Mother of Salvation by Aemiliana Lohr

Readings for the Liturgy of the Hours.
Augustinian Press 1995
Night Office.

 

Mother of Salvation

TWENTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

WEDNESDAY

First Reading

WEDNESDAY

Ephesians      5:21-33

Responsory        Sg 2:10-12; Rv 19:9

My Beloved speaks and says to me Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for see, t the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. The flowers appear in the countryside.

V. Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb. t The winter is past ...

Second Reading

From Mother of Salvation by Aemiliana Lohr

It would be wrong to think of God only as masculine and father. He who created man in his own image created him male and female. Both then, the female as well as the male, must have their prototype in him. "For in his ineffable being he is Father, but in his compassion for us he became a mother. It was through love that the Father became feminine, and the clearest proof of this is the Son begotten of him. The fruit of love is love." It sounds like a natural conclusion from these profound thoughts of Clement of Alexandria, when a Christmas trope praises Mary as "Mother of fatherly love."

Therefore, if the love of God, his maternal and womanly aspect, has become visible for us precisely in the Son who became man, it is certainly because even Christ himself - the faithful reflection of the Father - appeared as male and female like Adam when first created; he had the Church at his side, after all, hidden at first, but revealed by the cross; better still, he was enveloped by her as by his spiritual body. In his passion he suffered, endured and conquered as man, as God's servant and as Lord; and he has placed the distribution of the hard won treasure of salvation, in the form of a sacrament, in the womanly and maternal hands of his Church, who as his body and his spouse is nothing other than himself, Christus totus, the whole, the one Christ, the only Son of the Father, the one love of God who became man.

It is she, therefore, the Church, manifest image of what is motherly in God, that the author of the Apocalypse portrays for us in the great sign of the woman in labour. Yet, it must be admitted, it is Paul rather than John who proclaims this mystery, explaining in words what John presents in image. Paul is aware of the virginal marriage-bond between Christ and the Church, the great mystery from which all earthly marriage receives its meaning and consecration; he is aware of the Lord as head and saviour of his body; and he is aware of the Jerusalem above, the free woman, who is our mother. He who no longer knows Christ in a merely human way, but only as the glorified Lord, does not speak of Mary either, the earthly mother of Jesus, but only of the mother of his spiritual body, the Church. She, like Christ, is Paul's great and only love. For he is aware of the mystery: that the Church is Christ, and Christ is the Church; that they are both the same, one body and one spirit; she his body and he her head; he her Saviour and she the fullness of his being. It is only as both together that they are the whole man whom God desired, to whom he had already given, as it were, preliminary shape in Adam and his wife, but who has only now been brought to maturity in Christ, the new Adam, and the Church, his body and his spouse. In them we really see the true eternal ideal of man which was planned from the very beginning, the perfect and indissoluble unity of man and woman.

Responsory    Rv 19:7-8

Let us rejoice and exult and give glory to God, for the wedding-day

of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. t She has been given fine linen, bright and clean, to wear.

V. The fine linen is the good deeds of the saints. + She has been ...

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MARY'S ROLE IN GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION

Monday, January 13, 2014

26. MARY'S ROLE IN GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION

    Mary,s acceptance....  

Continuation from: 23. Mary - The Mother Of God

To understand the title "Mother of God," we must first clearly understand Mary's role as mother of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

As Catholics, we firmly believe in the incarnation of Our Lord: Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. 2Luke 1:26-38 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, [27] To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin' s name was Mary. [28] And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. [29] Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. [30] And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. [31] Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. [32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. [33] And of his kingdom there shall be no end. [34] And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? [35] And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36] And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren: [37] Because no word shall be impossible with God. [38]And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. and we can also refer to Matthew 1:18-25. 

Through her, Jesus Christ — second person of the Holy Trinity, one-in-being (consubstantial) with the Father, and true God from true God — entered this world taking on human flesh and a human soul. Jesus is true God and true man. In His divine person are united both a divine nature and a human nature. 

