The Meditation. The Eleventh Sunday After Trinity August 12 th, A.D. 2018

Transcription

1 The Meditation The Eleventh Sunday After Trinity August 12 th, A.D The Torment of St. Anthony by Demons (1487/8) Earliest known painting by Michelangelo ( ) Italian High-Renaissance artist 1

2 The Offertory Prayer for the Eleventh Sunday After Trinity I will magnify thee, O Lord, for thou hast set me up, and not made my foes to triumph over me: O Lord, my God, I cried unto thee, and thou healed me. Psalm 30 Temptation s a part of life. We are all exposed to temptations as members of the human race. It s something so common to our humanity that when Jesus had assumed the frame of a man, He allowed Himself to be tempted, thus showing us that temptation of itself is not a sin, since He was made like us in all things, but sin. [1] He wisely reminds us however: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. (St. Matthew; Chap. 26, Vs. 41) A spiritual writer tells us that the earth contains the seed of every noxious weed, and so, since Adam s fall, our souls contain the seeds of every temptation. That exceptional spiritual treatise, The Imitation of Christ says: As long as we live in this world, we cannot be without tribulation and temptation. For Job has said: Is not man s life on earth a drudgery? (Job: 7:1). [2] We shouldn t be surprised that temptations will arise throughout our lives, much less should we be discouraged by them. We must be always on guard and ready to face them, just as St. Peter warns us: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. (I St. Peter; Chap. 5, Vs. 8). [3] Original Sin upset the balance of heart and mind that mankind was endowed with by Almighty God at Creation. All passions, all tendencies to do evil, and all desires that are forbidden came from Original Sin. The saying, there is nothing new under the sun is certainly true. It just gets a repackaging or, as they say a make-over with every new generation. We are surrounded by the things and desires of the world, which is the complete opposite of the Spirit of God. We do our best to avoid temptation, by being watchful and prayerful, but the fact is, we can t and won t avoid all temptation. There are times when even our wills get circumvented by temptation(s), and it becomes a time of our severest trial(s). Holy Scripture both consoles and reminds us: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (St. James; Chap. 1, Vs. 12). Encouraging words indeed! However severe our temptations may be, we must never let ourselves become discouraged by them. Long-term discouragement can lead to despair, a very dark place where the devil can inflict serious and even fatal torments upon the soul. Should we succumb to temptation, which does happen, all is not lost. We must not despair, for our Blessed Lord has given us that wonderful and powerful Sacrament of Confession, in which Christ Himself, through the actions and words of His priest, pardons us, and cleanses us, and renews us, so we may face the battle once again in confidence of His love and support for each of us. 2

3 If, however, we can avoid what are called the occasions of sin and, as the Apostle Peter says, remain sober and watchful, we may be confident that we ll overcome any temptation, no matter how severe, and no matter how long it should last. It s also important to remember that temptation is never a sin while the will remains the master over the temptation. St. Catherine of Siena was tormented by the most humiliating temptations. In prayer She asked once in prayer: Where were you, Lord, during those terrible hours? The answer came: In your heart. The great hermit St. Anthony of the Desert, whose temptations are well known, sanctified himself by his resistance to them, and St. Paul assures us that, God will not play us false by allowing us to be tempted beyond our powers. With the temptation itself, he will ordain the issue of it, and enable us to hold our own. (I Corinthians; Chap. 10, Vs. 13). [4] The apostle Paul knew what he was talking about, for he had dealt with his own temptation of the flesh, and three times entreated the Lord to rid him of it. The answer he received was: My grace is sufficient unto thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (II Corinthians; Chap. 12, Vs. 9). God s grace is sufficient to overcome any temptation, but it is given to us in the measure in which we pray for it. Jesus taught us to say, Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil ; a prayer that ought to be repeated at all times in our day, but most especially at the moment of temptation. There s no better weapon that can be taken up against the Evil One and his minions, than the Cross of Jesus who, by His Passion and Death has rendered impotent the works of Satan. The devil will never be able to mislead us if we hold fast to the Cross, putting all of our trust in it. Psalm 91, is a very dear psalm to the contemplative religious, for it is a psalm that is chanted at the end of the day in the final Office of the Church; Compline. We sing: For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. (Psalm 91, Vss. 11 & 12.) Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him up, because he hath known my Name. He shall call upon me, and I will hear him; yea, I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and bring him to honor. (ibid; Vss. 14 & 15). Christ is our Protector against the world, the flesh, and the devil. Never compromising with the devil, we cry out instead, as did the Apostles: Save us Lord, or we perish! (St. Matthew; Chap. 8, Vs. 25). As long as we remember our Lord s words: I have overcome the world [5] the devil can never make us afraid. A soul that is united with Jesus Christ is superior to all of its surroundings; even though others rebel against us, rail against us, or even revile us, Christ will protect us against all of their attacks. We won t fear temptation if we realize that it is simply a means of manifesting and strengthening our love for God. We will, with God s help resist and overcome! Let us acknowledge to our Lord Jesus, that we know all too well our weaknesses and our instability and the temptations by which we are beset almost daily. We will overcome them with Christ as our refuge. O Lord, deliver us from all temptation! Blessed Mother Mary ever-virgin, intercede for us, your poor children on earth! 3

