Catholic Caucus: Daily Mass Readings 5-26-03, Memorial, St. Philip Neri

Reading I
Acts 16:11-15

We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace,
and on the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi,
a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony.
We spent some time in that city.
On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river
where we thought there would be a place of prayer.
We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there.
One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth,
from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened,
and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention
to what Paul was saying.
After she and her household had been baptized,
she offered us an invitation,
"If you consider me a believer in the Lord,
come and stay at my home," and she prevailed on us.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b

R (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R Alleluia.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R Alleluia.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches.
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R Alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 15:26–16:4a

Jesus said to his disciples:
"When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.

"I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you."

From: Acts 16:11-15

They Go Over Into Macedonia

[11] Setting sail therefore from Troas we made a direct voyage to
Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, [12] and from there to
Philippi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia, and a
Roman colony.

The Conversion of Lydia

We remained in this city some days; [13] and on the Sabbath day we went
outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place
of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come
together. [14] One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city
of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshipper of God.
The Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul.
[15] And when she was baptized, with her household, she besought us,
saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my
house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

Commentary:

12. Philippi was a prosperous city, founded by the father of Alexander
the Great (in the 4th century B.C.). Nearby, in 42 B.C., there took
place the battle in which those who assassinated Julius Caesar were
defeated. Octavius raised Philippi to the status of a "colonia" and
endowed it with many privileges.

Very few Jews lived in the city, as can be seen from the fact that it
had no synagogue (for there to be a synagogue there had to be at least
ten Jewish men living in a place). The text refers only to a group of
women who met on the riverside to pray--a location probably chosen for
the purpose of ritual purification.

14. Lydia was probably a surname taken from the region this woman came
from. She was not a Jew by birth but a "God-fearer" (cf. note on Acts
2:5-11). God chose her from this group of women to enlighten her with
the light of faith, opening her heart to understand the words of the
Apostle. Origen explains that "God opens our mouth, our ears and our
eyes to make us say, hear and see divine things" ("In Ex. Hom.", III,
2). This shows that we can and ought to address God using the words of
the Church's liturgy: "Open my lips, Lord, to bless your holy name;
clean my heart from all evil thoughts; enlighten my understanding and
inflame my will...so that I merit to be admitted to Your presence"
("Liturgy of the Hours", Introductory Prayer).

When Christians address God, they ask Him for the grace to pray
well--not only at times of prayer but also in the course of everyday
activities: "Lord, be the beginning and end of all that we do and say.
Prompt our actions with Your grace, and complete them with Your
all-powerful help" ("ibid.", Morning Prayer, Monday, First Week).

This episode shows faith to be a gift from God, stemming from His
goodness and wisdom: for "no one can give his assent to the Gospel
message in a truly salvific way except it be by the light and
inspiration of the Holy Spirit: He it is who gives to all the power
necessary for affirming and believing the truth" (Vatican I, "Dei
Filius", Chapter 3).

15. St. Luke's succinct account shows that Lydia's good dispositions
allow St. Paul's preaching to bear fruit very quickly. Her whole
family receives Baptism and she insists on the Apostles' staying in her
house. "Look at her wisdom, how full of humility her words are: 'If
you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord.' Nothing could be more
persuasive. Who would not have been softened by these words. She did
not simply request or entreat: she left them free to decide and yet by
her insistence obliged them to stay at her house. See how she
straightaway bears fruit and accounts her calling a great gain" (St.
John Chrysostom, "Hom. on Acts", 35).

It is worth reflecting on the fact that Christianity began in Europe
through a housewife's response to God's calling. Lydia set about her
mission to Christianize the whole world from within, starting with her
own family. Commenting on the role of women in the spread of
Christianity, Monsignor Escriva says: "The main thing is that like
Mary, who was a woman, a virgin and a mother, they live with their eyes
on God repeating her words 'fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum' (Luke 1:38)
'let it be done to me according to your word'. On these words depends
the faithfulness to one's personal vocation--which is always unique and
non-transferable--which will make us all cooperators in the work of
salvation which God carries out in us and in the entire world"
("Conversations", 112).

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: John 15:26-16:4a

A Hostile World (Continuation)

(Jesus said to His disciples,) [26] "But when the Counsellor comes,
whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who
proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness to Me; [27] and you also
are witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

The Action of the Holy Spirit

[1] "I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away.
[2] They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming
when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.
[3] And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor
Me. [4] But I have said these things to you, that when their hour
comes you may remember that I told you of them."

