Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings, 12-29-05, Optional, St. Thomas Becket

December 29, 2005
The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas

Psalm: Thursday 3

Reading I
1 Jn 2:3-112

Beloved:
The way we may be sure that we know Jesus
is to keep his commandments.
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments
is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps his word,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:
whoever claims to abide in him ought to walk just as he walked.

Beloved, I am writing no new commandment to you
but an old commandment that you had from the beginning.
The old commandment is the word that you have heard.
And yet I do write a new commandment to you,
which holds true in him and among you,
for the darkness is passing away,
and the true light is already shining.
Whoever says he is in the light,
yet hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
Whoever loves his brother remains in the light,
and there is nothing in him to cause a fall.
Whoever hates his brother is in darkness;
he walks in darkness
and does not know where he is going
because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 5b-6

R. (11a) Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Sing to the LORD; bless his name.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Announce his salvation, day after day.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty go before him;
praise and grandeur are in his sanctuary.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!

Gospel
Lk 2:22-35

When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

From: 1 John 2:3-11

Keeping the Commandments

[3] And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his
commandments. [4] He who says "I know him" but disobeys his
commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; [5] but whoever
keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we
may be sure that we are in him: [6] he who says he abides in him ought
to walk in the same way in which he walked.

[7] Beloved, I am writing to you no new commandment, but an old
commandment which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the
world which you have heard. [8] Yet I am writing you a new commandment,
which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away
and the true light is already shining. [9] He who says he is in the
light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. [10] He who loves
his brother abides in the light, and in it there is no cause for
stumbling. [11] But he who hates his brother is in the darkness and
walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the
darkness has blinded his eyes.

Commentary:

3-6. "By this we may be sure": a phrase that occurs often in this
letter (cf., e.g., 2:5, 18; 3:19, 24), usually to preface clear
criteria for distinguishing doctrinal and moral truth from error. In
this instance, it has to do with keeping the commandments being a sign
of true knowledge of God.

For St John, knowing God is not a merely intellectual exercise nor does
he mean that the immensity of God can be grasped by man's limited
understanding. It refers to something much simpler and more important:
knowing God means being united to him by faith and love--by grace. If
this letter puts so much emphasis on knowing God (cf., e.g., 2:14; 3:1;
4:6-8; 5:20) or knowing Jesus Christ (cf. 2:13-14; 3:6), it may be
because the heretics (particularly the Gnostics) were boasting of
having attained special knowledge of God, superior to that of ordinary
faithful. And so the Apostle describes what true knowledge of God
consists in, using expressions which complement one another--knowing
him (v. 4); in him who knows God "truly love for God is perfected"
(v. 5); abiding in him (v. 6).

"Keeping his commandments" (vv. 3 and 4), "Keeping his word" (v. 5),
"walking in the same way in which he walked" (v. 6): keeping the
commandments is absolutely necessary, because there is no room for
faith without works (cf. 1 Jn 3:17-18; Jas 2:14ff; Gal 5:6). Similarly,
one must keep the word of God, that is, accept all revelation docilely
(an idea found very often in John: cf., e.g., Jn 5:38; 8:31, 51; 1 Jn
2:14). But, above all, Christians must identify their life with
Christ's; St Prosper comments: "Walk as he walked: does that not mean
giving up the comforts he gave up, not being afraid of the kind of
trials he bore, teaching what he taught [...], persevering in helping
even those who show no appreciation, praying for one's enemies, being
kind to evildoers, serenely tolerating the proud?" ("De Vita
Contemplativa", 2, 21).

7-8. In a play of words, St John draw his readers' attention to the
commandment of brotherly love, which he does on to describe in vv. 9-11.
It is, he says, an old commandment (v. 7) and at the same time a new one
(v. 8). Old, because Christianity and charity are inseparable and that
is something the faithful have known "from the beginning", that is,
since they first received instruction; in some way, it can be said that
it is even pre-Christian, because it is impressed on the heart of man.
Yet it is new, because it is not out of date and has become a reality in
Christ and in Christians. The novelty lies not in the precept (which is
to be found in the Old Testament: cf. Lev 19:18) but in the standard
which Jesus sets ("even as I have loved you": Jn 13:34) and in the fact
that it covers everyone: we must love everyone, friends and enemies,
without distinction of race, or ideology, or social status (cf. note on
Jn 13:34-35).