4 Meditation Notes: [1] Ref: Hebrews; Chap. 4, Vs. 15 [2] The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis: Book I, Chap. 13, Vs. 1 [3] This verse from Holy Scripture is so important that is used as the opening versicle in the Monastic office of Compline, the final office of the day sung before retiring at night. The religious, implores God s protection in the coming hours of the night, where in darkness, the devil does some of his best his work of soiling and stealing souls. [4] Passage taken from the Holy Bible Translated from the Latin Vulgate by Msgr. Ronald Knox for better clarity. [5] Ref: St. John; Chap. 16, Vs. 33. : These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world, ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. Divine Mercy To learn more about praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy visit: 4

5 Priory Kalendar For the week of: August 12 th to August 19 th - A.D In Trinity Season Sunday, August 12 th... Twelfth Sunday After Trinity Comm. St. Clare; V. O.F.M th cent. Monday, August 13 th... Sts. Ippolitus & Cassian; Myrs. - 3 rd cent. Rome Tuesday, August 14 th... Vigil of the Assumption - Comm. St. Eusibius; C. & P. - 4 th cent. Rome Wednesday, August 15 th... The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Thursday, August 16 th.... St. Joachim, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary Friday, August 17 th Stigmata of St. Francis of Asissi...Day of Abstinence Saturday, August 18 th.... St. Helena; Q. & W. - 3 rd /4 th cent. Rome/Constantinople. Mother Of Emperor Constantine the Great, who decreed Christianity the official Religion of the Empire. Sunday, August 20 th.... Thirteenth Sunday After Trinity August 12 th August 15 th August 17 th St. Clare of Asissi Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Stigmata of St. Francis 5

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. 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 or to make us aware of your needs, concerns and intentions for our prayerful attention. It is our privilege to pray for you. PLEASE CONSIDER REMEMBERING US IN YOUR ESTATE PLANNING Contact Sr. Mary Francis, O.S.B. for more information via our address 6

7 Animal News By Sr. Mary Francis, O.S.B. This past week a neighbor, whom we had not yet met, was killed less than a quarter-mile from her home in a tragic car accident very close to the Priory. She was, by all accounts, a lovely and loving woman, newly married to the love of her life, working in town and learning English to assimilate to life in Maine after coming here from Chile. Her husband was, of course, stunned and heartbroken, as were those in our tiny rural neighborhood. Our next-door neighbor, Ken, sprang into action facilitating all of the pieces for a meaningful farewell for Dioni (Araya) and comfort for her husband. A Requiem Mass was offered in our chapel by Fr. Kevin, a service was also performed by Elders at the Quaker meeting house at Quaker Ridge in Casco, as that was a relative s tradition, and a get together were all put in place by Ken and others who knew her and those who did not. We were all here to help our neighbor bear the burden of this loss. Sr. wrote a few words for her family which she would like to share as perhaps a little food for thought for us all We are commanded by Holy Scripture to Love one another and love your neighbor as yourself. Each day we perform our individual morning routines and leave our homes and families. We say good bye, sometimes I love you or see you later, for that is our assumption that we will be returning home to those we love but for some that is not the case. Sometimes tragedy strikes for unknown reasons, and our lives are up ended and changed forever. We are called to love one another and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Love is like a rock tossed into a body of water. It is seen in full force briefly, and then sinks out of our view, 7

8 but the mystifying and beautiful thing about love is the ripples. The ripples spread out far beyond the source and everyone that they touch is affected. Dioni was love. Some of us knew her and some of us had not yet met her, but the ripples of who she was have touched everyone here. The ripples, in time, disappear but will never be forgotten, because every life that they have touched has been enriched and will make ripples of its own which will touch more lives. So, even though we disappear from view, as we all will someday, the essence of who we were, and the love we shared will live on. Dioni is gone from our sight but she is not far away and she will live on in our love for each other as neighbors and friends because she was the source of these ripples of love. Love one another and your neighbor as yourself. Thank you Dioni for being the source of kindness and love, now rest in peace We will watch out for one another. Please place Dioni, her family in Chile, and her husband Nick in your prayers. Post Script (s) : [1] Sr. heard the Still Small Voice that instructed her to write about ripples so she obeyed. Later, Nick, the husband of the young lady asked a neighbor how she knew? The neighbor replied, Knew about what? The husband replied, Knew about the ripples Apparently, he and his wife had been at the beach a week previous and had been tossing stones into the water and speaking about ripples God does work in mysterious and most times very connected ways. Sr. had not yet met this neighbor..how many times a day do we check our cell phones and computers for messages? How many times a day do we check in with GOD? As I wrote at the beginning.just food for thought... food for all. -Sr. M.F. [2] The Son of two very dear and long-time friends of Fr. Kevin and Sr. Mary-Francis was getting married, and Fr. Kevin worked on producing a lovely Mass-card to send them. He planned to celebrate a Mass to bless their marriage in the Priory chapel on the morning of their special day. When he went to print off the card, the printer wouldn t co-operate. Several attempts were made and the printer refused to work. It finally ate one of the papers and jammed up. After about 5 attempts Fr. Kevin discovered he had no more card stock paper, and decided that this was just not meant to be. Almighty God, who sees much further than we do, had other plans. On the morning that Fr. was to celebrate a Mass to Bless a marriage, he celebrated a funeral mass instead, the chapel full to overflowing with people seeking spiritual solace and Divine comfort from the tragic loss of one so young and so very loved. That Still Small Voice can come in many forms sometimes. The important thing, is that it is heard and obeyed, for it could be asking something of us that is much larger than ourselves. -Sr. M.F. Love one another as I have loved you -St. John; Chap. 13, Vs. 34 PAX 8

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