Sing with Human Reason
- From: "Trudie" <trudie.Miller@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:53:27 -0600
Sing with Human Reason
Dear friends, sing the Psalm with human reason, not like birds.
Thrushes, parrots, ravens, magpies, and the like are often taught to say what
they do not
understand. However, to know what we are saying was granted by God's will to
human nature.
Hence, we who have learned in the Church to sing God's words should be eager to
do so.
We should know and see with a clear mind what we have all sung together with one
voice.
Augustine - Commentary on Psalm 18, 2
<<>><<>><<>>
January 24th - Sts. Babylas, Urban, Prilidian & Epolonius and Comp.
Died c. 250; feast day in the East is September 4. Patriarch Babylas (Babilas)
was the most celebrated patriarch of Antioch after Saint Ignatius. He succeeded
Zebinus in the cathedra about 237, and governed the church of Antioch with zeal
and wisdom for 13 years.
Saint John Chrysostom records that Babylas refused the Emperor Philip the
Arabian entry into the Church in 244 until he had done penance for the murder of
his predecessor, Gordian. According to the Church historian, Eusebius, Philip
made his confession and submitted himself to penance outside the doors. It might
be noted that the peace enjoyed by the Church during the reign of Philip
increased her numbers, but relaxed the fervor of many according to Saint Cyprian
and as recorded in the Life of Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus. Whole cities had
embraced the faith, and public churches were full. Emperor Decius equally hated
Philip and the Christian religion, and reacted by publishing cruel edicts
against Christians in the year 250; which caused the seventh general
persecution, permitted by God to purge away the dross in his flock, and to awake
them to fervor.
Eusebius tells us that Babylas died in chains as he awaited execution under
Decius, while his three young pupils-Urban, Prilidian, and Epolonius-were put to
death; other less reliable sources indicate that he was beheaded. Although Saint
John Chrysostom relates that Babylas was imprisoned by Emperor Philip, who was
angry at being barred from entry into the church, this seemed less discordant
with secular history. Saint Jerome agrees with Eusebius that he was captured
during the reign of Decius.
As Babylas died, he asked that his chains be buried with him as a sign of his
triumph. A church was built over his tomb. About 100 years later his relics were
the first recorded as being translated, from Antioch to Daphne (five miles
away), primarily to counteract the influence of the shrine of Apollo there. The
oracle of Apollo was struck dumb when Babylas's church was built near the pagan
temple. When Julian the Apostate learned of the silence of Apollo and the
presence of the relics of Babylas, he ordered the removal of these sacred
relics.
According to the fathers and Christian historians, the Christians obeyed Julian.
In a solemn procession they carried the sacred relics back to Antioch, singing
on this occasion the psalms which ridicule the vanity and feebleness of idols,
repeating after every verse: "May they who adore idols and glory in false gods,
blush with shame and be covered with confusion." The following evening lightning
fell on the temple of Apollo and reduced to ashes all the rich and magnificent
ornaments with which it was embellished, and the idol itself, leaving only the
walls standing. Julian, the emperor's uncle, and governor of the East, upon this
news hastened to Daphne, and endeavored by tortures to compel the priests to
confess if the accident had happened by any negligence, or by the interposition
of the Christians: but it was clearly proved by the testimony of these very
priests, and also by that of several peasants who saw the fire fall from heaven
that lightning was the cause. The apostate did not dare to restore the idol lest
lightning should fall on his own head: but he breathed nothing but fury against
the Christians in general.
The body of Saint Babylas is said to be now at Cremona, brought from the East
during the crusades. Saint Babylas is the titular saint of many churches in
Italy, France, and Spain. He is also one of the saints described in Saint
Aldhelm's treatise On Virginity, which helped to promote his cultus in England
as testified by his feast on many early calendars (Attwater2, Benedictines,
Coulson, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Husenbeth).
Saint Quote:
"Humility and charity are the two master-chords: one, the lowest; the other, the
highest; all the others are dependent on them. Therefore it is necessary, above
all, to maintain ourselves in these two virtues; for observe well that the
preservation of the whole edifice depends on the foundation and the root"
-St. Francis de Sales
Bible Quote:
"Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he
should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. For
the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find
according to his ways. Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the
Almighty pervert judgment
-Job 34:10-12
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A pious matron desiring to know what class of souls was most acceptable to
the Lord, He gratified her wish by the following vision. One morning she was
hearing Mass when, after the Elevation, she saw Jesus in the form of a most
lovely Child, who began to walk about the altar. Thence He descended to a place
where three devout nuns were kneeling at its foot. He took one of them by the
hand and gave her many caresses. Then approaching the second, He raised her veil
and gave her a slight blow on the cheek, and left her as if in anger; but soon
returning, and finding her in grief and affliction, He devoted Himself to
consoling her with a thousand endearments. Finally, He came to the third, and,
with an appearance of great wrath, took her by the arm and drove her away from
the altar, loading her with blows, and even tearing the hair from her head,
while she bore all with great calmness, humbling herself and blessing God. Then
Jesus, turning to the matron, said: "You must know that the first one is weak in
virtue, and very changeable; therefore, to confirm her in the good way, I show
Myself altogether amiable and kind; otherwise, she would leave it. The second is
more perfect, yet she needs to experience, from time to time, some spiritual
sweetness. But the third is so firm and constant in My service, that whatever
adversity may come to her, she will not allow herself to be withdrawn from it,
and she is My best beloved"
St. Philip Neri, in order to save his penitents from the first of these
mistakes, used to tell them that in the spiritual life there are three degrees.
The first, which is called animal, includes those who follow the sensible
devotion which God usually gives to beginners, in order that, drawn by this
delight as animals are by sensible objects, they may give themselves to the
spiritual life. The second, which is called the life of man, is led by those who
without sensible consolation fight for virtue against their own passions, which
is the true characteristic of man. The third is called the angelic life. Those
have arrived at it who, after long struggles in subduing their own passions,
receive from God a life calm and tranquil and, as it were, angelic even in this
world. And if anyone perseveres in the second degree, God will not fail, in His
own time, to raise him to the third.
(Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". January - Perfection)
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STAR-BRIGHT FOREVER
From now to eternity,A star shines so bright,
The filament never grows dim,
Be it day or night.
The light is of love
And of goodness sublime
That's passed down to us
Through the shadows of time.
Her hands send the rays
Of hope and assurance
That just to believe
Will need love and endurance.
But all so worthwhile,
We will find as we try
To keep our minds here,
But our hearts in the sky.
To follow the road
That leads to Our Lord,
To ask for His grace-
That He'll never hoard-
To join all the saints
In the light of their glory.
For here you will find,
There's the truth to this story:
A little time spent,
Through we suffer and toil
On an earth filled with sadness
And trials that do foil.
But keep just above it-
Just say that you'll love it,
For the sake of Our Jesus,
Who rose all above it.
For there in His heart
Was a wish for us all
To join Him in paradise
When He makes His call.
St. Teresa
.
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