Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

On Saturday of the Tenth week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to reflect on a Scripture passage from the book of Joshua (24:1-7, 13-28), entitled "The renewal of the covenant in the Promised Land". Our treasure, which follows, is from The Explanation of the Psalms by Saint Ambrose, bishop.

Saint Ambrose was born of a Roman family at Trier about the year 340. He studied at Rome and served in the imperial government at Sirmium. In 374, while, living in Milan, he was elected bishop of the city by popular acclaim and ordained on December 7. He devotedly carried out his duties and especially distinguished himself by his service to the poor, and as an effective pastor and teacher of the faithful. He strenuously guarded the laws of the church and defended orthodox teaching by writings and actions against the Arians. He died on Holy Saturday, April 4, 397. Saint Ambrose is a Doctor of the Church.

Saint Ambrose explained the Psalms as a source of spiritual exercise, a celebration of faith, and a way to heal the human soul. He believed that the Psalms were a divine gift that could help people develop virtues, learn about God, and find peace. For Ambrose a psalm is a blessing for the people... our universal tongue; the voice of the Church, a sweet outpouring of faith; a devotion divinely ordained; the cry of heart's delight; a leaping and jumping for joy...it soothes the angry spirit, banishes care, lessens sorrow. It guards us by night, guides us by day.

The Book of Joshua presents a narrative of the way Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, making it the land of Israel. This process is swift and inexorable, and is followed by an orderly division and disposition of the land among the twelve tribes, with a concluding ceremony of covenant renewal.

The theological message of the book is unmistakable. God has been faithful to the promise of the land. If Israel relies totally on the Lord for victory; if Israel is united as a people; if the law of herem is kept and no one grows rich from victory in war—then and only then will Israel possess the land.

The Israelites are led by Joshua, the successor of Moses, and the book is at pains to show not only how Joshua carries on the work of Moses but how the "conquest" of Canaan is continuous with the exodus from Egypt. This is seen in the repeated insistence that, as the Lord was with Moses, so he is with Joshua; and, especially, in the crossing of the Jordan River, which is patterned after the crossing of the Red Sea.

Today, June 13, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor, our Church first invites us to reflect on a Scripture passage from the book of Joshua (10:1-14; 11:15-17), entitled "The people of God take possession of their own land". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Anthony of Padua, priest.

Saint Anthony was born and raised by a wealthy family in Libson, Portugal in 1195. He died in Padua, Italy in 1231 at the age of 35. He was respected by his contemporaries for his powerful preaching, expert knowledge of scripture, and undying love and devotion to the poor and the sick, he was one of the most quickly canonized saints in church history, being canonized less than a year after his death.

St. Anthony of Padua is one of the Catholic Church's most popular saints. Saint Anthony of Padua, patron saint of lost and stolen articles, was a powerful Franciscan preacher and teacher.

St. Anthony of Padua's life is what every Christian's life is meant to be; a steady courage to face the ups and downs of life, the call to love and forgive, to be concerned for the needs of others, to deal with crisis great and small, and to have our feet solidly on the ground of total trusting love and dependence on God. St Anthony is beloved throughout the world and is responsive to all people and all needs. His intercessory powers before our God are awesome.

In 1946 Pope Pius XII officially declared Saint Anthony a Doctor of the Universal Church. It is in Saint Anthony's love of the word of God and his prayerful efforts to understand and apply it to the situations of everyday life that the Church especially wants us to imitate St. Anthony.

The Book of Joshua presents a narrative of the way Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, making it the land of Israel. This process is swift and inexorable, and is followed by an orderly division and disposition of the land among the twelve tribes, with a concluding ceremony of covenant renewal.

The theological message of the book is unmistakable. God has been faithful to the promise of the land. If Israel relies totally on the Lord for victory; if Israel is united as a people; if the law of herem is kept and no one grows rich from victory in war—then and only then will Israel possess the land.

The Israelites are led by Joshua, the successor of Moses, and the book is at pains to show not only how Joshua carries on the work of Moses but how the "conquest" of Canaan is continuous with the exodus from Egypt. This is seen in the repeated insistence that, as the Lord was with Moses, so he is with Joshua; and, especially, in the crossing of the Jordan River, which is patterned after the crossing of the Red Sea.

On Wednesday of the Tenth week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to reflect on a Scripture passage from the book of Joshua (3:1-17; 4:14-19; 5:10-12), entitled "The people cross the Jordan and celebrate the Passover". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily by Origen, priest.

