Thursday, March 17, Saint Patrick's Day
Jeremiah,
Chapter 23, Verse 4
I will raise up shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear or
be terrified; none shall be missing—oracle of the LORD.
During the season of Lent
we offer our suffering up to Christ to unite with His suffering and as our
shepherd, He guides us through this time to bring us into his glory.
One such shepherd that God
raised was St. Patrick.
ST. PATRICK[1] was
born towards the close of the fourth century, but the place of his birth is not
positively known. Britain and Scotland both claim the honor, but the best
authorities seem to agree upon Brittany, in France. In his sixteenth year he
was carried into captivity by certain barbarians, who took him into Ireland, where
he was obliged to keep cattle on the mountains and in the forests, in hunger
and nakedness, amidst snows, rain, and ice. The young man had recourse to God with
his whole heart in fervent prayer and fasting: and from that time faith and the
love of God acquired continually new strength in his tender soul. After six months
spent in slavery under the same master St. Patrick was admonished by God in a dream
to return to his own country, and informed that a ship was then ready to sail thither.
He went at once to the seacoast, though at a great distance, and found the vessel.
After three days sail they made land, but wandered twenty-seven days through deserts,
and were a long while distressed for want of provisions. Patrick assured the company
that if they would address themselves with their whole hearts to the true God He
would hear and succor them. They did so, and on the same day met with a herd of
swine. From that time provisions never failed them, till on the twenty-seventh day
they came into a country that was cultivated and inhabited. Some years afterwards
he was again led captive, but recovered his liberty after two months. When he was
at home with his parents, God manifested to him, by divers visions, that He destined
him to the great work of the conversion of Ireland. The writers of his life say
that after his second captivity he travelled into Gaul and Italy, and saw St. Martin,
St. Germanus of Auxerre, and Pope Celestine, and that he received his mission and
the apostolical benediction from this Pope, who died in 432. Great opposition was
made to his episcopal consecration and mission, both by his own relations and by
the clergy; but the Lord, Whose will he consulted by earnest prayer, supported
him, and he persevered in his resolution. He forsook his family, sold his birthright
and dignity to serve strangers, and consecrated his soul to God, to carry His name
to the ends of the earth. In this disposition he passed into Ireland to preach the
Gospel, penetrating into the remotest corners; and such was the fruit of his preaching’s
and sufferings that he baptized an infinite number of people. He ordained everywhere
clergymen, induced women to live in holy widowhood and continence, consecrated virgins
to Christ, and instituted monks. He took nothing from the many thousands whom he
baptized, but gave freely of his own, both to pagans and Christians,
distributed large alms to the poor in the provinces where he passed, and maintained
and educated many children, whom he trained to serve at the altar. The happy success
of his labors cost him many persecutions. He died and was buried at Down, in
Ulster. His body was found there in a church of his name in 1185, and translated
to another part of the same church.
WARRIORS
BREASTPLATE OF ST. PATRICK
I
bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead, His eye to watch, his
might to stay, His ear to hearken to my need; the wisdom of my God to teach,
his hand to guide, his shield to ward; the word of God to give me speech, his
heavenly host to be my guard. Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ
behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to
comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet,
Christ in danger, Christ in the hearts of all that love me, Christ in the mouth
of friend and stranger. Amen
Indulgences[2]
An indulgence is the
marriage of divine justice and mercy. We all have sinned and justice demands
restitution-justice demands a righting of the wrong in the spiritual realm. We
are not just let go of our sin, it is paid not by us but by the blood of Christ
and the saints. It is not a forgiveness of our debt; it is paid by others; by
Christ, Mary and the Saints from the infinite treasury of their merits. On the
cross, Jesus pronounced, “It is finished.” When Christ gave up his life: he
empowered us, through the Holy Spirit, to share in his own life, death, and
resurrection. He transferred to us everything that he had merited. By his death
he entrusted to the Holy Spirit his redemptive work. The Spirit applies to the
saints and to all of us what Christ merited through his life, death and
resurrection. The greatest of our church is that it also allows us to intercede
for the debt of others, even those who have died and are now in purgatory. An
indulgence allows us to ask for payment for the debt from this treasury of God’s
mercy. We can do this if we are in a state of grace and have fulfilled other
conditions of 1) confession 2) communion and 3) prayers for the pope.
ON INDULGENCES[3]
What is an indulgence? It is the remission granted by the Church, in
the name of God, and on account of the merits of Jesus Christ and of all the saints,
of the temporal punishment which men must suffer, either in this world or in the
world to come, for sins that have been already forgiven.
Whence do we know that after sins are forgiven there yet remains a temporal
punishment? From Holy Scripture; thus God imposed upon Adam and Eve great temporal
punishments, although He forgave them their sin (Gen. iii.). Moses and Aaron were
punished for a slight want of confidence in God (Num. xx. 24; Deut. xxxii. 51).
David, though forgiven, was obliged to submit to great temporal punishments (n.
Kings xii.). Finally, faith teaches us that after death we must suffer in purgatory
till we have paid the last farthing (Matt. v. 26).
Can the Church remit all temporal punishments, even those
imposed by God Himself, and why? Certainly, by virtue of the power to
bind and to loose which Christ has given her (Matt, xviii. 18). For if the Church
has received from God the power to remit sins which is the greater she certainly
has authority to remit the punishment of them which is the less. Moreover, it
is by the bands of punishment that we are hindered from reaching the kingdom of
God.
But if the Church can loose all bands, why not this? Finally, Jesus
certainly had power to remit the temporal punishment of sins ; and the power which
He Himself had He gave to His disciples.
What is required in order rightly to gain an indulgence? In order to
gain an indulgence it is necessary: I. To be In the grace of God. It is proper,
therefore, to go to confession every time that one begins the good works enjoined
for the gaining of an indulgence. In granting partial indulgences sacramental confession
is not usually prescribed, but if one who is in the state of mortal sin wishes to
gain the indulgence, he must at least make an act of true contrition with a
firm purpose of going to confession. 2. It is necessary to have at least a
general intention of gaining the indulgences. 3. It is necessary to perform in person
and with devotion all the good works enjoined as to time, manner, end, etc., according
to the terms in which the indulgence is granted. To gain plenary indulgences, confession,
communion, a visit to some church or public oratory, and pious prayers are
usually prescribed. If visits to a church are prescribed, Holy Communion may be
received in any church, but the indulgenced prayers must be said in that church
in which the indulgence is granted, and on the prescribed day. As to prayers, it
is recommended that there be said seven times the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory
be to the Father, and Creed.
Prayer for gaining an Indulgence.
“We beseech Thee, O Lord, graciously
accept the petitions of Thy holy Church that Thou wouldst deliver her from all adversities,
root out from her all heresies, and unite all Christian rulers and princes, and
exalt Thy holy Church on earth that we may all serve Thee in peace and quietness.”
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