Saturday, 29 August 2015

Luisa Piccarreta, Living in the Supreme Will (Symbolized by the Starry Sky)

Hi, William,
Eureka!
Thank you for perception on the screen setup .
On the RIGHT sidebar is much better and more space on the documents.
The horizon reach on the surfing.   ...Donald. 
 ---- Forwarded Message -----
From: William ...
To: Donald....
Sent: Friday, 28 August 2015, 14:51
Subject: Blog side bar [and health]

Dear Father Donald, 

I am delighted to have the link restored on your blog to the "Catholic Blog Directory", an expansion of the horizon indeed! In such elite company it is good to be able to relate to the blog in your name!

One thing if I might mention: it might be a 'resolution' issue on my old laptop (Windows 7) but the side bar on your blog is so restricted that I can only see, for example, the first letter of the entries under 'Blog Archive'. Most the headings 'wrap' so I can see what they are, but the archive entries are not visible for selection. It may just be me! but perhaps if you ask Fr. Brendan to see what he can see on his laptop? [Also] some of your recent postings are 'wider' than my screen and have to be read by moving the window bar across the screen.

St. Augustine: "late have I loved you" is as real to me as many of the psalms appealing for the love and clear knowledge of God......
Thank you!
With my love in Our Lord, William
[Health] Two weeks today...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


    
COMMENT:  'hopping', 'frolicking'.
It is right that the soul, hopping from one thing to another, over all that is mine and hers, should understand this.  Playing upon all created things, it is right that she impress on each one of them her kiss and her little ‘I love You’ for the One who created so many things as gifts for creatures.  Loving that man be happy, this great variety of creations displays how many different ways He loves him, giving him a surplus over and above the necessities.”
     
     There is another translation of the above quotation to the following from the text of the 1995 print version; "Therefore, is it not just that the soul, hopping from one thing to another over all that is Mine and hers, recognize them, and frolocking over all created things, imptess upon each thing her kiss and her little "I LOVE YOU" towards He who has created so many things to make a gift of them to creatures, displaying them with so many various loves for so many things asHe has create and who loves so much that man be happy, giving him not only the necessary things but even the superfluous?


Luisa Piccarreta, Book of Heaven
*
The Living in the Divine Volition (Symbolized by the Starry Sky)
Encloses Everything, Binds and Orders Everything. [1995]

Divine Will Volume Eighteen
VOLUME 18


hymnsandchants.com/Texts/Fiat/FiatVolumes/FiatVolume18/
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Index of /Texts/Fiat/FiatVolumes/FiatVolume18. Parent Directory · FiatVolume18.htm ·
Book of Heaven



December 6, 1925

The true living in the Supreme Will is precisely this: Jesus must find everything and everyone in the depth of the soul, and, with her love, everything must be bound in the soul. Communion of goods in the Divine Will. Example of the starry heavens.

I was doing in my interior my usual acts in the Supreme Volition, embracing all Creation and all creatures, in order to make all of their acts my own, and requite my God with my little love, for everything He has done in Creation and for everything that all creatures should do. But while I was doing this, a thought told me: ‘You take so much time in doing this; and what is the good that you do? What is the glory that you give to your God?’ At that moment, my sweet Jesus moved in my interior, and stretching out His arms, He seemed to want to embrace everyone and everything. Then, raising them up, He offered everything to His Celestial Father; and then He said to me: “My daughter, the true living in the Supreme Will is precisely this: I must find everything and everyone in the depth of the soul; everything that my Will has issued in Creation for the good of creatures must be bound in the soul with her love. By living in my Will and by her requital of love, she is already bound to and in possession of all that my Will has done and will do; and she loves as my Will loves and can love. So, given all this, by her living truly in It and having bound everything to herself, I find in the soul the starry heavens, the refulgent sun, the vastness of the seas, the prairies of flowers – I find everything in her. Therefore, is it not right that the soul, hopping from one thing to another, over all that is mine and hers, recognize it; and that playing upon all created things, she impress on each one of them her kiss and her little ‘I love You’ for the One who has created so many things to give them to creatures as gifts, displaying to man, by this, a variety of love for as many things as He created, and how He loves that man be happy, giving him not only what is necessary, but also the surplus?

