Today’s Readings can be found at the USCCB website: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/120719.cfm
78 Years ago today
Well, I certainly cannot let this day pass without a remembrance to those 2,403 Americans who lost their lives as well as the 1,143 people wounded in the Pearl Harbor. This attack on America took place 78 years ago on this day. I love history not so much for the sake of what it can tell me about the days long ago, but much more importantly what it says about us today.
I look back and look at the numerous bad assumptions that were made by those involved., and I recognize it was a specific time and place which was not repeatable. Today, there would be no way for that particular attack like that to happen. Yet we live with the echoes of that day. We look back almost 80 years and note that an entire culture has disappeared for the most part. And as I look out into the pews knowing that many seats are empty with the lingering effects of that war.
Feast of St. Ambrose
While we are remembering this event, we also have a celebration today of Saint Ambrose of Milan. Ambrose was the name I chose when I became confirmed in 2007. Things were quite different in Milan in the 4th century. Ambrose was the Roman Governor of this area in Italy.
When the Bishop of Milan died it was feared that there would be a conflict between the Orthodox Christians and the Arian Heresy practitioners. Ambrose as a secular governor went to try and quell what would most likely turn to conflict. While there, the people verbally acclaimed him bishop. Keep in mind he was a statesman not clergy… he tried to beg off, but the Holy Spirit was working. So off he went to training to become a priest…
Over the years, Ambrose strongly fought for orthodoxy keeping the Arian Heresy at bay. He wrote beautifully and copiously. He was named one of the first Doctors of the Church due to his numerous works. And of course we know him well from his bringing into the Faith a young man by the name of Augustine.
Ambrose, actually wrote a number of hymns which we still sing to this day. But most of all Ambrose spoke the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is fitting that our Gospel is Jesus commissioning and sending off his Apostles. We have all been sent on a mission to spread the word of Jesus Christ.
Application to our lives today
Jesus looks around his kingdom, and sees the crowds looking toward Him in Hope, in faith and in love. Jesus looks back and He had pity on them. This may sound a bit odd to our ears, but we here on Earth are on a journey that is full of bumps and bruises. But our true home is Heaven with God. At times it is a difficult journey.
We look at the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and the friction occurring at the time that Ambrose was made Bishop and we might be tempted to despair somewhat in the fighting and hurting.
A quote (well a translation of a quote) by our honored Saint today may give us an answer
“take refuge from this world. You can do this in spirit, even if you are kept here in the body. You can at the same time be here and present to the Lord. Your soul must hold fast to him, you must follow after him in your thoughts, you must tread his ways by faith, not in outward show.”
The message we should take from Ambrose is that in everything that we do should be pointed toward thanking God and loving him. We can never lose Hope when we have what is important in front of us.
Our home is with God
It has been an amazing week Yesterday we perhaps put out our shoes for St. Nicholas. A bishop so caring and full of love for the other. We recognize Ambrose today with all of his caring love and teaching moments. And while it has been pushed to Monday, we will be celebrating the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Saints and Our great Mother Mary show us how we think outside of ourselves. They, more than any others, show us to keep our eyes not on passing things such as cars, money, gold… but we keep our eyes on Jesus.
Jesus gave us great gifts, so we should never tarry on those things that bring us pain and misery.
We focus on him and we honor these great saints which show us how to Love and worship the one true God.