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December 18, 2008 –  Thursday in 3rd Week of Advent      DAILY LITURGICAL/THEME MEDITATION: "He will save his people from their sins" UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENT(S): Conclusions of Catholic-Muslim Meeting; Money Woes? Go With Poor Shepherds to the Stable SAINT OF THE DAY Blessed Anthony Grassi  GENERAL MARIOLOGY The Predestination of the Virgin Mother and Her Immaculate Conception New Light on Theology: Biblical, Dogmatic, Moral DIVINE MERCY On Saving Souls A Great Multitude Of Souls  TEACHING/TESTIMONY/CONVICTION: Synod Propositions 51-55   Monthly Index

DAILY LITURGICAL MEDITATION

Thursday (12/18): "He will save his people from their sins" Scripture: Matthew 1:18-24 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; 19 and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; 21 she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." 22 All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 23:5-8 “"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” (Jer. 3:5) Meditation: Do you hold on to the promises of God at all times, especially when you are faced with uncertainty or adversity? The prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah spoke words of hope in a hopeless situation for Israel. The Davidic dynasty was corrupt and unfit for a Messianic King. Apostates like King Ahaz (2 Kings 16) and weaklings like Zedekiah (Jeremiah 38) occupied the throne of David. How could God be faithful to his promise to raise up a righteous King who would rule forever over the house of David? The prophets trusted that God could somehow “raise up a righteous shoot” from the stump of Jesse (Isaiah 2:11).  Like the prophets we are called “in hope to believe against hope” (Romans 4:18) that God can and will fulfill all his promises. Mary had to face an enormous challenge to her faith and trust in God and to the faith of her family and Joseph, the man she chose to marry. She was asked to assume a burden of tremendous responsibility. It had never been heard of before that a child could be born without a natural father. Mary was asked to accept this miraculous exception to the laws of nature. That required faith and trust in God and in his promises. Second, Mary was not yet married. Pregnancy outside of wedlock was not tolerated in those days. Mary was only espoused to Joseph, and such an engagement had to last for a whole year. She was asked to assume a great risk. She could have been rejected by Joseph, by her family, by all her own people. Mary knew that Joseph and her family would not understand without revelation from God. She nonetheless believed and trusted in God's promises. Joseph, a just and God-fearing man, did not wish to embarrass or punish his espoused wife, Mary when he discovered that she was pregnant. To all appearances she had broken their solemn pledge to be faithful and chaste to one another. Joseph, no doubt took this troubling matter to God in prayer. He was not hasty to judge or to react with hurt and anger. God rewarded him not only with guidance and consolation, but with the divine assurance that he had indeed called Joseph to be the husband of Mary and to assume a mission that would require the utmost faith, confidence, and trust in Almighty God. Joseph believed in the divine message to take Mary as his wife and to accept the child in her womb as the promised Messiah. Like Mary, Joseph is a model of faith for us. He is a faithful witness and servant of God's unfolding plan of redemption. Are you ready to believe in the promises of God, even when faced with perplexing circumstances and what seems like insurmountable problems? God has not left us alone, but has brought us his only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us celebrate Christmas, the feast of the Incarnation, with joyful hearts and let us renew our faith and hope in God and in his redeeming work. "Lord Jesus, you came to save us from sin and the power of death. May I always rejoice in your salvation and trust in your plan for my life". Psalm 72:1,12-13,18-19 1 Give the king thy justice, O God, and thy righteousness to the royal son! 12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. 13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. 18 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. 19 Blessed be his glorious name for ever; may his glory fill the whole earth!  Amen and Amen!   RETURN TO TOP

UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENTS

Conclusions of Catholic-Muslim Meeting   "Responsibilities of Religious Leaders Especially in Times of Crisis"   VATICAN CITY, DEC. 17, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is the final statement of the 11th colloquium of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the World Islamic Call Society, which ended today in Rome. The theme of the Colloquium was "Responsibilities of Religious Leaders especially in Times of Crisis." * * * The Catholic and the Muslim participants agreed on the following: 1) The first and most important responsibility of religious leaders is one of a religious nature, according to their respective religious traditions, to faithfully fulfill them through teaching, good deeds and example, thus serve their communities for the glory of God. 2) Considering the role religions can and should have in society, religious leaders also have a cultural and social role to play in promoting fundamental ethical values, such as justice, solidarity, peace, social harmony and the common good of society as a whole, especially the needy, the weak, migrants and the oppressed. 3) Religious leaders have a special responsibility towards youth, who require particular attention so that they do not fall victim to religious fanaticism and radicalism, receiving rather, a sound education thereby helping them to become bridge builders and peace makers. 4) Taking into consideration that crises of diverse nature, including in interreligious relations, are possible, on a national or international level, religious leaders should learn to prevent, cope with and remedy these particular situations, avoiding their degeneration into confessional violence. This requires a mutual respect and reciprocal knowledge, both cherishing personal relations and building confidence and mutual trust, so as to be able to confront together crises when they occur. The participants were honoured and pleased to be received by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, who expressed his satisfaction and strong encouragement. The two sides agreed to hold the next colloquium in Tripoli within the next two years.   Money Woes? Go With Poor Shepherds to the Stable Custos of the Holy Land Gives Christmas Message   JERUSALEM, DEC. 17, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Like the shepherds, we are materially or spiritually poor, and we must go to Bethlehem for answers to problems that "lacerate our souls," says the Custos of the Holy Land. Franciscan Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa stated this in his Christmas message of Tuesday. He recalled the poor shepherds of Bethlehem to whom angels appeared with a message of glory to God and "peace to men who believe in love." He said, "The harshness of the history we are living tries to clad our hearts in iron armor, to suffocate life." Yet, he added, how can we resist believing that there is truth in this angelic proclamation, announced to us as well, that God has come to bring us hope too? Like the shepherds, he said, who ran to the stable, "we too, despite everything, become seekers of joy." Though we lack the "rough simplicity" of the shepherds, "the anxiety in our hearts and the need for light are the same." The Custos continued: "The torments that today most brutally afflict society are of an economic nature. All of a sudden, we are all threatened by a wind of uncertainty, which shakes every illusion of self-sufficiency from the foundations. Materialistic society discovers with dismay its deepest fragility. "Being poor, or becoming poor, becomes a real possibility for everyone. But this is only the outward sign of a deeper poverty that afflicts the soul." Father Pizzaballa described a traditional Christmas Eve pilgrimage to Bethlehem made by the Franciscan friars in the region. He added, "And I am sure that an infinite multitude of invisible pilgrims, in the mysterious ways of the spirit, will set off with us to seek joy." He continued: "Together we will find that helpless Child who, in the cold of the grotto, is not afraid of being poor, because he brings us the love of God. "At Christmas, from the suffering and lacerated Holy Land itself, there comes the message that can change the world. Come to Bethlehem, with a simple heart and the encounter with the Child Jesus will cancel all your fears. There is still hope for all!" RETURN TO TOP

DAILY LITURGICAL SAINT

December 18, 2008 Blessed Anthony Grassi (1592-1671)   Anthony’s father died when his son was only 10 years old, but the young lad inherited his father’s devotion to Our Lady of Loreto. As a schoolboy he frequented the local church of the Oratorian Fathers, joining the religious order when he was 17. Already a fine student, he soon gained a reputation in his religious community as a "walking dictionary" who quickly grasped Scripture and theology. For some time he was tormented by scruples, but they reportedly left him at the very hour he celebrated his first Mass. From that day, serenity penetrated his very being. In 1621, at age 29, Anthony was struck by lightning while praying in the church of the Holy House at Loreto. He was carried paralyzed from the church, expecting to die. When he recovered in a few days he realized that he had been cured of acute indigestion. His scorched clothes were donated to the Loreto church as an offering of thanks for his new gift of life. More important, Anthony now felt that his life belonged entirely to God. Each year thereafter he made a pilgrimage to Loreto to express his thanks. He also began hearing confessions, and came to be regarded as an outstanding confessor. Simple and direct, he listened carefully to penitents, said a few words and gave a penance and absolution, frequently drawing on his gift of reading consciences. In 1635 he was elected superior of the Fermo Oratory. He was so well regarded that he was reelected every three years until his death. He was a quiet person and a gentle superior who did not know how to be severe. At the same time he kept the Oratorian constitutions literally, encouraging the community to do likewise. He refused social or civic commitments and instead would go out day or night to visit the sick or dying or anyone else needing his services. As he grew older, he had a God-given awareness of the future, a gift which he frequently used to warn or to console. But age brought its challenges as well. He suffered the humility of having to give up his physical faculties one by one. First was his preaching, necessitated after he lost his teeth. Then he could no longer hear confessions. Finally, after a fall, he was confined to his room. The archbishop himself came each day to give him holy Communion. One of Anthony’s final acts was to reconcile two fiercely quarreling brothers. Comment: Nothing provides a better reason for reassessing a life than a brush with death. Anthony’s life already seemed to be on track when he was struck by lightning; he was a brilliant priest blessed, at last, with serenity. But his experience softened him. He became a loving counselor and a wise mediator. The same might be said of us if we put our hearts to it. We needn’t wait to be struck by lightning. RETURN TO TOP

