SEPTEMBER 16, 2019 : MEMORIAL OF SAINTS CORNELIUS, POPE, AND CYPRIAN, BISHOP, MARTYRS

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
Lectionary: 443

Reading 11 TM 2:1-8

Beloved:
First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers,
petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for kings and for all in authority,
that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life
in all devotion and dignity.
This is good and pleasing to God our savior,
who wills everyone to be saved
and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God.
There is also one mediator between God and men,
the man Christ Jesus,
who gave himself as ransom for all.

This was the testimony at the proper time.
For this I was appointed preacher and Apostle
(I am speaking the truth, I am not lying),
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray,
lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

Responsorial PsalmPS 28:2, 7, 8-9

R.(6) Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you,
lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine.
R.Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is my strength and my shield.
In him my heart trusts, and I find help;
then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks.
R.Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!
R.Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.

AlleluiaJN 3:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelLK 7:1-10

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
"He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us."
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
"Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, Go, and he goes;
and to another, Come here, and he comes;
and to my slave, Do this, and he does it."
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.

For the readings of the Memorial of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, please go here.

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Meditation: "Say the word, and let my servant be healed"

Do you approach the Lord Jesus with confident trust and expectant faith? A Roman centurion boldly sought Jesus with a daring request. What made him confident that Jesus would receive his request and act favorably towards him? Like a true soldier, he knew the power of command. And he saw in Jesus both the power and the mercy of God to heal and restore life.

In the Roman world the position of a centurion was very important. He was an officer in charge of a hundred soldiers. In a certain sense, he was the backbone of the Roman army, the cement which held the army together. Polybius, an ancient write, describes what a centurion should be: "They must not be so much venturesome seekers after danger as men who can command, steady in action, and reliable. They ought not to be over-anxious to rush into the fight, but when hard pressed, they must be ready to hold their ground, and die at their posts."

Expectant faith and humility draws us close to the Lord Jesus
The centurion who approached Jesus was not only courageous, but faith-filled as well. He risked the ridicule of his Roman companions by seeking help from a Jewish preacher from Galilee, as well as mockery from the Jews who despised the Roman occupation of their land. Nonetheless, this centurion approached Jesus with confidence and humility. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) notes that the centurion regarded himself as unworthy to receive the Lord into his house: "Humility was the door through which the Lord entered to take full possession of one whom he already possessed."

This centurion was an extraordinary man because he loved his slave who had become seriously ill and he was ready to do everything he could to save his life. The centurion was also an extraordinary man of faith. He believed that Jesus had the power to heal his beloved slave. Jesus commends him for his faith and immediately grants him his request.

The Lord is merciful and gracious to all who seek him
How do you approach the Lord Jesus - with doubt, fear, and disbelief? Or with trust and confident expectation that he will give you whatever you need to follow and serve him? Surrender your pride and doubts to him and seek him earnestly with humble trust and expectant faith. 

"Lord Jesus you came to set us free from the tyranny of sinful pride, fear, and rebellion. Take my heart captive to your merciful love and truth and set me free to love and serve you always with joy and trust in the power of your saving word. May your love grow in me that I may always seek to love and serve others generously for their sake just as you have generously laid down your life for my sake."

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The power of Divinity and the grace of humility, by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"How great is the sign of divine humility, that the Lord of heaven by no means disdained to visit the centurion’s servant! Faith is revealed in deeds, but humanity is more active in compassion. Surely he did not act this way because he could not cure in his absence, but in order to give you a form of humility for imitation he taught the need to defer to the small and the great alike. In another place he says to the ruler, 'Go, your son lives' (John 4:50), that you may know both the power of Divinity and the grace of humility. In that case he refused to go to the ruler's son, lest he seem to have had regard for riches. In this case he went himself lest he seem to have despised the humble rank of the centurion's servant. All of us, slave and free, are one in Christ (Galatians 3:28, Colossians 3:11)." (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.84)

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, LUKE 7:1-10
(1 Timothy 2:1-8; Psalm 28)

KEY VERSE: "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith" (v. 9).
TO KNOW: A centurion was a high ranking officer in the Roman army who commanded a force of up to 100 men. This centurion was stationed in Capernaum, and was a member of Herod’s peacekeeping force rather than a member of the Imperial army. When the officer's servant became ill, he sent the Jewish elders of the synagogue to entreat Jesus to come and heal him. The Jews were grateful to the centurion for having built their synagogue, and they urged Jesus to go and heal the man's servant. But the centurion sent word that he was not worthy to have Jesus enter his home (Jews regarded Gentile homes to be "unclean"). The officer knew how to use authority and he recognized this power in Jesus’ word. He had confidence that Jesus could heal his servant with a word of command. Jesus marveled at the man's faith, which contrasted with the disbelief of his own people. When the Centurion's messengers returned home, they found the centurion's servant healed.
TO LOVE: Do I use the power of intercessory prayer to help others in need?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

NOTE: In the Mass, right before receiving Communion we as Catholics say this: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." We recognize that Jesus is Lord and that his mighty word and the Eucharist dwelling within us will in fact heal us of all unworthiness.

