Antithesis. St. Irenaeus, St. Theresa of Avila

COMMENT:
The two most recent Web Logs seem to couple with the very different windows into poetry and homiletic rhetoric. 
Basic English Grammar renews terminology pointing to the great writers.
In the columns below, it is interesting to identify the antitheses, contrast, direct opposite, exact opposite, converse, reverse, in the lines of St. Irenaeus and St. Teresa.
'Well I know that you will discover
Yourself portrayed in my heart.' (Teresa)

Antithesis  

www.englishlanguageterminology.org/antithesis.htm

English Grammar & Terminology Definition of Antithesis - a poetic device.Definition: Rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, ..

Commentary of the day :  Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.208), Bishop, theologian and martyr  Against the heresies, 4, 14

Saint Teresa of Avila (+ 1582), Doctor of the Church, reformed the Carmelite Order. From The Collected Works of St. Teresa. VoL 3, Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D., Trs. 1985, ICS Publications, Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington, DC. Used with permission.

It was not because he needed our help that the Father has commanded us to follow the Word: it was to ensure our salvation. For to follow the Savior is to have part in his salvation just as to follow the light is to have part in the light. When people stand in the light it is not they who cause the light to shine but they are the ones who are illuminated and made radiant by the light. Far from contributing anything in the least to the light, it is they who gain from it and are illuminated by it. The same applies to service offered to God: it does not give God anything since God has no need of people's service. But to those who serve and follow him, God promises life, an imperishable existence and eternal glory... If God, who is good and merciful, asks for our service, it is to be able to grant his blessings to those who persevere in his service. For if God has no need of anything, yet man needs communion with God. The glory of man is perseverance in the service of God. That is why our Lord said to his apostles: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you” (Jn 15,16)... And again he said: “I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory” (Jn 17,24)... Of these, God said in Isaiah: “From the East I will bring back your descendants, from the West I will gather you... Bring back my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth: everyone who is named as mine, whom I created for my glory” (Is 43,5-7). (St Irenaeus).

Saint Teresa of Avila The Poem "Seeking God" Soul, you must seek yourself in Me And in yourself seek Me. With such skill, soul, Love could portray you in Me That a painter well gifted Could never show So finely that image. For love you were fashioned Deep within me Painted so beautiful, so fair; If, my beloved, I should lose you, Soul, in yourself seek Me. Well I know that you will discover Yourself portrayed in my heart So lifelike drawn It will be a delight to behold Yourself so well painted. And should by chance you do not know Where to find Me, Do not go here and there; But if you wish to find Me, In yourself seek Me. Soul, since you are My room, My house and dwelling, If at any time, Through your distracted ways I find the door tightly closed, Outside yourself seek Me not, To find Me it will be Enough only to call Me, Then quickly will I come, And in yourself seek Me.

Teresa Poem Tuesday 15th. Jan. 2013 Magnificat com

MEDITATION       OF THE      DAY

Saint Teresa of Avila

The Poem "Seeking God"

Soul, you must seek yourself in Me

And in yourself seek Me.

Nunraw Refectory - stone sculpture 'Break of Bread'

With such skill, soul,   

Love could portray you in Me

That a painter well gifted

Could never show

So finely that image.

For love you were fashioned

Deep within me

Painted so beautiful, so fair;

If, my beloved, I should lose you,

Soul, in yourself seek Me.

Well I know that you will discover

Yourself portrayed in my heart

So lifelike drawn

It will be a delight to behold

Yourself so well painted.

And should by chance you do not know

Where to find Me,

Do not go here and there;

But if you wish to find Me,

In yourself seek Me.

Soul, since you are My room,

My house and dwelling,

If at any time,

Through your distracted ways

I find the door tightly closed,

Outside yourself seek Me not,

To find Me it will be

Enough only to call Me,

Then quickly will I come,

And in yourself seek Me.

 _________________________________________________________

Saint Teresa of Avila (+ 1582), Doctor of the Church, reformed the Carmelite Order.

