Marian Solidarity

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross originated in Jerusalem in 355 to commemorate the dedication of the Basilica of the Resurrection. When the true cross of Jesus was found shortly afterwards, this event was commemorated on the same day. In time, the Feast of the Exaltation sup­planted the feast of the dedication.

In 395, St. John Chrysostom wrote of three crosses which were dis­covered beneath Golgotha by the Empress Helena. Many other writers speak of miracles which occurred through contact with the true cross. It was through one of these miracles that the true cross was recognized by St. Helena and St. Macarius, the Bishop of Jerusalem.

The Holy Cross was kept in the Basilica of the Resurrection in Jeru­salem until 614, when the Persians conquered the city and burned the church. In 628, Emperor Heraclius III defeated the Persians and returned the Holy Cross to Jerusalem. A portion of the cross was taken to Rome in the seventh century by Sergius I, a Pope of Byzantine origin.

Icons of the Feast usually portray St. Macarius in the center of the Icon, elevating the Holy Cross and showing it to the people. This elevation or uplifting of the Cross shows its prominence as the sign of victory. Hence the name “Exaltation” or “Elevation of the Holy Cross.” St. Constantine the Emperor, and St. Helena, his mother, are frequently shown, although some icons depict only St. Helena. Gathered about the Cross with St. Macarius and St. Helena are bishops, priests, and hymnographers. With them, too, we are joined in oneness of mind and purpose as we sing: “We bow to Your cross, 0 Lord, and we praise Your holy resurrection.”

TROPARION – Save Your people, 0 Lord, and bless Your inheritance; grant victory to Your Church over its enemies and protect Your people by Your cross.

from melkite.org.au

St. John Chrysostom, born in Antioch about 347 A.D., was a great genius. His powerful eloquence earned him the surname of Chrysostom, or golden mouthed. With St. Athanasius, St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Basil, he forms the group of the four great doctors of the Eastern Church. As Archbishop of Constantinople, his courageous stance against the vices of even the wealthy caused him to be exiled several times. As a result he died in 407, still in exile. In 1204 his body was brought to St. Peter’s in Rome but was returned to the Orthodox on November 27, 2004 by Pope John Paul II. His silver and jewel-encrusted skull is now kept in the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos in northern Greece, and is credited by Christians with miraculous healings. His right hand is also preserved on Mount Athos, and numerous smaller relics are scattered throughout the world. His feast in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite is celebrated on January 27.

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St. John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom was the son of a Latin father and a Greek mother; his mother, Anthusa, was widowed at the age of twenty, soon after his birth. Putting aside all thought of remarriage, Anthusa gave all of her attention to her son: she gave him the best classical education of the day, and enrolled him as a catechumen when he was eighteen. He came under the influence of Meletius, patriarch of Antioch, who sent him to the monastic school of Diodore, then baptized him and ordained him lector.

At this time, St. John Chrysostom decided to take his future into his own hands and became a monk-hermit, living in a cave, studying the Scriptures, and putting himself under the discipline of an old hermit named Hesychius. However, his health broke under this austere regimen and he returned to Antioch, was ordained a priest, and began his remarkable career as a preacher.

During the next twelve years, he electrified Antioch with his fiery sermons, filled with a knowledge and an eloquence that were astonishing. It was during this period that he received the nickname Chrysostom, or golden mouth, for his words seemed to be pure gold. In 397, when the see of Constantinople became vacant, the Emperor Arcadius appointed John patriarch, and since it was feared that he would refuse the honor, he was lured to Constantinople and consecrated bishop of the city in 398.

John found himself in a nest of political intrigue, fraud, extravagance, and naked ambition. He curbed expenses, gave lavishly to the poor, built hospitals, reformed the clergy, and restored monastic discipline. But his program of reform made him enemies, in particular the Empress Eudoxia and the Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria. The city in turmoil, his life threatened, John was exiled by the emperor in the year 404.

The papal envoys were imprisoned, and John — defended by the pope and ordered restored to his see — was sent further into exile, six hundred miles from Constantinople, across the Black Sea. Worn out and sick, he died of his hardships at Comana in Pontus. His last words were, “Glory to God for all things.”

