Saints, Feast, Family
- Traditions passed down with Cooking, Crafting, & Caring -
June 22
Saint of the day:
ST.
THOMAS MORE
Luke, Chapter 12, Verse 32
Do not be AFRAID any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give
you the kingdom.
What is the Kingdom of God?[1]
Did you know
that the phrase, “Kingdom of God” occurs 122 times in the New Testament?
Did you know that 99 of
these occurrences are found in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark,
and Luke)?
Did you know that 90 of
those 99 occurrences come from the mouth of Jesus?
Jesus
of Nazareth, volume 1 by, now, pope emeritus
Benedict. If you haven’t read it yet, you really should. Let’s examine three
historic and harmonizing interpretations of the kingdom of God, each of which
shed light on this important concept.
The Christological Dimension
Here we see that “the
Kingdom is not a thing; it is not a geographical dominion like worldly
kingdoms. It is a person; it is he. On this interpretation, the term ‘Kingdom
of God’ is itself a veiled Christology. By the way in which he speaks of the
Kingdom of God, Jesus leads men to realize the overwhelming fact that in him
God himself is present among them, that he is God’s presence.” (Pope Benedict,
Jesus of Nazareth, Part 1)
The Idealistic/Mystical Dimension
Here we see that The
Kingdom of God resides in the heart of man. Church Father, Origen wrote, “those
who pray for the coming of the Kingdom of God pray without any doubt for the
Kingdom of God that they contain in themselves, and they pray that this kingdom
might bear fruit and attain its fullness.”
The Ecclesiastical Dimension
Here we see that the
kingdom of God is in the here and now, present in and through the Church. Yet
it is a mixed reality that will only be perfectly realized at the end of
history. This current “mixed” state can be seen as the Church on earth which
now grows in the field of the world with both weeds and wheat until the harvest
when Christ says he will “tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind
them in bundles to be burned. But gather the wheat into my barn” (Matt
13:30).
Sir Thomas More-Honesty[2]
John McCain in his book entitled “Character is
Destiny” tells us that Sir Thomas More surrendered everything for the truth as
he saw it and shamed a king with the courage of his conscience. Thomas was a
brilliant student. He loved learning and would for the rest of his life prefer
the less prestigious but more satisfying rewards of a scholar to the riches and
power of the king’s court. He was part of a movement called humanism, whose
followers were faithful to the Church but hoped to encourage a better understanding
of the Gospels and their more honest application to the workings of society.
They studied the great Greek and Roman philosophers, whose views on morality
and just societies they believed complemented their Christian principles. They
were passionate in pursuit of the truth as revealed by God, and by discovery
through study and scholarly debate and discussion. They thought the world could
be made gentler with Christian love and greater learning—love and learning that
served not only the nobility of court and Church, but all mankind. Thomas was a
devout Christian, and for a time lived in a monastery with the intention of
entering the priesthood. The monastic life was one of isolation and
self-denial. And though he took his religious devotion seriously, he loved the
comforts of family life, and the rewards of learning and earthly pleasures as
well: music and art, reading and writing, friendship and conversation and
jests. He loved his city, London, then the greatest capital of Northern Europe.
