St. Anselm A Prayer of all souls longing for God

Let me know You and love You, 

so that I may find my joy in You

From the Proslogion by Saint Anselm, bishop

My soul, have you found what you are looking for?  

You were looking for God, and you discovered that He is the supreme being, and that you could not possibly imagine anything more perfect.  You have discovered that His supreme being is life itself, light, wisdom, goodness, eternal blessedness and blessed eternity.  He is everywhere, and He is timeless.

Lord my God, You gave me life and restored it when I lost it.  Tell my soul that so longs for You what else You are besides what it has already understood, so that it may see You clearly.  

It stands on tiptoe to see more, but apart from what it has seen already, it sees nothing but darkness.  Of course it does not really see darkness, because there is not darkness in You, but it sees that it can see no further because of the darkness in itself.

Surely, Lord, inaccessible light is Your dwelling place, for no one apart from Yourself can enter into it and fully comprehend You.  

If I fail to see this light it is simply because it is too bright for me.  Still, it is by the light that I do see all that I can, even as weak eyes, unable to look straight at the sun, see all they can by the sun’s light.

Light of God

The light in which You dwell, Lord, 

is beyond my understanding.  

It is so brilliant that I cannot bear it, I cannot turn my mind’s eye toward it for any length of time.  I am dazzle by its brightness, amazed by its grandeur, overwhelmed by its immensity, bewildered by its abundance.

O supreme and inaccessible light, O complete and blessed truth, how far You are from me, even though I am so near to You!  How remote You are from my sight, even though I am present in Yours! You are everywhere in Your entirety, and yet I do not see You; in You I move and have my being, and yet I cannot approach You; You are within me and around me, and yet I do not perceive You.

O God, let me know You and love You so that I may find my joy in You; 

and if I cannot do so fully in this life, let me at least make some progress every day, until at last that knowledge, love and joy come to me in all their plenitude.  

While I am here on earth let me learn to know You better, so that in heaven I may know You fully; let my love for You grow deeper here, so that there I may love You fully.  On earth then I shall have great joy in hope, and in heaven complete joy in the fulfillment of my hope.

O Lord, through Your Son You command me, no, You counsel us to ask, and You promise that You will hear us so that our joy may be complete.  Lord, I am making the request that You urge us to make through Your Wonder-Counselor.  Give me then what you promise to give through Your Truth.  You, O God, are faithful; grant that I may receive my request, so that my joy may be complete.

St. Anselm, Bishop of Canterbury

Meanwhile, let this hope of mine be in my thoughts and on my tongue; let my heart be filled with it, my voice speak of it; let my soul hunger for it, my body thirst for it, my whole being yearn for it, until I enter into the joy of the Lord, who is Three in One, blessed forever. 

Amen.

Taken from the Liturgy of the Hours, April 21 St. Anselm, bishop and doctor

Mary Magdalene and Jesus Risen

Mary Magdalene and the Risen Christ

Holding on to Jesus

Tuesday of the Octave of Easter

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you looking for?”  She thought it was the gardener and said to him,”Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.  Jesu said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.  Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.”  John 20:15-17

Mary Magdalene had been outside Jesus’ tomb weeping because she didn’t know what had happened to His sared body.  Jesus appears to her suddenly in her grief and she is overwhelmed, crying out “Rabbouni!” Jesus tells her to stop holding on to Him.  Why would Jesus say this? What did He mean?

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalen

As we can imagine, this was a very emotional moment for Mary.  She had been there watching the entire Crucifixion.  She knew Jesus well and loved Him dearly.  She watched Him die and now, all of a sudden, Jesus was alive and in her presence.  Her emotions must have been overwhelming.

Jesus was not being critical of Mary when He told her not to hold on to Him.  She was actually giving her beautiful advice and direction in her spiritual journey and in her relationship with Him.  

He was telling her that His relationship 

was not going to change, and deepen.  

He told her not to hold on to Him because He had “not yet ascended to the Father.”  At that moment, Mary’s relationship with Jesus was primarily on a human level.  She had spent much time with Him, been in His physical presence, and loved Him with her human heart.  But Jesus wanted more.  

Icon of Mary Magdalene and the Risen Christ

He wanted her, and all of us, 

to now love Him in a divine way.  

He was soon to ascend to the Father, 

and from His heavenly throne 

He could descend to begin a new relationship 

with Mary, and with all of us, 

that was far more than one on a human level.  

