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Wednesday, December 1, 2004

St. Edmund Campion

Born January 24, 1540, in London, Edmund Campion was the son of a Catholic bookseller whose family converted to Anglicanism. The young boy planned to enter his father’s trade, but his brilliance and oratorical skill earned him an Oxford scholarship. There, Edmund came under the patronage of the Earl of Dudley, a court favorite of Elizabeth I. She offered Edmund a deaconate in the Church of England.

But Edmund had begun to feel drawn to Catholicism. He fled the country, joined the Jesuits, and was ordained a priest in 1578.

After several years, the Jesuits asked him to return to London as an underground priest. He entered the country disguised as a jewel merchant.

Before long his presence became known, especially when he published documents encouraging Catholic to remain steadfast in their faith. In 1581 he was arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Brought to trial after torture on the rack, Edmund Campion was found guilty and on December 1, 1581, was hanged, drawn and quartered. Parts of his body were displayed at each of London’s four city gates.

Wednesday - First Week of Advent

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:18-19)

In that time and culture, marriage involved two steps spread out over one or two years:

1. Betrothal: A formal exchange of consent before witnesses. This usually took place when the bride was 12 or 13 years old. She legally belonged to her husband from then on, and the bond could be broken only by a legal divorce.

2. The taking of the bride into the groom’s family home. This usually took place a year or two later.

At this point in Matthew’s account only step #1 has taken place. (Matthew tells us what Joseph does not yet know: She was with child through the Holy Spirit.)

In the strict interpretation of the law, Mary would be stoned to death. But Joseph planned to apply it more mercifully by quietly divorcing her.

The Latin word for mercy is “misricordia” which literally means a “heart filled with misery.” In his own heart, Joseph felt the misery of Mary, the woman he loved.

Mercy surrounded Jesus from the first moments of his human life. May it surround all God’s children. May I, like Joseph, bring my share of mercy to this world today, tomorrow. There will be plenty of chances.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.