July 11th, Saint Benedict, Abbot, Father of Western Monasticism.

I had posted the same commemoration on March 21, but I think that date is probably a modern Roman Catholic revision, though not Vatican II, and so to resynchronize with Orthodox Calendars, I present again...

July 11^th, Saint Benedict, Abbot, Father of Western Monasticism.

Benedict was born at Norcia in Umbria about the year 480. He is reputed to have been of noble birth and to have studied at Rome. Desiring to give himself wholly to Christ Jesus, he betook himself to a deep cave at a place called Subiaco, wherein he hid himself in prayer and contemplation for three years. But then his fame spread abroad, and some monks living nearby put themselves under him for guidance. Which same, it is said, turned against him because of his insistence upon complete dedication to God, and even plotted to poison him. But when Benedict made the Sign of the Cross over the cup, it brake. Whereupon the holy father left his unworthy monks and retired to a desert place alone.

Nevertheless, disciples came to him again, and finally he established for them the famous Abbey of Monte Cassino, and set holy laws to govern them. Up until his time the monasteries in the West, for want of proper direction, had not flourished. The regulations which this father wrote are known as the Holy Rule, and in time nearly all the monasteries of Europe adopted the same, so that Saint Benedict became the Lawgiver and Patriarch of monks in the West as Saint Basil was in the East. The monks of Saint Benedict of later times, schooled under the Holy Rule, taught the barbarians of Europe to think and work, and to worship Christ. For which reason ho9ly Benedict might well be called the father of western civilization.

The little which we know of Saint Benedict, apart from his Rule, is to be found in Book II of the Dialogues of Saint Gregory the Great, wherein it is shewn that he was a man as loveable as he was great. He passed to God on the twenty-first of March, in the year 543. He was famous for prophecy and miracles , and two of his monks said that at his death they saw him going to God, clothed in glistering white raiment, and surrounded with light.

Collect:

Grant, we beseech thee, O Lord, that the prayers of thy holy Abbot, blessed Benedict may commend us unto thee : that we, who have no power of ourselves to help ourselves, may by his advocacy find favour in thy sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

July 11th, St. Pius I, Pope and Martyr

St. Pius I, Pope and Martyr

Pius, the first of that name to be Pope, was successor to Saint Hyginus, and is said to have been a brother of that Hermas who wrote the treatise known as The Shepherd. According to the Pontifical Book, he was from Aquileia, but was a priest in Rome when he was elected Pope ; in which office he served God during the time of the Emperors Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, and held five ordinations in the month of December, wherein he ordained twelve bishops and eighteen priests. In his day the church was greatly troubled by the hereticks, Valentinus and Marcion. Pius vigorously opposed their heresy of Gnosticism, with the aid of Saint Justin Martyr who was in Rome at that time ; and he excommunicated Marcion, who had come thither also. The conflicts which he sustained won for him the title Martyr. But some say that he was beheaded for Christ, namely, on July 11^th 154, and buried on the Vatican Hill.



Collect: Be merciful to the people of thy flock, O Lord, eternal Shepherd and Bishop of the souls of men, and keep us in thy continual protection, at the intercession of thy Martyr, the holy Father Pius, whom thou didst raise up in thy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

July 10th, Seven Holy Brethren, Martyrs, and Saints Rufina and Secunda, Virgins and Martyrs

July 10^th, Seven Holy Brethren, Martyrs, and Saints Rufina and Secunda, Virgins and Martyrs