From The Collected Works of St. Teresa. VoL 3, Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D., Trs. 1985, ICS Publications, Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington, DC. Used with permission.

The Daily Gospel Mark 1:14-20. Irenaeus c0mmentary

Nunraw Dawn Epiphany background

 ----- Forwarded Message -----

From: DGO <noreply@evzo.org>
To: nunrawdonald ...
Sent: Sunday, 13 January 2013
Subject: The Daily Gospel 

Monday, 14 January 2013 Monday of the First week in Ordinary Time Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 1:14-20. ... Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.  Commentary of the day : Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.208), Bishop, theologian and martyr Against the heresies, 4, 14 « All those who are named as mine » It was not because he needed our help that the Father has commanded us to follow the Word: it was to ensure our salvation. For to follow the Savior is to have part in his salvation just as to follow the light is to have part in the light. When people stand in the light it is not they who cause the light to shine but they are the ones who are illuminated and made radiant by the light. Far from contributing anything in the least to the light, it is they who gain from it and are illuminated by it. The same applies to service offered to God: it does not give God anything since God has no need of people's service. But to those who serve and follow him, God promises life, an imperishable existence and eternal glory... If God, who is good and merciful, asks for our service, it is to be able to grant his blessings to those who persevere in his service. For if God has no need of anything, yet man needs communion with God. The glory of man is perseverance in the service of God. That is why our Lord said to his apostles: “It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you” (Jn 15,16)... And again he said: “I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory” (Jn 17,24)... Of these, God said in Isaiah: “From the East I will bring back your descendants, from the West I will gather you... Bring back my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth: everyone who is named as mine, whom I created for my glory” (Is 43,5-7).

St. Mungo's Church in Glasgow

Dear Andy,

Rejoicing for St. Mungo.

Thank you.

Donald 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Andy M ...
To: Donald ...
Sent: Sunday, 13 January 2013, 13:58
Subject: 

Fr. Donald

Read with great interest your blog regarding St Mungo.

I attach a picture of St. Mungo's Church in Glasgow which has played a great part in peoples worship throughout the years in Glasgow.

Regards

Andy

Baptism of the Lord - Homily by Fr. Raymond

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Raymond ...
 ....
Sent: Sunday, 13 January 2013, 14:22
Subject: Baptism of the Lord

BAPTISM OF THE LORD   2005

 

This particular mystery of our faith, the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan by John has been given a new emphasis in our own day.  This came about by it being recently included in the new “Mysteries of Light” of the Rosary.  Significantly too, that other mystery that makes up the Trilogy of  Epiphany events of Christ’s Life: The changing of water into wine at the marriage Feast at Cana - that was also included in the new Mysteries of Light.

No doubt we could also interpret many other events in Christ’s life, particularly his Transfiguration on the mountain top, as being Epiphanies in their own way.   Each of them manifesting something of who or what the Christ was to the world.

But the Liturgical Tradition of the Church has good reason to select these three great public events the Visit of the Magi, the Baptism in the Jordan, and First miracle at Cana as being of outstanding significance, not least of all precisely because of their public nature.

The Visit of the Magi, of course, still holds pride of place in popular piety, as being the Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ as the Saviour not just of the Jews but of all men, of all times and of all places.

The Miracle of Cana we might interpret as manifesting to the whole world Mary’s powerful role in the work of her Divine Son: where the first Eve tempted the first Adam and was to a great extent responsible for his sin, so Mary, the new Eve, dare we say, ‘tempted’ or perhaps better, ‘persuaded’ Christ, the New Adam, to step out of line, as it were and anticipate the time for beginning his mission and thus we see that she too plays a very responsible role in that mission. 

          But now, to come to today’s item from that sacred Trilogy: the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan;  What is it that is “Epiphany” there?  What is it that is manifested to us about Christ there?  What is it that is manifested, not by the Magi, nor even by Mary his Mother, but by his heavenly Father Himself? If anything is manifest it is surely the fact that it is something that seems so very unfitting, something very out of place.  Certainly that is how it struck John the Baptist. “It is I who need baptism from you!  Yet you come to me!. We can only agree with him that it seems unthinkable that the Child that was called ‘Holy’ and ‘Son of God’ should need the washing of water and purification.

