November 12 2024 - St. Josaphat - Overcoming division

 

St. Josephat was born into family of orthodox Christians in the year 1580, but as an adult he joined one of the eastern churches that had recently returned to full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.  He became a monk of the Order of St. Basil and just a few years later, he was consecrated an archbishop.  

As archbishop sought to educate his flock and reform of his clergy, and offer his personal example of holiness. By doing so, Josephat won over the majority of the Orthodox to convert to Catholicism. Unfortunately, the vocal minority plotted to kill him. With furious cries of “Kill the Papist” he was killed and thrown into a river.

St. Josephat gave his life for the unity of the Church—the unity the Lord prayed for at the Last Supper, when he said, “Father, I pray that they might be one, as you and I are one”. Josaphat gave his life--he died trying to fulfill this prayer of Our Lord—trying to bring the Orthodox back into the fold—back into full communion with Rome.  

On the Feast of Saint Josaphat in 1923, Pope Pius XI declared Saint Josaphat the Patron Saint of Reunion between Orthodox and Catholics.  Pius XI also issued an encyclical letter called, “Ecclesiam Dei”.  He explained that no prerogative of the Church has been assailed more bitterly by the enemy as its unity. 

From the beginning, the devil has fueled our pride to create division. He has and continues to sew seeds of arrogance—leading us to believe that we know better than the Church. His errors lead to heresies and schisms and Catholics allowing themselves to fall away from the Church, and factionalism, all which are a sort of anti-evangelism. For Church division certainly doesn’t make Christianity look more attractive. 

Rather, we are called to the unity taught by Our Lord, and echoed by Paul in our reading today, to have “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

As we know there are great divisions in our nation, there are many family members estranged from one another, there are many who have set themselves at odds with God through sin. Any division in family, community, nation, Church, or in the human heart can only truly be healed with God’s help.  

Saint Josaphat saw prayer, education, a devout clergy, and personal holiness as indispensable to healing the wounds of sin and division.  May the example and heavenly intercession of Saint Josaphat inspire us to work for unity in the Church and the healing of human hearts for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For Pope Francis and all bishops, that they may be blessed with wisdom and courage as they lead efforts toward Christian unity, 

For families experiencing division and estrangement, that through God's grace they may find paths to reconciliation and healing.

For our own community, that we may be instruments of peace and unity, overcoming pride and prejudice through lives of authentic Christian witness.

For all those struggling with addiction, mental illness, chronic sickness, unemployment, or ongoing trials of any kind: that they will be fortified and blessed with the Father’s healing, light, and peace.  

We pray that in a special way during the Month of November for our beloved dead, for our deceased family members, friends, parishioners, and benefactors, for deceased priests and religious, servicemen and women, and for N., for whom this mass is offered, that they may be united with Christ in the heavenly kingdom.

Merciful Father, through the intercession of St. Josaphat, help us to heal the wounds of division in our Church, our families, and our world. Grant us the grace to be instruments of your peace and unity. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

November 12 2021 - St. Josaphat, martyr - Unity with God, Church, and Neighbor

 At the last supper, the Lord prayed for his followers—he prayed for the Apostles present with him in the upper room, and he prayed for the Church—that through the ages she would remain united in faith and love. "Holy Father, I pray not only for these, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may be one.” While his death was looming, the most terrible of sufferings anyone had ever or would ever suffer, he was thinking of us and praying for us, for our unity in the truth of the Gospel, ““Your word, father, is truth…consecrate them in the truth”

The unity of the Church is always threatened by sin and error. And so we find the holy saints throughout history seeking unity with God through mortification, unity in the Church through right teaching, and unity with neighbor through charity. There can be no sanctity without mortification, right teaching, and works of charity.

St. Paul, of course, often wrote to the fledgling communities about avoiding anything that led to division. “With diligence preserve unity” he writes to the Ephesians, for “there is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

St. Josephat spent his life laboring for the unity of the Church and was a martyr for Church unity because he died trying to bring part of the Orthodox Church into union with Rome.  He’s known as the apostle of union because he gave us life working for the unity of the Church. 

He was born into an orthodox family in 1580, but as an adult he joined one of the eastern churches that had recently returned to full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Through education, reform of the clergy and personal example, Josephat succeeded in winning over the majority of the Orthodox in his diocese to full communion with Rome.  But those who opposed Church unity and communion with Rome plotted his death, and he was martyred in 1623. With furious cries of “Kill the Papist!”, He was struck on the head and shot and thrown into the river— killed by a mob who opposed his efforts.  

Like his Lord, Josephat died for unity. For the Lord indeed died that our unity with God destroyed by sin might be restored, and that the wounds of sin and division in the human family might be healed. As we know there are great divisions in our nation, there are many family members estranged from one another, there are many who have set themselves at odds with God through sin. Division caused by sin and pride always brings unneeded suffering, sadness and diminishment.

Through the intercession of St. Josephat and all the saints, seek that unity God desires for us, unity with Himself, unity with the Church, unity with neighbor for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the healing of the wounds of all Christian division and for success in the work of evangelization.

