September 16, 2013
Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.
For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.
This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle
(I am speaking the truth, I am not lying),
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
R. (6) Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I find help;
then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks.
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!
R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
“He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
“Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
“I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.
Vultus Christi
The Cross and the Face of Christ
Monday, 16 September 2013 08:05
Here is the homily that I preached at Knock on Saturday, 14 September in the Chapel of the Apparition.
Glory in the Cross
“It is for us to glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ in whom is our health, life and Resurrection: through whom we have been saved and set free” (Introit). Celebrating today the mystery of the Cross, we fix our gaze not upon an instrument of torture and of shame but, rather, upon the glorious Face of Christ and upon the Tree of Life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (Apocalypse 22:2). We lift our eyes to the royal throne of the King of glory, the sign of the Son of Man that will appear in the heavens at the end of the age (Matthew 24:30). To the eyes of faith, the Cross, illuminated by the adorable Face of Jesus, shines more brightly than the sun.
The Face of Christ
Fix your gaze upon the adorable Face of Our Lord Jesus Christ; contemplate the countenance that, from the earliest preaching of the Gospel, captivated believers, drawing them irresistibly into the love wherewith God first loved us. In the apse of ancient Christian basilicas, it was not uncommon to see an immense cross, worked in shimmering mosaic. The body of Christ was not depicted on the cross; instead, at the center of the cross, in a shining circle at the juncture of the vertical and horizontal beams, was an image of the Holy Face of Christ. The arms of the Cross converged in the Face of Christ, His most distinctive characteristic.
At the Centre of the Cross
The uniqueness of each human face expresses the uniqueness of each person’s identity. Our personal identity is linked to the image of our face, as on a photo ID card. By placing the Face of Christ at the center of the Cross, the artisans of old were suggesting that the Cross is the key to Christ’s identity and the Face of Christ the key to understanding the mystery of the Cross. Apart from the Cross, there is no knowledge of Christ, no understanding of His mission, no experience of His love, no way of answering the question put to Peter in today’s Gospel, “Who do you say that I am?” (Mk 8:29).
The Visible Sign of God’s Healing Mercy
The liturgy of today’s feast infuses an awe-inspiring awareness of the Cross as the visible sign of God’s healing mercy, the cause of our indefectible and abiding joy. “The Royal Banners forward go; the Cross shines forth in mystic glow” (Vexilla Regis, Vespers). The Church sings in today’s introit that the Cross of Christ is the source of health (salus), of life, and of Resurrection. The eyes of the Church are filled with the brightness of the Cross. She looks towards the wood of the Cross and is made radiant by the Resurrection. Look to the Cross, and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed (Psalm 33:6)!
The Saving Wood
The wood of the tree by which Adam fell (Gn 3:12) is today the wood of the tree by which Adam is saved. The wood of the ark by which Noah, “his sons, his wife, and his son’s wives” (Gn 6:14) were saved from the flood is today the wood by which joy has flooded the world. The wood by which Moses sweetened the bitter waters of Marah (Ex 15:25) is today the wood by which all the world’s bitterness is made sweet.
Health to Sickly Souls Is Given
The First Lesson was a dramatic reminder that all of us, without exception, have suffered the venomous bite of the ancient serpent. We cross the wilderness of this life limping, and burning with a fever for which no earthly remedy can be found. Our new Moses, Christ, intercedes with the Father on our behalf and, in response, we are given the mystery of the Cross. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32). The Cross, illumined by the Holy Face of Christ, is the source of our healing; it is the remedy for every affliction, the antidote for every poison, the medicine for every weakness. One of the antiphons at Matins, rhythmically translated, says: “Cross most gracious / from whose aspect / health to sickly souls is given/ with what praises shall I praise thee / who hast brought us life from heaven?
When We Are Stung by Vipers
Like the children of Israel we have to be brought back to God again and again. When we are strong and successful, when we “wax fat, grow thick, and become sleek” (Deuteronomy 32:15), how easily we forget the works of the Lord! When we experience failure, sickness, loneliness, weakness, and sin, when we stumble, fall, and lose our way with darkness all about us, when we are stung by vipers and beset with fever and thirst, then do we turn back, led on by severe and tender mercies, to the source of all healing and strength.
