Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

Today, December 14, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of John of the Cross, Priest and Doctor, we are invited to first reflect on a passage from the book of Sirach (39: 4-10), entitled "The wisdom of a man who is learned in the Scriptures". Our treasure, which follows, is from a spiritual Canticle by Saint John of the Cross, priest.

Saint John of the Cross is considered among the greatest mystics in the history of the Church. He was born at Fontiveros in Spain around 1542. After a number of years as a Carmelite, he was persuaded by Saint Teresa of Avila in 1568 to lead a reform movement among the brothers which brought a new energy to the Carmelite Order. Renowned for his wisdom and sanctity, his spiritual writings, especially the classic spiritual treatise "The Dark Night of the Soul", remain a fitting testimony to his life. He died at Ubeda in 1591.

The Wisdom of Ben Sira derives its title from the author, "Yeshua [Jesus], son of Eleazar, son of Sira". The title "Sirach" comes from the Greek form of the author's name. The author, a sage who lived in Jerusalem, was thoroughly imbued with love for the wisdom tradition, and also for the law, priesthood, Temple, and divine worship. As a wise and experienced observer of life he addressed himself to his contemporaries with the motive of helping them to maintain religious faith and integrity through study of the books sacred to the Jewish tradition.

The book contains numerous well-crafted maxims, grouped by affinity, and dealing with a variety of subjects such as the individual, the family, and the community in their relations with one another and with God. It treats of friendship, education, poverty and wealth, laws, religious worship, and many other matters that reflect the religious and social customs of the time.

Today, December 13, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Lucy, 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 sermon On the Dress of Virgins by Saint Cyprian, bishop and martyr. 

Saint Lucy was a young virgin martyr in Syracuse, Sicily (Italy) in the late 200s A.D. who was put to death in 304 A.D. Excavation in Syracuse revealed a tomb dating to the 4th century with an inscription that it belonged to St. Lucy. Beyond this, little factual information is known about St. Lucy. Her name, Lucia in Italian, is believed to be derived from the Latin Lux, a term for “light.” The earliest known written information about St. Lucy’s story is from the late 400s, Acts of the Martyrs, which indicates there was already veneration shown to her by that time. By the 6th century, legends about St. Lucy had spread throughout Italy and other parts of Europe. Although the stories vary somewhat, the common theme in all of them is that St. Lucy dedicated herself to Christ and to serving the poor, which angered the pagan to whom she was betrothed. He denounced her as a Christian to the authorities, who then attempted first to drag her to a house of prostitution and then, when they could not physically move her, to burn her – which was also a failure. Ultimately, they ended St. Lucy’s life with a dagger or sword to her throat.

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.

The Dress of Virgins, written in 249 by Saint Cyprian, is addressed to women (“flowers in the Church’s garden”) who have dedicated their lives to God’s service. In this treatise on virginity Cyprian warns these women against seeking finery and the pitfalls of worldliness.

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, December 12, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe we are invited to reflect on a passage from the first book of Chronicles (17: 1-15), entitled "A prophecy concerning David's son". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Sophronius, bishop.

Saint Sophronius was a courageous leader of the Jerusalem Church during the Islamic conquests of the seventh century. Born in Damascus, Syria, around the year 560, Sophronius came from an esteemed family and received a deep philosophical education. His early devotion to God grew into an inclination toward monastic life, and while still young he entered a monastery in Palestine. He became a friend and student of John Moschus, his fellow monk who would become an important spiritual writer in the Eastern Christian tradition.

St. Sophronius was bishop of Jerusalem in the early 7th century and preached this sermon on the Blessed Virgin Mary on the occasion of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord around the year 635 AD, the year that the Holy City fell to the Muslim armies advancing from Arabia. It demonstrates the strong devotion to the Mother of God that existed in the early era of the Fathers of the Church. This reading is used in the Roman Catholic Office of Readings, in the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Books of Chronicles record in some detail the lengthy span (some five hundred fifty years) from the death of King Saul to the return from the exile. Unlike today's history writing, wherein factual accuracy and impartiality of judgment are the norm, biblical history, with rare exceptions, was less concerned with reporting in precise detail all the facts of a situation than with drawing out the meaning of those facts. Biblical history was thus primarily interpretative, and its purpose was to disclose the action of the living God in human affairs. For this reason we speak of it as "sacred history."