Commentary:

26-27. Just before the Ascension our Lord will again charge the
Apostles with the mission to bear witness to Him (cf. Acts 1:8). They
have been witnesses to the public ministry, death and resurrection of
Christ, which is a condition for belonging to the Apostolic College, as
we see when Matthias is elected to take the place of Judas (cf. Acts
1:21-22). But the public preaching of the Twelve and the life of the
Church will not start until the Holy Spirit comes.

Every Christian should be living witness to Jesus, and the Church as a
whole is a permanent testimony to Him: "The mission of the Church is
carried out by means of that activity through which, in obedience to
Christ's command and moved by the grace and love of the Holy Spirit,
the Church makes itself fully present to all men and peoples in order
to lead them to the faith, freedom and peace of Christ by the example
of its life and preaching, by the sacraments and other means of grace"
(Vatican II, "Ad Gentes", 5).

2-3. Fanaticism can even bring a person to think that it is permissible
to commit a crime in order to serve the cause of religion--as happened
with those Jews who persecuted Jesus to the point of bringing about His
death, and who later persecuted the Church. Paul of Tarsus was a
typical example of misguided zeal (cf. Acts 22:3-16); but once Paul
realized he was wrong he changed and became one of Christ's most
fervent apostles. As Jesus predicted, the Church has often experienced
this sort of fanatical, diabolical hatred. At other times this false
zeal, though not so obvious, takes the form of systematic and unjust
opposition to the things of God. "In the moments of struggle and
opposition, when perhaps `the good' fill your way with obstacles, lift
up your apostolic heart: listen to Jesus as He speaks of the grain of
mustard seed and of the leaven. And say to Him: `edissere nobis
parabolam': explain the parable to me.'

"And you will feel the joy of contemplating the victory to come: the
birds of the air lodging in the branches of your apostolate, now only
in its beginnings, and the whole of the meal leavened" ([St] J. Escriva,
"The Way", 695).

In these cases, as our Lord also pointed out, those who persecute God's
true servants think they are serving Him: they confuse God's interest
with a deformed idea of religion.

4. Here Jesus prophesies not only His own death (cf. Matthew 16:21-23)
but also the persecution His disciples will suffer. He forewarns them
of the contradictions they will experience so that they will not be
scandalized or depressed when they do arise; in fact, difficulties will
give them an opportunity to demonstrate their faith.

FEAST OF THE DAY

Saint Philip Neri was born in Florence, Italy, in 1515. As a child Philip
began to develop an intense relationship with the Lord and always
tried to avoid every sin, a habit he maintained until his death. As a
youth, Philip was sent to a wealthy uncle to become his heir. Philip
did not want this type of life and traveled to Rome to study. After
completing his studies, Philip devoted himself to visiting and praying
with people in the hospital. Eventually this ministry grew into a
religious order of called the Congregation of Priests of the Oratory,
which was founded by Philip in 1575.

Although Philip had completed studies that would allow him to be
ordained, he decided not to get ordained until his confessor urged
him to do so. At the age of 36 Philip was ordained to the priesthood
and began to minister to the faithful through the Sacraments. Philip
was best known for his talents as a confessor and his devotion to the
Mass. He often spent whole days in the confessional hearing
confession and was graced with the ability to read souls and see sins
that were being held back. He used this ability to help convert many
hardened sinners and bring them back to a state of grace.

During his life, Philip was known for his joyful attitude and his simple
spirit. His greatest joy came from celebrating the Eucharist; he often
fell into raptures at the great joy and grace from celebrating this
Sacrament. Philip died at the age of eighty in 1595. He was
proclaimed a saint by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

O God, seeing you are so infinitely lovable, why have you given us
but one heart to love you, and this so little and so narrow? -St. Philip Neri

TODAY IN HISTORY

1232 Pope Gregory IX sent the first Inquisition team to Aragon in
Spain, after turning its details over to the Dominicans the previous
year.

TODAY'S TIDBIT

The Congregation of Priests of the Oratory, also called Oratorians
and abbreviated CO, were founded in 1575 to promote holiness of
priestly life and foster effective preaching. This order has more than
550 members and has houses across the world.

INTENTION FOR THE DAY

Please pray, through the intercession of St. Philip Neri, for all people
who are receiving care in hospitals. Please pray especially for all
who have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses.

The Word Among Us

Monday, May 26, 2003

Meditation
John 15:26–16:4

Five times in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is called parakletos, a Greek word derived from the verb meaning “to call to one’s side” (John 15:26; 14:16,26; 16:7; 1 John 2:1). By using such a name, Scripture points to the Spirit as a counselor—a source of encouragement, comfort, help, and truth.

