September 16 2024 - Saints Cornelius & Cyprian, Martyrs - Instruments of mercy, peace, and unity.

 During a particularly violent persecution of the Church, led by the roman emperor Decius in the year 250, many Christians, in order to save their lives, submitted to the imperial mandate for citizens of the empire to prove their loyalty to empire by offering incense to the Roman Gods.

This imperial mandate was designed to root out Christians. For by this time, the empire knew well that Christians could not commit this act of idolatry. 

Some Christians, tried to get around the mandate by bribing authorities to obtain a document which stated that they had offered such sacrifices.  But that document till said, basically, “I deny Christ”. It’s still a public act—still an act of apostasy.

As the persecutions died down, the question arose: can these apostates be readmitted to communion? After all, the denied Christ publicly, through public documentation. 

So, in the year 251, Pope Cornelius, whom we honor today, called a synod in Rome. After hearing from his bishops and theologians, he declared that, yes, the apostates could be restored to communion, as long as they underwent what he called “the usual medicines of repentance”.  He affirmed that through penance and firm purpose of amendment, a sinner could be readmitted to Communion again. 

Pope Cornelius was supported in this pronouncement by many bishops, but especially St. Cyprian, the most important bishop in North Africa, and one of the most important theologians and writers of the time.

All these centuries later, we are still in possession of a letter written by Cyprian to Pope Cornelius. Listen to these words: “My very dear brother,” he wrote, “we have heard of the glorious witness given by your courageous faith. On learning of the honor you had won by your witness, we were filled with such joy that we felt ourselves sharers and companions in your praiseworthy achievements. After all, we have the same Church, the same mind, the same unbroken harmony. God’s merciful design has warned us that the day of our own struggle, our own contest, is at hand. By that shared love which binds us close together, we are doing all we can to exhort our congregation, to give ourselves unceasingly to fastings, vigils and prayers in common. These are the heavenly weapons which give us the strength to stand firm and endure; they are the spiritual defenses, the God-given armaments that protect us. Let us then remember one another, united in mind and heart. Let us pray without ceasing, you for us, we for you; by the love we share we shall thus relieve the strain of these great trials.”

Cyprian was right, that, both he and Pope Cornelius would face their own day of struggle, as Cyprian called it. Both were martyred when the persecutions flared up again. But Cyprian gives good advice for all of us, in the time that we have, to make use of the “heavenly weapons which give us strength”—fasting, prayer vigils, and prayer in common. 

Through the intercession of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian may we encourage one another through all the trials we face, and bear witness to all whom we are called to forgive, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Pope and all the clergy may be effective instruments of mercy, and for the grace and strength to seek out the lost, last, and least.

That through the intercession of the martyrs Cornelius and Cyprian, lapsed Catholics will be moved to return to the Sacraments.

For an end to government corruption and politically motivated violence, and all forms of greed which breed hatred and war.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

September 16 2022 - Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian - Seeking out the lost & lapsed

 

In last Sunday’s Gospel, we heard three parables of rejoicing when the lost are found. Joy over the finding of the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost son. 

Our Lord told these parables in response to the pharisees criticism that he dined with sinners, as a way of signaling that he has come precisely for sinners, and that the pharisees should be rejoicing over this fact. 

The saints we honor today, a martyred Pope and a martyred bishop from the 3rd century were church leaders who were concerned with the reconciliation of sinners. 

During a particularly violent persecution of the Church, led by the roman emperor Decius, many Christians, in order to save their lives, underwent the public, state-mandated ritual of offering incense to the Roman Gods.  Others, trying to get around the actual burning of incense, bribed authorities to obtain a document which stated that they had offered such sacrifices.  But that document till said, basically, “I deny Christ”. It’s still a public act—still an act of apostasy.

Now the Gospels are pretty clear that we are to hold fast to Christ to the end; we are to publicly proclaim him as Lord despite worldly pressures.

