St. Paul's Epistle, Corinthians 2, 11:19; 12:9, is the reading for Sexagesima Sunday (60 days before Easter). It begins, "Brethren: You gladly put up with fools, because you are wise yourselves! For you suffer it if a man enslaves you, if a man devours you, if a man takes from you, if a man is arrogant, if a man slaps your face!" Paul goes on to note all the tribulations, shame, pain, perils he had undergone. He notes his weaknesses, but also the vision of Heaven. He will not boast. God sent him "a thorn for the flesh" lest he be "puffed up." He says that the Lord told him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for strength is made perfect in weakness." Paul ends his epistle with "Gladly therefore I will glory in my infirmities, that the strength of Christ may dwell in me."
We need strength for the days to come. It becomes more and more obvious to those who are not blind. We also must be the fruit of good seed, as the parable in the day's Gospel says (Luke 8: 4-15). Our Lord uses the parable of the sower to tell us why there are few who retain the word of God. Christ usually doesn't explain His parables. In this case, He did. The seed is God's word. Seeds fallen by the wayside are those who have heard the Word and have been led astray by the Devil, so that they no longer believe. Those upon the rock, heard, received joyfully, but having no root fall away in time of temptation. The seeds that fell into thorns heard, went their way and were choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life; so their fruit does not ripen. Think of the celebrities who wind up drugged (and dead), the wealthy who live dissolute lives, their money wasted on dross. The seed that fell upon good ground are those who with a "right and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bear fruit in patience."
In the Offertory we pray Psalm 16: 5-7. Make my steps steadfast in Your paths, that my feet may not falter. Incline Your ear to me; hear my word. Show Your wondrous kindness, O Lord, Savior of those who trust in You.
These are days that try our faith. What fruit will we bear? Have we succumbed to the desire for the things of this life to the detriment of our immortal souls? Are we being tested by those who are bent on the destruction of all religious freedom of thought and action? It seems so. Can we, like Paul, be faithful through scourgings, stonings, shipwreck, floods, imprisonment, "perils from robbers, in perils from my own nation..........perils from false brethren; in labor and hardships, in many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst....."
The liturgy leading up to Lent and its deprivations, its anticipation of the Passion and Death of Our Lord, and finally to His Resurrection, has much to teach us if we listen and understand.
I can't seem to find something joyful or light-hearted to put into my blog lately. I will try; but so much that I find in the liturgy of this time of year, seems to be, not just the aspect of Christ's coming persecution, but of ours as Christians, as well. The words stay with me.
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I quoted from Pope Leo XIII the other day. Here is another quote about liberalism (1892):
Here is precisely the ground on which, political dissentions aside, ...men should unite as one to combat, by all lawful and legal means, those progressive abuses of legislation. The respect due to constituted power cannot prohibit this; unlimited respect and obedience cannot be yielded to all legislative measures of no matter what kind, enacted by this same power. Let it not be forgotten that law is a precept ordained according to reason and promulgated for the good of the community by those who, for this end, have been entrusted with power. Accordingly, such points in legislation as are hostile to religion and to God should never be approved; to the contrary, it is a duty to disapprove them.
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