Memorial of Saint Cornelius, pope and martyr

Cornelius was the Twenty-First pope, elected during a period of persecutions when papal ascension was often a death sentence. Cornelius worked to maintain unity in a time of schism and apostasy. He fought Novatianism, a heresy that held that lapsed Christians might not be received again into communion with the Church, and second marriages were unlawful. Cornelius was exiled by Roman authorities to punish Christians who were said to have sent the plague against Rome. A document from Cornelius shows the size of the Church of Rome in his papacy: 46 priests, 7 deacons, 7 sub-deacons, approximately 50,000 Christians. He died a martyr in 253 and is buried at the cemetery of Saint Callistus, Rome.
Memorial of Saint Cyprian, bishop and martyr
Cyprian was born in the early third century to a rich pagan family in North Africa. Soon after converting to Christianity, he was ordained a priest and in 249 was made Bishop of Carthage. He was exiled during the persecutions of Valerian, which was especially severe at Carthage. Many Christians fell away, and were thereafter referred to as "lapsi" (the fallen). Cyprian was involved in the argument over whether apostates should be readmitted to the Church. Cyprian believed they should, but under stringent conditions. It was their reinstatement that helped the Church progress in its understanding of the Sacrament of Penance. A martyr, Cyprian was beheaded September 258. He is a Latin Father of the Church. “You cannot have God for your Father if you do not have the Church for your mother.” (Saint Cyprian, The Unity of the Catholic Church).​

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Monday 16 September 2019

Sts Cornelius and Cyprian
1 Timothy 2:1-8. Psalm 27(28):2, 7-9. Luke 7:1-10.
Blest be the Lord for he has heard my prayer – Psalm 27(28):2, 7-9
‘But say the word and let my servant be healed’

Each time we go to the table of the Lord, we make the words of the centurion our own. ‘Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof, only say the word and my soul shall be healed.’

This act of faith is here self-directed, where the centurion is other-directed. He actually says, ‘but say the word and let my servant be healed’. The centurion’s generosity and care are such that he calls upon Jesus’ name to attend to the needs of his companion. His faith is profound, and worthy of imitation.

Lord Jesus, you are the One who we receive in the Eucharist. You are food for life and food for the journey. We each have our ailments, injuries and worry. Accompany us as we bring our lives before you in faith and trust. Give us and our companions life to the full.

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Saint Cornelius

Saint of the Day for September 16

(d. 253)

 

Stained glass window in Catholic Church of Saint-Corneille | photo by GFreihalter

Saint Cornelius’ Story

There was no pope for 14 months after the martyrdom of Saint Fabian because of the intensity of the persecution of the Church. During the interval, the Church was governed by a college of priests. Saint Cyprian, a friend of Cornelius, writes that Cornelius was elected pope “by the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of most of the clergy, by the vote of the people, with the consent of aged priests and of good men.”

The greatest problem of Cornelius’s two-year term as pope had to do with the Sacrament of Penance and centered on the readmission of Christians who had denied their faith during the time of persecution. Two extremes were finally both condemned. Cyprian, primate of North Africa, appealed to the pope to confirm his stand that the relapsed could be reconciled only by the decision of the bishop.

In Rome, however, Cornelius met with the opposite view. After his election, a priest named Novatian (one of those who had governed the Church) had himself consecrated a rival bishop of Rome—one of the first antipopes. He denied that the Church had any power to reconcile not only the apostates, but also those guilty of murder, adultery, fornication, or second marriage! Cornelius had the support of most of the Church (especially of Cyprian of Africa) in condemning Novatianism, though the sect persisted for several centuries. Cornelius held a synod at Rome in 251 and ordered the “relapsed” to be restored to the Church with the usual “medicines of repentance.”

The friendship of Cornelius and Cyprian was strained for a time when one of Cyprian’s rivals made accusations about him. But the problem was cleared up.

A document from Cornelius shows the extent of organization in the Church of Rome in the mid-third century: 46 priests, seven deacons, seven subdeacons. It is estimated that the number of Christians totaled about 50,000. He died as a result of the hardships of his exile in what is now Civitavecchia.

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Reflection

It seems fairly true to say that almost every possible false doctrine has been proposed at some time or other in the history of the Church. The third century saw the resolution of a problem we scarcely consider—the penance to be done before reconciliation with the Church after mortal sin. Men like Cornelius and Cyprian were God’s instruments in helping the Church find a prudent path between extremes of rigorism and laxity. They are part of the Church’s ever-living stream of tradition, ensuring the continuance of what was begun by Christ, and evaluating new experiences through the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before.

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Lectio Divina: Luke 7:1-10

Lectio Divina

Monday, September 16, 2019

1. PRAYER

Holy Father, through Jesus Your Son, the Word made flesh for us, send me Your Holy Spirit, that my ears may be opened to hear the “letter of love” that You have written to me and enlighten my mind that I may understand it in depth.

