A Holy Life

Saint Ambrose

Bishop, Doctor of the Church

Feast day – December 07

One of Ambrose’s biographers observed that at the Last Judgment people would still be divided between those who admired Ambrose and those who heartily disliked him. He emerges as the man of action who cut a furrow through the lives of his contemporaries. Even royal personages were numbered among those who were to suffer crushing divine punishments for standing in Ambrose’s way. When the Empress Justina attempted to wrest two basilicas from Ambrose’s Catholics and give them to the Arians, he dared the eunuchs of the court to execute him. His own people rallied behind him in the face of imperial troops. In the midst of riots he both spurred and calmed his people with bewitching new hymns set to exciting Eastern melodies. In his disputes with the Emperor Auxentius, he coined the principle: “The emperor is in the Church, not above the Church.” He publicly admonished Emperor Theodosius for the massacre of 7,000 innocent people. The emperor did public penance for his crime. This was Ambrose, the fighter, sent to Milan as Roman governor and chosen while yet a catechumen to be the people’s bishop.

There is yet another side of Ambrose — one which influenced Augustine, whom Ambrose converted. Ambrose was a passionate little man with a high forehead, a long melancholy face and great eyes. We can picture him as a frail figure clasping the codex of sacred Scripture. This was the Ambrose of aristocratic heritage and learning. Augustine found the oratory of Ambrose less soothing and entertaining but far more learned than that of other contemporaries. Ambrose’s sermons were often modelled on Cicero and his ideas betrayed the influence of contemporary thinkers and philosophers. He had no scruples in borrowing at length from pagan authors. He gloried in the pulpit in his ability to parade his spoils — “gold of the Egyptians” — taken over from the pagan philosophers. His sermons, his writings and his personal life reveal him as an otherworldly man involved in the great issues of his day. Humanity, for Ambrose, was, above all, spirit. In order to think rightly of God and the human soul, the closest thing to God, no material reality at all was to be dwelt upon. He was an enthusiastic champion of consecrated virginity. The influence of Ambrose on Augustine will always be open for discussion. The Confessions reveal some manly, brusque encounters between Ambrose and Augustine, but there can be no doubt of Augustine’s profound esteem for the learned bishop. Neither is there any doubt that Monica loved Ambrose as an angel of God who uprooted her son from his former ways and led him to his convictions about Christ. It was Ambrose, after all, who placed his hands on the shoulders of the naked Augustine as he descended into the baptismal fountain to put on Christ.

Ambrose exemplifies for us the truly catholic character of Christianity. He is a man steeped in the learning, law and culture of the ancients and of his contemporaries. Yet, in the midst of active involvement in this world, this thought runs through Ambrose’s life and preaching: The hidden meaning of the Scriptures calls our spirit to rise to another world.

“Women and men are not mistaken when they regard themselves as superior to mere bodily creatures and as more than mere particles of nature or nameless units in modern society. For by their power to know themselves in the depths of their being they rise above the entire universe of mere objects.... Endowed with wisdom, women and men are led through visible realities to those which are invisible” (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, 14–15).

 

Sources for this article were taken from:  AmericanCatholic.org

 

Prayer

Prayer That We May Seek God and Find Him

Lord, teach me to seek you, and reveal yourself to me when I seek you. For I cannot seek you unless you first teach me, nor find you unless you first reveal yourself to me. Let me seek you in longing and long for you in seeking. Let me find you in love, and love you in finding.

~ St Ambrose of Milan, Bishop, Writer, Doctor

Prayer of St. Ambrose to Imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary

May the life of Blessed Mary be ever-present to our awareness. In her, as in a mirror the form of virtue, and beauty of chastity shine forth. She was a virgin, not only in body, but in mind and spirit. She never sullied the pure affection of her heart by unworthy feelings. She was humble of heart. She was serious in her conversations. She was prudent in her counsels. She preferred to pray rather than to speak. She united in her heart the prayers of the poor. And avoided the uncertainty of worldly riches. She was ever-faithful to her daily duties, Reserved in her conversations, and always accustomed to recognize God as the Witness of her thoughts. Blessed be the name of Jesus! Amen.

Saint Ambrose – Pray for us

 

Gospel Reflection

December 06, 2012

Thursday – Advent – Year of Faith

by Rev. Fr. Benjo Fajota (Vice Rector of the EDSA Shrine)

7:00 PM Mass at Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace (Our Lady of EDSA)

Reading 1 Is 26:1-6

On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah: "A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you."

Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock. He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground, levels it with the dust. It is trampled underfoot by the needy, by the footsteps of the poor.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a

R. (26a) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD's;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Mt 7:21, 24-27

Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

"Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined."