But this is not all. Not only must I find the whole Creation, but the true living in my Will binds everyone, and therefore I must find in the soul, as though in act, Adam holy, as he came out of my creative hands, as well as Adam guilty, humiliated and crying, so that she may bind herself to him in the state of sanctity, and taking part in his innocent and holy acts, she may give Me glory and make the whole Creation smile again; and sharing in his tears, with him she may long for that Fiat rejected, which had caused so much ruin. I must find in her the prophets, the patriarchs, the holy fathers, with all their acts. And if those longed for the Redeemer, you will long for my Supreme Fiat, as the triumph and fulfilment of their sighs. I want to find my inseparable Mama, with all Her acts, in which my Will operated so many portents, having full dominion. I want to find all of Myself and all my acts. In sum, I want to find all my things, all that belongs to Me, all that my Supreme Will has done and will do, because these are all things which are inseparable from Me, and it is just and necessary that they become inseparable from one who lives in my Will. So, if I do not find everything, it cannot be said that she lives completely in my Will; and in looking at her, I do not find in her all of my things, but I see them scattered outside of the soul, and I cannot receive her requital of love for all that belongs to Me. Have I perhaps not created the creature so that she be a little world and a little god?

This is why I always say to you that the living in my Will is not yet known; and I keep teaching you now one thing, now another, and I expand your capacity so that all my things and all the good which my Will has issued, may enter into you. I want to hear you repeat to Me your requital of love in everything that belongs to Me. I do not tolerate for one who lives in my Will not to know all of my things, and not to love them and possess them. Otherwise, what would be the great prodigy of living in my Will?”

After this, my sweet Jesus remained silent, and I wandered in the Divine Volition. Oh! how I would have wanted to place my loving and grateful kiss upon all created things, and my little ‘I love You’ on all the supreme acts of the Divine Volition, so as to remain bound - I to them, and they to me, to be able to surround my Jesus in me, with all the acts of the Eternal Will. At that moment, I saw the starry heavens, and my lovable Jesus resumed His speaking: “My daughter, look at the heavens - what order, what harmony among the stars. One star cannot be without the other; they are so bound together, that each one sustains the other, each one is the strength of the other. If – may this never be – even a single star moved from its place, there would be such confusion and disorder in the atmosphere, that there would be the danger for everything to end up in ruin. So, all the beauty of the heavens lies in the star’s remaining each one in its place, in the common union and in the communicative and attractive force which they have among themselves, and which, more than electricity, keeps them suspended and bound to one another.

Man is the new heaven – more than the heavens above the earth. It can be said that each creature is an animated star. That which the first man Adam did, up to the last one who will come - everything was to be in common among them. So, man was to possess, not his own strength alone, but the strength of all; all goods were to be in common among them. My Will, more than electricity, was to bring the bond among them and the communication of all that is good and holy; and even though each man was to do his own office and occupy himself with different actions, since all were to start from the primary point of my Will, all were to be converted into light, and therefore each one was to be light for the other. Therefore, my sorrow in seeing this heaven of creatures messed up was so great, as to be incomprehensible to human creature! Once my Will was removed, which binds everyone and links everything, entered disorder, confusion, disunion, weakness, darkness. Poor heaven of creatures, it can no longer be recognized. And only the living in my Will will reorder this heaven again, and will make it shine with new light. This is why I tell you that I want to find everyone and everything in you. My Will, primary act of all celestial and terrestrial creatures, will bring you the communication of all their acts, and you will remain bound to them, and they to you. So, the living in my Will encloses everything and everyone. Therefore, be attentive, for I want to give you the greatest thing that exists; but I want from you great things and highest attention. One, who gives much, much wants to receive.”


Volume 18

Redacted

Sunday, December 6, 1925

I was performing my interior actions in the Supreme Volition as usual, embracing all Creation and all creatures to make all of their acts my own.  I was repaying my God with my little love, for everything He has done in Creation and for everything that all creatures should do. 

