Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:01 Tonight, of course were celebrating the mass, which specifically commemorates the last supper. In other words, that specifically commemorates the institution of two of the sacraments by Christ our Lord, the sacrament of holy orders. So this is precisely the time in which Christ our Lord consecrated the apostles as bishops and also established the most blessed sacrament of the alter. Remember the cards to this, that great bishop and Dr The church. Saint Alphonsus has some beautiful words that are well worth meditating on. On this solemn occasion anniversary, the institution of the priesthood, Saint Alphonsus, who was a personal, the Christians of Smyrna, Saint Ignatius martyr says that the priesthood is the most sublime of all created dignities. The apex of dignities is the priesthood. Saint Ephram of Syria calls it an infinite dignity. The priesthood is an astounding miracle. Great. He mats and infinite
Speaker 0 01:17 the diggy. The priest is estimated from the exalted nature of his office. Priests are chosen by God to manage on earth. All his concerns and interests. Saints here of Alexandria says divine are the offices confided to priests? Saint Ambrose is called the priestly office. A divine profession. A priest is a minister destined by God to be a public and baster of the whole church. To honor him and to obtain His grace is for all the faithful the entire church cannot give to God as much on nor obtain so many graces as a single priest by celebrating a single mass for the greatest honor that the whole church without priests could give to God, would consist in offering into him and sacrifice the lives of all men, but of what value are the lives of all men compared with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which is a sacrifice of infinite value.
Speaker 0 02:34 What are all men before God, but a little dust as a drop in the bucket as a little dust. They are a mirror. Nothing in his sight. All nations are before him as if they had no being at all. Thus by the celebration of a single mass in which he offers Jesus Christ and sacrifice a priest, good, greater honor to the Lord. Then if all men by dying offered God the sacrifice of their lives by a single mass, he gives greater honor to God than all the angels. And the saints along with the Blessed Virgin Mary have given or shall give to him for their worship, cannot be of infinite value like that which the priest or the author offers to God. Moreover, in the holy mass, the priest offers to God inadequate Thanksgiving for all the graces be stowed even upon the blessed in paradise, but such a thanksgiving. All the saints together are incapable of offering to him.
Speaker 0 03:54 Hence it is on this account also that the priestly dignity is superior. Even all celestial dignities besides the priest at St John Chris System is an ambassador, the whole world to intercede with God and obtain graces for all creatures. The priest, according to saint f from of Syria, treats familiarly with God to priests. Every door is open. Jesus has died to institute the priesthood. It was not necessary for the redeemer to die in order to save the world a drop of his blood, a single tear or prayer was sufficient to procure your salvation for all. For such a prayer being of infinite value should be sufficient to save not one but a thousand worlds, but to institute the priesthood, the death of Jesus Christ has been necessary.
Speaker 0 04:57 Had he not died, where should we find the victim that the priests of the new law now offer a victim altogether, wholly and immaculate, capable of giving to God and honor worthy of God has already been said. All the lives of men and angels are not capable of giving to God and infant honor like that, which are priests offers to him by a single mass, close quotes, Saint Alphonsus. Indeed night at this very mass, we're celebrating the institution of those astounding realities, the priesthood, and the most blessed sacrament of the alter. Now, in the olden days, the bishop actually celebrated three different psalm masses on holy Thursday. This mass of course, which was the third mass, the day before this mass, the Chrism mass, which the bishop would bless the holy, has to be used in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, ordination, and extreme unction. And in the olden days in earlier mass, the first mass, which was notable because it was preceded by a ceremony which included the absolution of the pennant, public penitence and their readmission into church and to holy communion. Now, who are the public penitents? We don't have time tonight to go into great detail, but in the early church, the public penitents were people that had committed grave public crimes. For example, Christians that had denied the faith during a persecution who are guilty of murder or adultery in our day and age, these would include, uh, people like are Catholic in name only, politicians, movie stars, singers, athletes, et Cetera, public figures who are known to be Catholic and yet are seeing Galley Vanni round publicly sinning.
Speaker 0 06:57 Okay. In the olden days, when someone like that receive the grave to want to return to the practice of the fee, it first go to confession. And then since he was a public sinner, as part of his pennants, he'd be placed in the ranks of the public penitents. Now the practice varied from place to play to some degree, but they might be required to wear penitential clothing, a lot of their hair and beards to grow from Ash Wednesday and wait outside the church out on the front porch until their readmission. At the first mass and holy Thursday before this mass began, there were series of prayers. The bishop would then lead the penitents into the church and they'd have to prostrate themselves on the floor. There are more songs and prayers prayed over him. Then holy waters sprinkled on him. Then they were incensed and then the bishop would release them from the ranks of public penitents and then and only then after all that where they readmitted to holy communion with the rest of the faithful.
Speaker 0 07:55 No. Although those days are far behind us, it still reminds us of the awful responsibility a bishop has to paternally correct a public center before he has admitted to holy communion and it is an awful responsibility and the number of public sinners are legion, the number of legion, but how seldom do we hear of a bishop that loves any of them enough to correct him before they wind up where they're headed? We need to pray for our bishops some 400 years ago, cleanliness, dilapidated, noted quote, how great the vigilance required of a bishop who ought to guard care for feed and saved so many thousands of souls. How great a number of prelates parish, not because they lived wickedly, but because they did not correct the weakness of others entrusted to them. Close quote, how great the village vigilance required a bishop who ought to guard care for feed and save so many thousands of souls.
