Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 08-02-05, Opt. Sts. Eusebius/Vercelli, Peter Julian Eymard

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 08-02-05 | New American Bible

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August 2, 2005
Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Tuesday 34

Reading I
Nm 12:1-13

Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on the pretext
of the marriage he had contracted with a Cushite woman.
They complained, "Is it through Moses alone that the LORD speaks?
Does he not speak through us also?"
And the LORD heard this.
Now, Moses himself was by far the meekest man on the face of the earth.
So at once the LORD said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam,
"Come out, you three, to the meeting tent."
And the three of them went.
Then the LORD came down in the column of cloud,
and standing at the entrance of the tent,
called Aaron and Miriam.
When both came forward, he said,
"Now listen to the words of the LORD:

Should there be a prophet among you,
in visions will I reveal myself to him,
in dreams will I speak to him;
not so with my servant Moses!
Throughout my house he bears my trust:
face to face I speak to him;
plainly and not in riddles.
The presence of the LORD he beholds.

Why, then, did you not fear to speak against my servant Moses?"

So angry was the LORD against them that when he departed,
and the cloud withdrew from the tent,
there was Miriam, a snow-white leper!
When Aaron turned and saw her a leper, he said to Moses,
"Ah, my lord! Please do not charge us with the sin
that we have foolishly committed!
Let her not thus be like the stillborn babe
that comes forth from its mother's womb
with its flesh half consumed."
Then Moses cried to the LORD, "Please, not this! Pray, heal her!"

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 51:3-4, 5-6ab, 6cd-7, 12-13

R. (see 3a) Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I acknowledge my offense;
and my sin is before me always:
"Against you only have I sinned;
and done what is evil in your sight."
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
That you may be justified in your sentence,
vindicated when you condemn.
Indeed, in guilt was I born,
and in sin my mother conceived me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not off from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Gospel
Mt 14:22-36

Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
"It is a ghost," they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
.Peter said to him in reply,
"Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water."
He said, "Come."
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
"Truly, you are the Son of God."

After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.

or

Mt 15:1-2, 10-14

Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal."
He summoned the crowd and said to them, "Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one's mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one."
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
"Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?"
He said in reply, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit."

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Saint Eusebius, Bishop of Vercelli[370a.d.]

St.Peter Julian Eymard  [Apostle of the Eucharist]

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From: Numbers 12:1-13


The Complaint of Miriam and Aaron Against Moses

---

[1] Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom
he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman; [2] and they said, "Has
the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us
also?" And the LORD heard it. [3] Now the man Moses was very meek, more than
all men that were on the face of the earth. [4] And suddenly the LORD said
to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, "Come out, you three, to the tent of
meeting." And the three of them came out. [5] And the LORD came down in a
pillar of cloud, and stood at the door of the tent, and called Aaron and
Miriam; and they both came forward. [6] And he said, "Hear my words: If
there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a
vision, I speak with him in a dream. [7] Not so with my servant Moses; he is
entrusted with all my house. [8] With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly,
and not in dark speech; and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were
you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"


[9] And the anger of the Loan was kindled against them, and he departed;
[10] and when the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was
leprous, as white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam, and behold, she
was leprous. [11] And Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord, do not punish us
because we have done foolishly and have sinned. [12] Let her not be as one
dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he comes out of his mother's
womb."


Moses Intercedes

---

[13] And Moses cried to the LORD, "Heal her, 0 God, I beseech thee." [14]
But the LORD said to Moses, "If her father had but spit in her face, should
she not be shamed seven days? Let her be shut up outside the camp seven
days, and after that she may be brought in again." [15] So Miriam was shut
up outside the camp seven days; and the people did not set out on the march
till Miriam was brought in again. [16] After that the people set out from
Hazeroth, and encamped in the wilderness of Paran.

---

Commentary:


12.1-16. Aaron and Miriam's complaints about Moses begin with the subject of
his marriage to a foreigner. (The Hebrew text says "Cushite", which means
"from Ethiopia", but if we look at Habakkuk 3:7, which links Cushan to the
Midianites, perhaps we can read this passage as referring to Zipporoah: cf.
Ex 2:16-21.) But their complaints are really aimed at something much
deeper--Moses' unique authority as intermediary between God and his people.
He is not the only prophet, they say; however, unlike Moses, they have not
the humility to see that prophecy is a charism, a gift to be exercised on
behalf of the people; rather, they see it as a privilege from which they can
gain advantage. This negative feature of Aaron, along with what Exodus 32
has to tell about him, seems to suggest that his place in folk memory is
less positive than might appear at first sight.


