Saints – Page 76

The Holy Maccabees

The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

May this fraternal crown of Thy Martyrs gladden us, O Lord, that so our faith may be strengthened and we may be comforted by the prayers of many intercessors.

The Wisdom of God’s own seven pillars are all, a seven-branched lamp that shine with the Light Divine, Great Martyrs that were before the Martyrs, O all-wise Maccabees, with them pray that the God of all to whom we who now sing your praises may be saved. (Kontakion, tone 2)

(Some will be surprised to see a group of Jewish martyrs inserted in the Roman Liturgy. But it ought not be too surprising. Today a commemoration in the Roman Missal (1962) is that of these holy martyrs. The honoring of the Holy Maccabees is not a liturgical memorial that is found in the current sacramentary because the beloved Liguori is now on August 1. One can hope that the Holy Maccabees will be observed on the Novus Ordo calendar again! On the former liturgical calendar August 1 observed the Holy Maccabees as St Alphonse was celebrated on August 2. As a point of ecclesial comparison, the Orthodox Church maintains today as dedicated to these 7 Jewish Martyrs.

The Christian churches, east and west, honor the witnesses to God because of the steadfastness these people demonstrated for the revealed faith. In the face of persecution they lived and hoped according to the Law and the Fathers. That is, these 7 brothers refused to worship pagan gods and to break the kosher dietary laws; once they accepted the reality of who God was there was no turning away from Him, even at the threat of death. Therefore, the presence of the Jewish Martyrs on the Christian liturgical calendar signify recognition of the righteousness of many before the birth of Christ who are justly recognized as saints for the incredible faith. As they are models for the Jews they also are models for Catholics and Orthodox to live the faith with vigor. It’s rather significant that Saint Ambrose of Milan spoke of the Maccabean martyrs in his work, On Jacob and the blessed life.)

Saint Alphonsus Liguori

You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost
its taste, how shall its saltness be restored? It is no longer good for
anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

Father, you constantly
build up your Church by the lives of your saints. Give us the grace to follow
Saint Alphonsus in his loving concern for the salvation of men, and so come to
share his reward in heaven.

Saint Peter Chrysologus

The Lord led the just in right paths, and showed him the kingdom of God.

O God, Who did miraculously select the illustrious Doctor, Peter Chrysologus, to govern and instruct Thy Church; grant we beseech Thee, that we may deserve to have him as an intercessor in heaven, whom we had as a teacher of life on earth.

O Mystery of God’s own love,

Once hid, but now from heav’n above

Come down in Christ to save us all

Who were enslaved, in evil’s thrall:

For Peter, shepherd of Your sheep,

Your Church’s feast of joy we keep;

His faithful witness to Your Word

Made Gospel truth be always heard.

Dispenser of the mystery

Of God-made-man, he sought to be

A preacher fearless in the sight

Of all who searched for heaven’s light.

All glory, Lord, to you we bring

As in this summertime we sing

To Father and to Spirit blest;

With Peter, give us endless rest!

LM (88 88), no suggested tune

Saints Martha, Mary & Lazarus

With the Church we pray:

Heavenly Father, your son was received as an honored
and welcome guest in the home of Bethany. Keep us close to the Master in our prayer and work that, blameless in his sight, he may welcome us into our eternal home, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

(Today, the Roman Missal observes the feast of Saint Martha and the Benedictine Missal supplement observes together the memorial of all three saints, Martha, Mary & Lazarus. Since it’s the preference of this blog writer to follow a diversity of Missals, I am using the collect found in the Benedictine missal supplement because the collect there gives the feast a slightly different sense in our liturgical monastic sensibility today. Of prime concern is the remembrance of monastic hospitality and these saints are known to be hosts of the Lord. Our work today, then, is look at those areas in our life where hospitality exists and where it is unfortunately restrained or non-existent.)

Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of Mary

Mother Anne, be joyful;

sing, O mother holy,

Since thou art the parent

O God’s Mother lowly.

Praise thy wondrous daughter;

Joachim, too raises

To the Virgin Mary

His paternal praises.

For in her our planet

First hath benediction

Which hapless Eva

Suffered malediction.

Therefore take the praises

Joyous hearts are paying;

And from all defilement

Cleanse us by thy praying.

Father, Son eternal,

Holy Ghost supernal,

With one praise we bless Thee,

Three in One confess Thee. Amen.