While I was doing this, I had a thought:  ‘You take so much time doing this!  What good is it? What glory do you give to your God?’ 

Just then, my sweet Jesus moved inside me.  Stretching out His arms, He embraced everyone and everything.  Raising them up, He offered everything to His Celestial Father.

Then He said to me:  “My daughter, this is what it means to truly live in the Supreme Will.  I must find everything and everyone in the depth of the soul.  Everything my Will has issued in Creation for the good of creatures must be bound in the soul with her love.  By living in my Will and by her requital of love, she is already bound to and in possession of all that my Will has done and will do.  She can love as my Will loves.” 

By virtue of truly living in It and binding everything to herself, the soul becomes for Me the starry heavens.  I find everything in her: the refulgent sun, the vastness of the seas, prairies full of flowers.”

It is right that the soul, hopping from one thing to another, over all that is mine and hers, should understand this.  Playing upon all created things, it is right that she impress on each one of them her kiss and her little ‘I love You’ for the One who created so many things as gifts for creatures.  Loving that man be happy, this great variety of creations displays how many different ways He loves him, giving him a surplus over and above the necessities.”

But that’s not all.  True living in my Will binds everyone.  Not only must I find the whole of Creation in the soul, I must find Adam himself in her.  I must find Adam guilty, humiliated and crying.  Sharing in his tears, she must long with him for that Fiat he rejected, causing so much ruin.  I must find him in action, holy as he came out of my creative hands.  She must bind herself to him in his state of sanctity, and take part in his innocent and holy actions, thus giving Me glory and making the whole of Creation smile again.”

I must find in her the prophets, the patriarchs and the holy fathers, along with all their actions.  As they longed for the Redeemer, you will long for my Supreme Fiat, as the triumph and fulfillment of their sighs.” 

I want to find my inseparable Mama, with all Her actions.  My Will, having full dominion, gave so many premonitions through her.  I want to fully find Myself and all my actions.  I want to find everything that belongs to Me, all that my Supreme Will has done and will do.   These are all things which are inseparable from Me, so it is just and necessary that they become inseparable from one who lives in my Will.”

If I don’t find everything, then she doesn’t live completely in my Will.  If I look in her, and don’t find all of my things there, but instead see them scattered outside of the soul, then I cannot receive her requital of love for all that belongs to Me.  It’s not understood that I have created the creature so that she be a little world and a little god?”

That’s why I tell you so often that living in my Will is not yet known.  I keep teaching you, first one thing, then another.  I expand your capacity so that everything of Mine and all the good my Will has issued, may enter into you.  I want to hear you repeat to Me your return of love in everything that belongs to Me.  I do not tolerate anyone who lives in my Will not knowing, loving and possessing everything that belongs to Me.  This is required for the great prodigy of living in my Will

After this, my sweet Jesus remained silent as I wandered in the Divine Volition.  I wanted so much to place my loving and grateful kiss upon all created things, and my little ‘I love You’ on all supreme acts of the Divine Volition.  I wanted to bind them to me, and they to me, surrounding my Jesus inside me with all the actions of the Eternal Will.”

I watched the starry heavens until my lovable Jesus continued: “Look at the heavens, my daughter.  See the order and harmony among the stars.  One star cannot be without the other.  They are so bound together, that each one sustains the other.  Each one is the strength of the other.  May it never be, but if even a single star moved from its place, there would be such confusion and disorder in the sky.  There would be such danger that everything could end up in ruin.”

The beauty of the heavens lies in all the star’s staying in place.  They communicate in the common union and attractive force they have among themselves.  A strong, natural force keeps them suspended and bound to one another.”

Man is the new heaven, more so than the heavens above the earth.  Each creature is an animated star.  From the first man, Adam, up to the last one who is to come, everything was to be in common among them.  Man was to possess the strength of all, not just his own.  All goods were to be held in common.  My Will, more than any natural force, was to be the bond among them, communicating all that is good and holy.  Each man, occupied with different actions, was to do his own thing.  However, since all were to start from the primary point of my Will, all were to be converted into light.  Each one was to be light for the other.” 