As the persecutions died down, the question arose: can these apostates be readmitted to communion? So, in the year 251, Pope Cornelius, whom we honor today, called a synod in Rome, and after presumably hearing from his bishop and theologians, declared that, yes, the apostates could be restored to communion, as long as they underwent what he called “the usual medicines of repentance”.  After all, St. Peter, prince of the apostles and first Pope and bishop of Rome had denied Christ three times, publicly.

That through penance and firm purpose of amendment, a sinner could be readmitted to Communion again. Pope Cornelius was supported in this pronouncement by many bishops, but especially St. Cyprian, the most important bishop in North Africa, who was one of the most important theologians and writers of the time.

There is no sin so great that it cannot be absolved in the Sacrament of Confession. God forgives repentant sinners, including those who have publicly denied him. There are many Catholics, who for whatever reason: anger at God, pride, public pressure, attachment to sin, have renounced their faith or lost their faith, either publicly or in their heart. They are the lost, like the lost sheep, the lost coin, the lost son.

But God is working, always, to help them to find their way back home before it is too late, before they are lost forever. And, he enlists us in this work: to preach the Gospel to them, to go out to them to invite them home, to prick their consciences perhaps, reminding them of their eternal soul and God’s love for them. 

The angels of heaven who rejoice over the conversion of sinners, want to help us to do our part in the reconciliation of those who have fallen away. Unlike the joyless second son in Sunday’s Gospel, we welcome sinners home with great celebration.

Through the intercession of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian may we faithfully bear God’s mercy to all those in need of it, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Pope and all the clergy may be effective instruments of mercy, and for the grace and strength to seek out the lost, last, and least.

That through the intercession of the martyrs Cornelius and Cyprian, lapsed Catholics will be moved to return to the Sacraments.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.

August 13 2019 - Saints Pontian and Hippolytus - Welcoming back the lapsed

Pontian and Hippolytus: Pope and anti-Pope.  Pontian served faithfully as pope from 230 to 235. Meanwhile, Hippolytus had a long history of criticizing the popes; he was the leader of a schism in the church that began in 217 and continued through three pontificates, including that of Pontian.  Hippolytus had himself elected anti-pope by a group of followers that agreed with him that the church was too lenient with penitents.

Hippolytus contested that those who renounced the faith during the persecutions could not be readmitted to communion, even though Pope Callistus had decreed that they could be readmitted if they repented and went to Confession.

Well, in 235 , the new Roman emperor Maximinus launched a new violent persecution, specifically targeting bishops and priests. Both anti-Pope Hippolytus and the new Pope Pontian were arrested, imprisoned for a time, and then exiled to the mines of Sardinia.   There, Hippolytus came to his senses, renounced his error, and submitted to Pontian.

Both men died that same year, and Hippolytus is now the only former anti-Pope to be recognized as a saint. And. He is the author of Eucharistic prayer II, which we use almost every weekday.
From this dispute we see a reflection of current Church law (canon 916), that those lapsed through serious sin, those who fall away from the Church, can be reunited, they can be readmitted to Communion by repenting and going to Confession. We joyfully welcome back the lapsed. And we do well to encourage the lapsed to return to the Sacraments, to work for reconciliation, to be ambassadors of mercy. Like the Lord in the Gospel, we willingly go after the one-out-of-a-hundred who has gone astray, to lead them back to the fold.

Hippolytus wrote: “Christ, like a skillful physician, understands the weakness of men. He loves to teach the ignorant and the erring... he seeks all, and desires to save all, wishing to make all the children of God, and calling all the saints unto one perfect man”  It took being imprisoned with the Pope to bring Hippolytus back into the fold, but if an anti-pope can be reconciled to Christ, so can our fallen away family members. We do well to invoke Saints Pontian and Hippolytus on behalf of all those who have fallen away.

May the loyal suffering of Saints Pontian and Hippolytus, fill us with the love of God and make our hearts steadfast in faith for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That the Pope and all the clergy may be steadfast in preaching the fullness of the Gospel, especially in the face of worldly pressures and persecutions.

That through the intercession of the martyrs Pontian and Hippolytus, lapsed Catholics will be moved to return to the Sacraments.

That the imprisoned may know the grace conversion and the consolation of the Spirit.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.