Origen of Alexandria was a second century priest also known as Origen Adamitius. 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".

The Book of Joshua presents a narrative of the way Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, making it the land of Israel. This process is swift and inexorable, and is followed by an orderly division and disposition of the land among the twelve tribes, with a concluding ceremony of covenant renewal.

The theological message of the book is unmistakable. God has been faithful to the promise of the land. If Israel relies totally on the Lord for victory; if Israel is united as a people; if the law of herem is kept and no one grows rich from victory in war—then and only then will Israel possess the land.

The Israelites are led by Joshua, the successor of Moses, and the book is at pains to show not only how Joshua carries on the work of Moses but how the "conquest" of Canaan is continuous with the exodus from Egypt. This is seen in the repeated insistence that, as the Lord was with Moses, so he is with Joshua; and, especially, in the crossing of the Jordan River, which is patterned after the crossing of the Red Sea.

On Tuesday of the Tenth week in Ordinary Time our Church invites us to reflect on a Scripture passage from the book of Joshua (2:1-24), entitled "Trough faith Rahab, the prostitute, welcomed spies with kindness". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter to the Romans by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, bishop and martyr.

Saint Ignatius was a successor of Saint Peter as the bishop of Antioch. Condemned to death by being thrown to wild animals, he was brought to Rome for execution and was martyred there under the emperor Trajan in 107. On the journey to Rome he wrote seven letters to different churches. In these he discussed Christ, the structure of the Church, and the Christian life in a manner at once wise and learned. At Antioch, this day was observed in his memory as early as the fourth century.

The Book of Joshua presents a narrative of the way Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, making it the land of Israel. This process is swift and inexorable, and is followed by an orderly division and disposition of the land among the twelve tribes, with a concluding ceremony of covenant renewal.

The theological message of the book is unmistakable. God has been faithful to the promise of the land. If Israel relies totally on the Lord for victory; if Israel is united as a people; if the law of herem is kept and no one grows rich from victory in war—then and only then will Israel possess the land.

The Israelites are led by Joshua, the successor of Moses, and the book is at pains to show not only how Joshua carries on the work of Moses but how the "conquest" of Canaan is continuous with the exodus from Egypt. This is seen in the repeated insistence that, as the Lord was with Moses, so he is with Joshua; and, especially, in the crossing of the Jordan River, which is patterned after the crossing of the Red Sea.

Today, September 12, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Mary, the Mother of the Church we are invited to reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Joshua (1:1*18), entitled "Joshua, called by God, encourages the tribes to unity". Our treasure, which follows, is from an allocution by Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council.

The title "Mother of the Church" … reflects the deep conviction of the Christian faithful, who see in Mary not only the mother of the person of Christ, but also of the faithful. She who is recognized as mother of salvation, life and grace, mother of the saved and mother of the living, is rightly proclaimed Mother of the Church.

The Father chose Mary from among all women to be the mother, according to human nature, of His Divine Son. As she is the Mother of Christ in the natural order, she is also the Mother of His Mystical Body, the Church, of which He is the Head in the order of grace.

The theological roots of this title go back to the early Church. The fathers of the church, holy and studious bishops of the first centuries, often spoke of Mary as the new Eve. Just as the woman, Eve was "the mother of all the living", the woman Mary was mother of all those living in Christ. In Revelation, St. John says that this woman's offspring are "those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus."

Known for his diplomatic leadership during a time of major transition for the Church, Pope Paul VI reigned from 1963 to 1978. Throughout his time in office, Pope Paul VI worked to enact the decisions made during Vatican II, ensuring the Church continued to be effective in a changing world. Born on September 26, 1897, in Concescio, Italy, Giovanni Battista Montini was raised in a middle-class family of five. Although Giovanni's father was a lawyer and journalist, Giovanni suffered from ill health growing up, and was educated at home for much of his youth. After completing his initial studies at a school in Brescia, he was ordained at the age of 23, and sent by the bishop to Rome for further studies in literature, philosophy, and canon law.