Yet it is precisely here that the heart of this mystery lies, and it is precisely at this moment that the Father chooses to let his voice be heard from heaven proclaiming: “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”.

Let us note too that it is not his Son as the Eternal Word whom he is proclaiming.  Nor is it even his Son as the Word Incarnate whom he is proclaiming, but it is Jesus precisely as taking our sins upon himself whom he is proclaiming as being so pleasing to him.

What encouragement there is for us in those words of the Eternal Father then.  It is Jesus at his poorest, Jesus at his most unattractive, Jesus at his most repugnant, Jesus as his ‘most-like-us’, who is proclaimed beloved of his Father. 

From this interpretation of the Father’s words we might say that this is the most fitting time in Christ’s life for him to speak them.  In themselves these words belong more properly to the scene where Christ hangs in agony on the Cross, a thing despised and rejected by men; a thing without beauty, without form;  but if they had been spoken then they would have taken away from the utter desolation and abandonment which are so essential to that scene.  Likewise when similar words were uttered by the Father at the Transfiguration they were spoken of the Glorious Christ, of whom the Father could be so proud, as it were, and they were directed to the Apostles, not to his Son.  whereas, at the Baptism they were an intimate word spoken to his Son himself.  “My Son, I love you.” 

This then is indeed the perfect moment for us to hear that cry from heaven: “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased”; and in that cry we find our understanding of Christ and of his identification with us and of our own identification with him before the Father.  They are world shaking and heaven shaping words; words of supreme comfort and encouragement.

St Mungo falls on Sunday, 13 January 2013

Glasgow celebrates Saint Mungo

Posted: Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Saint Mungo (Kentigern) The Festival in honour of Glasgow's Patron begins this week, culminating in his feast on Sunday 13 January, and the programme offers something for everyone. The Feast of St Mungo falls on Sunday, 13 January. The 12 noon Mass will be celebrated in St Mungo’s Church in Parson Street, Townhead, by Archbishop Philip Tartaglia. And at 6.30pm, the Archbishop will preach at the ecumenical service in Glasgow Cathedral to mark the Feast. Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of Glasgow City Council, will launch the festival on Thursday, 10 January at 7pm. The first event will be the Molendinar Lecture, entitled Glasgow and Europe - the care and repair of Cities, which will be given by David Mackay, an international architect and city planner, who has lived and worked in Barcelona for 50 years. On Friday, 11 January, the City Chambers will echo to the sound of music from Mungo’s Bairns when primary school children will sing, dance and recount stories of St Mungo. Students from Glasgow University will assist the young people with presentations and pupils from Lourdes Secondary School will be involved with the production and performance which takes place in the Banqueting Hall from 10 - 11.30am. Later in the day, at 1pm, the third annual presentation of the Molendinar Awards will take place when recognition will be given to schools successful with themes from heritage and preparation for Commonwealth Games. The Mitchell Library will be the venue on Saturday, 12 January, from 12 noon - 1pm when Archbishop Tartaglia will read extracts (in Latin) of the ancient text of the Vita Kentigerni with English translations being read by Dr Laurence Whitley, Minister of Glasgow Cathedral. The Vita Kentigerni is the 12th century book commissioned by Bishop Jocelyn of Glasgow to promote the story of St Mungo. Source: Archdiocese of Glasgow

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Glasgow celebrates Feast of St Mungo