Seeing this heaven of creatures so messed up, my sorrow was great, incomprehensible to human creatures!  My Will binds everyone, linking everything together.  Once It was removed, darkness entered, along with disorder, confusion, disunion and weakness.  Poor heaven of creatures; it’shardly recognizable anymore.  It is only by living in my Will that this heaven will again be reordered and shine with new light.” 

This is why I tell you that I want to find everyone and everything in you.  My Will, the primary action of all celestial and terrestrial creatures, will communicate to you all their actions.  You will be bound to them, and they to you.  By living in my Will, everyone and everything shall be enclosed in It.  So pay attention, because I want to give you the greatest gift of all.  I expect great things from you.  Give me you full attention.  One who gives much expects much in return.”




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http://www.hymnsandchants.com/texts.Fiat/FiatVolume18

         


Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist Aug. 29

Machaerus, Herod's Fortress

Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist
sec. The
John seals its mission of precursor with martyrdom. Herod Antipas, imprigionatolo in the fortress of Machaerus East to the Dead Sea, had him beheaded. He is the friend who rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice and is eclipsed in front of Christ, sun of justice: 'Now my joy is fulfilled; He must increase, I must decrease '. At his school they have formed some of the first disciples of the Lord. (Mess. Rom.)
Patronage: Monks
Emblem: Lamb, Axe
Martyrology: Memory of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, that King Herod Antipas held in prison in the fortress of Machaerus in modern Jordan and the day of his birthday, at the request of the daughter of Herodias, ordered him beheaded. For this, the Precursor of the Lord, as burning and shining lamp, made ​​both in life and death in witness to the truth. 


Today's celebration, which in the Latin Church is very old (in France in sec. And Rome in the V century. VI), is linked to the dedication of the church built in Sebaste in Samaria, on the alleged tomb of the precursor of Christ. Under the name of "Passion" or "Decollatio" the party appears already as of August 29, in the Roman Sacramentaries, and according to the Roman martyrology that date corresponds to the second finding of the head of St. John the Baptist, carried on that occasion in the church St. Sylvester in Campo Marzio in Rome. Apart from these historical references, we have the stories of the Baptist Evangelists, especially St. Luke, which tells us about his birth, life in the desert, his preaching, and St. Mark who tells us about his death.   
From Gospel and tradition we can reconstruct the life of the Precursor, whose fiery speech seemed really animated by the spirit of the prophet Elijah. In the year 150 the Emperor Tiberius (27-28 AD), the Baptist, who led an austere life under the rules of separation, he began his mission, inviting the people to prepare the way of the Lord, which was necessary to accommodate a sincere conversion, that a radical change of the provisions of the soul. Addressing all social classes, he aroused enthusiasm among the people and discontent among the Pharisees, the so-called aristocracy of spirit, of whom reproached hypocrisy. Now popular character, resolutely he denied being the Messiah, claiming the superiority of Jesus that he pointed out to his followers at his baptism in the River Jordan. Her image appears to vanish fading affirmation "of the fittest", Jesus. However, "the greatest of the prophets" did not cease to make her voice heard where it was necessary to straighten "the winding paths" of evil. He tried again publicly the sinful conduct of Herod Antipas and Herodias in-law, but their susceptibility predictable cost him his harsh imprisonment at Machaerus, on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea. 
We know how it ended: at a party held in Machaerus, daughter Herodias, Salome, having given excellent agility trials in the dance, enthused Herod, who, at the instigation of her mother, asked and obtained from him a reward Baptist's head, thus putting to rest the tread of the Messiah, his voice stronger Auctioneers imminent Gospel message. Last prophet and the first apostle, he gave his life for his mission, and that is revered in the Church as a martyr.