While Jesus was on earth, his disciples had free and easy access to him. They could ask him questions and seek advice whenever they wanted. But at the Last Supper, knowing that he would not always be so physically accessible, he prepared his disciples to welcome another counselor (John 14:16). Although Jesus would no longer be with them in the flesh, the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of Jesus—would dwell within them. The only thing better than Jesus being with us is Jesus being in us!

Of all the tasks of the Holy Spirit, one of his most important is bringing Scripture to life in our hearts so that we can be transformed. Have you ever thought of calling him to your side when you sit down with your Bible? With him as your guide and counselor, you can navigate through difficult passages and discover new depths in the Christian life you never knew were possible.

This Easter season, come to the Spirit with an open heart. Ask him to help you in your weakness. As you prayerfully read Scripture, let him illuminate its words and help you apply them to your life. He will take the message of Scripture, bind it to the life of the church, and plunge it deep within your heart, where your will is motivated to act. And then, watch your life change. St. Jerome once said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” Do you want to get to know Jesus, the Word of God? Then get to know the Holy Spirit, your Counselor!

“Father, thank you for sending your Son to restore our relationship with you. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to live in us and help us in our weakness. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fires of your love.”

One Bread, One Body

<< Monday, May 26, 2003 >>

St. Philip Neri

Acts 16:11-15

Psalm 149

John 15:26—16:4

View Readings

KNOW SPIRIT — NO FEAR

“When the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of truth Who comes from the Father — and Whom I Myself will send from the Father — He will bear witness on My behalf.” —John 15:26

The Holy Spirit bears witness on behalf of Jesus, and those who live in the Spirit must “also witness” (Jn 15:27, our transl). To witness for the risen Jesus is beyond human power. That is why Jesus’ witnesses must receive the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

It is both liberating and fearsome to do something beyond our human powers. For example, if Jesus gave you power to walk on water, would you be afraid to take your first steps? Life in the Spirit is by definition beyond our understanding and in some ways beyond our control. This can be a problem for those who base their security on controlling some of the circumstances of life. The Holy Spirit gives us both the occasions to feel fear and the faith to overcome fears.

Moreover, if Jesus’ witnesses are struggling with the dynamics of witnessing in the Holy Spirit, imagine how threatened the worldly become in the face of the Holy Spirit Who proves them wrong (Jn 16:8). It is easy to see why the Greek word translated “witness” also can be translated “martyr.” So even if Jesus’ witnesses are not fearful of the Holy Spirit, they are strongly tempted to be fearful of the world in its fear of the Spirit.

Do not fear the Holy Spirit. Do not fear the fearful. Be a witness for Jesus, “for the Spirit God has given us is no cowardly spirit” (2 Tm 1:7). Come, Holy Spirit!

Prayer: Father, may love in the Spirit leave no room for fear in my life (see 1 Jn 4:18).

Promise: “The Lord opened her heart.” —Acts 16:14

Praise: St. Philip Neri often spoke to people on street corners in Rome about Jesus. One time thirty young men came to ridicule him. Jesus touched their hearts through Philip and they were all converted to faith.

Catholic Online Saints

Saint Philip Neri
Feastday: May 26

Patron of Rome

If one had to choose one saint who showed the humorous side of holiness that would Philip Neri.

Born in 1515 in Florence, he showed the impulsiveness and spontaneity of his character from the time he was a boy. In fact one incident almost cost him his life. Seeing a donkey loaded with fruit for market, the little boy had barely formed the thought of jumping on the donkey's back before he had done it. The donkey, surprised, lost his footing, and donkey, fruit, and boy tumbled into the cellar with the boy winding up on the bottom! Miraculously he was unhurt.

His father was not successful financially and at eighteen Philip was sent to work with an older cousin who was a successful businessman. During this time, Philip found a favorite place to pray up in the fissure of a mountain that had been turned into a chapel. We don't know anything specific about his conversion but during these hours of prayer he decided to leave worldly success behind and dedicate his life to God.

After thanking his cousin, he went to Rome in 1533 where he was the live-in tutor of the sons of a fellow Florentine. He studied philosophy and theology until he thought his studies were interfering with his prayer life. He then stopped his studies, threw away his books, and lived as a kind of hermit.

Night was his special time of prayer. After dark he would go out in the streets, sometimes to churches, but most often into the catacombs of St. Sebastiano to pray. During one of these times of prayer he felt a globe of light enter his mouth and sink into his heart. This experience gave him so much energy to serve God that he went out to work at the hospital of the incurables and starting speaking to others about God, everyone from beggars to bankers.