Posted: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 4:29 pm

Glasgow is marking the 14th centenary of the feast of its patron, St Mungo, (also known as St Kentigern) this week, with a festival devoted to the saint. Events got underway at the weekend with the reading of the Life of the Saint at the Mitchell Library and an ecumenical vespers in Glasgow Cathedral. On Thursday,  Archbishop Mario Conti will give the inaugural 'Molendinar Lecture' - which is planned to be an annual event, on the theme 'Glasgow: A Tale of Two Cathedrals'. At the weekend there will be a special Ballet at St Enoch’s Shopping Centre. Sixteen dancers aged 10 - 16, will be depicting the spirit of the city in music and dance, and highlighting St Mungo’s coat of arms and his return to Glasgow from Hoddom after exile on Friday 13 and Saturday 14 January from 12 noon - 4pm on both days. This original concept especially devised for the event  will be an eye catching and beautifully choreographed performance which will wow shoppers and passers by as they view the uplifting and inspirational performance and hear the tranquil  music from Vanessa Mae’s  'A Little Scottish Fantasy' concluding with Handel’s 'For Unto Us A Child Is Born.' The modern symphonic dance piece featuring  the city’s armorial coat of arms - The bird, bell, fish and tree - will be a collage of the characters and the usually unseen 'spirit of Glasgow.' Central to the performance will be 'The Seal Of The City' a metal movable sculpture commissioned by Visual Statement and designed by Andy Scott. The dancers will dance on, inside and around this structure to add an extra dimension to the performance. Archbishop Conti will concelebrate a special Mass with priests of the Archdiocese, at St Mungo’s Church, Townhead at 7pm on  Friday, the Feast on St Mungo. The Gospel will be sung, and the music will be led by the St Mungo Singers, school groups, piper, harpist and ensemble. The Opening Prayer of the Mass of St Mungo has a particular resonance for Glaswegians reflecting on the history of their ancient city: ‘Lord our God, you chose St Kentigern as bishop to spread the light of faith by the preaching of your Word: grant our prayer, that we who celebrate his memory may always be true to his teaching and so grow daily in faith and holiness. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever.  Amen.’  For more information see: http://www.stmungofestival.com/  Source: SCMO

Biog: St Kentigern or Mungo (518 - 603)

Kentigern was born in about 518. At the age of 25 he went as a missionary on the Clyde. A community grew up around him, known as “Clasgu” (“dear family”), and this is now the city of Glasgow. He was consecrated as bishop in 540. A strong anti-Christian movement forced him into exile in Wales, where he founded a monastery at what is now St Asaph’s. After 573 he spent eight years at Hoddam in Dumfriesshire before returning to Glasgow in 581. He died there on 13 January 603. See the articles in the Catholic Encyclopaedia and Wikipedia.

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Sunday, 13 January 2013 St Luke 3:15-16.21-22.

THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD
(Feast)

Jesus' public life begins with his baptism by John in the Jordan.

John preaches "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins". A crowd of sinners - tax collectors and soldiers, Pharisees and Sadducees, and prostitutes - come to be baptized by him. "Then Jesus appears." the Baptist hesitates, but Jesus insists and receives baptism. Then the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and a voice from heaven proclaims, "This is my beloved Son." This is the manifestation ("Epiphany") of Jesus as Messiah of Israel and Son of God.

The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God's suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". Already he is anticipating the "baptism" of his bloody death. Already he is coming to "fulfil all righteousness", that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father's will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. The Father's voice responds to the Son's acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to "rest on him". Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism "the heavens were opened" - the heavens that Adam's sin had closed - and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation.

Through Baptism the Christian is sacramentally assimilated to Jesus, who in his own baptism anticipates his death and resurrection. the Christian must enter into this mystery of humble self-abasement and repentance, go down into the water with Jesus in order to rise with him, be reborn of water and the Spirit so as to become the Father's beloved son in the Son and "walk in newness of life":

Let us be buried with Christ by Baptism to rise with him; let us go down with him to be raised with him; and let us rise with him to be glorified with him. (St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 40, 9: PG 36, 369)

 Everything that happened to Christ lets us know that, after the bath of water, the Holy Spirit swoops down upon us from high heaven and that, adopted by the Father's voice, we become sons of God.(St. Hilary of Poitiers, In Matth. 2, 5: PL 9, 927)

Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 535-537

January 13, Feast of the Baptism of Christ Today we celebrate the baptism of Christ in the Jordan. This is the second epiphany, or manifestation, of the Lord. The past, the present, and the future are made manifest in this epiphany. The most holy one placed Himself among us, the unclean and sinners. The Son of God freely humbled Himself at the hand of the Baptist. By His baptism in the Jordan, Christ manifests His humility and dedicates Himself to the redemption of man. He takes upon Himself the sins of the whole world and buries them in the waters of the Jordan. — The Light of the World by Benedict Baur, O.S.B. Day Twenty activity (Renewal of Baptismal Vows) http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2013-01-12

BAPTEME  DU CHRIST ou Théophanie de Notre Seigneur Jésus-Christ. Le Christ est debout, à 

demi nu, au milieu du Jourdain . Au dessus, le ciel lumineux, et le Saint Esprit qui en descend sous la forme d’ un rayon  sur la tête du christ . A côté de la figure centrale et dominante du Christ , l’inclinaison profonde de Jean nous montre avec quelle humilité il baptise celui qui le lui a demandé, tandis que le groupe des anges, prêt à l’accueillir à la sortie des eaux, exprime une respectueuse adoration.
Le demi-cercle au sommet de l’icône représente Dieu le Père,  d’où part un rayon traversé par un cercle où se trouve la colombe représentant le Saint Esprit, et descendant sur le Christ. L’eau est source de vie, de ressourcement, moyen de purification et centre de regenescence. Les personnages au fond des abîmes représentent les dieux anciens , et l’arbre représente le cosmos vivant, la vie en perpétuelle évolution..
La montagne donne une notion de stabilité, et de pureté. C’est une pente à gravir, une élévation, un progrès vers la connaissance de soi et de Dieu. Gravir une montagne demande des sacrifices , des détachements nécessaires tout au long de la vie. Le sacrifice d’Isaac après une montée avec Abraham, Moïse reçoit la Loi sur la montagne du Sinaï, le Christ enseigne le sermon  sur la montagne.
Jean-Baptiste, le dernier prophète, l’ange de désert, est accompagné des anges, dont les mains sont couvertes par signe de respect.
Le Baptême confère la force de se développer, par la foi et les actes, dans le sens de l’ Evangile.
Après le baptême, Jésus se retire  quarante jours au désert, où il sera tenté trois fois, puis il retourne en Galilée, plein de la puissance du Saint Esprit.

-15- Le Baptême du Christ

Google translation

BAPTISM OF CHRIST or Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is standing half naked in the middle of the Jordan. Above, the bright sky, and the Holy Spirit descends in the form of a beam on the head of Christ. Beside the central figure of Christ and dominant, tilt deep John shows us how humble he baptizes one who asked him, while the group of Angels, ready to welcome the release of water, expressed respectful adoration.
semicircle at the top of the icon represents God the Father, from which a ray passes through a circle where the dove representing the Holy Spirit, descending on Christ. Water is the source of life, healing, and purification using regenescence center. The characters in the depths of the abyss are the old gods, and the tree is the living cosmos, life in perpetual evolution ..
The mountain gives a notion of stability, and purity. It is a steep climb, elevation, progress towards self-knowledge and God. Climb a mountain requires sacrifice, detachment necessary throughout life. The sacrifice of Isaac after a climb with Abraham, Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai, Christ teaches the Sermon on the Mount.
John the Baptist, the last prophet, the angel of the desert, is accompanied by angels, hands are covered by a sign of respect.
Baptism confers the power to develop, through faith and action, in the sense of the Gospel.
Following the baptism, Jesus withdrew forty days in the desert, where he will attempt three times, then he returned to Galilee, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3 13à17, Mark 1, 9à11, Luke 3 21à23, John 1 31à35

Tempera with egg on wood 41 X 32
Haloes in gold leaf
Ref: 15

http://peindre-icones.fr/Le-Bapteme-du-Christ.html 

Matthieu 3, 13à17,  Marc, 1, 9à11, Luc 3, 21à23, Jean 1 31à35

Tempéra à l’ œuf sur bois 41 X 32
Auréoles à la feuille d’or

http://reflectionsonthesacredliturgy.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/the-baptism-of-lord-c.html