Continues the preparation of the liturgy Sunday, March 15, 2009, the third of Lent, in the company of S. Alfonso M. de 're Liguo, with his usual sermon theme, and Pope Paul VI, with the' homily Sunday, March 21, 1965, also the third with the gospel of Lent and coincides with that of the extraordinary form of the rite.
S. Alfonso M. de 'Liguori: Sermon XVII - The silent sins in confession.
Erat Iesus eiiciens daemonium, et erat illud mutum. (Luke 11. 14.)
The devil does not bring sinners to hell with his eyes open: first blinds them with the evil of their own vices: Excaecavit enim illos malice eorum 1, and so leads him to eternal damnation. So the enemy, before sin proxy blind lest we see the evil we do and the ruin that we pull over coll'offendere God after sin then prosecutors silent lest we make him confess to shame, and so binds us with double chain to hell, making us commit sin after sin had a larger, what is sacrilege. Of this I speak to you today, to make you conceive that the great evil is silent sins in confession.
S. Augustine, writing in the text of David Puts, Domine, ostium circumstantiae labiis meis2, says this: Do not dixit claustrum, sed ostium: ostium et aperitur et clauditur; aperiatur to confessionem sins claudatur to excusationem sins. It means that ' Man ought to keep the door to his mouth, so that close to the dishonest words and gossip, to blasphemy and the like, and the open to confess his sins. And then concludes the saint: Ita enim ERIT ostium continentiae not ruinae. The silence, when we instigated to say hurtful words to God or to the next, is an act of virtue, but the silence in the confession of sins already made, is of ruin ' Soul. And what the devil wants from us, that after committing evil keep your mouth shut and do not confess it. S recounts. Antoninus that a certain holy lonely once saw the devil that was in a church surroundings to some people who wished to confess: that's asked of them to do in that place, the enemy replied: Reddo poenitentibus quod eis antea abstuli; abstuli verecundiam dum peccarent; reddo ut nunc abhorreant to confession. I, I removed the redness to them, lest they commit sin, and now I give them the, lest if they confess. Putruerunt corruptae sunt et meae scars in sight insipientiae meae3. The wounds when cancrenano bring death, and these are the unspoken sins in confession, the soul are wounds that become cancrene.così: Not dixit claustrum, sed ostium: ostium et aperitur et clauditur; aperiatur to confessionem sins claudatur to excusationem sins. It means that man ought to keep the door to his mouth, so that close to the dishonest words and gossip, to blasphemy and the like, and the open to confess his sins. And then concludes the saint: Ita enim ERIT ostium continentiae not ruinae. The silence, when we instigated to say hurtful words to God or to the next, is an act of virtue, but the silence in the confession of sins already made, is of ruin ' Soul. And what the devil wants from us, that after committing evil keep your mouth shut and do not confess it. S recounts. Antoninus that a certain holy lonely once saw the devil that was in a church surroundings to some people who wished to confess: that's asked of them to do in that place, the enemy replied: Reddo poenitentibus quod eis antea abstuli; abstuli verecundiam dum peccarent; reddo ut nunc abhorreant to confession. I said, I removed the redness to them, lest they commit sin, and now I give them the, lest if they confess. Putruerunt corruptae sunt et meae scars in sight insipientiae meae3. The wounds when cancrenano bring death, and these are the unspoken sins in confession, the soul are wounds that become gangrene.
Writes s. John Chrysostom: Pudorem dedit Deus sin, confession fiduciam: invertit diabolus rem, fiduciam praebet sin, confession pudorem 4. The Lord has put the blush of sin, so we refrain from it; meeting gives us confidence to confess, promising forgiveness to those he accuses. The devil does quite the contrary, it gives confidence to sin with the hope of forgiveness, but after sin puts us on the eyes, the shame, lest him to confess.
