The Meditation. The Twenty Third Sunday After Trinity November 19 th, 2017 A.D. Jesus in the House of Simon (c.1440 s)*

Transcription

1 The Meditation The Twenty Third Sunday After Trinity November 19 th, 2017 A.D. Jesus in the House of Simon (c.1440 s)* Scene from the Gospel of St. Luke; Chap. 7, Vss Dieric Bouts ( ) Netherlands painter

2 2. The Collect for the Twenty-Third Sunday After Trinity, A.D O God, our refuge and out strength, who art the author of all godliness: be ready, we beseech thee, to hear the devout prayers of thy Church; and grant that those things which we ask faithfully we may obtain effectually. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God. Throughout all ages of ages. World without end. Amen. Complete Trust in God Our Blessed Lord Jesus has taught us that our prayer must be offered in trust and with perseverance. Our confidence must never fail, in whatever circumstances we may find ourselves. The root of that trust lies in our complete surrender to Almighty God, and in the detachment from the things of the earth; which should mark each of us as children of our heavenly Father. Our Lord wishes His followers to be free of all unnecessary cares, and focused only on that which is eternal. He uses for His illustration perhaps the most touching comparison with which to make His point clearly: Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, not gather into barns; yet, your heavenly Father feedeth them... Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say to you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (St. Matthew; Chap. 6, Vss ). If we trust our heavenly Father with the care of our bodies, why should we not offer Him complete trust with the needs of our souls? It would be good for us to offer this short humble request in our prayers each day: O my Jesus, I abandon myself completely to you! All that I have and all that I am comes from you, and to you I give it back, for you alone know what is best for me. Along with our trust and perseverance in prayer, they must be offered in humility, for in abasing ourselves, we open ourselves to the reception of His grace. Perhaps the first thing that should strike us when we consider the light of God and the world that surrounds us, is His marvelous care for even the least of His creatures, and the great balance in which all of this takes place. It s a balance which is beyond the comprehension of even the greatest scientific minds, who, while trying to explain and give reason for it, miss an important point the important point, actually. Each blade of grass, each little bud and fledgling plant shoot receives its drop of dew, and its color and fragrance. He feeds the tiniest of insects (including mosquitoes!**), and every sparrow and barn swallow finds its grain of seed. This being the case, then won t He be ready to do just as much and more for those of us who call Him Father? It s little wonder then, how God is most often easily seen in nature by farmers and fishermen!

3 3. There have been many Saints who have founded religious orders with no other resources than God s good providence. Many today still live on it, giving any extra away in order to assist the poor of all kinds. They live just like the birds, who are grateful for what is given to them today, and don t worry about tomorrow. We might need to ask ourselves as serious Christians, do we also live according to that same doctrine? In times of sickness, misfortune, austerity, and mental suffering, does our attitude, along with our words, show faith in our heavenly Father, Who wills, or at least, permits every detail of our lives? How often do we add to our sufferings by our lack of trust and submission, imposing on our own shoulders a cross that is not sent to us by God, but of our own making? The Shepherd of Hermas wrote in the 2 nd century: Cast off all indecision and doubt not in the least, when asking anything from God.... Those who are divided in purpose are they who waiver before the Lord and together fail to obtain any of their requests. But those who are wholly perfect in the faith ask everything with reliance on the Lord and they receive. *** Why do we fret endlessly and uselessly over yesterday s troubles (whether they be ours or the worlds), ruminating bitter memories, useless facts, and destructive emotions; all giving way to groundless fears? How much happier we would be in this life if we followed our Lord s counsel: Take no thought of the morrow (St. Matthew; Chap. 6, Vs. 34.) Thomas a Kempis gives us a resounding Amen when he writes: I cannot fully trust to anyone to bring seasonable help in my necessities, save only to Thee, my God. Thou art my hope, Thou art my confidence, Thou art my comforter, and most faithful above all. **** If God takes such tender care of the body, what will He not do for the soul? He s often hidden from our eyes, but there are moments when He reveals His presence in us: then nothing is too difficult, there is nothing that can t be overcome; prayer becomes easy, and love becomes fervent. Our God is a hidden God for the most part. He seems to leave us to ourselves, to pray, to work and strive alone. There come moments of anguish in which we fear that by our own faults we have incurred His disgrace. Times when all we can say is: O Jesus, do not leave me to myself: do not let me waste this moment of suffering, so precious for my sanctification! The more we trust the Father, the more Christ will dwell in us, and we, like Christ, will be thankful for every trial that is sent to us, for in trial and suffering, we imitate our Lord. When the Divine Presence makes itself felt in us, we ll gather strength for the hours of desolation that may befall us, which, however we may feel, faith tells us that God is always hidden in the depth of our hearts, and the Savior never abandons us. May we always have recourse to Him in times of trouble, sadness, and doubt. He will make sure that we don t take back those things we have promised Him, and in His love for us, will empty us of that which is useless, in order for us to have more room in which to love Him, and in that love, honor and serve Him. St. John of the Cross writes: As long as we are held back by any earthly good, it is useless to strive for the All (God). If you would have the All, you must give up all things.