The passage really shows what a unique personality Moses was in history of
Israel. He was the one who most put his trust in the Lord (perhaps that is
the meaning of the Hebrew "anaw", here translated as "meek": v.3). Such was
his trust that he became the most long-suffering of men; and brought God to
his defense. The severity of Miriam's punishment and swiftness of her cure
at Moses' intercession, serve to show how great Moses is. What really makes
him great is the fact that God speaks directly to him and not through
visions or dreams as in the case of the prophets. So, Moses is greater than
the prophets. According to the Hebrew text, Moses saw the "form" of the Lord
(v. 8); the Greek translation (presumably because of the spiritual nature of
God and his transcendence) says that Moses saw "the glory of the Lord".
Similarly St John will say that no one has ever seen God" (Jn 1:18), in
order then to go on and stress that only Jesus Christ, the Son of God and
himself true God, could reveal to us all the truth about God.


However; God's spirituality and transcendence does not mean we cannot enter
into direct conversation with him through prayer. "Moses' prayer is
characteristic of contemplative prayer by which God's servant remains
faithful to his mission. Moses converses with God often and at length,
climbing the mountain to hear and entreat him and coming down to the people
to repeat the words of his God for their guidance. Moses 'is entrusted with
all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly, not in riddles' for
'Moses was very humble, more so than everyone else on the face of the earth'
(Num 12:3, 7-8)' " ("Catechism of Catholic Church", 2576).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

**The severity of Miriam's punishment and swiftness of her cure
at Moses' intercession, serve to show how great Moses is.**

Very telling line there!

[Salvation]

From: Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14


True Cleanness

---

[1] Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
[2] "Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For
they do not wash their hands when they eat."


[10] And he called the people to him and said to them, "Hear and
understand: [11] "Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what
comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." [12] Then the disciples
came and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when
they heard this saying?" [13] He answered, "Every plant which my
heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. [14] Let them alone;
they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will
fall into a pit."

---

Commentary:


10-20. Our Lord proclaims the true meaning of moral precepts and makes
it clear that man has to answer to God for his actions. The scribes'
mistake consisted in concentrating on externals and not giving pride of
place to interior purity of heart. For example, they saw prayer in terms
of exact recital of fixed forms of words rather than as a raising of the
soul to God (cf. Mt 6:5-6). The same thing happened in the case of
dietary regulations.


Jesus avails of the particular cases dealt with in this passage to teach
us where to find the true center of moral action: it lies in man's
personal decision, good or evil, a decision which is shaped in his heart
and which then is expressed in the form of action. For example, the sins
which our Lord lists are sins committed in the human heart prior to being
acted out. In the Sermon on the Mount he already said this: "Every one
who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in
his heart" (Mt 5:28).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

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Tuesday, August 2, 2005
Our Lady of the Angels of Portiuncula (Solemnity)

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Sirach 24:1-4, 16, 22-24 (Vulgate) Psalm 34:5, 7, 9-10, 18-19 Galatians 4:3-7 Luke 1:26-33 Go forth in peace, for you have followed the good road. Go forth without fear, for he who created you has made you holy, has always protected you, and loves you as a mother. Blessed be you, my God, for having created me. -- St Clare of Assisi

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Catholic Culture

 

Collect: God our Father, in St. Peter Julian Eymard you gave a light to your faithful people. You made him a pastor of the Church to feed your sheep with his word and to teach them by his example. Help us by his prayers to keep the faith he taught and follow the way of life he showed us. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Recipes: » Basic French Bread Activities: » Namedays » Religion in the Home for Elementary School: August » Religion in the Home for Preschool: August » What is a Nameday? Prayers: » August Devotion: The Immaculate Heart » Prayer to Saint Peter Julian Eymard » Novena In Honor of Saint John Marie Vianney » Litany of the Most Blessed Sacrament