Mary did not create the divine person of Jesus, who existed with the Father and Holy Spirit from all eternity: "In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly 'Mother of God' (Theotokos)" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 495). As St. John wrote, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us, and we have seen His glory: The glory of an only Son coming from the Father filled with enduring love" John 1:14. Here Jesus was the Word from the beginning of time who is God and became flesh.

Mary Adoring  Her Son Jesus

Mary - Model of Purity and Goodness.

So who is Mary according to the Scripture?
In the Bible, based on the gospel texts, we may have erroneously formed an incomplete picture of Mary.
 
We probably imagined Mary as a

·                  young (to face the reality and hardship of life), 

·                  innocent (in ways of the world) and 

·                  timid (silly, incompetent, spineless) 

but Mary proved otherwise and she was far from all these,

Mary was a Picture of

·                  Beauty in and out - she was made pure and immaculate from the beginning of time in the sight of God. (Genesis 3:15 I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed:she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.) Even from the time of Adam and Eve, Mary the Mother of Jesus is already pre-destined to crush the head of the evil.

·                  Humility with singleness of purpose (Luke 1:38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word.And the angel departed from her.)

·                  Initiative and Patience (John 2:3 And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: They have no wine. [4] And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come. [5] His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye. 
[4] What is that to me: These words of our Saviour, spoken to his mother, have been understood by some commentators as harsh, they not considering the next following verse: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye, which plainly shews that his mother knew of the miracle that he was to perform, and that it was at her request he wrought it; besides the manner of speaking the words as to the tone, and the countenance shewn at the same time, which could only be known to those who were present, or from what had followed: for words indicating anger in one tone of voice, would be understood quite the reverse in another.)

·                  Faith (in God's plan) & Obedience (to the will of God) Luke 1:38

·                  Willingness (to give up her own Son to be crucified) & Strength (to withstand the pain)

·                  Forgiveness (for those who crucified Jesus) & Love (for all mankind)

And Mary was all these

Simeon the New Theologian Night Office

Simeon the New Theologian), (Greek: Συμεὼν ὁ Νέος Θεολόγος; 949–1022 AD25/08/2015

Monastic Lectionary of the Divine Office 25/08.2015

First Reading

TUESDAY

Ephesians 5:8-20

Second Reading

From a conference by Saint Symeon the New Theologian

Do any have ears to hear, so that they can understand the meaning of the words spoken by the Spirit? Do any even now possess the mind of Christ, so as to think about his writings properly and in a way worthy of God? Can any be found even now with Christ speaking in their hearts, so that they can rightly interpret the mysteries hidden in his word? For Saint Paul says:

We speak words of wisdom, not the passing wisdom of this present age, but a secret and hidden wisdom, hidden from the many but in all truth revealed and known to us, who are instructed in the fear of God and have our eyes always fixed on him. We do not speak about something we are ignorant of, but testify to what we know: that the light already shines in the darkness both by day and by night, both within and without, within our hearts, without in our minds. It shines around us unfading, unchanging, formless, speaking, working, living and life-giving, and transforms those it shines on into light.

We testify that God is light, and that all those who have deserved to see him have seen him as light, because the light of his glory goes before him, and it is impossible for him to appear without light. And so those who have never seen his light have never seen him either, because he is light, and those who have not received light have not yet received grace; for those who have received grace have received God's light and God; as Christ, the light, has said: I will live and walk among them.

But all those who have not yet experienced or deserved to experience this are under the law which preceded grace. They are slaves and disciples of slaves, hearers of the law, offspring of the slave woman, and children of darkness, whether they are kings or patriarchs, bishops or priests, rulers or ruled, lay people or monks, solitaries or superiors, poor or rich, sick or physically healthy. For all those living in darkness are children of darkness who refuse to repent, since repentance is the door that leads from darkness to light.