A pupil of Socrates, out of the house of an evil woman, saw his master who was passing by, and he went inside to avoid being seen. Socrates looked at that door and said: Son, this house is the shame go, is not ashamed to leave: Do not you pudeat, wires, egredi ex hoc loco; intrasse pudeat. So I say to you, sinners, my brethren, is the shame so well offend a God so great and so good, but is not ashamed to confess the sin we have committed after that. It was perhaps ashamed to s. Mary Magdalene the sinner to confess in public at the feet of Jesus Christ, when he converted? With that confession she made holy. He was ashamed to s. Augustine not only confess his sins, but also write in a book, so that by its confusion were known to the world? He was ashamed to confess to s. Mary of Egypt, which had been for many years female dishonest? So they became saints, and are now honored on the altars.
In the courts of the land is said that anyone who confesses to pay, in the tribunal of Jesus Christ of s. confession, who confesses is forgiven, and received the crown of Heaven: Post confessionem, says Chrysostom, datur poenitenti crown. Who takes a wound, if he wants to heal itself ought to show it to your doctor, otherwise the wound will be malignant, and lead to his death: Quod ignorat, says the Council of Trent, medicine Ed. And so, my sister, if you find yourself impiagata with the soul from sin, you do not pigliar blush to say to the confessor, or your soul is lost: P ro thy soul confundaris dicere verum 5. But I have a great blush to confess that sin. This redness is what you have to win if you want to save: East enim confusion adducens peccatum, et east confusion adducens gloriam et gratiam 6. There are two confusions, says Ecclesiasticus, a confusion that leads men to sin, which is precisely what makes you blush in confessing the sins committed silence, then another confusion is that you hear in the manifest sins, and that confusion makes you receive the grace of God in this life and the glory of paradise in the other.
Writes s. Augustine and the wolf, so that the sheep did not run away from his hands, grabs her by the throat, so that one can not seek help with shouting, and so surely if the ports and devour him. So does the devil with so many poor sheep of Jesus Christ after the sin has driven them to do, grabbed by the throat lest they confess, and so surely if the door to hell. After that one has committed a grave offense, it is still another remedy to save himself, that confession of his sin. But what hope of safety may be in him, if he goes to confession and sin is silent, and uses of confession for more than offend God, and to make doubly slave of the devil? What would you say the life of quell'infermo, instead of the remedy ordinatogli doctor will take a cup of poison? Oh God! What ever gets the confession to a sinner who keeps silent his sins, but a cup of poison which adds to his conscience the guilt of sacrilege? When the confessor gives absolution to the penitent, then the pantry the blood of Jesus Christ, while the merit of that blood performs from his sin. Who then is silent sin in confession, he is doing? It puts under foot the blood of Jesus Christ. And who then also receives communion in sin, say s. Gioanni Chrysostom, which is the same as if gittasse the consecrated Host in a sewer: Not hateful minus east os pollutum, quam in sterquilinium mittere Of Filium 7. Damn shame, how many poor souls to hell it? Magis memores pudoris quam salutis, says Tertullian. Poor, they only think of blush to confess, and do not think that confession are certainly damned!
He says the penitent: But who will tell my confessor, when he hears my fall? What will she say? He will say that you're a miserable, as are all the people who live on this earth easy to fall: say that if you have done evil wrought a glorious win with shame and sincerely confess your sin.
But if I confess this sin, I fear that my sin is made public. I ask: how many confessors have to say that your fault? Just tell that to one priest, who feels like your sin, so it feels like thousands of others from other people. Just once I'll confess, the confessor will give penance and absolve thee, and will stay with the quiet conscience: But I have to say my total revulsion to do my spiritual father. And you tell another confessor of this or another country. But if my confessor is what you know, the will to disgust. And what do you do? Perhaps so as not to disgust the confessor, you want a great sin and remain condemned to hell? It would be too silly.
But I fear that the confessor obvious to others that I confess my sin. What say you? What say you? What madness is that of wanting to suspect that your confessor is so heinous that wants to break the seal of confession, and let others know your sin? Know that the seal of confession is so narrow that even the confessor out of the confession of venial sin can at least speak with the same of his penitents, and if it did, it would be a very serious crime.
