Vol 9 Issue 32 ~ Editor: Rev. Fr. Courtney Edward Krier
August 13, 2016 ~ Our Lady

1. Baptism: Means of Salvation (81)
2. Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
3. Vigil of the Assumption
4. Christ in the Home (55)
5. Articles and notices

Dear Reader:

Monday is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This ancient feast is the universal feast honoring the Mother of God affirming the Catholic faith regarding the prerogatives God has bestowed upon her: Immaculate Conception, Full of Grace, Mother of God, Perpetual Virgin, and Queen of Heaven and Earth. Without stain, without loss of virginity, without corruption would also be naturally attributed to her. As the glory of Jerusalem (cf. Judith, 10:15), as the Mother of Jesus, as the New Eve she reigns with her Divine Son in the same manner, not in spirit only, but glorified in body as well as in spirit. The moment to one says Mary is Mother of God, one proclaims Jesus Christ is absolute God, and why the Protestants refuse this title to Mary. The moment one says Mary is assumed into heaven body and soul, one admits her intercessory power, and why the Protestants refuse to admit her presence in heaven [true Protestants hold a kind of “sleep” of the dead until the resurrection—therefore no possible intercession]. The moment one acknowledges Mary to be in heaven body and soul because of her dignity as Mother of God, one professes merit before God, and this is abhorrent to the Protestants who know their apostasy from the Catholic Church is supposed based on the rejection of merit. Therefore, the celebration of the Assumption of Mary into heaven by the Catholic Church is a celebration in the faith she holds of the Incarnation and Redemption accomplished by the Son of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and—through cooperation with grace—the ability of each individual to come to Christ and be sanctified and grow in the supernatural life, that is, merit a higher place in heaven (be closer to God).

The love Mary has for her divine Son kindles in her a love for those who her Son died for and inspires in her a desire to obtain their salvation. But the desire is not fruitless, for she turns to her Son and asks for the graces they need to come to her Divine Son. The Evil One hates the Mother because of the Son and because the Evil One knows the Mother only seeks to fulfil what the Son came to accomplish: the salvation of mankind. May the Catholic’s love of the Mother lead to the love of the Son, knowing that love of the Son can only lead also to love of the Mother.

As always, enjoy the readings and commentaries provided for your benefit. —The Editor

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Baptism

Means of Salvation

Sacrament of Baptism

Rituale Romanum

(Continued)

Introductory Commentary:

The following Baptismal Rite will be accompanied with a practical commentary to explain what various Catholic Fathers, Doctors and authors provide to explain the meaning of the ceremony and what it is teaching those who witness the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism. It is not a sterile, pompous display, but one that engages the receiver of the Sacrament into its spirit and disposes the person to receive the Sacramental graces accompanying the ritual.

The sacraments—and in an intermediary way also the sacramentals—are prolongations of the Incarnation, inasmuch as they continue Christ. They are extensions of the Passion and Resurrection, since they carry out the work of redemption and bring to us the saving virtue of grace and life obtained for us through Christ’s redemptive act. Genuine actions of Christ Himself, they allow Him to remain among us and sanctify each step of our human lives. Indeed, they are channels of divine life, which little by little will succeed, if we place no obstacle in the way of their operation and truly cooperate with them, in divinizing us, in transforming us into the likeness of Christ, our Head. (Miller, 432; cf. Mystici Corporis, par. 24.)

With the words of Saint Peter who, after receiving the Holy Ghost and preaching to the crowd, called the Jews and proselytes to repentance and salvation and then baptizing those who believed (cf. Acts 2) and Phillip the Deacon preaching to the Samaritans and the Eunuch and then baptizing (cf. Acts 8), baptism has always been preceded by instruction before baptism. The Catechumenate developed and baptism was administered on the two vigils (in the Oriental Church, a third vigil, the vigil of Epiphany) that brought out the grace of Baptism, the Resurrection and Pentecost (Coming of the Holy Ghost). The Catechumenate is present when, during the Mass the first part is titled: Mass of the Catechumens. It reminds one when the Catechumens were present for the instruction before they were dismissed when, as the second part of the Mass is called, Mass of the Faithful, began. By the Middle Ages it was generally only children that were being baptized and the two vigils lost their significance of being the day those adults catechumens preparing for baptism would receive the Sacrament of Faith. Adult baptisms ought to be delayed till the Easter Vigil, when at the very least, the baptismal water is blessed; absent meaning, the baptismal ceremony during the Vigil of Pentecost has been suppressed.