August 02, 2005 Optional Memorial of St. Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop and Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, priest Old Calendar: St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori, bishop, confessor and doctor; St. Stephen I, pope & martyr Born in La Mure, France, Saint Peter became a parish priest in 1834 and joined the Marists five years later. He fostered Eucharistic adoration throughout his life and founded a religious order of priest-adorers of the Holy Eucharist who came to be known as the Priests of the Blessed Sacrament. St. Eusebius was a Roman priest of the fourth century. According to the acts relating his martyrdom he was condemned by Constantius, the Arian Emperor, to be starved to death in a room in his own house. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Calixtus. His cult has always enjoyed special favor in Rome and his house was transformed into a church. Before the reform of the General Roman Calendar today was the feast of St. Alphonsus de Liguori which is now celebrated on August 1. It was also the commemoration of St. Stephen I, a Roman, who ruled the Church from 254 to 257 during the reign of the Emperor Valerian. He is famous for his correspondence with St. Cyprian about the validity of baptism administered by heretics. The pope's martyrdom was the beginning of Valerian's persecution. St. Peter Julian Eymard Born in La Mure d'Isere in southeastern France, Peter Julian's faith journey drew him from being a priest in the Diocese of Grenoble (1834) to joining the Marists (1839) to founding the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (1856). In addition to those changes, Peter Julian coped with poverty, his father's initial opposition to Peter's vocation, serious illness, a Jansenistic striving for inner perfection and the difficulties of getting diocesan and later papal approval for his new religious community. His years as a Marist, including service as a provincial leader, saw the deepening of his eucharistic devotion, especially through his preaching of Forty Hours in many parishes. The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament began working with children in Paris to prepare them to receive their first Communion. It also reached out to non-practicing Catholics, inviting them to repent and begin receiving Holy Communion again. He was a tireless proponent of frequent Holy Communion, an idea given more authoritative backing by Pope Pius X in 1905. Inspired at first by the idea of reparation for indifference to the Eucharist, Peter Julian was eventually attracted to a more positive spirituality of Christ-centered love. Members of the men's community, which Peter founded, alternated between an active apostolic life and contemplating Jesus in the Eucharist. He and Marguerite Guillot founded the women's Congregation of the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament. Peter Julian Eymard was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1962, one day after Vatican II's first session ended. Excerpted from the Saint of the Day, Leonard Foley, O.F.M. Things to Do: Make a holy hour today. You might find this work — My Eucharistic Day — from the Catholic Culture Library helpful. It was compiled from the writings of Saint Peter Julian Eymard with the permission and encouragement of the Blessed Sacrament Fathers. From the Catholic Culture library: Audience with God in Your Parish. St. Eusebius of Vercelli Eusebius was the founder of the canons regular, priests living under a religious rule and dedicated to pastoral work. The canons regular was the immediate result of the rise of monasticism in the East, and St. Eusebius of Vercelli saw the possibilities of this new movement for the clergy. His example was imitated all over the West and brought about a renewal of clerical life. He was born in Sardinia and as a child was taken to Rome, where he became a member of the Roman clergy under Pope Julius. Consecrated for the see of Vercelli in 344, he gathered his clergy into a community life, founding also the dioceses of Turin and Embrun. In 355, he attended the Council of Milan as legate of Pope Liberius, which defended St. Athanasius against those Western bishops intimidated by the emperor. When Eusebius was ordered along with other bishops to condemn Athanasius, he refused, insisting instead that they all sign the Nicene Creed. When threatened by the emperor, Eusebius stood his ground and told the emperor he had no right interfering in Church matters. In anger, the emperor sent Eusebius into exile in Palestine, where he was severely mistreated by the Arians. He was moved around from place to place and after his release by the Emperor Julian he consulted with Athanasius in Alexandria on the Arian crisis. Returning to Italy, he joined with St. Hilary of Poitiers in opposing the Arian bishop of Milan and returned to Vercelli amid the rejoicing of his people. Eusebius is considered by many to be the author of the Athanasian Creed, and a copy of the Gospels written in his own hand is preserved in the cathedral at Vercelli. He died on August 1, 371, his courage in suffering for the faith inspiring other bishops to oppose the Arian heresy. Excerpted from the The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens. Things to Do: Read the account of the Life of St. Eusebius from the Golden Legend by Jacobus de Voragine. St. Eusebius of Vercelli refused to "go along with the crowd," even when threatened by an emperor, and he suffered long and cruelly for his convictions. Sometimes we have to oppose others, especially in matters that are important, and how we do it is as important as that we do it. We should never lose our Christian kindness and gentle manner, even in opposing others, but it should be very clear where we stand. Arianism was a Christological view held by followers of Arius in the early Christian Church. They denied that Christ and God the Father were of the same fundamental essence, seeing the Son as a created and inferior being to the Father. (See Hilaire Belloc's chapter on Arianism from The Great Heresies.) Read what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says about this heresy. Say the Apostles Creed or an Act of Faith and thank God for the gift of the true Faith. The Christology of Jehovah's Witnesses is also a form of Arianism; they regard Arius as a forerunner of Charles Taze Russell, the founder of their movement. Imitate St. Eusebius by learning how to defend your faith. Read these articles from the Catholic Culture Library: The Watchtower's Flickering Light, Christ's Divinity Proved by the JW Bible and "Unless You Drink of My Blood...". St. Stephen I He is said to have been the chief deacon of Pope Lucius and recommended by him as his successor. He was soon involved in the case of two Spanish bishops who apparently had under persecution bought letters of safety from the persecutors. One of them, Martial, was deposed, and the other, Basilides, resigned, but then went to Rome and got the pope to reinstate him. He "imposed upon our colleague Stephen," declared the other Spanish bishops, "who lives a long way off and did not know the true facts of the case." St Cyprian agreed that the two offenders were unfit to continue in office and the affair seems to have provoked a certain discord between him and Stephen, but what happened further is no longer known. Then Cyprian wrote to the pope in support of the bishops of Gaul, urging him to take action against the bishop of Arles, Marcian, who was accused of Novatianist rigorism but the result of this case is not on record either. An important controversy then arose on the subject of baptism administered by heretics. St Cyprian and three African synods declared that such baptism was null and void, and that one so baptized must be baptized anew upon becoming a Catholic; this innovation was supported by many bishops in Asia. St Stephen faithfully upheld the ancient accepted teaching that, other things being equal, baptism given by heretics is valid, and was violently abused by Firmilian of Casarea in Cappadocia in consequence. "No innovation must be introduced," declared the pope, "but let that be observed which tradition has handed down," and refused to receive the delegates of the African synod that supported St Cyprian in the year 256. Stephen thought of excommunicating the innovators, writes St Augustine, "but, having the pity of holy charity, he judged it better to abide in union. The peace of Christ triumphed in their hearts," but the disagreement continued. St Stephen sent material succour to the faithful in the provinces of Syria and Arabia, and is said to have taken the first step in the emergence of liturgical vestments: the Liber Pontificalis states that he ordered that clothes worn by clerics at church services were to be kept for that purpose, and not taken into daily use or worn by laymen. Excerpted from the A Dictionary of the Popes, Donald Attwater.

