Thursday, May 2, 2013

Homily: May 2 - Saint Athanasius, bishop & doctor - "God-with-us"


As Arianism spread throughout Christendom in the 4th Century, one faithful bishop stood up courageously above all the rest. 

Athanasius was present at the Council of Nicaea in 325, when then the Nicene Creed was established to express the Church’s teaching that Jesus is consubstantial with the Father, that he is “of the same substance” as the Father; that he is God of God. 

Yet, the error of the adversaries of the Nicene Creed spread throughout the Empire.  The Church historians quip, “The whole world groaned and was amazed to find itself Arian.”  It was literally Bishop Athanasius contra mundum, Bishop Athanasius against the world.

Bishop Athanasius tenaciously opposed the Arian heresy and was exiled from his diocese by Arian heretics five times—spending 17 years of his life in exile.  From exile, however, he continued to write against the heresy and teach the true faith.  He is known today as the hammer of heretics.  He preached the true faith fearlessly, courageously.

Jesus is divine.  If he were not really God, we are not really saved by his death and resurrection.  He is really Emmanuel, “God-with-us”.

God didn’t come just symbolically in Jesus, he really came.  God really came in search of the straying sheep.  Man can really find his way to God by coming to Jesus, And through Jesus the Christian is really brought into Communion with God.  God really has made Himself accessible to us.

God really came to heal and to teach and to feed and to put Himself at the disposal of those who needed Him.  To quote Saint Athanasius, “For the Lord touched all parts of creation, and freed and undeceived them all from every deceit.”

May we like Saint Athanasius proclaim and defend the faith with courage, perseverance, humility and grace.  Jesus is true God from true God, consubstantial with the Father.  This is our faith, we are proud to profess it, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.  

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