St. Caesarius of Arles - Sermon 15

The Fathers of the Church

St. Caesarius of Arles

Sermon 15

AN ADMONITION ADDRESSED TO THOSE WHO THINK THAT IT Is ENOUGH FOR THEIR ETERNAL WELFARE IF THEY Do No EVIL, EVEN IF THEY Do NOT ACCOMPLISH GOOD

(1) There are many people, dearly beloved, who think that this alone is sufficient for eternal life, that they do no evil. Therefore, all who, perchance, deceive themselves with this false assurance should clearly understand that the mere avoidance of evil is not enough for any Christian unless he does as much good as he can. He who said ‘Turn away from evil,’ also said ‘and do good’¹ The Gospel gives us the same advice in terrible words: ‘Every tree that is not bringing forth good fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire.’² It does not say the tree that brings forth evil fruit, but ‘that is not bringing forth good fruit.’ From this you can realize what hope the man who does evil will have, since the one who does no good will be cut down and cast into the fire. Therefore, the Lord says: ‘He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me’; and: ‘What does it avail that you call me, “Lord, Lord” and do not practice the things that I say?’³

(2) Someone may say: Although I have given nothing of my possessions, I have not taken the goods of another; I will be secure on the day of judgment. Listen carefully, and do not deceive yourself with false assurance. What did the Lord say? ‘When the Son of Man shall come in his majesty, before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Then he will say to those on his right hand, "Come, blessed, take possession of the kingdom; for I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me to drink." But to those on his left hand he will say, "Depart from me, accursed ones, into everlasting fire; for I was hungry and you did not give me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink." ‘⁴ Carefully heed what He said. He does not say: Come, ye blessed, take possession of the kingdom because you did not take the goods of another, but because you gave alms of your possessions. Likewise, He will not say to those on His left: Depart from me, accursed ones, into everlasting fire because you cheated another, but because you did not give of your earthly substance to the poor. I beseech you, brethren, carefully note that sentence and, as I have advised, retain it in your memory. If one who has not given his wealth to the poor is cast into the fire, where do you think the man who attacks the property of another by fraud will be cast? If the man who has not clothed the naked is thrown into the fire, imagine the fate of one who has robbed clothing. Therefore, I would like the man who believes it is sufficient not to have done evil, even if he has done no good, to tell me whether he would like to be treated by his servant the way he treats his Lord? Is he willing to have his servant do no good at all, as well as no wrong? We all desire our servants not only to avoid the evil we forbid, but also to fulfill the good we command. Now, although your servant will be seriously guilty if he steals your animals, he will not be without fault if he wills to care for them but negligently. It is not right that we do to our Lord what we are unwilling to suffer from our servant. We have not created our slaves nor do we feed them as with our substance, but God both created and feeds us; nevertheless, we want the servants we have not created to obey us with great diligence. Therefore, it is just that we who exercise dominion over our subjects should recognize our legitimate Lord. We have mentioned all this, brethren, in order that we may realize from the example of our servants that it is not enough for us to avoid evil if we are unwilling to do good.

(3) Those who think it sufficient for them to avoid evil usually say: If only I would merit to be found at the day of my death the same as I was when I went forth from the sacrament of baptism! Indeed, it is a fine thing for a man to be found cleansed from all evil on the day of judgment, but it is a grave wrong if he has not progressed in good works. To be as he was when he went from the sacrament of baptism is sufficient only for the man who departs from this life immediately after receiving the sacrament, for he has not had time to perform good works. However, for the man who has had a lifetime, and a long one, to be able to do good, it is not enough to be without evil if he also wills to be without good works. I would like to question the man who wants to be found at his death the same as he was the time he merited to receive the sacrament of baptism (although it is good to be always cleansed from evil, still it is a grave wrong not to advance in virtue). If he has planted a vine in his field, would he want it to be the same after ten years as it was the day he planted it? If he has planted an olive tree, let us see whether it would please him if after several years it is the same as when he planted it. If a son is born to him, let him consider whether he wants him after five years to continue in the smallness and age of infancy. Since no one is pleased with such things, just as a man grieves over a vineyard or olive tree or son that shows no growth, so he should grieve if he recognizes that he has made no progress since the time he was reborn in Christ. We ought to know most surely that just as we want our possessions, whether in flocks or fruits of the field, to increase and grow in good qualities, so our God doubtless desires and expects of us that as His own special vine the Christian people should bear grapes rather than thorns. Then there will not be said of it what you often sing in the canticle: ‘I planted a vineyard, and I looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.’⁵ Since, as the Apostle says, although we were wild olives we were grafted into the good olive tree, we should with God’s help persist in good works, so that we may say with the Prophet: ‘But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of the Lord, have hoped in the mercy of my God.’⁶