He loved life. So, he left the cloister for a wife and family, and returned to
the worldly affairs of men. His love of learning and truth was second only to
his love of God, and he encouraged his children, for the sake of their
happiness, to seek truth through learning as well as scripture. He cultivated
friendships and exchanged letters with some of the greatest minds in Europe,
including with the Dutch priest and famous humanist philosopher Erasmus, who
became More’s greatest admirer outside his family, and whose description of
More became the title by which he is still remembered to this day: “a man for
all seasons.” His scholarly reputation and skill as a scrupulously honest
lawyer first gained the attention of the king’s most powerful counselor, the
lord chancellor of England, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. An ambitious and shrewd
politician, Wolsey recognized the younger man’s talents, and pressed him into
the king’s service. Serving first as a diplomat, then in a series of
increasingly powerful offices at court, knighted, and given lands and wealth,
More became a favorite of Wolsey’s and Henry’s. And while he might have
preferred the life of a philosopher, husband, and father to the rigors of
public life, he no doubt took pride in the king’s confidence and favor. When
Wolsey’s downfall came that would lead in time to Thomas’s death, Henry made
his friend, Thomas, Lord Chancellor. It was the highest office at court, and
Thomas More was the first layman to hold it. His appointment was greeted
favorably by the court and public alike, for Thomas was known by one and all as
an honest man, who would conscientiously discharge the duties of his office. As
it turned out, he was too honest for his king. Thomas More waged an
intellectual and judicial war against the followers of Luther that was at times
surprisingly aggressive and even cruel for such a reasonable and just man. In
the beginning, he had the king’s full support in his persecution and
prosecution of “heretics.” More defended the Church out of religious principle,
and because he and the king feared the uncontrollable social disorder that a
permanent split among the faithful would surely cause. But his hatred, if it
could be called that in such a mild man, was for the heresy and not the
heretics. Death was the judgment for heretics in the courts that Thomas More
governed, but he went to great lengths to encourage the accused to recant their
views and escape their sentence. In fact, in the many cases he prosecuted, all
the accused except for four poor souls, who went to their deaths rather than
recant, escaped the headman’s ax. More was diligent in his duty, but a much
more powerful threat than Luther’s protests had encouraged was growing to the
Catholic Church in England. Henry’s queen, Catherine of Aragon, had failed to
produce a surviving male heir. Henry was determined to have a new wife who
could give him a healthy son. Other kings and nobles had received from the pope
annulments of their marriage. But the most powerful king in Europe, the Holy
Roman Emperor Charles V, was Catherine’s nephew, and he had great influence
with Pope Clement VII. He persuaded Clement not to grant an annulment that
would remove the crown from his aunt’s head. Once Henry fell in love with Anne
Boleyn, the fifteen-year-old daughter of a scheming courtier, he would no
longer accept papal opposition to his desire to remarry. In this dangerous and
growing conflict, Thomas More became a central figure, and he would struggle
with all his intellect, lawyer’s skills, and courage to obey his king without
forsaking his church. It would prove impossible. Initially More
dutifully served the king’s wishes, arguing in Parliament that there were
grounds to consider the marriage to Catherine unlawful. But when the king
declared himself, and not the pope, to be the supreme head of the Church in
England, More offered the king his resignation. Henry refused it and promised
his friend that he would never be forced to take any action that his conscience
would not permit. But the king’s assurance was hollow, and soon both he and More
realized that the king’s desires and More’s conscience could not be reconciled.
More again asked the king to accept his resignation, and this time, Henry
agreed. For many months, he was careful not to speak against the king’s wishes,
in public or in private. But he declined to attend the king’s wedding to Anne
Boleyn. When Parliament passed a law requiring the king’s subjects to sign an
oath recognizing Anne as queen, and any children she might bear Henry as
legitimate heirs to the throne, he refused to sign it because it denied the
pope’s authority over the Church in England. He was arrested and imprisoned in
the Tower of London. He remained there until his trial fifteen months later.
The jury, which included Anne Boleyn’s father, brother, and uncle, found him
guilty and sentenced him to be hanged, and drawn and quartered. Then More spoke
his conscience and said he could not in his own heart accept the king as head
of the English Church. The death to which he was first sentenced would have
been a far slower and more painful death than he was made to suffer in the end.
Henry, mercifully, permitted his old friend and counselor to die by beheading.
On the day of his execution, he had some difficulty climbing the scaffold
steps. He thanked the guard who helped him but joked that he should be allowed
to “shift for myself” when he came back down. He recited a prayer of
repentance. The hooded executioner, as was the custom, begged the condemned
man’s forgiveness. More gave him a coin, kissed him, and thanked him for giving
him a “greater benefit than ever any mortal man can be able to give me.” And
then the man who had all his life loved to jest, made one last joke. As he
knelt to place his head upon the block, he asked for a moment to arrange his
long beard so that it wouldn’t be severed by the ax, observing that as far as
he knew his beard had not offended the king. In his last address, spoken
moments earlier, he had asked the crowd of witnesses to pray for his soul and
for the king, for he died “the King’s good servant, but God’s first.” One swift
stroke and the king’s will was done. The life on earth of honest Thomas More
was ended. His glory had just begun.
