Esteban: Jesus and Saint John the BaptistSevilla, 1670
The character of Saint John the Baptist is particularly interesting and this saint has a lot to tell us about the One he faithfully served until the day of his sacrifice. His birth, which we celebrate today, already has a supernatural aspect, as we read in today’s gospel. The birth of John has to be put together with the birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Saint Luke points out very well the similarities between the conceptions and births of Jesus and of His Precursor, beyond the fact that they were related by the link of the blood, which also has its importance.
Saint Luke mentions the birth of Saint John in his gospel and then we have to jump over 30 years to meet him again. But we can imagine that Jesus and John used to meet regularly throughout their childhood and later since they are from the same family. Many artists, like the Spanish painter Bartolome Esteban, have represented the two characters together and their paintings can be used as good visual aids for our meditation. Since the day when he sanctified John in the womb of his mother, Jesus has prepared his prophet for his very particular task which was to give testimony of His mission and of His person, as we can hear from Saint John the Evangelist at the end of the Mass: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. (Jn.1:6-8)
The fourth Evangelists speak about Saint John and Saint Mark says that he was in the desert baptizing and preaching. (Mk.1:4) This sentence shows that Saint John the Baptist does not belong entirely to the Old Testament any more. Something new is coming. He baptizes and even if his Baptism is not yet one of the Seven Sacraments of the New Covenant, it is already an anticipation, a close figure of our actual Baptism. With John the Baptist, we are already introduced to the New Covenant in a certain way. Baptizing and preaching are indeed proper acts of the priests of the New Law since Jesus told His disciples to go to the whole world, to preach and to baptize.
Let us be clear: John the Baptist is not a priest of the New Testament. He is the last prophet who announces and inaugurates the ministry of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He does even more: he announces and reveals Jesus Himself. He shows Him to the world: Ecce Agnus Dei!
Ecce Agnus Dei: Behold the lamb of God! Saint John the Baptist indicates our goal. He does not bring people to himself but to Our Lord. His works and even his person are nothing in comparison to the person and the works of Jesus. He tells us: I am not worthy to loose the latchet of His shoe! (Mk.1:7) What a beautiful example of humility for us who esteem ourselves often as indispensable for our community, our parish, our diocese or whatever you want. As I like to say, cemeteries are full of indispensable people already forgotten by the world! And sooner or later, God will remind us that we are not as indispensable as we believe.
Saint John the Baptist is really a great man because he considers himself as nothing. He knows what is essential for his mission: He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30) Saint John the Baptist does not live for himself and for his glory. His life has even no value and he would give it without hesitation when it would be necessary to give the supreme testimony to the truth.
Ecce Agnus Dei! Behold the Lamb of God. Here He is, the One who will soon give you a new Baptism. My mission is now over. Do not follow me now, but follow Him! He is the light! Follow Him!
John is a disciple; He is truly and completely a disciple, as we are supposed to be, my dear Brethren! Like him, we are supposed to show the world where Jesus Christ is and to tell who He is. Ecce Agnus Dei! He is the Savior, the Redeemer, the only One who can save us. And He is present among us, through His Church, in His Church, by His Church. He is even present physically in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. We obviously don’t worship a piece of bread, but the Lamb of God, the same one designated by Saint John the Baptist. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world is present here, in the tabernacle, among us.
We have to tell it to our contemporaries; we must tell them! It is our duty and our mission. We cannot keep Jesus Christ for ourselves. And by the way, if we were truly loving disciples of Jesus, we would be missionaries almost naturally, because it is a natural consequence of love to spread and to share. If I love Jesus Christ, I also want Him to be loved by everybody.
Remember the beautiful prayer taught by the Angel to the Children of Fatima: "My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You!" We should say this prayer every day and I hope you do. But it is not enough! It is not enough to ask pardon for those who do not believe. We must make them believe. It is not enough to ask pardon for those who do not adore. We must make them adore. It is not enough to ask pardon for those who do not hope. We must make them hope. It is not enough to ask pardon for those who do not love. We must make them love. And if we believe enough, if we adore enough, if we hope enough and if we love enough, then, it is possible.
May Saint John the Baptist show us the way and encourage us by his example. May Our Blessed Mother make us witnesses of the light in the world, for the highest glory of God.
Saint Luke mentions the birth of Saint John in his gospel and then we have to jump over 30 years to meet him again. But we can imagine that Jesus and John used to meet regularly throughout their childhood and later since they are from the same family. Many artists, like the Spanish painter Bartolome Esteban, have represented the two characters together and their paintings can be used as good visual aids for our meditation. Since the day when he sanctified John in the womb of his mother, Jesus has prepared his prophet for his very particular task which was to give testimony of His mission and of His person, as we can hear from Saint John the Evangelist at the end of the Mass: There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him. He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light. (Jn.1:6-8)
The fourth Evangelists speak about Saint John and Saint Mark says that he was in the desert baptizing and preaching. (Mk.1:4) This sentence shows that Saint John the Baptist does not belong entirely to the Old Testament any more. Something new is coming. He baptizes and even if his Baptism is not yet one of the Seven Sacraments of the New Covenant, it is already an anticipation, a close figure of our actual Baptism. With John the Baptist, we are already introduced to the New Covenant in a certain way. Baptizing and preaching are indeed proper acts of the priests of the New Law since Jesus told His disciples to go to the whole world, to preach and to baptize.