Responsory     Jn 8:12; Rom 13:12

I am the light of the world. + Anyone who follows me will not walk

in darkness, but will have the light of life.

V. Let us cast off the deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. + Anyone who ...

  Three saints canonized by the Eastern Orthodox church and given the title of "Theologian" (along with John the Apostle and Gregory of Nazianzus).  

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symeon_the_New_Theologian

Saint Symeon the New Theologian
Born	949 Galatia
Died	March 12, 1022 Paloukiton
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church,Roman Catholic Church
Canonized	pre-congregation
Feast	March 12

Symeon the New Theologian (also sometimes referred to as Simeon the New Theologian), (Greek: Συμεὼν ὁ Νέος Θεολόγος; 949–1022 AD) was a Byzantine Christian monk and poet who was the last of three saints canonized by theEastern Orthodox church and given the title of "Theologian" (along with John the Apostle andGregory of Nazianzus). "Theologian" was not applied to Symeon in the modern academic sense of theological study, but to recognize someone who spoke from personal experience of the vision of God. One of his principal teachings was that humans could and should experience theoria(literally "contemplation," or direct experience of God).

THE LIFE OF ST. SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN

   

From Lectionary of the Divine Office

Sancta Maria Abbey: http://www.nunraw.com.uk (Website)     Blogspot :http://www.nunraw.blogspot.co.uk, Doneword :http://www.donewill.blogspot.co.uk    |domdonald.org.uk,   Emails: nunrawdonald@yahoo.com, nunrawdonald@gmail.com

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Sent: Tuesday, 25 August 2015, 7:24
Subject: St Symeon Theologian

Night Office Tuesday 25th Aug.

Sent from my iPad.  

THE LIFE OF ST. SYMEON THE NEW THEOLOGIAN

Commemorated March 12

O holy father Symeon, you received divine illumination in your soul. You were shown forth to the world as a most radiant light dispelling all darkness. You call all men to seek the Grace of the Holy Spirit, which they had lost. O righteous father! Pray unto Christ, our God, the He may grant us great mercy! Troparion to St. Symeon the New Theologian

One of the most beloved Holy Fathers is St. Symeon the New Theologian, who was the abbot of St. Mamas in Constantinople. He is one of three great Fathers whom the Orthodox Church has granted the title of "Theologian", because he is one of a few, in the history of Christianity, to 'know' God. The other two Theologians are St. John the Evangelist, and St. Gregory of Nazianzus (390 AD).

St. Symeon was born in Galatia in Paphlagonia (Asia Minor) in 949 AD. His parents, Basal and Theophana, were Byzantine provincial nobles. St. Symeon received only the basics of a primary Greek school education until he was about eleven years old. He finished his secondary education at the age of 14 in the court of the two brother emperors Basil and Constantine Porphyrogenetes. At 14, he met St. Symeon the Studite, who became his spiritual father and who led him into the life of asceticism and prayer. Although he wanted to enter the famous monastery of the Stoudion at the age of 14, his spiritual father had him wait until he turned 27. During this period of preparation, St. Symeon's elder continued to counsel and guide him, preparing him gradually for the monastic life even in the midst of worldly cares. St. Symeon occupied himself with the management of a patrician's household and possibly entered the service of his emperor as a diplomat and a senator. While 'busy in the world' he also strove to live a monk's life in the evenings, spending his time in night vigils and reading the spiritual works of Mark the Hermit and Diadochus of Photike. One of his elder's advice was, "if you desire to have always a soul-saving guidance, pay heed to your conscience and without fail do what it will instil in you".