Excerpted from The One Year Book of Saints by Rev. Clifford Stevens

Patron: Constantinople; epilepsy; orators; preachers.

Symbols: Beehive; chalice on Bible; white dove; scroll or book; pen and inkhorn; bishop’s mitre.

from catholicculture.org

It is right to celebrate with universal joy the birth of our infant Mary. Her soul was the most beautiful that God had ever created. Saint Peter Damian calls it ‘a work only surpassed by God.’

Divine grace did not come into Mary by drops as in other Saints, but “like rain on the wool,” as it was foretold by David. The soul of Mary was like wool, and absorbed the whole shower of grace, without losing a drop.

The grace of the Blessed Virgin exceeded not only that of each particular Saint, but of all the angels and saints put together. Mary received this grace in the first instant of her Immaculate Conception.

Mary was chosen by God to be the Mother of the Divine Word. Hence Denis the Carthusian says, “that from the very beginning of her life, gifts of a superior order were conferred upon her.”

Now Saint Thomas teaches that ‘God gives everyone grace proportioned to the dignity which He destines him.’ And Saint Paul teaches us the same thing when he says, “Who also has made us fit ministers of the New Testament.”

That is, the apostles received gifts from God, proportioned to the greatness of the office with which they were charged.

Saint Bernardine of Sienna adds, ‘that it is an axiom in theology, that when a person is chosen by God for any state, he receives not only the dispositions necessary for it, but even the gifts which he needs to sustain that state with decorum.’

But as Mary was chosen to be the Mother of God, it was quite becoming that God should adorn her, with an immense grace. This grace was superior to that of all other men and angels. The grace had to correspond with the immense dignity to which God exalted her.

Edited from “On the Birth of Mary, Discourse II” by St. Alphonsus de Liguori

On the first of every month, our Lord gives Anne a new message about His call to service.

September 1, 2010
 
Jesus
 
Be at peace in your day, dear apostles. Perhaps you are learning to move more slowly, and perhaps this has helped you to be more connected to My presence in your service. How blessed you are if this lesson has taken root in your life. Strive to achieve this way of life because you will have the greatest gifts available to you if you move methodically, with Me. Sometimes, people are unaware of the nature of My grace flowing into the day through their cooperation. This is best, dear apostles. Be like little children who throw many leaves from a bridge into a stream and then walk away. The impact of their action flows down the stream without any help from the child and the impact from your daily service flows into the greater stream of the Church without any further action on your part. Truly, your consistent service impacts the entire Church in some way, both in the day you are spending your time and in the future where you may not be spending time. Each of you serves as a result of the service of many people. You were formed and directed in your faith by the sacrifice of those who went before you in service. Be grateful for their sacrifice and then you, also, give willingly and generously for those around you and those who will come after you. Dear friends, I am sending formation through each of you that is very specific for this time. It is for this reason that I implore you to remain fixed on Me and all that I am asking you to do. I want you to be holy. I can bring the greatest amount of mercy into the world if My beloved friends help Me. Be disinterested when the enemy of unity brings you reasons to disagree with those around you. Be interested when your Jesus begs you to overlook the flaws of others and serve alongside them in harmony. Dear apostles, we have nothing without unity. Our campaign of love will only be successful if we concentrate on love. Love overcomes everything, even the most profound suffering. Because, when one of God’s children has nothing and he is bereft, the smallest bit of love is like the greatest feast. I, your Jesus, am now a beggar. I am begging you to love. Allow Me to see to justice because only I am equipped to pass judgement. You must see to loving, despite any wounds you have suffered. I am the greatest victim of injustice so I am the best consoler. Bring your suffering to Me and I will send you away with love, which you will then continue to distribute on My behalf. Be serious about My work, dear apostles. It is important.

General Intention
That in less developed parts of the world the proclamation of the Word of God may renew people’s hearts, encouraging them to work actively toward authentic social progress.

Mission Intention
That by opening our hearts to love we may put an end to the numerous wars and conflicts which continue to bloody our world.