Upon completion of his graduate studies, he became part of the Vatican Secretariat of State. Giovanni worked there for 30 years, using his position to support Jews and refugees during World War II, as well as serving as chaplain to the Federation of Italian Catholic University students. He worked as papal undersecretary of state and became acting secretary for ordinary (nondiplomatic) affairs in 1944, and 10 years later was appointed archbishop of Milan. During his time as archbishop, Giovanni made it a personal mission to visit factories and reach out to laborers who had grown indifferent in their faith, calling himself "archbishop of the workers". Four years later, Pope John XXII made him a cardinal, and he served in that role until he was elected pope on June 21, 1963, when he took the name Paul VI. After just over 15 years in office, Pope Paul VI passed away at Castel Gandolfo on August 6, 1978. He was beatified on October 19, 2014, and canonized on October 14, 2018. He left behind a legacy of ecumenicism and caring for workers and the poor.

The Book of Joshua presents a narrative of the way Israel took possession of the land of Canaan, making it the land of Israel. This process is swift and inexorable, and is followed by an orderly division and disposition of the land among the twelve tribes, with a concluding ceremony of covenant renewal.

The theological message of the book is unmistakable. God has been faithful to the promise of the land. If Israel relies totally on the Lord for victory; if Israel is united as a people; if the law of herem is kept and no one grows rich from victory in war—then and only then will Israel possess the land.

The Israelites are led by Joshua, the successor of Moses, and the book is at pains to show not only how Joshua carries on the work of Moses but how the "conquest" of Canaan is continuous with the exodus from Egypt. This is seen in the repeated insistence that, as the Lord was with Moses, so he is with Joshua; and, especially, in the crossing of the Jordan River, which is patterned after the crossing of the Red Sea.

Today, May 31, as our Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Visitation we are first invited to read and reflect on a passage from the Song of Songs (2:8-14; 8:6-7) entitled "The coming of the beloved." Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable, priest.

The Solemnity of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary recalls to us the following great truths and events: The visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation; the cleansing of John the Baptist from original sin in the womb of his mother at the words of Our Lady's greeting; Elizabeth's proclaiming of Mary—under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost—as Mother of God and "blessed among women"; Mary's singing of the sublime hymn, Magnificat ("My soul doth magnify the Lord") which has become a part of the daily official prayer of the Church. The Visitation is frequently depicted in art, and was the central mystery of St. Francis de Sales' devotions.

Saint Bede was an early eighth century English monk and an author and scholar. Saint Bede, trained by Saint Benedict, is one of the few saints honored as such during his lifetime. His writings were filled with such faith and learning that, even while he was still alive, a church Council ordered them to be read publicly in the churches. He is best known for his work, the "Ecclesial History of the English People", a source vital to the history of the conversion to Christianity of the Anglo-Saxon tribes.

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.

On Thursday the Sixth week of Easter our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle John (3:1-10) entitled "We are children of God". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Leo the Great, pope.

Saint Leo became pope in the year 440. Saint Leo was a Roman aristocrat, and was the first pope to have been called "the Great". Saint Leo is known as one of the best administrative popes of the ancient Church. His work branched into many areas of the church, indicative of his notion of the pope's total responsibility for the flock of Christ. In the 96 sermons which have come down to us, we find Leo stressing the virtues of almsgiving, fasting, and prayer, and expounding Catholic doctrine with clarity and conciseness, particularly the dogma of the Incarnation. Leo is perhaps best known for having met Attila the Hun in 452 and having persuaded him to turn back from his invasion of Italy.

The purpose of the first letter of the apostle John is to combat certain false ideas, especially about Jesus, and to deepen the spiritual and social awareness of the Christian community. Some former members of the community refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ and denied that he was a true man. The specific heresy described in this letter cannot be identified exactly, but it is a form of Docetism or Gnosticism; the former doctrine denied the humanity of Christ to insure that his divinity was untainted, and the latter viewed the appearance of Christ as a mere stepping-stone to higher knowledge of God. These theological errors are rejected by an appeal to the reality and continuity of the apostolic witness to Jesus. The author affirms that authentic Christian love, ethics, and faith take place only within the historical revelation and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The fullness of Christian life as fellowship with the Father must be based on true belief and result in charitable living; knowledge of God and love for one another are inseparable, and error in one area inevitably affects the other. Although the author recognizes that Christian doctrine presents intangible mysteries of faith about Christ, he insists that the concrete Christian life brings to light the deeper realities of the gospel.

On Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (18:1-20) entitled "The destruction of Babylon". Our treasure, which follows, is from the commentary on the letter to the Romans by Saint Cyril of Alexander, bishop.

Saint Cyril was born in 370 and lived a monastic life. He was ordained a priest and succeeded his uncle as bishop of Alexandria where he served from 412 to 444. He was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within the Roman Empire. He had a preeminent role at the Council of Ephesus; he fought bravely against the doctrines of Nestorius, and wrote many learned works explaining and defending the Catholic faith.