From His throne in Heaven He could now enter Mary’s soul.  He could enter into a new and much deeper communion with her and with all of us.  He could live in us and we in Him.  He could become one with us.

By letting go of the more human and emotional aspects of her relationship with Jesus, Mary could soon cling to Him in a way that she couldn’t do through her human interaction with Him.  This is the divine marriage, the divine communion to which we are all called.

Reflect, today upon your own clinging to Jesus.  He is now fully resurrected and ascended and we can experience the full fruits of the Resurrection as a result.  We, with Mary, can now hold on to Him in our souls because He is primarily the one holding on to us.

Lord, may I cling to You as You cling to me.  

May my heart, mind and soul be Yours.  

Come live in me o that I may live in You. 

I give my life to You, dear Lord, 

help me to offer You all that I am.  

Jesus, I trust in You.

Christ is Risen

Excerpt taken from Lent and Easter Catholic Daily Reflections  by John Paul Thomas

Mother Mary and Easter Morning

Mary was waiting . . .

Mother Mary at the Cross

Her dearest Son—she watched Him die such a cruel death—His Bloody Body—His anguish—His struggling for each breath. . . she heard the people mocking Him as He writhed and groaned hanging there on that tree of wood. Come down from the cross if you are God’s Son. . . She heard His words “Father forgive them, they know not what they do!”  

She heard all the groans and cries of those crucified with her Son. The jeering crowd, the high priests deriding Him. . . the cries of the women who were nearby.  Mary Magdalene’s loud cries as she beheld Her Lord—His friend and apostle John who stood steadily beside her weeping silently.

She could hear Son’s shallow breathing—the gurgles—the panting—the deep groans.  Yet even then He thought of others and not Himself.  “Today you will be with Me in paradise” . . . “Woman behold your son. . . Behold your Mother.”  He thought of her—there was no man to look after her now. . . so the Perfect One—the Beloved Son—gave her one who was not perfect—and she knew from then on her mission would be to be Mother to not only John but to all of us.

“I thirst”, “It is accomplished”, “Father into Your Hands I commend My Spirit”. 

Then silence. . . He was gone . . . the earth rebelled at the creator’s death—the sun darkened, the earth quaked.  People were crying out in alarm and distress—did they realize what they had done?  The bible says they went away beating their breasts. . .

Mary holds Her Crucified Son

Confusion, yelling—all around her—but she heard nothing, saw nothing but Her beloved Son.  They thrust a lance into His Side to insure that He was truly dead.  How Mary’s heart must have revolted at the sight of this last act of cruelty.  His Blood gushed out—the last of His Blood as every drop of His Blood had been spent from the scourging and the crucifixion.  These last few ounces were from His Heart—He gave us all—everything was given. . . He held nothing back. . . Not one drop.

They took Him down from the cross. Mary held her Beloved Son in her arms. . . Her once beautiful boy that she had been given by God at the message of an angel. She had held Him as a baby, watched Him grow into a fine and wonderful young man. She watched Him go to start His mission and had watched as He healed the sick and raised the dead.  She heard His wisdom of His sermons and all of this she kept and treasured in her heart.  

Now He was gone, His lifeless body torn and bloodied lay in her arms.  What must she be thinking?  Her heart breaking. . . the feeling of crying out – Did she say in her heart – Thy Will be done?

Jesus laid in the tomb, Mary arranged His Body herself

His body was taken to a tomb . . .there was no time to anoint Him. . . the Sabbath was near.  She arranged His Body as best she could. . . she kissed Him tenderly. Then the rock was rolled into place.

Silence . . .

Night came and went . . . the sun rose—how can it after such a horrendous thing - how can the world still go on?  All of Jesus’ followers were sick and grieving. . .sorrowing, repenting their cowardice of leaving Him – the women wailing and beating their breasts for what they had witnessed. . . Exhausted was His Mother.  Calm. . . she had cried, her heart still raw from what she had witnessed.  

Her dearest Son lie in the tomb.

But He said He would rise again on the third day.  No one more than Mary, His Mother believed this.  He had told her. . . He had promised.  And she believed.  

She would wait.  

She gave comfort to all those around her.  She knew they could not see the Truth. They were all in shock and anguish.  

She waited. He will come. . . He will come.

Another night came and went—it was still dark, early morning.  She had rested as much as she could though what sleep she could get was plagued by visions of her Son’s agony on the cross. 