During the course of the second century, as we know, the seven young men whose feast is kept today, suffered martyrdom at Rome for Christ’s sake. According to the book of their Acts (which was probably put in its present form in the sixth century) these seven men were brethren, sons of the holy woman Felicity, whom the Prefect Publius first essayed to cajole by kindness, and then to shake by fear, that he might seduce them to deny Christ and worship the gods. But, by their own bravery and the exhortation of their mother, they remained firm in their confession, and were all put to death in divers ways. Januarius was lashed to death with whips loaded with lead ; Felix and Philip were beaten with cudgels ; Silvanus was thrown over a precipice ; Alexander, Vitalis and Martial were beheaded. Their mother, however, did not gain her palm of martyrdom until four months afterwards, to with, on November 23rh, on which day her feast is kept. But the seven Brethren gave up their sols to god on the tenth day of July. * Rufina and her sister Secunda were maidens of Rome, who in 257 died for Christ, and were buried on the Aurelian Way, at a place afterwards known as Santa Rufina. According to the Acts of these Saints, (which Acts are also a compilation of a date much later than their martyrdom,) they were betrothed to two Christian young men who, to escape persecution, forsook Christ. However, the two maidens would not follow the example of their lovers, nor would they marry them. Rather, to escape from the apostate young men, they endeavored to leave Rome secretly. Whereupon thy were overtaken not far from the City, and there first tortured, and then beheaded, and so went to Christ as to the true Bridegroom of their souls. * Concerning the aforesaid seven brethren, and Felicity who is reputed to be their mother, Saint Gregory preached a beautiful sermon, as is noted on her feast-day, November 23^rd. And holy Augustine also celebrated their praises in the following words. Wonderful is the sight, my brethren, which is set before the eyes of our faith, a mother of more than human love, watching her sons leaving this life before her. All men would fain depart hence before their children, but she was ready to die last. Departing from her, they were not lost, but gone before. And she looked, not to the life they were ending, but to the life they were beginning. They laid aside a life which must needs end in death, and began that life wherein they are alive forever. The least of her work was that she was an on-looker ; more amazing is it, when we remember that she was their exhortress. Her courage was more fruitful than her womb, and when she saw them contending and conquering, he heart contended and conquered in each.

Collect:
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that, like as we have known thy glorious Martyrs to be constant in their confession of thy Faith, so we may feel the succour of their loving intercession, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint Procopius, Martyr

Saint Procopius, Martyr

According to Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, who was a contemporary of Saint Procopius, and wrote an account of his death, this holy man, was the first Martyr of Palestine during the persecution of Diocletian. He lived on bread and water, and sometimes fasted for a week at a time ; meditation so filled his being that he remained absorbed in it day and night, without sense of fatigue ; and because therefrom he was filled with goodness and gentleness, he edified everyone by his discourses. He was born at Jerusalem, but lived at Bethsan, where he acted as lector. Then, sent with some others to Caesarea Maritima, he was at once arrested as a Christian, and brought before the judge. To whom he straightway preached the Kingdom of Christ in such wise that he was immediately condemned to beheading ; and so passed happily to eternal life by the shortest possible road on July 8^th, 303.



Collect:
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who this day keep the heavenly birthday of blessed Procopius, thy holy Martyr, may by his prayers be stablished in the love of thy holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Two Saints are commemorated this day, July 7th

St. Palladius, Bishop and Confessor

Palladius was a deacon in Rome, who stirred up saint Pope Celestine I to send Saint Germanus against the Pelagians of Britain. And later this same Pope consecrated Palladius as first Bishop of Ireland, and sent him to minister to the Christians there. But he met with such cruel opposition from the heathen that he was unable to do much in the way of organizing the mission ; and I less than a year was driven out of Ireland, and went over to the Picts in Scotland. Where he died in peace, near Aberdeen, about the year 432, and was locally venerated as a Martyr because of the great things that he had suffered for Christ.



Saint Willibald, Bishop and Confessor

This Willibald was blood-brother to Saints Wunnibald and Walburga, the holy children of the West Saxon thane Saint Richard. He went with his father and brother on a six year pilgrimage through the shrines of Europe and the Holy Land, and finally became a monk at Monte Cassino. Whence he was sent to Germany, to assist his kinsman Saint Boniface ; who consecrated him Bishop of Eichstadt, as a reward for his apostolic labours in that region. Where he founded a double monastery, namely, at Heidenheim ; over which he set his brother Saint Wunnibald to rule the monks, and his sister Saint Walburga to rule the nuns. He went to God in peace, about the year 786.