Moreover, Christian love is not limited to seeking the earthly happiness
of others, but tries to lead all to faith and holiness: "What is
perfection in love?" St Augustine asks. "Loving our enemies and loving
them so that they may be converted into brothers. Our love should not be
a material one. Wishing someone temporal well-being is good; but, even
if he does not have that, his soul should be secured [...]. It is
uncertain whether this life is useful or useless to someone; whereas life
in God is always useful. Therefore, love your enemies in such a way that
they become your brother; love them in such a way that you attract them
to fellowship with yourself in the Church" ("In Epist. Ioann. ad
Parthos", 1, 9).

9-11. In the special style of this letter, an application is made of the
new commandment, possibly to counter false teachers, who despised the
ordinary faithful and were sowing discord among the Christians. The
rhythm of the language--hate, love, hate--in which the positive idea is
placed between two opposed ideas, highlights the importance of brotherly
love.

"The principal apostolate we Christians must carry out in the world,"
Monsignor Escriva writes, "and the best witness we can give of our faith,
is to help bring about a climate of genuine charity within the Church.
For who indeed could feel attracted to the Gospel if those who say they
preach the Good News do not really love one another, but spend their
time attacking one another, spreading slander and quarrelling?

"It is all too easy, and very fashionable, to say that you love everyone,
Christians and non-Christians alike. But if those who maintain this
ill-treat their brothers in the faith, I don't see how their behavior can
be anything but 'pious hypocrisy'. By contrast, when in the Heart of
Christ we love those 'who are children of the same Father, and with us
share the same faith and heirs to the same hope' (Minucius Felix,
"Octavius", 31), then our hearts expand and become fired with a longing
to bring everyone closer to our Lord" ("Friends of God", 226).

Light/darkness: the action which began at 1:5 ("God is light") ends with
the repetition of this contrasting imagery.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Luke 2:22-35

The Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

[22] And when the time came for their purification according to the law
of Moses, they (Joseph and Mary) brought Him (Jesus) up to Jerusalem to
present Him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the law of the Lord,
"every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") [24]
and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the
Lord, "a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons."

Simeon's Prophecy

[25] Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this
man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him. [26] And it had been revealed to him
by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the
Lord's Christ. [27] And inspired by the Spirit he came into the
temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him
according to the custom of the law, [28] he took Him up in his arms and
blessed God and said, [29] "Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart
in peace, according to Thy word; [30] for mine eyes have seen Thy
salvation [31] which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples,
[32] a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for the glory to Thy
people Israel."

[33] And His father and His mother marvelled at what was said about
Him; [34] and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother, "Behold
this child is set for the fall and the rising of many in Israel, and for
a sign that is spoken against [35] (and a sword will pierce through your
own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed."

Commentary:

22-24. The Holy Family goes up to Jerusalem to fulfill the
prescriptions of the Law of Moses--the purification of the mother and
the presentation and then redemption or buying back of the first-born.
According to Leviticus 12:2-8, a woman who bore a child was unclean.
The period of legal impurity ended, in the case of a mother of a male
child, after forty days, with a rite of purification. Mary most holy,
ever-virgin, was exempt from these precepts of the Law, because she
conceived without intercourse, nor did Christ's birth undo the virginal
integrity of His Mother. However, she chose to submit herself to the
Law, although she was under no obligation to do so.

"Through this example, foolish child, won't you learn to fulfill the
holy Law of God, regardless of personal sacrifice?

"Purification! You and I certainly do need purification. Atonement
and, more than atonement, Love. Love as a searing iron to cauterize
our soul's uncleanness, and as a fire to kindle with divine flames the
wretchedness of our hearts" ([St] J. Escriva, "Holy Rosary", Fourth Joyful
Mystery).

