Friday, May 2, 2014

Homily: May 2 - St. Athanasius - Commitment to Truth



Catholics are often called upon by God to make a courageous stand in defense of truth while facing the world’s opposition.  St. Athanasius was one of the great defenders of truth in the Church’s history. 

In the 4th century, Alexandria, Egypt was a major center of Christian activity and thinking.  Around the year 323 a priest named Arius began to teach what is now known as the Arian heresy, that “Jesus, though more than man, was not eternal God, that he was created in time by the Eternal Father, and could therefore be described only figuratively as the Son of God”.  Though this heresy was quickly condemned by the patriarch of Alexandria  and by the Council of Nicaea in 325, Arianism spread like wildfire. 

In 326 Athanasius was made bishop of Alexandria.  As he stridently defended the doctrine of Jesus’ divinity, he faced opposition from emperors, magistrates, and many intellectuals of his day.

As he often seemed to stand alone in his position, his contemporaries said of him, “Athanasius contra mundi”, or “Athanasius against the world.”

Bishop Athanasius was exiled from his diocese by Arian heretics five times—spending 17 years of his life in exile.  Yet, from exile, he continued to write against the heresy and teach the true faith.  He is known in Church history as the hammer of heretics.

There are times when it seems we are standing alone in preaching the Catholic faith.  But we are never truly alone; when we stand up for truth, we are always in communion with the great fathers of the Church, with the Apostles, and the Lord Himself, who called himself Truth.


Commitment to Christ means commitment to Truth.  In an age of cultural relativism and moral error, our world needs the truth of Christ preached clearly, consistently, and courageously.  May we like the great Saint Athanasius, have the fortitude and perseverance to defend the true faith without counting the cost for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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