Free Republic

THESE reasons are so strong that the most solid of your party have taken ground elsewhere than in the ordinary mission, and have said that they were sent extraordinarily by God because the ordinary mission had been ruined and abolished, with the true Church itself, under the tyrannv of Antichrist. This is their most safe refuge, which, since it is common to all sorts of heretics, is worth attacking in good earnest and overthrowing completely. Let us then place our argument in order, to see if we can force this their last barricade. First, I say then that no one...

January 24, 2006 Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church Psalm: Tuesday 7 Reading I2 Sm 6:12b-15, 17-19 David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities.As soon as the bearers of the ark of the LORD had advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.Then David, girt with a linen apron, came dancing before the LORD with abandon, as he and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORDwith shouts of joy and to the...

Humility and Virginity Just as St. Joseph took care to guard his virtues under cover of very holy humility, he was also diligent in hiding the precious pearl of his virginity. If he agreed to be married, it was so that, without anyone knowing it, he could hide his virtue under the veil of a holy marriage. On this subject, virgins and those who wish to live in chastity, are taught that it is not sufficient to be celibate. If they are not humble and do not guard their purity in the precious vase of humility, they will be like...

January 24, 2005Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church Psalm: Monday 7 Reading IHeb 9:15, 24-28 Christ is mediator of a new covenant:since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on our behalf.Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that...

The Holy Name of Jesus Let us speak a word on the name given to Our Divine Lord on the Feast of the Circumcision. The gospel from the Feast of the Circumcision would have us understand that the shedding of Jesus’ blood is related to His name. It is appropriate that He be given this name on the day of His circumcision, for He could not be Saviour without pouring out blood, nor give blood without being Saviour. He could, of course, have saved the world without shedding His blood, but that would not have been enough to satisfy the...

January 24, 2004Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church Psalm: Saturday 6 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel Reading I2 Sm 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.On the third day a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.David asked him, "Where do you come from?"He replied, "I have escaped from the camp of the children of Israel.""Tell me what happened," David bade him.He answered that many of the...