Let us be clear: John the Baptist is not a priest of the New Testament. He is the last prophet who announces and inaugurates the ministry of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He does even more: he announces and reveals Jesus Himself. He shows Him to the world: Ecce Agnus Dei!
Ecce Agnus Dei: Behold the lamb of God! Saint John the Baptist indicates our goal. He does not bring people to himself but to Our Lord. His works and even his person are nothing in comparison to the person and the works of Jesus. He tells us: I am not worthy to loose the latchet of His shoe! (Mk.1:7) What a beautiful example of humility for us who esteem ourselves often as indispensable for our community, our parish, our diocese or whatever you want. As I like to say, cemeteries are full of indispensable people already forgotten by the world! And sooner or later, God will remind us that we are not as indispensable as we believe.
Saint John the Baptist is really a great man because he considers himself as nothing. He knows what is essential for his mission: He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30) Saint John the Baptist does not live for himself and for his glory. His life has even no value and he would give it without hesitation when it would be necessary to give the supreme testimony to the truth.
Ecce Agnus Dei! Behold the Lamb of God. Here He is, the One who will soon give you a new Baptism. My mission is now over. Do not follow me now, but follow Him! He is the light! Follow Him!
John is a disciple; He is truly and completely a disciple, as we are supposed to be, my dear Brethren! Like him, we are supposed to show the world where Jesus Christ is and to tell who He is. Ecce Agnus Dei! He is the Savior, the Redeemer, the only One who can save us. And He is present among us, through His Church, in His Church, by His Church. He is even present physically in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. We obviously don’t worship a piece of bread, but the Lamb of God, the same one designated by Saint John the Baptist. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world is present here, in the tabernacle, among us.
We have to tell it to our contemporaries; we must tell them! It is our duty and our mission. We cannot keep Jesus Christ for ourselves. And by the way, if we were truly loving disciples of Jesus, we would be missionaries almost naturally, because it is a natural consequence of love to spread and to share. If I love Jesus Christ, I also want Him to be loved by everybody.
Remember the beautiful prayer taught by the Angel to the Children of Fatima: "My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You!" We should say this prayer every day and I hope you do. But it is not enough! It is not enough to ask pardon for those who do not believe. We must make them believe. It is not enough to ask pardon for those who do not adore. We must make them adore. It is not enough to ask pardon for those who do not hope. We must make them hope. It is not enough to ask pardon for those who do not love. We must make them love. And if we believe enough, if we adore enough, if we hope enough and if we love enough, then, it is possible.
May Saint John the Baptist show us the way and encourage us by his example. May Our Blessed Mother make us witnesses of the light in the world, for the highest glory of God.
6 commentaires:
HELP ... HELP ... HELP ...
Watch this video of a attaque to a catholic church in France:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wosk5dkmyto
KTOvox International
The Voice of the catholic faithfull of Europe
Call to the Catholic Resistance against the catholic persecution in Europe special against the Catholic comunity who follow the Rites of the old Roman Catholic Tradition.
United we are stonger ! Send email of protest to the diocèse of Laval
http://diocese-laval.cef.fr/service.php
And to the Maire of the village who organise the demonstration against the catholics:
http://www.niafles.com/infos
Defend one of the latest catholic comunity where was never stop the celebration of the Holy Mass of Saint Pie V
Laudetur Iesus Christus
HELP ... HELP ... HELP ...
Mon Père,
>>
>> je me permets de vous déranger afin de savoir si vous connaissez des
>> paroisses ou des prètres en Louisiane proche de la FSSP.
>>
>> Il se trouve que pour des raisons professionelles nous quittons la
>> France pour les Etats Unis et l'idée de quitter notre petit univers
>> très porteur pour l'éducation de nos enfants m'inquiète. En France ils
>> étaient dans une petite école hors contrat avec catéchisme tous les
>> matins et messe une fois par semaine, je vais bien continuer à la
>> maison mais je souhaiterai
> vivement
>> me rattacher à une paroisse. Il n'y a pas d'implantation de la FSSP en
>> Louisiane mais peut -être avez vous une idée pour m'aider. Nos garçon seraient content de faire également du scoutisme, mais dans quelle troupe?
J'espère pouvoir rentrer en contact avec vous.
>>
>> Nous serons tout à côté de la Nouvelle Orléans.
>>
>> Je vous remercie d'avance pour votre réponse.