(the Lauds hymn for the feast)

O God, Who did choose blessed Joachim and Anne to be the parents of the glorious Mother of Thine only-begotten Son, grant us through their prayers to praise Thy mercy forever in the fellowship of Thine elect.

Saint James the Greater, Apostle

O daughters of Jerusalem come and see the Martyrs with crowns, whom the Lord has crowned on the day of solemnity and joy, alleluia, alleluia.

We beseech Thee, O Lord, keep and sanctify Thy people, that strengthened by the help of Thine Apostle James they may please Thee by their conduct and serve Thee with a quiet mind.

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf

Every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

God our Father in Saint Sharbel Makhluf, You gave a light to Your faithful people. You made him a pastor of the Church to feed Your sheep with his word and to teach them by his example. Help us by his prayers to keep the faith he taught and follow the way of life he showed us.

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf (1828-1898) was born in a small Lebanese mountain village who became, at 23 years old, a monk of the Lebanese Maronite Order and later ordained a priest in 1859. He is known for his intense devotion to lectio divina, the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sensing a deeper call in 1875, he began a solitary life (as a hermit) which he lived for twenty-three years of his life. Sharbel’s witness taught us about the virtues of poverty, self-sacrifice, and prayer in world dominated by an attraction to money, power and fame. Since July 24, 2004 Saint Sharbel has been introduced the liturgical observance in the sacred Liturgy.

Archbishop Francis M. Zayek said of Saint Sharbel:

“Reading about the holy hermits of the desert, we used to consider many reported facts as mere fables. In the life of Blessed Sharbel, however, we notice that these facts are authentic and true. Blessed Sharbel is another Saint Anthony of the Desert, or Saint Pachomius, or Saint Paul the Anchorite. It is marvelous to observe how you, Maronites, have preserved the same spirituality of the fathers of the desert throughout the centuries, and at the end of the nineteenth century, 1500 years later, produced a Sharbel for the Church.”

(The icon was painted by iconographer Christine Habib el Dayé. Other pieces of the artist’s work can be seen here and she can also be found on Facebook.)

Saint Bridget of Sweden

Lord, our God, you revealed the secrets of heaven to Saint Bridget as she meditated on your Son’s Passion. Grant that we your servants may find great joy when your glory is revealed.

“In Christ’s death, I have died now;

In Christ I live anew.

With faith in God’s Son, Jesus,

That keeps me ever true,

I know the love he’s shown me,

That washed my sin away.

His cross, which daily guides me

Informs me as I pray.”

Thus Bridget, monarch, mother,

Good spouse and Christian wise,

Lived Jesus’ sacred Passion

And, e’er before His eyes

She loved the poor and lowly,

Gave all her store away,

Called men and women to her

To live the Gospel way.

Give glory to the Father,

Whose loving plan ordained

That we should each be bought back

From sin and sorrow’s shame!

Give glory to Christ Jesus,

Whose death has set us free!

Give glory to the Spirit;

To God, the One-in-Three.

James Michael Thompson

76.76.D; suggested tune: O Sacred Head Surrounded

Saint Mary Magdalene: Disciple of the Lord

Early in the morning of the first day of the week, when Jesus had arisen, he first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had driven seven devils.

Heavenly Father, Mary Magdalene was the first upon whom Your Son enjoined the task of announcing the joy of Easter. In union with this Apostle to the Apostles, enable us now to follow her example of heralding the living Christ so that we too may see Him enthroned at Your side.

We especially remember the Order of Friars Preachers today because of Saint Mary Magdalene’s patronage.

Saint Elijah (Elias) the Prophet

An angel in the flesh, the foundation of the prophets, and the second forerunner of Christ, the glorious Elijah from on high sent grace to
Elisha, to cure sicknesses & cleanse lepers. He likewise overflows with
healing for those who honor him.

(Troparion of the feast, Tone 4)

Let all Christ’s Church assemble here

And, gathered in His holy Name,

Keep solemn, joyful festival

To sing of great Elijah’s fame.

Of all the prophets who foretold

God’s hidden plan of saving grace,

He is the chief: to him we give,

The Tishbite, now the choicest place.

He called the folk of Israel

Back to their covenant with God;

Through kingly wrath and violence

God’s narrow way of truth he trod.

When earthly tasks for him were done,

You called him in a special way:

A fiery chariot came for him,

Foretelling Christ’s ascension day.

For all the graces You have giv’n

Through what Elijah did for You,

Your Church on earth gives endless praise,

O Father, Son, and Spirit true.

L.M. (88.88)

James Michael Thompson (2009)