There are many books, in English, on the wealth of work by St. Symeon. These include "Symeon the New Theologian, the Discourses" translated by C. J. deCatanzaro for Paulist Press; "The First-Created Man, Seven Homilies" translated by Fr. Seraphim Rose for St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood; and "St. Symeon the New Theologian, Life-Spirituality-Doctrine, in the Light of Christ" by Archbishop Basil Krivocheine for SVS Press. His writings grew out of his preaching and from the spiritual direction given to those under his charge. He is a writer sharing his experiences in prayer and the Triune. The monks of Mount Athos eagerly read his works today, in this Century's spiritual renewal. His works are also being discovered by the Roman monasteries, as they start to comprehend to wealth and beauty of his writings and personal experience.

St. Symeon's words still speak to us today, even though he lived a thousand years ago. Of special note is his emphasizes to return to the essence or spirit of the early Orthodox Church, and not merely depend on or shelter under the outward forms of Church life. His burning conviction is that the Christian life must be more than just a routine or habit, but rather it should be a personal experience of the living Christ. St. Symeon urges both monks and baptized laity back to a living spiritual experience of the Triune, calling himself the "enthusiastic zealot" who has personal, mystical experiences. His spiritual emphasis is, however, misused by many 'charismatic Christians' and others today who claim to have "gifts of the Holy Spirit", which are probably emotional or 'scholastic' rather than spiritual. The following is a quote from St. Symeon on Spirituality,

"Do not say that it is impossible to receive the Spirit of God. Do not say that it is possible to be made whole without Him. Do not say that one can possess Him without knowing it. Do not say that God does not manifest Himself to man. Do not say that men cannot perceive the divine light, or that it is impossible in this age! Never is it found to be impossible, my friends. On the contrary, it is entirely possible when one desires it" (Hymn 27, 125-132).

St. Symeon the New Theologian died in 1022 AD. The saint's feast is celebrated on 12 March.

Contact the Webmaster webmaster@stsymeon.com

  

St Symeon the New Theologian quote Wiki

Divine Light

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St Symeon Theologian quote Wiki

Sent from my iPad.    

 

It shines on us without evening, without change, without alteration, without form. It speaks, works, lives, gives life, and changes into light those whom it illuminates. We bear witness that "God is light," and those to whom it has been granted to see Him have all beheld Him as light. Those who have seen Him have received Him as light, because the light of His glory goes before Him, and it is impossible for Him to appear without light. Those who have not seen His light have not seen Him, for He is the light, and those who have not received the light have not yet received grace. Those who have received grace have received the light of God and have received God, even as Christ Himself, who is the Light, has said, "I will live in them and move among them." (2 Cor. 6:16)^[42]    

Dom Donald's Blog: Newman St Bartholomew/Nathaniel

Dear William,

Surprise surprise, Bartholomew >>> Nathaniel.

PROMPTLY, I have to get back to Fr. Peter's Retreat talk on  Nathaniel. 

Commentary of the day : 

Benedict XVI, pope from 2005 to 2013 
General Audience of 04/10/06 (© Libreria Editrice Vaticana) 

Nathaniel-Bartholomew recognises the Messiah, the Son of God

                                     

        Dom Donald's Blog: Newman St Bartholomew: John Henry Newman’s thoughts about Saint Bartholomew for this Feast remind of the role, “ the history of St. Bartholomew … reca...

Tuesday, 24 August 2010

Newman St Bartholomew

John Henry Newman’s thoughts about Saint Bartholomew for this Feast remind of the role, “the history of St. Bartholomew … recall us to ourselves … (not to) go out of his line of life! …when a man begins to feel he has a soul, and a work to do, … and he says, "What must I do to please God?"   Newman’s words here  echo to often quoted prayer:  God created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission - I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next ... Therefore, I will trust him ... If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve him; if I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve him ... He does nothing in vain; he may prolong my life, he may shorten it, he knows what he is about. John Henry Cardinal Newman Official website for Cardinal Newman's Cause for Canonisation www.newmancause.co.uk

24 August

Saint Bartholomew Feast

Gospel according to John 1: 45-31

From a sermon by John Henry Newman (Parochial and Plain Sermons, volume 2, pages 335-337)