But you replicate: I fear that the confessor feeling my weakness, I will do a great reproach and scold me greatly. Oh God, do not you see that all these fears are deceptions of the devil to take you to hell surely? What a reproach! What a rebuke! The confessor will give you kindly agree that those warnings, the rest know that every confessor can have no more consolation, which carry a penitent who with true sorrow and sincerity is accused of his guilt. If a queen was fatally injured by a slave, so that you could heal with some remedy, as godresti to be able to heal and liberate it from the dead? This is the consolation of a confessor who absolves a soul fall into sin: he coll'opera its freedom from eternal death, and causing them to recover the grace of God makes the queen of heaven.
But you have so many fears, and you have no fear of dannarti with making a great sin to be silent sin in confession? Themes of the rebuke of the confessor, and not fear the reproach that you will Jesus Christ, when will be your judge on his deathbed? Themes that your sin will have learned from others (which is impossible, when you secretly to the confessor posters), and issues of the day of judgment, in which, though now shut up your sin, the will to know all men of the earth? If I knew that confessandoti of that sin to the confessor, they had to know all your relatives and all your countrymen, I will certainly tell others, but you have faith or you do not have? You do not know, say s. Bernard, who is ashamed to tell if you leave for your guilt to a man, who is also a sinner like you, the day of judgment that your sin will have to be manifested, not only to all your relatives and villagers, but to all men ? It pudor east homini et tibi one peccatum exponere sinners, quid facturus eg in die iudicii, ubi omnibus exposita your conscientia patebit 8? God Himself for your confusion, if not now you confess, then publish not only this sin, but all your sordidezze you committed in your life, the presence of angels and the whole world in your sight, your pudenda Revelabo 9.
So you feel that you recommend that s. Ambrose: the devil takes the prepared process all your sins, for accusartene in the tribunal of God; want to escape this charge, says the Holy One? Prevent your accuser, accused by yourself to a confessor, and then you will not accusing anyone against you Praeveni accusatorem tuum; you are ipse accusaveris, accusatorem nullum timebis 10. At the meeting, says s. Augustine, that he who excuses himself in confession, closes soul sin, and excludes God's forgiveness: Excusas you includis peccatum, excludis Indulgentiam 11.
Way of a good courage, I talk to anyone, if ever there was among you, who made this mistake to shut the sins of shame, take heart, and 'all of a confessor: Bono mood gloriam redde Deo 12. Give glory to God, and confused the devil. Some penitent was tempted by the devil to shame not to confess a sin committed, but they took heart, and while he was already finding the confessor to tell him all, if the devil stepped forward, and said: Where are you going? She generously said I'm going to confuse you and me. So again I say to you, if you ever concealed some grave sin, say it clearly to the confessor, and confuse the devil. Look, the greater the force that you do confessartelo, the greater will be the love with which you embrace Jesus Christ.
Way to keep your soul Banish this viper, and who continually bites you and makes you stand. Oh what the hell is suffering a person holding a shame left in the heart of admitting to shame! Suffers a hell early. Just tell your confessor: "Father, I have some qualms of past life, but I blush to say it." Just say so, because it will bring out the weight of the confessor of this serpent that gnaws the conscience. And so that does not make us care where there cape, if you know what your sin that you are ashamed to explain it was not mortal, or no you have not kept to death, you are not obliged to say, because the only mortal sins, we are forced to confess. Also, if you doubt you have not confessed your sin, some old, but you know you've waited for him to get well past the examination of conscience, and never left you to tell your sins to shame in this case, even if that had been grossly negligent, you are not obliged to confess it, because it is morally certain that it is assumed for the Have you confessed. But if you knew already that the offense was serious, and you never know what you have confessed, there is no remedy or I'll confess, or you are damned. But no, it's early, lost sheep, that Jesus Christ is waiting for you, and is open arms to forgive you and hug you, if you confess. I assure you that after you've confessed everything, you will feel much consolation to have discharged your conscience and experience the grace of God, bless you always forward to having done this good confession. Soon to be the earliest you can find the confessor, not giving time to tempt the devil to continue, to carry on along this your confession soon, because Jesus Christ is waiting for you.