Author: Piero Bargellini
+++++++++++

Friday, 4 February 2011

Mark 6:17-29 John the Baptist Beheaded


St John Baptist Martyr
The Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension is located in the village of A-Tur on Mt Olives. According to Orthodox tradition is the site where Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after resurrection.
   A chapel behind the church is dedicated to John the Baptist, and according to tradition his head was found in a jar hidden in a cavity under the mosaic floor of an ancient Armenian church.           
The Mass Gospel passage this morning has its larger setting in the Solemnity of ‘John the Baptist Beheading’ at the end of August 29th.      
In fact John the Baptist surfaces in the four Gospels, there are 13 references in the Naverre Commentary.
I just pick one reference; “Later, the Apostle St. John will speak of him in the Gospel: "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John" ( Joh_1:6  ); 
but the sacred text points out that, despite this, he was not the light, but rather the witness to the light ( Joh_1:6-8  ).  More correctly, ( Joh_5:35  )”. 

He was the lamp carrying the light
It puts John the Baptist in his place.
The carrying of light in Candlemass liturgy links John Baptist with the voice of Simeon, “The Light of the Gentiles.” Luk 2:32  a light for revelation to the Gentiles.
As we ourselves are not the light but lamps.
Looking after the Sanctuary Lamp, I am indeed not to let out the lamp to go out.
As being lamps of light, we have our ‘confiteor’ of our History of our Salvation  at the beginning the Eucharist.
NOTE; 
Dear, A C,


Thank you.
You introduced us to Decapolis from the Monday Gospel.
Today, Friday Gospel, leads on to another Jordan place of John the Baptist Beheading.
Megaerus lies south the Decapolis.
Interest Bible Geography.
Thank you.
D.  


Machaerus, Herod's Fortress
The Jordanian village of Mkawer, 25 miles southwest of Madaba, is home to the ruins of Machaerus, the Black Fortress, the place of execution  
Convent Russian Ascension Mt Olives
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: A C ---
Sent: Tue, 1 February, 2011 15:52:58
Subject: Decapolis

Walking encyclopedia that you are, you probably know already what I had to look up after yesterday's Gospel:
The names of the traditional Ten Cities of the Decapolis come from the Roman historian 
 Pliny the Elder (N.H. 5.16.74). 
They are:

1.               Gerasa (Jerash) in Jordan
2.               Scythopolis (Beth-Shean) in Israel, the only city west of the Jordan River
3.               Hippos (Hippus or Sussita) in Israel
4.               Gadara (Umm Qais) in Jordan
5.               Pella (West of Irbid) in Jordan
6.               Philadelphia, modern day Amman, the capital of Jordan
7.               Al Husn in Jordan
8.               Capitolias (Beit Ras) in Jordan (Dion, Jordan)
9.               Canatha (Qanawat) in Syria
10.            Arabella (Irbid), in Jordan
11.            Raphana in Jordan
12.            Damascus, the capital of modern Syria; Damascus was considerably north of the others and so is sometimes thought to have been an "honorary" member.
According to other sources, there may have been as many as eighteen or nineteen Greco-Roman cities counted as part of the Decapolis. For example, Abila is very often cited as belonging to the group.
The cities
 Map of Roman Palestine with the Decapolis cities labeled in black.
The oval forum and cardo of Gerasa (Jerash)
 Fr Donald  1


The-Decapolis-map
  iBreviary 
SECOND READING

From a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable, priest
(Hom. 23: CCL 122, 354, 356-357)

Precursor of Christ in birth and death

Friday, 28 August 2015

Saint Augustine,Doctor of Grace. 28 August

    Night Office Saints, Patristic Reading, 
St. Augustine Doctor of Grace  

      Dom Donald's Blog: Saint Augustine, bishop, confessor and doctor, Mem...: Breviary Wednesday, 28 August 2013 Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time SECOND READING From the Confessions of Saint...


