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Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA:

How then does he command the holy apostles, who are innocent men and “sheep,” to seek the company of wolves, and go to them of their own will? Is not the danger apparent? Are they not set up as ready prey for their attacks? How can a sheep prevail over a wolf? How can one so peaceful conquer the savageness of beasts of prey? “Yes,” he says, “for they all have me as their Shepherd: small and great, people and princes, teachers and students. I will be with you, help you, and deliver you from all evil. I will tame the savage beasts. I will change wolves into sheep, and I will make the persecutors become the helpers of the persecuted. I will make those who wrong my ministers to be sharers in their pious designs. I make and unmake all things, and nothing can resist my will.” read more

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Saint Thomas, Apostle

We say that Saint Thomas doubted, and that is half true.  He believed firmly the others who described Jesus’ death.  He believed that the Body of Christ had been wounded by a spear, even though he had not seen it happen himself.  Saint Thomas believed the truth of the gratuitous violence that the Body of Christ suffered, but he did not believe the glorious truth of that same body’s resurrection.  We are perhaps even more like St. Thomas than we give ourselves credit for if we are prepared to believe the truth of extraordinarily horrible things but not prepared to believe extraordinarily wonderful things. read more

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Saturday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

As soon as we limit our future to some particular moment in this fleeting world we experience a vain form of anxiety.  Our true future is eternal life with God in heaven, and if we aim our souls at that unending moment we are delivered from all fruitless forms of anxiety.

Providence liberates us from the suffering caused by our believing that we will not have what we really need, but it does not spare us from the suffering that is a balm for our selfishness and pride.

Even that suffering which is occasioned unjustly at the hands of the enemies and adversaries of God calls the heart of the believer to dwell in peace beyond this valley of tears.  The citizens of heaven are not spared torments here below, but from the depths of their hearts they can freely unite themselves with the King of Peace. read more