>>
>> En union de prières dans les très Saints Coeurs de Jésus et de Marie.
>>
vg.bonmardion@gmail.com (c'est plus simple)
>> Valérie BON-MARDION
>>
This is beautiful. If we would all just talk to our friends and our families imagine how many seeds of hope we could plant.
Wild Bill
M. l'abbe, Je profite de votre blog pour vous envoyer mes meilleurs voeux a l'occasion de l'anniversaire de votre ordination.
Que le Seigneur continue a vous apporter les graces dont vous avez besoin dans votre apostolat. Meme de votre coin de Georgie, vous arrivez a toucher les ames qui sont fort eloignees. Un grand merci pour le bien que vous faites.
Saint Pierre, priez pour nous et tout particulierement pour les pretres de la FSSP.
Seigneur, donnez-nous beaucoup de saints pretres.
Father, just saw this. Love it!
POST-MOTU PROPRIO: What Traditional Catholics Want After Promulgation
It appears certain that, in the coming days, our Holy Father will promulgate a motu proprio freeing the Traditional Latin Mass which was perfected in the sixth century and canonized in 1570 by Pope St. Pius V. However, without proper enforcement and enactment, it will mean little to traditional Catholics in their every day lives. Below is a respectful request to our prelates world wide upon its promulgation. Please pass along and spread the word:
1. That all traditional Catholics, upon its promulgation, welcome it with humility and joy and not a “we win” attitude;
2. That non-traditional Catholics see it less as an attack on the Novus Ordo Mass and liturgy but as an opportunity to grow their own Faith and return to the Church’s roots and the way of the Saints;
3. That our bishops accept it in joy and gladness and profound respect for the Holy Father and implement it fully and without hesitation understanding that, while we do not just “prefer” the Traditional Latin Mass but desire it exclusively, we also do not question the validity of the Novus Ordo Mass if it adheres fully to the rubrics of the new missal and absent of abuses;
4. That our bishops ensure at least one Traditional Latin Mass every day of the week, every week of the year;
5. That every priest who wishes to pray the Traditional Latin Mass, whether publicly or privately, be able to do so without threat or intimidation by his bishop or the lay people of the diocese;
6. That, if a diocese does not have a priest who wishes to pray the Traditional Latin Mass daily, the bishop work with a traditional group like the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) or the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP) to bring one of their priests into his diocese for this purpose;
7. That each and every diocese has at least one full parish that offers only the Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments as well as the traditional Baltimore Catechism for the formation of traditional young Catholics;
8. That our bishops provide at least one traditional Catholic school per diocese in order that our children may receive a classical Catholic education focused on the traditional Faith and Sacraments;
9. That every bishop once a year confirms young, traditional Catholics into the Church in the traditional rite (which does not include a Mass during the ceremony);
10. That every diocese has at least one parish with more than one Traditional Latin Mass each Sunday so that traditional Catholics have a choice in Mass times like all other Catholics who assist at the Novus Ordo Mass;
11. That at least one parish have a priest who exclusively prays the Traditional Latin Mass and is not forced to “concelebrate” with Novus Ordo priests or confer new rite sacraments at another parish;
12. That there be no mixing of the rites – if 1962 is the year for which traditionalism is recognized, then nothing post-1962 should ever enter the Traditional Latin Mass, Sacraments or liturgy;
13. That the traditional calendar in place in 1962 is used in accordance with each and every Traditional Latin Mass;
14. That at least one Traditional Latin Mass is available on each and every Holy Day of Obligation in effect in 1962 according to the traditional calendar;
15. That every attempt is made by each bishop to bring any and all independent chapels or Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) chapels into full communion with him in his diocese. If they refuse, so be it, but at least make an honest attempt for the sake of the Faith.
Many bishops are already using the talking points that they already allow a Traditional Latin Mass and “there really just isn’t any interest.” That is because, in most cases, they grant only one Mass a Sunday, at an hour too late in the day for most to attend, in the worst neighborhood in town, without the traditional Sacraments or chance of a daily Mass. Once they make it impossible to survive, they tell the media no one wants “that old Mass.” Let’s pray they put these desires into action and see what kind of response they get.
While there is much more than this which is needed to finally bring the One True Faith back to its full glory in the future, this would be a wonderful and holy place to start once the motu proprio is promulgated. Let us pray that all Catholics, whether traditionally minded or not, welcome the wishes of the Holy Father and pray that this undertaking of his brings us closer together as we once were. Oremus pro invicem.
Hi! I'm from Brazil and I help to a convent of the Tradition Catholic. The sisters sing gregorianas musics, but she does not have adequate partitions, nor musics to the feminine voice… Do you could help them please?
The address:
Capela Santa Terezinha
Rua José Luiz Carneiro Camargo, 83, Jardim Auxiliadora
CEP 79051-701 - Campo Grande MS BRAZIL
I'm so sorry for my bad English... I'm a italian woman that live in Brazil
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