Monday of the 6th Week of Eastertide
Begin with the Prayers before Lectio Divina.
Lectio [Reading]
Holy Gospel according to St. John: 15:26 - 16:4 (DRV)
And it came to pass, that Jesus said to His Disciples: But when the Paraclete cometh, Whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, He shall give testimony of Me. And you shall give testimony, because you are with Me from the beginning. These things have I spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized. They will put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a service to God. And these things will they do to you; because they have not known the Father, nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the hour shall come, you may remember that I told you of them.
Holy Gospel according to St. John: 15:26 - 16:4 (DRV)
And it came to pass, that Jesus said to His Disciples: But when the Paraclete cometh, Whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceedeth from the Father, He shall give testimony of Me. And you shall give testimony, because you are with Me from the beginning. These things have I spoken to you, that you may not be scandalized. They will put you out of the synagogues: yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a service to God. And these things will they do to you; because they have not known the Father, nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the hour shall come, you may remember that I told you of them.
Meditatio [Meditation]
Thus are the words of Our Lord to His Apostles from today's Holy Gospel. And indeed, not just to them, but to us also this day! For whatsoever the Lord said to them is true for us also, the same words being carried down through the ages by the Church, faithfully recorded in Holy Writ and most wonderfully expounded upon by the venerable and orthodox Fathers, Doctors and all the other sacred writers.
Firstly, the Lord informs us that when the Holy Ghost shall come to us, He will give testimony of Christ, that is, He shall confirm all that Christ has established, in the first place confirming the Divine Constitution of the Holy Church by conferring to the Apostles His Power to preach to all nations, regardless of whatsoever oppositions the Devil shall place in front of them. He will imbue the Church with His own Divine Holiness and Authority, and since He is the "Spirit of truth" He cannot lie, deceive nor be deceived. The Holy Ghost, also, will give testimony of Jesus Christ through the Apostles by preserving them from all dangers as far as He Wills; help ease the publishing of the Gospel, which the Holy Fathers taught was the reason why the Roman Empire was founded, so that Rome would be converted to the Faith and allow the Gospel to be preached without let or hindrance; arouse in men's hearts the grace to hear and keep the words of Christ, and keep, profess and even die for the Faith and Teachings that the Apostolic College shall pronounce. Even to our own day, we are called by the Holy Spirit to bear testimony of Jesus Christ to all, and even to die for this testimony because we are "from the beginning", that is, the Church was founded at the beginning of Salvation, and shall endure to the consummation of the world, and also because the Faithful, the Elect of Christ, were predestined from the beginning, even from before all time, to come to the True Faith. And being come in unto this Faith, we are called saints, viz., we are called to be holy like Christ and His Father, wherefore He commanded us likewise to be perfect. This perfection comes only by the Holy Ghost.
We should take time to note that Our Dearest Saviour wished us not to be scandalised by His Words, even when heretics shall arise in the Church. In every age, somewhere in the Church, the Devil perniciously excites men of weak and timid faith to dissent from the Truth, and to publish abroad a Gospel contrary to the one we have heard (Gal. i, 9; 2 Corinth. xi, 4); if St. Paul had the authority to anathematize an Angel for daring to speak a false Gospel then how more so a man? These heretics, and no greater a heretic is there than Martin Luther, the Heresiarch of Germany, wrest the Divine Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Pet. iii, 16) and pervert the unsullied Faith of Holy Mother Church. These men, which the Apostle to the Gentiles calls “unlearned”, which in Greek means “idiot”, foolishly divine so fabulous a doctrine with which to deceive the Flock of Christ, that they judge themselves, because their heresies are made manifest, and by this the Holy Ghost raises up holy men to marvellously expound the true Teaching of the Church, so that the same Church may banish from Her ranks those who dissent from Her Doctrines. In this 3rd Millennium of Salvation, the faithful are scandalised more due to there being a larger population both within the Church and without Her. A greater population in the Church allows for more to be converted to heresy.
“[Y]ea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a service to God” ------ Murder doesn’t always denote a physical murder, but spiritual as well. For the Devil raises up firstly in the Church physical murders, by which the Faithful are martyred for their Mother Church; next, he raises up spiritual murders in the form of heresy, so that the Faith, which gives life to the body and soul, is killed, leading to eternal death in Hell. All this he does for he was a murderer from the beginning, by which Christ denounced him, since he drove our First Parents to be spiritually murdered by Original Sin, which then lead to physical death. In the first centuries, the Jews thought that killing a Christian was a service to God, which Our Lord forewarns of – firstly to teach the Apostles so they will remember, as He Himself states at the end of this passage, secondly to warn the Pharisees that their persecution would anger the Divine Majesty. Even in our own age, the Muslims think to kill a son of the Cross does a service to God. However, Our Lord explains why they do such a thing, for He says, “these things will they do to you; because they have not known the Father, nor Me”. We must understand why all such persecution takes place – because those who commit so heinous a crime do not know the Father, nor the Son. Hence the reason why Luther committed the great heresy of the 16th Century, because he didn’t understand the Father and the Son, and being perverted by his own divining of Scripture, he taught so unthinkable a doctrine which has now caused thousands upon thousands of sects to well up within Protestantism.
Thus are the words of Our Lord to His Apostles from today's Holy Gospel. And indeed, not just to them, but to us also this day! For whatsoever the Lord said to them is true for us also, the same words being carried down through the ages by the Church, faithfully recorded in Holy Writ and most wonderfully expounded upon by the venerable and orthodox Fathers, Doctors and all the other sacred writers.
