The link below is available right of S. Mass of the Fourth Sunday after Easter (May 10, 2009), while the following is the discussion on the liturgical Dom Prosper Guéranger.
Fourth Sunday after Easter
The institution of the Sacraments.
We have seen Jesus established his Church, in the hands of the Apostles entrusted the deposit of truth which is the object of our faith. But there is another work, not least for the world to which he will dedicate his care during this period of residence on earth. And the institution of the Sacraments. It is not enough to believe: you, too, that we become righteous, that conform to the holiness of God's grace that we, the fruit of redemption, will discuss with us, is embedded in us, to have become living members of our divine Head, we can also be co-heirs of His Kingdom. Now, it is through the Sacraments that Jesus has to work in us this marvel of justification, by applying the merits of his Incarnation and his sacrifice, by whatever means is decreed by His power and wisdom.
Sources and channels of grace.
Sovereign Lord of grace, he is free to determine the sources from which will descend into the us is our task to conform to his will.
Each of the Sacraments is therefore a law of his religion, whatever that man can not claim the effects of the Sacrament itself is intended to produce, if scorn or neglects to make the conditions under which it will operate. Admirable economy that combines, in one act, the humble submission of man with the most lavish width of the divine munificence. We showed a few days ago as the Church, spiritual society, a society is both visible and outward so that the man, who was targeted, is composed of a body and soul. Jesus instituted the sacraments, has awarded each of them an essential rite, and this rite is outward and sensitive. The Word taking flesh, has made the instrument of our salvation in His passion on the cross is by the blood in his veins he redeemed us, and, continuing in his divine plan, he takes the elements of the physical nature as auxiliaries in the work of our justification. Li was elevated to the supernatural and makes up in the depths of our souls, the faithful and powerful conductors of his grace. So will be applied up to its ultimate consequences the mystery of the Incarnation, which had for goal to elevate the knowledge and possession of things unseen by visible ones. So too will break the pride of Satan, who despised the human creature, because the material element is joined in her to spiritual dignity, and who refused, to his eternal disgrace, to bend the knee before the Word made flesh.
At the same time, since the sacraments sensible signs, will form a new constraint in members of the Church, already united by submission to Peter and pastors that he sends, and to the profession of that faith. The Holy Spirit tells us in scripture that "the three-wire cord is not torn so soon" (Eccl 4:12). Now this is what binds us in the glorious unity of the Church hierarchy, dogma and sacraments, which help to make us one body. From north to south, from east to west, the sacraments proclaim the brotherhood between the Christians wherever they are a sign of recognition, and what distinguishes them in the eyes of the infidels. It is to this end that the sacraments are the same for all breeds of baptized persons, regardless of the variety of liturgical formulas that accompany the administration: everywhere, the base is the same, and the same grace are made by the same essential signs.
The sacred sevenfold.
Risen Jesus chooses settenario as the number of its sacraments. Eternal wisdom of the Father, he reveals to us since the Old Testament, which will build a house, which is the holy Church, and adds that will rest on seven pillars (Prov 9.1, this represents the early church in the Tabernacle Moses, and ordered a seven-branched candelabrum, adorned with flowers and fruits, illuminate day and night, the sanctuary (Exodus 25.37). When, in an ecstasy, he carries his beloved disciple in heaven, and to show surrounded by seven candlesticks and holding seven stars in his hand (AP 1,12.16). When it appears in the guise of the Lamb victorious, it has seven horns, a symbol of strength, and seven eyes, which signify the infinite extension of his knowledge ( 5.6 therein). Near him there is the book on which the destinies of mankind, and this book is sealed with seven seals that only the Lamb can be removed (ibid. 5). Before the throne of Almighty God, the disciple sees seven blessed spirits that burn like seven lamps (including 4.5), attentive to the minimum orders of God, and ready to bring his word to the last limits of creation.
The seven deadly sins.
If now we turn our eyes to the power of darkness, we see the spirit of evil busy forging the work of God, usurping the seven day, for Lord consecrate themselves to evil. Seven deadly sins are the instrument of his victory on man and the Lord tells us that when, in his fury, Satan is thrown on a soul, he takes with him seven spirits more wicked that abyss. We know that Mary Magdalene, lucky sinner, not the life of the soul which recovered after the Savior had expelled seven demons from her. This results in the spirit of pride will force the divine wrath, when it falls on the world of sin, to give up the seven day in his justice. St. John tells us that seven trumpets, seven angels sounded, announcing the subsequent seizure of the human race (including 7.2), and seven other angel poured from time to time upon the earth guilty of seven bowls filled with rage God (ibid. 15:1).
We, therefore we want to be saved and enjoy the grace in this world, and our Master risen in the other, we welcome with respect and gratitude settenario Merciful of the Sacraments.