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Faith-sharing ping.

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Catholic Culture bump.

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The brutal, hot temperatures and humidity is back in my area. Prayers offered up for those with asthma, allergies and breathing problems.

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THANKS FOR     THE PING

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"I Am The Bread of Life"

"For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him."

(John 6: 55-56)

 

 

John 1:29

"Behold, the Lamb of God,
who takes away the sin of the world."

It was It was St. Peter Julian Eymard who said,

“It was Mary who first adored the Incarnate Word.  He was in her womb, and no one on earth knew of it.  Oh! how well was our LORD served in Mary's virginal womb!  Never has He found a ciborium, a golden vase more precious or purer than was Mary's womb!  Mary's adoration was more pleasing to Him than that of all the Angels.  The LORD ‘hath set His tabernacle in the sun,’ says the Psalmist.  The sun is Mary’s heart,” and “Mary is the aurora of the beautiful Sun of Justice.”

And as Mary said of herself,

"My soul doth magnify the Lord; And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my savior. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;
For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him."(Luke 1:45-47)
 

 

 

1 Corinthians 10:15
I speak as to wise men: judge ye yourselves what I say.

The chalice of benediction, which we bless,
is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
And the bread, which we break,
is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?
For we, being many, are one bread, one body,
all that partake of one bread.

 

 

The Last Supper:
The Perpetual Establishment of The New Covenant
in The Holy Sacrifice of The Mass

 

One Hour Spent with Jesus...

