nearly 100 Vietnamese priests, catechists and laypeople, as well as French and Spanish missionaries; 76 were beheaded, 21 were suffocated, six were burnt alive, five were mutilated, and nine died in prison.

Among the 117 companions, 96 were Vietnamese, 11 were Spanish, and 10 were French. Eight of the group were bishops, 50 were priests, and 59 were lay Catholics. Their martyrdom reminds us that life on earth is very short and what truly matters is our faithfulness to God. Each of the 117 has a unique story that can serve as an inspiration to us on our faith journey.

St. Paul Le-Bao Tinh was a Vietnamese priest martyred for his faith in 1857, one of approximately 130,000 Christians killed in Vietnam between 1630 and 1886.

The first letter of Saint Peter begins with an address by to Christian communities located in five provinces of Asia Minor, including areas evangelized by Paul. Christians there are encouraged to remain faithful to their standards of belief and conduct despite threats of persecution. Numerous allusions in the letter suggest that the churches addressed were largely of Gentile composition, though considerable use is made of the Old Testament.

The contents following the address both inspire and admonish these "chosen sojourners" who, in seeking to live as God's people, feel an alienation from their previous religious roots and the society around them. Appeal is made to Christ's resurrection and the future hope it provides and to the experience of baptism as new birth. The suffering and death of Christ serve as both source of salvation and example. What Christians are in Christ, as a people who have received mercy and are to proclaim and live according to God's call, is repeatedly spelled out for all sorts of situations in society, work (even as slaves, the home, and general conduct. But overall hangs the possibility of suffering as a Christian. Persecution is later described as already occurring, so that some have supposed the letter was addressed both to places where such a "trial by fire" was already present and to places where it might break out.

On the Thirty-fourth or last Sunday in Ordinary Time as our Church celebrates the Solemnity of Christ the King we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (1: 4b-6, 10, 12-18; 2--: 26, 28: 3: 5b, 12, 20-21) entitled "A vision of the Son of Man in his majesty". Our treasure, which follows, is from a notebook On Prayer by Origen, priest.

Origen of Alexandria was a second century priest also known as Origen Adamantius. He was an early Christian scholar, aesthetic, and theologian. He was also a prolific writer who wrote roughly 2000 treaties in multiple branches of theology and spirituality. He is one of the most influential and controversial figures in early Christian theology, apologetics, and aestheticism (a branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of beauty and the nature of art). He has been described as "the greatest genius the early Church ever produced".

Although it was written in the late first/early second century, today Origen on Prayer remains an influential text for believers on the practice, structure, and mindset of prayer.Origen writes that prayer is the way in which humans can know and have discourse with God. He notes the many ways prayer is depicted in the Bible, and then tackles the argument that prayer is superfluous. He describes the four purposes of prayer: requests, prayers (praise), intercessions, and thanksgivings. Origen also performs an exegesis of the Lord's Prayer, and this in-depth look at each phrase of the prayer is a valuable resource for Christians old and new. Origen concludes with comments on the formalities of prayer, in which he describes the proper posture and state of mind for praying. Origen on Prayer is helpful for those who wish to know how to approach prayer and notable for its expert discussion of the Lord's Prayer. Origen uses many Biblical references, particularly to prayerful characters, so the text presents a number of heralded role models for our communication with God.

The Apocalypse, or Revelation to John, the last book of the Bible, is one of the most difficult to understand because it abounds in unfamiliar and extravagant symbolism, which at best appears unusual to the modern reader. Symbolic language, however, is one of the chief characteristics of apocalyptic literature, of which this book is an outstanding example. Such literature enjoyed wide popularity in both Jewish and Christian circles from ca. 200 B.C. to A.D. 200.

The Book of Revelation contains an account of visions in symbolic and allegorical language borrowed extensively from the Old Testament, especially Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Daniel. Whether or not these visions were real experiences of the author or simply literary conventions employed by him is an open question. This book had its origin in a time of crisis, but it remains valid and meaningful for Christians of all time. In the face of apparently insuperable evil, either from within or from without, all Christians are called to trust in Jesus' promise, "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age". Those who remain steadfast in their faith and confidence in the risen Lord need have no fear. Suffering, persecution, even death by martyrdom, though remaining impenetrable mysteries of evil, do not comprise an absurd dead end. No matter what adversity or sacrifice Christians may endure, they will in the end triumph over Satan and his forces because of their fidelity to Christ the victor. This is the enduring message of the book; it is a message of hope and consolation and challenge for all who dare to believe.

Today, November 22, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (7: 25-40), entitled "Christian chastity". Our treasure, which follows, is from a discourse on the psalms by Saint Agustine, bishop.