These characteristics are apparent when we examine the primary objective of the Chronicler (the conventional designation for the anonymous author) in compiling his work. Given the situation which confronted the Jewish people at this time (the end of the fifth century B.C.), the Chronicler realized that Israel's political greatness was a thing of the past. Yet, for the Chronicler, Israel's past held the key to the people's future. In particular, the Chronicler aimed to establish and defend the legitimate claims of the Davidic monarchy in Israel's history, and to underscore the status of Jerusalem and its divinely established Temple worship as the center of religious life for the Jewish people. If Judaism was to survive and prosper, it would have to heed the lessons of the past and devoutly serve its God in the place where he had chosen to dwell, the Temple in Jerusalem. From the Chronicler's point of view, the reigns of David and Solomon were the ideal to which all subsequent rule in Judah must aspire. The Chronicler was much more interested in David's religious and cultic influence than in his political power, however. He saw David's (and Solomon's) primary importance as deriving rather from their roles in the establishment of Jerusalem and its Temple as the center of the true worship of the Lord. Furthermore, he presents David as the one who prescribed the Temple's elaborate ritual (which, in point of fact, only gradually evolved in the Second Temple period) and who appointed the Levites to supervise the liturgical services there.

On Wednesday of the Second Week of Advent our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (25: 6—26: 6) entitled "The banquet of God. The song of the redeemed.". Our treasure, which follows, is from a discourse on the psalms 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.

Throughout its many pages, Psalms encourages its readers to praise God for who He is and what He has done. The Psalms illuminate the greatness of our God, affirm His faithfulness to us in times of trouble, and remind us of the absolute centrality of His Word. The focus of Augustine's Explanations of the Psalms is on Christ. In fact, at one point he says, "Christ is the comprehensive mystery underlying all of Scripture."

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 Tuesday of the Second Week of Advent our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (24: 19—25: 5) entitled "The kingdom of God. Thanksgiving". Our treasure, which follows, is from the dogmatic constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council.

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 the human race 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.

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 chapter six, 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.

Today, December 7, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor, we are invited to read and reflect on a passage from the book of Wisdom (7: 7-16, 22-30), entitled "The joy of the just united to God". Our treasure, which follows, is from a letter by Saint Ambrose, bishop.

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.

The Book of Wisdom was written about fifty years before the coming of Christ. Its author, whose name is not known to us, was probably a member of the Jewish community at Alexandria, in Egypt. He wrote in Greek, in a style patterned on that of Hebrew verse. At times he speaks in the person of Solomon, placing his teachings on the lips of the wise king of Hebrew tradition in order to emphasize their value. His profound knowledge of the earlier Old Testament writings is reflected in almost every line of the book, and marks him, like Ben Sira, as an outstanding representative of religious devotion and learning among the sages of postexilic Judaism.

The primary purpose of the author was the edification of his co-religionists in a time when they had experienced suffering and oppression, in part at least at the hands of apostate fellow Jews. To convey his message he made use of the most popular religious themes of his time, namely the splendor and worth of divine wisdom, the glorious events of the exodus, God's mercy, the folly of idolatry, and the manner in which God's justice operates in rewarding or punishing the individual. The first ten chapters in particular provide background for the teaching of Jesus and for some New Testament theology about Jesus. Many passages from this section of the book are used by the church in the liturgy.

On Thursday of the First Week of Advent our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (16: 1-5; 17: 4-8) entitled "Zion, refuge of the Moabites. The conversion of Ephraim". Our treasure, which follows, is from a commentary on the Diatessaron by Saint Ephrem, deacon.

Saint Ephrem, also known as Ephrem of Syria, was born around the year 306 in the city of Nisibis (modern day Nusaybin, Turkey). In those days religious culture in the region, included polytheism, Judaism, and several varieties of early Christianity. Saint Ephraim was a prominent Christian theologian and writer who is revered as one of the most notable hymnographers of Eastern Christianity. He had a prolific pen and his writings best illumine his holiness. Although he was not a man of great scholarship, his works reflect deep insight and knowledge of the Scriptures. In writing about the mysteries of humanity's redemption, Saint Ephrem reveals a realistic and humanly sympathetic spirit and a great devotion to the humanity of Jesus.

Saint Ephrem was ordained a deacon but declined becoming a priest. He was said to have avoided presbyteral consecration by feigning madness. Saint Ephraim is venerated as a saint by all traditional Churches. He was declared a Doctor of the Roman Catholic Church in 1920.