Also, in Exodus 13:2, 12-13 it is indicated that every first-born male
belongs to God and must be set apart for the Lord, that is, dedicated
to the service of God. However, once divine worship was reserved to
the tribe of Levi, first-born who did not belong to that tribe were not
dedicated to God's service, and to show that they continued to be God's
special property, a rite of redemption was performed.

The Law also laid down that the Israelites should offer in sacrifice
some lesser victim--for example, a lamb or, if they were poor, a pair
of doves or two pigeons. Our Lord, who "though He was rich, yet for
your sake He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich"
(2 Corinthians 8:9), chose to have a poor man's offering made on His
behalf.

25-32. Simeon, who is described as a righteous and devout man, obedient
to God's will, addresses himself to our Lord as a vassal or loyal
servant who, having kept watch all his life in expectation of the
coming of his Lord, sees that this moment has "now" come, the moment
that explains his whole life. When he takes the Child in his arms, he
learns, not through any reasoning process but through a special grace
from God, that this Child is the promised Messiah, the Consolation of
Israel, the Light of the nations.

Simeon's canticle (verses 29-32) is also a prophecy. It consists of
two stanzas: the first (verses 29-30) is an act of thanksgiving to God,
filled with profound joy for having seen the Messiah. The second
(verses 31-32) is more obviously prophetic and extols the divine
blessings which the Messiah is bringing to Israel and to all men. The
canticle highlights the fact that Christ brings redemption to all men
without exception--something foretold in many Old Testament prophecies
(cf. Genesis 22:18; Isaiah 2:6; 42:6; 60:3; Psalm 28:2).

It is easy to realize how extremely happy Simeon was--given that many
patriarchs, prophets and kings of Israel had yearned to see the
Messiah, yet did not see Him, whereas he now held Him in his arms (cf.
Luke 10:24; 1 Peter 1:10).

33. The Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph marvelled not because they did
not know who Christ was; they were in awe at the way God was revealing
Him. Once again they teach us to contemplate the mysteries involved in
the birth of Christ.

34-35. After Simeon blesses them, the Holy Spirit moves him to further
prophecy about the Child's future and His Mother's. His words become
clearer in the light of our Lord's life and death.

Jesus came to bring salvation to all men, yet He will be a sign of
contradiction because some people will obstinately reject Him--and for
this reason He will be their ruin. But for those who accept Him with
faith Jesus will be their salvation, freeing them from sin in this life
and raising them up to eternal life.

The words Simeon addresses to Mary announce that she will be intimately
linked with her Son's redemptive work. The sword indicates that Mary
will have a share in her Son's sufferings; hers will be an unspeakable
pain which pierces her soul. Our Lord suffered on the cross for our
sins, and it is those sins which forge the sword of Mary's pain.
Therefore, we have a duty to atone not only to God but also to His
Mother, who is our Mother too.

The last words of the prophecy, "that out of many hearts thoughts may
be revealed", link up with verse 34: uprightness or perversity will be
demonstrated by whether one accepts or rejects Christ.

36-38. Anna's testimony is very similar to Simeon's; like him, she too
has been awaiting the coming of the Messiah her whole life long, in
faithful service of God, and she too is rewarded with the joy of seeing
Him. "She spoke of Him," that is, of the Child--praising God in her
prayer and exhorting others to believe that this Child is the Messiah.

Thus, the birth of Christ was revealed by three kinds of witnesses in
three different ways--first, by the shepherds, after the angel's
announcement; second, by the Magi, who were guided by a star; third, by
Simeon and Anna, who were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

All who, like Simeon and Anna, persevere in piety and in the service of
God, no matter how insignificant their lives seem in men's eyes, become
instruments the Holy Spirit uses to make Christ known to other. In His
plan of redemption God avails of these simple souls to do much good to
all mankind.

39. Before their return to Nazareth, St. Matthew tells us (2:13-23),
the Holy Family fled to Egypt where they stayed for some time.

40. "Our Lord Jesus Christ as a child, that is, as one clothed in the
fragility of human nature, had to grow and become stronger but as the
eternal Word of God He had no need to become stronger or to grow.
Hence He is rightly described as full of wisdom and grace" (St. Bede,
"In Lucae Evangelium Expositio, in loc.").