HOMILY

Maraming pekeng limang daan at isang libong piso. Marami ring pekeng mga designer brands na mga damit at sapatos, at kung anu-ano pang mga gamit. We also here about fake or counterfeit pieces of artwork and jewelry. Pero may narinig na ba tayong pekeng tissue paper?

The presence of counterfeit items only indicate the value of a thing, how precious it is. The more precious or the more valuable it is, the more the fake items are present.

Spirituality is very precious and valuable. We can say this, because of the presence of fake spirituality around us. But this did not start only at our time. It began even during the time of St. Paul, when he was proclaiming the Good News and performing a lot of miracles. The high priests of other religious sects were envious of St. Paul, because a lot of people were coming to him. Kakaunti ang nagpupunta sa mga high priests, kaya naiingit sila.

There were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, who observed what St. Paul was doing, so they could also do this for their constituents. So nakita nila ang ginagawang pagpapalayas ng demonyo ni St. Paul sa pamamagitan ng pagtawag sa Panginoon, kaya't ginaya nila ito. But when they told the evil spirits to go away, the evil spirits answered them and said, "Jesus, we know; Paul we know. Who are you?"

The Gospel is trying to tell us is that who we are, comes before what we do. Hindi pwedeng sabihin na tayo ay Kristiyano sa pangalan, pero kundi naman natin sinusunod ang kalooban ng Diyos, tayo ay peke at hindi tunay na mga Kristiyano.

We have to ask ourselves - what are our motivations, what is the purpose of what we are praying for? Maaaring nagdarasal tayo, nagsisimba tayo araw-araw, naglilingkod tayo sa simbahan, pero hindi ito sapat para masabi na tayo ay mga tunay na Kristiyano. For us to be called real Christians and genuine followers of Christ, we must do what Christ is telling us. The foundation of our being Christians must always be grounded on Jesus Christ, and not on anything else. Jesus must know us, and we must know Jesus. For us to be real Christians, we must follow His footsteps.

Pinapakain ba natin ang mga nagugutom? Pinapainom ba natin 'yong mga nauuhaw? Binibisita ba natin ang mga maysakit at ang mga nasa kulungan? Binibigyan ba natin ng damit ang mga walang maisuot?

In the aftermath of typhoon Pablo that hit our kababayans in the South, a lot of them were victimized. Perhaps, it is time to ask ourselves. Are we planning to make a very nice or grand Christmas party? Maybe we could forego this and make it simple, and instead the money to be used can be given and donated to the victims - our Filipino brothers in the South.

My dear brothers and sisters, to be a real follower of Christ, we must be, first and foremost, a Christian by heart. Amen. 

Gospel Reflection

December 05, 2012

Wednesday – Advent – Year of Faith

by Bishop Milo Hubert Vergara (Roman Catholic Diocese of Pasig)

Concelebrated by Msgr. Bong Lo (Chaplain, Chapel of Eucharistic Lord)

and Rev. Fr. Michael Ortega

6;00 PM Mass at Megamall, Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord

Reading 1 Is 25:6-10a

On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples A feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, The web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces; The reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.

On that day it will be said: "Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!" For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (6cd) I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Gospel Mt 15:29-37

At that time: Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel.

Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way." The disciples said to him, "Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?" Jesus said to them, "How many loaves do you have?" "Seven," they replied, "and a few fish." He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over--seven baskets full.

HOMILY

Monsignor Bong Lo, our chaplain of the Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord here at SM Megamall, is my classmate. In fact, he was the most brilliant of my classmates when we were in the seminary. (laughs, as Monsignor Bong Lo shows his 'brilliant' bald head) I was in the last part of the class, and he is always in the first.

Brothers and sisters in the Lord, magandang gabi po sa inyo.

Every time a priest is ordained, during the week of his ordination, or even during the whole month, one of his tedious tasks is to go to what we call his thanksgiving masses. He goes to the communities he has served, communities which are part of his personal and vocational history, in order to thank God and the people of God for the gift of ordination.

Father Michael started his thanksgiving mass as early as the day he was ordained last Monday, 3 December, and he had his thanksgiving mass at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Pasig. And he has worked. His thanksgiving mass today is just one of them. But when he approached me and asked if I could preach in one of his thanksgiving masses, and he asked me where I want to do it, I personally chose the Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord. And perhaps you will ask why.

You know, nothing in this world is an accident. Nothing is accidental. I believe that the Lord, the Grand Architect, the Great Designer of all our lives, would weave through or sew things according to His divine plan and will. 

I share this with you because, as Monsignor Bong Lo said, I was a former chaplain, the third chaplain of this Chapel, that was in 1998, and I served here for two years, while I was Rector of the Holy Apostles Senior Seminary. It was really God's own plan that this Chapel be part of my own pastoral life as a priest.