Firstly, the Lord informs us that when the Holy Ghost shall come to us, He will give testimony of Christ, that is, He shall confirm all that Christ has established, in the first place confirming the Divine Constitution of the Holy Church by conferring to the Apostles His Power to preach to all nations, regardless of whatsoever oppositions the Devil shall place in front of them. He will imbue the Church with His own Divine Holiness and Authority, and since He is the "Spirit of truth" He cannot lie, deceive nor be deceived. The Holy Ghost, also, will give testimony of Jesus Christ through the Apostles by preserving them from all dangers as far as He Wills; help ease the publishing of the Gospel, which the Holy Fathers taught was the reason why the Roman Empire was founded, so that Rome would be converted to the Faith and allow the Gospel to be preached without let or hindrance; arouse in men's hearts the grace to hear and keep the words of Christ, and keep, profess and even die for the Faith and Teachings that the Apostolic College shall pronounce. Even to our own day, we are called by the Holy Spirit to bear testimony of Jesus Christ to all, and even to die for this testimony because we are "from the beginning", that is, the Church was founded at the beginning of Salvation, and shall endure to the consummation of the world, and also because the Faithful, the Elect of Christ, were predestined from the beginning, even from before all time, to come to the True Faith. And being come in unto this Faith, we are called saints, viz., we are called to be holy like Christ and His Father, wherefore He commanded us likewise to be perfect. This perfection comes only by the Holy Ghost.
We should take time to note that Our Dearest Saviour wished us not to be scandalised by His Words, even when heretics shall arise in the Church. In every age, somewhere in the Church, the Devil perniciously excites men of weak and timid faith to dissent from the Truth, and to publish abroad a Gospel contrary to the one we have heard (Gal. i, 9; 2 Corinth. xi, 4); if St. Paul had the authority to anathematize an Angel for daring to speak a false Gospel then how more so a man? These heretics, and no greater a heretic is there than Martin Luther, the Heresiarch of Germany, wrest the Divine Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Pet. iii, 16) and pervert the unsullied Faith of Holy Mother Church. These men, which the Apostle to the Gentiles calls “unlearned”, which in Greek means “idiot”, foolishly divine so fabulous a doctrine with which to deceive the Flock of Christ, that they judge themselves, because their heresies are made manifest, and by this the Holy Ghost raises up holy men to marvellously expound the true Teaching of the Church, so that the same Church may banish from Her ranks those who dissent from Her Doctrines. In this 3rd Millennium of Salvation, the faithful are scandalised more due to there being a larger population both within the Church and without Her. A greater population in the Church allows for more to be converted to heresy.
“[Y]ea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a service to God” ------ Murder doesn’t always denote a physical murder, but spiritual as well. For the Devil raises up firstly in the Church physical murders, by which the Faithful are martyred for their Mother Church; next, he raises up spiritual murders in the form of heresy, so that the Faith, which gives life to the body and soul, is killed, leading to eternal death in Hell. All this he does for he was a murderer from the beginning, by which Christ denounced him, since he drove our First Parents to be spiritually murdered by Original Sin, which then lead to physical death. In the first centuries, the Jews thought that killing a Christian was a service to God, which Our Lord forewarns of – firstly to teach the Apostles so they will remember, as He Himself states at the end of this passage, secondly to warn the Pharisees that their persecution would anger the Divine Majesty. Even in our own age, the Muslims think to kill a son of the Cross does a service to God. However, Our Lord explains why they do such a thing, for He says, “these things will they do to you; because they have not known the Father, nor Me”. We must understand why all such persecution takes place – because those who commit so heinous a crime do not know the Father, nor the Son. Hence the reason why Luther committed the great heresy of the 16th Century, because he didn’t understand the Father and the Son, and being perverted by his own divining of Scripture, he taught so unthinkable a doctrine which has now caused thousands upon thousands of sects to well up within Protestantism.
Oratio [Prayer]
O Lord Jesus Christ, the Church is with Thee from the beginning, for Thou hast preordained that She alone wouldst carry Thy Mark and be faithful to Thy Command. I give Thee thanks for drawing me from the world into the Holy Congregation which Thou didst fashion after Thy Own Likeness, so that I would be worthy to know Thee and Thy Father in the grace of the Holy Ghost. O Lord, give me always to know Thee, especially in my state in life, so that all that I do may be a prayer pleasing to Thy Sacred Heart. O Lord Christ, may the Holy Apostles intercede for me that I may remember Thy Gospel, and in the company of the Holy Ghost rejoice that I have come to the Fount of Salvific Life. Preserve me from all heresy and keep me faithful to the Holy Church, which is the Gate of Heaven. Amen
O Lord Jesus Christ, the Church is with Thee from the beginning, for Thou hast preordained that She alone wouldst carry Thy Mark and be faithful to Thy Command. I give Thee thanks for drawing me from the world into the Holy Congregation which Thou didst fashion after Thy Own Likeness, so that I would be worthy to know Thee and Thy Father in the grace of the Holy Ghost. O Lord, give me always to know Thee, especially in my state in life, so that all that I do may be a prayer pleasing to Thy Sacred Heart. O Lord Christ, may the Holy Apostles intercede for me that I may remember Thy Gospel, and in the company of the Holy Ghost rejoice that I have come to the Fount of Salvific Life. Preserve me from all heresy and keep me faithful to the Holy Church, which is the Gate of Heaven. Amen
Contemplatio [Contemplation]
How can I come to know the Father and the Son? Do I listen to the Holy Spirit in His Inspirations? Have I ever consented to disbelieve in anything that the Church teaches? How can I put into action the things which the Lord has spoken to me this day?
How can I come to know the Father and the Son? Do I listen to the Holy Spirit in His Inspirations? Have I ever consented to disbelieve in anything that the Church teaches? How can I put into action the things which the Lord has spoken to me this day?