Things
to Do:[3]
·
A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt is a
wonderful play that captures much of St. Thomas More's vitality. There is a
1966 movie by the same title that stars Paul Scofield as St. Thomas. If you
haven't watched the movie or read the play yet, put it on your priority list.
·
Read more on the life of St. Thomas More. For
youth, Saint Thomas More of London by Elizabeth Ince, a reprint of
the wonderful Vision Books series. For adults, the newer book The King's Good Servant but God's First : The Life and Writings
of Saint Thomas More by James Monti which explores the life and writings of
St. Thomas More. Also Scepter Publishers has a biography Thomas More: A Portrait of Courage by Gerard B. Wegemer.
· For some writings by St. Thomas More, see The Sadness of Christ (Yale University Press Translation) and Four Last Things: The Supplication of Souls: A Dialogue on Conscience.
·
If you or your children are considering a career
as a lawyer you might find Dr.
Charles Rice's article helpful.
·
Learn more about St. Thomas More at Catholic News Agency
·
Read St. Thomas
More: A Saint for Adopted Children and Widowers
·
Read St. Thomas More, martyr of the English Reformation
·
Read Saint Thomas More, Martyr, Chancellor of
England at EWTN
·
Watch this YouTube
video on St. Thomas More
·
Read about the Thomas More Society, a
not-for-profit, national public interest law firm dedicated to restoring
respect in law for life, family, and religious liberty here
·
Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.
Religious Freedom Week
All people desire to know their Creator. All people have a natural impulse to seek the good and to live in accordance with that good. All people can flourish when they pursue the truth about God and respond to the truth. Religious freedom means that all people have the space to flourish. Religious freedom is both an American value and an important part of Catholic teaching on human dignity. When we promote religious freedom, we promote the common good and thus strengthen the life of our nation and the community of nations. Learn more at www.usccb.org/ReligiousFreedomWeek!
Catechism of the
Catholic Church
PART ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
SECTION ONE-"I BELIEVE" -
"WE BELIEVE"
CHAPTER TWO GOD COMES TO MEET MAN
Article 2-THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION
IN BRIEF
96 What
Christ entrusted to the apostles, they in turn handed on by their preaching and
writing, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to all generations, until
Christ returns in glory.
97
"Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture make up a single sacred deposit of
the Word of God" (DV 10) in which, as in a mirror, the pilgrim Church
contemplates God, the source of all her riches.
98
"The Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits
to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes" (DV 8
# 1).
99 Thanks
to its supernatural sense of faith, the People of God as a whole never ceases
to welcome, to penetrate more deeply and to live more fully from the gift of
divine Revelation.
100 The
task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to
the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in
communion with him.
Vinny’s
Corner
Every
year on June 22, we celebrate National HVAC
Tech Day, a day dedicated to the skilled technicians who keep our heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning systems running smoothly.
How to Celebrate National HVAC Tech
Day
·
Shoutout
to the Techs! Blast out a message on social media to celebrate the unsung
heroes of HVAC. Highlight their dedication and hard work with a personalized
post that shows how much you appreciate their service. Don’t forget to tag your
favorite techs and include the hashtag #NationalHVACTechDay.
·
Gift
a Cool Tool. Surprise your favorite HVAC technician with a handy tool they can
use on the job. Make sure to choose something practical, like a gadget that
will make their workday a bit easier. A thoughtful gift shows you understand
and support their skills.
·
Treat
Them to a Meal. There’s no better way to say “thank you” than with a delicious
meal. Treat your tech to breakfast before their busy day begins, or hand them a
gift card for a well-deserved break. Showing kindness with food is always a
hit.
·
Learn
About HVAC. Attending a local seminar to dive into the world of HVAC
technology. You’ll gain a deeper appreciation for what technicians do and maybe
even learn how to keep your system running better.
·
Take
Care of Your System. Keeping your HVAC system in top shape not only helps you
but also eases your technician’s workload. Regular maintenance, like changing
the filter, ensures your tech won’t have to work as hard to keep your system
running efficiently.
Daily
Devotions
·
Do not be guided by feeling; it is
not always under your control; but all merit lies in the will. Will is an act of Love.
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Increase
of Vocations to the Holy Priesthood.
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[2]McCain, John; Salter, Mark. Character
Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult
Should Remember
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