GENERAL MARIOLOGY

The Predestination of the Virgin Mother and Her Immaculate Conception  By Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner, F.I.  New Light on Theology: Biblical, Dogmatic, Moral Indeed, the text of the dogma, though not without implications for questions of theology, apologetics and philosophy-science, is hardly linked to their resolution, as the differences of the two texts above, viz., those of Alexander VII and Bl. Pius IX, illustrate. Thus, affirmation of the mystery is not to be dependent on the resolution of problems involving the biology of conception and the creation and infusion/quickening of the soul, but is directly related to the unique status of Mary in relation to Christ as Mediatrix of all graces. The change was introduced not to deny the point of Pope Alexander, or as an implicit denial that the truth of the Immaculate Conception has no bearing on the solution of these questions, but to eliminate any loopholes which semi-maculists might find to equate immaculate conception with sanctification in the womb. But this clarification, though seemingly a minor detail, in fact is particularly relevant both to the subsequent opposition to the Immaculate Conception and to its practical bearing on the life of the Church and her preparation for the final coming of Christ, a point stressed by Pope John Paul II throughout his pontificate. Opposition to that mystery after the brief of Alexander VII, and still more so after the solemn definition, takes the form not of theological argumentation, but of a minimizing of the person of the Mother of God as Immaculate, a minimizing ultimately undermining faith both in Christ’s person and in his redemptive work. Adam Widenfeld’s Monita Salutaria (1673) is the great prelude to this tune, echoed in the writing of L.A. Muratori, so ably refuted by St. Alphonsus in his Glories of Mary. It is now being resurrected (74) in current minimizing of the Mother of God, and in opposition to the practice of "total consecration to the Immaculate Heart" as the effective basis for securing the life of the Church and of the believer, indicated especially by Our Lady herself at Fatima. The apparitions of the Immaculate at Lourdes, precisely under that title, a kind of crowning of earlier apparitions at Rue du Bac, Paris (the Miraculous Medal or Medal of the Immaculate Conception, 1830), La Salette (Co-redemptrix, 1846), and later at Castelpetroso (Co-redemptrix, 1890), was not so much a confirmation of the definition as it was an indication of its practical import for the directions to be taken by the Church as a whole, what St. Maximilian M. Kolbe called the incorporation of the mystery into the life of the Church and into the lives of each and every actual and potential member of Christ’s Mystical Body (75). Some of these indications are given by St. Pius X in his Encyclical Ad diem illum (1904, golden jubilee of the definition) and Pius XII in the Encyclical Fulgens corona (1953, for the centenary celebrations of the same). Vatican II, in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 56, not only indicates the major biblical bases for the dogma, but sets the dogma in the context of salvation history, as it were a major key to that history along lines already indicated by St. Bonaventure in his Collationes in Hexaemeron: all history is about the conflict between Christ and his Body the Church on the one hand, and on the other the anti-Christ and the anti-Church (76). At the center of that conflict and of the victory of the Lamb stands the woman whose name we know to be Mary, or Immaculate Conception. This very traditional exegesis is further clarified by Pope John Paul II in his 1987 Encyclical Redemptoris Mater. His lengthy discussion of the mystery of the Immaculate Conception as the basis for her maternal mediation at Nazareth, on Calvary and in the Church from Pentecost, may be summarized under these points: 1) The "glory of grace" (of our predestination in Christ) mentioned in chapter one of the Letter to the Ephesians (1:7) is most perfectly manifested in the Mother of God by the fact that she has been redeemed in a "more sublime manner," being preserved by reason of the redemptive merits of her Son from the inheritance of original sin, being thus constituted in a state of belonging entirely to Christ from the first moment of her conception or existence. She is thereby "Daughter of the Father’s Son" and so able to be "Mother of the Creator." 