In this sacred number he was able to encompass all forms of grace. Whether, in his goodness, please let us pass from death to life, through Baptism and Penance, is trying to sustain in us the supernatural life, and to console us in our trials, through Confirmation, Eucharist and extreme unction, and finally to provide the ministry of his Church and its propagation through the Order and Marriage: Do not be possible to find a need of the soul, a necessity of Christian society, not that he has done by means of the seven sources of regeneration and life that has opened for us, and that continues to bring down upon our souls.
The seven sacraments are sufficient for all; one less, and harmony would be broken. The Churches of the East, separated from the Catholic for many centuries, we confess with the sevenfold sacramental and Protestantism, taking on that number, his profane hand, demonstrated in this as in all his other claims reforms which lacked the Christian sense. No wonder there, the whole theory of the sacraments is binding on the faith the humble submission of the faithful must accept, first of all, as coming from the great master is when you apply to the soul, that his magnificence and Divine prove its effectiveness, then we understand, because we believed. Credite et intelligetis.
Baptism.
Today we consecrate our admiration and our gratitude to the first of the sacraments: Baptism. The Easter season shows him in all his glory. We have seen, Holy Saturday, take the votes of the lucky catechumens, and give people the whole life of the heavenly homeland. But this mystery had its preparation. On the feast of the Epiphany we worshiped Emmanuel, descended into the waves of the Jordan, communicate to the element of water, through the contact of her flesh, the power to cleanse all the stains of the soul. The Holy Spirit came to rest on the head of the Man-God, and fertilize with its divine influence, the element regenerator, while the Father's voice resounded in the sky, announcing the adoption of cloud that, in his Son Jesus, would be worthy of making the baptized, the object of his eternal satisfaction.
Already during the mortal life, the Savior explained, before a lawyer, his mysterious intentions. He said: "No one, if not born by water and Spirit, can enter the kingdom of God" (Jn 3:5). According to his habit, almost constant, he announces you have to do one day without doing it yet, we know only that have not been pure in our first birth, there will be preparing a second holy, and that water will become the tool.
But these days it is time to declare the power that gave the water to produce the planned adoption by the Father. Addressed to his Apostles, he tells them, in the majesty of a king who promulgated the Basic Law of his empire, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19) . Here's the main benefit of announcing to the world: salvation by water, with the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, because, he says again: "Whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved" (Mark 16:16). Full revelation of mercy for mankind; inauguration of the sacraments, through the declaration of the first, of what, in the language of the Fathers, is the door to all the others! Us that we owe the life of our souls with the eternal and mysterious seal that makes us members of Christ, we greet with love this August mystery. St. Louis, called the humble source of Poissy, was pleased to sign: "Louis de Poissy", considering the font as a mother who had given it to heaven, forgetting his royal origin not to remember that this child God Our feelings must be the same as the holy king.
But we admire the condescension of the risen Jesus when he instituted the most indispensable of its sacraments. The subject he chose was the most common, easiest to meet. The bread, wine, olive oil, are not everywhere on earth, the water flows everywhere, and the providence of God has multiplied in all its forms, so that the day marked the fountain of regeneration was everywhere accessible to sinful man. The Savior has entrusted the other sacraments, the priesthood who alone has the power to administer, for the baptism will not happen. Whatever may be its faithful minister, without distinction of sex, nor condition. And there is more: any man, even if not a member of the Christian Church, will give to his fellow man, through the water and the invocation of the Blessed Trinity, the baptismal grace which is not in him, the sole condition that want to take seriously, with this act, what makes the Church when they administer the sacrament of Baptism. And there's the other: the minister of the sacrament may be missing man who is about to die, eternity will be opened for him without a hand of others to get up to pour on his head the purified water, the divine founder the regeneration of souls, never to leave in this supreme moment. It pays homage to the holy baptism, as you like with all the ardor of his soul, who has feelings of sincere repentance and true love, beyond this, if he dies, the gates of heaven will be open to him through Baptism of desire.
But the child who does not have the use of reason, and that death falcerà few hours, will then be forgotten in this bounty general? Jesus said that he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: how then will be saved, this weakness to be shut with the stain of original sin and is incapable of having faith? Rest assured. The power of Baptism will extend to him. The faith of the Church that the child wants, he will be charged; pouring water over his head in the name of the three divine persons, and, behold, he will be a Christian forever. Baptized in the Church's faith, this faith is now in him personally, along with Hope and Charity, the water has produced this wonderful sacrament. Time to expire, the kingdom of heaven is his.
These are, or Redeemer, the signs that you operate in the first of the sacraments, as a result of your sincere desire that the salvation of all (1 Tim 2:4), so that those who have not fulfilled this commitment, beyond the grace of regeneration only in consequence of sin committed before, your eternal shame that justice does not always allow you to call us for himself, or to repair its consequences. But your mercy has come to the rescue: she has extended its networks, and countless elected will have fallen. Holy water and fell back on the front of the child who was dying in the arms of a mother, pagan, and the Angels opened their ranks to receive it. At the sight of so many wonders, what remains to be done, if not exclaim with the Psalmist: "We who possess life, we bless the Lord"?
