Free Republic

On St. Ephrem the Syrian "Scepter of the Holy Spirit" VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered today at the general audience in Paul VI Hall. The reflection focused on the figure of St. Ephrem the Syrian, fourth-century theologian, poet and musician. * * * Dear brothers and sisters! According to general opinion, Christianity is a European religion that has exported the culture of this Continent to other countries. The reality, though, is a lot more complex, as the root of the Christian religion is found in the Old Testament, and...

                    In The Da Vinci Code,  one finds the horrible affirmation advanced by one of its  characters that Christ is not God but was deified by Constantine to advance a political agenda. This is supposedly “the greatest cover-up in history.”  From the very beginning of the Church, there have always been those who denied Christ’s Divinity.  However, there have also been saints that have gloriously affirmed Christ’s Divinity.St. Ephrem the Syrian (c.306–373) was one such saint.  In his commentary on the Transfiguration, he comments upon how Christ showed His apostles the glory of His Divinity that has been concealed...

Authority Over Demons O Christ, the praise and joy of those who love you: you are my life, my light, and my gladness! Despise not me, who am worthless; cast me who am vile not away, for the enemy will be exceedingly pleased if I am plunged into despair because of the fog of error which surrounds me. He will rejoice only when he sees that despair is beginning to make me his captive. Rather do you, according to your ardent love, shame his hopes, snatch me from his teeth, deliver me from his crafty schemes, from all that he...

June 9, 2005Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Thursday 26 Reading I2 Cor 3:15—4:1, 3-6 Brothers and sisters:To this day, whenever Moses is read,a veil lies over the hearts of the children of Israel,but whenever a person turns to the Lord the veil is removed.Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord,are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,as from the Lord who is the Spirit. Therefore, since we have this ministry through...

Of all lenten hymns and prayers, one short prayer can be termed the lenten prayer. Tradition ascribes it to one of the great teachers of spiritual life- St. Ephrem the Syrian. Here is its text: "O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the Spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power and idle talk. But give rather the Spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. Yea O Lord and King! Grant me to see my Own errors and not to judge my brother; For Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen" This prayer is...

June 9, 2004 Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Wednesday 26 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel Reading I1 Kgs 18:20-39 Ahab sent to all the children of Israel and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel. Elijah appealed to all the people and said, "How long will you straddle the issue? If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him." The people, however, did not answer him. So Elijah said to the people, "I am the only surviving prophet of the LORD, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Give us...