Notes: 1 Wis. 2. 21. PSAL 2. 140. 13. 3Psal. 37. 4 Prooem. in Isa. 5 Eccl. 4. 24. 6 Eccl. 4. 25. 7 Hom. 83. in Mt.
Super 8 illud Ioan. c. 11. Lazare, veni foras. 9 Nahum. 3. 5. 10 L. 2. de poenitent. c. 2. 11 Hom. 12. 50.
12 Eccl. 35. 10.
Homily of Pope Paul VI in the Third Sunday of Lent, March 21, 1965
The Gospel passage offered for the third Sunday of Lent of St. Luke: special reason to make new homage to the saint, the church dedicated to him. There is a page easy and is well detect the setting. This is twofold.
When does the episode of the healing of the possessed and his sudden silent when speech? After a long period of Jesus' preaching in Galilee. Thither he had received widespread acclaim and aroused great enthusiasm in the masses. This was the reason why the heads of the people and the lawyers residing in Judea wanted to inquire about the work of a master, who preached the Kingdom of God without their consent, without being at their school.
Thus was the principle opposition to Jesus To really understand why the Son of God was condemned to death on the cross, we must go back to this stage of his ministry, that He suffered shock with representatives of the doctrine and life the Jewish people. The controversy became increasingly bitter: and Jerusalem followed the trial, sentencing, the gallows, precisely because those leaders would not accept the teaching of Jesus
Another prior consideration. The same stretch of the Holy Gospel is well set during Lent. Since the beginning of Christianity in this period were preparing catechumens for baptism, and also taught about the hardships caused by the devil; on exorcisms, on what the Church does to free us from all evil and temptation; regenerative effects on the first of the Sacraments produces, giving the life of Grace.
That said, we might ask in what way and to Refer us today, this page of the Gospel. There are several aspects, but primarily a draw our attention: the resistance made to Jesus
The Lord in earthly life, was - to use a human term power - luck? The answer is negative. He saw, yes, moments of great acclaim, and eventually triumph, but its human history has gone bad. It seemed like a loser, and his condemnation to death on the cross could not be in this regard, the most eloquent. Now this is begun by his failed when the resistance began, at first dull, then clearly, made him his word, although that had fascinated the crowds - just remember the Beatitudes - was eventually accepted and evil misinterpreted, as well as the many were his acts.
And we come to the Gospel story. St. Luke tells us that Jesus healed a poor man, who was possessed by the devil, and people are divided in opinion. Some say there is still an occurrence of portentous event, and others, on the contrary, says ominously, and hastens to misinterpret the miracle. There is, therefore, resistance and hostility.
Now such an attitude may be reported to us, and right now, this Lent.
Easter is a day of choice, decision-making. We are in Christ, or not? We are Christians, or the opposite happens to us? The answer to this question is given annually by the Christian people, at Easter, and so now the Church asks us all: you are ready to confirm your membership and loyalty?
Now consider the value of this application made personally by the Pope to those who listen to him, not for important external and spectacular, but the authority which he possesses. He is so permeated that would apply to each individually and talk softly to the heart, to say: You, you accept the Lord? believe in Him? you love him? Think of his words? are they true for you, or pass, however, aimless as butterflies, are you actually talk with God concerning your existence; hound upon you, and they manage to get that you have to shape their lives to God's designs; You listen, and therefore according to the Gospel?
The point is, therefore, to see what is our response to the Lord.
And first of the obstacles to be eliminated. The Gospel shows us, on this page, two ways of behaving, and are, one more than the other, bad, bad. Behold, Jesus performs a miracle and now there are those who accuse him of going against the law, going so far as to misinterpret. Seek to give an explanation bad, to unnerve, so to speak, the strength of the supernatural event. Sentenziano treacherously: if it did, it means that operated in the name of the devil! Interpret, therefore, at their leisure, and in a manner contrary to the truth clear, simple and logical. They try to turn against Jesus what should instead be to his honor, glory and defense.
