14 July 2013 Sermon on the Mount: Persecutions The doctrine and life of Jesus Christ were a condemnation of the sins and hypocrisy of the Pharisees. It was enough to draw down upon him their hatred, calumnies, and deadly persecution. We profess being the disciples and apostles of Jesus. Is it, then, any wonder that we are an object of hatred to the wicked? Jesus had foretold what we have to expect. The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: “... they will deliver you up in councils, and scourge you in their synagogues. ... Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; ... and you will be hated by all for ‘My name’s sake’.” (cf Mt 10:17-22) We have witnessed the blind fury of the Godless. We may have been victims. Instead of being sorrowful, our hearts should be joyful and recall the words of Jesus: “Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you, and utter all kinds of slander against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice for your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mt 5:11-2) Let us now meditate on the precepts that our Lord commands us to follow in respect to those who persecute us, or rather the Church of Jesus Christ in our persons. “Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you; and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you” (Lk 6:27-8); “that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who makes his sun rise upon the good and bad” (Mt 10:45). What wonderful gentleness is contained in these words! Are they impossible to obey? No, says St Jerome. We see them fulfilled in St Stephen, the first martyr, and those who followed him. All of them, when dying, prayed for their murderers. We find them obeyed again by the first Christians, of whom St Paul says boldly, “We are reviled, and we bless. We are blasphemed, and we entreat.” (1 Cor 4:12) The Church, the interpreter of Jesus Christ, teaches us in how we should pray for our enemies, by the words in the Litany of the Saints: “That thou would vouchsafe to humble the enemies of holy Church: we beseech thee hear us.” (“Manual of Catholic Devotions”, 1938, p185) We thus ask that by temporal misfortunes they may be rendered powerless to do harm, and that, like Saul thrown from his horse and deprived of his sight, they may feel the hand of God, recognize their errors, and humbly implore pardon, that they may be converted, and make a good death. It is by humility only that these poor creatures will be brought back to God; and if we could obtain such a result by our prayers, we would have done an immense good. The Lord was not contented, says St Augustine, with giving us his precepts, and promising great rewards to those who keep them. He chose to give us also his example. When he was dying, he prayed for his enemies: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34) If we meditate on the charity and heroic greatness of a God who had been calumniated, hated, put to death by his creatures, those whom he had loaded with blessings, all difficulties and seeming impossiblities of pardoning offences, of returning good for evil, will disapppear. Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp442-4 On the fruit Our Lord expects from us The fruits which Our Lord expects from us are of many kinds. But everything would be useless if we had no life of prayer, if we were not united to Our Lord. It would be like trying to collect good bunches from a vine that got separated from the main stem. “See how full of fruit are those vines, because they are getting the sap which comes from the main trunk. Only in this way have those tiny buds of a few months ago been able to change into sweet, mature fruit which gladden the sight and the heart of people.” (cf Ps 103:15). On the ground perhaps a few single twigs remain, half buried. They were vines too, but dry and withered, the most graphic symbol of sterility.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Friends of God”, 254) The life of union with Our Lord goes beyond the personal sphere and can be seen in everything: our way of working, dealings with others, care for our family. From that union springs a wealth of apostolate. Are we bearing the fruit Our Lord expects from us? Have many of our friends come close to Our Lord as a result of our dealings with them? Have we helped any of them go to the sacrament of Confession? Do we yield fruits of peace and cheerfulness among whom we spend most of our day? These questions could help us make specific resolutions in our prayer with Mary, our shortcut to Jesus. She says: “Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud, and my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit.” (Sir 24:23) “He who finds me finds life and obtains favour from the Lord.” (Prov 8:35) Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 2:487-8 Christians continue Christ’s divine sowing In the parable of the sower, Jesus explained that the seed is the word of God. This seed can never root in souls packed down with other interests; nor can it root deeply enough on the surface of a shallow mind where trouble can wither it. Nor can the word be reconciled with the spirit of the world, any more than grain can ripen in an acre of weeds and thistles. In short, the word of God will be fruitful only in souls receptive to it. For the indifferent, the flighty and the worldly, it can make at most a very passing impression. Christ, the divine sower, urges all Christians to open to his love all paths of the earth, to spread his divine message, by teaching and example, among members of our family, colleagues and friends; and even among non-Christians in the farthest corners of the earth. Ref: Fr M Guzman, “Encounters with Christ”, 1990, p51-2 Novena To Our Lady of Mount Carmel Memorial: July 16 (www.ewtn.com/faith/carmel.htm) Seventh Day O Mary, Help of Christians, you assured us that wearing your Scapular worthily would keep us safe from harm. Protect us in both body and soul with your continual aid. may all that we do be pleasing to your Son and to you. (‘Pause and mention petitions.’) Say: ‘Our Father’, ‘Hail, Mary’ and ‘Glory Be ...’ ‘Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us.’ • Our Lady of the Bush, in Portugal. This image was seen in the middle of a burning bush by a shepherd; Vasquez Perdigon, Bishop of Evora, caused to be built in this place in the year 1403, a church and monastery which was given to the monks of St Jerome. — Vasconcellius Descriptio regni Lusitaniae, c. vii. § 5. (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com) • Our Lady of the Bush. Portugal. 1118. (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.htm); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html); (http://www/mariedenazareth.com) • “Nossa Senhora do arbusto” / Our Lady of the Bush. Portugal. (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)