(4) Therefore, I implore what we mentioned above, brethren, that none of you think it sufficient for him to avoid evil. With all the strength he has, each one should turn aside from evil in order that he may do good, and hear the Lord say in the Gospel: ‘What does it avail that you call me, "Lord, Lord," and do not practice the things that I say?’ and: ‘If you love me, keep my commandments.’⁷ Through the goodness of God you know very well what Christ commanded in the Gospel: ‘Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, so that you may be children of your Father’;⁸ moreover: ‘nevertheless give alms; and behold, all things are clean to you.’⁹ Let us also hear blessed James freely proclaim on this subject: Tor just as the body without the soul is dead, so faith also without works is dead.’¹⁰ Therefore, with all our strength, dearly beloved, let us do what is good; let us not be satisfied to be as we were at the time we received the sacrament of baptism. By baptism we were freed from all evils, but with God’s grace we ought to be filled with all virtues by a good life. If we rely on the sacrament of baptism alone, without good works, the unclean spirit who was driven out of us by the grace of Christ may return. Then, when he finds us without good works, he may bring with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and our last state will become worse than our first. Therefore, dearly beloved, in conformity with your usual pious custom willingly accept these words and reflect upon them rather carefully. If you do not trust in faith alone but also in good works, you will be able to refrain from evil deeds in such a way that with Christ’s help you may continually exercise yourself in good works. Then you will happily merit to hear with joy and exultation that blessed, desirable word: ‘Come, blessed, take possession of the kingdom which was prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’¹¹ May He deign to grant this, who lives and reigns world without end. Amen.

1 Ps. 33.15.

2 Matt. 3.10.

3 John 14.21; Luke 6.46.

4 Matt. 25.31,32,34,35,41,42.

5 Isa. 5.2.

6 Ps. 51.10.

7 Luke 6.46; John 14.15.

8 Matt. 5.44,45.

9 Luke 11.41.

10 James 2.26.

11 Matt. 25.34.

Secular Franciscan Order - An Introduction

Big Government Health Care PSA

Don't Be Fooled: Abortion is in Health Care

Nobel Prizes 2009

GoD And DoG by WJ Francisco

h/t The Deacon's Bench

A Catholic Perspective in Health Care

I've just read an excellent homily/article on Health Care from a Catholic perspective, and thought I would share it. With a h/t to Crossed the Tiber and Mary's Anawim here is a concluding quote:

Think about this: what area of human life involves more moral decision making than the human body and it’s health? In the end, beyond the questions of whether or not the bill passed by Congress will provide taxpayer support of abortion or euthanasia, we have to ask ourselves a much more profound question.

That is, are we turning over all the vast numbers of moral questions and decisions involved in health care to a government that will make the right moral decisions for us? Can we entrust our health care, and our family’s health care to a government presently dominated by people who don’t understand the dignity of life from conception until death, or that it’s wrong to experiment on embryonic human beings, or to clone human beings? or even the very meaning of the words “family” and “marriage”?

And even if all 537 elected federal officials were 100% pro-life and pro-marriage, subsidiarity forces us to pause and remember the huge government bureaucracy, full of lots of unelected people. With all due respect for the many good and hard working federal employees, a lot of federal employees have many strange ideas about morality that are very different from Christ’s.

Today we remember Christ’s power and desire to heal and care for the sick, and the serious responsibility that places on us as Christians. We cannot lightly shift this responsibility to others —whether they are our neighbor, or an insurance company or a government official. Let us pray that God will guide our nation in the debate over health care reform. And let us pray that all Catholics may be led by the wisdom of Christ, so wonderfully laid before us in the richness and fullness of the social doctrines of His Holy Catholic Church.