The opposition is repeated over the centuries.
It is the earliest form of negation is the systematic bias and refused to believe. Do not hesitate to speak of myth, fairy tales, things unreal. Now this opposition - the Pope wants to talk about it because it has saturated the air, full print and circulate it feels in our contemporary world and shape the mentality of many - from a false premise. There are those who oppose the teaching of intelligence believes act of God, the doctrine of the Church. To be open-minded, stronger than the others, must know how to say no: I do not think so. Religion is made for feeble minds, not to modern thought, not for critics, the educated, the refractory to suggestions. They persist in their rejection. It will serve the divine light, which is the reason, not to seek the truth, not to welcome with sympathy, with blissful joy and magic the radiance of God entering into our souls with the words of the Gospel, but close the windows, and use, on the contrary, the very reason for denying the truth of the Creed, and then resist the Lord, misinterpreting what he did and said.
This negative attitude, this evil spirit, is what today's Gospel passage highlights, good warning: beware of an attitude as dangerous and lethal. The Lord will take into words, one day, the rebel, turning against him, the denial: You would not know, even I know you. This judgment may be eternal condemnation.
There is another approach, also indicated in the text of St. Luke. Concerning those who do not deny at all, but they say: Lord let me see a miracle, then I will believe. I want to see a sign, and just as I understand it, to touch, to see with my eyes. Well the Lord for this miracle, this service tailored to the whims and curiosity, does not do it. The whole Gospel, which is full of wonders, testing, lights, confirmations, does not adhere to the desires of those who expected signs. The Lord does not indulge the indiscretion of our questions.
Demonstrations of Self and of His truth, He has given countless: the two thousand year history of our faith is full of them, the teaching is incomparable, many wonders he has done. But, remember, the Lord does not force the souls; sets them free, he wants us to respond with our hearts, spontaneously. God bestows many gifts to us, shows the way, but states that we have to cooperate. For if it were obvious every precept, and that if we had rational proof, direct, obvious truths of faith, we no longer have any merit. God leads us to the door because we wanted, we can freely cross the threshold blessed.
A great thinker has outlined very well saying this sublime reality: In the Gospel, the economy of God's kingdom there are many dark because who does not want to look not see, and there is immense light because who wants to see. That is, the Lord leaves us the choice, decide on the merit of saying, I believe, and I intend to be faithful.
This then is the meaning of the Gospel today. Try to put our souls in the process, better attitude to welcome the sun of our salvation.
Do we get the word of God as alive and real, making it our own, and as a proclamation of our bliss? We must put our soul on fire - think of the perfect shot of a photograph - that is, in that exact position, which makes it suitable, fit, able to receive the rays of the Lord.
Therefore, our salvation begins with God, but He wants us to cooperate and do anything. How? By being men, thinking well, remaining vigilant and diligent, consistent with the standards and celestial inspirations, not to criticize them or turn them off, but leaving the supernal influence to guide and support.
Finally: today's Gospel ends with an epilogue of ineffable beauty. At the end of the controversy involved, now, among the enemies of the Lord and the same Divine Master, which demonstrates the illogicality of their attitude, a simple and humble woman exclaims: Blessed, blessed be your Mom! Why do you say so? It is understood that Christ is a unique being, it has realized the entire existing wealth in the person of the Master and Prophet. It dates back to the Mother of the Saviour, to Mary, the glory of having had a son called Jesus
It is the voice of the heart pure, white soul, the wise pity is the voice of the Christian people, we, he has to say: Oh, the blessed Virgin, who gave us Jesus, our Redeemer!
Look, if you can, my children, to understand and remember something of this lesson. It is important, he says, pressing on your souls, and decide your future if you welcome the word of the Lord with zeal, and everyday correspondence.
In this way we will all be saved. If you close your eyes, ears and hearts to the divine message that makes us free from evil, we will be referees and architects of ruin.
It should not be so. Jesus really is - we always invoking the help of his Mother - our friend, our guide, our teacher, our Salvation!