Make my heart docile that it may receive Your will with joy and help me to give witness to it.  Amen.

2. READING

From the Gospel according to Luke (7:1-10)

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, "He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us." And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes; and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

3. MEDITATION

•    Chapter 7 of the gospel of Luke helps us to receive the call addressed to the pagans to adhere to faith in the Lord Jesus.  The figure of the centurion becomes the example for all those who want to abide by the faith of Israel and then encounter and know the face of the Father in Jesus.  In the meditation on this Gospel, we are also proposed to open ourselves to faith or to make our confidence in the Word of the Lord more firmly unshaken.   Let us try, then, to follow, with our hearts, the example of this Roman centurion, so that in Him we may also be present.

•    Perhaps the first aspect that emerges from the reading of the passage is the situation of suffering in which the centurion finds himself.  Try to hear more attentively the words that try to give light to this reality.  Capernaum, a border city, a city apart, on the margins, a city where the blessings of God seem slow to arrive.  The grave illness; the imminent death of a dear person.  

•    But we soon see that the Lord enters into this situation, coming to share in it, to live in it with His loving presence.  The words in italics confirm this truth:  “asking Him to come”;  “and Jesus went with them”; “He was only a short distance.”  It is wonderful to see this movement of Jesus who moves near to him who calls Him, who searches for Him and who asks for salvation.  This is how Jesus acts with each one of us.

•    But it is also very useful to enter into contact with the figure of the centurion, who is here a bit like our master, our guide on the way of faith.
“When he heard about Jesus”.  He received the announcement, he heard the good news and held it in his heart.  He did not let it escape and did not close his ears to life.  He remembered Jesus and now he goes in search for Him.

•    “He sent.”  Twice does the centurion carry out his action: first sending the elders of the people to Jesus, authoritative figures, then by sending his friends.  Luke uses two different verbs and this helps us to understand better that in this man something took place, a state of passage:  he became more and more open to the encounter with Jesus.  Sending his friends is a bit like going to Jesus Himself.
“asking Him to come and save.”  Two beautiful verbs that explain the whole intensity of his request to Jesus.  He wants Jesus to come, to be near, to enter into his poor life, to come and visit his pain.  It is a declaration of love, of great faith, because it is as if he was saying: “Without You, I cannot live anymore.  Come!”  And he does not ask for any mere salvation, a superficial healing, as the particular verb chosen by Luke helps us to understand.  In fact, here it is a traverse salvation, one that crosses the entirety of life, of the entire person, and is capable of taking a person beyond, past every obstacle, every difficulty or trial, beyond even death.

•    “I am not worthy.”  Luke puts these words in the mouth of the centurion twice, and these words help us to understand the great transformation that has taken place within himself.  He feels unworthy, incapable, insufficient, as the two different Greek terms used here indicate.  Perhaps the first conquest on the road of faith with Jesus is exactly this:  the discovery of our great need for Him, for His presence and the more certain knowledge that alone we can do nothing because we are poor, we are sinners.  However, precisely because of this we are infinitely loved!

•    “Say the word.”  Here is the great leap, the great transformation in faith.  The centurion now believes in a clear, serene and faithful way.  While Jesus walked towards him, he was also completing his own interior journey, changing, becoming a new man.  First, he welcomed the person of Jesus, then His word.  For him it is the Lord as He is, His word is efficacious, true, powerful, able to do what He says.  All of his doubts have crumbled; nothing remains but faith, the certain confidence in salvation, in Jesus.

4. QUESTIONS

•    Does my prayer feel like that of the centurion, addressed to Jesus to come and save?  Am I also ready to explain to the Lord my uneasiness, my need for Him?  Am I perhaps ashamed to present to Him the sickness, the death that lives in my house, in my life?  What do I need in order to fulfill this first step in trust?
•    And if I open my heart in prayer, to the invocation, if I invite the Lord to come, what is the profound attitude of my heart?  Is there also in me, as in the centurion, the knowledge of being unworthy, of not being sufficient solely of myself, of not being pretentious?  Do I know how to place myself before the Lord with that humility that comes from love, from serene trust in Him?
•    Is His Word good enough for me?  Do I ever listen to it in its entirety with attention, with respect, even though, perhaps, I am not able to fully understand it?
And in this moment, what is the word that I want to hear from the mouth of the Lord for me?  What do I want Him to say to me?
•    The pagan centurion had such a great faith…and I, who am Christian, what faith do I have?  Perhaps it is true that I must pray like this:  “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  (Mark 9:24)

5. FINAL PRAYER

Your words are a lamp for my steps, Lord!

How can a youth keep his way pure?
By observing Your word.
With all my heart I search for You:
do not let me deviate from Your commands.
Put again into my heart Your promise
that I may not sin against You.
Blessed are You, Lord:
teach me Your decrees.

With my mouth I recount
all of the wisdom from Your mouth.
On the way of Your teachings is my joy,
more than all other riches.
I want to meditate on Your precepts,
to consider Your ways.
In Your decrees is my delight,
I will not forget Your word.

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