In 1548 Philip formed a confraternity with other laymen to minister to pilgrims who came to Rome without food or shelter. The spiritual director of the confraternity convinced Philip that he could do even more work as a priest. After receiving instruction from this priest, Philip was ordained in 1551.

At his new home, the church of San Girolamo, he learned to love to hear confessions. Young men especially found in him the wisdom and direction they needed to grow spiritually. But Philip began to realize that these young men needed something more than absolution; they needed guidance during their daily lives. So Philip began to ask the young men to come by in the early afternoon when they would discuss spiritual readings and then stay for prayer in the evening. The numbers of the men who attended these meetings grew rapidly. In order to handle the growth, Philip and a fellow priest Buonsignore Cacciaguerra gave a more formal structure to the meetings and built a room called the Oratory to hold them in.

Philip understood that it wasn't enough to tell young people not to do something -- you had to give them something to do in its place. So at Carnival time, when the worst excesses were encouraged, Philip organized a pilgrimage to the Seven Churches with a picnic accompanied by instrumental music for the mid-day break. After walking twelve miles in one day everyone was too tired to be tempted!

In order to guide his followers, Philip made himself available to everyone at any hour -- even at night. He said some of the most devout people were those who had come to him at night. When others complained, Philip answered, "They can chop wood on my back so long as they do not sin."

Not everyone was happy about this growing group and Philip and Buonsignore were attacked by the priests they lived with. But eventually Philip and his companions were vindicated and went on with their work.

In 1555, the Pope's Vicar accused Philip of "introducing novelties" and ordered him to stop the meetings of the Oratory. Philip was brokenhearted but obeyed immediately. The Pope only let him start up the Oratory again after the sudden death of his accuser. Despite all the trouble this man had caused, Philip would not let anyone say anything against the man or even imply that his sudden death was a judgment from God.

One church, for Florentines in Rome, had practically forced him to bring the Oratory to their church. But when gossip and accusations started, they began to harass the very people they had begged to have nearby! At that point, Philip decided it would be best for the group to have their own church. They became officially known as the Congregation of the Oratory, made up of secular priests and clerics.

Philip was known to be spontaneous and unpredictable, charming and humorous.

He seemed to sense the different ways to bring people to God. One man came to the Oratory just to make fun of it. Philip wouldn't let the others throw him out or speak against him. He told them to be patient and eventually the man became a Dominican. On the other hand, when he met a condemned man who refused to listen to any pleas for repentance, Philip didn't try gentle words, but grabbed the man by the collar and threw him to the ground. The move shocked the criminal into repentance and he made a full confession.

Humility was the most important virtue he tried to teach others and to learn himself. Some of his lessons in humility seem cruel, but they were tinged with humor like practical jokes and were related with gratitude by the people they helped. His lessons always seem to be tailored directly to what the person needed. One member who was later to become a cardinal was too serious and so Philip had him sing the Misere at a wedding breakfast. When one priest gave a beautiful sermon, Philip ordered him to give the same sermon six times in a row so people would think he only had one sermon.

Philip preferred spiritual mortification to physical mortification. When one man asked Philip if he could wear a hair shirt, Philip gave him permission -- if he wore the hair shirt outside his clothes! The man obeyed and found humility in the jokes and name-calling he received.

There were unexpected benefits to his lessons in humility. Another member, Baronius, wanted to speak at the meetings about hellfire and eternal punishment. Philip commanded him instead to speak of church history. For 27 years Baronius spoke to the Oratory about church history. At the end of that time he published his talks as a widely respected and universally praised books on ecclesiastical history!

Philip did not escape this spiritual mortification himself. As with others, his own humbling held humor. There are stories of him wearing ridiculous clothes or walking around with half his beard shaved off. The greater his reputation for holiness the sillier he wanted to seem. When some people came from Poland to see the great saint, they found him listening to another priest read to him from joke books.

Philip was very serious about prayer, spending hours in prayer. He was so easily carried away that he refused to preach in public and could not celebrate Mass with others around. But he when asked how to pray his answer was, "Be humble and obedient and the Holy Spirit will teach you."

Philip died in 1595 after a long illness at the age of eighty years.

In his footsteps:
We often worry more about what others think that about what God thinks. Our fear of people laughing us often stops us from trying new things or serving God. Do something today that you are afraid might make you look a little ridiculous. Then reflect on how it makes you feel. Pray about your experience with God.

Prayer:
Saint Philip Neri, we take ourselves far too seriously most of the time. Help us to add humor to our perspective -- remembering always that humor is a gift from God. Amen

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.