4 4. This type of interior renovation is not something that can happen in a day, or a week, or even a year but it will happen. It requires years of prayer and effort, but we should be assured that Jesus Christ will not let us be tempted above our abilities, and with our faith in Him, we can do all things. Let us often repeat a favorite prayer of St. Augustine of Hippo: O Savior, of myself I can do nothing; do not refuse me grace to do your will. Give what you command, and command what you will! O Blessed Mother Mary, whose life was a shining example of perfect trust, be at our side, helping and sustaining us in our daily strife! Meditation Notes: * You may be wondering what the Dominican Friar is doing in the painting that s the person who commissioned the painting by Bouts! It was common in the Middle ages for the artist to paint in the person who made the commission if they desired it. **As creatures of God, perhaps mosquitoes serve a purpose to remind us that we sting God s Heart with every sin we commit or falsehood we say about ourselves or others, or omission we allow? ***Shepherd of Hermas; Mandate; 9, nd cent. A.D. ****Thomas a Kempis: The Imitation of Christ; Ch 3, 59.

5 5. Priory Kalenar For the week of: November 19 th to November 26 th - A.D In the Trinity Season Sunday, November 19 th... Twenty Third Sunday After Trinity Comm. St. Elizabeth of Hungry; Q. & Wid., Tert. O.F.M th cent. Hungary Comm. St. Mechtilde; Nun, O.S.B. 13 th cent. Germany Monday, November 20 th... St. Edmund; K. & Myr. 9 th cent. England Tuesday, November 21 st... Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Comm. St. Columban; Abt. O.S.B. 6 th cent. Ireland Wednesday, November 22 nd... St. Cecilia (Caecilia); Vir. & Myr. - 3 rd. cent Rome. - Comm. Bl. John Thorne, Roger James, Ven. John Rugg & William Eynon; Monks of Glastonbury Abbey: Myrs England Thursday, November 23 rd.... Thanksgiving Day; Solemn votive Mass Pro Patria -Comm. St. Clement I; 3 rd Pope - c. 100 A.D. Rome Friday, November 24 th... St. John of the Cross; Conf. & Doct. O.Car.- 16 th cent. Spain Saturday, November 25 th... St. Katherine of Alexandria; Vir. & Myr.- 4 th cent. Egypt. Sunday, November 26 th... Sunday Next Before Advent - Comm. St. Sylvester Gozzolini; Abt th cent. Italy. - Comm. St. Linus; Po.- Successor to St. Peter, d. A.D. 79. St. Edmund St. Cecilia St. John of the Cross November 20 th November 22 nd November 24 th

6 6. KALENDAR KEY Abt. = Abbot, Abs. = Abbess, Abp = Archbishop, Anc. = Anchorite, Ancs. = Anchoress, Ap. = Apostle, Bl. = Blessed, Br. = Brother, Bp. = Bishop, Card. = Cardinal, C. or Conf. = Confessor, Comm. = Commemoration/Commemorate, Dcn. = Deacon, Doct. = Doctor of the Church, Ev. = Evangelist, H. = Hermit, LBr. = Lay Brother, LSr. = Lay Sister, K. = King, Mat. = Matron, M. = Monk, M.M. = Month s Mind ( Requiem for the recently departed on the 30 th day after death or burial). Myr. = Martyr, N. = Nun, Obl. = Oblate, P. = Priest, Po. = Pope, Pr. = Prior, Prs. = Prioress, R. = Recluse, RM = Requien Mortuorum, ( Mass and Offices for the departed once a month as designated on Kalendar). SDcn. = Sub Deacon, Q. = Queen, Ven. = Venerable, Vir. = Virgin, W. = Widow. FASTING KEY: A = Abstinence, F = Fast, F & A = Fast and Abstinence RELIGIOUS ORDER ABBREVIATIONS: C.O = Congregation of the Oratory (Oratorians), C.P. = Congregation of the Passion (Passionists), C.S.J. = Congregation of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), Er. Cam. = Camaldolese Hermits, F.P. O. = Franciscans of the Primitive Observance, O. Car. = Carmelite Order, O. Cart. Carthusian Order, O.C.D. = Order of Discalced Friars (Carmelites), O.F.A. = Augustinian Order, O.F.M = Order of Friars Minor (Franciscans), O.F.M. Cap = Capuchin Order, O.P. = Order of Preachers (Dominicans also called Blackfriars ), O. Praem. = Order of Cannons Regular (Norbertines), O.S.B. = Order of St. Benedict (Benedictines), O.Ss. S. = Bridgettines, O.S.U = Ursulines, O.C.O. = Order of the Cistercian Observance (Trappists/Trappistines), O.C.S.O. = Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance (Trappists/ Trappistines). Tert. = Tertiary (Third Order religious). About the Meditation and About Us The Meditation is an online apostolate of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Priory in Raymond, Maine, USA. We are an Anglican-Catholic Benedictine contemplative community that follows the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, the 5 th century Father of Western Monasticism. We are resident within the Diocese of the Northeast (DNE), of the Anglican Church in America (ACA), a member of the worldwide Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). The Meditation is a weekly online offering that is sent out free of charge to anyone who desires to receive it. Subscribers may copy and pass along The Meditation to their families and friends, or send us their e-address (with their permission) to add to our subscription list so they may receive it directly from us. Each issue is sent out as a BCC (Blank Copy) in respect to subscriber privacy and online security. To subscribe, contact us at: klamarre@maine.rr.com To read past issues of the Meditation, please go to our website at: and you can find them in the section marked Meditations on the homepage.