In the Baptism of children, that the child is instructed later falls upon the godparents and they must accept this obligation; for it cannot be necessarily assumed the parents will fulfill this responsibility. In this capacity, the sponsor(s) bring the child to the Church. The bringing the child to the font and assuming the responsibility of the spiritual welfare of the child has developed into a spiritual relationship that makes the sponsor(s) the co-genitor of the spiritual life of the child and therefore extending the term of sponsor to that of godparent.

Adam (Man), after committing original sin, was banished from the Garden of Eden and two Cherubim stood to guard the entrance (cf. Gen. 3:23ff.) When the child is brought to the Church, the godparents with the child stand outside the two doors of the church (symbolic of the garden of paradise within which is the tree of life, but guarded by the doors), as though asking to be allowed to enter. The priest, official representative of God, proceeds to the threshold of the church vested the signs of that office, surplice and purple stole. The priest then asks the child its name to express that a personal relationship with the heavenly Father, whose family the child wishes to become a member, is desired. The name must be of a saint as the family of God is the Communion of Saints and the child’s name expresses this understanding.

Rituale:

THE RITE FOR THE BAPTISM OF INFANTS

At the Threshold of church

1. The priest interrogates the child (if several are to be baptized, the questions are addressed to each):

N., what dost thou ask of the Church of God?

The sponsor replies: Faith.

Priest: What does faith bestow on thee?

The sponsor replies: Life everlasting.

2. Priest (again to each one singly):

If then thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments: thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.

3. Then he gently blows three times on the face of the infant, and says:

Go out from him (her), thou unclean spirit, and make way for the Holy Spirit, the Consoler.

4. With his thumb he makes the sign of the Cross upon the forehead and breast of the infant, saying:

Receive the sign of the Cross upon thy brow + and upon thy heart+. Enter into the service of the heavenly commandments, and be thou such in thy conduct that thou mayest deserve henceforth to be known as God’s temple.

Commentary:

The first part is reminiscent of the enrollment into the catechumenate, theinitiation properly called in dividing the ceremony into three parts according to the ancient practice: Initiation, Scrutinies and Baptism.  Questioning the intention of the candidate begins the acknowledgement of desiring to live the Christian life.

These first questions are reminiscent of the Scrutinies that were held during Lent for the Adults. There were seven scrutinies because, as one will see, the Holy Ghost is always referenced with the Father and the Son. There are Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost, and to symbolize the coming of the Holy Ghost through the Grace of Baptism as witnessed at the Baptism of Christ, the Church determined to have this sevenfold ceremony. (Cf. Miller 447)

Faith is necessary for salvation. Yet not faith alone, but a living faith: For even as the body without the spirit is dead; so also faith without works is dead.(James 2:26). Faith is not what the Protestants have made it, a fiduciary trust. Nor is it a belief in a god man creates. It is belief in a God that creates man and reveals Himself to man. It is not a belief in which one must be at an age to hear a person say what God is and one gives one’s assent to that person. It is an acknowledgement that one knows God exists and is present; but it is also that one knows that one cannot perceive Him with one’s bodily senses, it is only when God enlightens with one’s mind and places it in one’s nature. A child knows God exists, not in the capacity of a reasoning adult, but by nature. It seeks God, Who is Love and Goodness, and by this knows God exists since it could not desire something it never experienced or knew. This corresponds particularly with St. Paul’s words: For we account a man to be justified by faith(cf. Romans 3:28). And while the Protestants will deny baptism to an infant because they see it as a repentance of sin which a child does not have, the Church does baptize the child for the Church teaches the child does have sin (Original) and that God comes to the child with the gifts of theological faith, hope, and charity, that is, virtues or powers that have God as their goal.

