Wisdom's Cry

St Valentine’s Day has to be one of the Holiest Saint’s Day of the year.

Holy St Valentine is the writer of the Gospel of Truth, the founder of a school of Christian doctrine that would later be condemned after he was nearly elected Pope. St Valentine was later exiled to Cyprus.

The reason he is associated with love and romance is a vestigial memory of his theology. St Valentine taught that a train of angels flowed from the risen Christ, each one made to minister to us on God’s behalf and to minister to God on ours. Baptism, he taught, was the marriage ceremony where we (the bride of Christ) are wedded to our ministering angel. He further taught that unity with with heavenly being will awaken us to the reality of God and the universe.

The memory of the great holy man and his enlightened theology may have been driven from the church, but the people held onto his memory giving rise to the St Valentine’s Day we know today.

`I will celebrate as I always do, by reading the Gospel of Truth, and the few fragments of his other writings that survive.

Throughout my life, I have always had a special devotion to St Anthony the Abbot. I often suffer from terrible nightmares and fierce doubts. I am a living testament to the fact that the dark night of the soul is not always a once in a lifetime experience.

When I have these dark moments, it has always helped me to remember the example of St Anthony in the desert. He found faith in the darkness and his life has inspired me to do the same.

Holy St Anthony, help us in our times doubt, trial, and temptation to weather the storms that assail our spirits. Help us to endure, and cleanse ourselves so we might find God through prayer as you did. Teach us to pray. Amen.

Blessed Mother Seton is very close to my heart. When I lived in Maryland, I would visit her Shrine at least once a week. I am also the custodian of a First Class Relic of this most holy saint. Reading her Journals and other writings touches me in a very special way.

As an adult convert to Catholicism, her insights are in some ways deeper than those who grew up within the religion. He compassion and tender heart is a model to us all, and her intercession and loving protection of those who have called upon her as our spiritual mother. She is the first native born American Saint, and her family was involve in the establishment of this republic.

Holy Mother Seton look over this land and pray to the Father for us that we will live God to the world and learn to be humble and meek. Pray for us that we might become the peacemakers that Christ has called up all to be. Amen.

It is hard to think about Abel without thinking about his brother and his martyrdom. I think it is more interesting to try to focus on Abel himself. This is the only person Jesus ever called righteous (Matt 23:35). We know so little about him.

“And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering (Gen 4:4):”

Other than his birth and his death, this is all we know about Abel. He simply gave the best he had to the Lord and the Lord counted it to him as righteousness.

Is this the only thing that made Abel righteous in the eyes of our Lord?

No, Abel is also a model of nonviolence, ahimsa, satyagraha whatever you want to call it. When he was attacked, he did not return violence for violence. Instead, he chose, like the Buddha after him, to have the the earth testify to the truth.

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel your brother?

And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

And he said, What have you done? the voice of your brother’s blood cries unto me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened her mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand; When you till the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto you her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shall you be in the earth (Gen 4:8-12).

Like all the truly righteous, Abel left vengeance to the Lord. Never did he act out of hate or violence. He trusted in the Truth to avenge him, as it always does.

Holy Abel, first martyr, pray for us that we may learn humility and meekness from you. May we rely on the power of Truth to justify us, and not give into the darkness of our heart. Guide us in the way of peace, till the Kingdom comes. Amen.

Every year, I grow a little closer to our Lady. Through sadness and joy, our Blessed Mother is with us, guiding her children ever closer to our Lord and God.

Today, we remember our Lady as the Mother of God, the Theotokos, the ark of the new covenant who through her fiat bore God into the world.

It is important for each of us to remember that it is not Mary alone who brings God into the world, but each and every believer carries Christ in their hearts. It is for us to Live God into the world, as St Paul reminds us:

My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you (Gal 4:19),

Like our Blessed Mother, we also bring Christ into the world.

Blessed Mother, help us to follow your example. Pray that we will ponder all things in our hearts and continue to persevere in faith until we bare Christ into the world. Amen.