For perseverance in carrying our crosses in fidelity to the Lord Jesus.

For safety for travelers and for the homeless and destitute affected by cold and inclement weather.

That we may be attentive to the needs of the sick, the poor, and the despairing in our midst.

We pray in a special way during this month of November for all the faithful departed, for those whose names are written in our parish book of the names of the dead, all deceased members of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, and our deceased family members and friends, deceased clergy and religious, for those who fought and died for our freedom and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

November 12 2019 - St. Josaphat - What we were obliged to do

When I think of the apostles and martyrs willingly going to their death for Christ, martyrs like our parish patron, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Josaphat whom the Church honors today, I wonder if they shared the sentiment found at the end of our Gospel reading today: “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'

The martyrs, men and women, up and down the centuries, so loved Christ that they were compelled when given the choice to abandon the faith or to die for Him, they chose to die. These are the ones who did what they were commanded to do. They took up their cross and followed the Lord all the way to Calvary because they loved Him and believed in Him and trusted in his promises.

“All the pleasures of the world, and all the kingdoms of this earth, shall profit me nothing” writes Ignatius of Antioch. “It is better for me to die on behalf of Jesus Christ, than to reign over all the ends of the earth”

St. Josaphat was born into an orthodox family in 1580, but as an adult he joined one of the eastern churches that had recently returned to full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. He was ordained a priest and eventually a bishop. And through the education of his flock, the reform of his clergy, and his personal example of holiness, Josaphat succeeded in winning the majority of the Orthodox in his diocese to full communion with Rome. Those who opposed him plotted his death. With furies cries of “Kill the Papist” he was killed and thrown into a river.

And yet, knowing his end, would have chosen to water down his teaching? Would he have put off the work of Christian unity for someone else. Would he have given the excuse that it was too dangerous, or not politically correct? Likely, he would have said, “I have done what I was obliged to do.”

And for this, at the time of his judgment, he appeared before the throne of God who welcomed him, “well done my good and faithful servant…Come and share your master’s joy.”

May each of us cultivate that intense love of the Lord and the Truth of his Gospel, that we may willing to serve Him in all things despite the cost for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
 
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For the healing of the wounds of all Christian division and for success in the work of evangelization.

For perseverance in carrying our crosses in fidelity to the Lord Jesus.

For safety for travelers and for the homeless and destitute affected by cold and inclement weather.

That we may be attentive to the needs of the sick, the poor, and the despairing in our midst.

We pray in a special way during this month of November for all the faithful departed, for those whose names are written in our parish book of the names of the dead, all deceased members of St. Ignatius of Antioch Parish, and our deceased family members and friends, deceased clergy and religious, for those who fought and died for our freedom and for N. for whom this mass is offered.

O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.

November 12 2018 (school mass) - St. Josaphat - Martyrdom and Eucharist

The month of November began with the great feast of All Saints. There are many types of saints canonized over the centuries. Saints who were Holy Popes, priests, and deacons, saints who were married or widowed. Saints who were religious brothers and sisters who remained unmarried and consecrated themselves to Jesus for their whole of life. Saints whose names and stories we know, and saints whose names we will only learn in heaven.

A very special category of saints are known as the martyrs. The word martyr comes from the Greek word for witness, for the martyrs witness, they testify, they tell the world about Jesus, not only through their preaching and teaching, but to the point of death. Martyrs are so dearly beloved by the Church and exalted by the Church because they follow in the footsteps of Jesus who himself was arrested, tortured, and killed for his witness to the Truth of God.

Today, the Church honors a saint who witnessed to the truth that Christians are supposed to look to and follow the spiritual leadership of the Pope. St. Josephat was a bishop who was killed by a mob of people who hated the Pope. As bishop, St. Josephat witnessed to the truth that Jesus, Our Lord, created the Church and organized it to have a spiritual leader, who governs the Church in faithfulness to Jesus. For defending this truth, Josephat was killed. Josephat was faithful to those words we heard in our first reading, St. Paul writing to Titus about bishops "holding fast to the true message."


So many of the martyrs throughout the centuries have died defending what is True, what is true about Jesus, what is true about God, what is true about the Church, and what is true about the human soul, that the human soul is need of conversion, it needs to humble itself, turn away from sin, and believe in the Gospel.

We are thankful for the witness of the martyrs. And every time we come to celebrate the Eucharist, we need to approach the altar with the desire to have the same strength of faith that the martyrs showed. That when we are called to witness to the truth, we will have the strength to endure mockery, social-pressure; that our courage and love of God will be stronger than our human fears of suffering.

There is a strong connection between martyrdom and what happens on the altar every time we celebrate mass. For on the altar, bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus, who offered himself in witness to the truth of God’s love. And the martyrs offer themselves as well, that we may know and remember that same truth. As we prayed in the opening prayer, “Stir up in your Church, we pray, O Lord, the Spirit that filled Saint Josaphat as he laid down his life for the sheep, so that through his intercession, we, too, may be strengthened by the same Spirit and not be afraid to lay down our life for others”…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.