The priest then asks: “What does faith bring you?” The response is: “Life everlasting”. It brings God’s Life which is eternal or everlasting. And what is this life? It is His Life, His Holy Spirit, the Life of the Father and the Son, the Love of the Father and the Son. Spirit means life. Pneuma is a Greek word corresponding to the Hebrew word, Ru’ah, which then translates into the vernacular meaning Life. The Third Person Who comes to the one baptized is the Holy Ghost, or Holy Life (of God). The substance of Baptism is once more to possess the Life of God. To receive the Life of God one must be baptized; but to have the life of God one must live the life of Christ. Taking the words of Christ to the young man who asked, Good master, what good shall I do that I may have life everlasting? (Matt. 19:16) Who replied, If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments (ibid. 19:17); and when asked, what is the greatest commandment, responded:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets (ibid. 22:37-40)

The Church instructs the candidate that this is living the life of Christ.

(To be continued)

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Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Benedict Baur, O.S.B. 

The holy faith

1. “We account a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law” (Rom. 3:28). The only way of justification is through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. “He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
2. “Go, show yourselves to the priests” (Gospel). The Mosaic law ordained that whoever was healed of leprosy must show himself to the priest. The priest, by virtue of his authority, confirmed the fact that the afflicted person had been cured of the dreaded disease. The lepers in the Gospel, therefore, betake themselves to a nearby town in search of a priest in order to have their cure verified. Nine of the ten show themselves to the priest, thus fulfilling the commands of the Mosaic law. Believing that they owe their healing to the works of this law, they do not even think of returning to the Lord to thank Him. Here we have proof of the tragic delusion and blindness of the people of Israel, who believed that the works, sacrifices, washings, and prayers commanded by the law of Moses “could give life” (Epistle). It is a delusion to believe that the life of grace and true salvation can come from anyone or anything but faith in Christ Jesus. We meet the same blindness and delusion in those who rely on merely native talents and natural strength and efforts, believing that they need no supernatural help through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. “If there had been a law given which could give life, verily justice should have been by the law. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe” (Epistle). “He that believeth not, shall be condemned.” There is no salvation but in Jesus Christ. “For there is no other name under heaven given to man whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:.12).

“One of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back with a loud voice glorifying God; and he fell on his face before His feet, giving thanks” (Gospel). He does not go to the priests, for he understands that he does not owe his healing to the works of the law or his own endeavors. He believes in Jesus, who commands him: “Arise, go thy way, for thy faith hath made thee whole.” Having become aware of the fact that he has been cleansed, he went back “with a loud voice glorifying God; and . . . giving thanks.” To the liturgy this man is the type of those who believe and to whom has been given “the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ” (Epistle). To them the Lord gives the promise: “Thy faith hath made thee whole.” To them, however, that rely on the works of the law, on merely human efforts, expecting salvation from natural powers, the fearful word is said: “He that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth in him” (John 3:36).

3. What the Gospel relates about the ten lepers is to the liturgy a categorical: “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11 :6). “He that believeth in the Son, hath life everlasting; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth in him” (John 3:36).

In baptism the faith has been planted in our soul. We daily strengthen it by praying and by making acts of faith. The deeper this faith in Jesus becomes, the safer and more solid and fruitful will be our spiritual life. Our spiritual life and sanctity derive their strength and growth from the living; faith in the Son of God given to us by the Father. Whether Jesus shows Himself to us as a helpless child in the manger, as a working man in His father’s shop, or as a teacher continually exposed to the contradiction of His enemies, He is; always Christ, God and man. Whether we see Him in disgrace and humiliation in His passion and death on the cross, whether we believe in Him, hidden and forgotten in the tabernacle, He remains always the same, the Son of the eternal Father, equal in substance with the Father, equal in majesty, power, and wisdom. If we have this vivid faith in Him, it must of necessity constrain us to make acts of adoration and urge us to devote ourselves to the will of Him who, though human, nevertheless remains forever God, the Son of the eternal Father.

True faith in Jesus. the Son of God, will necessarily be perfected in love, urging us to take upon ourselves the sacrifices Jesus asks of us, to remain unshaken in times of temptation, and to be strong in all the trials and sufferings of life. “In Thee, O Lord, have I hoped; I said, thou art my God; my times are in Thy hands” (Offertory).