The Fourth Sunday after Easter, the Greek Church is called the Sunday of the Samaritan woman, for there we read the Gospel passage in which shows the conversion of this woman.
The Roman Church today, in the office at night, begins reading the Epistles that fee, reading that it continues until the feast of Pentecost.
Mass
Epistle (Jas 1,16-21). - Dear: Every good thing received, every perfect gift is from above, and descends from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. He has his desire generated by word of truth, that we as the first fruits of his creatures. You know, my beloved brethren: every man must be ready to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger because the anger of man does not fulfill the righteousness of God and then getting rid of all uncleanness and all the rest of malice, embrace with meekness the implanted word in you, which can save your souls.
Imitating the Father.
The favors bestowed by the Christian people are great and serene goodness of the Heavenly Father, source of all order of nature, and if the order of grace, we have become his children, is because he himself has sent his consubstantial Word, which is the word of truth, by which we have become, in baptism, the children of God it follows that we should imitate, as far as possible in our weakness, the calm of our Father in heaven, and guaranteed by those who are passionate turmoil the character of a purely terrestrial life, while ours must play in the sky where God draws us. The holy Apostle warns us to receive with kindness this Word, which makes us what we are. It is, according to his doctrine of salvation grafting, transplanted in our souls. It can svilupparvisi that his success is not prevented by us, and we shall be saved.
Gospel (Jn 16,6-14). - At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: I go to him who sent me and none of you asks me: Where you going? instead, because I have said these things, sorrow has filled my heart there. But I tell you the truth: it is better for you than me go, for if I was not going away, the Comforter will not come to you, and if I leave, I will send it to you. And coming, he will convict the world of sin, justice, and the trial. Sin, for not having believed in me in righteousness, so I go to the Father and not see me; the trial, because the prince of this world is judged. Many things I have to say, but for now you are not capable. But when the Spirit of truth is come, he will ammaestrerà in all truth, why do not you speak for himself, but will say only what He hears, and will announce the future. He will glorify me, because mine and will declare it to you.
The announcement of the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus told the Apostles: "I'm leaving", he / she was saddened. Not so are we, since its birth in Bethlehem we have consistently followed, thanks to the liturgy that we joined him at every step? A few more days, and he will ascend to heaven, and the year will lose the enchantment that was, day by day, by his actions and his speeches. But does not want us to let us go to a grief too big. We announced that in its place, the Advocate, the Paraclete, will come down to earth and will remain with us, to enlighten and strengthen us until the end of time. Benefit of the last hours of Jesus will soon be time to prepare to receive the heavenly host, which will come to replace it.
Jesus, who spoke these words on the eve of his passion, not only showed the coming of the Holy Spirit, as consolation for his faithful, but at the same time, shows how fearful for those who have not wanted to recognize the Savior. The words of Jesus are as mysterious as terrible and take the explanation that there from St. Augustine, the Doctor of doctors. "When the Holy Spirit will come, says the Savior, will convince the world of what concerns the sin." Why? "Because men have not believed in Jesus." How big will, indeed, the responsibility of those who, having witnessed the wonders worked by the Redeemer, will not bend to his word! Jerusalem hear that the Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus, and shall remain so indifferent, as it was for the miracles which point to the Messiah.
The coming of the Holy Spirit is like the prelude to the downfall of the city deicide. Jesus adds that the Paraclete will convict the world as to justice, because, he says, "I go to the Father, and you will not see me." The Apostles, and those who believe their word, will be holy and righteous by faith. Believe in him who has gone to the Father, who in their eyes will not see more in this world. Jerusalem, by contrast, does not retain the memories for blasphemy, justice, holiness, the faith of those who believe will be his sentence, and the Holy Spirit will leave his fate. Jesus said again: "The Paraclete will convict the world since the trial." Why? "Because the prince of this world is already judged." Those who do not follow Jesus Christ, follow, however, another master, this master is Satan. Now, the trial of Satan has already been pronounced. The Holy Spirit warns the disciples of the world so that their prince is buried forever in the reprobate.
There is considering, since, Augustine adds, "the pride of man would be wrong to count sull'indulgenza; worth for him to contemplate the torment to which the angels are abandoned superb" [Tratt. XCV on St John].
Please
O God, uniting the souls of the faithful in one will, from 'your people to love what you command and desire what you promise, so that our hearts, even in the midst of earthly concerns are fixed where true joys are .
(Dom Prosper Gueranger, the liturgical year. Trad. L. Roberti, P. Graziani and P. suf, Alba, 1959)
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