Speaker 0 09:21 How great a number of pellets parish, not because they lived wickedly because they did not correct the wickedness of others and trusted to them. Their responsibilities of the bishop are absolutely immense. We need to pray how much we need to pray and offer up prayers and sacrifice for bishops in all those with a position of responsibility within the church. Saint John Chris System, he's a doctor, father of the Church states, a bishop himself, quote, I do not speak rashly, but as I feel and think, I do not think that many bishops are saved, but that those who perish are far more numerous. That Saint John Chris System, those who perish are far more numerous. We need to pray. Let's take a few minutes to ponder this. And his first letter is Saint Timothy Saint Paul states quote, if a man desires the office or bishop, who desires a good work close. Cool. He desires officer bishop, he desires a good word.
Speaker 0 10:33 Carnoustie sloppy comments on that line. Quote Santa Gustin States the apostle that Saint Paul wishes to teach what it means to be a bishop, namely that it is a word, not an honor for the bishop as a superintendent who is responsible for the care of others and he takes upon himself the burden and labor of teaching and governing the people. Hence Saint Augustan. And furs that he is not a bishop who chooses more to Perseid then to Sir Cornea. Slap it. It continues. The apostle wished to teach saint <inaudible> in all bishops that the Office of Bishop is lofty and difficult in order that they might seriously embrace and totally grasp it so they might perform their duties sufficiently under so great a burden. Hence we'll explain this good or splendid work. He adds that it is necessary that the bishop be blameless, et Cetera. And this was especially true in the time of Saint Paul when becoming a bishop was not an honor, but an immense labor in only one step away from martyrdom.
Speaker 0 11:54 In the time of St Paul becoming a bishop was not an honor, but an immense labor and only one step away from martyrdom. And that is true today in China. And let's not have any illusions. We're very close to that being true here. It won't be long, Corny, sloppy day indeed. Sage Rom explains it along these lines, your desires, the office of a bishop desires a good work, namely martyrdom from the time on. The Apostle said, if a man does are the office of Bishop who desire a good work, we have a ruled of the people, was the first one to be dragged off for the torments of martyrdom. Therefore, at that time it was praiseworthy to seek the Office of Bishop sits. Without any doubt. By this, he would undergo much more serious sufferings. Thus state St Jerome in the same as taught by Saint Gregory, the Great Saida anselme and others.
Speaker 0 12:53 If anyone ever seeks the office of Bishop for reasons of prosperity or for reasons of DDT on quest, have a higher state and honor he sin from dangerous ambition and greed. Close quote corniness of happy day. The responsibilities are absolutely immense and we need to pray. We need to pray and offer sacrifice for our bishops in all those with uh, with, uh, office of responsibility within the church. And this doesn't apply simply to bishop's <inaudible> at a point set up, quote the apostles not referring here to pastors and priests, but they should be understood as falling under the office of Bishop for their burden and duty of teaching. Feeding Governance people is the same as that of the bishop except that it concerns fewer subjects. Close quote. No, that makes it easy to understand why a great saint like Saint Cyprian of Carthage said, quote, all those that had the true spirit of God were when compelled to take the order of priesthood seized with fear and trembling as if they saw an enormous weight being placed on their shoulders by which they were in danger of being crushed to death.
Speaker 2 14:11 Close quote
Speaker 0 14:13 that great doctor, the church CTO of Alexander said, quote, I see all the sates frightened of the sacred ministry. Is that an immense charge?
Speaker 2 14:22 Close. Cool.
Speaker 0 14:25 Saint John, Kristen, they ship doctrine. Father Church quote, do you not perceive how many qualities a priest must have? Did he may be strong ms teachy patient and hold fast to the faithful world word, which is due to doctrine. What cares and pains does this require? Moreover, he is answerable for the sins others to pass over everything else. If but one soul dies without baptism, does it not entirely endanger the priests? Salvation for the loss of one soul is so great and evil that it is impossible to express it in words for the salvation of that one, so was of such value that the son of God became man and suffered so much. Think of how great a punishment must the losing of it. Bring close quo.
Speaker 1 15:33 Okay.
Speaker 0 15:37 Saint Alphonsus, if a price is not holy,
Speaker 1 15:42 okay,
Speaker 0 15:43 he's in great danger of being lost. What do some or rather the greater number of priests do in order to choir sanctity? They say the office and mass and do nothing more. They live without making mental prayer without mortification, without recollection. Some will say it is enough for me to be saved. No says Saint Augustan. It is not enough. If you said it is enough, you will be lost. And of course we have a pasture here, corny and sloppy day. How memorable is this saying of Saint John of Avalon Po a Pope Benedict? The 16th just made St John of Avalara, a doctor of the church a few months ago. How memorable is the saying of Saint John At Avalon quote? So many and so great are the obligations of a pasture that he who fulfills only a third part of them will be esteemed by the people to be holy. But if he's satisfied by only that he will not be able to escape. Burning in hell. Closed quote Saint John of Avalon doctor, the church, so many so great are the obligations of a pastor that he feels only a third part of them will be estimated by the people to be holy. But if he was satisfied the only that with only fulfilling one third of his obligations, he will not be able to escape burning in hell.
Speaker 1 17:30 <inaudible>
Speaker 0 17:33 on this feast of institution the priesthood, we need to thank Christ our Lord for the gift of the priesthood. We also need to remember to pray and offer up prayers and sacrifices for our bishops, priests, all those with a position of responsibility in church. We need your prayers.