Risen Christ

And then—HE WAS THERE!!!  “Mother!” – he spoke so gently to her as she raised her eyes to see her beloved Son.   He was there before her—brilliant as the sun, smiling down upon her with so much love—her heart nearly burst!

“Mother”, He said again.  Mary fell down at His feet and worshiped Him.  He gently took her by the shoulders and raised her up in front of Him.  Then she saw—His face, His body—He was not marred and broken as before.  “Oh my Son!,” she cried.  He held her tenderly in His arms.  “It’s alright now Mother, all is well.” At that He disappeared.  He had others to see and uphold.  Her heart was aching with so much love and joy—she began to sing a song of praise to God—maybe the Magnificat once again!! 

This is how I see the first Easter morning.  

Jesus with His Mother Mary

Jesus loved His Mother so much—He would not have left her to know of His Resurrection by hearsay.  He would have gone to her as a good son would do.  

He IS LOVE - - of course He would!!! 

No, it’s not in the bible – but think about it—not everything that Jesus did was recorded in the bible!  Would not a man go to his mother first?  The one who loved him before anyone else? The one who raised him, protected him, taught him—loved Him. . . It only makes sense. 

As John said—And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. John 21:25

This is my humble and lowly meditation. I thought I'd share it with you so that you may ponder it too.  God bless and keep you.  

Happy Easter!! 

Jesus Christ is Risen today!! Alleluia!!

Our Triumphant Holy Day!!

Alleluia!!

Christ has died 

Christ Is Risen!

Christ Will Come Again!!!!

Christ's Passion Foretold - Psalm 22

Christ Crucified

Psalm 22: 2-23

My God, my God why have you forsaken me?

You are far from my plea and the cry of my distress.

O My God, I call by day and you give no reply.

I call by night and I find no peace.

Yet you, O God, are holy,

Enthroned on the praises of Israel.

In you our fathers put their trust;

They trusted and you set them free.

When they cried to you, they escaped.

In you they trusted and never in vain.

The rabble mock and ridicule Jesus Crucified

But I am a worm, and no man, scorned by men,

despised by the people.

 All who see me deride me.

They curl their lips, they toss their heads.

“He trusted in the Lord, let him save him;

Let him release him if he is his friend.”

Yes, it was you who took me from the womb,

Entrusted me to my mother’s breast.

To you I was committed from my birth,

From my mother’s womb you have been my God.

Do not leave me alone in my distress;

Come close, there is no one else to help.

Many bulls have surrounded me,

Fierce bulls of Bashan close me in.

Against me they open wide their jaws,

Like lions, rending and roaring.

Like water I am poured out,

Disjointed are all my bones.

My heart has become like wax,

It is melted within my breast.

Parched as burnt clay is my throat,

My tongue cleaves to my jaws.

Christ nailed to the CrossMany dogs have surrounded me,

A band of the wicked beset me.

They tear holes in my hands and my feet

And lay me in the dust of death.

I can count every one of my bones.

These people stare at me and gloat;

They divide my clothing among them.

They cast lots for my robe.

O Lord, do not leave me alone,

My strength, make haste to help me!

Rescue my soul from the sword,

My life from the grip of these dogs.

Save my life from the jaws of these lions,

My poor soul from the horns of these oxen.

I will tell of your name to my brethren

And praise you where they are assembled.

Easter homily - St. Melito of Sardis, bishop

The Lamb Who was slain for us

The Lamb that was slain 

has delivered us from death 

and given us life

From an Easter homily by Saint Melito of Sardis, bishop

Saint Melito of Sardis, bishop died c180

There was much proclaimed by the prophets about the mystery of the Passover: that mystery  is Christ, and to him be glory for every and ever. Amen.

For the sake of suffering humanity he came down from heaven to earth, clothed himself in that humanity in the Virgin’s womb, and was born a man.  Having then a body capable of suffering, he took the pain of fallen man upon himself; he triumphed over the diseases of soul and body that were its cause, and by his Spirit, which was incapable of dying, he dealt man’s destroyer, death, a fatal blow.

He was led forth like a lamb; he was slaughtered like a sheep.  He ransomed us from our servitude to the world, as he had ransomed Israel from the land of Egypt, he freed us from our slavery to the devil, as he had freed Israel from the hand of Pharaoh.  He sealed our souls with his own Spirit, and the members of our body with his own blood.

Pharaoh and his dead son - The Last Plague

He is the One who covered death with shame and cast the devil into mourning, as Moses cast Pharaoh into mourning.  