But would you believe, at that time, Myrna and Rey (Father Michael's parents), were already serving here at the Chapel, and one of the scholars of our chapel was no one else but Father Michael. He was still in the seminary then. It was this chapel who supported him so that he could go to the seminary for those who are studying for the Congregation of La Sallette, before he transferred to the Diocesan seminary of San Jose in Ateneo de Manila.

When I became Bishop of Pasig on June 23, 2011, Michael greeted me, together with another priest who was with him. You know, even at this stage, I already have lapses in memory, I am sure Monsignor Bong Lo has very good memory even if he has bald head. (laughs) Kumikintab ho yan, shining (laughs) Sanay na ho sa 'kin 'yan dahil magkasama ho kami sa seminary. But really, when I was greeted by Michael, I did not realize that he was the seminarian whom we sponsored for seminary studies. Nothing in this world is an accident.

And lo and behold, last Monday, one of those who YOU supported, the Christian community supported, is now a priest before you. (applause) 

What is God telling us - for you and for Father Michael? I think it is written all over the famous lines in our Gospel today. As the Lord was moved with pity before the crowd, they were like sheep without a shepherd. They were hungry. They needed food. They were tired and restless. The Lord hears our prayers. The Lord hears the cry of those in need. He heard the cry of the people of God. 

It could have been possible that Father Michael did not continue his seminary studies. Everything is in the hands of God. But you see, because God loves us, God loves Father Michael, and God knows that this is the need to be addressed, Father Michael is now a priest of God. A priest, not only serving the Diocese of Pasig, but a priest serving the Church. 

In our Gospel today, as we heard the great miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, this is what God tells us. That just as we want or expect this much, He will give us more, and will still leave seven baskets of leftovers. God will provide for our needs, when we least expect Him to respond. He will provide for our needs with overflowing love and goodness. That is why we should be grateful to the Lord. 

From Father Michael's end, because we realize how good the Lord is, responding to the needs of the Church and your own vocation, the Lord invites you, Father Michael, to serve with love, to serve with utmost responsibility and accountability to the people. This means addressing also what God wants you to address. And that is to feed God's people, feeding them with no one else but Christ. Christ in His Word, that is why a priest is tasked to become an effective preacher and evangelizer. And also feeding the people with Christ as Bread in the Eucharist, the food for our souls. That is why Father Michael, as you realize the overflowing goodness of God, and the gift given to you and to us, then you should respond with love. And this means that God and the people expect the best. They want priests who are effective proclaimers of the Word, they want priests who are authentic livers of the Eucharist, they want priests who will re-live the testimonies of Jesus Christ Himself. 

That is why it is not easy to be a priest. In this way, as I give this point to Father Michael, I now address all of you. Pray for your priests. Alam nyo po ako ay Obispo na nang ilang taon, since 2005. Mag-tu-2013 na. Ayaw ko po sanang maging Obispo, napakahirap po maniwala kayo. (laughs) Natatakot nga ako na baka mamaya eh pagdating ko dito, may kakilala na naman ako, may lalapit sa akin at magrereklamo tungkol sa pari. Napakahirap po. Itong pari namin, hindi marunong mag-sermon, 'yong pari namin nakakahiya, nakakainis, 'yong pari namin masungit, diba? 

You see, it is not easy to become a priest, and so it is difficult also to meet the standards of the people, on how they want their priest to be. That is why I really motivate - I even compel you - pray for your priests. Pray for the holiness of Father Michael, my holiness, Monsigor Bong Lo's holiness. We need your prayers. We need your intercession. We could not do it alone. 

Love your priests. But not too much. (laughs) Nakita nyo naman si Father Michael, batang bata pa ho 'yan, kita n'yo sariwang sariwa pa ho 'yan. (more laughs) Do not love your priest so much. (laughs) Iilan na lang po ang nagpapari. So when I say love your priest, love them in such a way that you morally and spiritually support them, so that if they have decided to live this life, and it's not an easy life, this means that we become partners also, from the day we become celibate and live chaste lives, believe me. And loving your priest also entails that you strive or do your best, in your own little way, so that whatever the needs of your priest, you provide also for them. And you help them. 

I think loving a priest is also not being afraid to give feedback to us. To tell us what we need to correct. To tell us what we need to improve. To tell us how we can best serve you. That is love. Because if you do not tell that to us or share that to us, how will we know? Di ba ang mag-asawa gano'n? Sasabihin kung ano ang kailangang baguhin para mas maging mabuti. 

That is why as we continue this Eucharistic celebration we pray and thank the Lord for the gift of priesthood, the gift of Father Michael, the gift of the Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord for bearing fruit and having a priest. We can truly say that at this Advent Season, the Lord has come. The Lord has truly come. He hears our prayers, He never abandons the cry of those in need. Amen.