• Friday after Ash Wednesday: The Crown of Thorns

  Go forth, ye daughters of Sion, and see king Solomon in the diadem, wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the joy of his heart.–Cant. iii. n.

  This is the voice of the Church inviting the souls of the faithful to behold the marvelous beauty of her spouse. For the daughters of Sion, who are they but the daughters of Jerusalem, holy souls, the citizens of that city which is above, who with the angels enjoy the peace that knows no end, and, in consequence, look upon the glory of the Lord? 1. Go forth, shake off the disturbing commerce of this world so that, with minds set free, you may be able to contemplate him whom you love. And see king Solomon, the true peacemaker, that is to say, Christ Our Lord. In the diadem wherewith his mother crowned him, as though the Church said, “Look on Christ garbed with flesh for us, the flesh He took from the flesh of His mother.” For it is His flesh that is here called a diadem, the flesh which Christ assumed for us, the flesh in which He died and destroyed the reign of death, the flesh in which, rising once again, He brought to us the hope of resurrection. This is the diadem of which St. Paul speaks, We see Jesus for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour (Heb. ii. 9). His mother is spoken of as crowning Him because Mary the Virgin it was who from her own flesh gave Him flesh. In the day of His espousals, that is, in the hour of His Incarnation, when He took to Himself the Church not having spot or wrinkle (Eph. v. 27), the hour again when God was joined with man. And in the day of the joy of his heart. For the joy and the gaiety of Christ is for the human race salvation and redemption. And coming home, He calls together His friends and neighbours saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost (Luke xv. 6). 2. We can however refer the whole of this text simply and literally to the Passion of Christ. For Solomon, foreseeing through the centuries the Passion of Christ, was uttering a warning for the daughters of Sion, that is, for the Jewish people. Go forth and see king Solomon, that is, Christ, in His diadem, that is to say, the crown of thorns with which His mother the Synagogue has crowned Him; in the day of His espousals, the day when He joined to Himself the Church; and in the day of the joy of His heart, the day in which He rejoiced that by His Passion He was delivering the world from the power of the devil. Go forth, therefore, and leave behind the darkness of unbelief, and see, understand with your minds that He who suffers as man is really God. Go forth, beyond the gates of your city, that you may see Him, on Mount Calvary, crucified.

Saint for the Day

• February 20 – St. Eucherius, Bishop

  

  This Saint was born at Orleans, of a very illustrious family. At his birth his parents dedicated him to God, and set him to study when he was but seven years old, resolving to omit nothing that could be done toward cultivating his mind or forming his heart His improvement in virtue kept pace with his progress in learning: he meditated assiduously on the sacred writings, especially on St. Paul’s manner of speaking on the world and its enjoyments as mere empty shadows that deceive us and vanish away. These reflections at length sank so deep into his mind that he resolved to quit the world. To put this design in execution, about the year 714 he retired to the abbey of Jumiége in Normandy, where he spent six or seven years in the practice of penitential austerities and obedience. Suavaric, his uncle, Bishop of Orleans, having died, the senate and people, with the clergy of that city, begged permission to elect Eucherius to the vacant see. The Saint entreated his monks to screen him from the dangers that threatened him; but they preferred the public good to their private inclinations, and resigned him for that important charge. He was consecrated with universal applause in 721. Charles Martel, to defray the expenses of his wars and other undertakings, often stripped the churches of their revenues. St. Eucherius reproved these encroachments with so much zeal that, in the year 737, Charles banished him to Cologne. The extraordinary esteem which his virtue procured him in that city moved Charles to order him to be conveyed thence to a strong place in the territory of Liege. Robert, the governor of that country, was so charmed with his virtue that he made him the distributor of his large alms, and allowed him to retire to the monastery of Sarchinium, or St. Tron’s. Here prayer and contemplation were his whole employment till the year 743, in which he died, on the 20th of February. Reflection.—Nothing softens the soul and weakens piety so much as frivolous indulgence. God has revealed what high store He sets by “retirement” in these words: “I will lead her into solitude, and I will speak to her heart.”

Sunday Sermon

• Ash Wednesday
  ‘Study now to live so holy a life that you may rejoice rather than fear when your last hour comes.’ ~A Kempis The first day of Lent is called Ash Wednesday, from the custom of putting blessed ashes on the foreheads of the faithful.  The ceremony originated from the practice of the early Church, which she took up from the example of the Ninivites, recommended by our Blessed Saviour.  In the primitive ages of the Church at the beginning of Lent the Bishop or his Penitentiary used to cast ashes upon sinners, who came in sackcloth to the church to perform their penance, in hopes of being reconciled and absolved at the end of Lent.  The ceremony is now practiced towards all the faithful, because it is a time of penance for all, without exception. While blessing the ashes, the priest in the name of the Church begs for all her children the remission of their sins, and to that end the spirit of compunction and grace to employ as they ought the time of Lent in doing penance.  During the blessing, and when getting them on our foreheads, we should join our prayers with those of the Church, and beg a contrite and humble heart–represented by the ashes–and that wholesome fear of God’s judgments (which is the beginning of wisdom) and the grace of penance.  The priest signs our foreheads with the ashes in the form of a cross, and reminds us of the sentence pronounced by Almighty God upon Adam and his posterity: ‘Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.’ Gen. iii. 19  In using these words the Church intends to excite her children to penance from the consideration of death, which is the punishment of sin.  consequently, we should be firmly convinced that the only true wisdom is to disengage our affections from earthly things, to love and fear God, to keep His commandments, and by doing penance to prepare for death.  We shall find this easy if we frequently think on the certainly of death, the uncertainty of its time, and the eternal consequences of the condition of soul in which that moment will find us. During Mass we ought to pray that God would be pleased to preserve these sentiments in our hearts during Lent and for the remainder of our lives.

  ‘But vain all outward form of  grief,

  And vain the word of prayer,

  Unless the heart desire relief,

  And penitence be there.

  The forehead prostrate in the dust,

  The hair and garments torn, 

  Can never stay the vengeance just,

  Unless the conscience mourn.’

  Example Theodosius The Emperor Theodosius, while attending a council in Milan, was informed of the murder of some of his officials at Thessalonica.  He was persuaded by one of his Ministers to punish the inhabitants with great cruelty.  Soldiers were let loose on the poor defenceless people while enjoying games at th circus, and seven thousand were massacred, without distinguishing the innocent from the guilty. St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, wrote him a very tender but strong letter, exhorting him to penance, and declaring that he neither could nor would receive his offering, nor celebrate the Divine Mysteries before him, till he satisfied this obligation.  Soon after the Emperor, according to custom, went to church.  On the way he was informed of the Saint’s intention to exclude him, and was advised to stay away.  He said, ‘I will go and receive the rebuke which I deserve.’  St. Ambrose met him at the door and forbade him to enter.  The Prince, by way of extenuating his offence, said David had sinned.  ‘Him whom you have followed in sinning, follow also in his repentance’ replied the holy Bishop. Theodosius submitted, accepted the penance, and, clad in penitential garments–sackcloth and ashes–placed himself among the public penitents.  He knelt at the church door, and lay prostrate, repeating with David, ‘My soul hath cleaved to the pavement: O Lord, restore my life, according to Thy word’ (Ps. cxviii. 25).  He remained in this posture, beating his breast, and with tears rolling down his cheeks, begged pardon of God, lamenting his sin in presence of all the people, who were so touched at it as to weep and pray along with him. Theodosius, after his absolution, passed no day until his death on which he did not bewail his offence, into which he was drawn by surprise and through the instigation of others.

  ~Taken from Catholic Life or Feasts Fasts and Devotions