The Holy Ghost and the Cross
The Cross is where the weakness of the flesh encounters the power of the Holy Ghost. It was from the Cross that the gift of the Holy Ghost was first poured out upon the Church in the kiss of the Bridegroom’s mouth and in a mystery of water and of blood. “He bowed his head, says Saint John, and gave up his spirit” (John 19:30). Is there a more sublime depiction of the Holy Face than this, “He bowed his head and gave up his spirit”? And again, “one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water” (John 19:34). The Face of Jesus serene and beautiful in death cannot be separated from the mystery of His pierced side. The breath, the blood, and the water are the abiding signs of the Holy Ghost poured out whenever the Church assembles in faith at the foot of the holy and life-giving Cross. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is, at once, an actualization of the mystery of the Cross and an outpouring of the Holy Ghost.
Secure in the Arms of the Cross
Again, the Cross, illumined by the Holy Face of Jesus, is where every brokenness, injury, and wound encounters the compassion of the Father. We are called not so much to embrace the Cross as to allow ourselves to be embraced by it, for the arms of the Cross are the strong arms of the Eternal Father’s compassion. When the Holy Ghost begins to work in a soul, that soul is compelled to fix her eyes upon the Face of Jesus, and to throw herself into the arms of the Cross because there, and there alone, is she held secure in the embrace of the Father’s merciful love. The Cross of the Son shines with the love of the Father reflected on the Face of the Son; therein is the remedy for every misery, shadow, weakness, betrayal, and fear.
Jacob’s Mystic Ladder
The glorious Cross is a Trinitarian mystery. The healing compassion of the Father and the power of the Holy Ghost await us in the Cross of the Son. By the Cross of Christ, as by the mystic ladder beheld by Jacob in a dream (Genesis 28:12) the mercy of the Father and the power of the Holy Ghost descend even to us. By the same Cross of Christ, we ascend to the Father in the power of the Holy Ghost. Jacob dreamed “that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it” (Genesis 28:12). This is the mystery of the Cross revealed in figure and foreshadowing; this is the reality of the mysteries we celebrate here and now.
The Place of Christ’s Priesthood
The Cross is the place of Christ’s glorious priesthood with its descending and ascending mediation. Wheresoever and whensoever the liturgy is enacted, Christ the great High Priest stands in our midst, His Face is turned towards the Father, and his glorious Cross is rendered present. Health and joy descend into the world — and into our hearts — by the wood of the Cross and, by the wood of the Cross, the ladder that spans the chasm separating time from eternity, and this world from the next, we who are estranged and exiled from the beauty of the divine glory ascend into the splendour of the Kingdom.
Holy Mass: Presence of the Cross
The Cross and the Holy Face are — the Eucharistic Face of Jesus — are present in every Holy Mass, not as the memory of a hill far away, but as a dynamic reality drawing us together into unity and then, upward, to the Father, with the Son, in the Holy Ghost. The Liturgy of the Word of God (the first part of Holy Mass) is always a preaching and a presence of the Word of the Cross, “folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18). The Liturgy of the Holy Sacrifice (the second part of Holy Mass) is always a confession and a presence of the mystery of the Cross in the fullness of its Trinitarian dimensions, and in the actualization of its power.
Through the Cross into the Kingdom
We have heard the Word of God. We have been illumined by a ray of light shining from the Face of Christ. Held fast in the mystic embrace of the Cross, let us go to the altar. Through the Word of the Cross, the compassion of the Father, the power of the Holy Ghost, and the brightness shining from the Face of the Son have descended into our midst; let us then, ascend, by the mystery of the Cross made present in this Holy Sacrifice, to the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost to whom be all glory and praise, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen, Alleluia!
1. Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
2. And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick, and ready to die.
3. And when he heard of Jesus, he sent to him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
4. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
5. For he loves our nation, and he has built us a synagogue.
6. Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, Lord, trouble not yourself: for I am not worthy that you should come under my roof:
7. Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come to you: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
8. For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say to one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.