2) As Mother of the incarnate Word-Savior she is placed at the very center of the enmity between him and the serpent: foretold in the Protoevangelium and confirmed in the book of Revelation under the sign of the woman (11:19 -12:1ff.). 3) In this central place, most of all the place of the Cross (Jn 19:25-27), stands one belonging to our weak and poor family, yet whose whole being is permeated by a greatness and beauty determined by the "glory of grace" bestowed on her at her conception. Hence, the new name: Full of Grace (or Immaculate Conception) by which the heavenly messenger (Lk 1:28) salutes her, a name given to her alone and no other before or after the Annunciation. We could not desire a clearer identification of the woman of Genesis 3:15 and Revelation 12:1 with the Mary espoused to a man named Joseph in Luke 1:28 (77). These are the three classic texts adduced as the scriptural basis for the Immaculate Conception. What is still more astounding is the linking of the Mariology of Luke centering on the angelic salutation and effectively interpreting the new name of Mary as "Full of Grace," or Immaculate Conception, with the Pauline theology of grace, above all in Ephesians, the letter so much concerned with grace and the mystery of the Church, and regarded by Scotists and the majority of contemporary exegetes as teaching the absolute primacy of Christ. This teaching on the name of Mary clearly leads us to read St. Paul in Philippians 2:5-10 in a Marian vein: the kenosis of Christ is his conception by Mary and the glorification of Christ’s name is inseparably linked to that of Mary, because they are joined in a single oblation on Calvary and at the altar of the Eucharistic sacrifice. That linking leads to an acknowledgement, as Pope Benedict XVI notes (78), of the coincidence of Mary’s Fiat at the Annunciation with the "I come to do your will," or Fiat, of Christ accepting his Incarnation ordained to sacrifice in becoming flesh in the immaculate womb of Mary. She it is who fitted him with a body subject to suffering and death (cf. Heb 10:5-10). To this coincidence St. Elizabeth alludes in addressing Mary: "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb" (Lk 1:42). Read as a synonym for Immaculate Conception, Kecharitomene ("Full of Grace&quot as the name of Mary defines the character of Mary’s response to the salutation, Chaire, Ave, Hail, Rejoice: My spirit rejoices in God my Savior (Lk 1:47). But at the same time this contextualization of the mystery of the Immaculate Conception also provides a foundation for the ecclesial dimensions of Mariology. St. Paul himself strongly hints at this in Ephesians 5:27 where he states that Christ sacrificed himself for the Church that she might be "without spot and without wrinkle," viz., exactly like his Immaculate Mother. Precisely in Mary qua Immaculate we perceive how and in what measure grace superabounds over sin (cf. Rom 5:12-21). In pursuing these lines of thought we also see how the Woman of Apocalypse is not either Mary or the Church or the soul espoused to Christ, but that in a very real, but mystical, way, Mary is the Church, or the Church in the first instance is Mary, and how no soul is the bride of Christ except to the extent it is, in the words of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, transubstantiated into the Immaculate, as the Immaculate is transubstantiated into the Holy Spirit (79). For it is only by the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit that Christ becomes present as bridegroom of the Church. Revelation 12 must be read in conjunction with Revelation 21, viz., the new and glorious Jerusalem descending from heaven (80). What that New Jerusalem is in the first instance is revealed in the Immaculate, present in the midst of the Church from the day of Pentecost. (to be continued)  RETURN TO TOP