PRAYER

Almighty and everlasting God, grant unto us an increase of faith. hope, and charity; and that we may obtain what Thou dost promise. make us love that which Thou dost command. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Growth in Faith, Hope and Charity

1. It is now harvest time; God has blessed the farmer’s work. The seeds planted in the soil in spring have sprung up; they grew slowly at first, but then after some months they became a waving field of grain. At the sight of these growing and ripening fields the liturgy reminds us of the necessity of our interior growth in faith, hope, and charity: “Grant unto us an increase of faith, hope, and charity” (Collect).
2. “Grant unto us an increase of faith, hope, and charity.” The nine men of the Gospel who have been healed of leprosy accept the cure the Lord has given them; but they are absorbed by the thought of their cure; of being able to return to their families and to work again. They are a picture of the many Christians who accept our Lord’s gifts and benefits: life, health, and the powers of body and soul; yet do not regard the giver of these gifts. Eternal and supernatural things are of no interest to them. They dedicate their life only to worldly and natural interests, concentrating their efforts on one goal alone: how they may progress in their worldly undertakings. Often this attitude is true not only in individuals, but even in whole communities. To this one-sided natural point of view, the Church opposes the striving after spiritual and supernatural values, “the increase of faith, hope, and charity.” She wishes us to strive first after supernatural life, the life of grace. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Luke 12:31). “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul?” (Mark8:36.) What matters first of all is God and a life for God, built on the virtues of faith, hope, and charity; we must seek first the supernatural life of the soul, a life of union with God; and then only may we seek temporal things. The Church sees with sorrow how many of her children become worldly and strive after natural and temporal things alone, thus neglecting the life of grace and the works of faith. She prays for all these that the Lord may grant them “an increase of faith, hope, and charity.” Let us unite our prayers also with those of the Church.

“Make us love that which Thou dost command” (Collect). “Man must fear obedience more than disobedience,” was a favorite saying of St. Francis de Sales. If we love that which God commands, we shall be safe against faithlessness and transgressions of His commands. The commands of God are often unwelcome and unpleasant. But happy are we if we do what’ God commands us to do. “My yoke is sweet and My burden light” (Matt. 11:30). If we submit ourselves to the will of God because we feel forced to do so, the burden will crush us; but if we embrace His commands with a ready and joyful heart they will support us. It is important that we make a distinction between what is hard and severe and what is sweet and light. Commands and duties are hard; sweet, however, is the holy will of God, for love makes sweet and light all things which God wants us to do.

Love also urges us to do cheerfully the things God asks of us; it causes us to embrace our cross with a generous and persevering will, to fulfill our duties conscientiously even in minor details. This faithfulness sees behind even trifling matters the infinitely wise and holy will of God and the opportunity of drawing closer to God by the proper use of little things. Let us look at the saints in this regard. How joyful, light, and cheerful were their souls] We may justly assert that they were as free as they were obedient and faithful. Devoting themselves to God and to Him alone, they were not bound by any creature. They knew neither the severity of the Pharisees nor the scrupulous narrow-mindedness of the scribe; but, being free, they are exact in all things. We observe in them a conscientiousness in the smallest detail; yet they never lose their adaptability to their surroundings. The wisdom of many of their actions, inspired by the love of God, helps them to overcome many difficulties which seem an insurmountable obstacle to us. The saints understand that it is our duty, not only to act in accordance with the will of God, but also to act from motives inspired by love for God. Thus they find the right way of combining broad-mindedness with exactitude, ease with fidelity. The liturgy wishes us to have this spiritual attitude. The Church prays God that we may “love that which Thou dost command.”

3. “Grant unto us an increase of faith, hope, and charity,” of wisdom, understanding, and an appreciation of grace and things supernatural. This is the great need of our times: an understanding of supernatural values. These should govern our thinking, our speech, our acts, our families, and our nations. The science of our age must also come to acknowledge the supernatural sphere. But we often prefer earthly and temporal things, even sinful things, to those supernatural; we act out of merely natural motives in accordance with the supposed wisdom of our own spirit. We especially underestimate the power of prayer, which is the fountain from which all graces come to us. We neglect to spiritualize our thoughts, words, and actions; we do not properly esteem or make use of the Church and her sacraments. “Grant unto us an increase of faith, hope, and charity.”