• When Philip told him that he had found the long-expected Messiah of whom Moses wrote, Nathanael (that is, Bartholomew) at first doubted. He was well read in the scriptures, and knew the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem; whereas Jesus dwelt at Nazareth, which Nathanael supposed in consequence to be the place of his birth, - and he knew of no particular promises attached to that city, which was a place of evil report, and he thought no good could come out of it. Philip told him to come and see; and he went to see, as a humble single  minded man, sincerely desirous to get at the truth. In consequence, he was vouchsafed an interview with our Saviour, and was converted.
• Now from what occurred in this interview, we gain some insight into St. Bartholomew's character. Our Lord said of   him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! and it appears, moreover, as if, before Philip called him to come to Christ, he was engaged in meditation or prayer, in the privacy which a fig-tree's shade afforded him. And this, it seems, was the life of one who was destined to act the busy part of an apostle; quietness without, guilelessness within. This was the tranquil preparation for great dangers and sufferings! We see who make the most heroic Christians, and are the most honoured by Christ!     
• An even, unvaried life is the lot of most men, in spite of occasional troubles or other accidents; and we are apt to despise it, and to get tired of it, and to long to see the world - or, at all' events, we think such a life affords no great opportunity for religious obedience. To rise up, and go through the same duties, and then to rest again, day after day, to pass week after week. beginning with God's service on Sunday, and then to our worldly tasks! so to continue till year follows year! and we gradually get old - an unvaried life like this is apt to seem unprofitable to us when we dwell upon the thought of it. Many indeed there are, who do not think at all; but live in their round of employments, without care about God and religion! driven on by the natural course of things in a dull irrational way like the beasts that perish.   
• But when a man begins to feel he has a soul, and a work to do, and a reward to be gained, greater or less, according as he improves the talents committed to him, then he is naturally tempted to be anxious from his very wish to be saved! and he says, "What must I do to please God?" And sometimes he is led to think he ought to be useful on a large scale! and goes out of his line of life! that he may be doing something worth doing, as he considers it.
• Here we have the history of St. Bartholomew and the other apostles to recall us to ourselves, and to assure us that we need not give up our usual manner of life, in order to serve God; that the most humble and quietest station is acceptable to him! if improved duly - nay, affords means for maturing the highest Christian character, even that of an apostle. Bartholomew read the scriptures and prayed to God; and thus was trained at length to give up his life for Christ! when he demanded it.

Commentary of the day : 

Benedict XVI, pope from 2005 to 2013 
General Audience of 04/10/06 (© Libreria Editrice Vaticana) 

Nathaniel-Bartholomew recognises the Messiah, the Son of God

The Evangelist John tells us that when Jesus sees Nathaniel approaching, he exclaims: "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile!" (Jn 1,47). This is praise reminiscent of the text of a Psalm: "Blessed is the man... in whose spirit there is no deceit" (Ps 32[31],2), but provokes the curiosity of Nathaniel who answers in amazement:  "How do you know me?". Jesus' reply cannot immediately be understood. He says: "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig  tree,  I  saw  you".  We do not know what had happened under this fig tree. It is obvious that it had to do with a decisive moment in Nathaniel's life. His heart is moved by Jesus' words, he feels understood and he understands: "This man knows everything about me, he knows and is familiar with the road of life; I can truly trust this man". And so he answers with a clear and beautiful confession of faith: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 


In this confession is conveyed a first important step in the journey of attachment to Jesus. Nathaniel's words shed light on a twofold, complementary aspect of Jesus' identity: he is recognized both in his special relationship with God the Father, of whom he is the Only-begotten Son, and in his relationship with the People of Israel, of whom he is the declared King, precisely the description of the awaited Messiah. We must never lose sight of either of these two elements because if we only proclaim Jesus' heavenly dimension, we risk making him an ethereal and evanescent being; and if, on the contrary, we recognize only his concrete place in history, we end by neglecting the divine dimension that properly qualifies him. 

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