DIVINE MERCY

Dairy from St. Faustina On Saving Souls A Great Multitude Of Souls O human souls, where are you going to hide on the day of God's anger: Take refuge now in the fount of God's mercy. O what a great multitude of souls I see! They worshiped The Divine Mercy and will be singing the hymn of praise for all eternity (Diary, 848). There are times in life when the soul finds comfort only in profound prayer. Would that souls knew how to persevere in prayer at such times. This is very important (Diary, 860). RETURN TO TOP

CATHOLIC  TEACHING/CONVICTION/TESTIMONY

Synod Propositions 51-55 Conclusions of Episcopal Assembly on Word of God   VATICAN CITY, DEC. 17, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here are translations of synodal propositions 51-55, which were submitted to Benedict XVI at the end of the world Synod of Bishops on the "Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church," held in October at the Vatican. ZENIT has published all 55 propositions of the synod. * * * Proposition 51 Holy Land Paul VI called the Holy Land the "Fifth Gospel." The synod recommends pilgrimages and, if possible, the study of the sacred Scriptures in the Holy Land, and following in the steps of St. Paul. Through this experience, pilgrims and students will be able to understand better the physical and geographical environment of the Scriptures and especially the relation between the two Testaments. The stones on which Jesus walked could become for them stones of living memory. In the meantime, Christians in the Holy Land need the communion of all Christians, especially in these days of conflict, poverty and fear. Proposition 52 Dialogue between Christians and Jews The dialogue between Christians and Jews belongs to the nature of the Church. Faithful to his promises, God does not revoke the Old Covenant (cf. Romans 9 and 11). Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew and the Holy Land is the motherland of the Church. Christians and Jews share the Scriptures of the Jewish people, which Christians call the Old Testament. As Abraham's descendants, Jews and Christians can be a source of blessing for humanity (cf. Genesis 17:4-5). Jewish understanding of the Bible can help Christians in the understanding and study of the Scriptures. Christian biblical interpretation is based on the unity of the two Testaments in Jesus, Word made flesh. He realizes in his person the full meaning of the Scriptures with continuity and discontinuity as regards the inspired books of the Jewish people. It is suggested that episcopal conferences promote meetings and dialogues between Jews and Christians. Proposition 53 Dialogue between Christians and Muslims "The Church also looks with esteem at Muslims that adore the one God" (NA, 3). They refer to Abraham and render worship to God above all with prayer, alms and fasting. Dialogue with them allows for better knowledge of one another and collaboration in promoting ethical and spiritual values. In this dialogue, the synod stresses the importance of respect for life, human rights and women's rights, as well as the distinction between the socio-political order and the religious order in the promotion of justice and peace in the world. Another important topic in this dialogue is reciprocity and freedom of conscience and religion. It is suggested to the episcopal conferences of countries where it is beneficial to promote circles of dialogue between Christians and Muslims. Proposition 54 Cosmic dimensions of the Word of God and custody of creation The Word of God communicates to us the beauty of God through the beauty of creation and also through sacred images, such as icons of the incarnate Word. They are modalities with which the invisible mystery of God is in some way made visible and perceptible to our senses. The Fathers of the Church, moreover, always affirmed the cosmic dimensions of the Word of God made flesh; each creature bears in a certain sense a sign of the Word of God. In Jesus Christ, dead and risen, all created things find definitive recapitulation (cf. Ephesians 1:10). All things and persons, therefore, are called to be good and beautiful in Christ. Sadly, the man of our time has lost the habit of contemplating the Word of God in the world he inhabits that has been given by God. Hence, the rediscovery of the Word of God, in all its dimensions, impels us to denounce all the actions of contemporary man that do not respect nature as creation. To receive the Word of God attested in sacred Scripture and in the living Tradition of the Church generates a new way of seeing things, promoting a genuine ecology, which has its deepest root in the obedience of the faith that receives the Word of God. Hence, we hope that, in the pastoral action of the Church, commitment in favor of the safeguarding of creation will be intensified, developing a renewed theological sensibility to the goodness of all things created in Christ, Word of God incarnate. CONCLUSION Proposition 55 Mary "Mater Dei" and "Mater Fidei" The synod, whose intention is above all to renew the faith of the Church in the Word of God, looks at Mary, the Virgin Mother of the Word Incarnate, who with her yes to the Word of the Covenant and to its mission, perfectly fulfills humanity's divine vocation. The Synodal Fathers suggests the dissemination of the Angelus prayer among the faithful, daily memorial of the Word Incarnate and of the Rosary. The Church of the New Testament lives where the Word Incarnate is received, loved and served in full availability to the Holy Spirit. Mary's faith then develops in the love with which it accompanies the Incarnate Word's growth and mission. Under the Son's cross, faith and love become the hope with which Mary accepts to become the Mother of the beloved disciple and of redeemed humanity. Devout and loving attention to Mary's figure, as model and archetype of the Church's faith, is of capital importance to realize also today a concrete change of paradigm in the relation of the Church with the Word, both in the posture of prayerful listening as well as generosity in the commitment to the mission and the proclamation. The synodal fathers, united to the Holy Father in prayer so that the synod "will carry fruits of genuine renewal to each Christian community" (Benedict XVI, Angelus in Pompeii, Oct. 19, 2008), invite pastors and faithful to look at Mary and ask the Holy Spirit for the grace of a lively faith in the Word of God made flesh.     RETURN TO TOP

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