He is the One who smote sin and robbed iniquity of offspring, as Moses robbed the Egyptians of their offspring.  He is the One who brought us out of slavery into freedom, out of darkness into light, out of death into life, out of tyranny into an eternal kingdom, who made us a new priesthood, a people chosen to be his own for ever.  He is the Passover that is our salvation.

It is He who endured every kind of suffering 

in all those who foreshadowed him.  

In Abel he was slain, in Isaac bound, 

in Jacob exiled, in Joseph sold, 

in Moses exposed to die.  

He was sacrificed in the Passover lamb, 

persecuted in David, 

dishonored in the prophets.

It is he who was made man of the Virgin, he who was hung on the tree; it is he who was buried in the earth, raised from the dead, and taken up to the heights of heaven.  He is the mute lamb, the slain lamb, the lamb born of Mary, the fair ewe.  He was seized from the flock, dragged off to be slaughtered, sacrificed in the evening, and buried at night.  

On the tree no bone of his was broken; 

in the earth his body knew no decay.  

He is the One who rose from the dead, 

and who raised man from the depths of the tomb.

CHRIST IS RISEN!!!!

Holy Saturday -- The Lord descends into hell

Christ descends into hell

The Lord descends into hell

From an ancient homily

on Holy Saturday

Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness.  The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep.  The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began.  God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep.  Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve.  The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory.  At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.”  

Christ saving Adam and Eve after Descending into hell

Christ answered him “And with your spirit,”  

He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: 

“Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and 

Christ will give you light.”

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son.  Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise.  I order you, O sleeper, to awake.  I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell.  Rise from the dead for I am the life of the dead.  Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image.  Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth.  For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead.  For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you.  See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in m image.  On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back.  See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

Put your hands into My Side Christ said to St. Thomas see and believe

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side.  My side has healed the pain in yours.  My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell.  The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place.  The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise.  I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven.  I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you.  I appointed cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager.  The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open.  The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

Good Friday -- Christ Sheds His Blood for us

 

The Power of Christ's Blood

The Power of Christ’s Blood

From the Catecheses by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop

Blood and Water of Christ

If we wish to understand the power of Christ’s blood; we should go back to the ancient account of its prefiguration in Egypt.  Sacrifice a lamb without blemish, commanded Moses, and sprinkled its blood on your doors.  

If we were to ask him what 

he meant, and how the blood 

of an irrational beast 

could possibly save men 

endowed with reason, 

his answer would be 

that the saving power lies 

not in the blood itself, 

but in the fact that it is 

a sign of the Lord’s blood.  

In those days, when the destroying angel saw the blood on the doors he did not dare to enter, so how much less will the devil approach now when he sees, not that figurative blood on the doors, but the true blood on the lips of believers, the doors of the temple of Christ.

If you desire further proof of the power of this blood, remember where it came from the Master’s side.  The gospel records that when Christ was dead, but still hung on the cross, a soldier came and pierced his side with a lance and immediately there poured out water and blood.  Now the water was a symbol of baptism and the blood, of the holy Eucharist.  The soldier pierced the Lord’s side, he breached the wall of the sacred temple, and I have found the treasure and made it my own.  So also with the lamb: the Jews sacrificed the victim and I have been saved by it.

There flowed from His side water and blood.  Beloved, do not pass over this mystery without thought; it has yet another hidden meaning, which I will explain to you.  I said that water and blood symbolized baptism and the holy Eucharist.  

The Eucharist - Christ's Body and Blood

From these two sacraments the Church is born: 

from baptism, 

the cleansing water that gives rebirth 

and renewal through the Holy Spirit, 

and from the holy Eucharist.  

Eve fashioned from the side of Adam

Since the symbol of baptism and the Eucharist flowed from His side, it was from His side that Christ fashioned the Church, as He had fashioned Eve from the side of Adam.  Moses gives a hint of this when he tells the story of the first man and makes him exclaim: Bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh!  As God then took a rib from Adam’s side to fashion a woman, so Christ has given us blood and water from His side to fashion the Church.  God took the rib when Adam was in a deep sleep, and in the same way Christ gave us the blood and water after His own death.

Do you understand, then, how Christ has united his bride to Himself and what food He gives us all to eat?  By one and the same food we are both brought into being and nourished.  As a woman nourishes her child with her own blood and milk, so does Christ unceasingly nourish with His blood those to whom He Himself has given life.

Taken from the Liturgy of Hours Good Friday