The Diatessaron, meaning "through the four gospels," is the name the fourth-century Church historian Eusebius gave to a collation and combination of the gospels created by Tatian, a disciple of Justin Martyr, around 170. In this work, Tatian drew on the four canonical gospels to create a single, continuous narrative of Jesus's life that eliminated repetition of parallel passages and harmonized discrepancies and contradictions. Probably written in Tatian's native Syriac, the Diatessaron is one of the earliest witnesses to the text of the gospels, drawing on a form of the Greek text circulating in Rome in the mid-second century. It probably influenced many readings in the Old Syriac version of the New Testament, and enjoyed great popularity both within the Syriac- and Aramaic-speaking world and much farther afield. Not long after composing the Diatessaron, Tatian came to be considered a heretic, and by the mid-fifth century his work was finally suppressed.

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.

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 Wednesday of the First Week of Advent our Church invites us to first read and reflect on a passage from the book of the prophet Isaiah (5: 1-7) entitled "Against the vineyard of the Lord". Our treasure, which follows, is from a sermon by Saint Bernard, abbot.

Saint Bernard was born in 1090 near Dijon in France. After a religious upbringing, he joined the Cistercians in 1111 and later was chosen abbot of the monastery of Clairvaux in southeast France in an area known as Bar-sur-Aube. There he directed his companions in the practice of virtue by his own good example. In the year 1128, Bernard attended the Council of Troyes, at which he traced the outlines of the Rule of the Knights Templar, which soon became an ideal of Christian nobility. Both monastic rule and military manual, the Rule is a unique document and an important historical source.

He was centrally responsible for the early expansion of the Cistercian Order throughout Europe. Tens of thousands heard his powerful preaching, and he personally attracted and helped many hundreds of men to follow a call to monastic life. Because of schisms which had a risen in the Church, he traveled all about Europe restoring peace and unity. He wrote many theological and spiritual works. Bernard was canonized just 21 years after his death by Pope Alexander III. He died in 1153. In 1830 Pope Pius VIII declared him a Doctor of the Church.

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.

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.

Today, December 3, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest, we are first invited to read and reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to Tomothy (5: 17-22: 6: 10-14) entitled "The good fight of priests and men of God". Our treasure, which follows, is from the letters to Saint Ignatius by Saint Francis Xavier, priest.

Saint Francis Xavier was born in Spain in 1506. While studying the liberal arts at Paris, he became a follower of Ignatius Loyola. In 1537 he was ordained at Rome and there devoted himself to works of charity. Francis went to the Orient in 1541 where for ten years he tirelessly proclaimed the Gospel in India and Japan, and through his preaching brought many to believe. Francis Xavier was known for his missionary work and his role in founding the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits).He died in 1552 near the China coast on the island of Sancian.

The letters that St. Francis Xavier wrote to St. Ignatius of Loyola are a valuable resource for learning about the lives of these two saints, the Jesuits, and early evangelization in Asia. The letters are full of missionary zeal, and they offer a vivid account of the challenges Xavier faced while serving in lands such as Portugal, India, Indonesia, Japan, and China.

The first letter to Timothy instructs Timothy on his duty to restrain false and useless teaching and proposes principles pertaining to his relationship with the older members of the community and with the presbyters. It gives rules for aid to widows and their selection for charitable ministrations and also deals with liturgical celebrations, selections for the offices of bishop and deacon, relation of slaves with their masters, and obligations of the wealthier members of the community. This letter also reminds Timothy of the prophetic character of his office and encourages him in his exercise of it. The central passage of the letter expresses the principal motive that should guide the conduct of Timothy—preservation of the purity of the church's doctrine against false teaching.

Today, November 30, as our church celebrates the Feast of Andrew, Apostle, our Church invites us to read reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians (1: 18---2: 5), entitled "The apostles proclaim the message of the cross". Our treasure, which follows, is from a homily on the Gospel of John by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop.

Saint Andrew, born at Bethsaida, was a disciple of John the Baptist before he became a follower of Christ, to whom he also brought his brother Peter. With Philip he presented the Gentiles to Christ and, before the miracle in the desert, he pointed out to Christ the boy carrying the loaves and the fishes. After Pentecost he preached the Gospel in many lands and was put to death by crucifixion at Achaia.

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.

Saint John Chrysostom's homiletical works are vast, including many hundreds of homilies on both the New Testament (especially the works of Saint Paul) and the Old Testament (particularly on Genesis). He gave 88 homilies on the Gospel of St. John alone.

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.