S. Irenaeus of Lyons| Daily Meditation| Daily Quote by S. Padre Pio| Divine Mercy Reflection
St. Irenaeus (130?-220) Ordinary Time
The Church is fortunate that Irenaeus was involved in many of its controversies in the second century. He was a student, well trained, no doubt, with great patience in investigating, tremendously protective of apostolic teaching, but prompted more by a desire to win over his opponents than to prove them in error.
As bishop of Lyons he was especially concerned with the Gnostics, who took their name from the Greek word for “knowledge.” Claiming access to secret knowledge imparted by Jesus to only a few disciples, their teaching was attracting and confusing many Christians. After thoroughly investigating the various Gnostic sects and their “secret,” Irenaeus showed to what logical conclusions their tenets led. These he contrasted with the teaching of the apostles and the text of Holy Scripture, giving us, in five books, a system of theology of great importance to subsequent times. Moreover, his work, widely used and translated into Latin and Armenian, gradually ended the influence of the Gnostics.
The circumstances and details about his death, like those of his birth and early life in Asia Minor, are not at all clear.
Stories:
A group of Christians in Asia Minor had been excommunicated by Pope Victor I because of their refusal to accept the Western church’s date for celebrating Easter. Irenaeus, the “lover of peace” as his name indicates, interceded with the pope to lift the ban, indicating that this was not an essential matter and that these people were merely following an old tradition, one that men such as Saint Polycarp (February 23) and Pope Anicetus had not seen as divisive. The pope responded favorably and the rift was healed. Some one hundred years later, the Western practice was voluntarily adopted.
Comment:
A deep and genuine concern for other people will remind us that the discovery of truth is not to be a victory for some and a defeat for others. Unless all can claim a share in that victory, truth itself will continue to be rejected by the losers, because it will be regarded as inseparable from the yoke of defeat. And so, confrontation, controversy and the like might yield to a genuine united search for God's truth and how it can best be served.
Quote:
A group of Christians in Asia Minor had been excommunicated by Pope Victor I because of their refusal to accept the Western church's date for celebrating Easter. Irenaeus, the "lover of peace" as his name indicates, interceded with the pope to lift the ban. Irenaeus indicated that this was not an essential matter and that these people were merely following an old tradition, one that men such as Saint Polycarp (February 23) and Pope Anicetus had not seen as divisive. The pope responded favorably and the rift was healed. Some 100 years later, the Western practice was voluntarily adopted.
Daily Meditation
Blessed Be The Hungry:
Blessed are they that are hungry: for God's love, for the Bread of Life, for human love, for holiness, for a life of prayer, for respect and human dignity, for recognition as a child of God, for a word of sympathy, for a smile.
Quote by S. Padre Pio:
Let us carry our Christian actions more often along with short prayers. In short, let us refer everything to God, and let us act and live in Him.
Divine Mercy Reflection
Reflections on Notebook Two: 112-188
We now enter into Notebook Two of the six notebooks that make up the Diary of Saint Faustina. The reason for having more than one notebook is simply that when one notebook was filled by Saint Faustina she began with a new one. Therefore, there is nothing particularly different from one notebook to the other. However, for the purpose of this current book of daily reflections, each reflection will begin to be lengthened, starting here with Notebook Two, so as to help you, the reader, enter more deeply into the beautiful mysteries of faith and our shared spiritual life that have been revealed in these writings of Saint Faustina.
You are invited once again to take one reflection each day and to ponder it throughout the day. Try to pray the prayer for each reflection each morning, noon and evening. Allow each mystery reflected upon to become a source of wisdom and understanding for you.
Reflection 179: Dealing with Interior Desolation
“The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away…” (Job 1:21). How true this is. There are times in life when we experience the abundant consolation of God. It may be at moments of great family joy, or when we experience the unconditional love of another. At times we sense the powerful presence of God in our life of prayer and are filled with joy. But there are many other moments in life when God seems distant and our souls feel desolate. Do not worry about this. If this is caused by sin, then face that sin, confess it and move on. But if it’s not a result of any sin, then know it’s an opportunity for you to deepen your faith and your love of God despite how you feel. This is a true grace and we should be grateful that God loves us enough to call us to faith even when we feel very little inside (See Diary #943).
What do you experience in your soul right now? Do you sense the closeness of God and does that closeness give you great consolation? Or do you feel dry and desolate as if God is hidden from you? We must rejoice in each experience and know that God offers the grace we need for each moment. Renew your faith this day no matter how you feel. Do it especially in moments of much desolation. Your act of faith in those moments will open the gates of God’s Mercy to you and to the world more than you may realize.
Lord, I love You now and always and renew my love for You no matter how I feel. In good times and in difficult ones I choose to love You, to have faith in You and to trust in You. You are the God of consolation and the God of desolation. I choose You no matter what. Jesus, I trust in You.
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