Wednesday, 28 August 2013

Saint Augustine, bishop, confessor and doctor, Memorial

Breviary

Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Wednesday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING
From the Confessions of Saint Augustine, bishop
(Lib. 7, 10, 18; 10, 27: CSEL 33, 157-163, 255)

O eternal truth, true love, and beloved eternity

Urged to reflect upon myself, I entered under your guidance into the inmost depth of my soul. I was able to do so because you were my helper. On entering into myself I saw, as it were with the eye of the soul, what was beyond the eye of the soul, beyond my spirit: your immutable light. It was not the ordinary light perceptible to all flesh, nor was it merely something of greater magnitude but still essentially akin, shining more clearly and diffusing itself everywhere by its intensity. No it was something entirely distinct, something altogether different from all these things: and it did not rest above my mind as oil on the surface of water, nor was it above me as Heaven is above the Earth. This light was above me because it has made me; I was below it because I was created by it. He who has come to know the truth knows this light.

O Eternal truth, true love and beloved eternity. You are my God. To you do I sigh day and night. When I first came to know you, you drew me to yourself so that I might see that there were things for me to see, but that I myself was not yet ready to see them. Meanwhile you overcame the weakness of my vision, sending forth most strongly the beams of your light, and I trembled at once with love and dread. I learned that I was in a region unlike yours and far distant from you, and I thought I heard your voice from on high: “I am the food of grown men; grow then, and you will feed on me. Nor will you change me into yourself like bodily food, but you will be changed into me.”

I sought a way to gain the strength which I needed to enjoy you. But I did not find it until I embraced the mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who is above all, God blessed for ever. He was calling me and saying: I am the way of truth, I am the life. He was offering the food which I lacked the strength to take, the food he had mingled with our flesh. For the Word became flesh, that your wisdom, by which you created all things, might provide milk for us children.

Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and you broke through my deafness. You flashed, you shone, and you dispelled my blindness. You breathed your fragrance on me; I drew in breath and now I pant for you. I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more. You touched me, and I burned for your peace.

     
   The_Saint_Augustine_Taken_to_School_by_Saint_Monica.
_Pinacoteca,_Vatican.7_Nicolo_di_Pietro._1413-15._   



          The Oil and the Virgins         

There is the oil, the precious oil; this oil is of the gift of God. Men can put oil into their vessels, but they cannot create the olive. See, I have oil; but didst thou create the oil? It is of the gift of God. Thou hast oil. Carry it with thee. What is "carry it with thee"? Have it within, there please thou God.
 ...10. For, Io, those "foolish virgins, who brought no oil with them," wish to please men by that abstinence of theirs whereby they are called virgins, and by their good works, when they seem to carry lamps. And if they wish to please men, and on that account do all these praiseworthy works, they do not carry oil with them. Do you then carry it with thee, carry it within where God seeth; there carry the testimony of thy conscience. For he who walks to gain the testimony of another, does not carry oil with him. If thou abstain from things unlawful, and doest good works to be praised of men; there is no oil within. And so when men begin to leave off their praises, the lamps fail. Observe then, Beloved, before those virgins slept, it is not said that their lamps were extinguished. The lamps of the wise virgins burned with an inward oil, with the assurance of a good conscience, with an inner glory, with an inmost charity. 

Yet the lamps of the foolish virgins burned also. Why burnt they then? Because there was yet no want of the praises of men. But after that they arose, that is in the resurrection from the dead, they began to trim their lamps, that is, began to prepare to render unto God an account of their works. And because there is then no one to praise, every man is wholly employed in his own cause, there is no one then who is not thinking of himself, therefore were there none to sell them oil; so their lamps began to fail, and the foolish betook themselves to the five wise, "give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out." They sought for what they had been wont to seek for, to shine that is with others' oil, to walk after others' praises. "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out."   

 ...11. But they say, "Not so, lest there be not enough for us and you, but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." This was not the answer of those who give advice, but of those who mock. And why mock they? Because they were wise, because wisdom was in them. For they were not wise by ought of their own; but that wisdom was in them, of which it is written in a certain book, she shall say to those that despised her, when they have fallen upon the evils which she threatened them; "I will laugh over your destruction." What wonder then is it, that the wise mock the foolish virgins? And what is this mocking?