9. When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said to the people that followed him, I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
10. And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.
TITUS BOST. When He had strengthened His disciples by more perfect teaching, He goes to Capernaum to work miracles there; as it is said, When he had ended all his sayings, he entered into Capernaum.
AUG. Here we must understand that He did not enter before He had ended these sayings, but it is not mentioned what space of time intervened between the termination of His discourse, and His entering into Capernaum. For in that interval the leper was cleansed whom Matthew introduced in his proper place.
AMBROSE; But having finished His teaching, He rightly instructs them to follow the example of His precepts. For straightway the servant of a Gentile centurion is presented to the Lord to be healed. Now the Evangelist, when he said that the servant was about to die, did not err, because he would have died had he not been healed by Christ.
EUSEB. Although that centurion was strong in battle, and the prefect of the Roman soldiers, yet because his particular attendant lay sick at his house, considering what wonderful things the Savior had done in healing the sick, and judging that these miracles were performed by no human power, he sends to Him, as to God, not looking to the visible instrument by which He had intercourse with men; as it follows, And when he heard of Jesus, he sent to him, &c.
AUG. How then will that: be true which Matthew relates, A certain centurion came to him, seeing that he himself did not come? unless upon careful consideration we suppose that Matthew made use of a general mode of expression. For if the actual arrival is frequently said to be through the means of others, much more may the coming be by others. Not then without reason, (the centurion having gained access to our Lord through others,) did Matthew, wishing to spear; briefly, say that this man himself came to Christ, rather than those by whom he sent his message, for the more he believed the nearer he came.
CHRYS. How again does Matthew tell us that the centurion said, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, while Luke says here, that he beseeches Him that He would come. Now it seems to me that Luke sets before us the flatteries of the Jews. For we may believe that when the centurion wished to depart, the Jews drew him back, enticing him, saying, We will go and bring him. Hence also their prayers are full of flattery, for it follows, But when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying that he was worthy. Although it became them to have said, He himself was willing to come and supplicate You, but we detained him, seeing the affliction, and the body which was lying in the house, and so to have drawn out the greatness of his faith; but they would not for envy reveal the faith of the man, lest He should seem some great one to whom the prayers were addressed.
But wherein Matthew represents the centurion to be not an Israelite, while Luke says, he has built us a synagogue, there is no contradiction, for he might not have been a Jew, and yet built a synagogue.
THEOPHYL; But herein they show, that as by a church, so also by a synagogue, they were wont to mean not only the assembly of the faithful, but also the place where they assembled.
EUSEB. And the elders of the Jews indeed demand favors for a small sum spent in the service of the synagogue, but the Lord not for this, but a higher reason, manifested Himself, wishing in truth to beget a belief in all men by His own power, as it follows, Then Jesus went with them.
AMBROSE; Which certainly He did not do, because He was unable to heal when absent, but that He might set them an example of imitating His humility. He would not go to the son of the nobleman, lest He should seem thereby to have respected his riches; He went immediately here, that He might not seem to have despised the low estate of a centurion's servant. But the centurion laying aside his military pride puts on humility, being both willing to believe and eager to honor; as it follows, And when he was not far off, he sent to him, saying, Trouble not yourself: for I am not worthy your, &c. For by the power not of man, but of God, he supposed that health was given to man. The Jews indeed alleged his worthiness; but he confessed himself unworthy not only of the benefit, but even of receiving the Lord under his roof; For I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.
CHRYS. For as soon as he was freed from the annoyance of the Jews, he then sends, saying, Think not that it was from negligence I came not to You, but I counted myself unworthy to receive You in my house.
AMBROSE; But Luke well says, that friends were sent by the centurion to meet our Lord, lest by his own coming he might seem both to embarrass our Lord, and to have called for a requital of good offices. Hence it follows, Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come to you, but say in a word and my servant shall be healed.
CHRYS. Here observe that the centurion held a right opinion concerning the Lord; he said not, pray, but, command; and in doubt lest He should from humility refuse him, he adds, For I also am a man set under authority, &c.