     Because St. Martin [de Porres] was black and illegitimate he was insulted and mistreated.  He identified with Jesus, ignored and mistreated in the Blessed Sacrament.  As they consoled each other, Martin became more charitable, not hostile, better not bitter.  He would spend as many as eight hours each day in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.
    "This so pleased Jesus that he made Martin a miracle worker.  He would take a basket of fresh bread from the monastery and go out into the streets to feed the poor.  With a single basket of bread he would feed an entire barrio.
    "Martin fed hundreds of starving people with a single basket of bread.  You, dear Thomas, save hundreds of people from hell with a single holy hour of prayer in the Presence of the Living Bread come down from Heaven."

(From the book Letters To A Brother Priest)

---

      "O Israel!  O holy soul!  How grand a thing is the house of God, the Church which possesses so august a Sacrament.  O amiable Jesus!  Thy beloved disciple may well say that it was particularly at the end of Thy life, when Thou didst institute this inestimable mystery, that Thou didst give to us the most precious pledge, the most signal token of love!  O incomprehensible goodness of God, to place it in our power to possess, whenever we wish, Him who ravishes the Angels, and who makes the happiness of all the Saints in Heaven!  What more could we desire, Ah, why do not all Christians every day enjoy this great happiness, which God every day offers to us!  Amen."

(St. Teresa)

 

   

For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ Crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

1 Corinthians 1:22-25
 

Humanity Lost Without The Gospel

God's Power for Salvation
For I am not ashamed of the gospel.
It is the power of God for the salvation
of everyone who believes;
for Jew first, and then Greek.
For in it is revealed the righteousness of God
from faith to faith; as it is written,
"The one who is righteous by faith will live."

Romans 1:16-17
 

But if you partake of the sufferings of Christ,
rejoice that when his glory shall be revealed,
you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

1 Peter 4:13
 

"These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace.
"In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence,
I have overcome the world."

John 16:33
 

We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8 28

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Don't Be Blind to What God Has Given You
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Tuesday, August 2, 2005

Numbers 12:1-13 / Mt 14:22-36

Where did Miriam's leprosy come from? Was it God with a lightening bolt who made her flesh corrupt and her skin rot? No, God had no need to do anything. The rot and the sickness came from inside her. Jealousy and envy were rotting her soul, as they can rot ours. And what a waste. God has made us each different and blessed each of us with what we need. If we but have the eyes to see what God has put within our reach, our hearts will be merry, our days will be full, and our souls will be content.

 

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Consciousness

In the presence of my loving Creator, I look honestly at my feelings over the last day, the highs, the lows and the level ground. Can I see where the Lord has been present?

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Good question.

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A Voice in the Desert

 

 

Father Altier is on retreat. No homilies will be available until Friday August 12. God Bless you. -DesertVoice Support

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American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

August 2, 2005

St. Eusebius of Vercelli

(283?-371)

Someone has said that if there had been no Arian heresy it would be very difficult to write the lives of many early saints. Eusebius is another of the defenders of the Church during one of its most trying periods.

Born on the isle of Sardinia, he became a member of the Roman clergy and is the first recorded bishop of Vercelli in Piedmont. He is also the first to link the monastic life with that of the clergy, establishing a community of his diocesan clergy on the principle that the best way to sanctify his people was to have them see a clergy formed in solid virtue and living in community.

He was sent by Pope Liberius to persuade the emperor to call a council to settle Catholic-Arian troubles. When it was called at Milan, Eusebius went reluctantly, sensing that the Arian block would have its way, although the Catholics were more numerous. He refused to go along with the condemnation of Athanasius; instead, he laid the Nicene Creed on the table and insisted that all sign it before taking up any other matter. The emperor put pressure on him, but Eusebius insisted on Athanasius’ innocence and reminded the emperor that secular force should not be used to influence Church decisions. At first the emperor threatened to kill him, but later sent him into exile in Palestine. There the Arians dragged him through the streets and shut him up in a little room, releasing him only after his four-day hunger strike. They resumed their harassment shortly after.

His exile continued in Asia Minor and Egypt, until the new emperor permitted him to be welcomed back to his see in Vercelli. He attended the Council of Alexandria with Athanasius and approved the leniency shown to bishops who had wavered. He also worked with St. Hilary of Poitiers against the Arians.

