My previous parish assignment was St. Columbkille Parish in Parma. And we would celebrate June 9, the feast of St. Columbkille, the feast of our parish patron.
So, this is the first time I get to celebrate the feast of St. Ephrem, a poet, teacher, orator, and defender of the faith born early in the 4th century in Syria. He is the only Syrian recognized as a doctor of the Church. He took upon himself the special task of opposing the many false doctrines rampant in his time, always remaining a true and forceful defender of the Catholic Church.
He wrote beautiful hymns, containing faithful doctrine, in order to catechize the people in amidst all the many errors of the day. For this he was called “the harp of the Holy Spirit.” In icons and religious art he is often depicted holding a hymn which he composed. This is why the opening prayer referred to St. Ephrem as “exulted in singing God’s mysteries.” He’s sometimes called “Mary’s own singer” and in art is depicted singing to the queen of heaven.
He had such an acute vision of the goodness of God and the sinfulness of man that he become known for being “dissolved in tears.” He is was in this constant state of weeping because of his insight into God’s love for us.
He is also known as St. Ephrem the Deacon because he was ordained a deacon by St. Basil the Great, but never a priest. In fact, the people wanted him to be a bishop, but he is said to have avoided episcopal consecration by pretending to be insane.
He died in 373 while caring for those infected by the plague.
In popular devotion, St. Ephrem is not as well-known as St. Francis or St. Anthony or St. Patrick, yet Ephrem is a wonderful saint for us. He was so steeped in God’s word, so in love with God. Perhaps, of the beatitudes which were proclaimed today, St. Ephrem lived out “Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.”
Do you want to be enraptured by God? The pure of heart shall always be the one with the deepest insight, the deepest experience of God’s goodness here on earth.
In this age of such grave impurity, saints like Ephraim call us, away from the glamours and perversions of the world, back to the contemplation of the pure beauty of God. O the beautiful hymns we would compose, if spent more time in Our Lord’s sweet presence.
May St. Ephrem help us in remaining free from all that keeps us from contemplating God’s goodness, truth, and beauty this day for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
Pour into our hearts O Lord, we pray, the Holy Spirit, at whose prompting the Deacon Saint Ephrem exulted in singing of your mysteries and from who he received the strength to serve you alone.
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