 ...12. "Go ye to them that sell, and buy for yourselves:" ye who never were wont to live well, but because men praised you, who sold you oil. What means this, "sold you oil"? "Sold praises." Who sell praises, but flatterers? How much better had it been for you not to have acquiesced in flatterers, and to have carried oil within, and for a good conscience-sake to have done all good works; then might ye say, "The righteous shall correct me in mercy, and reprove me, but the oil of the sinner shall not fatten my head." Rather, he says, let the righteous correct me, let the righteous reprove me, let the righteous buffet me, let the righteous correct me, than the "oil of the sinner fatten mine head." What is the oil of the sinner, but the blandishments of the flatterer?
 ...13. "Go ye" then "to them that sell," this have ye been accustomed to do. But we will not give to you. Why? "Lest there be not enough for us and you." What is, "lest there be not enough"? This was not spoken in any lack of hope, but in a sober and godly humility. For though the good man have a good conscience; how knows he, how He may judge who is deceived by no one? He hath a good conscience, no sins conceived in the heart solicit him, yet, though his conscience be good, because of the daily sins of human life, he saith to God, "forgive us our debts;" seeing he hath done what comes next, "as we also forgive our debtors." He hath broken his bread to the hungry from the heart, from the heart hath clothed the naked; out of that inward oil he hath done good works, and yet in that judgment even his good conscience trembleth.

 ...14. See then what this, "Give us oil," is. They were told "Go ye rather to them that sell." In that ye have been used to live upon the praises  ...of men, ye do not carry oil with you; but we can give you none; "lest there be not enough for us and you." For scarcely do we judge of ourselves, how much less can we judge of you? What is "scarcely do we judge of ourselves"? Because, "When the righteous King sitteth on the throne, who will glory that his heart is pure?" It may be thou dost not discover anything in thine own conscience; but He who seeth better, whose Divine glance penetrateth into deeper things, discovereth it may be something, He seeth it may be something, He discovereth something. How much better mayest thou say to Him, "Enter not into judgment with Thy servant"? Yea, how much better, "Forgive us our debts"? Because it shall be also said to thee because of those torches, because of those lamps; "I was hungry, and ye gave Me meat." What then? did not the foolish virgins do so too? Yea, but they did it not before Him. How then did they do it? As the Lord forbiddeth, who said, "Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven: and when ye pray, be not as the hypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have received their reward." They have bought oil, they have given the price; they have bought it, they have not been defrauded of men's praises, they have sought men's praises, and have had them. These praises of men aid them not in the judgment day. But the other virgins, how have they done? "Let your works shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." He did not say, "may glorify you." For thou hast no oil of thine own self. Boast thyself and say, I have it; but from Him, "for what hast thou that thou hast not received?" So then in this way acted the one, and in that the other.
 ...15. Now it is no wonder, that "while they are going to buy," while they are seeking for persons by whom to be praised, and find none; while they are seeking for persons by whom to be comforted, and find none; that the door is opened, that "the Bridegroom cometh," and the Bride, the Church, glorified then with Christ, that the several members may be gathered together into their whole. "And they went in with Him into the marriage, and the door was shut." Then the foolish virgins came afterwards; but had they bought any oil, or found any from whom they might buy it? Therefore they found the doors shut; they began to knock,but too late.
 ..
St. Augustine
.16. It is said, and it is true, and no deceiving saying, "Knock, and it shall be opened unto you;" but now when it is the time of mercy, not when it is the time of judgment. For these times cannot be confounded, since the Church sings to her Lord of "mercy and judgment." It is the time of mercy; repent. Canst thou repent in the time of judgment? Thou wilt be then as those virgins, against whom the door was shut. "Lord, Lord, open to us." What! did they not repent, that they had brought no oil with them? Yes, but what profiteth them their late repentance, when the true wisdom mocked them? Therefore "the door was shut." And what was said to them? "I know you not." Did not He know them, who knoweth all things? What then is, "I know you not?" I refuse, I reject you. In my art I do not acknowledge you, my art knoweth not vice; now this is a marvellous thing, it doth not know vice, and it judgeth vice. It doth not know it in the practice of it; it judgeth by reproving it. Thus then, "I know you not."  

