Ss. Cyril and Methodius

God is wonderful in His Saints:
the God of Israel is He who
will give power and strength to
His people: blessed be God,
alleluia.
(Offertory)

The oldest manuscript of Christian Bible

digitized.

the 4th of July and the Lord's Day

Today we recognize and celebrate the United States of America. We are reminded that this day is more than cookouts and fireworks. This is the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence made by the original thirteen colonies. There is much to revisit and to be thankful for over the last 233 years of this young country's existence.

When I was a new priest I realized soon the power of nationalism and its powerful pull even in the Church. One organist had so synthesized being a Christian with national patriotism that one could not distinguish who or what merited and/or received the most allegiance in his writings and musical tastes. When the 4th of July fell on Sunday patriotic songs were put in place of hymns and the National Anthem was put forth as pre-service music. What is a young priest to do? Fortunately, those days are past.

While one still hears of things like this happening here and there one can only hope that these are exceptions and not the rule.

Every Lord's Day the Church remembers the government and her nation's leaders in liturgical prayer. The liturgy is the place where we are given and receive a taste of the kingdom of heaven. Those who attend Mass on the 5th of July do not exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees and those who celebrate the 4th of July do not guarantee the highest show of patriotism. Patriotism is not diminished among the faithful when the Lord's Day remains focused on the Lord. The sanctuary is no place for the flag. Understanding the 4th of July means understanding the meaning of the flag in its proper place. The 4th of July remains the 4th of July and Sundays belong to the Lord. So too, we commemorate and celebrate in the Church such feasts as that of Saints Peter and Paul, Saint Paul, and the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and other dates that fell on the calendar during this past week.

There is a time and a place for everything . . .

On Eve and Mary

". . . Mary the Virgin is found obedient, saying 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word.' But Eve was disobedient; for she did not obey when as yet she was a virgin . . . And thus also it was that the knot of Eve's disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith (3,22,4)."

- Adv. Haer. cited by J. Quasten, I:297-8

Saints John and Paul, Martyrs

Saints John and Paul were brothers who suffered death for Christ in A.D. 362. Their martyrdom occurred under the reign of Flavius Claudius Julianus ("Julian the Apostate"), the last pagan Roman Emporer, who died on this day in 363.

John and Paul were brothers in life and death.

Presentation of the Augsburg Confession

Today the Lutherans commemorate the Presentation of the Augsburg Confession, one of the most catholic of all the Lutheran Confessions. Below is an excerpt:



"Inasmuch as the Mass is such a giving of the sacrament, one common Mass is observed among us on every holy day, and on other days, if any desire the sacrament, it is also administered to those who ask for it. Nor is this custom new in the church . . . Chrysostom says that the priest stands daily at the altar, inviting some to Communion and keeping others away. And it appears from the ancient canons that some one person or other celebrated Mass and the rest of the presbyters and deacons received the body of the Lord from him, for the words of the Nicene canon read, 'In order, after the presbyters, let the deacons receive Holy Communion from the bishop or from a presbyter.'"
(translation of the Latin, Tappert, et al, p. 60)

St. John the Baptist

The Birth of St. John the Baptist
1540's
Oil on canvas, 181 x 266 cm
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg

The Vigil and the Birth of St. John the Baptist (June 23 & 24)

The Prophet Jeremiah receives the word of the Lord saying He was known and sanctified before he came out of the womb of his mother (ch. 1). The Angel of the Lord spoke of John to his father Zachary saying, "and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb." (Luke 1)

"The Lord hath called me from the womb . . ." (Isaiah 49)

Postcommunion:
"Let Thy Church, O Lord, rejoice at the birth of blessed John the Baptist; through whom she came to know the Author of her own new birth, even our Lord Jesus Christ . . ."