Catholic Culture

Collect:
All-powerful and unseen God, the coming of your light into our world has made the darkness vanish. Teach us to proclaim the birth of your Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Activities:

less

Prayers:

December 29, 2005

Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas; Optional Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, bishop and martyr

Old Calendar: St. Thomas of Canterbury

Today is the fifth day in the octave of Christmas. The Church celebrates the optional memorial of St. Thomas Becket, bishop and martyr. He was born in London and after studying in Paris, he first became chancellor to the king and then in 1162 was chosen Archbishop of Canterbury. He went from being "a patron of play-actors and a follower of hounds" to being a "shepherd of souls." He absorbed himself in the duties of his new office, defending the rights of the Church against Henry II. This prompted the king to exile him to France for six years. After returning to his homeland he endured many trials and was murdered by agents of the king.

The Fifth Day of Christmas

St. Thomas Becket (also known as St. Thomas of Canterbury)
Thomas Becket was born in 1118 of a merchant family. He studied in London and Paris, entered the service of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury, became Lord Chancellor under King Henry II in 1155, and in 1162 Archbishop of Canterbury. Till then a submissive courtier, he now initiated a fearless struggle against the king for the freedom of the Church and the inviolability of ecclesiastical property, occasioning his imprisonment, exile, and finally martyrdom (December 29, 1170). Canonization came quickly (1173); in 1539 King Henry VIII ordered his remains burned.

Formerly the Breviary included this summary of the saint's last days: "Calumniators informed the king that the bishop was agitating against him and the peace of the realm; and the king retorted that with one such priest he could not live in peace. Hearing the royal displeasure, several godless courtiers agreed to do their sovereign a favor by assassinating Thomas. Secretly they traveled to Canterbury and fell upon the bishop while he was attending Vespers. His priests rushed to his aid and tried to bar the church door; Thomas opened it himself with these words: The house of God may not be defended like a fortress. I gladly face death for the Church of God. Then to the soldiers: I command it in the Name of God: No harm may be done to any of mine. Thereupon he cast himself on his knees, commended his flock and himself to God, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to St. Denis and other holy patrons of his church, and with the same heroic courage with which he had withstood the king's laws, he bowed his holy head to the sacrilegious sword on December 29, 1170."

With all the strength that is given us for the defense of God's rights, we must resist those who seek to subject the Church to their power, even if they are those to whom on other grounds we owe service. In St. Thomas of Canterbury the Church celebrates one of her great bishops; by applying to him the Gospel of the Good Shepherd she venerates in him the true pastor of Christ's flock who gave his life for his sheep.

Patron: Clergy; secular clergy; Exeter College Oxford; Portsmouth, England.

Symbols: Sword through a mitre; pallium and archbishop's cross; battle axe and crosier; red chasuble; altar and sword.
Often Portrayed As: Archbishop with a wounded head; archbishop holding an inverted sword; archbishop kneeling before his murderers; archbishop being murdered in church.

Things to Do:

Read more about this historical event. For some web sources see The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170, and more information on Henry II
Take an e-tour of Canterbury Cathedral, also this unofficial tour.
Some wonderful literature is based on this saint. Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer (1342 - 1400) follows a group of 30 pilgrims travelling to the Canterbury Cathedral, the pilgrimage spot of St. Thomas Becket. T. S. Eliot wrote a play called Murder in the Cathedral based on St. Thomas' murder.

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

December 29, 2005

St. Thomas Becket

(1118-1170)

A strong man who wavered for a moment, but then learned one cannot come to terms with evil and so became a strong churchman, a martyr and a saint—that was Thomas Becket, archbishop of Canterbury, murdered in his cathedral on December 29, 1170.

His career had been a stormy one. While archdeacon of Canterbury, he was made chancellor of England at the age of 36 by his friend King Henry II. When Henry felt it advantageous to make his chancellor the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas gave him fair warning: he might not accept all of Henry’s intrusions into Church affairs. Nevertheless, he was made archbishop (1162), resigned his chancellorship and reformed his whole way of life!