Saint Cyril is counted among the Church Fathers and also as a Doctor of the Church. His reputation within the Christian world has resulted in his titles, "Pillar of Faith" and "Seal of all the Fathers". Cyril died in 444.

Of all the letters of Paul, that to the Christians at Rome has long held pride of place. It is the longest and most systematic unfolding of the apostle's thought, expounding the gospel of God's righteousness that saves all who believe; it reflects a universal outlook, with special implications for Israel's relation to the church. Yet, like all Paul's letters, Romans too arose out of a specific situation, when the apostle wrote from Greece, likely Corinth, between A.D. 56 and 58.

Paul at that time was about to leave for Jerusalem with a collection of funds for the impoverished Jewish Christian believers there, taken up from his predominantly Gentile congregations. He planned then to travel on to Rome and to enlist support there for a mission to Spain. Such a journey had long been on his mind. Now, with much missionary preaching successfully accomplished in the East, he sought new opportunities in the West, to complete the divine plan of evangelization in the Roman world. Yet he recognized that the visit to Jerusalem would be hazardous, and we know from Acts that Paul was arrested there and came to Rome only in chains, as a prisoner.

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.

This book 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.

On Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (17:1-18) entitled "Babylon the great harlot". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter to the Corinthians by Saint Clement, pope.

Saint Clement of Rome is primarily known for being the fourth Pope and one of the Apostolic Fathers, a group of early Church leaders who personally knew the apostles. He is also famous for writing a letter to the Church in Corinth, known as "1 Clement". This letter is one of the oldest surviving Christian writings outside the New Testament and is a valuable piece of early Christian literature. It addressed a dispute within the Corinthian community and emphasized the importance of unity and obedience to church leadership.

St. Clement is considered one of the earliest Christian leaders who had a direct connection to the apostles, particularly St. Peter. He served as the fourth Pope, succeeding St. Peter, St. Linus, and St. Cletus. Tradition holds that St. Clement was martyred during the reign of Emperor Trajan in the year 100 by being thrown into the sea with an anchor tied around his neck.

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.

This book 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.

Today, May 13, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima we are first invited to reflect on a passage from the book of Revelation (11:19---12:17a), entitled "The great sign of the woman in the heavens". Our treasure, which follows, is from the dogmatic constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council.

Our Lady of Fatima is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary, referring to six apparitions reported by three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. From May 13 to October 13, 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared to Lúcia dos Santos, and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, at the Cova da Iria in Fatima, Portugal. Mary's message to the children emphasized the importance of prayer, especially the Rosary, for world peace, conversion of sinners, and consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The children received a message known as the "Secret of Fatima," which included three parts: a vision of Hell, predictions about the wars, and a vision of the Pope and other religious figures being killed. On October 13, 1917, an event known as the "miracle of the sun" was witnessed by an estimated 70,000 people, where the sun appeared to change colors and move in an unusual manner.

The Church officially recognized the apparitions as "worthy of belief" in 1930 and established a feast day for Our Lady of Fatima on May 13.

Lumen gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 21 November 1964, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,151 to 5. As is customary with significant Roman Catholic Church documents, it is known by its incipit, "Lumen gentium", Latin for 'Light of the Nations'. The document's purpose is to clarify the church's nature and mission, and to help humanity achieve unity in Christ. The document also describes the church as a communion of charity and highlights its complex reality of human and divine elements.

The eight chapters of the document can be paired thematically: chapters one and two treat the church's nature and historical existence, chapters three and four treat different roles in the church, chapters five and six treat holiness and religious life, while chapters seven and eight discuss the saints and Mary.

Lumen gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is one of the principal documents of the Second Vatican Council. This dogmatic constitution was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 21 November 1964, following approval by the assembled bishops by a vote of 2,151 to 5. As is customary with significant Roman Catholic Church documents, it is known by its incipit, "Lumen gentium", Latin for 'Light of the Nations'. The document's purpose is to clarify the church's nature and mission, and to help humanity achieve unity in Christ. The document also describes the church as a communion of charity and highlights its complex reality of human and divine elements.

The eight chapters of the document can be paired thematically: chapters one and two treat the church's nature and historical existence, chapters three and four treat different roles in the church, chapters five and six treat holiness and religious life, while chapters seven and eight discuss the saints and Mary.

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.

This book 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.