In the early third century there was in the city of Rome a virgin named Cecilia, who was given in marriage to a youth named Valerian. She wore sackcloth next to her skin, and fasted, and invoked the saints and angels and virgins, beseeching them to guard her virginity. And she said to her husband, "I will tell you a secret if you will swear not to reveal it to anyone." And when he swore, she added, "There is an angel who watches me, and wards off from me any who would touch me." He said, "Dearest, if this be true, show me the angel." "That can only be if you will believe in one God, and be baptized."

She sent him to Pope S. Urban (223-230), who baptized him; and when he returned, he saw Cecilia praying in her chamber, and an angel by her with flaming wings, holding two crowns of roses and lilies, which he placed on their heads, and then vanished. Shortly after, Tibertius, the brother of Valerian, entered, and wondered at the fragrance and beauty of the flowers at that season of the year. When he heard the story of how they had obtained these crowns, he also consented to be baptized.

After their baptism the two brothers devoted themselves to burying the martyrs slain daily by the prefect of the city, Turcius Almachius. They were arrested and brought before the prefect, and when they refused to sacrifice to the gods were executed with the sword.

In the meantime, Saint Cecilia, by preaching had converted four hundred persons, whom Pope Urban baptized. Then Cecilia was arrested, and condemned to be suffocated in the baths. She was shut in for a night and a day, and the fires were heaped up, and made to glow and roar their utmost, but Cecilia did not even break out into perspiration through the heat. When Almachius heard this he sent an executioner to cut off her head in the bath. The man struck thrice without being able to sever the head from the trunk. He left her bleeding, and she lived three days. Crowds came to her and she preached to them or prayed. At the end of that period she died, and was buried by Pope Urban and his deacons.

Saint Cecilia is considered a saint from the early Christian Church. Her name is one of the seven women, besides the Virgin Mary, mentioned by name in the Roman Canon of the Mass.

In the fifth century a basilica dedicated to Saint Cecilia was erected in Rome. From that time devotion to her spread, largely owing to accounts of her sufferings. She was praised as the perfect model of the Christian woman because of her virginity and the martyrdom which she suffered for love of Christ.

Saint Cecilia is known as the patron saint of music and is celebrated for her unwavering faith and courage. According to tradition, she sang hymns to God on her wedding day and continued to praise him even as she endured her execution, which is why she became associated with music.

Saint Augustine was born at Tagaste in Africa in 354. He was unsettled and restlessly searched for the truth until he was converted to the faith at Milan and baptized by Ambrose. Returning to his homeland, he embraced an ascetic life and subsequently was elected bishop of Hippo. For thirty-four years he guided his flock, instructing it with sermons and many writings. He fought bravely against the errors of his time and explained the faith carefully and cogently through his writings.

Augustine is perhaps the most significant Christian thinker after St. Paul. He adapted Classical teaching and created a powerful theological system of lasting influence. He also shaped the practice of biblical exegesis and helped lay the foundation for much of medieval and modern Christian thought.

Augustine is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Lutheran churches, and the Anglican Communion. Saint Augustine is viewed as one of the most important Church Fathers of the Latin Church in the Patristic Period. He is also a preeminent Catholic Doctor of the Church and the patron of the Augustinians. He died in 430.

In his first letter to the Corinthians Paul warns against divisions within the Church and emphasizes the importance of unity among Church members. He warns members against sexual immorality, teaches that the body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, and encourages self-discipline.

On Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Zechariah (11:4---12:8) entitled "The parable of the shepherds". Our treasure, which follows, is from a commentary on the Song of Songs by Saint Gregory of Nyssa, bishop.

Saint Gregory of Nyssa was a fourth century archbishop of Constantinople and a theologian. He is numbered among the Doctors of the Church. He was a contemporary and close friend of Saint Basil the Great. He is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the patristic age. He was a classically trained orator and philosopher.

The Song of Songs (or Canticle of Canticles) is an exquisite collection of love lyrics, arranged to tell a dramatic tale of mutual desire and courtship. It presents an inspired portrayal of ideal human love, a resounding affirmation of the goodness of human sexuality that is applicable to the sacredness and the depth of married union.

The Book of Zechariah, because of its great variation in style, content, and language, is widely believed to be a composite work. Made up of First and Second Zechariah, the book has been attributed to at least two different prophets. The prophecies of First Zechariah can be dated to the late sixth century B.C., contemporary with those of Haggai; the oracles of Second Zechariah are somewhat later.

The most striking feature of First Zechariah is a series of visions in which the prophet describes the centrality of Jerusalem, its Temple, and its leaders, who function both in the politics of the region and of the Persian empire and in God's universal rule. Zechariah was instrumental in organizing and inspiring the Jews to finish rebuilding the Temple which began in 520 B.C.