You can read the whole homily here.

Prayer to St. Joseph for the Unemployed

O Saint Joseph, we pray to you for those who are out of work, for those who want to earn their living or support their families. You who are the patron of workers; grant that unemployment may vanish from our ranks; that all those who are ready to work may put their strength and abilities in serving their fellowmen and earn a just salary. You are the patron of families; do not let those who have children to support and raise lack the necessary means. Have pity on our brothers and sisters held down in unemployment and poverty because of sickness or social disorders. Help our political leaders and captains of industry find new and just solutions. May each and every one have the joy of contributing, according to his abilities, to the common prosperity by an honorable livelihood. Grant that we may all share together in the abundant goods God has given us and that we may help underprivileged countries. Amen.

H/T Mary's Anawim

Contact your representatives

Our time is mostly filled with day to day activities. We are mostly concerned with work, family matters, driving here and there and then catching a few minutes rest when we can. Then of course there is the boob tube which seems to demand a lot of out time. We have responsibilities: work, family, friends and hopefully church.

One responsibility often forgotten and readily pushed aside is that of being a citizen. Many of us are disenchanted with politics. I surely can understand why. But the responsibility still clearly rests upon us. So many of us don't even bother to vote let alone know who the candidates are and what they stand for. When we do vote we often vote on party lines; not bothering to know the issues. We often dismiss our core values without a second thought. One example is so many good Catholics voted for pro-abortion candidates. What causes us to do that?

I think back on that prior generation, the Great Generation. So many fought, so many died so that we can enjoy our freedoms. Yet this current generation can't bother to vote or make an informed vote.

When is the last time you practiced your citizenship? When is the last time you read the constitution - have you ever read it? It you think that Washington stinks what have you done about it? When was the last time you contacted your representatives?

We just can't sit and let things happen. We are responsible as citizens as to where this country is going. First we must be informed. We need to know what is going on in Washington and our state legislatures. I dare say, most of us have no idea what issues congress or the senate are debating and voting on. To be informed we need to actively seek out information. That might be difficult as most of the news media is more interested in their ratings and their agenda than bringing us honest news. Most news time or print space is wasted on trashy tabloid stuff. So spend a little time to find a good news source, and I'm surely not referring to the "mainstream" (that is liberal) media or most newspapers. There are some good blogs out there. Just do a little searching.

Second, form your opinion. Here is an issue that interests me (most should). Gather information about it. Now check it out against your core values.

Third, let your opinion be known. Don't be afraid of offending anyone. Your informed opinion is just as valid as anyone else's. At times there are those who don't agree with me, but I find I'm respected because I am firm in my beliefs and not wishy-washy. More often then not you will find that your family and friends and acquaintances will agree with you. When they don't, being informed will help you have a constructive conversation about the issue and perhaps, just perhaps, you will convince them.

Letting your opinion be known includes contacting your senators and representative and state legislators. Being informed, gathering information, forming your opinion and letting your opinion be known can take, really, less than one hour a week. I don't think that is too much to give to become an active citizen.

Sarah Palin and the Health Care Debate

Pajamas Media has a good article, it starts:

Palin’s Advocacy: The Turning Point in Health Care Reform Debate

It was her timely intervention that put the Democrats off their game and turned the debate around.

September 18, 2009- by Mark Impomeni

For an uneducated, unsophisticated rube and former governor from a backwater state, Sarah Palin sure can drive a debate. With prospects for passage of his sweeping overhaul of the American health care delivery system fading with every speech, President Barack Obama is making it increasingly clear that Palin will be recognized, for good or ill, as perhaps the most prominent single political figure responsible for stopping it in its tracks.

It’s a remarkable story. A failedvice-presidential candidate and resigned governor — unfairly viewed by many as a cruel joke – reached from beyond the political grave her elitist critics prematurely dug for her and her political future to thwart a popular president prematurely regarded by the same elite that shunned her as perhaps the most gifted politician this nation has ever produced. If Sarah Palin were a sitting governor, a failed presidential candidate, or even a state legislator, her influence in the health care debate would not be as unexpected. It is the fact that she is a private citizen, completely out of politics save for a small political action committee, that makes this story unique.

How did she do it? That’s where the story gets even more remarkable.

Read the rest here.