Collect:Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that the devout observance of this festival of blessed
N, they Confessor and Bishop, may be profitable unto us for our advancement in all godliness, and for the attainment of everlasting salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Antiochian WRV Parochial Divine Office yields timely message,

While praying the Office this morning, the appointed psalms seemed very apt in contrast to all the vengeful venting online and in public regarding the Casey Anthony verdict. Many people are quite exercised that she was not found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, or at least life without parole.

"...but grieve not thyself at him whose way doth prosper, against the man that doeth after evil counsels. Leave off from wrath, and let go displeasure: * fret not thyself, else shalt thou be moved to do evil. Wicked doers shall be rooted out; * and they that patiently abide the LORD, those shall inherit the land. Yet a little while, and the ungodly shall be clean gone: * thou shalt look after his place, and he shall be away." psalm 37

One point lost on many is that in our system of jurisprudence, if the state cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused did the deed, the jury is required to exonorate. This high standard is so important for the liberty of all the citizens of our Republic, and that is the way we want it, lest the government be empowered to do away with its opponents by juridical chicanery.

While she may indeed be guilty, she will face divine justice. That's an awful lot fierier than the human variety.

The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary - From a Sermon by St. John Chrysostom

The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

From a Sermon by St John Chrysostom



As soon as our Redeemer was come among us, he went with haste, while as yet he was in his mother’s womb, to visit his friend John. And John, in the one womb, as if conscious of the presence of Jesus in the other womb, dashed himself impatiently against the narrow walls of his natural prison, as though crying out : I perceive the very Lord that gave nature her bounds! Why therefore should I wait for the due season of my birth? What need is there for me to linger here till none months are ended, now that the Timeless One is with me! I would break out of my dark cell? I would proclaim my manifold knowledge of marvellous things! I am meant to be a sign, and so even now I would shew that the Christ is here! I am the trumpet-voice, and I desire to peal forth the news that the Son of God is come in the flesh. Let me sound as a trumpet, and bless and loose my father’s tongue, and make it speak again! Let me sound as a trumpet and quicken my mother’s womb!

Thou seest, O brethren beloved, how new and how strange a mystery is here! John is not yet born, but by leaping he speaketh. He is as yet unseen, but he giveth warning. He is not yet able to cry, but by his acts he beareth witness. He draweth not yet the breath of life, but he preacheth God. He seeth not yet the light, but he maketh known the Sun. He is not yet come out of the womb, but he hateth to play the Forerunner. In the presence of the Lord he cannot restrain himself, but rebelled against the bounds set by nature, and struggleth to break out of the prisoning womb, eager to herald the coming Saviour. He saith, as it were : Behold, the Deliverer cometh, and why am I yet in bonds, and made to abide here? The Word cometh, that he may set right all things, and am I still to tarry in prison? I would go forth! I would run before him, and proclaim to all mankind : Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world!

But do thou tell us, O John, how it came to pass that while thou wast still in the darkness of thy mother’s womb, thou didst see and hear? How didst thou behold the things of God? How didst thou leap and bound for joy? If we could hear him answer, he would say : Great is the mystery of that which here taketh place. Beyond the understanding of men are these doings! It is meet that I should shew forth a new thing in nature for the sake of him who is making new things which are beyond nature. Even though I be yet in the womb, I perceive, for forth upon me from another womb the Sun of Righteousness shineth. As it were, with mine ears I understand, for I was created to be the Voice of the Great Word. I would cry aloud, for I contemplate the only-begotten Son of the Father clothed in flesh. I tremble for joy, for I perceive that he, by whom all things were made, hath taken upon him the form of a servant. I leap as I think of the Redeemer of the world being made flesh, for I would run before his coming. Nonetheless, I herald his approach unto you as best I can, and make on this wise my confession of him whose Forerunner I am.

Collect:

We beseech thee, O Lord, pour into our hearts the abundance of thy heavenly grace : that like as the child-bearing of the blessed Virgin Mary was unto us thy servants the beginning of salvation, so the devout observance of her Visitation may avail for the increasing of our peace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.