Troubles began. Henry insisted upon usurping Church rights. At one time, supposing some conciliatory action possible, Thomas came close to compromise. He momentarily approved the Constitutions of Clarendon, which would have denied the clergy the right of trial by a Church court and prevented them from making direct appeal to Rome. But Thomas rejected the Constitutions, fled to France for safety and remained in exile for seven years. When he returned to England, he suspected it would mean certain death. Because Thomas refused to remit censures he had placed upon bishops favored by the king, Henry cried out in a rage, “Will no one rid me of this troublesome priest!” Four knights, taking his words as his wish, slew Thomas in the Canterbury cathedral.

Within three years Thomas was a saint of the Church and his tomb a shrine of pilgrimage. Henry II himself did penance at Thomas’s tomb, but a later Henry (VIII) despoiled that tomb and scattered the saint’s relics. Thomas Becket, however, remains a hero-saint down to our own times.

Comment:

No one becomes a saint without struggle, especially with himself. Thomas knew he must stand firm in defense of truth and right, even at the cost of his life. We also must take a stand in the face of pressures—against dishonesty, deceit, destruction of life—at the cost of popularity, convenience, promotion and even greater goods.

Quote:

In T.S. Eliot's drama, Murder in the Cathedral, Becket faces a final temptation to seek martyrdom for earthly glory and revenge. With real insight into his life situation, Thomas responds:
"The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason."

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	Be Stout-Hearted and Wait for the Lord
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Thursday, December 29, 2005

1 John 2:3-11 / Luke 2:22-35

Keeping a promise is rarely easy, and sometimes those who make promises are not equipped to keep them or don’t even intend to keep them. The flood of divorces and the torrents of lawsuits that plague our society are eloquent testimony to the fragility of promises and the unlikelihood of many of them ever being kept.

It can render us cynical and disinclined to trust anyone, perhaps even God. So we need to listen to the words of the old man Simeon in today’s Gospel. Simeon had waited all his life for Jesus’s coming, and he’d never ceased trusting that God would be faithful to his promise of a Redeemer. At last the child came, in the arms of His parents, for consecration to the Lord as the Law prescribed. And Simeon gave thanks, “Now, Master, you can dismiss your servant in peace; you have fulfilled your word....”

God is absolutely faithful in His love of every one of us. Even when we turn away and do not walk with Him, God does not turn from us. He waits and waits and waits.

Trust that. He is waiting for you now, hoping that you will give His love for you an opening. If you do, He will show Himself to you in His own way and in His own time, and He will give you what you need to walk with Him faithfully.

Trust in Him. Be stout-hearted, and wait for the Lord.

Lk 2:22-35
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
22	And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord:	et postquam impleti sunt dies purgationis eius secundum legem Mosi tulerunt illum in Hierusalem ut sisterent eum Domino
23	As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord:	sicut scriptum est in lege Domini quia omne masculinum adaperiens vulvam sanctum Domino vocabitur
24	And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons:	et ut darent hostiam secundum quod dictum est in lege Domini par turturum aut duos pullos columbarum
25	And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon: and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was in him.	et ecce homo erat in Hierusalem cui nomen Symeon et homo iste iustus et timoratus expectans consolationem Israhel et Spiritus Sanctus erat in eo
26	And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.	et responsum acceperat ab Spiritu Sancto non visurum se mortem nisi prius videret Christum Domini
27	And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,	et venit in Spiritu in templum et cum inducerent puerum Iesum parentes eius ut facerent secundum consuetudinem legis pro eo
28	He also took him into his arms and blessed God and said	et ipse accepit eum in ulnas suas et benedixit Deum et dixit
29	Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace:	nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine secundum verbum tuum in pace
30	Because my eyes have seen thy salvation,	quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum
31	Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:	quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum
32	A light to the revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.	lumen ad revelationem gentium et gloriam plebis tuae Israhel
33	And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him.	et erat pater eius et mater mirantes super his quae dicebantur de illo
34	And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be contradicted.	et benedixit illis Symeon et dixit ad Mariam matrem eius ecce positus est hic in ruinam et resurrectionem multorum in Israhel et in signum cui contradicetur
35	And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed.	et tuam ipsius animam pertransiet gladius ut revelentur ex multis cordibus cogitationes

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