THEOPHYL; He says that he though a man subject to the power of the tribune or governor, yet has command over his inferiors, that it might be implied that much more is He who is God, able not only by the presence of His body, but by the services of His angels, to fulfill whatever He wishes. For the weakness of the flesh or the hostile powers were to be subdued both by the word of the Lord and the ministry of the angels. And to my servant, Do this, &c.
CHRYS. We must here remark, that this word, Fac, signifies a command given to a servant. So God when He wished to create man, said not to the Only-begotten, "Make man," but, Let us make man, that by the form of unity in the words he might make manifest the equality of the agents. Because then the centurion considered in Christ the greatness of His dominion, therefore said He, say in a word. For I also say to my servant.
But Christ blames him not, but confirmed his wishes, as it follows, When Jesus heard these things, he marveled.
THEOPHYL; But who had wrought this very faith in him, save He who marveled? But supposing another had done it, why should He marvel who fore knew it? Because then the Lord marvels, it signifies that we must marvel. For all such feelings when they are spoken of God, are the tokens not of a wonder-struck mind, but of a teaching master.
CHRYS. But that you might see plainly that the Lord said this for the instruction of others, the Evangelist wisely explains it, adding, Verily I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
AMBROSE; And indeed if you read it thus, "In none in Israel have I found so great faith," the meaning is simple and easy. But if according to the Greek, "Not even in Israel have I found so great faith," faith of this kind is preferred even to that of the more elect, and those that see God.
THEOPHYL; But he speaks not of Patriarchs and Prophets in times far back, but of the men of the present age to whom the faith of the centurion is preferred, because they were instructed in the precepts of the Law and the Prophets, but he with no one to teach him of his own accord believed.
AMBROSE; The faith of the master is proved, and the health of the servant established, as it follows, And they that were sent returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. It is possible then that the good deed of a master may advantage his servants, not only through the merit of faith, but the practice of discipline.
THEOPHYL; Matthew explains these things more fully, saying, that when our Lord said to the centurion, Go your way, and as you have believed, so be it done to you, the servant was healed in the self-same hour. But it is the manner of the blessed Luke, to abridge or even purposely to pass by whatever he sees plainly set forth by the other Evangelists, but what he knows to be omitted by them, or briefly touched upon, to more carefully explain.
AMBROSE; Mystically, by the centurion's servant is signified that the Gentile people who were enthralled by the chain of heavenly bondage, and diseased with deadly passions, are to be healed by the mercy of the Lord.
THEOPHYL; But the centurion, whose faith is preferred to Israel, represents the elect from the Gentiles, who as it were attended by their hundred soldiers, are exalted by their perfection of spiritual virtues. For the number hundred, which is transferred from the left to the right , is frequently put to signify the celestial life. These then must pray to the Lord for those who ho are still oppressed with fear, in the spirit of bondage. But we of the Gentiles who believe can not ourselves come to the Lord, whom we are unable to see in the flesh, but ought to approach by faith; we must send the elders of the Jews, that is, we must by our suppliant entreaties gain as patrons the greatest men of the Church, who have gone before us to the Lord, who bearing us witness that we have a care to build up the Church, may intercede for our sins. It is well said that Jesus was not far from the house, for his salvation is nigh to them that fear him, and he who rightly uses the law of nature, in that he does the things which he knows to be good, approaches nigh to Him who is good.
AMBROSE, But the centurion wished not to trouble Jesus, for Whom the Jewish people crucified, the Gentiles desire to keep inviolate from injury, and (as touching a mystery) he saw that Christ was not yet able to pierce the hearts of the Gentiles.
THEOPHYL; The soldiers and servants who obey the centurion, are the natural virtues which many who come to the Lord will bring with them in great numbers.
THEOPHYL; Or in another way. The centurion must be understood as one who stood foremost among many in wickedness, as long as he possesses many things in this life, i.e. is occupied with many affairs or concerns. But he has a servant, the irrational part of the soul, that is, the irascible and concupiscent part. And he speaks to Jesus, the Jews acting as mediators, that is, the thoughts and words of confession, and immediately he received his servant whole.
Catena Aurea Luke 7
The Visible Sign of God’s Healing Mercy