We pray in the holy liturgy so often: “I believe in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting” (Credo). We actually believe in these things. Is that my belief and hope? Do I really live in the expectation of a future life? “Grant unto us an increase of faith, hope and charity.”

PRAYER

Almighty and everlasting God, grant unto us an increase of faith. hope, and charity; and that we may obtain what Thou dost promise. make us love that which Thou dost command. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

AUGUST 14

Vigil of Our Lady’s Assumption

1. The commemoration of Mary’s death and bodily assumption into heaven is probably the oldest of all Marian feasts. To solemnize it, Pope Sergius I (687-701) ordered an annual procession for August 15 which would go from the Roman Forum to the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Pope Leo IV, in 847, decreed that the clergy and people of Rome should celebrate a vigil (night service) in St. Mary Major and conclude it with Mass in the early hours of August 15.
2. “All that are rich among the citizens will be courting thy favor. Maidens will follow in her retinue into the King’s presence” (Introit). Mary has “gone home,” and now, awakened from bodily death to eternal life, as the glorious Queen of the universe she occupies the magnificent throne prepared for her from all eternity by her own divine Son. The Church sings in the Divine Office: “The holy Mother of God has been lifted up above all the choirs of angels in the kingdom of heaven.” “Today Mary has risen into heaven; rejoice; she reigns with Christ.” With the Church we lift prayerful hands today, begging, with full confidence in her power, for the favor of her intercession with Him. “Lord, may our offerings be recommended to thy merciful acceptance by the prayer of God’s mother, whom thou didst remove from this world for this purpose, that she might confidently plead with thee for the forgiveness of our sins” (Secret). We appeal with faith: on this day of her triumph she will show herself a mother to us in a very special way. We are the “maidens” who “follow in her retinue into the King’s presence”; we are her children, who imitate the virtues and holiness of her whom we love, because she promises: “From me comes every grace of faithful observance, from me all promise of life and vigor. Hither turn your steps, all you that have learned to long for me; take your fill of the increase I yield” (Lesson). We, thy children, beg thee to look upon us with favor!

“Blessed art thou, virgin Mary, who didst bear the Creator of the world; thou gavest birth to him who made thee, yet remainest ever virgin” (Offertory). At Matins we read this passage from St. John of Damascus: “How could she taste death, out of whom flowed true life to all? Nevertheless, she submitted to the law given by Him to whom she gave birth. As daughter of the first Adam she was subject to the death sentence effective since the fall; but, as mother of the living God she was, appropriately, taken up to Him. How could death consume her who listened to the word of God, who, by the power of the Holy Spirit, conceived the Son of God in inviolate virginity and consecrated herself entirely to God! How could death claim her! How could that body, in which Life was conceived, fall a prey to corruption! Rather, for this body the straight, level, easy road to heaven was open. If it is true, as Christ the Life and the Truth says, that ‘if anyone is to be my servant, he must follow my way’ (John 12:26); certainly his Mother ought to be the very first to join Him in heaven, with body and soul.” If death and corruption are the consequences of sin, and if the curses that God pronounced on the sin of man brought this death and corruption into the world; and if Mary was conceived without sin and remained so all her life, then death which she underwent in order to be like her Son could not be subject to corruption. Hence, with heartfelt joy we greet her: `Blessed art thou, virgin Mary, who didst bear the Creator’ (Offertory); who, to be worthy to bear Him wast conceived without stain, and consequently, soon after thy holy, happy death, wast raised up and taken by Him, body and soul, to the joys of heaven. ‘Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!’

3. A section of St. Ambrose’s homily for the vigil follows: “When you hear that woman say aloud, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore thee and the breast that nourished thee’; and when you hear our Lord reply: ‘Rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God and follow it,’ then you must understand it this way: not as though He despised His Mother; rather, He meant to say that even she would be worthless, if she did n…

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