He died peacefully in his own diocese at an advanced age.

Comment:

Catholics in the U.S. have sometimes felt penalized by an unwarranted interpretation of the principle of separation of Church and state, especially in the matter of Catholic schools. Be that as it may, the Church is happily free today from the tremendous pressure put on it after it became an “established” Church under Constantine. We are happily rid of such things as a pope asking an emperor to call a Church council, Pope John I being sent by the emperor to negotiate in the East, the pressure of kings on papal elections. The Church cannot be a prophet if it’s in anybody’s pocket.

Quote:

"To render the care of souls more efficacious, community life for priests is strongly recommended, especially for those attached to the same parish. While this way of living encourages apostolic action, it also affords an example of charity and unity to the faithful" (Decree on the Bishops' Pastoral Office, 30).

[Salvation]

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

August 2, 2005

St. Peter Julian Eymard

(1811-1868)

Born in La Mure d'Isère in southeastern France, Peter Julian's faith journey drew him from being a priest in the Diocese of Grenoble (1834) to joining the Marists (1839) to founding the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament (1856).

In addition to those changes, Peter Julian coped with poverty, his father's initial opposition to Peter's vocation, serious illness, a Jansenistic striving for inner perfection and the difficulties of getting diocesan and later papal approval for his new religious community.

His years as a Marist, including service as a provincial leader, saw the deepening of his eucharistic devotion, especially through his preaching of Forty Hours in many parishes.Inspired at first by the idea of reparation for indifference to the Eucharist, Peter Julian was eventually attracted to a more positive spirituality of Christ-centered love. Members of the men's community, which Peter founded, alternated between an active apostolic life and contemplating Jesus in the Eucharist. He and Marguerite Guillot founded the women's Congregation of the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament.

Peter Julian Eymard was beatified in 1925 and canonized in 1962, one day after Vatican II's first session ended.

Comment:

In every century, sin has been painfully real in the life of the Church. It is easy to give in to despair, to speak so strongly of human failings that people may forget the immense and self-sacrificing love of Jesus, as his death on the cross and his gift of the Eucharist make evident. Peter Julian knew that the Eucharist was key to helping Catholics live out their Baptism and preach by word and example the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Quote:

“The Eucharist is the life of the people. The Eucharist gives them a center of life. All can come together without the barriers of race or language in order to celebrate the feast days of the Church. It gives them a law of life, that of charity, of which it is the source; thus it forges between them a common bond, a Christian kinship” (Peter Julian Eymard).

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Tuesday, August 02, 2005 Meditation Numbers 12:1-13 How often do we see family relationships ruined because one sibling is convinced that he or she has been treated unfairly and envies another brother or sister? How often do we see a brother or sister unable to move beyond a situation in the past that caused division or hurt in the family? All too often, it seems. Aaron, Moses, and Miriam were siblings. Miriam was older than Moses and played an important role in preserving his life when he was young (Exodus 2:1-10). She was also known as a prophetess. Aaron, Moses’ younger brother, was the first high priest of Israel. Together, the three of them were a team chosen by God to free the Israelites. All three were given wonderful gifts by God to accomplish this. Over time, however, Miriam and Aaron refused to accept Moses’ leadership, and they grew jealous of his special relationship with God. Instead of being grateful to God for what they had received, they became resentful and began to question Moses’ God-given authority. In the gospel today, Jesus says, “it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles” (Matthew 15:11). What came out of Miriam and Aaron’s heart was vastly different from what came out of Moses’ heart. For all that God had said about him when Aaron and Miriam complained against him, Moses remained humble and meek. He didn’t even try to defend himself! Moses was the chosen leader of Israel, but he knew that God had given him that position and authority. Moses did have a special relationship with God. He did have many accomplishments. But he also knew that everything he had came from God. It wasn’t the role that God called Moses to that made him so righteous and powerful but rather the openness and humility that were already in his heart. It’s because of these virtues that he was disposed to do whatever God desired of him. We too are who we are, because of what God has given us. As we embrace the humility of Moses, we too can be used by God in ways totally beyond our expectation. “Father, I want to please you in all that I do. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts in my heart be a constant reflection of your love and grace. Lord, I love you.” Psalm 51:3-7,12-13; Matthew 15:1-2,10-14