 ...17. The five wise virgins came, and "went in." How many are ye, my Brethren, in the profession of Christ's Name! let there be among you the five wise, but be not five such persons only. Let there be among you the five wise, belonging to this wisdom of the number five. For the hour will come, and come when we know not. It will come at midnight, Watch ye. Thus did the Gospel close; "Watch, for ye know neither the day nor the hour." But if we are all to sleep, how shall we watch? Watch with the heart, watch with faith, watch with hope, watch with charity, watch with good works; and then, when thou shalt sleep in thy body, the time will come that thou shalt rise. And when thou shall have risen, make ready the lamps. Then shall they go out no more, then shall they be renewed with the inner oil of conscience; then shall that Bridegroom fold thee in His spiritual embrace, then shall He bring thee into His House where thou shall never sleep, where thy lamp can never be extinguished. But at present we are in labour, and our lamps flicker amid the winds and temptations of this life; but only let our flame burn strongly, that the wind of temptation may increase the fire, rather than put it out. 

  http://kingsgarden.org/English/Organizations/LCC.GB/LCIS/Scriptures/Fathers/Doctors/AugustinOfHippo/Sermons/Sermon43.html 


Thursday, 27 August 2015

Nathaniel fig tree.Theophanes Cerameus

COMMENT:
Special from William...
I am so pleased to read Theophanes Cerameus' interpretation of the meaning of the fig tree, linking Nathaniel's fig tree  to the otherwise puzzling barren tree incident: from his interpretation into a fine explanation - goodness, how one has to keep one's eyes open to the hidden connections and meanings!  

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From the shadow to the truth

 Monday, 24 August 2015 06:00
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EIA1019ADISSt Bartholomew (24 Aug.)
II NOCTURN
From a Sermon by Theophanes Cerameus, Bishop
“Philip,” says the Gospel, “found Nathaniel and told him: We have found the One whom Moses wrote about in the Law, and whom the Prophets also wrote about, Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.”  It is as if he cried out: There is no need for us to pore over the sacred books any longer, dear Nathaniel, for we have met the One they tell about: we have found him for whom we have so long been searching.  “Nathaniel asked him: Can anything good come out of Nazareth?  Philip answered: Come and see.”  The Gospel continues: “Jesus saw Nathaniel coming toward him and said of him: Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”  He saw him coming from the shadow to the truth, from the fig tree of the Law to the One who had dried up the leaves of the fig tree of the Law because it lacked the fruit of good works; and seeing him he called him a true and not a false Israelite.
Then note the steadiness of Nathaniel and how incapable he was of feeling flattered.  Our Lord’s praise left him totally unmoved, but in asking: “How dost thou know me?” he showed his eagerness for mystical knowledge.  And the sign was at once given to him.  “Before Philip called thee, I saw thee under the fig tree.”  Nathaniel was indeed sitting under the fig tree when Philip instructed him in the divine mysteries concerning Jesus.  But in his remark our Lord was also hinting at the fig tree as a symbol of the Law, whose shadow was keeping Nathaniel from receiving the light.  For just as the trunk of a fig tree is bitter to the taste, and the leaves rough to the touch, while its fruit is very sweet, so too the punishments of the Law are bitter and its observances harsh and hard to keep; but the fruit of the Law and the synagogue, the fruit of the root of Jesse, is the fairest of men and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.
Let us listen to Nathaniel acknowledging the Divinity of Jesus: “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel!”  Surely a divine light illumined his holy mind to enable him to see something deeper than the testimony of Philip, and something worthy of a noble Israelite!  Philip said that Jesus was the son of Joseph, but Nathaniel, who earlier had called him “something good”, now proclaimed him more explicitly Son of God and King of Israel, pointing to the two natures in Christ.  For being by nature the Son of God, as man he is said to have received the kingdom from his Father.  Jesus, therefore, seeing Nathaniel thus speaking of divine truths, led him by his words to thoughts still more sublime.  “Thou believest,” he said, “because I told thee that I saw thee under the fig tree, but thou wilt see greater things than this.”  In these words he promised to show him the Resurrection.