7 7. PLEASE NOTE: In respect to our contemplative vocation and the animals in our rescue and rehab center, we do not have guest or bathroom facilities and do not regularly receive visitors. Fr. Kevin is available to hear confessions and give spiritual direction by appointment only. Please contact via to make an appointment. Feasts, Fasts, and Other Things By Br. A. Chip Munk, O.S.B. Little-known Benedictines: St. Sylvester Gozzolini - Abbot ( ) A corpse taught him how to really live. Sylvester was born of a noble family of the Gazzolini at Osimo, Italy, and was sent to study law at Bologna and Padua, but felt a more compelling call to the ecclesiastical state, so he abandoned these studies for that of theology and Holy Scripture, giving himself over to long hours of prayer. His father was angered by this decision and refused to speak to his son for ten years. Sylvester was made a cannon at Osimo, after his ordination, and devoted himself to pastoral work with such zeal as to arouse the hostility of his bishop, whom Sylvester had respectfully rebuked for the scandals the bishop had caused by living an irregular life. Sylvester persisted for a time, but finally resigned his position and decided to leave the world after witnessing something that changed his life. He was called to a home where a young man had recently died, and was to read prayers for the man s soul and comfort the family. The young man had been known for being very athletic, robust and handsome. When Sylvester arrived at the home and viewed the decomposing corpse, now devoid of any laudable traits of the living, he deeply realized how fleeting all life is and the importance of living it well and for God. He retired in 1227 to a desert place about 30 miles from Osimo and lived there in the uttermost poverty until he was recognized by the owner of the land, a nobleman named Conrad, who offered Sylvester a better place for his hermitage. He moved to Grotta Fucile, where, as usually happens with holy people, others came to him for spiritual guidance.

8 8. He built a monastery at that place and formed an order. His own practices were extremely severe, he lived on raw herbs and water and slept on bare ground. Disciples still flocked to him for council and imitated his way of life. It became necessary for him to write out a rule for his followers. It is said that he had dreams in which the founders of other orders came to him and asked him to adopt their rules, but in the end, Sylvester chose to follow the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, the patriarch of Western Monasticism. The first monastery of the new order was built at Monte Fano, and like the monastery built by St. Benedict at Monte Cassino, a pagan temple had to be torn down first. His order was given approbation in 1247 by Pope Innocent IV. His remains were interred at Monte Fano when he died. His cultus grew over time, as others sought to imitate his life of great austerity and prayer. He was made a saint by Pope Clement VIII in His Mass Feast and Office was dedicated by Pope Leo XIII. The Sylvesterine Order was an autonomous order until the 20 th century when it joined the Benedictine Confederation. The Abbot General of the Benedictine Order serves as its superior, but the order still retains internal control. When St. Sylvester died there were 11 houses of his order. The order had 56 houses at its greatest. The order joined the Benedictine Confederation and it re-organized itself, closing down houses that were no longer able to function independently. There were only 3 houses left in Italy, in 2010 however, there are two houses of Sylvesterines in the U.S.A. in Detroit and Clifton, N.J. Several foundations exist in the Philippines, India, and the Congo in Africa. A member of the Sylvesterine Order uses the following title after their name: O.S.B. Silv. Their habit is identical to that of the Benedictine, only the color of the habit is dark blue, while the Benedictine is black. Seal of the Sylvesterine Order -Br. Chip Feasts, Fasts, and Other Things from: The Chipmunk s Nutshell Library is presented by Br. A. Chip Monk, O.S.B. a munk of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Priory in Raymond, Maine, USA

9 9. Animal News by Sr. Mary Francis, O.S.B. The weather is getting colder by the day so Jack, the cat, takes his naps inside the porch where he can relax and bask in the sun and shut the world out for a while. He has a heated man cave on the porch for when the weather gets really troublesome. Thank you Animal Angels, for making Jack s life substantially better than it was. You make a difference in so many lives and we are grateful. We count our blessings each day, but at Thanksgiving even more so, and we thank God for all of you who are helping us to help these very deserving creatures. A blessed Thanksgiving to you all from all of us here. A sunny November afternoon finds Jack the Cat on the porch curled up in his couch. It won t be much longer and he ll be spending his nights there as well. His Summer residence in the hay barn is not heated! The cage below has a nice little warming pad that s just right for him on those frigid winter nights but he ll have to wait awhile for that! P A X

10

11